Best odds: 4/5
Bookmaker:
Barcelona will aim to continue their flawless start to the season as they travel to Estadi Montilivi on Sunday for a Catalan derby against Girona.
The Blaugrana currently sit atop La Liga, while Girona enter the weekend in fifth place, having collected seven points from their first four matches.
Girona
Girona are just days away from making their UEFA competition debut, having earned a Champions League spot with their third-place finish last season.
The Blanquivermells are already anticipating their trip to the French capital for their opening match against Paris Saint-Germain.
However, before turning their attention to their midweek clash at the Parc des Princes, Girona must first navigate a tough challenge agai…
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe is confident England can progress from the group stage in Euro 2012.
Defoe has pulled on the England shirt 46 times but is yet to complete a full 90 minutes at international level.
The forward has been kept on the bench at White Hart Lane for most of the season due to the fine form of Emmanuel Adebayor and Harry Redknapp s preference to use Rafael van der Vaart in support of the Togolese target man.
Defoe has not been named in an international squad since the September win over Wales, and has not featured since a brief cameo appearance against Ghana back in March.
He will be hoping for more game time as he sets out to prove to Capello that he should be on the plane to Ukraine and Poland in June.
It s difficult. …
Atlanta United defender Stian Gregersen is relishing his side’s must-win game against Orlando City this weekend and is confident his team can reach the playoffs.
The Five Stripes go into the final day in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, level on points with Philadelphia Union, and three points behind the cut-off line.
While needing favourable outcomes from the matches involving CF Montreal and D.C. United, Gregersen said the focus must remain on their own performance, while also trying to maintain momentum from their win over the New York Red Bulls last time out.
“I think it s a little bit sad that we had the break because we were so good into this match, but of course, we have to look back at it and keep up,” said Gregersen. “Continue with the confi…
Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has suggested Joshua Kimmich s future at the club could be in question, saying no player is guaranteed a regular starting place.
Kimmich has entered the final 12 months of his contract with Bayern, who he joined in 2015 and has helped win eight Bundesliga titles and one Champions League.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Manchester City have all been linked with a move for the 29-year-old, who endured a difficult 2023-24 campaign.
Kimmich reportedly had a strained relationship with former Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel, as the club saw their 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga title ended by Bayer Leverkusen.
Speaking to Welt am Sonntag, Eberl hinted every player in the Bayern squad must prove themselves…
We ve wondered throughout the build-up whether Spain are realistic contenders to win Euro 2020. After Monday s goalless draw with Sweden, it feels like we re no closer to an answer.
La Roja began their quest for a record fourth European Championship title in the hot evening air of Seville s La Cartuja stadium, the sparse crowd in fine voice, the players looking sharp, their early passing as crisp as Luis Enrique s brilliant white shirt.
Yet so soporific was the heat, humidity and patient midfield build-up that, come the 90th minute, you d have forgiven every fan in the stands for nodding off.
That s not to say this was a poor performance from Spain. Rather, it was what we have come to expect over the past 15 years: authority in possession bordering on totalitar…
Phil Neville has urged the Portland Timbers to remain grounded as they look to continue their upturn against the Western Conference s outstanding team in the LA Galaxy.
The Timbers are seventh in the standings, occupying a playoff place, after recording an excellent 3-0 win over high-flying Real Salt Lake last Saturday.
That was their fifth win in their last six matches, the only blot on their record during that span being a 3-2 loss at FC Dallas.
With the Galaxy leading the way in the West, two points clear of Los Angeles FC and Real Salt Lake and 10 ahead of Portland, Neville knows Saturday s match will be a real test.
We ve come off a really good weekend and we gave the players a couple of days off just to regroup, Neville said this week. This is the …
Two goals from Gonzalo Higuain were the key for Argentina as the South American giants took another big leap towards Brazil 2014, the Real Madrid star combining expertly with Lionel Messi to take down Venezuela 3-0 at home.
Both of Pipita s strikes were laid on by Lio, who also found his way onto the scoresheet with a powerful penalty during the first half.
Playing in front of their own fans for the first time in 2013, Argentina came out in the Monumental looking for early goals, with Lionel Messi looking to make the difference. The Barcelona wizard had the crowd on its feet in the first few minutes when he skipped in on goal in the opening minutes, but his shot was palmed away by Dani Hernandez.
The Albiceleste, still on a high after an unbeaten previous 12…
World Cup winner Presnel Kimpembe has signed a new five-year contract with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, the club announced on Monday.
Academy product Kimpembe has become an increasingly important player for PSG, starting 27 Ligue 1 games last season as Unai Emery s side completed a domestic clean sweep.
Kimpembe was also part of the France squad that triumphed at Russia 2018, although the defender only made a single appearance at the tournament.
PSG have confirmed the centre-back has committed his future to the club through to 2023, with Kimpembe set to be at the heart of new boss Thomas Tuchel s plans.
Happy birthday indeed!!
extends with through !
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English)
Kimpembe s contract renewa…
Germany defender Mats Hummels says the Euro 2016 quarter-final win over Italy was a big moment , although he does not believe his country s national team have broken any form of curse.
Joachim Low s side triumphed 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Bordeaux in July, with Hummels among those to be successful from the spot before Matteo Darmian missed the crucial kick.
The victory was Germany s first over Italy at a major tournament and went some way towards avenging defeats suffered at the 2006 World Cup and the semi-final stage of Euro 2012, although the reigning world champions went on to lose to hosts France in the last four this year.
Speaking ahead of the friendly clash between the teams in Milan on Tuesday, Hummels acknowledged it was an important triumph …
It was Liverpool s SAS partnership that dominated the Premier League scoring charts last season, with magnificent Luis Suarez finishing the campaign as top scorer with 31 goals in 33 fixtures. Seeing as how the Uruguayan has since moved to Spanish La Liga, it will be up to usual suspects Daniel Sturridge, Sergio Aguero, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney as well as new boy Diego Costa to decide on Luis Suarez s successor.
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Market: Rooney to finish as Top Goalscorer
Odds:
With Robin van Persie missing a big chunk of the previous league campaign, Wayne Rooney was United s top scorer last term, netting 17 goals despite not being deployed as an out-and-out striker, and chances are the new Red Devils captain can hope for a similar ret…