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Ligue 1: PSG lose for the first time since March

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 Lens 3 - 1 Paris Saint Germain There was a shock result in Ligue 1. PSG lost for the first time since March as they were beaten by in-form Lens side. Second-placed Lens have lost only once in 17 Ligue 1 games this season and are now just four points behind Christophe Galtier's star-studded league leaders. Lois Openda scored one goal and set up another for Franck Haise's side. They were without Neymar, who was suspended after being sent off on Wednesday, and Lionel Messi, who continues his post-World Cup recovery. The hosts led after five minutes when Przemyslaw Frankowski volleyed into an empty net after a rebound off Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Hugo Ekitike quickly equalised for PSG but Openda beat defender Marquinhos and fired past Donnarumma into the bottom corner to give Lens the lead again in the 28th minute. Alexis Claude-Maurice added a third two minutes into the second half and - despite Kylian Mbappe playing the full game - the club from northern France

France: PSG almost clinch title

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 Auxerre 1  - 2 PSG Paris St-Germain are on the verge of another Ligue 1 title after two goals from Kylian Mbappe secured victory over the struggling Auxerre on Sunday. There is a big additional question that we ask at this end of this match report. What does the future have in store for PSG?  They are six points clear of second-placed Lens, and require just one point from their last two games to guarantee the title. Top scorer Mbappe netted twice in the opening eight minutes for the visitors. Lassine Sinayoko responded for Auxerre, who remain in relegation trouble. Click here to find more football news and stories from across France. Mbappe has scored 40 goals and contributed nine assists in 41 matches this season. The France international displayed great footwork as he twisted and turned in the box to create space for the opener, before bending in a sublime first-time strike two minutes later. PSG, who have won eight of the past 10 Ligue 1 titles, equalled Marseille and Saint-Et

Ligue 1: Strasbourg 3 - 0 Metz

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Habib Diallo scored twice for Strasbourg as they beat Metz 3-0 in Friday night's Ligue 1 fixture Watch the video below to get a good indication of the fantastic atmosphere on display on the terraces. The game is always an important date in the Ligue 1 calendar.  Strasbourg moved up to 10th place ahead of this weekend's games while Metz dropped to 19th and is one of only four teams yet to win. Many Metz fans are already concerned that their team might be in for a relegation battle this season. We believe this roughly translates as: "We don't know about you, but for us the weekend is off to a very good start! Racing wins this derby with the manner." 🏁 On ne sait pas pour vous, mais pour nous le wek-end débute très très bien ! Le Racing remporte ce derby avec la manière 🔵⚪️ #RCSAFCM (3-0) pic.twitter.com/ekCLSg2X2G — Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (@RCSA) September 17, 2021 The Metz reaction was obviously very different. The lack of emotion on display in thi

Transfer News: French captain agrees Real Madrid move

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A potential transfer saga is potentially about to be concluded Kylian Mbappe has made the decision to join Real Madrid this summer, after informing PSG of his intention to leave when his contract expires in June. While Mbappe hasn't yet put pen to paper with Real Madrid, the agreement is likely to be formalised once it's certain that the two clubs won't face each other in the current season's Champions League.  This move comes as Mbappe stands as PSG 's top goal scorer, boasting a record 244 goals for the club. Keen to resolve his future before March, Mbappe held discussions with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on 13th February, revealing his decision to join Real Madrid. Following reports of his departure last Thursday, Mbappe was omitted from the starting lineup in Saturday's match against Nantes. Despite this, he still made an impact coming off the bench, scoring a penalty as PSG secured a 14-point lead at the summit of Ligue 1. The impending deal sees M

Icons: Patrice Evra

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 It's time to explore another football icon. This time it's Patrice Evra A brief summary He is a French football coach and former professional player. Originally a forward, he mainly played as a left-back.Evra served as captain for both Manchester United and the France national team. His former manager Sir Alex Ferguson praised Evra for his leadership, also describing him as one of the best left-backs in Europe. <Click here to read about more icons> The start of Evra's career Evra was born in Senegal and arrived in Europe when he was a year old. Evra started his career with the Italian club Marsala. The following season, he joined Monza but returned to France a year later to play for Nice where he was converted into a full-back. In 2002, he joined Monaco and was part of the team that reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final.  Becoming a Manchester United legend Evra's performances for Monaco culminated in a move to English club Manchester United in January

