Real Madrid s LaLiga title hopes are still intact after Karim Benzema inspired a 2-1 comeback win over Elche on Saturday.
Having drawn their last two league fixtures, Madrid had the chance to leapfrog Barcelona into second place and close the gap on Atletico Madrid, temporarily at least, to five points.
But a lacklustre display looked like it would result in a third straight league draw – Benzema having cancelled out Dani Calvo s header.
Madrid s slim chances of catching Atleti were handed a late boost, however, when Benzema thundered in a supreme finish in stoppage time to snatch the points.
Nacho scored a stunning goal for Spain in the 2018 World Cup and the defender dispatched a similarly unerring finish into the top corner early on, only to realise…
Jurgen Klopp put Liverpool s recent dip down to defensive issues after their FA Cup run came to an end at Chelsea on Tuesday.
The Reds went down 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, an error from Adrian – standing in for first-choice goalkeeper Alisson – allowing Willian to open the scoring before Ross Barkley added a second after the break.
Liverpool had also lost 3-0 at Watford on Saturday, their first reverse in the Premier League this season, and have now conceded two or more goals in three consecutive matches for the first time since 2016.
Joe Gomez s return to the starting XI next to Virgil van Dijk failed to shore things up at the back against Chelsea, though Klopp is not too concerned by a run of just one win in four outings.
Look, it went our way for…
Kieran Tierney is in line to make a surprise comeback in Arsenal s Europa League semi-final first-leg tie at Villarreal, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are also in contention.
Scottish left-back Tierney suffered ligament damage to his left knee in the 3-0 defeat at Liverpool on April 3 and was originally expected to miss between four and six weeks.
Such a timescale would have left Tierney facing the possibility of missing the remainder of the season, but Gunners boss Mikel Arteta provided a much more positive update ahead of Thursday s trip to Villarreal.
He didn t need the surgery that we were afraid of, said Arteta.
He s been working like a beast every single day. I don t know if he s going to make it tomorrow, but he certainl…
Mikel Arteta stood by his decision to drop Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Arsenal s Europa League tie with Slavia Prague and backed his side to progress, despite a disappointing 1-1 draw in Thursday s quarter-final first leg.
Club captain Aubameyang was named among the substitutes on the back of Saturday s 3-0 loss to Liverpool and was not introduced until the 78th minute against Slavia with the game still goalless.
The Gabon international made an impact by playing in Nicolas Pepe for Arsenal s opener eight minutes later his 100th goal involvement for Arsenal in all competitions since joining from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.
Arsenal failed to see out the victory on home soil, however, with Tomas Holes heading in a 93rd-minute equaliser that leaves the Gun…
Market: Both teams to score
Odds: 8/11 @
In what promises to be a fiery Welsh derby on Saturday night, Swansea will travel to the Cardiff City Stadium this weekend.
Starting with the hosts, last seen heading into the international break on the wrong end of an action-packed 3-2 loss away at Ipswich, Cardiff are still trying to find some much-needed stability. While the Bluebirds might have snatched a 2-1 win at home against Championship returners Sheffield Wednesday last month, that is the only victory that Erol Bulut’s men have claimed from their opening five second-tier appearances. With their early-season issues highlighted by a worrying 2-1 defeat at home against QPR on August 12th, many around the Cardiff City Stadium are fearing that their side could be s…
Alessandro Bastoni scored one goal and set another up for Milan Skriniar as Inter returned to the top of Serie A with a 2-1 win over Lazio.
Bastoni found the back of the net for the first time since June 2020 to put the Nerazzurri in front at San Siro on Sunday, but Ciro Immobile equalised in the first half with his 18th goal of the season.
Inter were not to be denied an eighth consecutive Serie A win, with Bastoni setting up fellow defender Skriniar for the winner midway through the second half.
Victory for Simone Inzaghi s side against his former club in their first game after the winter break moved them a point above Milan at the summit.
Lautaro Martinez looked to have given Inter a deserved 16th-minute lead when he raced onto a defence-splittin…
Kylian Mbappe reportedly nearing a move to Real Madrid does not change the intentions of Rodrygo, who hit out at speculation to end any uncertainty over his future in Spain.
Carlo Ancelotti s side are expected to complete the signing of long-term target Mbappe after the France international announced his intentions to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season.
With Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham to call upon, Los Blancos will have three of the world s best – and most exciting – young attacking talent to choose from.
Rodrygo may have to settle for a backup role behind that star trio and suggested in an interview to Placar TV earlier this month that he may be open to a Premier League move.
Yet the Brazilian took to social media late on Tu…
Bayern Munich have handed highly rated midfielder Paul Wanner his first professional contract.
At the age of 16 years and 15 days, Wanner became the youngest player to represent Bayern when coming on as a substitute against Borussia Monchengladbach on January 7.
That also made Wanner the second-youngest player to ever feature in the Bundesliga after Youssoufa Moukoko (16 years, one day) for Borussia Dortmund in November 2020.
Wanner played in all three of Bayern s league matches in January, but his future in Bavaria was uncertain as he was due to become a free agent at the end of the campaign.
However, Bayern confirmed on their official website on Monday that the Germany Under-17s international has now put pen to paper on a new deal at the Allianz Arena…
Brighton and Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber is confident his side can keep hold of Alexis Mac Allister, despite the midfielder being a man in demand after playing a big part in Argentina s World Cup triumph.
Mac Allister started six of Argentina s seven games in Qatar, including Sunday s penalty shoot-out victory against France at Lusail Stadium in a thrilling final that finished 3-3 after extra time.
The 23-year-old assisted Angel Di Maria s strike at the end of a superb team move that put Argentina two goals up in the first half, having also opened the scoring in his side s must-win final group game against Poland.
Mac Allister signed a new deal with Brighton in October, with the option for the club to extend it by a further year, and Barber does not …
Frida Maanum scored a hat-trick as Arsenal stormed through to the Women s Champions League quarter-finals as Group C winners with a resounding 9-1 rout of Zurich.
Jonas Eidevall s side were already assured of a place in the knockout stages, but ran riot nevertheless at Wefox Arena to ensure they would be seeded in the last eight.
Along with Maanum s treble, Caitlin Foord and Stina Blackstenius both scored a brace, while further strikes from Kim Little and Mana Iwabuchi completed the scoring.
We scored some really good goals, and I m happy to have got my hat-trick, Maanum told UEFA.com. It s easier when you re surrounded by really good players. This is a nice early Christmas present, for sure!
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— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL)