Bertrand Traore s goal gave Villarreal a 1-0 win at Girona on Tuesday that prevented the hosts from reclaiming second spot in LaLiga.
Girona, who have enjoyed a superb campaign, are third with 75 points, trailing Barcelona, who moved a point clear with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Monday.
Alexander Sorloth and Goncalo Guedes went close for Villarreal in the first half, but Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was in fine form.
Traore broke the deadlock in the 59th minute after latching on to a superb pass from Guedes, however.
Viktor Tsyhankov, Savio and Artem Dovbyk all went close for Girona, but could not find the back of Filip Jorgensen s net.
2 Girona have suffered their second defeat at Montilivi in LaLiga this season, following a 0-3 lo…
Spain are a more than worthy winner
While the likes of England and France might have opened up this summer’s European Championships pencilled in as the standout title contenders, it was who rightfully stole all of the plaudits over in Germany.
Opening their adventure with a major statement of intent on June 15th as they stormed their way to a 3-0 romp against World Cup bronze medalists Croatia, La Roja embarked on a real fairytale this summer.
Securing a deserved 2-1 victory against the Three Lions amidst emotional scenes in Berlin, it is hard to find anyone across the continent that can argue that Luis de la Fuente’s camp aren’t a more than worthy winner.
Making real history 12 months ago as they got their hands on a maiden Nations League crown, Spain …
With the Premier League once again stealing center stage this weekend, we are set for a stacked schedule from across England’s footballing tiers. So, for those of you looking to stick on a Saturday acca, we have found a trio of helpful tips that can offer a great return for your weekend flutter.
Saturday August 19th
BST 15:00 Liverpool vs Bournemouth
Eventually having to settle for what was a lively 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge last weekend as they opened the 2023/24 campaign, Liverpool will be looking to make a real statement when they return to Anfield on Saturday afternoon. Missing out on a Champions League ticket last season and coming under a huge amount of scrutiny, it is no secret that Jurgen Klopp’s men are looking to come roaring back this time around. Al…
The 2022 World Cup was unique for many reasons.
It was the first World Cup to be played in the Middle East, and the first one to take place in the middle of the season, as far as Europe s top clubs are concerned.
One thing that did not change, of course, was players being able to use the tournament as a platform to show what they can do on the biggest stage, and perhaps get big moves on the back of it.
While Josko Gvardiol, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister and Jude Bellingham are among the players to possibly fall into that category, Antoine Griezmann is different.
Griezmann is not the youngster making his name, but he did shine in Qatar as, in the space of seven games, he arguably redefined his own position.
That is not to say Griezmann had no…
Gareth Southgate is ready to stake his reputation on the continued selection of Harry Maguire, insisting the out-of-favour Manchester United defender remains one of England s most important players.
Maguire has been dropped to the bench for United s run of four consecutive Premier League victories, having started their back-to-back defeats to open the campaign last month.
The defender has only started one of United s past five games in all competitions – a 1-0 Europa League loss to Real Sociedad – leading to criticism of Southgate s decision to call him up for England s remaining Nations League fixtures.
But speaking ahead of England s meeting with Italy at San Siro, which is followed by the visit of Germany on Monday, Southgate insisted Maguire rema…
Premier League clubs spent just £100million in one of the quietest transfer windows in recent memory.
That figure, as estimated by leading finance company Deloitte, is down from a staggering £815m last January and an average of just over £319m since the 2016-17 season, when the value of domestic television rights first jumped past £5billion in a three-year cycle.
A relative plateauing of broadcast revenues and the threat of sanctions under the league’s profit and sustainability rules – with Everton already docked 10 points this season – have been cited as potential reasons for the lack of activity this month.
Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said: “After record-breaking spending in the last three transfer windows, Premie…
Best odds: 5/2
Bookmaker:
Chelsea and Liverpool with face each other in the final of this season s Carabao Cup on Sunday at Wembley. It will be their third clash of 2023/24, and their third meeting in a Cup final in two years.
They played against each other in the finals of both domestic cups in England in 2021/22, and both ended goalless after which Liverpool took the trophies on penalties. They met at Stamford Bridge in the opening round of the current Premier League campaign in a match that ended 1-1, and Liverpool thoroughly outplayed Chelsea in the reverse fixture at Anfield on the last day of January, winning 4-1.
Chelsea
It s been another difficult campaign for Chelsea, loaded with disappointing results on the back of a transfer window when they …
Cristiano Ronaldo scored an excellent equaliser to spare Manchester United a third successive Premier League defeat as they drew 1-1 at home to Chelsea on Thursday.
Ralf Rangnick s side lost their previous two games to Liverpool and Arsenal by an aggregate score of 7-1 and, while the performance on their return to Old Trafford was by no means impressive, they at least avoided another loss.
Despite a dismal first-half showing in which their midfield was routinely cut open, United somehow made it until the break without conceding, though Chelsea s deserved breakthrough did arrive via Marcos Alonso with an hour played.
But Ronaldo – who has been responsible for five of their six Premier League goals this month – swiftly restored parity against the run of play an…
Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema were the difference once again as Real Madrid beat Real Mallorca 3-0 on Monday to take full advantage of Sevilla s latest slip-up and go 10 points clear at the top of LaLiga.
Carlo Ancelotti s men were aiming for a fourth league win in a row and, although they rode their luck at times, Los Blancos got the job done to see their points cushion at the summit reach double figures.
Mallorca arguably created the better chances in the first half, though Vinicius was more ruthless soon after the restart, even if there was a hint of controversy around it.
It set Madrid on their way and Benzema put the game beyond Mallorca from the spot before nodding in his second of the day late on, though Ancelotti will be worried that he failed to comp…
Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal side to end another hoodoo and win at Anfield for the first time in 11 years.
The Gunners head to face Liverpool on Saturday knowing victory would leave them top of the Premier League table on Christmas Day.
But the visitors would have to end a run of results stretching back to September 2012 if they are to achieve that – winning 2-0 when Arteta was in the Arsenal midfield.
The Spaniard toasted four years as Arsenal manager earlier in the week and during that time he has overseen wins at Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham, while this season they beat Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.
Next up, for Arteta, is to leave Anfield with three points: “We have done it at Old Trafford, we have done it at Stam…