FIFA president Gianni Infantino was something of a surprise visitor behind the scenes at Kazan Arena on Sunday. The anticipation of the Confederations Cup s first real spectacle was enough to tempt him down from St Petersburg and bring more than 34,000 people into the stands.
He won t have been disappointed.
In a game not always bursting at the seams with quality, there was plenty of entertainment value. It will come as little surprise that Cristiano Ronaldo and Javier Hernandez were at the heart of it, although it will raise a few eyebrows that only one of them scored in the 2-2 draw.
Both were involved in the main moments, though. Ronaldo got the crowd roaring and set up Ricardo Quaresma s opener. Hernandez also missed a clear chance for a winner before Ronaldo…
Wrexham co-owners and Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are dreaming of taking the National League club to the Premier League.
Reynolds and McElhenney took over the fifth-tier English outfit in February and the United States-based actors have paid their first visit to Wrexham this week since purchasing the team due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Deadpool star Reynolds and It s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor McElhenney watched 10-man Wrexham battle from 2-0 down before losing 3-2 at Maidenhead United on Tuesday.
Fronting the media on Thursday, the pair are determined to lead Wrexham to the top flight of English football.
Thanks to those lucky supporters who were in attendance this evening!
We hope you enjoyed the night with Rob, Ry…
Juventus have completed the signing of Danilo from Manchester City, the full-back moving to Turin as part of the deal that sees Joao Cancelo join the Premier League champions.
Brazil defender Danilo has signed a five-year contract with the Serie A giants after completing a medical on Wednesday following his arrival in Turin a day earlier.
Cancelo – who signed from Valencia for a reported €40.4million in 2018 – has gone in the opposition direction, with Juve paying City €37m (£34.1m) for Danilo in a transfer worth €65m (£60m) in total.
City reportedly spent £26.5m to bring Danilo in from Real Madrid in 2017, though he played only 34 times in the Premier League across his two seasons in England.
The 28-year-old becomes the latest add…
In what was another questionable display from Manchester United on Monday evening, the former Premier League champions failed to make up any ground in the top-four chase as they slumped to a 1-0 loss against Wolves.
Suffering a deserved defeat at Old Trafford, Joao Moutinho s late strike with just eight minutes left on the clock was also enough to hand Ralf Rangnick his first defeat since taking charge in Manchester on an interim basis.
Still sat four points adrift of finding a route back into the Champions League spots, we have taken a look at the main talking points as United opened the New Year with what was a nightmare display on home soil.
Wolves deserve all the plaudits
Last seen prior to Monday s meeting at Old Trafford back on December 19th when playing…
Olivier Giroud has become France s all-time top goalscorer by netting the opening strike in a 3-1 win over Poland in the round of 16 at the World Cup, his 52nd for the reigning world champions.
Obviously aware that his place in the starting XI under Didier Deschamps is a consequence of the injury suffered by Karim Benzema, the 36-year-old says he and his teammates are playing for the Real Madrid star and others who missed the Qatar trip for similar reasons.
“We want to remember the boys that stay at home because they are injured. We are all together, we stick together and we are thinking about them. It’s a family our national team.”
Olivier Giroud says the France side are playing for the players who were injured.
— Football Daily (@footballdail…
Hamburg have appointed Bert van Marwijk as the permanent successor to sacked manager Thorsten Fink.
The Bundesliga club confirmed the arrival of the 61-year-old Dutchman on Monday, with van Marwijk signing a two-year contract.
Fink was dismissed following Hamburg s 6-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund nine days ago after collecting just one league win this season.
Temporary boss Otto Addo oversaw a 2-0 loss at home to Werder Bremen on Saturday that leaves Hamburg in 16th place in the German top flight.
Addo will remain in charge for the DFB-Pokal clash with Greuther Furth on Tuesday, meaning Van Marwijk s first game in the dugout will be Saturday s match at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Sporting director Oliver Kreuzer welcomed the Dutchman to the club and backed him to…
Andy Robertson says Liverpool cannot thank Jurgen Klopp enough while Virgil van Dijk was lost for words as the German signed off on an emotional day at Anfield.
Klopp oversaw a 2-0 victory over Wolves in his final game in charge of the Reds, who celebrated their much-loved boss.
The Anfield crowd filled up earlier than normal before kick-off to serenade the German, who leaves with a Premier League crown and Champions League glory to his name, and those tributes continued throughout Sunday s victory.
Two of those came from players he brought to the club and went on to play a crucial role in his side s success during just under nine years at the helm.
We can t thank Jurgen Klopp enough and all the players could do today was try to win for him, and we manag…
Manchester United s Antonio Valencia has led tributes to his brother Christian Benitez, who suffered a fatal heart attack on Monday.
Benitez had made his debut for Qatar Stars League side El Jaish on Sunday before complaining of stomach pains and being rushed to hospital.
Valencia and Benitez were teammates at Ecuadorian club El Nacional from 2004 to 2005, with the pair clinching a Clausura title and making their Ecuadorean national team debuts in their second year together.
With tributes flowing in from around the world, Valencia posted several pictures of Benitez on social media accompanied by a series of emotional messages.
Brother, God is with your family, we love you, Valencia tweeted from his official account.
This strong pain you ve caused me will st…
Brendan Rodgers believes Anfield holds the key to Liverpool maintaining their Premier League title bid.
Liverpool have travelled to Tottenham, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton already this season and have only taken four points from those five matches.
Two consecutive defeats – against City and Chelsea – have seen Rodgers side drop from top to fifth in the table, six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
But the Northern Irishman has not ruled his side out of the title race and feels Liverpool s home matches will prove crucial.
I think it s (the title race) open, he said after Sunday s 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge. What I m looking forward to is we have to play every team (at the top) except Manchester United at home.
We ve had a real tough ru…
Competition: Copa Del Rey
Market: Barcelona to win against Sevilla
Odds:
Barcelona lock horns with Sevilla in the Spanish Copa Del Rey final at the Vicente Calderon tonight, and are big favourites to come out on top to retain their crown. Barcelona recently sealed the La Liga title, while Sevilla are fresh from their Europa League triumph.
Barcelona have had the whole week to prepare for the cup final, and manager Luis Enrique has close to a fully fit side to choose from. The Catalans have ended the season in fantastic form, winning five league games on the bounce, and have beaten Sevilla in the division too.
The visitors aren’t to be underestimated, however. The Rojiblancos have beaten Barcelona at home in the league, but it was early into the sea…