Espanyol defeated CSKA Moscow 0-2 in UEFA Europa League. The fixture is part of the Group Stage - 2 stage in the 2019 season. The match was played at VEB Arena in Moskva. A. Palabıyık officiated the match. The full-time result capped a CSKA Moscow vs Espanyol meeting in UEFA Europa League 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 CSKA Moscow and Espanyol. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
UEFA Europa LeagueRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
After being questioned over their aggresive playing style, Spain champion Pedro Porro defended Argentina's 2026 World Cup campaign: "They deserved to be in the final" Argentina‘s high-octane playing style became one of the defining talking points of the 2026 World Cup, where occasional tactical directness was superseded by a fierce, hyper-aggressive edge. Following Spain‘s 1-0 extra-time triumph in the final, Spanish defender Pedro Porro came to the Albiceleste‘s defense, candidly arguing that “they deserved to be in the final“. When pressed by Mundo Deportivo regarding Argentina’s physical approach, Porro offered a balanced perspective: “Everyone thinks that Argentina is a competitive team. I believe that’s just their way of playing, and I have no reason to counter that. At the end of the day, they have been a great national team throughout the entire World Cup and demonstrated it by coming back in matches.“ Indeed, Argentina sat near the bottom of the tournament’s fair-play rankings. The Albiceleste averaged 14.1 fouls per match, seventh-most in the field, and racked up 14 yellow cards, the highest total by any team at the 2026 World Cup. By comparison, champion Spain picked up just six cautions over their entire seven-match run. Yet, Argentina’s physical edge was matched by undeniable firepower. They finished as the tournament’s third-highest scoring team with 19 goals (behind only France and England at 20) and made history in the Round of 16 by becoming the first team to erase a two-goal knockout deficit within regulation time in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Egypt. Pedro Porro #12 of Spain kisses the World Cup Winner’s Trophy. The Spanish right-back concluded his postgame remarks by praising the opposition at MetLife Stadium. “I believe they also deserved to be in the final, and to be honest, it was a very beautiful final. Luckily, it went our way. I’d also like to congratulate them on the great work they’ve done throughout the whole World Cup,” Porro stated. Porro caps off a breakout World Cup campaign Porro’s international breakout provided a dramatic contrast to a grueling 2025–26 club campaign with Tottenham Hotspur, where the defender logged heavy minutes during a tense Premier League season. Initially arriving in North America as a rotation option, the former Manchester City player seized his opportunity and anchored himself as one of the elite right-backs of the tournament. After rotation appearances against Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, and Uruguay in the group stage, Porro took over the starting spot for manager Luis de la Fuente during the knockout phase. Scoring in the Round of 32 against Austria and adding another strike against France in the semifinal, he cemented his reputation as a dominant, two-way force along the flank for the world champions.
Despite coming off an incredible season, Casemiro decided to leave Manchester United, forcing the club to make drastic changes in midfield. As a result, the Red Devils have already secured his replacement, signing Andrey Santos for $67 million. Even though Casemiro is coming off an impressive season, he decided not to renew his contract with Manchester United, leaving as free agent. The veteran midfielder has not yet signed with any club, but the Red Devils have moved to strengthen their midfield. Despite the 2026 World Cup still being underway, the Red Devils have announced the signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea for $67 million. Manchester United have announced the signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea. Regarded as one of the game’s brightest prospects, he has been offered a contract until 2031, along with a unilateral option for an additional year. While the Red Devils did not disclose the financial details, Fabrizio Romano revealed that the deal was completed for $67 million, along with a 10% sell-on clause in favor of the Blues. During the 2025-26 season, Andrey did not become an undisputed starter for Chelsea, but he still played a significant role. Across 43 appearances, he scored three goals and provided four assists. With Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo ahead of him, the Brazilian was destined for a secondary role. As a result, his move to the Red Devils appears to be the ideal opportunity to establish himself in European soccer. Unlike at Chelsea, Andrey Santos will find the ideal opportunity at Manchester United to play an important role. With Casemiro gone and Manuel Ugarte expected to leave soon, the young Brazilian appears to be arriving as a regular midfield option, serving as the team’s stopper. At just 22 years old, he has the perfect opportunity to establish among the Premier League elite under head coach Michael Carrick. Dreams do come true.@04Andrey is proof of that 🔏 pic.twitter.com/2ZiSP7y9ai— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 13, 2026 Andrey Santos hails Michael Carrick as the ‘perfect’ coach Throughout his tenure at Chelsea, Andrey Santos never had a head coach who fully committed to his talent. As a result, his move to Manchester United appears to be the perfect opportunity, as head coach Michael Carrick considers him a key part of both the club’s present and future. During his official presentation, the 22-year-old midfielder decided to praise Carrick, making it clear that he is the perfect coach for his professional career. “Everything about Manchester United is special. It is an incredible feeling to join a club that some of my biggest idols have represented. As a midfielder, I am really excited to have the opportunity to learn from Michael Carrick, he is the perfect coach to help me take the next step in my career and push to achieve my dreams,” reveals Andrey Santos, via Manchester United website. With only Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount in midfield, Andrey is expected to play a very important role during the 2026-27 season. Carrick has consistently shown a strong commitment to developing young talent, something that will be key to the Brazilian’s growth. Unlike other young foreign players, he has already played in the Premier League with two clubs, so he understands how to play in the league and that will be crucial to his adaptation.
