´We are copying Guardiola´s Barca but should be following Klopp´ – Capello says Italy have got it al
Fabio Capello believes Italy s failure to qualify for back-to-back World Cups is due to a national obsession with following Pep Guardiola s Barcelona blueprint.
Former Milan, Real Madrid, Juventus and Roma boss Capello claims Italian football should have been following the German heavy metal model rather than copying the more intricate noodling of the Spanish style of play.
Capello, who also coached Russia and England, cannot see why Italy would go against their great strengths by trying to match the high technical levels of Spain.
He told Sky Sport Italia: The explanation is very simple. I have been saying for a long time that we are copying Guardiola s football of 15 years ago.
The 75-year-old Capello said this meant all sideways passing, no verticali…
Jurgen Klopp s long-term future at Liverpool could hinge on the famously unpredictable English weather, according to his agent Marc Kosicke.
Klopp was appointed by Liverpool in October 2015 and extended his deal at the end of his maiden campaign, with another three years remaining on those terms.
The 52-year-old recently hinted that he may retire when his contract expires in 2022, but the European champions hope to persuade him to stay on.
However, Kosicke has suggested Klopp is stalling on agreeing a fresh deal as he is not entirely happy with the weather on Merseyside – even alluding to the possibility global warming may impact the German s decision.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
Jurgen s contract is still valid until 2022 and it is a…
Yaya Toure will leave Manchester City at the end of this season as one of the defining players of a trophy-laden era at the Etihad Stadium.
The Ivory Coast midfielder s £24million move from Barcelona in 2010 raised many eyebrows but he quickly proved a pivotal figure in Roberto Mancini s side, inspiring City to the FA Cup and Premier League title in consecutive seasons.
Toure reached levels rarely seen from a midfielder in the Premier League era during Manuel Pellegrini s first season at the helm in 2013-14, securing his legacy as a City great.
Even though he has proved a more marginal presence under his old Barca boss Pep Guardiola, particularly en route to a third top-flight title in City colours this season, there can be little doubt over the 34-year-old s s…
Luis Suarez went off injured in the first half of Barcelona s opening LaLiga match of the season against Athletic Bilbao.
The striker appeared to hurt his calf muscle shortly before taking a shot that hit the post just after the half-hour mark at San Mames.
Uruguay international Suarez was given treatment but had to be withdrawn, being replaced by Rafinha.
It is the first time he has been substituted in the first half of a LaLiga game since he joined Barca from Liverpool in 2014.
1 Luis Suárez has been substituted in the first half for the first time since playing in (29 substitutions). Injured
— OptaJose (@OptaJose)
Lionel Messi was missing from the match due to a calf injury suffered shortly before Barca travelled to the Unite…
Igor Akinfeev was Russia s hero after saving two penalties in a shoot-out to sensationally dump Spain out of the World Cup and book the hosts a place in the quarter-finals after a 1-1 draw in Moscow.
Koke and Iago Aspas were denied by the Russia goalkeeper as 2010 champions Spain, who dominated possession without creating clear chances, were defeated 4-3 on penalties.
Sergei Ignashevich became the oldest scorer of an own goal in World Cup history when the 38-year-old gave Spain an early lead at the Luzhniki Stadium.
A right-wing Isco cross isolated Ignashevich and Sergio Ramos at the back post, the Russia defender turning the ball home via his heel as he desperately tried to block his opponent s run.
But Russia drew level in the 41st minute, Artem Dzyuba…
Manchester City completed the formality of qualification for the Champions League group stage with a 1-0 win over Steaua Bucharest as Joe Hart bid a probable farewell to his adoring Etihad Stadium public.
Hart was restored to the City starting XI for the first and most likely last time under Pep Guardiola, who has preferred Willy Caballero in goal during the opening weeks of the season and sanctioned a move for Claudio Bravo, with the Chile international expected to seal his move from Barcelona before the end of this week.
City s 5-0 romp in the first leg killed both Steaua s ambition in Manchester and the game as a spectacle, with Fabian Delph s 56th-minute header one of the few notable pieces of on-field play.
It meant much of the focus could fall upon England …
Celta Vigo have agreed a deal to sign Denis Suarez from Barcelona for a fee that could rise to €16million.
Suarez endured a disappointing loan at Arsenal in 2018-19, making just four appearances for the Gunners before a groin injury cut his season short.
The 25-year-old has had two spells at Barcelona, first signing for the club in August 2013 from Manchester City before being loaned out to Sevilla a year later.
He made a €4m switch to Villarreal in August 2015 but, less than a year later, Barcelona exercised a buyback option and he enjoyed his best season at Camp Nou in 2016-17, making 26 LaLiga appearances for the Blaugrana.
Volto a casa
— Denis Suarez (@DenisSuarez6)
His opportunities dwindled over the following two seasons …
Benfica ended their Champions League hoodoo as Alfa Semedo scored a stunning goal to secure a 3-2 victory at AEK Athens in Group E.
Viktor Klonaridis second-half double looked to have clinched a share of the spoils for AEK, who had taken full advantage of Ruben Dias red card late in the first half.
Yet Benfica, who were 2-0 up by the 15th minute thanks to Haris Seferovic and Alex Grimaldo, rallied through substitute Semedo s solo effort on his debut in the Champions League proper.
The victory ends Benfica s eight-match losing streak in the competition, getting them off the mark in a tightly-contested Group E.
Benfica were ahead inside six minutes, Seferovic reacting sharply to tuck home on the rebound after Vasilios Barkas parried Gedson Fernandes str…
England were applauded for taking a knee at the start of their World Cup Group B opener against Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday.
Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate confirmed in his pre-match press conference a day earlier that England had decided to perform the gesture at the World Cup.
Kneeling before a game was initially adopted on a regular basis in the Premier League following the death of George Floyd in the United States back in 2020.
Despite it being a show of solidarity against discrimination, it was an initiative that was not universally applauded, with several Premier League clubs jeered for taking part.
It was scrapped as a regular feature ahead of this season, with the Premier League instead announcing the gesture would b…
Jose Mourinho s current squad is the strongest Manchester United have had since the departure of Alex Ferguson, according to the manager who hopes to plot their downfall on Wednesday.
CSKA Moscow boss Viktor Goncharenko made the statement on the eve of his side s Champions League clash with the English giants, who have fond memories of the Russian capital after lifting the trophy there in 2008.
United will be without Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini and Paul Pogba for the battle between the top two in Group A, with both teams having won their opening fixtures.
However, Goncharenko believes his opposite number has enough quality on his roster to cope without the absent trio.
After Alex Ferguson s legacy, this current version of Manchester United is with…