Market: Minnesota United win
Odds: 1/1 @
Two sides who find themselves leading the chase in the Final Series hunt, Minnesota will welcome Portland to Allianz Field in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Starting with the hosts, while Minnesota would have been disappointed to have been hit with that 2-0 defeat against Colorado earlier in the month, The Loons made an immediate return to winning ways last time out. Landing themselves what was a deserved 1-0 victory against the Seattle Sounders last weekend, Adrian Heath s men have once again impressed many across the MLS since opening the 2021 campaign. Losing just one of their last nine straight contests, a run that stems all the way back to May 9th, Minnesota should also be boosted by what has become an eye-catch…
Best Odds: 5/4
Bookmaker:
Looking to extend on their record-breaking La Liga flurry, Girona will welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Estadi Montilivi on Monday night.
Girona
Starting with the hosts, heading into November’s international break with another stunning performance, Girona are in the midst of what has been a history-making romp. Last seen claiming a 2-1 victory away at Rayo Vallecano, Michel’s side are riding a famous wave of momentum. Opening this weekend’s fixtures holding a remarkable two-point buffer at the top of the La Liga table, the Catalonia-based outfit will simply be looking to make another statement here. Mustering a staggering 34 points from their first 13 appearances this season, Girona have rightfully received a string of plaudits fro…
Real Madrid allowed Barcelona to take an advantage into LaLiga s mid-season break after Athletic Bilbao held them to a second goalless draw in a week.
Following Wednesday s stalemate at Camp Nou in El Clasico, Zinedine Zidane s men drew a blank once more against their obdurate Basque opponents.
Toni Kroos and Nacho hit the crossbar either side of half-time and substitute Luka Jovic struck the base of the post with four minutes to play.
Champions Barca lead their great rivals by two points after 18 matches, having dispatched Alaves 4-1 on Saturday, while Athletic edge up to seventh and remain firmly in the European hunt
Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Jr leant a vibrant edge to the Madrid attack during the opening exchanges, with the latter denied by the boot o…
Bayern Munich have confirmed their first-round DFB-Pokal match with Bremer has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns.
The Bundesliga champions were due to begin their cup campaign on Friday against the fifth-tier side.
However, Bremer recorded positive COVID-19 test results within the first-team squad, meaning quarantine measures have been imposed on the club.
The health of our and of our opponent s players are of paramount importance, so we consider the order of the health department to place our team in quarantine as correct and necessary, said Dr. Peter Warnecke, the club s first chairman and hygiene officer.
Bayern later said in a statement: The DFB [German Football Association] has announced that Bayern s DFB-Pokal match at Bremer SV on Friday…
Toni Kroos has defended Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane in the wake of recent criticism.
After taking over in January the Frenchman guided Madrid to Champions League glory in 2015-16, but has endured a somewhat indifferent start to this season.
Madrid have failed to win any of their last four outings in all competitions, but Kroos is adamant Zidane does not deserve to be criticised for their recent slump.
I have to admit that I do not read the newspapers very often and I do not know how people have criticised Zidane, Kroos, who signed a new six-year contract at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, said at a media conference.
The team did not play well against Eibar [on October 2], but we did play well against Las Palmas and [Borussia] Dortmund.
…
Rising Japan star Hiroki Abe has agreed to join Barcelona, J1 League side Kashima Antlers have confirmed.
The 20-year-old is due to undergo a medical and sign a contract after the two clubs reached an agreement over a transfer.
The deal will reportedly cost Barca a fee in the region of €2million.
It was a difficult decision to leave the team this season, Abe, who was named Rookie of the Year in Japan s top flight in 2018, told Kashima s website.
I felt strongly that I wanted to try new challenges at Barcelona, and I decided to move. I believe the various difficulties and obstacles I will face from now on are essential for my growth.
Abe is expected to link up with Barca B but reports in Spain suggest he could join Ernesto Valverde s first-tea…
Market: Barcelona win
Odds: 2/3 @
With the Spanish Super Cup up for grabs on Wednesday night, Barcelona and Real Sociedad will face off at the Estadio Nuevo Arcángel in Córdoba.
Starting with Real Sociedad, while they might have thought they had turned a real corner thanks to a 1-0 win against Athletic Bilbao when returning from the festive break, Imanol Alguacil s men have come crashing back down to earth. Drastically struggling to match a similar level that saw them shock many when opening the 2020/21 campaign, the Basque outfit have only continued to tumble down the La Liga table. Last seen over the weekend when getting hit with an action-packed 3-2 loss away at Sevilla, La Real find themselves on a run of form that has seen them win just one of their last…
Pele has wished Diego Maradona well in his new job as Argentina coach but the Brazil legend warned that great footballers rarely become great managers.
I hope that everything goes well for him and that he ll be able to overcome what s happened in the past and that he ll know how to manage the Argentine players well, Pele, making reference to Maradona s past problems with drugs and health, said.
According to Pele if Maradona is to succeed he must listen to his director of football Carlos Bilardo who led the Maradona-inspired Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title.
He has at his side an experienced manager who knows football really well.
If Maradona listens to Bilardo he can go far. He can learn a lot if he wants to.
But often a great player do…
AC Ajaccio goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa has claimed Liverpool are one of the many clubs including AC Milan, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Internazionale, Liverpool and Real Madrid to have shown an interest in acquiring his services, .
Ochoa, 27, joined French Ligue 1 side AC Ajaccio on a three-year deal from Liga MX giants Club América in July 2011.
The Mexico international helped keep L ours in France s top flight despite conceding 61 goals in 2011-12. Only Dijon FCO who were relegated after finishing 19th in the table conceded more, 63.
This season, the Corsica-based club have significantly improved their defence, thanks in large part to the in-form Ochoa.
The 27-year-old Mexico international s form has not gone unnoti…
Max Meyer stole the show in Bastian Schweinsteiger s final international appearance with his first Germany goal and an eye-catching performance in a 2-0 friendly win against Finland.
On a night when one of Germany s finest players picked up his 121st and final cap, Schalke midfielder Meyer – making only his second senior international appearance – emerged as a potential star of the future with a confident display and a well-taken goal.
Borussia Park in Monchengladbach was almost half empty as the curtain fell on an international career that saw Schweinsteiger become a World Cup winner in 2014, but the 32-year-old was nonetheless in tears when he gave a farewell speech to the crowd before kick-off.
Schweinsteiger s team-mates conspired for 68 minutes to crea…