⚽️ World Cup kick-off: 4pm EDT/9pm BST/6am AEST⚽️ Third-place table | Player guide | And email ScottPre-match postbag. “Writing from Ecuador, I can say people are understandably disappointed with how the World Cup has gone so far. After finishing second in qualifying, there was a feeling that this group could achieve something, but we were ignoring the unequal distribution of talent in the team: in the back, you have Pacho, who has won two Champions League titles, and Hincapie, who won the Bundesliga and the Premier League, and in the middle, you have Moises Caicedo. Up front, we still have 36-year-old Enner Valencia, who couldn’t really do it at Everton 10 years ago. There’s an exciting generation of Ecuadorian strikers, including the 16-year-old twins currently at Arsenal, but they’re not yet ready. The country was hoping Germany would field their second string of players for this match; turns out they didn’t. On another note, many attribute Ecuador’s success in qualifying to Quito’s altitude, but this overlooks the fact that most of Ecuador’s players come from abroad, so they also have to adjust to the altitude. Also, under the current coach, Ecuador started playing home games in Guayaquil, which is at sea level” – Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo“As well as some underdogs have performed this World Cup there hasn’t really been a big upset victory. Maybe today will be the day for that and if it happens, there would be no better occasion than Ecuador in front of a crowd which is likely to be majority Ecuadorean due to the huge population living in New York and surrounding region” – John in New York Continue reading...
Full preview of Ecuador for the 2026 World Cup, including squad breakdown, key players, and tactical analysis of their chances. Ecuador arrives at the 2026 World Cup in North America not as an underdog, but as a formidable defensive powerhouse. After finishing second in the grueling South American qualifiers, trailing only the reigning global champions Argentina, La Tri has proven its evolution on the international stage. This modern, physically imposing squad is built around top-tier European talent, transforming the team into a high-intensity unit. Expectations are understandably high for a nation that conceded just five goals in 18 qualifying matches. Team profile CoachSebastián BeccaceceCaptainEnner ValenciaNicknameLa TriFIFA Ranking24thConfederationCONMEBOLGroupGroup EBest World Cup ResultRound of 16 (2006)World Cup Appearances5Last World Cup Appearance2022 How Ecuador play Under their current leadership, Ecuador has transitioned into a highly disciplined, aggressive unit that prioritizes defensive solidity over expansive attacking soccer.The team operates with a vertical, high-intensity style, suffocating opponents through relentless pressing and a compact defensive shape. This approach relies heavily on a defense-oriented core featuring standout players like Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapié. In possession, La Tri prefers quick, direct transitions rather than sustained build-up play. The midfield recovers the ball and immediately looks to spark counter-attacks, often utilizing long-range diagonal passes to the wings. However, this defensive focus comes with a significant vulnerability in the final third. The squad struggles to generate consistent scoring opportunities, relying heavily on clean sheets and narrow margins to secure results. Ultimately, their ability to combine this defensive masterclass with timely goals will determine their ceiling in the 2026 World Cup. Sebastián Beccacece: The coach behind Ecuador Sebastián Beccacece took charge of the national team in August 2024 and immediately injected a new level of intensity into the squad. Sebastián Beccacece and Moises Caicedo (Getty Images). The Argentine coach possesses an unconventional