Prediction: Italy win
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The domestic season may be over but the summer has only just begun. Between the Summer Olympics and the Euros we ve got a whole lot to look forward to and as the countdown to kick-off for the latter continues, we thought we d take a look at a friendly game between two of the teams set to take part. Italy and Czech Republic will both participate in this year s rescheduled European Championship and while they may be dark horses, underestimating them would be a huge mistake.
Italy
Victory is the name of the game for Italy right now as they continue to try and forget about the embarrassment they suffered in not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. Roberto Mancini has made it his mission to turn this team around…
Lionel Messi was delighted with Argentina s win over Brazil, saying the rivalry between the South American nations was stronger than ever.
On his international return, Messi scored the only goal of the game in Riyadh as Argentina recorded a 1-0 friendly win.
The star tapped in a rebound after his penalty was saved by Alisson, while Gabriel Jesus earlier put a spot-kick wide for Brazil.
The win over Brazil was Argentina s first against their rivals since 2017 and Messi talked up the significance.
The rivalry is lived more than ever and it is always good to beat Brazil, he said, via Ole.
When you win, you work better. The ideas of the coach are carried out on the pitch in another way and it is positive for what is coming.
Postales del …
Talksport understands that Tottenham Hotspur winger Erik Lamela could be set for a return to Italy.
The Argentina international has recently returned to first team action after spending a year out injured and his performances have caught the eye of Inter Milan.
Lamela enjoyed success in Serie A prior to his switch to North London, spending two seasons with Roma where he played sixty-seven times one of those appearances being the 2013 Coppa Italia final.
Since signing for Spurs, he has racked up one hundred and thirty-six appearances, scoring twenty goals though he has started just two league games since returning to fitness.
His last outing was in Tuesday evening’s 2-2 draw with Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League last sixteen tie. …
Xavi perfectly embodies the characteristics of Barcelona and has improved the Catalan giants since taking over, according to Real Madrid counterpart Carlo Ancelotti.
The pair are set to face off at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday in the third and final Clasico of the season, with Madrid boasting a 10-point lead at the LaLiga summit.
Barcelona are five points further back, albeit with a game in hand, in what has been a disappointing campaign on the whole for the club.
Results have improved over the past two months, however, with Xavi – appointed as Ronald Koeman s successor in November – steadily transforming his side s fortunes.
Since Xavi s appointment, Barcelona have taken 34 points from 15 games in LaLiga, a record only bettered by Madrid since th…
Ashley Cole hopes the day will come when a defender wins the Ballon d Or again but admits it is hard to envisage in the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi this year won a record sixth Ballon d Or – edging him ahead of the five awards Ronaldo holds – when he saw off competition from Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk.
Dutchman Van Dijk has been inspirational for the Reds since he joined from Southampton midway through 2017-18, and he played a key role in their Champions League success last season.
Former England left-back Cole would have liked to see a fellow defender win the coveted trophy awarded to the world s top player for the first time since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.
However, he believes Barcelona s Messi and Juventus forwar…
Verdict: Draw and Both Teams to Score
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Napoli lock horns with Lazio on Sunday night in what’s widely described as this week’s highlight fixture in Serie A. Hosts will be looking to close the gap behind leaders Juventus whereas Lazio also have an agenda of their own – strengthening a grip on their top-four chances.
Napoli
Sitting huge nine points behind Serie A title holders Juventus, the second-placed Napoli will have a difficult time throwing a more serious Scudetto challenge. The Old Lady remain the only unbeaten side in Europe’s top five leagues and look well-poised to defend their crown with ease.
As things stand, all Napoli will be left with is to make sure they place a lock on the second place in the standing…
Liverpool will take on Chelsea in the League Cup semi-finals, while Tottenham go head to head with third-tier Sheffield United.
Brendan Rodgers side overcame Bournemouth 3-1 in the last eight on Wednesday, and will now face the current Premier League leaders over two legs in the new year.
Chelsea also prevailed 3-1 against Championship opposition, as they triumphed against Derby County on Tuesday.
The two sides contested the final of this competition in 2005, when Chelsea emerged 3-2 victors after extra-time having found a late equaliser through Steven Gerrard s own goal.
The other tie sees Spurs take on League One outfit United, who provided the shock of the quarter-final round by seeing off Premier League Southampton 1-0 at Bramall Lane.
Totte…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits they have not had time to properly assess where World Cup-winner Alexis Mac Allister fits into their side.
The Argentina midfielder has started all seven of the club’s Premier League fixtures since arriving from Brighton in a cut-price £35million deal, but has been deployed in the nominal holding role after the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia left them short in that department.
Mac Allister has shown he is far more effective further forward in one of the attacking midfield positions, and while he has done a job for Klopp, it appears unlikely he is the long-term solution.
He was even substituted at half-time of the win at Wolves, having flown back from Bolivia after the international break after l…
As relayed by Fabrizio Romano, Lautaro Martinez has revealed he would prefer to remain at Inter Milan this summer, despite strong interest in his services from clubs around Europe.
Barcelona have been heavily linked with the 24-year-old Argentinian striker, and after their initial attempt to bring him in failed last summer, Lautaro signed a new contract with Inter but the Catalan club haven t given up hope of prizing him away. Meanwhile, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be looking to take him to the Premier League, with the Reds looking to refresh their attacking line with top talent and Spurs led by former Inter boss, Antonio Conte.
There was also a link with Chelsea, but Lautaro s former teammate Romelu Lukaku, who made that move himself last summer for…
Burnley have completed the signing of George Boyd from Hull City for an undisclosed fee, .
The forward moved to Hull, initially on loan in January 2012 and since went on to make fifty-four appearances for the club, including one as a substitute in the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal at Wembley back in May.
Prior to his switch to the KC Stadium, he racked up just shy of three hundred appearances for Peterborough United having begun his career with Stevenage Borough while has also turned out for Nottingham Forest, where he spent a short loan spell during the 2009/10 campaign.
Internationally, he won his first of two caps for Scotland so far last March in a 2-0 defeat to Serbia.
The Clarets, who won their first point of the season in Saturday’s 0-0 dra…