Roberto Mancini is sure European champions Italy will qualify for the 2022 World Cup following their 1-1 draw against Switzerland.
Top spot in Group C will be decided in the final round of games after Jorginho missed a late penalty for Euro 2020 winners Italy in Rome on Friday.
Italy fell behind to a powerful Silvan Widmer strike after 11 minutes but hit back through fellow right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo s header before half-time.
The Azzurri – who failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia three years ago – had a glorious chance to seize control on the road to Qatar 2022, however, Jorginho skied his 90th-minute spot-kick over the crossbar.
Automatic qualification is in the balance, though Italy have a slightly better goal difference, so they…
Real Betis attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir wants to join Barcelona in the summer of 2021, according to o. It has been reported that both Arsenal and Barcelona are interested in signing the 27-year-old, but it is Camp Nou where the France international wants to move to.
New Barcelona president Joan Laporta is an admirer of Fekir and wants to sign him should Lionel Messi leave at the end of the season. The Argentina international forward is out of contract in the summer of 2021, and he has yet to sign a new deal with the Spanish and European giants.
Fekir has scored three goals and provided five assists in 26 La Liga matches for Betis so far this season, according to . During the 2019-20 campaign, the attacking midfielder made 31 starts and one substitute appearance in t…
Pep Guardiola believes that other clubs do have the chance to win the Premier League while he is the Manchester City manager.
Guardiola has led the Citizens to five top-flight titles in his seven seasons in charge, including each of the last three in a row.
They have the opportunity to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League campaign – they must match or better Arsenal’s result on the final day against West Ham to finish top of the table.
Asked what he thought about the narrative that suggested other teams struggle to win the title while he is at City, Guardiola immediately brushed the idea aside.
He said: It is wrong, look at the margin. If every season I won by 20 points, then I would say yes I am a genius, I m so good, but it s not.…
Virgil van Dijk was left very hurt after the Netherlands were knocked out of the World Cup on penalties by Argentina on Friday.
Goals from Nahuel Molina and Lionel Messi looked to have Argentina coasting to the semi-finals, but substitute Wout Weghorst scored twice late on to force the game into extra time.
Neither team could find a winner in the additional 30 minutes, but Emiliano Martinez saved from Van Dijk and then Steven Berghuis before Lautaro Martinez fired home the deciding spot-kick to knock the Netherlands out.
Van Dijk spoke of his frustration at his team pulling themselves back into the contest, only to lose on penalties.
I m very disappointed that we re out of the tournament, after a very eventful game, the Liverpool star told reporters.
…
Carlisle United have signed Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Amos on a one month loan deal, .
The 23 year old, who began his career with the Premier League champions, has made just seven appearances for the club since turning professional in 2008.
He has previously enjoyed loan spells with Peterborough United, Molde, Oldham Athletic and, most recently, Hull City for whom he made seventeen Championship appearances for last season.
Amos, a former England U21 international, joins a Carlisle side who currently sit in sixteenth place in League One, just three points above the relegation zone having lost seven of their opening sixteen league games.
He goes straight into the Blues squad to face thirteenth place Crawley Town tomorrow afternoon, and can be b…
Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte was sent off for punching Mohammed Al-Aqel on the arm as Al-Nassr played out a 2-2 draw with Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League.
Meshari Al-Nemer s 97th-minute strike salvaged a point for Al-Nassr, who had trailed for over half the game and played with a one-man disadvantage for over half an hour.
Otavio had put Al-Nassr ahead only for Andre Gray to drag the hosts level, before Al-Aqel gave David Ospina no chance with a terrific overhead kick to make it 2-1.
Al-Nassr s position was put in further jeopardy when Laporte was sent off following a bizarre off-the-ball incident which saw him grab and punch Al-Aqel on the elbow, while Cristiano Ronaldo came up with a glaring miss from Sadio Mane s pass across the six-yard b…
Spanish forward Fernando Torres is expected to remain at Vicente Calderon beyond the current season, Cadena SER can reveal.
The experienced striker will not be returning to San Siro as his deal with AC Milan expires in June, and his future was in doubt as Atletico failed to offer him a new contract.
However, after Torres enjoyed a run in the side and scored some important goals, los Colchoneros have changed their stance and they are set to tie the former Liverpool star to a new deal.
The 32-year-old did well to score 10 goals in 29 league outings this term, which is his highest tally in a league campaign since 2010.
At the same time, Atletico plan to offer a new contract to midfielder Tiago Mendes, who has missed the season finale through injury.
Kolo Toure has called for calm as Liverpool chase a top-four finish and UEFA Champions League qualification.
Brendan Rodgers men currently occupy fourth spot in the Premier League, with a six-point cushion over nearest challengers Tottenham.
The Anfield club have not qualified for Europe s premier club competition since a second-placed finish under Rafael Benitez in 2008-09, but some sparkling displays this season, along with the imperious form of strike duo Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, mean Liverpool look set for a Champions League return next term.
Defender Toure is confident of Liverpool s chances, but has insisted his team-mates need to remain level-headed to achieve their goal.
We just need now to keep calm and do what we have been doing, he told City T…
AC Milan are in talks to sign defender Abdoulay Konko on a free transfer, the player s agent has claimed.
The 32-year-old has been with Lazio since 2011, but the five-year deal he agreed when signing for the club in a €4million deal is due to expire at the end of this month.
Milan could now be poised to pounce, with Konko s agent Daniele Conte revealing discussions are under way over a move to San Siro.
We are in talks with Milan, so it is a deal that could take off, the representative said to Tuttosport.
Abdoulay is free, so he can move wherever he wants.
Right-back Konko, who previously played for Genoa and Sevilla, made 18 Serie A appearances for Lazio last season.
Milan are yet to confirm their head coach for the new season, but …
Rio Ferdinand has revealed that he will leave Manchester United after 12 years with the Premier League club.
It was reported on Monday that the vastly experienced former England centre-back would not be offered a new deal at Old Trafford, with his contract having expired at the end of the season.
And Ferdinand, who joined United for a then club-record fee of around £30million back in 2002, has confirmed his long spell at United is over.
The 35-year-old told his official website 5mag: I have thought long and hard over the last few months about my future, and after 12 fantastic years playing, for what I regard, as the best club in the world, I have decided the time is right for me to move on,
I joined Manchester United in the hope of winning trophies, and never in…