background, having never played professional soccer at a high level. Instead, he built his reputation as a meticulous assistant, notably helping guide Chile to the 2015 Copa América title.Known as a tactical obsessive who spends countless hours analyzing video and data, Beccacece favors a rigid, defense-first philosophy. While some supporters initially questioned his departure from traditional attacking wing-play, his undeniable success has quieted the skeptics. His unyielding commitment to this resilient system will make Ecuador incredibly difficult to break down on the global stage. Key player: Moisés Caicedo Moisés Caicedo serves as the undeniable engine of the Ecuadorian midfield.The 24-year-old Chelsea star has evolved into the most critical component of the national team since his international debut. Operating primarily as a box-to-box presence or a deep-lying pivot, his ability to read the game is elite. Caicedo recently ranked in the top five percent of English Premier League midfielders for interceptions, successful passes, and touches. He recorded 59 interceptions last season, tying for the most in the division. Tactically, he is indispensable for his country. He excels at identifying danger, recovering possession, and immediately launching offensive transitions with his exceptional 91 percent pass accuracy. Ecuador’s road to the 2026 World Cup Ecuador’s qualification campaign was a defensive masterclass that secured a historic second-place finish in the CONMEBOL standings. Despite starting with a three-point administrative deduction, the team won eight matches, drew eight, and lost just twice. They conceded an astonishingly low five goals across 18 fixtures, keeping 13 clean sheets to boast the best defensive record in the region. While the attack managed only 14 goa
Two deadly strikers, two creative forces and an all-but unbeatable goalkeeper make up our picks for the seasonThe adulation offers a fine indication of how good the Manchester United captain has been this season. At the start, he was dragging Ruben Amorim’s interpretation of a team through matches and spent the past five months leading Michael Carrick’s unified side. Awards and records keep coming his way; winning the Football Writers’ Association player of the season award was swiftly followed by picking up a record Premier League assist tally of 21 at Brighton on the final day of the season. Considering United were very open to selling Fernandes less than a year ago, one wonders what would have happened at Old Trafford without him. “At one point I was going to leave – I won’t say where – but I would have won many trophies that season. I decided to stay not only for family reasons but because I genuinely like the club,” Fernandes told Canal 11. “But from the club’s side, I felt a bit of: ‘If you go, it’s not really that bad for us.’ That hurts me a little. More than hurting, it makes me sad, because I’m a player they have nothing to criticise me for. I’m always available for every match, I always play, whether well or badly. I give my maximum.” Fernandes brings incredible intelligence and work rate on the pitch, supported by stunning technique that has put him above his United teammates, who all feed off him. It is hard to argue that any other Premier League captain is more influential than Fernandes and United have reaped the awards. Continue reading...
Sevilla safe despite defeat against Real MadridTiny Elversberg seal first promotion to BundesligaRoma took a huge step towards returning to the Champions League by beating Lazio 2-0 in a feisty derby which finished with both teams down to 10 men, while Napoli won 3-0 at Pisa to secure a top-four spot.Gianluca Mancini smashed home two headers from corners, one in each half, at the Stadio Olimpico to move Roma up to fourth thanks also to Juventus’s shock 2-0 home defeat by Fiorentina. Continue reading...
