Diego Simeone has challenged his side to be more aggressive at both ends of the pitch when Barcelona visit the Wanda Metropolitano.
While the Rojiblancos have been typically dogged at the back so far this campaign, conceding just nine goals in 14 games, they have struggled badly in front of goal.
They drew another blank in their 1-0 Champions League defeat to Juventus in midweek and are the least prolific of all bar one team among LaLiga s top 13 sides.
Simeone was happy with this team s display in Turin and wants to see a similar approach against Ernesto Valverde s side, albeit with added intensity in both penalty areas.
We want to score more goals and be more aggressive in both penalty areas, which is where the games are resolved, he told a media confe…
Tottenham Hotspur want to sign Mehdi Taremi from FC Porto in the summer transfer window, according to Gianluca Di Marzio on Twitter. The Italian journalist has reported that Premier League club Tottenham are in contact with Portuguese giants FC Porto and have informed them that they want to sign him this summer.
https://twitter.com/DiMarzio/status/1687530451676626962
Tottenham are ready to make a bid of €24 million (£20.76 million) for Taremi. FC Porto are willing to sell the 31-year-old Iran international striker, but the Portuguese giants are looking for €30 million (£25.95 million).
Porto in 31 Portuguese league starts last season. The striker also in the UEFA Champions League last season. Back in 2021-22, Taremi scored 20 goals and gave 12 assists in…
With the A-League fixture released, just how important is round one?
Western Sydney Wanderers will host Macarthur FC in the 2020-21 season opener on December 27, it was revealed on Tuesday.
The other opening games will see Western United host Adelaide United, Wellington Phoenix visit Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC take on Melbourne City and the F3 Derby between Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets.
The opening round would seem like just another game, but history shows otherwise.
With the help of Opta data, we assess just what round one means in the A-League.
Here it is
The Season 2020/21 Fixture List:
— A-League (@ALeague)
Opening loss and trophies become difficult
Incredibly, only twice in A-League history h…
Barcelona have been drawn away to Granada in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
Ronald Koeman s team fought back to defeat second-tier Rayo Vallecano 2-1 on Wednesday, earning their place in the last eight after a major scare.
Barca will now have to face a LaLiga team in Granada, a side they defeated 4-0 at Los Carmenes earlier this month.
Sevilla, who have not won the competition since 2010, will play away to Almeria, the last team from outside the top flight left in the tournament.
Real Betis will take on Athletic Bilbao, who are yet to play Real Sociedad in the final of last season s Copa, while the other match will see Levante host Villarreal.
Ties will be played across next week from Tuesday to Thursday, with Barca favourites to win it af…
Pep Guardiola says he doesn’t expect to be without Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne for too long following his injury against Inter last week.
De Bruyne was forced to withdraw from City s Champions League opener against the Serie A champions at half-time after picking up a thigh problem.
As a result, the Belgian missed the Citizens enthralling 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad, and he is also expected to miss their EFL Cup tie against Watford on Tuesday.
De Bruyne has started the season in sensational form, creating more chances (16) than anyone in the City ranks after the first five league games.
However, Guardiola does not think De Bruyne s injury is a serious one like the setbacks that saw him miss 28 games in all competitions l…
Kevin De Bruyne described Manchester City s 7-0 thrashing of Leeds United as a booster for the whole team after he returned to scoring form with an exceptional double.
De Bruyne was one of five attacking players fielded by Premier League champions City, with not a natural centre forward among them, and the quintet s marauding was more than Leeds could handle at the Etihad Stadium.
Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez joined De Bruyne on the scoresheet, while defenders John Stones and Nathan Ake also got in on the act late on.
De Bruyne was starting a Premier League game for the first time since the derby against Manchester United on November 6, after working his way back to fitness from a recent COVID-19 lay-off.
There s been a lot happening this…
They are trying, said a weary Gary Neville. This is it.
The former Manchester United captain was responding to Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler, who suggested the Red Devils might show a little more pluck during a miserable 2-0 defeat to Everton in April 2014.
That game was the final straw when it came to the future of manager David Moyes. The limp performance against his old club meant the reigning Premier League champions could not mathematically finish in the top four. The embarrassment – and the loss of Champions League income – was too much to bear.
On April 22, seven years ago, Moyes was sacked just 10 months into a six-year contract as Alex Ferguson s successor. His 34 league games in charge had yielded 17 wins, 11 defeats and a points…
Zinedine Zidane will head into pivotal talks with Real Madrid in the next few days after his team finished the season empty-handed.
A 2-1 win over Villarreal on Saturday was a hollow success, given rivals Atletico Madrid also won to clinch the LaLiga title, and Zidane summed up his emotions afterwards by saying: My mood is screwed up.
Late goals from Karim Benzema and Luka Modric saw Madrid turn around the home game, after Yeremy Pino gave Villarreal the lead.
That goal made Yeremy the youngest player to score away against Madrid in LaLiga in the 21st century, at the age of 18 years and 214 days.
Villarreal have a Europa League final against Manchester United in Gdansk ahead of them on Wednesday, but Madrid s season is over.
Zidane is widely ex…
Liverpool defensive midfielder Fabinho is about to join Al Ittihad in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Liverpool have granted the Brazil international defensive midfielder permission to travel to Saudi Arabia and undergo a medical with the Al Ittihad.
The report has claimed that Liverpool have accepted a bid of £40 million from Al Ittihad. The 29-year-old defensive midfielder is now due in Saudi Arabia for a medical and is saying his goodbyes to everyone at Liverpool. Another Liverpool midfielder, Jordan Henderson, has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.
Fabinho has been on the books of Liverpool since the summer of 2018 when he joined from Ligue 1 club AS Monaco. The Brazil international defensive midfielder has helped J…
Rafael Benitez s appointment at Everton was a divisive one, though one of his former players believes the ex-Liverpool manager is the right choice.
Benitez was appointed as Carlo Ancelotti s replacement at Goodison Park, with the Italian having left to rejoin Real Madrid.
The 61-year-old Spaniard led Liverpool to the Champions League title in 2005, managing the Reds from 2004 until 2010.
Sections of Everton s fanbase were far from pleased with Benitez s appointment. Indeed, banners were left outside Goodison Park and, in an incident which is being investigated by Merseyside Police, a threatening message was left close to the manager s family home in Wirral.
However, Benitez has shrugged off the negativity, insisting he is confident he can lead Everton, w…