Month: October 2024

Ilkay Gundogan has announced his retirement from international football after captaining Germany on home soil at Euro 2024.

Gundogan captained Germany in all five of their matches as they reached the quarter-finals of their home tournament, ultimately suffering a 2-1 extra-time defeat against Spain.

The midfielder was initially handed the captain s armband by Hansi Flick in the absence of the injured Manuel Neuer last year, retaining it under new head coach Julian Nagelsmann despite Neuer s return to fitness.

Gundogan played a total of 82 games for his country, scoring 19 goals including two at major tournaments – versus Japan at the 2022 World Cup and Hungary at this year s Euros.

Amid rampant speculation over his future at club level, the Barcelona ma…

Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson believes Manchester United will be completely convinced Jadon Sancho is poised to become one of football s biggest stars.

United and Borussia Dortmund have agreed a deal in principle for the transfer of Sancho, which is worth around £73million and expected to be completed after his involvement in Euro 2020.

Winger Sancho is reportedly poised to make his first start in the competition when England do battle against Ukraine in Rome on Saturday.

Leaked team news ahead of the quarter-final tie suggests Bukayo Saka is struggling through injury and that Sancho will get a chance to start on the right wing, with Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling completing the trio who will provide support to lone striker Harry Kane.

Sancho …

Spain can move a step closer to retaining their European crown when they face France in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 on Saturday.

After years of underachievement on the big stage, Spain finally fulfilled their promise by winning Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.

They went one better two years later, lifting their first FIFA World Cup courtesy of a 1-0 extra-time victory over the Netherlands.

And Vicente Del Bosque s team now have a chance to make history, by becoming the first country to win three successive major international tournaments.

It has been something of an underwhelming start to Euro 2012 for the holders, with Spain coming from behind to draw 1-1 with fellow quarter-finalists Italy in their Group C opener.

They cruised to a 4-0…

Former Liverpool defender Joel Matip has confirmed his retirement from professional football.

Matip, who joined Liverpool on a free transfer in 2016, has been without a club since leaving Anfield at the end of last season and has since decided to call time on his 15-year career.

The 33-year-old started out at Schalke, making 258 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit and helping them lift the DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup in 2011.

Matip was among the first signings made by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, joining in the same window as Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Loris Karius.

He helped the Reds return to the Champions League in Klopp s first full campaign in charge, making 29 Premier League appearances and keeping nine clean sheets.

However…

Flamengo head coach Renato Gaucho is dreaming of Copa Libertadores glory as defending champions Palmeiras bid to become the first team in 20 years to retain the South American crown.

Montevideo is the scene for this year s all-Brazilian Libertadores final between 2019 winners Flamengo and titleholders Palmeiras on Saturday.

Uruguay s iconic Centenario stadium brings back good memories for two-time champions Flamengo, who trumped Chile s Cobreloa in 1981 for their first Libertadores trophy 40 years ago.

Flamengo remain undefeated in the 2021 edition. They will be aiming to repeat the feat of rivals Corinthians, who are still the only team to win the title while going undefeated in the current format of the tournament, following their 2012 achievement.

Spea…

Peter Crouch equalled Alan Shearer’s record for headed Premier League goals on this day in 2015.

The then 34-year-old nodded in a 71st-minute winner for Stoke in a 1-0 victory at Hull on February 28, 2015 for his 46th headed goal in the top flight.

Crouch admitted afterwards that he had enjoyed proving wrong those who doubted his aerial ability.

The 6ft 7in striker said: “There were a lot of people in the early days who said I was better on the ground than at heading, so it’s pleasing to rub it in a little bit.

“A lot of people said, for my size, I wasn’t as good (at heading) as I should have been when I was younger. Becoming the record holder for headed goals in the Premier League is something I didn’t think would happen when I was 15 or 16.<…

After a dramatic week, the Las Vegas Raiders return to “sleepy” Sin City for a Week 7 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The Raiders opened as 3-point home favorites, coming off an emotional victory in Denver last Sunday – just days removed from the dismissal of head coach Jon Gruden. Philadelphia, on the other hand, has enjoyed a mini bye after a hard-fought Thursday night home loss to Tampa Bay last week.

Check out our NFL free picks and predictions for Eagles at Raiders on October 24.

…

The Arizona Cardinals travel to face the Tennessee Titans in the final week of preseason action. 

The Cardinals are again without star quarterback Kyler Murray, who head coach Kliff Kingsbury said he would keep on the sidelines. The Titans are expected to play projected starting QB Ryan Tannehill for at least a couple of series, but running back Derrick Henry is out.

How much will Murray’s absence affect the Cardinals, and can the Titans take advantage of it at home? Continue reading for free NFL picks and predictions for Cardinals vs. Titans on Saturday, August 27.

…

For a long time, if you asked any regular NFL bettor what home-field advantage was worth, you more or less got the same answer: three points on the spread. But the collective understanding of what the home field is worth today has evolved rapidly due to a long-standing downward trend, as well as adjustments suggested and made during the nearly fanless season of the COVID pandemic.

Many analytical bettors and analysts have kept a keen eye on home-team performance in the last two seasons following the full return of fans. So how did things exactly shake out? Do we have a clearer understanding of how much home-field advantage is worth today?

…

The National Football League returns to Germany for the second time on Sunday, when the 6-2 Miami Dolphins take on the 6-2 Kansas City Chiefs in the home of Eintracht Frankfurt football club.

The Week 9 odds are basically a toss-up between these two AFC powerhouses. Tua Tagovailoa will be looking for their first win over a team with a winning record, while Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are looking to bounce back from an upset loss in the NFL odds to the Denver Broncos.

Find out what my free NFL picks are for this international affair when I take a deep dive into the odds for various NFL player props.

You can also get a full-game analysis with our Dolphins vs. Chiefs picks, and more great prop bets in our Patrick Mahomes props spotlight.

…