Kylian Mbappé described his reaction after the Real Madrid scandal between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni. More issues seem to arise every day for Real Madrid fans. On a day that should have been about the win over Real Oviedo, the focus shifted to Kylian Mbappé’s press conference. Among the topics was his laugh when leaving the training ground after the Federico Valverde incident with Aurelien Tchouameni. Mbappé said: “I was not there. I was not there when it happened. I cannot confirm whether anything happened or not because I was not there. I left the Ciudad Deportiva without knowing what happened because I was injured. I was not training with the team.” This was a topic that drew attention last week, as El Chiringuito published a video of Mbappé leaving in a car, laughing in the middle of a scandal. While his injury was real, it may also suggest that he is somewhat disconnected from the team. 🚨 IMAGEN @elchiringuitotv 🚨🤣 MBAPPÉ ABANDONA VALDEBEBAS 'PARTIÉNDOSE de RISA'.🇫🇷 El francés ha completado hoy parte del entrenamiento con el grupo. pic.twitter.com/nVcMLKiX1d— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) May 7, 2026 Mbappé on his injury The forward is not known for recurring injuries throughout his career. If anything, he has played too many matches for his age. However, this season was different, as he had to deal with a few. Most notably during the most important stretch, when his team was in the Champions League, he was not able to be at 100 percent. The report at the time about his knee injury was that the club had examined the wrong knee, something the forward denied. Mbappé said: “Real Madrid never make mistakes. It is the best club in the world. It is hard when you have an injury. What hurts the most is people who think I did not want to play. At first, people said I was playing too much, that I wanted to play every match. That is the only thing that does not make sense.” Mbappé on his trip to Italy Before the many scandals that put Real Madrid in the news for reasons unrelated to matches, the forward was the first to be involved in one. As he was recovering from an injury, Mbappé traveled to Italy. The issue for fans was his commitment, because even though he was not going to play against Espanyol, he arrived in the country almost at kickoff time. Mbappé said when asked about his trip: “You do not know what I did in Italy. You do not know whether I was on vacation. That is your opinion. People do not know the context or whether it was authorized by the club, which it was. That sells newspapers and affects people. But the only thing that matters to me is winning titles, and we did not do that.”
A stoppage-time eruption and a crying Manolo González means the Catalan club’s long-awaited victory changes everythingAfter 143 days and many more sleepless nights Manolo González was liberated, if only for a little while. In the 92nd minute of the 19th game of 2026, something amazing happened: Espanyol won and Espanyol went wild. A goal up against Athletic Club, a late Gorka Guruzeta header had shaken them more than the post it hit, a familiar fatalism refusing to leave, and they were desperately hanging on to what they had now and had lost too many times before, whistling for this suffering to finally end, when at last they could let go. “You have to be strong in life but, bloody hell, we all have limits,” González said, and they had reached theirs but now, on a Wednesday evening in May, they were released.Ramon Terrats, a boyhood Espanyol, nodded the ball on. Kike García, the only member of the squad born in the 80s and a man with a bit of the 80s about him, a 36-year-old, 6ft 1in, 12-stone striker they call the “labourer of goals”, a sub who had only been out there six minutes, ran on to it. Keeping his head, he guided a shot past Unai Simón so everyone else could lose theirs. The clock said 91.06. The scoreboard said 2-0. The table said: 14th, 42 points, 11 wins. And 29,943 people said: argrhjrfujhkngsafkjhfskljdzrogjdgixjkgjhlkbxcfh. As for González, he broke down and cried. Continue reading...
Georgian opens the scoring as PSG beat rivals 2-0Inter victorious over Lazio in Coppa Italia finalParis Saint-Germain secured a fifth successive Ligue 1 title by beating their nearest challengers, Lens, 2-0 in their penultimate match of the league season on Wednesday.Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored after 29 minutes and the substitute Ibrahim Mbaye grabbed a stoppage-time goal to put PSG on 76 points, out of the reach of Lens, who are assured of second place on 67 points. Continue reading...
This time it was Marcus Rashford who delivered the knockout blow. Three days after the fight between Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni that ended with Real Madrid’s vice-captain taken to hospital and the crisis at the club laid bare for all to see, they went to the Camp Nou and finally, definitively relinquished a league they had lost long ago. For the first time in 94 years a clásico decided the title, 62,000 fans starting the party as goals from the Englishman and Ferran Torres took Hansi Flick’s team over the line with three games to spare.If, that is, decided is the word. For Madrid, at least it is over now. They had avoided it ending last week by beating Espanyol, just across the city limits, sparing themselves from having to give their rivals a guard of honour before this game but they knew they could not avoid it for ever: their aspiration was limited to stopping Barcelona celebrating in their presence. But, like so much else this campaign, that was beyond them, and so a second successive season closes without a trophy, and on the worst possible stage. Continue reading...
