Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has blasted former boss Pep Guardiola, labelling him a spineless coward .
The pair worked together at Camp Nou during the 2009-10 season, before the Sweden international moved to Milan after relations with the current Bayern Munich manager broke down.
However, in his autobiography, I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the 31-year-old described an exchange in the dressing room after a 4-1 win at Villarreal a game in which he was brought on for the last five minutes.
I was seething inside, not because I was on the bench. I can deal with that, if the manager is man enough to say: You re not good enough, Zlatan. You haven t made the grade , The Daily Mail revealed.
Guardiola didn’t say a word, not a peep, and now I’d had enou…
Best Odds: 8/15
Bookmaker:
Looking to extend on their MLS purple patch, Inter Miami will welcome Atlanta United to Fort Lauderdale in the early hours of Thursday.
Inter Miami
Starting with the hosts, while Inter Miami might have eventually missed out on the chance to secure a play-off ticket last season, the Herons are pencilled in as a landslide Eastern Conference contender this time around. Bursting their way to superstardom and now regarded as the new poster boy of the MLS, Gerardo Martino’s men find the mood in their camp at a red-hot high. Last seen over the weekend claiming a deserved 2-1 victory away at Vancouver, the former Barcelona boss has seen his superstar squad gain a fearsome reputation. Opening May with a stunning 6-2 romp at home against the …
Brazil are set to announce Tite as Dunga s successor for the national team, according to Corinthians president Roberto de Andrade.
Dunga was sacked on Tuesday after Brazil were eliminated from the Copa America Centenario group stages following a controversial 1-0 loss to Peru.
While no official confirmation has come from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Tite s appointment, Andrade revealed the Corinthians coach had been pried away from the club.
The professor Tite is no longer Corinthians coach, and he will not be in control for tomorrow [Thursday s] game, he said on Wednesday as Corinthians prepare to face Fluminense.
I was the first person he told of the decision. Until two hours ago I thought that he wouldn t go, I was surprise…
Rafael Leao was guilty of an incredible miss which let Newcastle off the hook as their Champions League opener at AC Milan finished goalless.
The Portugal international, who was Newcastle star Sandro Tonali’s team-mate at San Siro until his £53million summer switch to Tyneside, completely fluffed his lines with only goalkeeper Nick Pope to beat after attempting an audacious flick at the end of a stunning 34th-minute run and only succeeded in tripping himself.
Pope will feel he had already earned his slice of good fortune after making five first-half saves in the space of six minutes to pave the way for a 0-0 draw which banked a priceless first point for the Magpies’ Group F account on their return to European football’s top table after an absence of 20 years.
…
Spain goalkeeper Pepe Reina admits other teams are catching up with the reigning world and European champions.
Last year s 3-0 defeat to Brazil in the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup has resulted in Spain being questioned in some quarters ahead of the World Cup, despite the fact they have won three major tournaments in a row.
And back-up keeper Reina believes it is getting tougher for Vicente del Bosque s side to maintain their dominance of the international scene.
We re going to try to become world champions again but we know that it s going to be difficult, Reina was quoted as saying by AS.
Other teams are catching up to us and it just keeps getting more difficult.
Reina has been part of Spain s all-conquering squads at Euro 2008 and 2012, as well a…
Market: Wellington Phoenix double chance
Odds: 8/15 @
Looking to make it back-to-back A-League victories on Friday morning, Wellington will make the trip to a struggling Perth when this weekend s fixtures get underway.
Starting with the hosts, while Perth might have finally managed to pick up a much-needed boost against Western United on December 10th, it appears that was nothing more than a minor positive note for the A-League strugglers. Making an immediate return to losing ways last weekend as they were hit with a toothless 1-0 loss away at Macarthur, Ruben Zadkovich s men are at the heart of another nightmare domestic campaign. Lifting the wooden spoon last season and once again sat rock-bottom of the A-League standings this time around, the Purples have tak…
Manchester United have at last managed to bring Alexis Sanchez to Old Trafford, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving the other way to Arsenal in a swap deal.
United have spent hundreds of millions of pounds on players in a bid to keep up with rivals Manchester City, with Jose Mourinho s old rival Pep Guardiola seemingly leading the Citizens to a runaway title success.
While Sanchez has reportedly not required a transfer fee, his signature will still be a significant outlay for United with the figures bandied about in the media surrounding his basic wage at Old Trafford ranging between £350,000 and £500,000 a week.
Hefty sums are, of course, no guarantee a player will thrive at his new club, as some of United s biggest buys since the retirement of legendary manager Al…
Two goals from Kevin Gameiro helped France return to winning ways with a 4-1 thumping of Bulgaria in Friday s World Cup qualifier in Paris.
The Atletico Madrid striker marked his first start for his country since November 2011 in style as Didier Deschamps side came from behind to record their first victory in Group A and put last month s disappointing stalemate with Belarus behind them.
France lost out on a place at the 1994 tournament thanks to an infamous 2-1 home loss to the visitors 23 years ago, and they were given a scare when Mihail Aleksandrov scored an early penalty after Bacary Sagna fouled Georgi Milanov.
The home side responded with a quick-fire double, however, thanks to Gameiro s superb headed finish before Dimitri Payet s cross found the corner …
Rennes booked their spot in the Coupe de France semi-finals with a surprise 2-0 win over Lille on Thursday.
Philippe Montanier s side will meet second-tier Angers next month for a place in the final after ending Lille s eight-match unbeaten run in style with goals from Kamil Grosicki and Romain Alessandrini.
Rennes sit 16th in Ligue 1 but entered the match on the back of a morale-boosting 1-0 win at Marseille on Saturday.
And they carried that form into Thursday s contest, as Grosicki fired the hosts into a 34th-minute lead.
Jean Makoun missed a great chance to double Rennes lead on the stroke of half-time, shooting just wide after Lille goalkeeper Steeve Elana came off his line and failed to collect a cross.
Lille, who are third in Ligue 1, were unable to …
Verdict: Over three goals
Best Odds:
Bookmaker:
Returning to the dugout on Saturday afternoon, Pep Guardiola will be demanding an immediate response after their midweek defeat to Lyon. This weekend, Manchester City will head to newly-promoted Cardiff.
Cardiff
Starting with Neil Warnock s Cardiff side, although there were some signs of improvement in their 3-2 loss to Arsenal, it has been a very difficult start for the Bluebirds and they re just one of three teams yet to pick up a win this season. Coming off the back of a 4-1 defeat away at Stamford Bridge last weekend, it will be their recent defensive issues causing Warnock the most concern. Now conceding nine goals in their last three, Cardiff also crashed out of the League Cup last month at the h…