Sky closes in on bumper £300m Six Nations broadcasting deal March 1, 2020 Sky is said to be closing in on a £300m deal for the broadcast rights to the Six Nations in a controversial move that could wipe the rugby tournament from terrestrial TV. The tender process for the new broadcasting contract is set to close when this year’s tournament wraps up on 14 March, with Sky [...]
Portsmouth’s fan-led revival reaches new milestone with Arsenal FA Cup clash March 1, 2020 When Portsmouth welcome Arsenal to Fratton Park on Monday night there will be a release of emotions from the almost 20,000 Pompey fans present, many of whom are responsible for the club’s slow but steady revival. The fifth-round tie is the furthest the club have progressed in the FA Cup since the 2010 final and [...]
Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s tactical master plan comes to fruition in slow burn away win at the Bernabeu February 26, 2020 Pep Guardiola lives for nights under the lights at the Bernabeu. As a former Barcelona player and manager – not to mention a prominent advocate for Catalan independence – he is not a popular man inside Real Madrid’s gigantic famous stadium. But so often in the past he has thrived in the lions’ den. His [...]
As Aston Villa brace for the Carabao Cup final, is a trophy more important than Premier League survival? February 26, 2020 The magic of a Wembley cup final is difficult to replicate but the importance of winning domestic silverware appears to have become increasingly secondary to the need to remain in the Premier League. For the thousands of Aston Villa fans set to descend on London this Sunday for the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, [...]
Manchester United shares dip as lack of Champions League football hits financials February 25, 2020 Manchester United today reported lower revenue and profit for the second quarter as its absence from the Champions League this season took its toll. Core earnings fell 31 per cent to £72m in the quarter to 31 December, compared to the same period last year. Revenue fell 19 per cent to £168m. The New York-listed [...]
Arsenal 3-2 Everton: Gunners come out on top of end-to-end game between two work-in-progress Premier League sides February 23, 2020 Intrigue was never going to be in short supply in a match between two Premier League teams overhauled by high-profile new managers still harbouring faint hopes of European qualification. Still, Arsenal’s narrow victory in a five-goal contest that swung one way then the other – from Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s acrobatic first-minute goal to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s decisive [...]
Crystal Palace are yet to win in 2020 and slipping perilously close to relegation scrap February 20, 2020 As the business end of the season approaches, the battle to stay in the Premier League looks set to be fiercely contested. But while focus may be on teams from 15th-placed Brighton downwards, there is also cause for concern at Crystal Palace who lie 14th but are slipping ever-closer close to the relegation scrap. The [...]
Olympiacos v Arsenal: Europe League tie offers escape from Greek football’s latest crisis February 19, 2020 When Arsenal arrive at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Athens on Thursday evening, it will represent the biggest game of the season for their opponents, Olympiacos. The knockout stages of the Europa League are always a huge occasion for the Greek club. But considering what is going on in their domestic competition, the fixture also acts [...]
Atletico Madrid 1-0 Liverpool: Simeone works his defensive magic as Klopp’s side draw a blank in the Champions League February 18, 2020 It took five months, but tonight Liverpool finally met their match. Before the return to the Wanda Metropolitano – the scene of last season’s Champions League final triumph – Jurgen Klopp had talked up his opponents. Atletico Madrid were painted as a tough nut to crack. The Liverpool manager’s prediction turned out to be spot [...]
How RB Leipzig’s business model and recruitment strategy drove the club to the Champions League last-16 and bred hatred February 18, 2020 RB Leipzig’s methods may be controversial, but they are certainly effective. Leipzig are widely considered the most hated club in Germany. Founded in 2009 by Austrian energy drink manufacturer Red Bull as a marketing ploy, the club have been allowed to circumvent the country’s 50+1 ownership rule which stipulates that 50 per cent of the [...]