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Showing posts from June 2, 2024

Transfer Rumours: Man United interested in Olise

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Another day. Another week. Another Manchester United transfer rumour. Michael Olise is gifted with game-changing qualities that would benefit Manchester United. The Crystal Palace winger also has admirers within the hierarchy at Chelsea and Newcastle United. You can see some of his best moments in the video below. The footage is from the Top Striker YouTube account and gives you a real indication of why the Premier League's biggest clubs are interested in him. Why are United interested? It was his performance in the 4-0 victory over Erik ten Hag’s side that cemented Olise’s reputation as one of the most exciting talents in the Premier League. He scored twice and was a threat that United could not contain in that thrashing at Selhurst Park. With Jadon Sancho expected to leave permanently this summer, there could well be space within the squad for another attacking player.  Premier League: Summer 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Premier League: Crystal Pala

Euro 2024 preview: Can Scotland do more than just boogie

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"Yes sir, I can boogie..." Can Scotland achieve what they've never done before by advancing from the group stage in a major tournament? After successfully qualifying from a challenging group that included Spain and Norway, hopes were high for such an achievement. However, Steve Clarke’s team then endured a run of seven games without a win (before a hard-fought victory against Gibraltar). While defeats to France, England, the Netherlands, and Spain were expected, losing to Northern Ireland was more concerning. For the first time in a while, the team appeared deflated. This dip in confidence might not be entirely detrimental. Overconfident Scots often struggle. In 1978, the team left for the World Cup amid great fanfare but failed to deliver. Clarke has assembled a capable side that should believe they can finish above Hungary and Switzerland, though they still lag behind the group’s standout team, Germany, in terms of overall ability. ECQ: Scotland shock Spain (eur

Euro 2024 preview: A closer look at Italy

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Can Italy retain their European Championship crown? Italy are not among the favourites in Germany.  The holders qualified after finishing second in Group C behind England, the key game being a goalless draw with Ukraine in Germany. At Euro 2024, Italy will play Albania, Spain and Croatia in one of the toughest groups of the tournament.  Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, the defensive duo that led Italy to glory in 2021 , will watch from home. Nicolò Barella and Gianluigi Donnarumma need to step up and become the key players for the team. They will have to cope without Destiny Udogie, Nicolò Zaniolo, Francesco Acerbi, and Giorgio Scalvini, who are all out injured. Iconic Euros moments: Throwback to England v Italy (2021) How did they reach Germany? They qualified for Euro 2024 after a goalless draw against Ukraine in Germany. This was a welcome relief for everyone within Italian football after they failed to reach the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The qualifying campaign for this summe

International Friendly: England lose against Iceland

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 England 0 - 1 Iceland England wrapped up their preparations for Euro 2024 with a dismal defeat against Iceland at Wembley. Manager Gareth Southgate made several changes following Monday’s win against Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James’ Park in Newcastle, but he will have been deeply disappointed with the team's lacklustre performance. Iceland, notorious for their victory over England at Euro 2016, easily exploited England's poor defending. Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who replaced Jordan Pickford, might have done better with Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson’s low shot after 12 minutes. Harry Kane missed a great chance for England, while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, one of the brighter performers, also had opportunities. However, Southgate’s side looked rusty as they finalised plans for their opening Euro 2024 match against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on 16 June. England appeared vulnerable at the back throughout the match, with Iceland creating chances to extend their lead after the break. Interna

International Friendly: Scotland squander two-goal lead against Finland

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Scotland 2 - 2 Finland Scotland head off to Euro 2024 in a disappointing fashion after squandering a two-goal lead to draw with Finland at Hampden Park. An own goal from Arttu Hoskonen lifted spirits following a subdued start before Lawrence Shankland nodded home, ramping up the celebrations. The Tartan Army's party was put on hold when Benjamin Kallman pulled one back, and an 85th-minute penalty - awarded by the video assistant referee (VAR) - was slotted home by Oliver Antman. All eyes now turn to Munich as Scotland prepares for the daunting yet exhilarating task of taking on Germany, one of the tournament favourites, in their own backyard next Friday. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. The footage is from the Premier Sports YouTube account.  The second half came to life after a poor first 45 minutes. The second half was much better. Hoskonen's own goal might have been a touch lucky, but Shankland's headed finish rounded off the type of

