Benfica defeated Villarreal 3-1 in Friendlies Clubs. The fixture is part of the Club Friendlies 3 stage in the 2024 season. The match was played at Stade Joseph Moynat in Thonon-les-Bains. The full-time result capped a Benfica vs Villarreal meeting in Friendlies Clubs with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Benfica and Villarreal. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Friendlies ClubsRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Benfica defeated Villarreal 3-1 in Friendlies Clubs. The fixture is part of the Club Friendlies 3 stage in the 2024 season. The match was played at Stade Joseph Moynat in Thonon-les-Bains. The full-time result capped a Benfica vs Villarreal meeting in Friendlies Clubs with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Benfica and Villarreal. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Friendlies Clubs
While Goncalo Ramos acknowledges Cristiano Ronaldo's greatness, he believes the retirement of the Portuguese legend is imminent. Following a challenging 2026 FIFA World Cup with Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted at a potential retirement in the near future. His international teammate Goncalo Ramos is well aware of the legacy Ronaldo will leave behind, while acknowledging that every athlete’s career comes with a time limit. Earlier this week, Ronaldo revealed his timeline, stating that the current campaign will likely be his last as a professional soccer player. His announcement generated a strong reaction across the squad. Goncalo Ramos, who shares a locker room with Ronaldo for the national team, emphasized that while CR7 is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in history, age affects every competitor. “It’s hard to believe that Cristiano will end his career,” Ramos said on press conference. “It’s been such a long time, and I think everyone has tied their soccer memories to his presence. “Personally, I don’t know soccer without Cristiano, so it would be very strange. But I think it’s something everyone expects, because age doesn’t lie. We all know that he will retire one day, and after what he said, perhaps that will be next season.” The 2026 World Cup was decisive for Cristiano Ronaldo Before the 2026 World Cup began, Portugal were viewed as serious title contenders. Alongside a star-studded squad, Ronaldo’s presence inspired his teammates to pursue the trophy. However, Portugal fell short of expectations. Despite reaching the Round of 16, their overall performances were inconsistent, and Ronaldo struggled to sustain a peak level of play throughout the tournament. Intense scrutiny weighed on the squad before they were ultimately eliminated by Spain. After the final whistle, an emotional Ronaldo was visibly distraught, recognizing that his final World Cup match had come to an end. The 1,000-goal milestone remains in sight Cristiano Ronaldo currently sits on 976 official career goals, leaving him just 24 goals away from reaching the historic 1,000-goal mark. That milestone stands as his primary remaining objective. If this proves to be Ronaldo’s final season, scoring 24 goals is well within reach given his typical output. However, should he fall slightly short by season’s end, he may extend his career just long enough to secure the historic benchmark.
The 25-year-old has spent the past two years in Serie A, scoring four goals in 63 appearances for Roma, but is more renowned for his dynamism and excels off the ball.
According to reports, Cristiano Ronaldo's debut this season with Al Nassr might not happen on Saturday in the Saudi Pro League clash against Al Riyadh. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s wait to make his 2026-27 debut is set to drag on a little longer. According to Saudi outlet Al Riyadiyah, the Al Nassr captain continued his individual rehabilitation program on Wednesday without taking part in group training, still working his way back from a pelvic muscle injury that he suffered last week. Per the report, Ronaldo felt pain in the area during a group training session last week, but experienced no discomfort in Wednesday’s session, opting instead to stick to his rehabilitation routine alongside specific fitness work as part of his return-to-play plan. The club’s medical staff is expected to evaluate him again during Thursday’s session, with his final availability for the upcoming match against Al Riyadh on Friday to be determined based on the results of those medical and physical tests. The 41-year-old has already missed Al Nassr‘s first two competitive matches of the season, against Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League and Al Diriyah in the King’s Cup, where his side picked up two wins to start the campaign on the right foot. From the Cup, back to our league journey 💛 pic.twitter.com/HY8rvPO6Es— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 19, 2026 Why Ronaldo missed Al Nassr’s season debut Ronaldo’s absence from Al Nassr’s opening fixtures actually does tie back to fitness, just not the pelvic injury that’s now in question. The forward spent the club’s entire preseason on vacation following the 2026 World Cup, a break during which he married long-time partner Georgina Rodríguez in Portugal, missing the team’s overseas training camp in Lisbon entirely. With no preseason work under his belt, Ange Postecoglou chose not to rush him into a squad that had trained together for weeks, resting him for Al Nassr’s first two games of the season. He rejoined training just two days before the Saudi Pro League opener, and now, his debut hinges on whether he’s cleared to face Al Riyadh on Saturday. Ronaldo’s chase for 1,000 career goals continues this season Beyond the immediate injury concerns, this season also carries historic weight for Ronaldo, who sits on 976 official career goals for club and country, just 24 short of becoming the first player in history to reach 1,000 official goals.
