Michel Platini would be prepared to move the UEFA Champions League s latter stages to June in order to accommodate the 2022 World Cup.
The world game s governing body has attracted significant criticism for its decision to award the tournament to Qatar, with the Arab country s stifling summer climate one of the causes for concern.
Qatar s bidding group remains confident in its assertion that the event can be held in its traditional June/July time slot, but a FIFA taskforce is set to propose January/February 2022 and November/December 2022 as options with May also a potential idea.
While FIFA continues to seek a solution for a competition awarded to Qatar in 2010, UEFA president Platini does not feel the Champions League semi-finals or final represent a problem. <…
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta set out to remind his team that they still have something “beautiful” to play for despite their Champions League exit.
The Gunners slipped out of UEFA’s flagship club competition in midweek when they went down 1-0 to Bayern Munich, losing 3-2 on aggregate.
That defeat followed on from a 2-0 loss to Aston Villa last Sunday – a reverse that significantly dented Arsenal’s title hopes, with the Gunners now two points behind Manchester City who, after this weekend, will have a game in hand.
Arsenal face Wolves on Saturday and, with City in FA Cup action, a win would see them move back to the top of the table, at least temporarily, so Arteta offered a reminder that all is not lost.
“I can guarantee you we are fully focused …
Raheem Sterling wants clarity on his Chelsea future after he was left out of the Blues squad to face Manchester City.
Sterling was a surprise omission from Enzo Maresca s matchday squad for their opening Premier League fixture of the 2024-25 campaign.
The 29-year-old, who joined Chelsea from City in 2022, had featured in all of the Blues pre-season matches.
However, after Sterling was left out of Sunday s clash against his former club, the winger s camp told Mail Sport that they were chasing clarity from the club.
23 Chelsea s starting XI has an average age of 23 years and 180 days; the second-youngest by a Premier League team on MD1, after Manchester City in 2008-09 (22y 360d). Youthful.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Raheem Sterling is contra…
Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) head Ricardo Teixeira said on Thursday much preparatory work remained to do ahead of the 2014 World Cup in terms of getting venues and transport infrastructure ready.
With this year s event in South Africa coming to an end with Sunday s final between Spain and Holland the torch is to pass to the Brazilians, who last hosted the tournament in 1950, when they lost the final at home to Uruguay.
It was only eight years later in Sweden that the Selecao won the first of their five titles to date and this year they lost to the Dutch in the quarters.
Teixeira said at a presentation of the 20th edition that various logistical issues had to be resolved in terms of stadium construction or renovation and transport.
He indicated tha…
January 1 ushers the start of a new year and, for many, a chance for a fresh start. That is particularly true in the world of football as it signals the day the transfer window opens and some of Europe s top talents can plot a lucrative move elsewhere.
A number of the sport s top talents, including Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe and Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, are due to be out of contract at the end of 2021-22 and can therefore open talks with teams abroad in January.
While the futures of Mbappe and Pogba will be heavily discussed in the coming weeks, other big names across the continent will also become that little more attractive to buyers given their availability on a free (notwithstanding their lucrative salaries, of course!).
Stats…
Germany captain Michael Ballack said on Thursday he is confident his side can reach the Euro 2008 knock-out stages and will be in form for Saturday s final warm-up with Serbia.
Germany were held 2-2 by minnows Belarus on Tuesday night and Ballack says while intensive training in Mallorca had taken its toll, the side will be stronger when they open their Euro 2008 campaign against Poland on June 8.
Joachim Loew s side play their final warm-up game against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday.
It is not an excuse, but the training camp is very physical, people are tired, but I am sure we will be on form for the beginning of the tournament, said Ballack.
Against Serbia on Saturday, you will see a different match.
The Chelsea midfielder, who ins…
The 2017 Wimbledon takes place at the All England Club from 3rd July to 16th July, and it is set to offer two weeks of premium summer entertainment to tennis fans all over the globe.
The total prize fund stands at staggering £31.6 million, a £3.5 million increase from last year, while men’s and women’s singles winners will pocket £2.2 million each.
Wimbledon 2017 Outright Odds
Home favourite Andy Murray will be defending the second Wimbledon title he won last year, and he can be backed at 10/3 to make it three, but it is evergreen Roger Federer who
Chasing his eighth Wimbledon trophy, the Swiss maestro began the year with the Australian Open trophy, while he also won in Halle in the build-up to the upcoming showpiece tournament.
<…
Best Odds: 8/11
Bookmaker:
Two sides who will be desperate to pick up a first-leg advantage on Tuesday night, Lille will welcome Slavia Prague to France.
Lille
Starting with the hosts, extending on their Champions League qualifying adventure last week as they secured a thrilling 3-2 aggregate victory against Turkish heavyweights Fenerbahce, Lille should find the mood in their camp at a red-hot high. Likewise, signing off their summer preparations with a 3-1 romp against Celta Vigo on July 30th, Bruno Genesio’s men are enjoying a recent flurry. Opening the new Ligue 1 campaign over the weekend with a deserved 2-0 win away at Reims as they picked up some perfect momentum, the Mastiffs will be confident of claiming a crucial first-leg advantage on Tuesday night.…
With the break between the quarter-finals and the semi-finals at Euro 2008 we can finally draw breath and look at the tournament so far. One thing is for sure. It has been a great success on the field.
The host nations didn’t disgrace themselves in the way their fans, particularly the Austrians, feared that they would. The negative sides, Greece, Italy and Romania have been knocked out. The exciting Spanish and Russians have made it to the semi-final and the powerful ever reliable and enterprising Germans are there once again. Turkey have made it with some remarkable last minute performances and they fill the underdog slot in the last four.
Portugal and Holland flattered to deceive but were a joy to watch when they were still there and Croatia produced …
LaLiga is over. Barcelona have won. Lionel Messi is untouchable. For some, it is the same old boring story.
The Catalans 25th top-flight crown, secured with a 4-2 win against Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday, has involved not so much a race but a 10-month victory parade.
They have been top of the table since matchday three and are 11 points clear, with a goal difference of 66. They are on the brink of the first unbeaten season since Athletic Bilbao in 1930.
Crucially, they have had Messi in the kind of form that has left opponents practically giving up before setting foot on a pitch. Somehow, it has invoked as many yawns as cheers.
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12 R Madrid
2012/13
2013/14 At Madrid
2014/15
2015/16
2016/17 R Madrid
2017/18
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