With the EURO 24 qualifiers stealing all of this weekend’s headlines, we have a heavyweight schedule from across the continent on our hands.
So, for those of you who are looking to stick on a Friday night flutter, we have found a couple of European Championship betting markets that are worth keeping an eye out for.
19:45 England vs Malta
While England might have suffered World Cup frustration out in Qatar last winter as they eventually had to settle for a quarter-final finish, the Three Lions have enjoyed a major qualifying romp this year. Already cruising their way to EURO 24, the European giants are already tipped as a leading contender when they arrive in Germany.
Mustering 16 points from their six Group C showdowns this year and largely not havin…
Rob Page has defended Wales’ dismal record over the past 12 months by insisting his side are a team in transition.
Page signed a four-year contract in September but has come under increasing pressure after a dreadful run of one win in 11 games since qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
Wales fans’ frustration came to a head in Friday’s shock 4-2 defeat to Armenia, opponents ranked 97th in the world, as hopes of qualifying for next summer’s Euro 2024 finals in Germany were seriously damaged.
“We had a group meeting (on Saturday) and addressed what needed to be said,” Page said ahead of Monday’s crunch qualifier against Turkey in Samsun.
“We’ve put it to bed and full focus is on the challenge here and we’ll all be ready for it.
“…
Robert Lewandowski has denied becoming unhappy with life at Bayern Munich, head coach Julian Nagelsmann insisted on Sunday.
The Polish striker was reported to have hinted at disenchantment as he gets close to completing eight years as a Bayern player.
Lewandowski, 33, is the leading scorer among players in Europe s top five leagues for a third consecutive season, netting 47 goals in all competitions so far in 2021-22 after 48 in 2020-21 and 55 in 2019-20.
Rumours have suggested he could be a Barcelona target, and if it became known that Lewandowski wanted a fresh start there would be no shortage of suitors.
Nagelsmann said he received assurances from Lewandowski that there is no truth to the theory he has become disgruntled.
We are in close, very…
England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy is convinced the Lionesses are yet to test the limits of their true potential as they dare to dream of a maiden World Cup title.
The European champions begin their global mission against Haiti in Brisbane on July 22 before taking on Denmark and China to conclude the group stage.
With the July 31 one-year anniversary of her side’s Euro 2022 Wembley triumph fast approaching, Wubben-Moy and her team-mates are ready to consign that victory to the history books and focus on their next chapter.
“In terms of preparation I think it is a Euros but then a level up,” the 24-year-old said during a training session on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
“The focus, the desire, the intensity, I think it’s all taken a step up and t…
Kristine Lilly has backed the work done by Megan Rapinoe and her United States colleagues in building the profile of women’s sport.
Rapinoe is coming to the end of a stunning year in which she played a major role in the US winning the World Cup while also landing two major individual prizes in the FIFA Best and Ballon d’Or.
But it is her outspoken nature off the pitch that has arguably accelerated her rise to global prominence.
A vocal supporter of women’s rights and equal pay – as well as taking on US president Donald Trump in a Twitter spat Rapinoe has become an icon for many around the world.
Former US midfielder Lilly, who holds the record for most international appearances by a male or female footballer with 352, was impressed with the way Ra…
Jack Grealish hailed a perfect response from Manchester City as a 5-0 thumping of Newcastle United banished their Champions League blues.
City will not be champions of Europe this season after their dramatic semi-final exit to Real Madrid, but they are red-hot favourites for the Premier League title after this weekend s turn of events.
Liverpool s 1-1 draw with Tottenham, which halted the Reds 12-game winning run in the league at Anfield, allowed City to pull three points clear on Sunday.
With only three rounds of games remaining, City would have to throw it away. They have Wolves, West Ham and Aston Villa to come, and the onslaught against Newcastle saw City go four ahead of Liverpool in the goal difference stakes too.
As Grealish acknowledged,…
Marek Hamsik cancelled out Sami Khedira s early opening goal as Napoli drew 1-1 with Serie A leaders Juventus on Gonzalo Higuain s first return to Stadio San Paolo.
Roma s 2-0 victory over Empoli on S
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aturday had cut the champions advantage and a trip to third-placed Napoli was always likely to provide a stern test for Massimiliano Allegri s side.
But Juve took the lead after just six minutes, Khedira playing a one-two with Miralem Pjanic after a powerful run through midfield and beating goalkeeper Rafael from close range.
Hamsik levelled for Napoli by finishing off a Dries Mertens throughball and the Belgian almost put his side in front only to be denied by the post, with neither side able to find a winner.
The draw will be welcomed more by Ju…
According to a recent report from Goal, Chelsea are considering going after Sander Berge, the popular Genk midfielder, in the January transfer window. They’ll only be doing so if their transfer ban is officially lifted on Wednesday, otherwise, fellow Premier League giants Liverpool look set to swoop in and make some kind of offer.
Chelsea have been unable to go after any players cross the last few months, including the summer transfer window from earlier this year, as a result of their aforementioned transfer ban. The Blues have still been able to get off to a strong start this season in the league and look set to make a sustained push for a place in the top four, but even with that being the case, they’re always going to be on the lookout for a few new faces.
B…
Luis Suarez led the praise for Ajax after their sensational win over Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The Eredivisie giants stunned Madrid 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to eliminate the three-time defending champions 5-3 on aggregate in the last 16.
Plenty of praise followed for Ajax, who reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002-03.
Former star Suarez – now playing for Barcelona – led the tributes on Twitter afterwards.
Why couldn’t you beat a richer club? I’ve never seen a bag of money score a goal.
— Johan Cruyff (@JohanCruyff)
Suarez, who dominated for Ajax before his move to Liverpool in 2011, sent congratulations and wrote the club would always be with him.
Gefeliciteerd! Ik ben altijd ajacid …
“What I feel for this club goes beyond any signature, any contract or any piece of paper,” he said.
Those are the words of Barcelona legend Lionel Messi who has made it evidently clear that he will not be triggering the clause in his contract that would allow him to leave the club for nothing during next summer’s transfer window. There was a great deal of concern regarding the future of the little Argentine with the expectation being that he might test the market and see what other offers he had out there aside from the Nou Camp.
Either way he’ll be competing at what you’d imagine to be a pretty high level, and yet, his heart still seems to be with the famous Spanish city.
Barca are enjoying a solid enough season so far both domestically and i…