Best Odds: 1/1
Bookmaker:
Looking to mark their return to Primeira Liga duties with a flurry on home soil, Rio Ave will welcome Maritimo to the Estadio dos Arcos on Friday night.
Rio Ave
Starting with the hosts, last seen on December 13th when picking up another League Cup victory thanks to a 2-1 win at home against Farense, Luís Freire s side should find the mood in their camp at a real high. Relishing their return to action on Friday night with their sights set on trying to make up some ground in the European hunt, the top-flight returners have continued to gain plenty of praise from across Portugal. Heading into the World Cup s enforced winter break with a gritty 1-0 victory away at Arouca on November 12th, the former Nacional boss will be calling on his si…
Xavi is confident that Barcelona will land their transfer targets in the next window but was unwilling to confirm whether Erling Haaland is one of those his side are chasing.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reported on Wednesday that Barcelona are growing increasingly confident of winning the race for in-demand Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland.
The 21-year-old has been linked with an array of Europe s elite clubs, including Barca s rivals Real Madrid, after scoring 80 goals in 79 games for Dortmund in all competitions.
That is a tally bettered only by Bayern Munich s Robert Lewandowski (115 goals in 97 matches) among players from Europe s top five leagues since January 2020.
Haaland has a reported €75million release clause that kicks in at the end of th…
Luis Suarez has told Barcelona team-mate Ousmane Dembele and club doctors to find a solution to his injury problems following another setback.
Dembele went off in the first half of the 3-1 Champions League win over former club Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday due to a thigh injury.
The winger is due to have tests to determine the extent of the damage, but he is likely at least to miss Sunday s LaLiga showdown with Atletico Madrid.
Dembele has suffered three thigh problems in 2019 as part of a succession of injuries that have blighted his Barca career since moving from Dortmund in August 2017 for an initial €105million fee.
The 22-year-old, who has started only five matches in all competitions this season, has also had his professionalism called into quest…
Striker Umut Bulut hopes Monday s Group A clash with Latvia can serve to kickstart Turkey s Euro 2016 qualification campaign.
Both sides have made poor starts in their bid to reach the competition in France, with Turkey coach Fatih Terim reported to be under plenty of pressure going into the clash at Stadions Skonto in Riga
While Latvia have picked up a point in their campaign so far, Turkey are yet to get off the mark as they followed up a 3-0 defeat against Iceland with Friday s 2-1 loss to Czech Republic.
Bulut opened the scoring in Istanbul but goals from Tomas Sivok and Borek Dockal condemned Terim s men to a second defeat of the group.
Now in his third term as coach of the national team, Terim spoke of maintaining belief in the dressing room as Tur…
Best Odds: 11/10
Bookmaker:
With all eyes falling on Spain in midweek, Rangers will face off against German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night when they meet in this season s Europa League final.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Starting with Eintracht Frankfurt, while the German outfit might have continued on a real Bundesliga struggle this season, the German outfit have shocked almost everyone across Europe. In the midst of what has been a stunning Europa League run, Head Coach Oliver Glasner is smelling the chance to make history on Wednesday night. However, while the one-time Wolfsburg boss might have seen his side come past the likes of West Ham and Spanish heavyweights Barcelona over the past month, they have largely struggled with their consistency. Last s…
Pedri is among the best players in world football, so says his Barcelona club-mate Ferran Torres.
Barca midfielder Pedri is enjoying another fine season after his breakout campaign at Camp Nou in 2020-21.
Though the early part of his season was hindered by injury, Pedri has emerged as a crucial figure as Xavi has rejuvenated Barca since taking over from Ronald Koeman.
Having missed the final three months of 2021, Pedri s 2022 has been brilliant so far, and he scored an exquisite goal against Sevilla in a 1-0 LaLiga win on Sunday.
2 s Pedri has scored two goals in his last seven games, as many as in his previous 34 games in the competition. He has scored his first ever goal from outside the box for the Catalonian side. Magic.
— OptaJose (@Opt…
Full-back Christophe Jallet has admitted to some doubt over his Paris Saint-Germain future.
As the Ligue 1 champions returned for pre-season training this week minus some notable absentees who are on FIFA World Cup duty Jallet revealed a lack of clarity over his situation at the Parc des Princes.
Asked if he would begin the new campaign at PSG, Jallet replied in quotes reported by L Equipe: I do not know yet. For now, I m here. I try to prepare myself as best as possible. Some factors could change things, but for now I m Parisien.
The 30-year-old, who joined PSG in 2009, has spoken very briefly, vaguely to the club s hierarchy but insists that certain assurances must be made if he is to remain in the capital.
Game time will be the first of conditions, h…
Barcelona have made an official bid to sign Arsenal centre-back Thomas Vermaelen, .
The La Liga giants are leading the race to secure the services of the Belgium international, who made just one appearance at this summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil, coming on as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Russia in the group stages of the competition.
He made just seven starts in the Premier League last season, having fallen being both Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertersacker in the Gunners pecking order.
Vermaelen moved to the Emirates from Ajax in the summer of 2009, and has since gone on to play for the club one hundred and fifty times in all competitions while he replace Robin van Persie as club captain following the Dutch strikers move to Manchester United in 201…
Premier League outfit West Ham are closing in on Sampdoria midfielder Pedro Obiang, .
The 23-year-old has developed into one of league s top midfielders and he now has a chance to leave the Blucerchiati for greener pastures.
While Napoli and Atletico Madrid are also keen on his services, the latest reports suggest West Ham have moved to the front of the queue.
La Gazzetta dello Sport has learned that the Hammers are ready to offer around €8.5 million for the highly rated footballer.
And even if Sampdoria are holding out for €10 million, everything suggests an agreement will be reached soon.
The Atletico Madrid graduate joined the Blucerchiati in 2008 and has so far scored 4 goals in 93 Serie A appearances.
Having climbed to fifth in S…
Romelu Lukaku has a point to prove that could sway him towards swapping Everton for a return to Chelsea, according to Didier Drogba.
Chelsea signed Lukaku from Anderlecht as an 18-year-old in 2011, but he made just 10 Premier League appearances – only one from the start – with loan spells at West Brom and Everton proving more fruitful.
The striker joined the Toffees permanently in July 2014, but has been linked with a return to his former club having reportedly refused a contract extension at Goodison Park.
Lukaku is top of the Premier League scoring charts with 23 goals and Chelsea legend Drogba – who claimed to know what the Belgian s future plans are, but refused to reveal them – is sure he would be a success if he found himself back at Stamford Br…