Sports

Paulo Fonseca is predicting a very difficult Europa League quarter-final for his Braga side against Shakhtar Donetsk.

And while the 43-year-old has hopes of progressing to the last four, he acknowledges that Thursday s visitors Shakhtar are one of the tournament favourites.

The Ukrainian side have won both of their Europa League away legs since dropping down from the Champions League, leading Fonseca to heap praise on the 2009 champions.

It will certainly be a very difficult game against a great team with a lot of experience, he said.

With nine appearances in the last 10 editions of the Champions League, Shakhtar is a high quality team, especially in attack, with very virtuous players.

To attest to this, just check who scored three goals in M…

Ange Postecoglou has an attacking style of play that will suit Tottenham ideally, according to club icon Ledley King.

It was confirmed this week that Postecoglou will leave Celtic to take charge of Tottenham on a four-year contract.

The 57-year-old spent two years with the Scottish champions and departs after winning a domestic treble in 2022-23.

Australian Postecoglou will take charge of a Spurs team that struggled to eighth place in the Premier League and will not play in Europe next season.

But King is taking an optimistic stance about what can be achieved under the new Spurs boss.

He is a very good manager and he had a fantastic time at Celtic, said King, who was speaking to Stats Perform at an exclusive kit launch event for Club and Nike Mem…

Il Corriere dello Sport is reporting that AS Roma are the latest high-profile club to have joined the race for Lyon hotshot Alexandre Lacazette.

The France international is being heavily linked with a big club move at the moment, and he is expected to make a decision on his future in the next couple of weeks.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are some of the clubs that have expressed interest in his services, while reports from Italy claim that AS Roma are keen as well.

The Giallorossi are looking to offload Edin Dzeko at the end of the season and they believe Lacazette has what it takes to act as a first choice striker next term.

The 24-year-old has been one of Ligue 1’s most prolific strikers in recent years, bagging 63 goals in last three league campai…

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag insists the fact he has overlooked Cristiano Ronaldo in recent matches is not indicative of the forward s future.

Ronaldo remained on the bench in United s harrowing 6-3 defeat to rivals Manchester City on Sunday, with Ten Hag stating after the match he did not bring him on out of respect to the player.

The attacker was widely reported to be pushing for an exit from the club during the recent transfer window and, while that did not materialise, recent reports suggest an exit in January is on the cards.

However, ahead of Thursday s Europa League clash against Omonia Nicosia, Ten Hag made it clear that Ronaldo s absence from the side is not an indication that his future lies away from Old Trafford.

I can t see that…

Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City fans to go to the streets ahead of the Premier League leaders final game of the season against Aston Villa.

City found themselves 2-0 down to West Ham at half-time on Sunday but fought back to draw 2-2.

However, City missed a chance to win it late on when Riyad Mahrez saw a penalty saved by Lukasz Fabianski. It is only the second penalty the Algeria international has missed during his time with the club, having also squandered an opportunity from 12 yards against Liverpool in October 2018.

Fabianski, meanwhile, has saved 10 Premier League penalties, with only David James (13) and Thomas Sorensen (12) stopping more spot-kicks in the competition.

That draw lifts City four points above Liverpool, who won the FA Cup on …

Liverpool boss Arne Slot says acquiring a top-class defensive midfielder is not the Reds only concern as they continue to await their first signing of the transfer window.

Liverpool are the only club in the Premier League yet to make a signing ahead of Slot s first season at the helm, following close to nine years under Jurgen Klopp.

Klopp s final season in charge saw the Reds implement a midfield rebuild, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch arriving.

However, as Liverpool s title challenge fell away in the final weeks of the season, pundits questioned why they had not replaced Fabinho following his move to Al-Ittihad.

Klopp s side conceded more goals (41), allowed more expected goals against (46.18 xGA) and fa…

Prediction: Match to end in 2-2 draw

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International and Palmeiras will lock horns with each other in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A this weekend. The match between the Colorado and Periquito Verde will be held at Beira-Rio and is scheduled to kick off at 10:30pm UK time on Sunday.

International

International are one of the biggest clubs in Brazil and regularly challenge for major trophies. They finished as high as second in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A table last season and will be looking to do just as good this time around, if not better.

However, things are not going according to plan for Mano Menezes’s side at the moment. International are as low as 10th in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A table right now wit…

Nacho Monreal has left Arsenal after more than six seasons and signed a two-year deal with Real Sociedad.

The 33-year-old started each of the Premier League side s opening three fixtures but Unai Emery admitted his departure was possible following last weekend s 3-1 loss to Liverpool.

An experienced and versatile defender, Monreal moved to north London from Malaga in January 2013 and made 250 appearances in all competitions, scoring 10 goals.

Neither club has confirmed the transfer fee involved.

We would like to thank Nacho for his contribution to the club and everyone at Arsenal wishes him the best for his future, read a statement from the Gunners.

The transfer is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.

For six-and-a-half ye…

Roma head coach Jose Mourinho is one of the greatest managers of his generation and has nothing to prove, according to Leicester City counterpart Brendan Rodgers.

Mourinho and Rodgers will come face-to-face on Thursday when Leicester host Roma for the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final.

The pair worked closely together when Rodgers was head of youth development at Chelsea during Mourinho s first spell in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho s stock has fallen somewhat in recent years, with this his first trip to England since being sacked by Tottenham in April last year.

The Portuguese has since had a mixed time of things in charge of Roma, with the Europa Conference League his last realistic shot at success this season.

Despi…

Napoli head coach Carlo Ancelotti denied his squad have turned against him after the club s winless streak extended to eight matches.

Sunday s shock 2-1 Serie A loss at home to Bologna left Napoli without a victory in all competitions since October 23.

The pressure is mounting on Ancelotti as Napoli – runners-up last term – languish seventh in Serie A, 17 points behind leaders Inter and eight adrift of the Champions League places.

Napoli s woes come amid internal problems, with owner Aurelio De Laurentiis looking to impose fines on players who deserted a recent training retreat.

 90+6 | It s all over.
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— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli)

Speaking after Bologna attacker Nicola Sansone s 80th-minute goal condemne…