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Euro 2020 Best XI from Round 2: Dumfries, Gosen and a dream midfield trio
It’s been another exciting round of Euro 2020 action, with several players putting in standout performances for their country. As we approach the last selection of group stage fixtures, it’s all very nicely set up. We should be in for an enthralling finale. Here is our best XI from the second round of Euro 2020 games. Danny Ward (GK) – Wales go into their final group game with Italy in a very good position. With four points from two games, they look almost certain to qualify for the knockouts. And they couldn’t have done it without Danny Ward, who was excellent again in the win over Turkey. His stunning late save from Merih Demiral’s header was vital to keeping his side ahead in the closing stages, as they later got a second. Denzel Dumfries (RB) – The right-back has made a reall...
West Ham forward returns to the fold for crunch Euro 2020 clash
A crunch Euro 2020 meeting at Arena Nationala pits current Group C runners-up Ukraine against third-placed Arena in a decisive showdown. The Ukrainians could make it out of the group stage at a major tournament for the first time as a sovereign nation if they avoid defeat in Bucharest. On the other hand, the Austrians need to pick up all three points to ensure a top-two finish in Group C and reach the European Championship knockout phase for the first time. Note: You can watch all Euro 2020 games via live streaming. Ukraine Preview Ukraine’s Euro 2020 journey started with a 3-2 loss to the Netherlands despite coming back from a two-goal deficit through Andriy Yarmolenko and Roman Yaremchuk. The star duo came up big again on Matchday 2 to fire Andriy Shevchenko’s side to an all-importa...
Report shares why Moshiri didn’t stop £250k-a-wk man from leaving Everton
Carlo Ancelotti left Everton on the first day of this month to return to Real Madrid, and the Toffees have yet to find a replacement. The Italian was earning £1 million per month at Goodison Park, and his decision to leave stunned Everton owner Farhadi Moshiri. Ancelotti and the club were already discussing transfer plans for the summer before he walked away, and The Sun has shared why Moshiri did not put up a fight to stop him. With three years still to run on his contract before his departure, the exit enabled the Everton owner to cut salary costs, saving £36m as a result. The Toffees lost £240m in the past two years and are lurching towards a cash crisis if they do not slash more off the wage bill. Ancelotti was well aware of the financial situation at Goodison Park, and one reason why ...
Report suggests West Ham are plotting a summer swoop for 24-yr-old La Liga player
Barcelona defender Junior Firpo has been linked with a move away from the Spanish club this summer. According to Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), West Ham United and Southampton are leading the chase to secure his services. Clubs from Italy are also keen on signing Firpo, but they are more interested in a loan deal rather than a permanent signing. Barcelona are under massive financial pressure and need to sell players this summer. SL View: Could be a superb addition for both teams West Ham need more depth at left-back, and Firpo could compete with Aaron Cresswell for the starting berth next season. Cresswell has proven to be a reliable defender for the Hammers, but Firpo would add more attacking quality. Meanwhile, Southampton have lost Ryan Bertrand and need to strengthen their option...
Report claims Everton managerial target has been advised to turn down the job
Former Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has been advised to turn down the Everton job. The 61-year-old has been linked with a move to Goodison Park but Football Insider claims that he is unsure about taking over because of protests from Everton fans. The Spaniard reached an agreement with the Premier League club on Wednesday, but his advisers have told him to wait for a return to Newcastle United. He is a managerial target for the Saudi-backed organisation that is looking to buy Newcastle and would be welcomed back by the fans there. The Toffees are yet to appoint a replacement for Carlo Ancelotti and were recently linked with a move for former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno. He did a reasonably good job in the Premier League with Wolves and could prove to be a reasonable shor...
Venezuela vs Ecuador – Copa America 2021 Preview, Head To Head, Players to Watch & Predicted Line-ups
Copa America 2021 continues this weekend as Venezuela and Ecuador face each other at the Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos on Sunday night. Rio de Janeiro will host the clash between the only South American two nations yet to lift the Copa America trophy, as the Venezuelans look to get off the mark in the 2021 edition. Meanwhile, the Ecuadorians are aiming to return to winning ways following a rough patch and boost their hopes of reaching the knockout stage. Venezuela Preview With 12 confirmed COVID-19 cases within the squad, Venezuela have failed to get on the scoresheet in both of their opening Copa America 2021 showdowns against Brazil and Colombia. After succumbing to a dismal 3-0 loss to the defending tournament champions, the Venezuelans held Los Cafeteros to a goalless draw last time o...
