Football is “sleepwalking into a disaster” by adding ever more demands on players and forcing them to make drastic decisions about their careers, Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Maheta Molango has said.
Premier League matches are set to last comfortably longer than 100 minutes on average in the season ahead after referees in competitions worldwide were instructed by the game’s lawmakers to more accurately measure time lost to stoppages.
The approach was first adopted at the World Cup in Qatar last year where it was largely positively received, but Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Manchester United defender Raphael Varane have already highlighted the impact of such a move across a long domestic season.
Varane retired fro…
Arsenal have announced a pre-tax profit of £25.1million in their latest financial results.
For the six months to the end of November 2017, Arsenal s profits climbed from £12.6m, with the Premier League club s cash reserves standing at £137.6m.
After tax, profits stood at £20.4m up from £10.3m for the six-month period.
The rise in profits came despite Arsenal s football turnover falling to £167.7m from £191.1m due to last season s failure to qualify for the Champions League.
Arsenal s financial results do not take into account the January club-record signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but they do include the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon.
Arsene Wenger s men are struggling on the pitch, sitting sixth in the Premier League tab…
The 2017/2018 UEFA Europa League is entering the final stages and this Thursday sees remaining 16 teams start their battles to reach the quarter-finals in the first leg of their respective ties.
The likes of Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Arsenal and Lazio are some of the high-profile clubs left in the competition, but regardless of the team you are looking to back, 888sport has got you covered.
Namely, if you and make a deposit of £10 or more using promo code EUROPA, you will qualify to earn £30 in free bets plus another £10 free bet to use on Europa League matches.
New customers only. Your first wager needs to be placed at odds of 1/2 or greater. Free bets expire in 7 days. 18+. Terms and conditions apply.
…
Lille coach Rudi Garcia says it will take time for his players to produce their best form after beating Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
A last-minute goal from Benoit Pedretti saw 2010/11 champions Lille overcome their hosts in the opening round of the Ligue 1 season at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
The fixture also marked the debut of star signing Salomon Kalou, who joined the club from Chelsea in July.
Some players did very well and some still need more games to be at their best, Garcia said.
But we played in the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard and winning in front of the toughest crowds in France is never easy, so I feel that a victory here is a great result.
It is true to say that over the past few seasons Lille have done well. And it just s…
The Western Sydney Wanderers have signed former Germany youth international Jerome Polenz on a one-year deal.
The versatile 25-year-old capable of playing in defence and midfield spent six seasons in the academy of Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen earlier in his career, and joins the A-League s newest club after his release from hometown club Union Berlin at the end of the 2011/12 2. Bundesliga season.
A former Under-19 and Under-20 Germany international, Polenz arrived in Australia on Saturday and has been training with his new side prior to becoming coach Tony Popovic s 16th signing.
I m happy to be here and happy to be a Wanderer, Polenz said.
It is a big challenge for me, I need to look at what is happening around training and I’m very excited abo…
Prediction: Barcelona to win 3-0
Best Odds:
Bookmaker:
Real Valladolid and Barcelona will face each other in La Liga this week. The match is slated to kick off at 9pm UK time on Tuesday at Estadio Jose Zorrilla.
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid are not having the best of seasons and are in real danger of getting relegated from La Liga at the end of the 2020-21 campaign. Sergio’s side are third from bottom in the league table at the moment with 14 points from 14 matches, level on points with 15th-placed Levante.
Valladolid will head into the match against Barcelona on Tuesday evening on the back of a 1-1 draw with Sevilla away from home in the league. It followed a 5-0 hammering of Cantolagua in the Copa del Rey.
Team news:
Joaquin F…
Best Odds: 3/5
Bookmaker:
Looking to end 2020 with their spot at the top of Serie A still intact, AC Milan will welcome European chasers Lazio to the San Siro on Wednesday night.
AC Milan
Starting with the hosts, putting in another professional display over the weekend and picking up a 2-1 victory away at Sassuolo, there is no doubt that the mood in AC Milan s camp will be at a red-hot high. With Juventus slipping up once in midweek and eventually getting hit with a 3-0 drumming against Fiorentina, I Rossoneri still hold their spot at the top of the Serie A table and many across Italy have tipped them as a legitimate title contender this season. Along with managing to book their spot in the knockout stage of this year s Europa League, Head Coach Stefano Pioli h…
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over Paolo Guerrero s six-month doping ban as it seeks a stricter punishment for the World Cup-bound forward.
The FIFA Appeal Committee issued a decision in December 2017 that reduced an initial year-long suspension, meaning that Guerrero – having tested positive for cocaine in October – would be available in time to captain Peru at the World Cup in Russia come June.
But WADA wants to see his ban extended back to one to two years – a sanction that would leave the South American nation, at the World Cup for the first time since 1982, without their star man.
Flamengo front man Guerrero, however, has also appealed as he seeks to have the ban removed complete…
England need a miracle if they are to win the World Cup, says Kyle Walker.
The Manchester City defender has won the first trophies of his career this season, collecting the EFL Cup and Premier League crowns after joining from Tottenham.
Walker thrived in an unfamiliar role on the right side of a back three in England s March friendlies against Italy and Netherlands, while Gareth Southgate s side have also held Germany and Brazil to draws after qualifying unbeaten for the World Cup.
Yet although the 27-year-old does not doubt the talent in the England ranks ahead of Russia 2018, Walker is setting low expectations for the Three Lions.
I hope we can go as far as we can go, but we need to be realistic, Walker told talkSPORT.
To win the World Cup i…
Berbatov talks up England return
Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov has moved to confirm reports linking him with a summer move to England.
The 34-year-old is a free agent after he was released from his contract at Monaco, and he has been widely tipped to return to English Premier League, with newcomers Bournemouth reportedly keen.
And it looks as though Premiership fans will get another opportunity to watch the former Manchester United striker in action as he hopes to move back to England.
It ll be a pleasure (to return to England), Berbatov told reporters in Sofia. I spent a long time in England and I keep very good memories. Everyone is watching the English championship and the Premier League, and I ll be delighted to return.
I feel good and…