Botia: No contact with Barcelona

After a long wait, Firewalk Studios’ Concord is out next month for PS5 and PC, with the open beta starting on July 18th. While the team has discussed the playable Freegunners, modes and post-launch support, it’s also devoted to expanding the universe through weekly vignettes. Of course, that’s not all – a Galactic Guide is also available in-game.

As noted in VGC’s recent first look, it tracks lore, including information on each of the planets, similar to Destiny 2’s Grimoire. The site says it offers “hours of facts and history to pour over,” though Firewalk is aware this isn’t for everyone.

“It’s an added layer for folks that want to invest in it, and it’ll come across to everybody playi…

Path of Exile 2’s early access offers extensive content at launch, including three Acts from the campaign, six Classes, 50 bosses, and about 400 monster types. However, there’s also the endgame in the Atlas, where players will spend much of their time cleansing Corruption.

Similar to Monoliths of Fate from Last Epoch, players use Waystones to travel to nearby nodes, with their level determining the monster level. Each location is distinct, monsters are randomized, and you can enchant Waystones with prefixes for more rewards and suffixes for more challenges. You’ll also discover Strongboxes, which have rewards but contain monsters and traps, and frozen monsters, who give Essences upon defeating them.

Dying means the node is inacc…

Franz Beckenbauer would prefer Germany to face Spain rather than Italy in the quarter-finals at Euro 2016.

Germany booked their place in the last eight with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Slovakia at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Sunday.

Their opponents in the quarter-final will be the winner of the round-of-16 clash between defending champions Spain and 2012 runners-up Italy, who knocked out Joachim Low s side en route to that final.

Despite criticism of a lack of star quality in Antonio Conte s squad, Beckenbauer would prefer to face the holders in the next stage.

Big compliments for that win against Slovakia. The quarter final will be against Spain or Italy now, he told Bild.

Spain is more flexible, but still I d rather have them as opponents. Ital…

Hirving Lozano is absolutely ready to make the step up to one of Europe s elite clubs as Manchester United reportedly circle, according to Mexico head coach Gerardo Martino.

Lozano has been linked with Premier League giants United, Serie A side Napoli and LaLiga champions Barca after starring for Dutch club PSV.

The 23-year-old swapped Pachuca for PSV in 2017 and Martino backed the winger to make a big move in the off-season.

Taking an intermediate step in Dutch football or Portuguese football, that has been traditional for Latino players, Martino told reporters ahead of Tuesday s friendly against Paraguay.

I think Hirving has had an influential time in Holland and shown he can be a player who is incredibly valuable and can make the jump to the biggest …

Manchester United are confident of bringing in a new attacker soon as talks to sign Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund continue, the PA news agency understands.

The Red Devils have signed Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount and Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana this summer as they look to build on a promising first season under Erik ten Hag.

United have made no secret of the need to bolster their attack ahead of the new campaign, with their manager saying at the start of the week they are making “progress” on that front.

Atalanta striker Hojlund is a target and reports emerged on Wednesday that the club have made a verbal 50million euros (£42.8m) offer, rising to 60m euros (£51.4m), for the Denmark international.

The 20-year-old is seen by the Old Trafford gia…

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo believes his side holds a mental edge over Barcelona ahead of their Champions League semi-final tie.

The sides have a colourful history and many Chelsea players have spoken of unfinished business to attend to following their controversial stoppage-time loss to Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League semi-finals.

Andres Iniesta s late strike sent Barcelona through to the final, which they won, but a series of controversial refereeing decisions ensured tempers flared in the aftermath.

With that in mind, Di Matteo insisted Barcelona had traditionally found Chelsea s style of play difficult to counter and said that could lead to problems for the visitors in the first leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

I think they don t li…

Atletico Madrid failed to build on their rout of Granada as they were held to a goalless draw at Huesca in their second LaLiga match of 2020-21.

Luis Suarez came on from the bench to star in Sunday s 6-1 victory at Wanda Metropolitano, but the former Barcelona man failed to make the same impact after starting on Wednesday.

Indeed, Suarez managed just two attempts at goal in a little over an hour on the pitch, though his replacement Diego Costa fared little better.

Joao Felix s snapshot and Koke s blocked effort came close to breaking Huesca s resolve, but the promoted side held firm to secure a deserved point as Atleti failed to hunt down what would have been a 200th LaLiga triumph for Diego Simeone.

Huesca should have had their rewards for a bright st…

Takefusa Kubo struck a stoppage-time winner as Real Mallorca came from behind to stun Atletico Madrid and clinch a 2-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano. 

Diego Simeone s side created some decent openings in either half but it was not until Matheus Cunha prodded the ball home in the 68th minute that they finally broke through. 

However, Franco Russo rose above substitute Mario Hermoso to head home an equaliser with 10 minutes remaining, setting up a tense finale. 

Kubo, a second-half substitute who is on loan from Atleti s rivals Real Madrid, then raced away on the break in the 91st minute and slid a cool finish under Jan Oblak to seal a surprise victory for Mallorca. 

The Japanese star scores his first goal of the season for

Hermoso replaced…

Ange Postecoglou promised Tottenham would improve and praised the resilience of his squad for not allowing Harry Kane’s departure to distract them after they battled to a 2-2 Premier League draw at Brentford.

Kane’s exit to Bayern Munich – coupled with four full debutants being used in their season opener – contributed to the start of a new dawn at Spurs and along with hosts Brentford, they produced an entertaining affair in west London.

Cristian Romero headed Tottenham in front after 11 minutes before quick-fire efforts from Bees forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa turned around this season opener, but James Maddison – wearing the 10 shirt in Kane’s absence – set up Emerson Royal to level matters on the stroke of half-time.

A frantic first day on…

Toluca were hoping to keep their chances of a first Liga MX Apertura title since 2009 alive with victory over Guadalajara in their quarter-final second leg.

Heading into the match with a 2-1 advantage, the regular season leaders had to wait until the second half to move further ahead.

Sinha s quickly taken free kick caught the Guadalajara defence napping and Wilson Matias made no mistake with a simple tap in.

Toluca smelt blood and duly doubled the lead just two minutes later.

Again poor defending from the visitors left Luca Silva in acres of space to head home.

Juan Cacho then made the tie safe on 71 minutes.

Guadalajara grabbed a late consolation through Erick Torres but Toluca progress to the last four with a 5-2 aggregate victory.

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