Spain coach Vicente del Bosque is feeling positive about 2015 despite the shock of failure at this year’s World Cup and is confident he can successfully shepherd the team through qualification for Euro 2016. . Spain were dumped out in the group stage at the finals in Brazil after embarrassing defeats by Netherlands and Chile. . A surprise loss to Slovakia in Euro qualification Group C also set back their bid for a place at the tournament in France in 18 months time. . They also slipped to friendly defeats by France and world champions Germany as La Roja came…
Author: David F.
Reports in England have linked Steven Pienaar with a move to the Spanish La Liga to join former boss David Moyes at Real Sociedad. . Pienaar is know to be a favourite of Moyes for his high work-rate and ability on the ball, and according to the Express, Everton are open to offers for the 32-year-old, with a move to Spain on the cards. . Everton are looking to being in Joel Campbell from Arsenal and if they get their man it would mean they are well-stocked on players who can feature on the left and Pienaar would be able…
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has hinted at a possible deal to bring struggling Spain forward Fernando Torres back to his boyhood club. . Cerezo said the Spanish champions’ coach Diego Simeone had the squad he needs to compete in La Liga, the Champions League and the King’s Cup but did not rule out Torres returning to the club he left in 2007 to join Liverpool. . Torres moved from Chelsea to AC Milan on a two-year loan deal in August but the switch has yet to help the 30-year-old rediscover anything like the form that lit up the English…
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is confident his side can still go on to enjoy a successful season as they go in search of some Christmas cheer at Burnley on Friday. . Liverpool are 10th in the Premier League and have no realistic chance of repeating last season’s title challenge, having not failed to win in their last three league games and recording just one away league win since mid-October. . But just one defeat in eight games in all competitions at least hints at some resilience and Rodgers has been encouraged by his team’s recent performances. . Liverpool booked a…
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has entered into the festive spirit by granting his players Christmas Day with their families ahead of Friday’s Premier League meeting with Newcastle United. . Traditionally, players around England will be given Christmas morning off, to spend with their families, before training in the afternoon and playing fixtures on Boxing Day. . But Van Gaal, who is experiencing England’s jam-packed festive programme for the first time, has broken with tradition and allowed United’s stars a day at home. . “I changed it,” said Van Gaal, who took over at Old Trafford in July. “I…
Life has turned full circle for seasoned West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce since he last took his team to Chelsea. . At the end of January the Hammers were mired in the relegation zone, the fans were calling for Allardyce to be sacked and he was the bookmakers’ favourite for the chop. . They arrived at Stamford Bridge with 18 points from 22 games and even after a worthy 0-0 draw Chelsea Jose Mourinho accused Allardyce of playing “19th century” brand of football. . Despite Mourinho’s stinging rebuke, it was a result that helped West Ham turn the corner…
Nigeria captain and goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has been shortlisted into the final three for the 2014 African Footballer of the Year award. . Caf announced the three finalists for this year’s award on their official website on Christmas Day. . Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the current African Footballer of the Year, Yaya Toure of the Ivory Coast are the other shortlists. . The three men were picked by “head coaches or technical director” of the various national associations, according to Caf. . “Gabonese midfielder Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure have made the final top…
Germany midfielder Sami Khedira has indicated he would be happy to extend his contract with Real Madrid beyond June 2015 if an agreement can be reached. . Khedira, whose season has been disrupted by injuries, is not a first-choice starter under coach Carlo Ancelotti, with Germany teammate Toni Kroos, Croatia international Luka Modric and Spain playmaker Isco all ahead in the pecking order. . Media reports have speculated Khedira could move to Bayern Munich and that several English clubs including Arsenal, where his close friend Mesut Ozil plays, are also interested in securing his services. . Khedira, who joined Real…
Goalkeeper David de Gea believes the busy holiday fixture list offers the perfect opportunity for Manchester United to put some pressure on the Premier League’s top two clubs. . United are third as they prepare to host Newcastle United on Friday, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea and seven behind champions Manchester City. . While a substantial gap, United are on a seven-match unbeaten run and beginning to look like a force again after a sticky start under new manager Louis van Gaal. . Spaniard De Gea, who has been instrumental in United’s upturn, says they must keep the momentum going.…
While professional footballers in the rest of Europe sleep off their Christmas hangovers, the Premier League ploughs on regardless on Friday with a bumper schedule of traditional Boxing Day fixtures. , For the first time in the 2014-15 season, all 20 English top-flight clubs will be in action on the same day, with leaders Chelsea’s home game against high-flying London rivals West Ham United the stand-out match. . Chelsea’s professional 2-0 victory at Stoke City on Monday allowed Jose Mourinho’s side to re-establish a three-point lead over champions Manchester City, who visit West Bromwich Albion on Friday. . The visit…