Euro 2020 Matchday 2 Review: Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands progress, Scotland hold England, Germany blow Portugal away & much more
The second matchday of Euro 2020 once again featured 24 nations participating in 12 fixtures across the six groups, and there is lots to unpack from the week’s action. So, let’s get straight into it in this review: Group A Turkey and Wales faced off in Baku for the Group A opener, and it certainly was a tense affair as the two sides were fighting to have a realistic chance of reaching the knockouts. Turkey looked rather hopeless against Italy, and they weren’t particularly good in the first half here either as their defence was pulled apart effortlessly and there was space available almost everywhere in their half. Gareth Bale often dropped deep for Wales, and from such positions, he attempted a fair few chipped passes in behind the Turkish backline. Aaron Ramsey was most often the recipie...
Manchester United could lose their star player for just £50m this summer – report
Manchester United will sell midfielder Paul Pogba this summer if he does not put pen-to-paper on a new long-term contract, The Mirror reports. Pogba’s current deal with United expires in June next year, and the midfielder recently admitted that there have been no concrete negotiations. He is likely to hold fresh talks after the European Championships, but there are doubts whether he will commit his future to the club. United are fearful that the midfielder is looking to run down his contract such that he can negotiate a free transfer elsewhere in January. They are keen to avoid the prospect, and will sanction his sale this summer if there is no breakthrough in the contract negotiations. Pogba was once valued by United at around £150 million. It is suggested that they may be lucky to r...
Manchester City ready bid for 27-year-old star with 50 goal contributions last season – report
Manchester City are planning to make a take-it-or-leave-it offer for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane this summer, The Star reports. The Cityzens are searching for a new striker after the departure of Sergio Aguero, and Kane is reportedly the top target on their wishlist. Spurs chairman wants around £150 million to consider the prospect of selling Kane, but the English champions are unlikely to meet the valuation. They are concerned over his ankle injury concerns over the past few years, and plan to propose a £100m take-it-or-leave-it bid for the marksman. Sportslens view: The 27-year-old had his best-ever campaign with Spurs last term, registering a stunning tally of 33 goals and 17 assists from 49 appearances in all competitions. However, he has failed to carry over the for...
‘What a player’: Some Chelsea fans rave about £63m star’s performance at Euro 2020
A selection of Chelsea fans on Twitter heaped praise on Kai Havertz following his impressive display for Germany against Portugal last night. Portugal took an early lead in the Euro 2020 clash with a superb counter-attacking goal through Cristiano Ronaldo in the 15th minute. However, they went into the break trailing 2-1 after two own goals scored from Ruben Dias and Rafael Guerreiro respectively. Havertz played a part in both of them. His clever run at the near post forced Dias to put the ball into the back of his own net. He kept the ball in play for Germany’s second. Moments later, Guerreiro was forced to turn into his own net with Serge Gnabry lurking behind. Shortly after the interval, Havertz got onto the scoresheet with a tap-in after a lovely low cross from Robin Gosens into the si...
Spain vs Poland – Euro 2020 Group E Preview, H2H, Team News, Players to Watch & Predicted Line-ups
Spain and Poland go head-to-head at the Estadio de La Cartuja in the second round of the Euro 2020 group stage fixtures on Saturday night. The Spaniards exchanged a record-breaking 830 passes in their Euro 2020 curtain-raiser but failed to find the back of the net against Sweden. Despite a sluggish start to their Euro 2020 journey, Poland will be looking to dwell on their impressive major tournament record on Spanish soil. They suffered just one loss in eight matches in Spain (W3, D3) en route to finishing third at the 1982 World Cup. Note: You can watch all Euro 2020 games via live streaming. Spain Preview Despite setting a European Championships record for having 81.1% possession of the ball against Sweden, Spain could only manage a bore draw in their Group E opener. The Spaniards h...
Barcelona reach agreement with Marseille for sale of versatile winger, medical next week – report
Barcelona have reached an agreement with Marseille for the sale of teenage winger Konrad de la Fuente, RMC Sport journalist Mohamed Bouhafsi reports. The 19-year-old made his debut for the Blaugrana last term, but he was restricted to just 36 minutes across three appearances. They had the option to extend his contract (expiring June 2022) for another two seasons but have decided to cash in on his services. Les Phoceens have agreed a package worth €3.5 million with the Blaugrana. De la Fuente has agreed terms over a four-year deal. The transfer will be formally completed following his medical next week. Sportslens view: De la Fuente showed promise with Blaugrana B, registering nine goals and five assists in 29 appearances in all competitions. He now has the chance to establish himself ...
