Carlo Ancelotti feels Italy are not among the favourites to win Euro 2016 but has backed Antonio Conte s team to be competitive, despite the absence of injured midfielders Marco Verratti and Claudio Marchisio.
Italy reached the final of Euro 2012, but were beaten 4-0 as an imperious Spain retained their continental crown.
Conte s team will be hard pressed to get that far again in France, particularly after losing Paris Saint-Germain s Verratti and Marchisio of Juventus to groin and knee injuries respectively.
And while Ancelotti, speaking at the launch of his biography Quiet Leadership: Winning hearts, minds and matches , anointed world champions Germany, holders Spain and hosts France as favourites, the incoming Bayern Munich coach has faith in the Azzurri s …
With both EURO 24 and the Copa America getting their respective knockout stage campaigns underway this weekend, we have a stacked Saturday from across the footballing globe.
Although England might steal most of Saturday’s headlines as the Three Lions look to book a semi-final ticket, a high-flying Colombia will look to extend on their history-making flurry.
So, for those of you looking to stick on a Saturday flutter, we have found a pair of the most intriguing betting markets.
20:00 Netherlands vs Turkey
While the Netherlands might have only scrapped their way to a EURO 24 knockout stage ticket this summer, Holland certainly laid down a real Round of 16 marker earlier in the week. Eventually storming their way to a routine 3-0 romp against record-bre…
Klaus Augenthaler believes it is tough to pick a favourite for Euro 2016 – but admits Germany s adaptability always makes them competitive at a major tournament.
While he never lifted the Henri Delaunay Trophy in his international career, Augenthaler was part of the West Germany squad that triumphed at the 1990 World Cup.
Joachim Low s Germany were also crowned world champions in Brazil two years ago. Just like their counterparts 24 years earlier, they recorded a 1-0 win over Argentina in the final.
Low s squad are fancied to go far at Euro 2016 too, although Augenthaler acknowledges France should be considered strong contenders on home soil.
It is hard to say which nation is the favourite, the former Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg manager t…
While the likes of defender Matthijs de Ligt might have failed to find his feet since arriving from Bayern Munich last month, a handful of Premier League summer recruits are making an immediate impact.
With England’s elite once again flexing their financial muscle during the summer transfer window as they spent a combined total of over £2billion, there has been some heavyweight new arrivals.
As the now takes another fortnight interval due to October’s international break, we have taken a look at some of the summer recruits who have really hit the ground running.
Amadou Onana Aston Villa
Hit with two separate points deductions last season and dealing with a string of public financial issues behind the scenes at Goodison Park, it was not secret that would…
FIFA are running out of time to change the start date of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, according to tournament organisers.
Hassan Al Thawadi, chief executive of the 2022 Qatar organising committee, has championed the World Cup being held in July the month in which the tournament traditionally takes place.
However, FIFA have already expressed concerns about the soaring temperatures in the Gulf state at that time of year, citing the need to stage games during a cooler period in the year.
Our bid was always based on a summer World Cup, Al Thawadi said.
Our legacy promises in terms of the coolant technology was always based on a summer World Cup, and, accordingly, we are proceeding ahead with a summer World Cup.
Having said that, I know there are pr…
Welcome to the first installment of the Premier League Team of the Week, a segment that will recap the weekend s top performers in the English Premier League.
This week s top performers include Fulham hat-trick hero Pavel Pogrebnyak and Gunners captain fantastic Robin van Persie.
Van Persie s screaming injury-time volley secured three vital points for Arsene Wenger s side, who moved into sole possession of fourth place in the Premier League table, at Anfield on Saturday.
The Gunners triumph also derailed Liverpool s unbeaten home record in the league this season. Two birds, one stone.
Fulham s new signing Pavel Pogrebnyak has scored in each of his first three games with the Cottagers, including a sensational hat-trick versus Wolves on Sunday.<…
Tottenham s Ange Postecoglou had the worst experience he has had during his managerial career when Spurs lost to Manchester City.
Spurs went down 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday, as City went top of the Premier League heading into the final day of the season.
There was a peculiar atmosphere, with Spurs supporters seemingly torn as to whether to fully back their team, given a positive result would have all but handed Arsenal, their biggest rivals, the title.
Postecoglou was in spiky form in the post-match media conference, suggesting there was a fragility to the club.
On Friday, ahead of Spurs final game of the season against relegated Sheffield United, the Australian explained he feared people would question his integrity.
That s prob…
France, England, Switzerland, Sweden and the Czech Republic qualified for the last 16 of Euro 2020 due to results on Monday.
With Finland and Ukraine finishing on three points in Group B and C respectively, four nations were guaranteed to advance ahead of their third matches of the tournament and Switzerland s spot in the next stage was also sealed.
Finland and Ukraine can only watch on and hope they can scrape through as one of the best four third-placed teams after they suffered defeats in their final group games, both finishing with three points.
A 2-0 defeat to Belgium resulted in Finland missing out on second place to Denmark, who knocked Russia out with a resounding 4-1 win in Copenhagen.
Ukraine were beaten 1-0 by Austria earlier in the day, missi…
Four-goal Tom Cannon fired Stoke City to a 6-1 win over Portsmouth on Wednesday, their first triumph under Narcis Pelach extending Pompey s own wait for a Championship victory.
Stoke entered this encounter at the bet365 Stadium just two points better off than their winless visitors and without reward for the bold decision to replace head coach Steven Schumacher with Pelach last month.
But an explosive display from on-loan Leicester City forward Cannon provided what could be a pivotal victory in the Potters season.
Cannon scored only three times in all competitions for Leicester last term but bettered that tally inside the opening hour of his fourth start for Stoke.
Portsmouth were on level terms approaching half-time after Mark O Mahony cancelled out Cann…
Croatia bristled with imagination and inspiration as they dealt Germany a 2-1 Euro 2008 Group B defeat here on Thursday in one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far.
The Croats were well worth their victory which came 10 years after the biggest result in their history when they beat the same opponents 3-0 in the World Cup quarter-finals as they took charge of the group and are now almost guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals.
It will be back to the drawing board for the Germans, who ended the match with 10 men.
After a cagey and dull opening the game burst into life midway through the opening stanza.
Croatia took the lead on 24 minutes with a move of delightful fluency.
Quick, zipped passes and intelligent running off the ball…