Anthony Martial: Former Manchester United forward joins AEK Athens

Published

9 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anthony Martial: Former Manchester United forward joins AEK Athens

Former Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has signed for Greek club AEK Athens on a three-year deal.

Martial, 28, left Old Trafford after nine years at the club following the expiration of his contract this summer.

The Frenchman made 317 appearances for United, scoring 90 goals, after joining from Monaco in 2015 for £36m – a then world record fee for a teenager.

AEK Athens are top of the Greek Super League after winning three of their opening four games, having finished runners-up last season.

Martial began his senior career at Lyon before a £4.4m move to Monaco.

He has two goals in 30 appearances for France but has not played an international match since 2021.

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'Schillaci was a man who lived for goals'

Published

11 mins ago

September 20, 2024

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'Schillaci was a man who lived for goals'

Italian football expert Mina Rzouki remembers Salvatore ‘Toto’ Schillaci, who has died aged 59.

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Martin Odegaard: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says captain’s ankle injury ‘quite significant’

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

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Martin Odegaard: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says captain's ankle injury 'quite significant'

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says captain Martin Odegaard has suffered a “quite significant” ankle ligament injury.

The midfielder limped off during Norway’s Nations League win over Austria on Monday, 9 September.

Odegaard had gone down in pain after hurting his left ankle following a foul by Christoph Baumgartner midway through the second half.

He returned to Arsenal for an MRI scan and missed his side’s 1-0 win at Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.

“The scan showed some damage around the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him,” said Gunners boss Arteta before his side play Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday.

“It’s something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months.”

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Rodri: WIll players actually go on strike and legally can they do it?

Published

2 hours ago

September 20, 2024

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Rodri: WIll players actually go on strike and legally can they do it?

Southampton manager Russell Martin said he “didn’t think” his players were interested in striking after their promotion to the Premier League.

He said: “We’ve gone from 50 games to 38 and a couple of cup games so I think our lads will be delighted.”

But he did add: “I think something’s going to give at some point. I think that will be that the quality will be diluted at the top level.

“The top players… you’ll see less of them because of injuries, so I think he [Rodri] has a very good point and I think it needs to be looked at – the welfare of the guys playing internationals and the Champions League.”

Ross Meadows, head of employment at law firm Oury Clark, said: “In practice, I think this will be a last resort if co-ordinated through the Professional Footballers’ Association or Fifpro as there are significant legal hurdles to overcome to have a lawful strike, including a ballot to all members and notice to the Premier League clubs.

“The PFA, for example, typically seeks to resolve disputes through negotiations rather than strikes. Historically, football players have avoided strike action in favour of collective bargaining and pressure through their union.”

Former England and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart said on BBC Radio 5 Live that Rodri and Alisson were “just speaking from their hearts”.

“Two players there that are going to speak honestly,” he said. “They’re not rash guys, they’re not guys who sensationalise everything. I’m sure they just answered questions.

“Rodri, in particular, was asked whether they’re close to going on strike. I don’t think in the forefront of his mind was thinking ‘you know what we are up to… that is actually the plan’.

“He is just saying that at some point they’re going to have to stand up for themselves because it is a lot of football.”

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Football

Boniface's amazing trick pass sets up Leverkusen goal

Published

3 hours ago

September 20, 2024

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Boniface's amazing trick pass sets up Leverkusen goal

Victor Boniface produces a brilliant trick pass before Alejandro Grimaldo scores Bayer Leverkusen’s second goal against Feyenoord.

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Football

Champions League 2024-25: First impressions of new format

Published

4 hours ago

September 20, 2024

NewsAdmin

Champions League 2024-25: First impressions of new format

This new ‘league phase’ – instead of lots of groups all containing four teams – is going to take some getting used to.

One big table with 36 teams is something we do not even see in league football, and taking it all in involves some serious scrolling. You can check out the full thing here.

Remember, teams who finish in the top eight will qualify automatically for the last 16, while those who place ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout play-off for the chance to join them.

Whoever finishes 25th or lower will be eliminated. So only one-third of teams actually go out after everyone plays eight games.

According to Opta, 16 points from a possible 24 gives a 98% chance of a top-eight finish.

Ten points is 99% likely to lead to a top-24 finish, so teams who won this week only need two more wins and a draw for a chance of reaching the last 16.

Fifteen teams won their opening games (meaning 15 teams lost) which leaves six clubs in between on one point.

In a nutshell, if you won you’ve got a great chance of going through. If you lost… you’ve still got a great chance of going through.

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Football

Football gossip: Mainoo, Goretzka, Gyokeres, Ederson, Van Dijk

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

NewsAdmin

Football gossip: Mainoo, Goretzka, Gyokeres, Ederson, Van Dijk

Manchester United to offer Kobbie Mainoo new deal, Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris St-Germain consider Viktor Gyokeres and Liverpool target Virgil van Dijk replacement.

Manchester United are set to offer English midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 19, a bumper new contract to reflect his status as a first-team star. (Fabrizio Romano on YouTube), external

Manchester United could move for Bayern Munich’s German midfielder Leon Goretzka, 29, with the futures of Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, 32, and Brazilian 32-year-old Casemiro still in doubt. (Manchester Evening News), external

Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris St-Germain are leading the race to sign Sweden forward Viktor Gyokeres, 26, from Portuguese giants Sporting. (Caught Offside), external

Liverpool are considering Juventus and Brazil centre-back Gleison Bremer, 27, as their ideal replacement for Dutchman Virgil van Dijk, 33. (Teamtalk), external

Newcastle are monitoring 18-year-old Norwegian forward Sindre Walle Egeli, dubbed the next Erling Haaland, with West Ham, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Brentford also interested in the £25m-rated teenager. (Daily Mail), external

Bayer Leverkusen’s Dutch wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, 23, is on Chelsea’s five-man shortlist to replace English full-back Reece James, 24. (TBR Football), external

But Chelsea will not to loan out Brazilian 17-year-old winger Estevao Willian when he joins the club from Palmeiras next summer. (Goal), external

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