Barcelona are poised to seal a last-16 Champions League berth as Benfica and Spartak Moscow also square up in Group G.
Another win should seal a spot knockout stages for Barcelona although Benfica s clash with Spartak Moscow may just be the encounter that holds the key to seeing who will advance from this group.
Barcelona, the 2009, 2011 champions travel to Glasgow, however, to face Scottish champions Celtic in Group G, who are enjoying their return to Europe s elite club competition in 2012.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique could return in the heart of Tito Vilanova s back four and has been included in their squad for the first time since suffering a foot injury in September.
Defensive partner Carles Puyol is still absent as are Adriano and Tiago, while …
La Stampa has revealed that AC Milan are close to securing the signature of Vasco da Gama defender Dede.
The Rossoneri attempted to sign the Brazilian right after they sold Thiago Silva to Paris Saint-Germain, but the player surprisingly opted to extend his deal with Vasco da Gama.
However, with the Brazilian giants now in serious financial problems, it appears the Rossoneri have launched a new assault on the 24-year-old.
Vasco da Gama chief admits the club have received no less than three official offers for the highly rated stopper.
“So far, we have received three proposals, but the one that has just arrived is very important,” sporting director Rene Simoes was in La Stampa.
Dede joined Vasco from Volta Redonda back in 2009 and didn’t ne…
Schalke general manager Christian Heidel has hit out at rumours that Bayern Munich have agreed to sign Leon Goretzka.
A Sky Deutschland report on Saturday, shortly before Schalke s match with Hamburg, claimed the Bundesliga champions have struck a deal that will see the highly-rated 22-year-old move to the Allianz Arena at the end of the season.
Heidel, however, is unhappy with the speculation and says that talks over a new contract for the midfielder are ongoing.
It s not decent for Sky to make an announcement, which is completely baseless, an hour before kick-off, Heidel said. People shouldn t spread this information as if it s a done deal when it s merely speculation.
It s absolute nonsense. Bayern have not even made contact with Schalke and I ve ha…
Jermain Defoe is in line to win his first England cap since 2013 after being called into Gareth Southgate s squad to face Germany and Lithuania.
Injuries to Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney have left Southgate short in attack – leading to a call-up for the 34-year-old Sunderland man.
Former West Ham and Tottenham forward Defoe has been in prolific form for Sunderland this season, despite David Moyes side languishing at the bottom of the Premier League, scoring 14 times in 27 top-flight outings.
The last of his 55 international appearances came as a substitute in a November 2013 friendly loss to Chile at Wembley.
Defoe made his debut for the Three Lions in March 2004 versus Sweden and has 19 goals at internation…
Frank Lampard says some context is needed over Kai Havertz s early struggles at Chelsea as he backed the attacking midfielder to show his undoubted talent once he fully settles.
The Germany international has struggled to transfer the form he showed at Bayer Leverkusen since joining Chelsea in a reported £72million (€80m) deal in September.
Havertz has just one goal and one assist in 14 Premier League appearances and has been named among the substitutes for the Blues last three outings.
However, Lampard insists the 21-year-old is still finding his feet after moving to a new country, a period of adaption not helped after being laid low by coronavirus earlier in the season.
Just as Kai was just coming to terms with the Premier League and he had some re…
Cameroon have sacked coach Clarence Seedorf and his assistant Patrick Kluivert after the Indomitable Lions last-16 exit at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 2017 AFCON champions produced a weak defence of their title in Egypt, exiting courtesy of a 3-2 loss to Nigeria having won just one of their three games in Group F.
That has resulted in former AC Milan and Netherlands stars Seedorf and Kluivert losing their jobs less than a year after being hired.
Seedorf was in charge for 10 games, winning three, drawing four and losing three.
A statement from the Cameroon Football Federation s president Seidou Mbombo Njoya said: In the wake of the premature elimination of Cameroon from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the Cameroon Football Federation,…
Liam Rosenior has pledged his future to Hull ahead of the club s Premier League return by signing a new two-year contract.
The full-back has been with the promoted side since 2010 and has made over 100 appearances for the club.
The 28-year-old was a regular starter under Steve Bruce last season as Hull secured a return to top flight for the first time since 2010 and has been rewarded with a two-year extension to his deal at the KC Stadium.
Rosenior will remain at the club until 2015 and is delighted to return to the Premier League having not played in the division since he was relegated with Reading in 2008.
I ve been waiting for four or five years to get back to the Premier League and prove that I can play at that level, he told the club s website. If I can get…
Newcastle United could make a bid for Chelsea attacking player Christian Pulisic in the January transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones in .
The well-known and well-respected journalist has claimed that Newcastle wanted to sign the USA international, who can operate as an attacking midfielder or as a winger, in the summer of 2022 and remain keen on bringing the 24-year-old to St. James’ Park in the middle of the season.
Jones said about Newcastle and Pulisic: “He is still someone that they’d be willing to consider. I think he does fit with where they’re headed in terms of recruitment.
“He wouldn’t be considered as a superstar coming in and that’s important. I think he would be a good fit for the style of play too.”
…
Blackpool have signed Jamaica striker Ricardo Fuller on a twelve month deal, .
The 33 year old was without a club having been released by Charlton Athletic, where he scored five goals in thirty-one appearances during his one and only campaign with the club.
The Tangerines, who are one of just three Championship clubs to have won their opening two games of the season, are the eighth English club of Fuller’s career.
He began his career with Kingston-based side Tivoli Gardens before signing for Crystal Palace in 2001.
He then moved on loan to Hearts of Midlothian before spells with Preston North End, Portsmouth, Southampton, Ipswich Town and Stoke City, the latter of whom he helped achieve promotion to the Premier League in 2008, before going on to r…
Mathieu Flamini has re-signed for Arsenal, after agreeing a three year deal worth around £50,000 per week, .
The midfielder, who can also play at full-back, originally left the Emirates for AC Milan back in 2008, but was released at the end of last season.
He has been training with the Arsenal squad for the past few weeks as to keep up his fitness, and could now be named in the squad to face rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
His arrival will be welcomed by Arsene Wenger, who currently has no less than seven first team players currently side-lined by injury.
The 29 year old made over one hundred and fifty appearances for the Gunners during his first spell with the club, and was part of the squad that won the 2005 FA Cup, the clubs last p…