Barcelona and Atletico Madrid delivered a game-of-the-season contender on Tuesday, as the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final ended in an exhilarating 4-4 draw. Atletico made a dream start, with Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann both finding the net within the first six minutes. The two forwards exchanged assists, and the atmosphere inside the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys grew tense as fans feared a heavy defeat. However, Barcelona responded quickly, leveling the score within 15 minutes. Pedri pulled one back before Pau Cubarsi headed in from a Raphinha corner to bring the game back to even terms, allowing…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Erling Haaland returned to Manchester City training on Tuesday, but manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that a final decision on his availability for Wednesday’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur will be made closer to kick-off. The Norway international suffered a knee injury late in the victory over Newcastle United earlier this month. While initial assessments were optimistic, he has missed City’s last two matches against Real Madrid and Liverpool. Haaland was seen back in training on Tuesday, but Guardiola urged City fans to be patient, admitting that the decision on his participation will not be made until after Wednesday’s final training…
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has come to the defense of striker Rasmus Hojlund, attributing the Danish forward’s goal drought to a lack of support from his teammates. Hojlund has failed to score in his last 16 appearances across all competitions, and more concerningly, he has not registered a shot in seven of those matches. Amorim, however, insists that this lack of clinical edge is a team issue, with United scoring only 30 league goals this season, a tally surpassed by just four other clubs. “I think it’s clear,” the United boss said this week. “We, as a team,…
Nigerian star Victor Osimhen has picked up an injury ahead of next month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Super Eagles are set to face Rwanda’s Wasps away and Zimbabwe’s Warriors at home under their new head coach, Eric Chelle. Osimhen, Nigeria’s key striker, was substituted in the 89th minute during Galatasaray’s goalless draw against Fenerbahce on Monday evening. It has since been confirmed by Galatasaray’s team doctor, Yener İnce, that the substitution was due to injury. “We will see, it will be clear tomorrow,” the 55-year-old said on habersarikirmizi.com. The 26-year-old currently shares second place as Nigeria’s all-time top…
Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho may find himself in trouble following his comments after a 0-0 draw with Galatasaray on Monday. The result leaves Mourinho’s team six points behind their rivals in the Turkish Super Lig. Speaking after the match, the Portuguese manager praised the referee for his handling of the game, but also made controversial remarks. He said: “In the situation I mentioned, everyone on the opposing bench was jumping around like monkeys. “If it were a Turkish referee, they would have immediately shown a card, and I would have had to take the player off in a minute. “It…
Ahead of their Copa del Rey semi-final showdown, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has praised his Barcelona counterpart, Hansi Flick. The match is set to take place later today, Tuesday, at the Montjuic Stadium. In their previous encounter this season, Atletico Madrid emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, showcasing the better performance of the two teams. Barcelona aims to secure a second title this season, having already claimed the Supercopa de Espana earlier. Simeone spoke highly of Barcelona’s head coach, Hansi Flick, during his pre-match press conference. The Argentine tactician credited Flick for the Catalan club’s strong form this season,…
Ademola Lookman has declined to comment on whether the rift with Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini has been resolved. Gasperini criticized Lookman for missing a penalty in La Dea’s home defeat to Club Brugge last Tuesday, prompting a response from the Nigeria international, who called the manager’s remarks disrespectful. Lookman moved past the disagreement with a brace in Atalanta’s 5-0 victory over Empoli on Sunday. After being substituted in the 73rd minute, Lookman shook hands with assistant manager Tullio Gritti but did not acknowledge Gasperini. When asked by Sky Sport Italia if the issue with Gasperini was behind him, Lookman…
Erik ten Hag, who has been without a club since his dismissal from Manchester United in October, has taken time to reflect on his next steps in football management. Following his departure, Manchester United appointed Ruben Amorim as the new head coach. However, Amorim has struggled to make an impact, with the team currently sitting in 15th place in the Premier League—a far cry from the club’s usual standards. Amorim’s challenges in implementing his tactical philosophy have led to a turbulent start to his tenure. In a brief teaser from an upcoming interview for SEG Stories, Ten Hag revealed that…
Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Girona on Sunday saw the club set an unusual record. Goals from Luka Modric and Vinicius Junior secured a dominant win that lifted Madrid back to second in the La Liga standings, level on points with Barcelona but behind on head-to-head. As reported by MARCA, the match saw Madrid commit just one foul, marking a historic low for the club. Lucas Vazquez was the only player penalised, in the 36th minute, as the referee called only seven fouls on Girona throughout the game. Madrid’s total of eight fouls for the entire match was also the…
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has encouraged Cole Palmer to keep doing what he’s been doing to break his recent goal drought. The talented midfielder has gone five Premier League matches without scoring and is also on a 13-match streak without an assist, a reflection of Chelsea’s broader struggles across all competitions. Palmer missed a key opportunity in the 2-1 loss to Aston Villa over the weekend, but despite his recent lack of form, Maresca reassured that he is not concerned about the England international. “I’m always focused on the overall performance, but I’m not worried about Cole,” Maresca said in…