Euro 2024: England name final squad for Germany

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England have confirmed their 26-man squad for the European Championships Gareth Southgate has revealed his final 26-man squad, and some notable names are missing. Manchester City's Jack Grealish, Manchester United's Harry Maguire, and Tottenham's James Maddison have all been left out. Burnley's goalkeeper James Trafford, Liverpool's defender Jarell Quansah, Everton's defender Jarrad Branthwaite, and Liverpool's midfielder Curtis Jones, who were part of the initial 33-player shortlist, have also not made the cut. Manchester United's Luke Shaw who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since mid-February, is part of the squad. This has come to the surprise of many but his experience and nature as one of England's best left-backs probably swung that in his favour. Euro 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) International Friendly: England start Euros prep with a win (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Goalkeepers Dean Henderson (Cr

Iconic Euros Moments: Wales v Belgium (2016)

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 Wales 3 - 1 Belgium (Euro 2016) Let's explore another iconic moment from the European Championships. Wales recorded the greatest night in their football history as they came from a goal down to beat Belgium at Euro 2016. Radja Nainggolan put Belgium ahead in Lille with a stunning 25-yard strike but Wales captain Ashley Williams headed in from a corner to equalise in a breathless first half littered with chances at both ends. Welsh celebrations reached stratospheric levels when Hal Robson-Kanu, a striker without a club at the time, gave them the lead with a divine turn and finish. Iconic Euros Moments: Throwback to England v Scotland (1996) After withstanding late Belgium pressure, Wales sealed victory through a header from substitute Sam Vokes to set up a semi-final against Portugal and what many believed would be a mouth-watering duel between Gareth Bale and his former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. Wales manager Chris Coleman later described the last-eight tie as W

PL News: Evans in talks to extend Manchester United stay

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 Manchester United are in talks with defender Jonny Evans over extending his stay at the club. The 36-year-old returned to United last summer from Leicester City, eight years after his initial departure from Old Trafford. The Northern Ireland international initially started training with the club during pre-season to maintain his fitness but was handed a one-year deal after impressing Erik ten Hag. Listen to Evans talk about his love of Manchester United. Footage from the club's YouTube account. Evans went on to make 30 appearances last season, including a substitute appearance in the FA Cup win against Manchester City at Wembley. Whether Evans stays or not, United are clearly in the market for a new defender. It has been reported that they are considering a move for Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah as they evaluate their options for next season. Man United interested in Trevoh Chalobah  What do Manchester United fans think? Liam, a Manchester United Season Ticket holder, told us

International Friendly: Hungary lose warm-up friendly against Republic of Ireland

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 Republic of Ireland 2 - 1 Hungary John O'Shea strengthened his bid to become the permanent Republic of Ireland manager following a 2-1 victory over Euro 2024-bound Hungary. In a close encounter at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, Troy Parrott netted a last-minute winner, securing O'Shea's first win as interim manager. Adam Idah opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a header, only for Adam Lang to equalise four minutes later from close range. Parrott took advantage of several defensive errors to score in the 92nd minute, handing Hungary their first defeat in 14 matches. The first 30 minutes of the game were lacklustre, marked by loose passes and weary legs in Dublin. Hungary initially had the upper hand, with Loic Nego curling an early effort over and Andras Schafer shooting wide. Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was called into action to save a shot from Milos Kerkez before the hosts took the lead against the run of play. Just ten days after scoring the winner fo

International Friendly: Scotland eventually triumph against Gibraltar

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Gibraltar 0 - 2 Scotland With the squad enduring a seven-game winless streak and grappling with injuries, it took Scotland until the 58th minute to break the deadlock against the world’s 203rd ranked team. Ryan Christie finally opened the scoring, lashing the ball home just before the hour mark in frustration. Che Adams added a decisive second goal late on, securing a much-needed, if uninspiring, win in Portugal. The 2,000 travelling Scotland fans shouldn’t have had to wait so long for their team to score, given the volume of chances created against their lowly opponents. Grant Hanley and James Forrest, in particular, squandered golden opportunities, while Christie and Kenny McLean also could have done better inside the box. Iconic Euros Moments: Throwback to England v Scotland (1996)  ECQ: Scotland shock Spain ECQ: Spain and Scotland qualify for Euro 2024 By half-time, Scotland had registered 20 shots, most from inside the penalty area, but hit the target only twice. Gibraltar, me