France World Cup midfielder could cost £50mTottenham discussing £150m double deal for forward pairManchester City have identified Roma’s Manu Koné as a potential target to strengthen further Enzo Maresca’s options in midfield.While City have already bought Elliot Anderson for £116m and are closing in on the £85m signing of Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, Maresca admires Koné for his dynamic mode of play. He would be expected to cost about £50m. Continue reading...
Manchester City are in the midst of attempting to bolster their midfield. With Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders having left the club, City are looking at midfielders with Lille midfielder A...
His recovery comes at a crucial point for both Pulisic and Milan, with new head coach Ruben Amorim preparing for the opening weeks of the Serie A campaign and hoping to get one of his most talented attackers back to full fitness. Christian Pulisic is edging closer to his return for Milan, but the American winger’s comeback is being handled with caution after a difficult summer. His recovery comes at a crucial point for both Pulisic and Milan, with new head coach Ruben Amorim preparing for the opening weeks of the Serie A campaign and hoping to get one of his most talented attackers back to full fitness. The American has been sidelined since the United States’ World Cup exit against Belgium in July. The 27-year-old suffered a bone bruise and microfracture around his lower leg after colliding with Youri Tielemans while attempting to strike the ball, bringing a frustrating end to a tournament in which he had already battled another injury. The latest development has provided Milan with a major boost, as Pulisic returned to partial team training at Milanello. He completed part of the session, including speed and agility exercises, marking his first significant involvement with the squad since the World Cup injury. The American had missed Milan’s entire preseason while recovering, leaving him behind the rest of Amorim’s squad in terms of match fitness. Although Pulisic is understood to have recovered physically, the Rossoneri are taking a measured approach rather than rushing him back into competitive action. View this post on Instagram That cautious approach means the winger is reportedly expected to miss Milan’s Serie A opener against Torino. The club’s medical and coaching staff believe he still needs time to rebuild his fitness after more than six weeks away from regular soccer. When could Pulisic return? The current plan points toward a later return, with Pulisic potentially being included for Milan’s first home league match against Venezia on August 28, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports. The possibility of appearing from the bench would represent a significant step forward after a summer dominated by injuries and disappointment. The timing would also give Pulisic several additional days to work on his conditioning and integrate into Amorim’s tactical plans. Rather than forcing him into the season opener, Milan appear prepared to wait until the American is sufficiently prepared to contribute. Pulisic’s latest injury came after he had already struggled with a calf problem during the World Cup. He aggravated that issue against Paraguay, missed the following match against Australia and later returned against Turkiye before starting the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States reacts Pulisic has plenty to prove after difficult months The injury setback followed a frustrating period for Pulisic at club and international level. He endured a 19-game scoring drought for Milan, while his World Cup campaign ended with no goals after he had hoped to make a major impact on home soil. Pulisic admitted his disappointment following the United States’ elimination, writing on Instagram: “Tough to find the words. I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who believed. The support carried us all the way through.” The winger also acknowledged that the United States had fallen short of expectations, adding that he had wanted to deliver more for the national team. His focus now shifts back to San Siro, where he will have an opportunity to rebuild his momentum under a new manager.
