Despite his natural talent, the route to the Catalonian giants has not been straightforward for Tavares, according to his father Helio, with years of dedication to “training, late nights, early mornings and the family spending money”. “At the age of nine he came for a trial at Norwich, he was so shy, he didn’t show […]

Michael Owen has said he “can’t believe people are questioning” whether Michael Carrick should become the permanent manager of Manchester United. Former midfielder Carrick, who made 464 appearances for United, was appointed caretaker head coach after the sacking of Ruben Amorim in January. The 44-year-old has won six of his eight matches in charge and […]

BBC football tactics correspondent Umir Irfan looks at how Tottenham Hotspur interim manager Igor Tudor’s tactical principles could be the reason behind their poor run of form. READ MORE: Tudor’s tactics: Pinpointing how his choices have made things worse Source link

US president Donald Trump has said Iran’s men’s football team is “welcome” at the 2026 World Cup but that it is not “appropriate” for them to be there “for their own life and safety”. Trump’s comments come after Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth, Ahmad Donyamali, said his country were not in a position to […]

Gary McAllister, chairman of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs (AONISC), has welcomed the arrangement whereby fans who had booked travel and accommodation for the Nations League game against Georgia in September before it was announced it would take place behind closed doors will receive match tickets for the fixture. In February, it […]

Manchester United‘s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney thinks a tactical shift from Guardiola is the reason for Foden’s lack of minutes. Rooney says City are not playing so much “side-to-side, through lines and keeping the ball for long periods”. “They’ve gone a bit more dynamic with Semenyo and Cherki. They’re a bit more dynamic than Foden,” […]

Available for 29 days Steve Crossman, Guillem Balague, Julien Laurens and James Horncastle look at the key stories from this week’s Champions League ties, asking whether Federico Valverde is the most underrated footballer on the planet. There’s also a look at the impressive displays from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Michael Olise. There’s also an interview with […]

Villa’s decision to go for Emery four years ago was a sign of their ambition to make a mark on the European stage. While they are still well placed in fourth position in the English top flight, as they aim to secure a Champions League berth next term, success in the Europa League would also […]

Manchester City and Barcelona hold talks over striker Erling Haaland, Manchester United scout West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, Newcastle eye Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara. Barcelona have held talks with Manchester City to ensure they get first refusal on Norway striker Erling Haaland, 25, should he ever become available for transfer. (Sport – in Spanish), external […]

Rangers say “all parties must be prepared to have their actions and decision-making subjected to proper scrutiny”, with Celtic referencing “serious concerns” raised by supporters about pre-match access arrangements. The Ibrox club have called for the review to be “thorough and wide-ranging” and to “include the broader context” around the match, from initial decisions on […]