International Friendly: England start Euros prep with a win

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 England 3 - 0 Bosnia-Herzegovina Cole Palmer celebrated his first start for England by setting Gareth Southgate's team on the path to victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James' Park, as preparations for Euro 2024 continued. England's heavily rotated side struggled to find their rhythm in a scrappy match. Still, they eventually broke the deadlock an hour in when Palmer confidently converted a penalty after Ezri Konsa was fouled during a corner. Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold secured the win with a fine volley at the far post five minutes before full-time. Harry Kane then added a third from close range, giving the final scoreline a more convincing look. Iconic Euros Moments: Throwback to England v Scotland (1996)  Iconic Euros moments: Throwback to England v Italy (2021)  Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, also making his full debut, was a standout performer until he was substituted, giving manager Southgate much to consider as he finalises his squad for the

PL News: Chelsea appoint Enzo Maresca as new boss

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Chelsea have announced the appointment of Enzo Maresca as their new head coach The Italian takes over from Mauricio Pochettino, who left by mutual agreement on 21 May after just one season at Stamford Bridge. Maresca, 44, assumed control of the Foxes in June 2023 and guided them to the Championship title last season. Maresca celebrates his former club's Championship title win. Picture from  fuji.tim | Flickr Starting his new role on 1 July, Maresca becomes Chelsea's  sixth managerial appointment in five years and the fourth since May 2022. Chelsea had a mixed 2023-24 season but finished strongly, winning their last five matches to secure sixth place and qualify for the Europa Conference League. The Blues also finished as runners-up in the Carabao Cup and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Following Pochettino's departure, several candidates were considered, including former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, and Brentford's Thomas

Transfer News: Mbappe signs Real Madrid deal

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Kylian Mbappe has signed a contract to join Real Madrid on a free transfer once his current deal with Paris St-Germain expires on 30th June.  The French striker had agreed to the move in February and confirmed his departure from PSG in May.  Mbappe, who is 25 years old, has finalised the terms with Real Madrid and will be moving to Spain when the La Liga transfer window opens on 1st July. The official announcement of the deal is expected to be made by Real Madrid over the next few days. Mbappe will be formally presented at the Bernabeu   after Euro 2024.  Since joining PSG from Monaco in 2017, Mbappe has become their all-time leading goalscorer with 256 goals. He has agreed to a contract with Real Madrid until 2029, with an annual salary of 15 million euros (£12.8m), a signing-on bonus of 150 million euros (£128m) to be paid over five years, and a share of his image rights. The best reaction Ana, a Real Madrid fan now living in England, told us: "This is a player that will real

Turkey: Mourinho set to be named as Fenerbahce manager

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 Jose Mourinho is set to become the new manager of Fenerbahce The 61-year-old will take over from Ismail Kartal, who left Fenerbahce after they finished second in the league to city rivals Galatasaray.  Despite losing just one game and recording 99 points last season, Fenerbahce finished as runners-up. How much of an impact will have Mourinho in Turkey? The club hinted at Mourinho's appointment in a video featuring the Portuguese manager directly addressing the fans with the words "See you tomorrow". Are you ready for tomorrow? 🔥😄 pic.twitter.com/PgbdiegcjE — Fenerbahçe English (@Fenerbahce_EN) June 1, 2024 Mourinho, who has previously managed Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, is the only manager to have won the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League .  Over his 24-year managerial career, he has won 21 major honors, beginning in his home country of Portugal at Benfica and including stints at Porto, Inter Milan, and Tottenham.  Mourin

Euro 2024 preview: The England players tasked with trying to bring football home

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Will football come home this summer? A couple of weeks ago, England and Gareth Southgate named their provisional squad for Euro 2024. The final 26-man squad list for England must be submitted to Uefa by June 7. Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley). Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City) Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace). Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (

UCL Reaction: The world responds

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Let's explore all the best reaction to the 2024 Champions League final Carlo Ancelotti earned his fifth win as a manager in the competition, while Real Madrid claimed their 15th title in typical fashion. They weathered a stormy first half and several missed opportunities from Dortmund before emerging with a win.  Real Madrid struggled in a poor first-half performance, unsettled by Dortmund's speed and intensity. They were fortunate to reach halftime with the score level, as they were living on their nerves. What happened in the second-half was almost inevitable.  Click here to read the full match report from European Super Football Champions League stories from the 2023/2024 season  Best social media reaction Our friends at News Ball posted on Facebook: "That was a fascinating match to watch. I'm sure for many, the temptation would be to label Real Madrid lucky. However, it happens too often for this description to be justified. Real Madrid were mediocre for large p