Verdict: Both Teams to Score – Yes
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Newly-promoted side Empoli will be keen to grab their first-ever league win over underperforming AC Milan, who are enduring their worst start to a Serie A campaign in four years. Sitting in 13th place in the standings with a game in hand, Rossoneri will be keen to make a push up the table and record their second win in five attempts.
Empoli
Having won the Serie B in impressive fashion – with a 13-point advantage over runners-up Parma – Empoli joined the elite rank of the Italian football looking to make a statement and survive the cut in their first season back.
Five games into the 2018/19 season, however, Empoli are sitting in 17th, level on points with Bologna who are within the …
Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Real Madrid training for the first time since reports he wanted to leave the club emerged earlier in the transfer window.
Madrid released images of Ronaldo back training with the first-team squad on Saturday, his arrival ahead of the new season coming later than his team-mates due to his participation in the Confederations Cup with Portugal.
Ronaldo completed the first half of training alongside the group, before moving on to train alone as he works on getting back in shape ahead of the new season, read Madrid s training report.
A dramatic period since winning the Champions League has seen the forward become the subject of a tax complaint from Spanish prosecutors, a case which saw him appear in court for a pre-trial hearing on…
According to a recent report from Sport, Barcelona are ready to accept an offer from Newcastle for Philippe Coutinho.
The proposal could become reality as soon as the January transfer window and while he may have left Liverpool in 2018, he’s been linked with a return to the Premier League for quite some time now.
Barcelona are ready and willing to accept a loan deal with a mandatory option to buy, with the Magpies hoping that Coutinho can help lift them out of the relegation battle hole they currently find themselves in.
While his form hasn t been quite where it needs to be for Barca, the Premier League was always a place where he was able to make a mark. Newcastle will do anything they can in January to help their chances of survival because, after all, their…
Former United States coach Bob Bradley has left Los Angeles FC after four years in charge of the Major League Soccer team.
Bradley, 63, took charge of LAFC shortly before they joined the MLS ranks as an expansion team in 2018 and led them to top spot in the Western Conference in their second season.
He was named MLS coach of the year for a third time after that achievement but departs after a disappointing ninth-placed finish this year, failing to lead the team into the MLS Cup play-offs.
The announcement of his exit was made on the LAFC website, where it was stated: LAFC and Bob Bradley today announced they have reached a mutual decision to part ways at the end of Bradley’s contract.
Bradley said: It s been incredible to have played a part in the ear…
Harry Kane acknowledges Tottenham need to win trophies if they are to reflect fondly on this period in their history, even if Mauricio Pochettino has built arguably their greatest team.
Under Pochettino, Spurs have developed into a Champions League regular and finished in the Premier League s top three in each of the past three seasons.
But Tottenham have repeatedly fallen short of winning a trophy losing the EFL Cup final in 2014-15 and the failure to deliver silverware has prompted criticism of Pochettino.
Star striker Kane believes in the quality of his team-mates but also understands they must deliver tangible success.
A lot of people look at it and say this is maybe the best team we ve had, maybe the best team we ll ever have and the best manager…
Oleksandr Zinchenko is out for two or three weeks with an injury, according to Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola, who may now be forced into bringing in additional cover at left-back.
Utility player Zinchenko, who has yet to play a single minute for City in 2020-21, provided cover at left-back last season while Benjamin Mendy battled with injuries.
Mendy is fit again and featured in City s 3-0 EFL Cup victory over Burnley on Wednesday, but Guardiola confirmed after the game that Zinchenko has suffered a set-back in his recovery from a muscle injury.
Yesterday, or two days ago, he was injured again, Guardiola told reporters.
He was recovered, but he got injured again and is out for two or three weeks.
PEP on Zinchenko Yesterday or two d…
Jamie Vardy will revisit the club where he made his name after Fleetwood Town beat Hereford 2-0 to set up an FA Cup third round clash with Leicester City.
The England striker scored 31 goals in 36 appearances for Fleetwood to finish as the top scorer in the Conference Premier in 2011-12, before making a lucrative move to the King Power Stadium.
Fleetwood have since risen to League One and in their FA Cup second round replay against non-league Hereford they ran out 2-0 winners courtesy of a brace from club captain Cian Bolger.
Leicester were knocked out of the FA Cup by Millwall in the fifth round last season, and Claude Puel s side will travel to Fleetwood in search of a win on January 6.
Well done looking forward to going back to Highbury Stadium
…
The Columbus Crew ended Los Angeles FC s unbeaten run at the BMO Stadium with a 5-1 victory in a game that saw three red cards in a frenetic ending to proceedings.
Sergi Palencia was the first player sent off for the hosts, with LAFC s Jesus Murillo and the Crew s Marino Hinestroza also given their marching orders for an altercation just before the final whistle.
Christian Ramirez opened the scoring in the first half, with Cucho Hernandez and Diego Rossi increasing the visitors advantage to three by the hour mark.
Palencia was shown his second yellow card for a pull on substitute Alexandru Matan, with Ramirez notching his second of the game from the resulting free-kick.
Nathan Ordaz clawed one back for LAFC, but Matan would round off the scoring at th…
Barcelona have parted company with sporting director Pep Segura.
Segura joined Barca as academy manager in 2015 and took on the role overseeing the assembly of the first-team squad two years later.
The 58-year-old came under increased scrutiny after last season s humiliating Champions League semi-final defeat to Liverpool.
A brief statement published on Barcelona s official website read: FC Barcelona and Josep Segura have reached an agreement to terminate his contract with the club.
Agreement for the termination of Pep Segura s contract
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
FC Barcelona publicly expresses its gratitude to Josep Segura for his commitment and dedication and wishes him good luck and success in the future.
Former Barcelo…
Leicester City have confirmed the appointment of Brendan Rodgers as their new manager on a deal until June 2022.
The Foxes sacked Claude Puel on Sunday following a 4-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, with Rodgers and Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez soon touted as potential replacements.
Celtic announced on Tuesday that they had very reluctantly given Rodgers permission to travel to Leicester for talks and he has now sealed a return to the Premier League.
The 46-year-old previously managed Swansea City and Liverpool in the competition, almost winning the title with the Reds in 2013-14.
Rodgers then claimed seven major trophies during his time at Celtic, leaving the Glasgow club on the brink of a third consecutive domestic treble.
I m very priv…