Market: Stuttgart win
Odds: 19/20 @
Hoping to extend on their Champions League charge this weekend, a high-flying Stuttgart will travel to Hoffenheim on Saturday afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, while Hoffenheim might have signed off February with a stellar 3-2 victory away at German giants Borussia Dortmund, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s men have continued to struggle with their consistency. Last seen getting hit with a 3-1 drumming at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt, the Blues have recorded just a pair of victories from any of their previous 11 straight Bundesliga appearances a run that stems all the way back to December 8th. Tumbling down the table and now facing a real uphill battle in their bid to book a lucrative European return this season, the ex-Stuttgar…
Market: Cincinnati win
Odds: 7/10 @
Two sides who find themselves battling it out at opposite ends of the Eastern Conference table, Cincinnati will welcome Toronto to the TQL Stadium in the early hours of Thursday.
Starting with the hosts, while Cincinnati might have been last seen suffering late heartbreak away at Vancouver on June 10th, Pat Noonan’s men are in the midst of what has been a stellar purple patch. Only continuing to gain a string of plaudits since opening the 2023 campaign, the Ohio-based outfit find themselves tipped as a landslide contender to be crowned Eastern Conference champions this season. Along with making their return to the TQL Stadium in midweek enjoying a 13-match unbeaten run across all competitions, it should also be noted that a …
Organisers of Qatar s successful bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup have offered a strong rebuttal against accusations of corruption.
Reports in the British media on Sunday claimed Mohamed Bin Hammam, former president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), paid up to $5million to football officials to drum up support for Qatar s bid.
Bin Hammam had previously been a member of FIFA s executive committee, but was banned for life from all football activity in
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December 2012 following allegations of bribery.
The latest allegations led to FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce stating that a switch in host should be considered if the claims are proved to be true.
However, the Qatar 2022 Bid Committee has released a statement, strongly denying the claims and stating…
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra should be available for the Red Devils blockbuster with Chelsea on Sunday.
United are three points clear atop the English Premier League table and will relinquish their position should they lose to Carlo Ancelotti s side on Sunday.
Rooney did not train on Tuesday due to a hamstring strain, and sat in the stands as United beat Schalke 4-1 in their Champions League semi-final second leg on Wednesday.
But manager Sir Alex Ferguson is adamant his star forward will be fine ahead of the pivotal top-of-the-table encounter with Chelsea.
Wayne will be all right. I wasn t prepared to take a risk, Ferguson told MUTV.
French defender Evra came on in the second half against the Germans and took a knock…
Schalke host Maribor in the UEFA Champions League Group G clash buoyed by the return of golden boy Julian Draxler and their fine recent run.
Jens Keller s side go into the game with confidence sky high after a weekend Revierderby win over Borussia Dortmund in Draxler s absence and holding Chelsea to a 1-1 draw on matchday one.
They were two goals to the good over their fierce rivals within the first 23 minutes on Saturday through Joel Matip and Maxim Choupo-Moting and though the visitors got a goal back, Schalke got the win with a performance that left Keller beaming.
He said: We are delighted. A derby is always something special. To be able to celebrate a win at home in front of our fantastic fans, who supported us unbelievably again, is incredible. We played ve…
German media outlet that a number of English Premier League clubs are keeping close tabs on Mainz striker Shinji Okazaki.
West Ham and few other unnamed sides have been watching the 28-year-old in action regularly this season and chances are at least one of them will come forward with an official bid in January.
Given that the striker s contract is due to expire in June 2016, Mainz would probably settle for a fee between €8m and €10m.
Shinji Okazaki started his Bundesliga career at Stuttgart having joined from Shimizu S-Pulse in January 2011, but after failing to prove his worth at Mercedes-Benz Arena, he was sold to Mainz last summer in a €1.5 million deal.
The forward, nevertheless, kick-started his career at Coface Arena, netting 15 league goal…
Arsenal have handed Alexandre Lacazette his Premier League debut for their 2017-18 opener against Leicester City, while Mesut Ozil also starts.
Lacazette plays for the first time in England s top flight, while Ozil is passed fit to support him alongside Danny Welbeck.
Per Mertesacker is out after suffering a head injury in the Community Shield win over Chelsea, with Sead Kolasinac replacing him.
Aaron Ramsey and Shkodran Mustafi are deemed fit enough for places on a substitutes bench that also contains Olivier Giroud.
Leicester, meanwhile, start with Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki up-front, meaning new signing Kelechi Iheanacho is among the subs.
Riyad Mahrez also plays despite being the subject of transfer speculation throughout the off-season,…
Denis Suarez is over the moon with his return to Barcelona and has vowed to give his all to succeed at Camp Nou.
The Spain international, 22, joined Barca from Manchester City in 2013, but spent 2014-15 on loan at Sevilla before he was sold to Villarreal last year.
However, the Liga champions announced on Monday that they have exercised their option to buy back the attacking midfielder for €3.25 million and he is ready to prove his worth in Catalunya.
I am very happy to return to the best team in the world, Suarez told the official Barcelona website.
Ever since I left, I have been wanting to return, and now my dream has come true.
My time at Sevilla and Villarreal has helped me mature as a player and as a person. Now I am ready to make t…
Eric Bailly insisted he was just suffering from tiredness when substituted on international duty after clutching his hamstring.
The Manchester United defender sparked fears he could be set for another spell on the sidelines when he sat on the ground and grabbed the back of his leg during Ivory Coast s 1-1 draw with Belgium on Thursday.
Bailly was withdrawn in the 70th minute as his country ended Belgium s run of 12 straight wins.
However, the 26-year-old stressed there was no major issue.
Thanks for worrying about me, he wrote on Instagram.
But I feel perfectly fine, just fatigue.
Bailly may therefore be involved against Japan on Tuesday before returning to United, whose next game is a trip to Newcastle United on October 17…
There could be a number of goalkeeping changes around Europe.
With Kepa Arrizabalaga s future uncertain at Chelsea, Manuel Neuer is reportedly an option for Frank Lampard s side.
Barcelona s Marc-Andre ter Stegen has also been linked with a move away from Camp Nou.
TOP STORY – CHELSEA TARGET NEUER
Chelsea are interested in signing Bayern Munich captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, according to Sport Bild.
Lampard s Chelsea are reportedly looking to move on from Kepa – the world s most expensive goalkeeper after leaving Athletic Bilbao in 2018.
Neuer is on Chelsea s radar, with the Germany star yet to agree a new deal at Bayern, who have been linked to fellow German and Barcelona keeper Ter Stegen.
Bayern-Zukunft fra…