Ezri Konsa was always confident his England chance would come.
The Aston Villa defender, who won the Under-20 World Cup in 2017 and also played for England Under-21s, has been brought into the senior set-up for the first time at the age of 26 for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta on Friday and North Macedonia next Monday.
Konsa was a late call-up alongside Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis on Sunday, after James Maddison, Lewis Dunk and Callum Wilson withdrew due to injury.
He told a press conference on Tuesday: “I knew I had a lot to work on in my game. Only recently now, the last two seasons, we’ve excelled at Villa and that part of it has helped me become the player I am today.
“I knew my time would come, but it was just a matter of when. I was pat…
Competition: EURO 2020 qualifying
Market: Marcus Rashford to score anytime
Odds:
Already with one foot at next year s European Championships, England will welcome Montenegro to Wembley on Thursday night.
Starting with the hosts, eventually picking up a 6-0 win over Bulgaria last month amidst a string of off-field issues, England have bounced back in some style and another victory in midweek could see them secure their spot at EURO 2020. With a growing reputation for their form in the final third, one man to keep an eye out for on Thursday will be Manchester United s red-hot striker, Marcus Rashford. Once again finding the net against Brighton last weekend, the 22-year-old has four in his last five across all competitions and also found the net agains…
Gianluigi Buffon believes Italy should be confident of going far at Euro 2024, despite being drawn into a difficult-looking group.
Reigning European champions Italy were placed into Group B during Saturday s draw in Hamburg.
That means Luciano Spalletti s team, who rather scraped through in qualifying, will go up against heavyweights Spain, 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Croatia and Albania.
While acknowledging the draw might have been kinder, former Italy stalwart Buffon – the most-capped player in his nation s history – was bullish about the Azzurri s chances.
It was wonderful putting that trophy back in the circle, as we feel pride and responsibility going into this competition as reigning champions, Buffon told RAI Sport, as reported by Football I…
Spain winger Lucas Vazquez believes the side s shock loss to Georgia will serve as motivation for Euro 2016.
A 40th-minute tap-in from Tornike Okriashvili saw Georgia claim a 1-0 win over defending European champions Spain at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez in Getafe on Tuesday.
Vazquez was making his international debut and played just over an hour before he was replaced by David Silva.
While the side would have liked to avoid defeat in their final warm-up friendly before the Euros begin on Friday, Vazquez believes the result did not reflect the performance.
Our attitude was good and the team left everything on the pitch, but there are times when the ball does not want to go in, the 24-year-old Real Madrid attacker said.
They closed up i…
Tammy Abraham is relishing his return to Serie A action with Roma, labelling the upcoming campaign as his season to shine under Daniele De Rossi.
Abraham, who scored 27 goals in his debut season with the Italian side, spent much of last year on the sidelines after sustaining an ACL injury against Spezia in June.
Despite his absence, the Giallorossi were among the top scorers in Italy s top flight, with only Inter (89), Milan (76) and Atalanta (72) scoring more than Roma s 65 league goals.
Abraham has netted 37 goals in his 119 appearances since his move from Chelsea back in 2021, becoming the first English player in thirty years to score more than 10 goals in a Serie A season.
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma)
And the Englishman is kee…
The Mayor of Liverpool has written to the Premier League over what he says is the “excessive” 10-point penalty handed to Everton for breaching league financial rules.
An independent commission imposed the sanction on the Toffees after the club were found to have exceeded permitted losses over a three-year period by £19.5million, with the decision announced on Friday.
Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram has now written to the league’s chief executive Richard Masters to express his “deep concern” over the sanction.
While I understand and support the importance of upholding the integrity of the sport, it is crucial to ensure that measures are proportionate.
I do not believe that this punishment fits the crime.
Steve has written to following …
Galatasaray were sent crashing out of Champions League qualification after Young Boys 1-0 away win secured a 2-0 aggregate victory on Tuesday.
Carrying over a slender advantage from the first leg in Switzerland, Young Boys confirmed their passage to the new-look 36-team competition with the play-off success.
Alan Virginius scored the only goal in the 87th minute before Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was sent off for kicking out at the Young Boys substitute as he celebrated.
— BSC YOUNG BOYS (@BSC_YB)
RB Salzburg are also set for their sixth straight appearance in Europe s top club competition after a 1-1 draw at home to Dynamo Kyiv wrapped up the tie 3-1 on aggregate.
Adam Daghim struck after just 12 minutes for the hosts …
Almoez Ali was Qatar s hero as the Asian Cup hosts and holders overcame Iran 3-2 in thrilling fashion to set up a final against Jordan.
Ali – the leading scorer at the 2019 Asian Cup – showed great composure and technique to settle Wednesday s chaotic semi-final at Al Thumama Stadium in Qatar s favour.
Qatar s winner came after Alireza Jahanbakhsh, fresh from scoring a last-minute spot-kick in the quarters, slammed a penalty down the middle to drag Iran level after Akram Afif s brilliant strike had put the hosts ahead before the break.
Sardar Azmoun s early stunner had been cancelled out by Jassem Gaber s deflected effort, with Iran – whose frustrations were compounded when Shoja Khalilzadeh was sent off – having squandered a glut of opportunities to reta…
Fabian Hurzeler hailed special Joao Pedro after the forward scored a late winner for Brighton and Hove Albion against Manchester United.
Joao Pedro converted Simon Adingra s back-post cross in the 95th minute to earn Brighton a 2-1 victory in Saturday s Premier League contest.
The Brazil international s goal came after Alejandro Garnacho had an effort ruled out by VAR at 1-1 as Albion went on to make it two wins from two this season.
Danny Welbeck had earlier opened the scoring for Brighton with 32 minutes played, before Amad Diallo s leveller on the hour mark.
Asked about Joao Pedro s last-gasp winner, Hurzeler told BBC Sport: I think Joao is a player who can decide the game with one action.
For me, it was impressive today how he worked against…
Marquinhos believes Paris Saint-Germain paid for their profligacy after suffering Champions League semi-final heartbreak against Borussia Dortmund.
Mats Hummels second-half header from a Julian Brandt corner the only goal at Parc des Princes wrapped up a 2-0 aggregate victory for the Bundesliga side, who advanced to their third final and first since 2013.
Meanwhile, PSG s wait to land the elusive European crown goes on, despite a whopping 44 shots across the two legs, while they also struck the woodwork on six occasions their overall tally of 14 the most recorded by a team during a single campaign.
Indeed, Luis Enrique s side failed to find the net in a home match for the first time since their 0-0 draw with Lorient in their first Ligue 1 match of the season, as …