Market: Both teams to score
Odds: 8/11 @
Desperate to claim a boost when they return from October’s international break this weekend, Brentford will host Burnley on Saturday afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, while Brentford might have gained a string of plaudits last season as they claimed a top-half finish, Thomas Frank’s side have largely struggled to find a similar level this time around. Heading into October’s international break with major heartbreak at Old Trafford as they eventually slumped to a stunning last-gasp 2-1 defeat against Manchester United, the Bees have the feel of a squad seeking a recent boost. With their rather glaring recent issues highlighted by a shock 3-1 drumming at the hands of relegation scrappers Everton last month, Saturday…
Barcelona are going from strength to strength in La Liga and continue to pick up points. Xavi s side were in league action this weekend against Villarreal away from home, and they won.
The former UEFA Champions League winners got the better of Villarreal at Estadio de la Cerámica. Pedri scored the only goal of the match in the 18th minute. Robert Lewandowski provided the assist.
A deft touch from striker Robert Lewandowski allowed Pedri to slip in between two defenders to roll the ball past Pepe Reina for the only goal of the match.
The game itself did not have much quality.
There were as many as eight bookings. Villarreal s Francis Coquelin suffered what looked to be a serious leg injury as well.
Villarreal, though, could have picked up a poin…
Real Madrid attacking midfielder Eden Hazard is not interested in a move to Newcastle United, according to It has been reported by the Spanish publication that the former Chelsea star, who can also operate as a winger, is not interested in the Newcastle project.
Newcastle were recently taken over by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The Magpies now have wealthiest owners on the planet, and the Premier League club have been linked with a number of players. reported last month that Chelsea and Newcastle have been alerted to the possibility that the 30-year-old could become available.
Hazard has been on the books of Madrid since 2019 when he joined from Chelsea. The 30-year-old has had injury problems and has failed to make a huge impact at the Santiago Berna…
Pep Guardiola ended his first season in charge of Barcelona by beating Manchester United in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final.
That victory in Rome earned Guardiola immortality at Camp Nou. He had done what had appeared impossible: turning a team who finished third and 18 points behind Real Madrid in La Liga in 2008 into treble winners.
On Saturday, current Barca boss Luis Enrique can do the same. He has the chance to emulate his great friend by beating Juventus in Berlin.
But, should he lead Barca to the holy grail for the second time in six years, Luis Enrique will not only have equalled Guardiola s achievement. He will have surpassed it.
Okay, last summer Barca were not quite the mess they were at the end of the Frank Rijkaard era. Luis Enriqu…
Lionel Messi surpassed the 300-goal mark in La Liga as Barcelona moved six points clear at the top with a 3-1 victory over Sporting Gijon.
Messi gave up the chance to become the first player to reach such a goal tally in Spain s top flight when he opted to pass his penalty kick against Celta Vigo last week, but he struck midway through the first half to give Luis Enrique s side the lead.
Sporting hit back almost immediately through Carlos Castro, but Messi restored Barca s advantage before the break and Neymar twice came close to a third.
Another intriguing penalty decision looked as though it could cost the visitors in the second half, when Messi gave up duties to Luis Suarez only to see the Uruguayan fail to convert, but the former Liverpool man made amends wi…
Leandro Trossard is delighted by his fast start in an Arsenal shirt and is optimistic of his new club s chances of winning the Premier League.
Trossard was a January signing for Mikel Arteta s side after the Belgium forward impressed in the first half of the season at Brighton and Hove Albion, scoring seven goals in 16 league games.
Since joining the league leaders, Trossard has only scored once but provided six assists in just 10 league games to help Arsenal rebuild an eight-point gap to Manchester City in second.
And the former Brighton has been surprised at how quickly he has settled.
I maybe didn t expect to make that many minutes, but injuries helped me a bit. I’m however more than convinced of my own capabilities, Trossard said, speaking at a nat…
Everton are lining up a move for former Manchester United winger Nani, .
The Portugal international moved to Fenerbache last summer and has so far racked up thirty-four appearances in all competitions, scoring nine goals but could already be set to move on.
He has a £6.4m release clause in his contract which the Toffees are ready to meet though they will face competition from Serie A side Inter Milan and Chinese outfit Guangzhou Evergrande.
During his time at Old Trafford, the twenty-nine year old played two hundred and thirty times scoring forty goals and winning a whole host of major honours including four league titles, the League Cup and the Champions League.
He has been capped ninety-four times for this country, scoring seventeen goals and play…
Raphinha has credited former boss Marcelo Bielsa as the man who changed his career, following the winger s recent signing with Barcelona.
After protracted negotiations with Leeds United, the 25-year-old s signing was finally confirmed last Friday, joining on a five-year deal.
The transfer punctuates what has been a sudden rise to prominence for Raphinha, who spent only one season at Sporting CP and Rennes respectively before heading to Leeds in 2020.
From there under Marcelo Bielsa, the winger believes he played his best football to this date and helped him achieve a bigger footballing dream than once imagined.
He was very important for me, Raphinha told Barca TV. He got me out of France, gave me confidence, and then I managed to get to the Brazil team, …
Manchester United star Paul Pogba can become the best player in the world, according to Nemanja Vidic.
Pogba, 25, has starred for United since caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho at the helm in December, contributing directly to 15 goals (nine goals and six assists) in 12 games in all competitions.
The France midfielder had appeared set for an exit from Old Trafford before Solskjaer s arrival, but the Norwegian has got the best out of Pogba and his form has helped United move up to fourth in the Premier League.
In an interview with Omnisport, Vidic, who was speaking on behalf of TAG Heuer, the official timekeeping partner of the Premier League, said Pogba was capable of becoming the world s leading player.
I think even when …
Newcastle United are willing to pay £60 million to sign Raphinha from Barcelona in the summer transfer window, according to . The report had claimed that Barcelona are willing to cash in on the Brazil international winger and want £50-£60 million for the former Leeds United star, and that Newcastle are ready to meet that valuation.
Raphinha himself is open to leaving Barcelona to return to England, but only to a club in the UEFA Champions League next season. Newcastle are going great guns in the Premier League and are now looking likely to end up in the top four.
The Brazil international joined Barcelona from Leeds in the summer of 2022. Raphinha has made 20 starts and 10 substitute appearances in La Liga this season, scoring seven goals and providing six assists in …