UCL: Benzema leads Real Madrid fightback

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Real Madrid 3 -  1 Paris Saint Germain (3-2 on aggregate) Karim Benzema scored an incredible second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid produced a stirring fightback at the Bernabeu to reach the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of PSG, Kylian Mbappe's first-half goal had given the French side a deserved two-goal aggregate lead. This looked to have put Mauricio Pochettino's side well on course for the last eight. However, a mistake by PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma proved the catalyst for a dramatic recovery, with Benzema turning home after the Italian dawdled in possession. Luka Modric's intricate pass made Benzema's second as he levelled the tie against a panicked PSG. AS the visitors attempted to regroup, Benzema drove a low effort into the bottom right corner seconds after the restart to settle the tie. Will PSG ever win the Champions League? And after reaching the final and semi-finals in consecutive seasons, this felt like a backwards step for an expe

Icons: Sergio Ramos

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It's time to explore another legendary footballer.  Sergio Ramos is a Spanish professional footballer renowned as one of the greatest defenders ever.  Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football Ramos in action for Real Madrid against local rivals. Photo credit -  Jan S0L0 | Flickr Known for his tackling prowess, aerial strength, leadership, and an impressive goalscoring record for a defender, he netted over 100 goals for Real Madrid. During his sixteen seasons at Real Madrid, he won multiple UEFA Champions League titles, as well as two UEFA European Championships and the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the Spanish national team. An overview of his club career Ramos was born in Seville and developed his skills in Sevilla’s youth academy. After two seasons with Sevilla's senior team, he made a high-profile move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2005. He became an integral part of the squad, winning 22 major honours, including five La Liga titles and four Champions League titles. Ramos

Icons: Lionel Messi

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Let's take a closer look at Lionel Messi.  The Argentian player is widely regarded as one of the greatest players ever. How did his career develop? What were his best moments? Keep reading for the story of a football legend. Quick summary Messi has won seven Ballon d'Or awards and six European Golden Shoes. In 2020, he was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. Until leaving the club in 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona.  With the Spanish giants,  he won a club-record 35 trophies. This included ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four Champions Leagues. He is known for being a prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker. Records He holds the records for most goals in La Liga, a La Liga and European league season, most hat-tricks in La Liga and the Champions League, and most assists in La Liga, a La Liga season and the Copa América. He also holds the record for most international goals by a South American. Messi has scored over 7

Young and European: Eduardo Camavinga

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Eduardo Camavinga is a midfielder that currently plays for Real Madrid and the French national team.  Like all the players in our Young and European series, Camavinga is a player well thought of across the continent. Can he also play a key part in the Qatar World Cup? Young and European: The up and coming stars looking to impress in Qatar (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Development at Rennes 👶 Youngest player for Rennes 👶 Youngest player for France since 1914 👶 Youngest goalscorer for France since 1914 Eduardo Camavinga turns 18 today 🎂 pic.twitter.com/CcC5jnBzK6 — GOAL (@goal) November 10, 2020 Camavinga joined the Rennes' youth system aged 11. He signed his first professional contract on 14 December 2018, at the age of 16 years and one month and became the youngest ever professional for the club. His professional debut for Rennes in a 3–3 Ligue 1 tie with Angers in April 2019. A few months later, he was awarded the man of the match award in a 2–1 win against Paris Saint

Transfer News: United strengthen their defence

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Manchester United's plans for the new season appear to be going well. The Red Devils have signed French defender Leny Yoro from Lille on a contract until 2029.  The deal is valued at €62 million (£52.18m), with an additional €8 million (£6.73m) in potential add-ons. The 18-year-old centre-back has committed to a five-year stay at Old Trafford, with an option to extend for another 12 months. Yoro, who debuted for Lille at 16, had attracted interest from Real Madrid, Paris St-Germain, and Liverpool. Last season, he made 32 league appearances, scored two goals, and was instrumental in helping Lille secure fourth place in Ligue 1 . His performances earned him a spot in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season. In total, Yoro played 44 matches across all competitions for Lille, reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League, where they were narrowly defeated on penalties by Aston Villa. Yoro's signing follows Manchester United's recent acquisition of forward Joshua Zirkz

