France 5, Iceland 2: Didier Deschamps wary of semi-final rivals Germany as Les Bleus reach last four after pummelling Iceland July 3, 2016 France manager Didier Deschamps admitted facing world champions Germany was a daunting prospect after the tournament hosts brutally pummelled Iceland to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2016. Les Bleus surged into a four-goal half-time lead courtesy of strikes from Olivier Giroud, who also netted after the break, Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmann. Kolbeinn [...]
Wales boss Chris Coleman tells players to laugh in face of fear in bid to reach Euro 2016 final July 3, 2016 Wales boss Chris Coleman has urged his side to brush off the notion of fear and stand up for their identity when they face Portugal on Wednesday for a place in the final of Euro 2016. Coleman’s side booked their place in the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time following a 3-1 [...]
Pep Guardiola rules out trying to lure Lionel Messi to Manchester after formal unveiling as City boss July 3, 2016 New Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has ruled out launching an audacious multi-million pound bid for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi after being officially unveiled as the club’s manager. The Spaniard conducted a question and answer session at the Etihad Stadium, having arrived at City on the back of three seasons with Bayern Munich during which [...]
Belgian Blues help entice in-demand Michy Batshuayi to Chelsea July 3, 2016 Chelsea's newest recruit Michy Batshuayi has revealed that Belgium team-mates Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois helped convince him to move to Stamford Bridge in a £33m transfer. The 22-year-old striker completed his move from Marseille on Sunday, signing a five-year contract, following Belgium’s elimination from the European Championship by Wales on Friday. “I am delighted to [...]
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger tips Takuma Asano for stardom after clinching deal for Japan striker July 3, 2016 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has tipped Japan striker Takuma Asano as a star of the future after the Gunners agreed a deal for the 21-year-old. Asano is set to join from Sanfrecce Hiroshima, subject to receiving a work permit, where he scored 11 goals in 56 appearances and was in 2015 voted the J-League’s Rookie of [...]
Poland 1, Portugal 1 (AET, Portugal win 5-3 on penalties): Wonder-kid Renato Sanches shrugs off criticism as Portuguese reaches Euro semi-finals again July 1, 2016 Portugal wonder-kid Renato Sanches brushed off criticism of his side as they reached the European Championship semi-finals for the fourth time in five tournaments with a shoot-out victory over Poland in Marseille last night. Ex-Chelsea winger Ricardo Quaresma had the final word after former Poland skipper Jakub Blaszczykowski had seen his penalty saved. The evening [...]
Brendan Rodgers becomes latest manager to distance himself from succeeding Roy Hodgson as England boss July 1, 2016 English football chiefs were yesterday forced to cross another potential candidate off their shortlist to replace Roy Hodgson as Three Lions boss as Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers ruled himself out of the running. The process is underway to find a replacement for Hodgson, who quit in the wake of England’s dismal Euro 2016 exit, while [...]
Football betting: Germany face their fears as they attempt Italian job June 30, 2016 It's almost bizarre to think of Germany having a bogey team. But, in Italy, they have one. In eight tournament matches against their rivals, the Germans have never come out on top, being knocked out of the 1970, 1982 and 2006 World Cups, and losing the Euro 2012 semi-final to the Italians. They have a chance [...]
Football betting: Chris Coleman’s Wales to bow out against Belgium but back Gareth Bale June 30, 2016 Wales readies itself for the biggest match in the country’s recent footballing history on Friday, when the Dragons will face Belgium in the Euro 2016 quarter-final. Chris Coleman’s men have surpassed what even the most optimistic Wales fan would have thought possible, topping a group containing England and beating Northern Ireland to be within a [...]
Manchester United: Zlatan Ibrahimovic confirms reunion with Jose Mourinho next season June 30, 2016 Zlatan Ibrahimovic will rejoin former manager Jose Mourinho at Manchester United next season, the Sweden star has confirmed. A free agent since his lucrative £1.1m-a-month contract expired at Paris Saint-Germain last summer, Ibrahimovic took to Instagram to tell United fans "I am coming" underneath a photo of the club's crest. "Time to let the world know," he [...]