Atletico Madrid made it two wins from two to start their LaLiga title defence as they beat Elche 1-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday.
A stylish first-half finish from Angel Correa was all that separated the sides in a game of few clear-cut chances in the Spanish capital.
With temperatures still pushing 35 degrees Celcius in the second half, it was a relatively sedate contest, albeit one lit up by the display of new Atleti signing Rodrigo de Paul during the first hour.
It was the Argentina international s pass that led to the only goal via an error from Kiko Casilla and he could have had a second assist after the break had Yannick Carrasco been more clinical.
Atleti mustered little more than speculative efforts from Saul Niguez and Thomas Lemar in the…
We need to talk about Kevin. Because if you noticed something was different about Kevin De Bruyne this season, you were on the money.
The PFA players player of the year, the FIFPro World XI star and the reigning Champions League midfielder of the season has been performing a modified role for Manchester City since David Silva departed.
And is it pure coincidence that in this phase of semi-transition, a goal-shy City have scored 3-0, 3-1 and 4-1 wins when starting without their Belgian playmaker, the man who supposedly makes them tick?
De Bruyne is a wonderful footballer, and laying on seven goals in 13 Premier League games this season attests to that, a strong follow-up already to last term s record-equalling 20 assists.
Supremely skilled with both feet…
Harry Kane is in Germany to seal his move to Bayern Munich in a deal that could rise to £120million.
Tottenham’s record goalscorer landed in Munich on Friday night for a medical ahead of his transfer to the Bundesliga giants.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou had revealed earlier in the day that the move was “imminent” after a breakthrough in negotiations between the clubs was reached on Wednesday night.
It left the ball in Kane’s court and he decided on Thursday to leave his boyhood club for Bayern, who will pay an initial £100m with add-ons potentially taking the deal up to an overall fee of £120m, the PA news agency understands.
Reports on Friday morning initially suggested Spurs had refused to give Kane permission to travel to Germany, but the…
Jurgen Klopp insisted he couldn t be more proud of his Liverpool squad after they secured a perfect Champions League group-stage record with victory at Milan.
Despite their progression to the knockout stages as group winners already secured, the Reds put in a dominant performance to claim a 2-1 success in San Siro.
And the manner of the performance from a team showing eight changes left Klopp delighted at full-time.
He told BT Sport: [It s] really difficult in the hectic schedule. We have to be always on fire for the next game and, what the boys did tonight, I couldn t be more proud.
It was an incredible game, I m so happy about so many things I saw tonight and, of course, in the end that we won the game is great as well.
But the performance…
Stoke striker Michael Owen has confessed to diving to win a penalty while playing for England.
Owen s club manager Tony Pulis last week called for players who dive to be given retrospective bans, following Luis Suarez s attempt to gain a spot-kick during Liverpool s recent clash with Stoke.
However, the 32-year-old, who last represented England in 2008, has revealed he has simulated in the past.
I’m totally against diving but I’d say that 75 per cent of people could stay on their feet for a penalty, Owen wrote on Twitter.
I have been guilty as well, at the 1998 World Cup I was running flat out, got a nudge, went down. Could I have stayed up? Yes probably.
The dive referenced by Owen came against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, as the stri…
Former Inter Milan forward Alvaro Recoba has been in impressive form for Uruguayan outfit Nacional, spearheading his team s title bid.
The attacking midfielder has been integral in the Montevideo club s charge up the standings in the Uruguayan top flight, with Nacional sitting in third place and just four points behind leaders Penarol after 13 games.
After an inconsistent career in Europe that saw him contracted to Inter between 1997 and 2008, Recoba, who also had loan stints with Venezia and Torino during his 11 year stay in Italy, has enjoyed success back in his homeland despite being 36 years of age.
The former Uruguay international, who netted 11 goals in 69 appearances for his national side, has scored on four occasions for Nacional this term.
Naci…
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge is hoping to sign a permanent deal with Championship side Brighton.
Bridge, who signed for Manchester City in 2009 when Mark Hughes was the manager in a 10-million-pound deal, made 42 appearances for City but has since fallen out of favour under Roberto Mancini following the arrivals of Aleksandar Kolarov and Gael Clichy.
The former England international has had loan spells with West Ham and Sunderland recently, failing to do enough to secure permanent moves, before joining Brighton where he has made five appearances so far this season scoring two goals for Gus Poyet s side.
Now he is eyeing a move away from the Premier League champions.
I am enjoying every day. To know you are going to run out on the pitch on a Sat…
Southampton are expected to announce the signing of Cagliari centre-back Davide Astori shortly.
According to Goal.com, the 25-year-old Italian international has agreed personal terms with the south coast club, believed to be in the region of 1.6 million pounds per season.
He is awaiting the Premier League outfit to reach agreement with their Serie A counterparts before making the move.
The Sardinian club were believed to be holding out for 11.3 million pounds for Astori, but that figure scared off Serie A clubs and should allow the Saints to reduce the figure to around 6.5 million pounds.
It is expected that Astori will also have a similar clause inserted to his contract as Gaston Ramirez did, allowing the Italian to leave for 6.5 million pounds if the P…
Secolo XIX understands that Sampdoria forward could be changing clubs in the summer transfer window.
The Colombian forward is on the radar of top Italian sides, namely the Milan rivals, and he seems ready to leave the Blucerchiati for greener pastures at the end of the season.
Muriel was spotted at a restaurant in Chiavari, having dinner with compatriot Carlos Bacca, who may try and persuade him to choose the Rossoneri over their local rivals.
Bacca himself continues to be linked with the AC Milan exit, so there is a chance that Muriel could arrive as a replacement for his international teammate.
The 25-year-old did well to get his career back on track at Stadio Luigi Ferraris and he is enjoying the most successful campaign since the 2012/2013 season, h…
Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter has seemingly called it quits after revealing I ve finished my work in football .
Blatter s comments come after he confirmed he would appeal his eight-year ban from football, a suspension handed down by the FIFA Ethics Committee on Monday as a result of an alleged disloyal payment in 2011.
The 79-year-old and UEFA counterpart Michel Platini both received bans of eight years after being cleared of corruption charges, though the former could not demonstrate a legal basis for this payment to the Frenchman four years ago.
Blatter was defiant following the verdict, which he labelled unjust while questioning the validity of the judgement under Swiss law.
But in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in Zurich on Tuesday,…