Chelsea are bound to be the busiest Premier League club in what remains of the summer transfer window - at least when it comes to getting players out of the door.
Viktor Gyokeres scored 14 goals last season to help Arsenal win the Premier League (Photo: Getty) Viktor Gyokeres has heaped praise on one of Arsenal’s summer signings but has dismissed any notion that they are the favourites to win the Premier League. Following their impressive Community Shield win over Manchester City, the Gunners begin their title defence against Championship champions Coventry City on Friday night. In Cardiff, Mikel Arteta handed a debut to £75million summer signing Bruno Guimaraes who performed well, but it was fellow debutant Christos Tzolis who really caught the eye. The Greek winger provided two assists, carrying over his good form from pre-season and from Club Brugge, where he recorded 22 goals and 29 assists last season. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. No player in Europe set up more goals last season, prompting Arteta to splash £34m on the former Norwich star, and Gyokeres reports that Tzolis is settling in nicely at the Emirates. ‘He’s a top guy. He’s a very nice guy outside and of course a very good player on the pitch,’ the striker told talkSPORT. ‘He contributes a lot and he’s very good in his decision making. In the final third, he makes good decisions there and managed to get a lot of goal contributions. Christos Tzolis got two assists on his Arsenal debut in the Community Shield (Photo: Getty) ‘That’s what every team needs and of course everyone that plays in our team wants to do that when they’re on the pitch and if he does that, it’s only good.’ With nearly all their main rivals changing managers and undergoing rebuilds this summer, Arsenal have been installed as the clear and early favourites to retain their title in 2026/27. But Gyokeres does not believe his team have gone from ‘the hunters to the hunted’, and insists anything can happen this season: ‘Everyone starts on zero points. Arsenal will start the season against Coventry – Gyokeres’ former club (Photo: Getty) ‘I think it doesn’t matter what they’ve done last season or the season before that or whatever. It’s a new season; it’s the same for everyone. ‘Everyone’s going to play the same amount of games. So, we have to do it all over again. ‘We don’t have to defend it, we just have to win as many games as we can and then hopefully, we’ll be there in the end again.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Ezri Konsa is set to depart Aston Villa for Arsenal (Photo: Getty) Aston Villa have reportedly entered the race for a Chelsea star as they look to replace Ezri Konsa ahead of his transfer to Arsenal. Two days before the start of new Premier League season, it was reported that the Gunners had struck a deal to sign the England international for an initial £51million. Konsa, a centre-back also capable of playing on the right, had emerged as Mikel Arteta’s top defensive target in light of injuries to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber. While a boost for Arsenal, it is yet another massive transfer blow for Villa who have seen the core of their team ripped apart this summer, with Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne departing. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. It could yet get worse for Unai Emery, with Emiliano Martinez almost certain to leave, while Ollie Watkins is keen on a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. For now, Villa’s focus is on replacing Konsa and, according to Sky Sports, they are interested in Tosin Adarabioyo, who is surplus to requirements at Chelsea. Tosin joined the Blues in 2024, moving across west London from Fulham on a free transfer, but has failed to establish himself in the first-team, making just 16 appearances in the Premier League last season. Tosin Adarabioyo is no longer wanted at Stamford Bridge (Photo: Getty) While he has featured in pre-season under Xabi Alonso, he was left out of the squad entirely for the final friendly against Real Sociedad last week, a clear indication he is not wanted at Stamford Bridge. The 28-year-old has been the subject of interest from Benfica, now managed by his former Fulham boss Marco Silva, but reports suggest he is not keen on the move. Marseille and Sevilla are also interested in the Englishman, and the French club have already made an approach for the Manchester City academy graduate. Tosin won the Club World Cup and Conference League with Chelsea (Photo: Getty) It is not known how much Chelsea would want for Tosin, who has two years left on his contract. He is not the only centre-back the Blues are trying to offload before deadline day, with Mamadou Sarr, Aarón Anselmino and Axel Disasi, who was previously loaned to Villa Park, on the transfer list. Villa kick-off their Premier League campaign away to Brighton on Sunday. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!In the 1941 RKO Radio Pictures/Mercury repertory theatre production Citizen Kane, Orson Welles essayed a man who began as a whirlwind of prolific energy, only to spectacularly fizzle out, to the extent that near the end, stubborn pride his only remaining fuel, he could barely move around or achieve anything of note at all. Football Daily isn’t sure how any of this relates to Charles Foster’s namesake Harry, or his recent Geopolitics World Cup campaign; nor are we sure what bit of Welles’ career Harry’s mooted move from Bayern Munich to Al-Hilal would be comparable with. The flawed masterpiece The Magnificent Ambersons, perhaps, or that thing where he loses his mind over Findus peas.Don Revie and his merry henchmen [Tuesday’s Memory Lane, full email edition] getting ready for a night on the lash, as it was back then. Lest we forget: one-club man Jack Charlton once said ‘I cant play football, but I can stop those that can’. Diamond geezer eh?” – Alvin Jordan.It was bewildering to read in Tuesdays’s Football Daily that ‘Kevin Lamour was a lone dissenting voice inside Fifa’s lair when Gianni Infantino’s plot to flog part of the World Cup to private investors – potentially on the cheap – was rumbled’. He was far from lone. Fifa’s secretary-general, Mattias Grafström, called the FFE plans a ‘sad and reproachable series of events’ in an email to staff. Fifa’s chief of global development, someone called Arsène Wenger, pronounced the withdrawal of FFE ‘absolutely necessary and beyond question’. Above all, Infantino’s right-hand man, the Fifa senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro, stated: ‘I cannot stand by while Fifa considers selling a stake in the World Cup. Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally. It is a bad deal for Fifa’s member associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.’ And unlike Lamour, Grafström, or Wenger, Cordeiro put his money where his mouth was and resigned” – Simon Skinner.Talking of players’ wages, my Middlesborough friend who knew Wilf Mannion told me that when he was chosen to play for England at Wembley that they gave him a third-class rail ticket to get there. Unfortunately the train was so crowded that he had to sit on his suitcase in the corridor the whole way to London (not an unusual situation in those days)” – Bob Hopper.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Bernardo Silva, 32, has been presented as a new Real Madrid player. Thirty-three days after the official announcement confirming his signing, the Portuguese midfielder took part in an institutional ce...
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While Goncalo Ramos acknowledges Cristiano Ronaldo's greatness, he believes the retirement of the Portuguese legend is imminent. Following a challenging 2026 FIFA World Cup with Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted at a potential retirement in the near future. His international teammate Goncalo Ramos is well aware of the legacy Ronaldo will leave behind, while acknowledging that every athlete’s career comes with a time limit. Earlier this week, Ronaldo revealed his timeline, stating that the current campaign will likely be his last as a professional soccer player. His announcement generated a strong reaction across the squad. Goncalo Ramos, who shares a locker room with Ronaldo for the national team, emphasized that while CR7 is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in history, age affects every competitor. “It’s hard to believe that Cristiano will end his career,” Ramos said on press conference. “It’s been such a long time, and I think everyone has tied their soccer memories to his presence. “Personally, I don’t know soccer without Cristiano, so it would be very strange. But I think it’s something everyone expects, because age doesn’t lie. We all know that he will retire one day, and after what he said, perhaps that will be next season.” The 2026 World Cup was decisive for Cristiano Ronaldo Before the 2026 World Cup began, Portugal were viewed as serious title contenders. Alongside a star-studded squad, Ronaldo’s presence inspired his teammates to pursue the trophy. However, Portugal fell short of expectations. Despite reaching the Round of 16, their overall performances were inconsistent, and Ronaldo struggled to sustain a peak level of play throughout the tournament. Intense scrutiny weighed on the squad before they were ultimately eliminated by Spain. After the final whistle, an emotional Ronaldo was visibly distraught, recognizing that his final World Cup match had come to an end. The 1,000-goal milestone remains in sight Cristiano Ronaldo currently sits on 976 official career goals, leaving him just 24 goals away from reaching the historic 1,000-goal mark. That milestone stands as his primary remaining objective. If this proves to be Ronaldo’s final season, scoring 24 goals is well within reach given his typical output. However, should he fall slightly short by season’s end, he may extend his career just long enough to secure the historic benchmark.