Icons: Zlatan Ibrahimović

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Zlatan Ibrahimović is a former professional footballer who recently played as a striker for Serie A club AC Milan and the Sweden national team.  He is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. Ibrahimović is one of the most decorated active footballers in the world, having won 31 trophies in his career.  He has scored over 570 career goals, including more than 500 club goals, and has scored in each of the last four decades. Let's take a look at his career. The start of a decorated career Ibrahimović began his career at Malmö FF in 1999, and signed for Ajax two years later. At Ajax, he gained a reputation as one of the most promising forwards in Europe, and departed two years later to sign for Juventus.  Shining in Italy He excelled in Serie A in a strike partnership with David Trezeguet, before joining domestic rivals Inter Milan in 2006, where he won was Serie A top scorer in 2008–09 and won three consecutive Serie A titles.  An interesting season at Barcelo

Ligue 1 reaction: Rennes 2 - 0 PSG

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Despite winning their first eight games in Ligue 1 and then beating Manchester City, some fans had yet to be truly convinced by PSG this season. Let's have a look at some of the best reactions from around the world as PSG lost their first league game of the season.  What did the managers and players say? PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino and their captain gave some thoughts and opinions on the match to the club's social media channels. 🎙️💬 #SRFCPSG Mauricio Pochettino and captain @marquinhos_m5 gave their thoughts today's match to #PSGTV pic.twitter.com/HOBA5XVeah — Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) October 3, 2021 Things on social media were a lot more positive from the Rennes. A Guardian article looks at how they approached the game differently compared to most teams: "They adopted a different approach. When they lost possession, they reverted to a low block, which PSG could not break down."  A translation of Bruno Genesio's post match interview s

Premier League: Dramatic Deadline Day

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This is a full list of all the transfers involving the Premier League clubs on Deadline Day The 20 Premier League sides had already run up a huge net spend this summer as it continued to expand its collection of stars. This video from Sky Sports looks at how a dramatic day concluded.  Sky Sports Premier League - YouTube   Which signing will turn out to be the best? Sylvester Jasper — Fulham to Bristol Rovers — Loan Xavier Simons — Chelsea to Hull City — Loan Rob Street — Crystal Palace to Shrewsbury Town — Loan Jack Stephens — Southampton to Bournemouth — Loan Willy Boly — Wolverhampton Wanderers to Nottingham Forest — Undisclosed The Ivory Coast international has signed a two-year deal at The City Ground following a five-year spell at Molineux, having joined Wolves permanently in 2018 following an initial season-long loan from FC Porto. He was a key member of the Wolves side that won promotion to the Premier League during his first season in England, with his performances earning hi

Spain: Real Madrid held at Mallorca

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Mallorca 1 -  1 Real Madrid Kylian Mbappé made his La Liga debut as reigning champions Real Madrid were held to a draw by Mallorca on the opening day of the season. The French captain had already made a strong start at his new club, scoring in Wednesday's 2-0 UEFA Super Cup victory over Atalanta. However, the summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain was unable to find the net in his first domestic league appearance. Rodrygo put Carlo Ancelotti's side ahead with a superb goal, finishing off a clever backheel from Vinícius Júnior. More news from across Spain Latest stories from Real Madrid But Mallorca responded when Vedat Muriqi headed in Dani Rodríguez's cross to equalise. Madrid's defender, Ferland Mendy, was sent off in the final moments of injury time after a reckless challenge on Muriqi. Mbappé, PSG's all-time top scorer and a six-time Ligue 1 Golden Boot winner , had several opportunities for Madrid. He narrowly missed the target with one effort and forced g

Transfer Rumours: United linked with Gomes

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 Let's explore another transfer rumour Manchester United are reportedly weighing up a move for Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes.  United are looking to sign a holding midfielder this summer and they have identified the £40million-rated Gomes as someone who can take them forward. Gomes has been watched by United on several occasions this season, most recently earlier this month when Wolves beat Fulham 2-1 at Molineux in the Premier League. Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 Premier League: Wolves and Man United play out a classic  Wolves are aware there will be interest in Gomes over the next few months. One of his standout performances came when his side beat Treble winners Manchester City 2-1 earlier this season and scored both goals in a win by the same scoreline over Spurs last month. He fits the profile of new United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, now in charge of the club's football operations, who wants an end to the policy of spending exorbitant fees on star