Barcelona and Real Madrid face off in El Clásico, a crucial match that will determine the 2025-26 LaLiga champion. After a disappointing season, los Blancos are looking for a key victory to quell the criticism. However, Kylian Mbappé will not be playing, leaving a significant gap in the offense. Barcelona have managed to become as one of the best teams in the world, shining throughout the 2025–26 LaLiga season. With this in mind, they face Real Madrid in the highly anticipated El Clásico, in a clash that will determine the league champion. Nevertheless, Los Blancos will not make things easy, as are going through a disappointing season. Despite this, Kylian Mbappé will not be available, leaving serious doubts from a scoring standpoint. Kylian Mbappé has been left out of Real Madrid’s squad list. Even though he had supposedly passed the medical tests a few days ago, he has not managed to fully recover from his torn muscle fiber, causing him to miss El Clásico. In addition to this, the French forward left the team’s latest training session in the final five minutes after feeling discomfort, leaving everyone surprised, reveals Diario Marca. Given the Frenchman’s absence, Real Madrid‘s Álvaro Arbeloa could stick with the same approach he used against Espanyol, betting on Brahim Díaz and Jude Bellingham in the attack. Complementing the offense, Vinicius Jr. would occupy the left side of midfield, controlling the entire flank and looking to create space in Barcelona’s defense. While this approach has already worked in previous matches, the absence of Kylian Mbappé’s scoring power could prove quite decisive. Without Mbappé’s presence, Vinicius Jr. could once again have complete freedom of movement, recalling his best periods with Los Blancos before the Frenchman arrived at the club. In addition, he has proven to be key to the team’s collective play, meaning he could not only make an impact from a scoring standpoint again, but also elevate Brahim, Bellingham, or even Gonzalo García if he comes on as a substitute during the LaLiga match. Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid. Real Madrid face seven additional absentees vs Barcelona Real Madrid have not had their best season, being eliminated from the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League and sitting in second place, 11 points behind Barcelona. Along with the limited impact of head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, Los Blancos have suffered a significant wave of injuries that has prevented them from performing at their best. Far from improving toward the end of the season, they still maintain eight major absences for El Clásico. Arbeloa will not be able to count on Arda Güler, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo Goes, Éder Militão, Dani Ceballos, Dani Carvajal, and Ferland Mendy. Because of this, they will be forced to make major changes to their squad, losing most of their key figures across every area of the pitch. Nevertheless, Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham’s presence could prove decisive to chase a victory today, as they have already shown to be crucial from an offensive standpoint.
Alvaro Arbeloa defended Kylian Mbappé after a video of him laughing amid Real Madrid scandal. Real Madrid did not have a normal training week before Sunday’s El Clásico against Barcelona. The Federico Valverde incident with Aurélien Tchouaméni drew most of the attention, but that same day Kylian Mbappé was seen leaving the training ground laughing, and Álvaro Arbeloa defended him. Arbeloa said: “For a player to leave the training ground laughing is taking things out of context and putting them out of place. We all know the effort he made to come to Real Madrid and what he gave up. We all saw him wearing the shirt as a kid.” The issue came up after a video posted by El Chiringuito last Thursday, the same day Valverde went to the hospital for stitches after the scandal. While it may not be a major mistake, it is not helpful for a player like Mbappé, who is already under scrutiny, to do something like that, especially after the kind of year the club had last season. 🚨 IMAGEN @elchiringuitotv 🚨🤣 MBAPPÉ ABANDONA VALDEBEBAS 'PARTIÉNDOSE de RISA'.🇫🇷 El francés ha completado hoy parte del entrenamiento con el grupo. pic.twitter.com/nVcMLKiX1d— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) May 7, 2026 Arbeloa’s authority under scrutiny The main takeaway from the incident was not only whether the dressing room is united after a bad year. The clash between the midfielders was not the only issue, since they had already argued the day before. If a manager wants to be at a club this big, he has to be able to deal with players who have major egos because of their status, which is something Arbeloa could not do after a repeated incident, and also when Mbappé took a short trip while injured. Arbeloa said about Mbappé’s arrival in Spain when his teammates were about to play against Espanyol: “I feel with the complete authority of a Real Madrid manager. In the end, they are respecting their current manager and as a player that is the most important thing.” Arbeloa dismisses players having too much power Dressing room conflicts are the players’ responsibility, but the manager has to be a leader so they do not affect the team. Real Madrid have not played since the incident, but it brought back the topic of how much power players may have, which was also a talking point after Xabi Alonso’s dismissal. Arbeloa said: “I don’t know what that means. When a Real Madrid player does not play, it is because of a sporting decision. I choose the one I think deserves it most. Fans can be calm with this dressing room and these players. These are difficult situations, but there is nobody more ready to improve this than the president of our club.”
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