Manchester City will take an aggregate lead into the second leg of a Champions League quarter-final for the first time when they travel to Borussia Dortmund, but there was another break with tradition in Manchester this week.
An hour and 15 minutes before events got underway at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola picked a starting XI that did not lead to raised eyebrows and mass consternation.
No midfield diamond, like the one that quickly lost its shine in a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in 2018; no overt caution as in the 1-0 loss at Tottenham that preceded a crazy second leg and an exit on away goals; no unwieldy 5-3-2 within which City froze so badly against Lyon last year.
Much of the runaway Premier League leaders success this season has been based upon…
Manchester United youngster Tahith Chong has joined Bundesliga side Werder Bremen on loan for the 2020-21 season.
The 20-year-old winger, who joined United s academy from Feyenoord in 2016, has been highly rated by the club ever since but has failed to establish himself in the first team.
When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was hired – initially on an interim basis – in December 2018, Chong was seen as one of the young players most likely to make the step up to the senior side as a regular.
However, he has made only 16 appearances in all competitions and has yet to feature from the start in the Premier League.
Chong signed a new contract in March to keep him at the club until 2022, with the option to extend his stay for a further year.
His loan to We…
Donny van de Beek has struggled to make much of an impression since his £35million move to Manchester United from Ajax in September 2020.
The Netherlands international was overlooked for regular selection by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is also a fringe player under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
But Van de Beek, who previously starred in a talented Ajax side, could be offered a route out of Old Trafford this month.
TOP STORY – DORTMUND, NEWCASTLE IN FOR VAN DE BEEK
Van de Beek is reportedly considering a move away in order to win back his place in the Netherlands side.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Bundesliga heavyweights Dortmund and Premier League strugglers Newcastle United are possible suitors for the midfielder.
However, United …
A decision on whether next week s Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid can go ahead at Camp Nou is set to be made on Thursday, Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales said.
Violent scenes broke out in Barcelona at the start of the week after nine Catalan political leaders received long prison sentences for their roles in the region s 2017 referendum and subsequent declaration of independence.
A rally in the city has been called by pro-independence politicians for October 26, the day Barca are due to host bitter rivals Madrid.
Barcelona s main airport was briefly closed on Tuesday due to the tension, with Spanish league officials raising concern the Clasico could be affected by protests.
One option would be to move the gam…
Pep Guardiola believes Sergio Aguero is ready to help Manchester City in the Champions League final following his glorious Etihad Stadium farewell.
Aguero came off the bench on Sunday to score a brace as the Premier League champions thrashed Everton 5-0 – his final game in England s top flight before his City contract expires next month.
All attention now shifts to the showdown with Chelsea at Porto s Estadio do Dragao in six days time and Guardiola felt Aguero s 183rd and 184th Premier League goals gave a timely demonstration of his enduring quality.
Yeah, of course [he can play in the final], he told a post-match news conference. We have five substitutions. At the beginning, I don t know, I have to think about it.
He has something special, Sergio. O…
According to Marca, Spanish club Valencia are interested in making a move for Rafael da Silva at the end of the domestic season which is when his contract with French side Lyon is set to expire. The 28 year old has been with Olympique Lyonnais ever since 2015 when he made the switch over from Manchester United, which is where he spent the prior seven years of his professional career.
Rafael has done well to carve out a strong tenure for himself in France, to the point where many feel like he’s experienced something of a ‘career resurgence’ after a questionable end to his tenure at Old Trafford.
Rafael is at the top of Valencia’s wish list although he certainly isn’t the only player they’ve got their eye on, with Kiko Femenia from Watford also grabbing their …
Mikel Arteta believes Alexis Sanchez s arrival at Arsenal is a statement of intent from the Premier League title hopefuls.
After prising German star Mesut Ozil away from Real Madrid last season, Arsenal pulled off another transfer coup by completing the signing of Barcelona forward Sanchez on a five-year deal.
Sanchez won six trophies during his three-year spell in Spain and arrives at the Emirates on the back of yet another fourth-placed finish for Arsenal in the Premier League.
Arsenal scored 68 goals in 38 league matches last campaign their lowest tally since the 2008-09 season but Arteta says the Chile international will add pace to the club s attack and ease the load on leading striker Oliver Giroud as the club aim to win their first Premier League title sin…
Pedri hopes Barcelona team-mate Sergio Busquets stays with the Blaugrana, but identified Frenkie de Jong as a capable replacement for the evergreen midfielder.
Barca great Gerard Pique confirmed his retirement in November and Xavi s side may be set to lose another veteran, as Busquets nears the end of his contract in June.
The 34-year-old remains a pivotal part of Xavi s midfield trio, alongside youngsters Pedri and Gavi, helping Barca to sit two points clear of Real Madrid at the LaLiga summit heading into the World Cup.
While 20-year-old Pedri continues his seismic rise in both international and domestic football, Busquets called an end to his Spain career after their World Cup elimination in the last 16 to Morocco.
Pedri urged his midfield partner to c…
Barcelona recovered from a goal behind to see off Galatasaray 2-1 on aggregate and advance to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
The visitors wasted plenty of opportunities in last week s goalless first leg and fell behind in the tie when Marcao headed Galatasaray ahead after 28 minutes on Thursday.
However, Pedri fired Barca back on level terms before half-time and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continued his good form by putting his side ahead for the first time.
Xavi s side saw out the victory at a hostile NEF Stadyumu to make it 11 games unbeaten in all competitions and take their place in Friday s draw for the next round.
Jordi Alba blocked a goal-bound Bafetimbi Gomis shot and Frenkie de Jong shot wide from a one-on-one as both sides pushed for an …
Italy international Andrea Pirlo has revealed AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi blocked his move to Chelsea in 2009.
Pirlo, now of Juventus, was on the verge of reuniting with Carlo Ancelotti at Stamford Bridge after the Italian manager called time on his eight-year spell in charge of Milan at the end of the 2008-09 Serie A season.
Daniel Sturridge, Yuri Zhirkov and Nemanja Matic had all arrived in London following Ancelotti s unveiling as Chelsea coach.
In extracts from his autobiography titled I Think Therefore I Play , Pirlo, who eventually joined Juve in 2011, had begun discussing personal terms before Berlusconi ended his hopes of a switch to the Premier League.
Ancelotti was my motivation for agreeing to head to London. But, in the meantime, Berlusconi h…