Transfer News: Deadline Day Developments August 2024

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This is the place for some of the biggest announcements from the August 2024 Transfer Deadline Day Raheem Sterling - Chelsea to Arsenal on loan Raheem Sterling finalised a last-minute transfer deadline move to Premier League rivals Arsenal. The 29-year-old has agreed to a season-long loan with Mikel Arteta's team.  This decision came after the England international was told that he was not part of new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca's plans. Jadon Sancho - Manchester United to Chelsea on loan with an obligation to buy Raheem Sterling in @Arsenal red 📸🔴 pic.twitter.com/GL7kbReq7K — Premier League (@premierleague) August 31, 2024 Chelsea has secured a loan deal for Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho until the end of the season.  The agreement includes an obligation for Chelsea to permanently sign the 24-year-old England international for a fee ranging between £20-25m next summer. Sancho playing for Mancheter United. Photo credit  Thể Thao 11M | Flickr Eddie Nketiah - Ar

UCL: Greatest Champions League semi-finals

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Let's take a look at some of the greatest Champions League semi-finals.  With the 2023 Champions League semi-finals just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to look back at some legendary matches at this stage of the competition.  From AC Milan to Manchester United and Didier Drogba to Zinedine Zidane, iconic clubs and players have come of age and built their modern mythology in these matches. However, which games were the best?  AC Milan v Monaco - 1994 The Champions League was still a very different competition when it officially changed its name from the European Cup in the earlier part of the 1990s.  In this game against Monaco, Milan went up early through Marcel Desailly but suffered a significant setback when Alessandro Costacurta was sent off after 40 minutes. However, they were determined not to let their advantage slip. In the end, they only held their lead but also added to it with further strikes in the second half. The season would only get better for Milan.

Transfer News: Villa sign Ross Barkley

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Villa are strengthening their squad ahead of a campaign where they will compete in the Premier League and Champions League They have signed midfielder Ross Barkley from Luton Town on a permanent deal. The 30-year-old made 32 Premier League appearances for Luton, who were relegated from the top flight in 2023-24. This is Barkley's second spell at Villa Park. He spent the 2020-21 season on loan there from Chelsea. The former Everton midfielder also made 33 appearances for England between 2013 and 2019 and was regarded as one of England's most promising talents, featuring in the Three Lions side at the 2014 World Cup. Barkley made 150 appearances for Everton over eight years  He joined Chelsea in a £15m move in 2018 but left by mutual consent at the start of the 2022-23 season after 100 appearances for the club. Also read Premier League: Summer 2024 news and stories  The latest from Aston Villa  A spell at Luton helped Barkley find his feet in the top flight once again after j

Icons: Franz Beckenbauer

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Franz Beckenbauer is a German former professional footballer and manager.  Quick summary of his career During an illustrious career, he was nicknamed "The Emperor" because of his elegant style, dominance and leadership on the field, The first name "Franz" is reminiscent of the Austrian emperors. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He was a versatile player who started as a midfielder, Beckenbauer made his name as a central defender. He is often credited with having invented the role of the modern sweeper. Very few players have had that level of impact on the sport.  Club career At club level with Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1967 and three consecutive European Cups from 1974 to 1976. The latter feat made him the first player to win three European Cups as captain of his club. He became team manager and later president of Bayern Munich. After two spells with the New York Cosmos, he

Turkey: Ali joins Besiktas on loan

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A player has left the Premier League Dele Alli has completed a season’s loan move from Everton to Besiktas that gives the Turkish club the option to buy the midfielder. Alli has experienced a disappointing spell at Everton since joining from Tottenham last January, making 13 appearances, including two as a substitute this season. Besiktas have an option to buy for £6m before 1 January or for £8m after that until June. Alli will otherwise return to Everton, where he would have one year on his contract. Everton signed Alli on a free but have to pay Spurs £10m if he makes 20 appearances for them. Further add-ons are dependent on team and individual achievements. Besiktas are level with the top club, Fenerbahce, after three matches. Besiktas supporters gave Alli a raucous welcome when he arrived at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul to seal his transfer. Winger Nicolas Pépé has left Arsenal to join Nice on loan for the 2022-23 season. The Ivory Coast international returns to Ligue 1, having p