Algeria’s Sports Minister has appealed to national team supporters not to travel for the Afcon. . There are a few standard hotels in Mongomo where the Desert Foxes will be competing against South Africa, Ghana and Senegal. The best have been allotted to the national teams with the rest deemed to be below par. . “The conditions are inappropriate,” Minister Mohammed Tahmi spoke against the proposed movement of the fans for the 30th edition of the Afcon in Equatorial Guinea at a meeting on Tuesday. . If the pleas of the Algerian government are heeded to, Christian Gourcuff’s side may…
Cape Verde are set to be one of the earliest arrivals in Equatorial Guinea ahead of the Afcon. . The Blue Sharks will leave their camping base for Ebebiyin six days to the start of the 30th Afcon. This has been explained by the need for the team to adapt to the hot and humid climate of Equatorial Guinea by the start of the tournament. . Head coach Rui Aguas has announced a preliminary squad of 30 players who will pitch their pre-tournament camp in Lisbon. According to the coach, the list is a reward for players who took part…
Injured Senegal’s captain Mohamed Diame is in a race against time to be fit for the 2015 Afcon. . The Hull City midfielder suffered a knee injury in their 1-1 draw with Everton on December 3. He had earlier been diagnosed to return by Christmas but further tests have ruled him out into the New Year. He is to wear a brace and sit out for about another month. . The Hull City player, 27, who joined from West Ham in August, hit the ground running with four goals in his first five Premier League games, but knee problems were…
Real Sociedad need to toughen up mentally if they are to reverse a poor away record when they travel to Valencia to face Levante in La Liga on Saturday, according to coach David Moyes. . Sociedad are yet to win away in Spain’s top flight this season and were thumped 4-0 at Villarreal and drew 0-0 at Deportivo La Coruna on their last two trips away from San Sebastian. . With 15 matches played, they are 14th on 14 points, one place higher than when former Manchester United andEverton manager Moyes took over last month. . “It’s very important to…
Jose Mourinho wants to see his Chelsea side adapt to the likely threat of Stoke City when the teams meet at the Britannia Stadium on Monday live on SS3HD and livestreaming on supersport.com. . Title-chasing Chelsea got back on track in the Barclays Premier League against Hull City last weekend, having surrendered their unbeaten start to 2014-15 against Newcastle United a week earlier. . However, with Manchester City hot on their heels, Mourinho’s side travel to Stoke needing no reminder of the corresponding fixture from last season. A stunning Oussama Assaidi strike gave Stoke all three points last term and,…
German World Cup winner Andre Schuerrle has ruled out a move away from Chelsea despite failing to secure a regular starting place this season. . Schuerrle has been troubled by injury and illness since helping his country to the World Cup title in July and says he has no intention of leaving the Premier League leaders. . “The last few weeks I have been able to intensively train and fight myself back into the team,” said the forward in his online blog (www.sportupyourlife) on Monday. “Things are getting better. . “Nevertheless, in a phase with less operating time, transfer rumours…
Barcelona’s star strikers will need to rediscover their scoring touch to stay in the title race in La Liga as the Catalan outfit host struggling Cordoba on Saturday. . In the absence of the injured Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez drew a blank in a 0-0 draw at Getafe last weekend that saw Luis Enrique’s men fall four points behind in-form league leaders Real Madrid. . However, with the European champions playing San Lorenzo in the final of the Club World Cup on Saturday evening, Barca can cut the gap to a single point heading into the new year.…
Barcelona forward Neymar has recovered from a minor ankle problem and is available for Saturday’s La Liga game at home to Cordoba, the club said on Friday. . Neymar has not played since he scored Barca’s second goal in the 3-1 Champions League victory at home to Paris St Germain on Dec. 10 and missed last weekend’s 0-0 La Liga draw at Getafe and Tuesday’s 8-1 drubbing of third-tier Huesca in the King’s Cup. . He trained with the rest of the squad on Friday before being given the all-clear by medical staff as Luis Enrique’s men prepare for their…
Belgian forward Divock Origi will cut short a season-long loan at Lille in January to return to parent club Liverpool, who will pay six million euros for the privilege, according to a source close to the deal. . The 19-year-old, who was bought by Liverpool from Lille in the summer for a reported £10 million after impressing for Belgium at the World Cup, was immediately loaned back to the Ligue 1 side for the duration of this season. . However, the loan agreement included a clause allowing Liverpool to take Origi back in the January transfer window for six million…
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini, without three first choice strikers, has urged his side to conjure up an alternative way of beating Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. . Edin Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic and Sergio Aguero are all on the treatment table at the Etihad Stadium and in their absence Pellegrini is hoping attacking midfielders Samir Nasri and David Silva can spell trouble for 16th-placed Palace. . “The three strikers are out for tomorrow,” Pellegrini told a news conference on Friday. “None of them are fit so we have to arrange the team without Jovetic, Dzeko and Aguero.…