The 25-year-old has spent the past two years in Serie A, scoring four goals in 63 appearances for Roma, but is more renowned for his dynamism and excels off the ball.
According to reports, Cristiano Ronaldo's debut this season with Al Nassr might not happen on Saturday in the Saudi Pro League clash against Al Riyadh. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s wait to make his 2026-27 debut is set to drag on a little longer. According to Saudi outlet Al Riyadiyah, the Al Nassr captain continued his individual rehabilitation program on Wednesday without taking part in group training, still working his way back from a pelvic muscle injury that he suffered last week. Per the report, Ronaldo felt pain in the area during a group training session last week, but experienced no discomfort in Wednesday’s session, opting instead to stick to his rehabilitation routine alongside specific fitness work as part of his return-to-play plan. The club’s medical staff is expected to evaluate him again during Thursday’s session, with his final availability for the upcoming match against Al Riyadh on Friday to be determined based on the results of those medical and physical tests. The 41-year-old has already missed Al Nassr‘s first two competitive matches of the season, against Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League and Al Diriyah in the King’s Cup, where his side picked up two wins to start the campaign on the right foot. From the Cup, back to our league journey 💛 pic.twitter.com/HY8rvPO6Es— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 19, 2026 Why Ronaldo missed Al Nassr’s season debut Ronaldo’s absence from Al Nassr’s opening fixtures actually does tie back to fitness, just not the pelvic injury that’s now in question. The forward spent the club’s entire preseason on vacation following the 2026 World Cup, a break during which he married long-time partner Georgina Rodríguez in Portugal, missing the team’s overseas training camp in Lisbon entirely. With no preseason work under his belt, Ange Postecoglou chose not to rush him into a squad that had trained together for weeks, resting him for Al Nassr’s first two games of the season. He rejoined training just two days before the Saudi Pro League opener, and now, his debut hinges on whether he’s cleared to face Al Riyadh on Saturday. Ronaldo’s chase for 1,000 career goals continues this season Beyond the immediate injury concerns, this season also carries historic weight for Ronaldo, who sits on 976 official career goals for club and country, just 24 short of becoming the first player in history to reach 1,000 official goals.
France World Cup midfielder could cost £50mTottenham discussing £150m double deal for forward pairManchester City have identified Roma’s Manu Koné as a potential target to strengthen further Enzo Maresca’s options in midfield.While City have already bought Elliot Anderson for £116m and are closing in on the £85m signing of Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, Maresca admires Koné for his dynamic mode of play. He would be expected to cost about £50m. Continue reading...
Manchester City are in the midst of attempting to bolster their midfield. With Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders having left the club, City are looking at midfielders with Lille midfielder A...
