Competition: Euro 2016 qualifier
Market: Belgium to win against Wales
Odds:
Belgium travel to face Wales in Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier, with the Red Devils in fantastic form ahead of the crucial clash against their fellow automatic qualifying hopefuls. The visitors have won three games on the bounce, the most recent of which saw them beat France in a seven-goal thriller.
Four wins and two draws from their six games in all competitions see Belgium as one of the most in-form nations in Europe, but Wales did force a draw against them in an earlier meeting. Friday’s clash could be a different story, however, with how impressive the high-flyers have been again any opposition of late.
Wales are no slouches themselves. Chris Coleman’s side have be…
Gerard Pique has reiterated his desire to see out the remainder of his career at Barcelona, but suggested he will consider retiring early if he is no longer a regular starter.
The ex-Spain international is into his 14th season at Camp Nou since returning to the club from Manchester United in 2008 and remains a key presence at the back.
Pique turns 35 in February but is confident in his ability to keep going, despite competition from Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti.
I ve never had competition like that, but it is not a bad thing, he told El Pais. As a young man you learn at what level you can compete.
When I was 19 and on loan at Real Zaragoza I discovered that I could perform in LaLiga against the greats.
At 34 you…
Jurgen Klopp labelled Liverpool s 4-1 win at city rivals Everton as their best performance at Goodison Park in recent years after the Reds earned Merseyside bragging rights.
Jordan Henderson opened the scoring before assisting Mohamed Salah s opener as he became the first Liverpool captain since 2005 to lay on an assist and get on the scoresheet in a Premier League game at Everton s ground.
Salah, who has been directly involved in at least one goal in each of his last 12 top-flight fixtures, then added a second as he became the first Red to register a brace away in the Merseyside derby since September 2008.
Diogo Jota struck in the second half to cap off another productive outing, with Demarai Gray s first-half strike that initially halved the deficit proving ir…
The recent tribunal ruling in Manchester City s case against the Premier League has caused plenty of confusion, with even the two parties involved looking at it differently.
Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol has provided some explanation as to what the respective positions of the parties are.
There is NO civil war.
Kaveh Solhekol gives the latest as Premier League clubs prepare to rally around chief executive Richard Masters at an emergency shareholders’ meeting next week.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL)
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Jurgen Klopp is confused over how Chelsea s transfer business is possible after the Blues brought in eight January signings.
Chelsea signed World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for a British record transfer fee of £106.8million (€121m) on Tuesday, pushing their January spending past £300m.
That capped a hectic window for Chelsea, who splashed out to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos, Noni Madueke, David Datro Fofana and Malo Gusto, who will spend the rest of the season on loan at Lyon.
Joao Felix also signed on loan from Atletico Madrid as, with Chelsea sat 10th in the Premier League, co-owner Todd Boehly gave head coach Potter an array of options with which to mount a push for the top four.
In contrast, Klopp s Liverpool,…
Manchester City are in talks with Kyle Walker over the possibility of the 33-year-old defender signing a new contract with the 2022/23 treble winners, according to Fabrizio Romano. Walker is believed to be wanted by Bayern Munich, but the possibility of him staying at the Etihad for a couple of years more is real.
Walker s current deal does not expire for another 12 months, which obviously means City have the power to force him to stay if they want, but given his vast contribution to everything they ve achieved since his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur in 2017, going against the player s wishes probably isn t an option they would consider. If Walker decides to leave, they will likely accept a reasonable fee for his services.
City are set for significant changes in their …
Lionel Messi is a doubt for Argentina s Copa America quarter-final tie against Ecuador, so says Lionel Scaloni.
With the holders having already booked their progression to the last eight, Messi, who is the record appearance maker at the Copa America, sat out Argentina s final Group A match against Peru.
His absence was not felt as Lautaro Martinez s double propelled Argentina to their third win of the tournament.
However, ahead of Thursday s knockout clash with Ecuador in Houston, Scaloni suggested the 37-year-old may miss out again.
We will wait a few hours and make a decision. Another day is always better. We ll decide on the basis of the response we get today, Scaloni said on Wednesday.
We ll try to get him to play and if he doesn t, we ll tr…
Qatar head coach Felix Sanchez described Qatar 2022 as a great World Cup despite his side being on the verge of elimination following a 3-1 defeat to Senegal on Friday.
Mohammed Muntari gave them hope of snatching a point after Boulaye Dia and Famara Diedhiou had put Senegal 2-0 up, yet substitute Bamba Dieng rounded off Senegal s victory six minutes from time.
The result saw them became only the third host nation to concede three goals in a single group stage game, after South Africa in 2010 and Russia in 2018 (both 3-0 defeats to Uruguay).
Despite the disappointment of a likely early exit, Sanchez was full of praise for the tournament – the first to be held in the Middle East.
We are aware of how tough this competition is, we wanted to go far but we …
Caleb Porter says the New England Revolution need a result by any means possible as they prepare to face FC Dallas in their last MLS game before the Leagues Cup break.
The Revs have lost three straight matches and four of their last five, their latest defeat coming by a 5-1 scoreline versus the Philadelphia Union in midweek.
They are bottom of the Eastern Conference, already 11 points adrift of a guaranteed playoff place and five off the play-in spots, yet Porter remains positive.
We have to be better. I still feel very good about our chances but certainly, a win on Saturday would go a long way to setting us up ahead of the Leagues Cup and the run-in, Porter said.
I still feel very good about our chances, we ve got games in hand. We should be healthier …
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski are too old to be considered for Germany s Euro 2016 squad, former midfielder Mario Basler has said.
Schweinsteiger is sidelined with a knee ligament injury and is not expected to feature for Manchester United again this season, placing his availability for the tournament in France in serious doubt.
Former Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld said in March that Germany would find it difficult to compete without the influence of the 31-year-old, who has 114 senior caps for his country.
But Basler, who was part of the victorious squad at Euro 96, believes it would be too risky for Joachim Low to consider taking the midfielder.
I wouldn t take Bastian Schweinsteiger. He s not 25 or 28 years old any more, he told the …