Kevin De Bruyne sees no reason why Manchester City cannot complete a clean sweep of trophies this season as Pep Guardiola s side continue to swat aside any and all opposition.
City head into Sunday s visit to Huddersfield Town on the back of 16 wins from 17 across all competitions – a sequence interrupted only by an EFL Cup draw and subsequent penalty shoot-out triumph over Wolves.
De Bruyne has been in sensational form and already looks a strong bet to scoop various individual honours at the end of the campaign.
But it is collective glory that interests the Belgium international, whose four goals and nine assists have inspired City to an eight-point lead atop the Premier League, five wins from five in the Champions League to secure qualification to the kno…
Arsenal are looking for a player to take them to the next level in the January transfer window after losing Gabriel Jesus to injury, says manager Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners entered the World Cup break five points clear of champions Manchester City at the Premier League summit, leading some to tip them as contenders for a first top-flight title since 2004.
Striker Jesus has played a key role for Arsenal this season, but he underwent surgery earlier this month after suffering a knee injury during Brazil s World Cup campaign.
With reports suggesting Jesus could be absent for three months, Arteta is targeting reinforcements – though he will only move for the ideal player.
I never gave a date on Jesus – it will take some time, for sure. He s gone through …
It was hard to think of a way to top the spine-tingling gravitas of Andrea Bocelli performing Nessun Dorma on a balmy Rome evening.
The organisers of Euro 2020 clearly felt it best not to try not to compete, so sent the matchball for Italy s 3-0 win over Turkey out to the Stadio Olimpico pitch via a remote-control car.
The restricted 16,000-crowd cheered the presence of UEFA s questionable accessory – the sort of thing a fun uncle might stick under the tree at Christmas – but then they gave full-throated appreciation to everything. After a 12-month delay and unimaginable heartache in the wider world, Euro 2020 was here.
Especially during those dark early months of the coronavirus pandemic when sport stopped, we all took solace in nostalgia and re-runs o…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic only expects to be out for one or two weeks with his recently sustained injury and the Milan striker has given another strong indication he wants to make a Sweden comeback.
The in-form Ibrahimovic limped off with a hamstring issue after scoring twice in a 3-1 Serie A win at Napoli on Sunday.
There were concerns the 39-year-old could be sidelined for a month, but he allayed those fears after being named Swedish Player of the Year for a 12th time.
Ibrahimovic told Aftonbladet: It s nothing serious. Only one or two weeks [out].
The veteran recently hinted he is ready to end his international retirement by posting an image of himself in a Sweden jersey on social media, captioned: Long time no see.
Fansens Guldboll Nr 12
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Ronald Koeman says Frenkie de Jong and Barcelona are equally responsible for the Netherlands midfielder missing out on Euro 2024 through injury.
De Jong was ruled out of the tournament after failing to recover from an ankle injury sustained during Barca s Clasico defeat by Real Madrid on April 21.
The 27-year-old was named in the provisional Dutch squad, but it was confirmed he would play no part following their final warm-up match against Iceland on Monday.
Koeman initially criticised the Blaugrana s handling of De Jong s injury and, on Wednesday, said the issue also depends on the player himself .
However, the Netherlands head coach is keen to move forward, with the Oranje opening their Group D campaign against Poland on Sunday.
There is littl…
It s the goal of every single international team on the planet to reach the FIFA World Cup, even this year with such a cloud of controversy hanging over it. Last night, we saw one of our biggest batches of qualifiers yet with a parade of countries ensuring they will be on the plane to Qatar this winter.
That includes Poland who, in their own backyard, managed to see off the challenge of Sweden and push through to the finals in their one-legged play-off.
Polish grit
It was said before, during and after the game that Poland were suffering from a string of injuries and in many instances, we saw that play out on the pitch. They were more than happy to surrender the possession advantage to the Swedes with the visitors having 61% of the ball, as well as 12 shots compared to …
Real Madrid prospect Takefusa Kubo has re-joined Real Mallorca on a season-long loan.
Kubo moved to Madrid on a five-year deal in 2019 before being loaned out in the last two seasons and his most recent temporary switch takes him back to Mallorca.
The 20-year-old played for Mallorca in 2019-20, appearing 35 times in LaLiga, though he could not help the club avoid relegation.
He ranked third in Mallorca s squad for chances created (35) and first for successful dribbles (64), netting four times.
Real Sociedad were reportedly interested but Kubo, who appeared for Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, settled for a return to newly-promoted Mallorca ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Kubo spent last season with Villarreal and Getafe.
He played just 291 minu…
On-loan Liverpool attacker Luis Alberto hopes his Premier League experience can help Malaga in La Liga this season.
The 21-year-old returns to Spain after an unsuccessful first season at Liverpool, for whom he made just 12 appearances in all competitions.
Luis Alberto said learning from the likes of Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho would hold him in good stead for his season-long loan at Malaga.
At Liverpool, things are at a much higher level, with players like Luis Suarez, Coutinho … it was a little difficult for me to enter the dynamic of the group, as English football is completely different, he told Malaga TV.
But I really have learned a great deal. What I’ve learned there, I hope to offer Malaga.
Luis Alberto has enjoyed limited game …
David Moyes was frustrated by some of the decisions made by referee Peter Bankes in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle.
Mohammed Kudus climbed off the bench to score his first Premier League goal a minute from full-time as the Hammers snatched a point.
But Moyes was fuming with Bankes for awarding a free-kick for Lucas Paqueta’s challenge on Sandro Tonali which led to Alexander Isak’s first goal.
The Hammers boss also felt Bruno Guimaraes could have been shown a second yellow card, having been booked moments earlier, when he tripped James Ward-Prowse.
It feels like a family already
Mo is feeling at home in east London
— West Ham United (@WestHam)
“It might have got away from us a wee bit but I wouldn’t blame them with the re…
A-League premiers Sydney FC rounded off their record-breaking regular season by setting a new all-time points record thanks to a 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets.
A guard of honour for Sydney from the Newcastle players preceded a goalless first half, in which Alex Wilkinson headed against the bar for the Sky Blues and Andrew Nabbout sidefooted a penalty wide for the Jets after Rhyan Grant fouled Andrew Hoole.
The breakthrough came for Sydney in the 56th minutes – Milos Ninkovic on hand to convert Filip Holosko s low cross.
Captain Alex Brosque volleyed home to make the win safe three minutes from time and ensure he would lift the premiers plate with a record haul of 66 points to Sydney s name, outstripping Brisbane s previous best mark of 65 – set in a 30-game s…