Luis Enrique could make Barcelona history when the holders take on Valencia in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday.
The weekend win at Levante extended Barca s unbeaten run to 28 matches in all competitions, equalling the record set by Pep Guardiola s side in the 2010-11 season, meaning the Catalans need simply to avoid defeat against Gary Neville s struggling outfit to see their coach reach another impressive milestone in his time in charge.
Speaking ahead of the match at Mestalla, Javier Mascherano praised both Luis Enrique and Guardiola for their unerring desire for success, but said the current boss has brought a battling quality to Barca which had been lacking in previous seasons.
The main similarity between the team under Luis Enriq…
Guti believes no current Atletico Madrid player could break into the Real Madrid starting XI.
The Madrid rivals are set to go head-to-head in La Liga on Saturday with Atletico second in the table, eight points behind leaders Barcelona and one ahead of third-placed Real.
And as the two sides prepare to meet at the Santiago Bernabeu, Guti who made over 500 appearances for Real between 1995 and 2010 has played down the quality in the Atletico side.
When asked if he would pick anyone from Atletico for the Real team, the Spaniard is quoted as saying by AS: It would be hard. I can t think of anyone who could play for Real Madrid.
However, the former Spain international did heap praise on Atletico coach Diego Simeone.
In my time to play at the [V…
Belgium are not short of belief but Thibaut Courtois insisted the Red Devils are not among the favourites to win the World Cup in Russia.
Courtois and Belgium head into Monday s Group G opener against debutants Panama full of confidence as they boast the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.
Belgium forward Dries Mertens said Roberto Martinez s men should be considered favourites alongside the likes of reigning world champions Germany, Brazil, France and Spain following quarter-final berths at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.
Courtois, however, did not go as far during his pre-game news conference at Fisht Stadium in Sochi on Sunday.
We have the quality. Players with talent, Courtois told reporters. We know each other well. We re at p…
Leicester City star N Golo Kante is set to have a stand named after him at one of his former clubs thanks to his heroics this season.
The France international has helped Claudio Ranieri s men close in on an incredible Premier League title triumph, sitting eight points clear atop the table.
Kante, 25, joined Leicester in mid-2015 after stints at Caen and Boulogne, clubs now in Ligue 1 and the third-tier in France respectively.
Now, Boulogne are planning to honour Kante – who was at the club from 2011 to 2013 – by potentially naming a stand after him.
[Franck] Ribery is a big hero in Boulogne because he was born here and played for the club, Boulogne general director Nicolas Durand told The Sun.
His dad lives near the training ground and watch…
Market: Serbia win
Odds:
Looking to make it two wins in as many games, Serbia will welcome a revitalized Romania side to Stadion Rajko Mitić on Monday night.
Starting with Mladen Krstajić s Serbia side, although Monday s hosts lost two of their three matches in Russia this summer, they do hold a very impressive record when playing on home turf. In competitive matches, The Eagles are now unbeaten in their last nine matches at Stadion Rajko Mitić, a run the stems back to a 2-1 loss to Portugal back in October 2015. One man that must be watched for the hosts is Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrović. Since making the move from St. James Park permanent over the summer, the 23-year-old now has four for the season and now sits joint top of the Premier League goalscor…
Southampton have announced that Maya Yoshida has signed a fresh three-year deal, which will keep him at St Mary s Stadium until 2020.
The Japan international defender, who put pen to paper on the new contract to celebrate his 29th birthday on Thursday, has made 138 appearances for the Saints since his arrival from Dutch side VVV in 2012.
Yoshida has played the full 90 minutes in Southampton s first two Premier League games of 2017-18 and could be set for a crucial role this season as Virgil van Dijk remains absent from the first-team picture.
Van Dijk, heavily linked with Liverpool earlier in the transfer window, is looking to force through a move away from the club, but no such thoughts have crossed the mind of Yoshida.
What a birthday present I got…
An emotional Julen Lopetegui dedicated Sevilla s Europa League final triumph over Inter to the club s late greats Jose Antonio Reyes and Antonio Puerta.
Sevilla edged a thrilling encounter in Cologne, as Los Nervionenses battled back from Diego Carlos third penalty concession in as many games – Romelu Lukaku converting this one.
A Luuk de Jong brace put Sevilla in front, but Diego Godin restored parity after Diego Carlos conceded a free-kick and then lost the Uruguayan.
But the Sevilla defender went from zero to hero 16 minutes from time, his overhead kick going in off Lukaku and Lopetegui s men held on to lift the trophy for a sixth time.
The last time they won it in 2016, Reyes was club captain. The former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Spain star died a li…
Verdict: Manchester United and under 2.5 goals
Best Odds:
Bookmaker:
With both sides entering the international break with a loss to their records, Jose Mourinho will be desperate to close the gap on City at the top of the table. On Saturday evening Old Trafford will be playing host to a Newcastle side loitering around the middle of the table.
Manchester United
Before the international break, Jose Mourinho s side fell eight points behind their noisy neighbours at the top of the table. After losing 1-0 at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, United will be desperate to relieve some of the pressure and close the gap on the blue half of Manchester.
Although they might not be the same animal that started the season in such emphatic fashion. Pri…
Best Odds: 7/5
Bookmaker:
Looking to make it two in two when they return to the Etihad this weekend, Manchester City will play host to Leicester on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester City
Starting with the hosts, watching his heavily-altered squad come past Bournemouth while on EFL Cup duties on Thursday night, Pep Guardiola was filled with praise after his side made a thumping return to Premier League action at Molineux. Holding onto their lead despite Wolves second-half charge earlier in the week, the Sky Blues landed an impressive 3-1 victory on their travels and will simply be looking to lay down another marker to Liverpool this weekend. Appearing to have put their Champions League heartbreak out in Portugal behind them, the one-time Barcelona boss has seen his s…
Antonio Conte believes changes must be made to Premier League fixtures to help English clubs progress further in the Champions League.
Chelsea face Qarabag in Group C on Wednesday before travelling to Anfield to take on Liverpool in a key Premier League clash on Saturday.
No English clubs have reached the final of the Champions League since Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga giants Allianz Arena home in May 2012.
And Conte has called on sides in continental competitions to be given more help when it comes to scheduling their league matches around European trips.
For sure I have to make the best decision for these games, because we are playing every three days and it is normal to have rotation, Conte told a news conference on Tuesday. <…