John Terry believes Maurizio Sarri should have forced Kepa Arrizabalaga off after Chelsea s goalkeeper refused to be substituted in the EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester City.
City retained the trophy courtesy of Sunday s 4-3 penalty shoot-out success, Raheem Sterling scoring the winning kick after a tense goalless draw at Wembley.
But the true drama had come at the end of extra time when Kepa, who had already received treatment for what appeared to be cramp, went down for a second time.
Sarri responded by readying Willy Caballero – who saved three penalties during City s EFL Cup final triumph over Liverpool in 2016 – but remarkably Kepa, the world s most expensive keeper, refused to be taken off.
Kepa s act of defiance left Sarri furious, with …
Roma are looking at other alternatives after their pursuit of Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez hit the buffers.
The Serie A side reportedly tabled a second bid of €35million for the Algeria international, who was named PFA Player of the Year when Leicester stunningly won the Premier League title in 2015-16.
Leicester are understood to have rebuffed Roma s advances ahead of their season opener against Arsenal on Friday and, speaking at an unveiling news conference for new signing Gregoire Defrel, sporting director Monchi stated it was only prudent for the capital club to direct their attentions elsewhere.
I m an optimist in all aspects of life, he said. Roma is doing everything possible to sign the player.
If my memory serves me right, the last offer…
Market: Bristol City win
Odds: 19/10 @
Looking to lay down another marker and continue on their early-season purple patch, Bristol City will make the trip to what is a downbeat City Ground on Saturday afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, while Nottingham Forest might have made it clear that they had their sights set on finally landing a play-off spot this season, the Reds couldn t have got off to a worse start this time around. With it appearing that the pressure is firmly on Sabri Lamouchi s shoulders as we enter October, Forest were last seen getting hit with a 1-0 defeat away at Huddersfield, a run that highlighted an abysmal run of form. Almost throwing away their spot in the top-six over the summer after signing off the 2019/2020 campaign with that stunning…
While the current economic climate may have certainly played a huge factor in the team s exploits in this year s summer transfer window, some Italian outfits haven t let that hinder their target list.
With the new Serie A campaign only just getting underway, there is no doubt that this summer s latest and most pricey arrivals will be hoping to hit the ground running as they start life at a new home.
So, in a transfer window that will be remembered as the longest in history, who were Serie A s five most expensive signings over the past few months?
Arthur Juventus £64.80million
While might have made his feelings initially clear that he wanted to extend his stay with Barcelona this summer, the Nou Camp hierarchy announced back in June that they had accepted a £…
Preston boss Ryan Lowe was delighted to avoid a potential banana skin after a comfortable 3-0 home win over a Rotherham side whose Championship status is hanging by a thread.
North End remain five points behind sixth-placed Norwich in the table, but they have lost just one of their last 10 to keep their play-off hopes alive.
Rock-bottom Rotherham, meanwhile, are now 19 points from safety with only seven matches left, having still not won a match in 2024 and not won at all on their travels this season.
Goals from Duane Holmes and two from Emil Riis just before half-time sealed all three points for Preston, with Lowe pleased at his team’s ability to get the job done.
Lowe, whose side go to struggling Birmingham on Monday, said: “A clean sheet and three …
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust has criticised the club’s plan to increase match day ticket prices for the 2023-24 season.
Spurs announced in April that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the forthcoming campaign, the second year in a row they had kept prices the same with the cost-of-living crisis cited as a reason behind the decision.
However, the supporters’ trust has revealed they were told on Friday about an increase in match day tickets that is due to be brought in for the upcoming season while there is now set to be six Category A fixtures, the most expensive ticket, with Newcastle bumped up from Category B.
In addition to describing the increase as “excessive”, THST expressed their frustration over a lack of dialogue with the club.…
Sebastian Kehl wants Borussia Dortmund to remember their qualities in order to improve on what has been a dire Bundesliga campaign so far.
Dortmund sit joint second-bottom of the table at the halfway point of the season, having won just four of their 17 top-flight fixtures this term.
Jurgen Klopp s men who won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012, and have finished runners-up to Bayern Munich in the last two seasons have been better in the UEFA Champions League, and face a last-16 tie with Juventus next month.
Qualification for Europe s premier club competition next season is looking unlikely currently, but Kehl believes Dortmund can make big improvements in the second half of 2014-15.
The scale of the problem is high but we also have big plans f…
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique believes Pep Guardiola s unique football philosophy is the main reason behind the club s recent successes.
Guardiola has led Barcelona to three consecutive La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns since he took charge in 2008, with his side famed for their attractive style of play.
And Spanish international Pique said the coach s ability to effectively communicate with his players was what made him such a success.
On one hand, he sees football in ways nobody else does, and then he explains it better than anyone, Pique told fifa.com.
Lots of coaches just tell you to move right or move left, but he gives you the reasons why, which means you clearly understand why you’re doing something.
On top of that, yo…
A second-half goal from Arkadiusz Milik proved enough for Poland to clinch a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in their Euro 2016 Group C opener on Sunday.
Milik s 51st-minute strike from the edge of the penalty area secured Poland their first ever win at a European Championship at the seventh attempt.
The result makes it an unlucky 13 for Northern Ireland, who had entered their first major international tournament in 30 years off the back of a 12-match unbeaten run.
Not even the presence of Kyle Lafferty, passed fit to start after overcoming a groin injury picked up in training on Tuesday, could help Northern Ireland find the net at Nice s Allianz Riviera.
The striker was a spectator in the early stages, as Euro 2012 co-hosts Poland for whom Robert L…
Arsenal target Jamie Vardy is set to stay at Leicester City, .
The Gunners triggered a £20m release clause in the striker’s contract earlier this month but manager Arsene Wenger is expecting him to remain at the King Power Stadium.
The twenty-nine year old hit twenty-four Premier League goals in the Foxes’ title winning 2015/16 campaign, a tally that was only bettered by fellow England international Harry Kane.
In total, he has racked up one hundred and forty-four appearances for the East Midlands outfit in all competitions since signing from Fleetwood Town in the summer of 2012, scoring fifty goals.
His form saw him break his way into Roy Hodgson’s England side last year, and he is line to win his tenth cap as the Three Lions take on Slovakia…