His recovery comes at a crucial point for both Pulisic and Milan, with new head coach Ruben Amorim preparing for the opening weeks of the Serie A campaign and hoping to get one of his most talented attackers back to full fitness. Christian Pulisic is edging closer to his return for Milan, but the American winger’s comeback is being handled with caution after a difficult summer. His recovery comes at a crucial point for both Pulisic and Milan, with new head coach Ruben Amorim preparing for the opening weeks of the Serie A campaign and hoping to get one of his most talented attackers back to full fitness. The American has been sidelined since the United States’ World Cup exit against Belgium in July. The 27-year-old suffered a bone bruise and microfracture around his lower leg after colliding with Youri Tielemans while attempting to strike the ball, bringing a frustrating end to a tournament in which he had already battled another injury. The latest development has provided Milan with a major boost, as Pulisic returned to partial team training at Milanello. He completed part of the session, including speed and agility exercises, marking his first significant involvement with the squad since the World Cup injury. The American had missed Milan’s entire preseason while recovering, leaving him behind the rest of Amorim’s squad in terms of match fitness. Although Pulisic is understood to have recovered physically, the Rossoneri are taking a measured approach rather than rushing him back into competitive action. View this post on Instagram That cautious approach means the winger is reportedly expected to miss Milan’s Serie A opener against Torino. The club’s medical and coaching staff believe he still needs time to rebuild his fitness after more than six weeks away from regular soccer. When could Pulisic return? The current plan points toward a later return, with Pulisic potentially being included for Milan’s first home league match against Venezia on August 28, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports. The possibility of appearing from the bench would represent a significant step forward after a summer dominated by injuries and disappointment. The timing would also give Pulisic several additional days to work on his conditioning and integrate into Amorim’s tactical plans. Rather than forcing him into the season opener, Milan appear prepared to wait until the American is sufficiently prepared to contribute. Pulisic’s latest injury came after he had already struggled with a calf problem during the World Cup. He aggravated that issue against Paraguay, missed the following match against Australia and later returned against Turkiye before starting the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States reacts Pulisic has plenty to prove after difficult months The injury setback followed a frustrating period for Pulisic at club and international level. He endured a 19-game scoring drought for Milan, while his World Cup campaign ended with no goals after he had hoped to make a major impact on home soil. Pulisic admitted his disappointment following the United States’ elimination, writing on Instagram: “Tough to find the words. I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who believed. The support carried us all the way through.” The winger also acknowledged that the United States had fallen short of expectations, adding that he had wanted to deliver more for the national team. His focus now shifts back to San Siro, where he will have an opportunity to rebuild his momentum under a new manager.
Chelsea are bound to be the busiest Premier League club in what remains of the summer transfer window - at least when it comes to getting players out of the door.
Viktor Gyokeres scored 14 goals last season to help Arsenal win the Premier League (Photo: Getty) Viktor Gyokeres has heaped praise on one of Arsenal’s summer signings but has dismissed any notion that they are the favourites to win the Premier League. Following their impressive Community Shield win over Manchester City, the Gunners begin their title defence against Championship champions Coventry City on Friday night. In Cardiff, Mikel Arteta handed a debut to £75million summer signing Bruno Guimaraes who performed well, but it was fellow debutant Christos Tzolis who really caught the eye. The Greek winger provided two assists, carrying over his good form from pre-season and from Club Brugge, where he recorded 22 goals and 29 assists last season. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. No player in Europe set up more goals last season, prompting Arteta to splash £34m on the former Norwich star, and Gyokeres reports that Tzolis is settling in nicely at the Emirates. ‘He’s a top guy. He’s a very nice guy outside and of course a very good player on the pitch,’ the striker told talkSPORT. ‘He contributes a lot and he’s very good in his decision making. In the final third, he makes good decisions there and managed to get a lot of goal contributions. Christos Tzolis got two assists on his Arsenal debut in the Community Shield (Photo: Getty) ‘That’s what every team needs and of course everyone that plays in our team wants to do that when they’re on the pitch and if he does that, it’s only good.’ With nearly all their main rivals changing managers and undergoing rebuilds this summer, Arsenal have been installed as the clear and early favourites to retain their title in 2026/27. But Gyokeres does not believe his team have gone from ‘the hunters to the hunted’, and insists anything can happen this season: ‘Everyone starts on zero points. Arsenal will start the season against Coventry – Gyokeres’ former club (Photo: Getty) ‘I think it doesn’t matter what they’ve done last season or the season before that or whatever. It’s a new season; it’s the same for everyone. ‘Everyone’s going to play the same amount of games. So, we have to do it all over again. ‘We don’t have to defend it, we just have to win as many games as we can and then hopefully, we’ll be there in the end again.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Ezri Konsa is set to depart Aston Villa for Arsenal (Photo: Getty) Aston Villa have reportedly entered the race for a Chelsea star as they look to replace Ezri Konsa ahead of his transfer to Arsenal. Two days before the start of new Premier League season, it was reported that the Gunners had struck a deal to sign the England international for an initial £51million. Konsa, a centre-back also capable of playing on the right, had emerged as Mikel Arteta’s top defensive target in light of injuries to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber. While a boost for Arsenal, it is yet another massive transfer blow for Villa who have seen the core of their team ripped apart this summer, with Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne departing. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. It could yet get worse for Unai Emery, with Emiliano Martinez almost certain to leave, while Ollie Watkins is keen on a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. For now, Villa’s focus is on replacing Konsa and, according to Sky Sports, they are interested in Tosin Adarabioyo, who is surplus to requirements at Chelsea. Tosin joined the Blues in 2024, moving across west London from Fulham on a free transfer, but has failed to establish himself in the first-team, making just 16 appearances in the Premier League last season. Tosin Adarabioyo is no longer wanted at Stamford Bridge (Photo: Getty) While he has featured in pre-season under Xabi Alonso, he was left out of the squad entirely for the final friendly against Real Sociedad last week, a clear indication he is not wanted at Stamford Bridge. The 28-year-old has been the subject of interest from Benfica, now managed by his former Fulham boss Marco Silva, but reports suggest he is not keen on the move. Marseille and Sevilla are also interested in the Englishman, and the French club have already made an approach for the Manchester City academy graduate. Tosin won the Club World Cup and Conference League with Chelsea (Photo: Getty) It is not known how much Chelsea would want for Tosin, who has two years left on his contract. He is not the only centre-back the Blues are trying to offload before deadline day, with Mamadou Sarr, Aarón Anselmino and Axel Disasi, who was previously loaned to Villa Park, on the transfer list. Villa kick-off their Premier League campaign away to Brighton on Sunday. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!In the 1941 RKO Radio Pictures/Mercury repertory theatre production Citizen Kane, Orson Welles essayed a man who began as a whirlwind of prolific energy, only to spectacularly fizzle out, to the extent that near the end, stubborn pride his only remaining fuel, he could barely move around or achieve anything of note at all. Football Daily isn’t sure how any of this relates to Charles Foster’s namesake Harry, or his recent Geopolitics World Cup campaign; nor are we sure what bit of Welles’ career Harry’s mooted move from Bayern Munich to Al-Hilal would be comparable with. The flawed masterpiece The Magnificent Ambersons, perhaps, or that thing where he loses his mind over Findus peas.Don Revie and his merry henchmen [Tuesday’s Memory Lane, full email edition] getting ready for a night on the lash, as it was back then. Lest we forget: one-club man Jack Charlton once said ‘I cant play football, but I can stop those that can’. Diamond geezer eh?” – Alvin Jordan.It was bewildering to read in Tuesdays’s Football Daily that ‘Kevin Lamour was a lone dissenting voice inside Fifa’s lair when Gianni Infantino’s plot to flog part of the World Cup to private investors – potentially on the cheap – was rumbled’. He was far from lone. Fifa’s secretary-general, Mattias Grafström, called the FFE plans a ‘sad and reproachable series of events’ in an email to staff. Fifa’s chief of global development, someone called Arsène Wenger, pronounced the withdrawal of FFE ‘absolutely necessary and beyond question’. Above all, Infantino’s right-hand man, the Fifa senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro, stated: ‘I cannot stand by while Fifa considers selling a stake in the World Cup. Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally. It is a bad deal for Fifa’s member associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.’ And unlike Lamour, Grafström, or Wenger, Cordeiro put his money where his mouth was and resigned” – Simon Skinner.Talking of players’ wages, my Middlesborough friend who knew Wilf Mannion told me that when he was chosen to play for England at Wembley that they gave him a third-class rail ticket to get there. Unfortunately the train was so crowded that he had to sit on his suitcase in the corridor the whole way to London (not an unusual situation in those days)” – Bob Hopper.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...
Bernardo Silva, 32, has been presented as a new Real Madrid player. Thirty-three days after the official announcement confirming his signing, the Portuguese midfielder took part in an institutional ce...
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