Mauricio Pochettino insisted there is nothing personal between him and Jurgen Klopp ahead of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup final meeting with Liverpool on Sunday.
The pair faced off in the 2019 Champions League final when the Argentinian was in charge of Tottenham, losing 2-0 in Madrid to hand his opposite number a first trophy at Anfield.
The game is remembered for controversy after Spurs’ Moussa Sissoko was penalised for a contentious handball inside the opening minute, resulting in Mohamed Salah giving Liverpool the lead from the spot.
A third meeting in a League Cup Final The most played domestic cup final Encounter number four at Wembley
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— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup)
Southampton are interested in signing Fabio Carvalho from Premier League rivals Liverpool in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Leicester City, who won promotion from the Championship at the end of last season, are also keen on Carvalho, who can operate as a winger or as an attacking midfielder.
Carvalho has been on the books of Liverpool since 2022 when he joined the Reds after leaving Fulham. The 21-year-old Portuguese youngster found it hard to establish himself in the Liverpool first team under manager Jurgen Klopp. He had loan spells at RB Leipzig and Hull City in recent years.
Liverpool finished third in the Premier League table last season and will be aiming to beat Arsenal and Manchester City to the title this campaign. As for…
Raphael Varane will depart Manchester United when his contract expires at the end of this season.
The France defender, who is currently sidelined through injury, is set to leave the Red Devils after three years at Old Trafford.
Varane has made 93 appearances for the club since arriving from Real Madrid in August 2021, scoring two goals, and was part of the side that won the EFL Cup in 2023.
United occupy eighth place in the Premier League table with two games remaining in what has been a torrid 2023-24 campaign, and are in danger of missing out on European qualification.
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old is confident brighter times lie ahead for the club.
Thank you for everything,
— Raphaël Varane (@raphaelvarane)
It s been an am…
Paul Heckingbottom revelled in an unbelievable achievement after second-tier Sheffield United twice came from behind to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
The Blades prevailed 3-2 in a thrilling all-championship tie against Blackburn Rovers, becoming the first side from outside the Premier League to advance to the last four of the competition since Reading in 2014-15.
Blackburn twice led through Ben Brereton Diaz and Sammie Szmodics but were pegged back by a Sam Gallagher own goal and an Oli McBurnie effort, before Tommy Doyle s stunning 25-yard strike snatched victory for the hosts in stoppage time.
Heckingbottom saluted the character demonstrated by promotion-chasing United – who are second in the Championship – and wants his players to kick on.
Writing …
Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay has revealed the club will talk to Arsenal over a potential transfer for Mikel Merino, admitting the midfielder has a price.
Merino was left out of La Real s squad for their opening match of the season in LaLiga on Sunday, a 2-1 defeat at home to Rayo Vallecano.
The 28-year-old, who was part of the Spain team that won Euro 2024 last month, has made 242 appearances for La Real since joining from Newcastle United in 2018.
Reports have suggested Arsenal are working to bring him back to the Premier League in the closing days of the transfer window, with a fee of around £29.8million mooted after Merino entered the final 12 months of his contract in San Sebastian.
Aperribay has now revealed La Real are open to a sale for…
Francisco Conceicao proved the hero on his first competitive appearance for Portugal after his stoppage-time winner snatched a 2-1 victory over Czechia in their Euro 2024 opener.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in the European Championship s 64-year history to appear in six editions, but his landmark moment was overshadowed by a glimpse into Portugal s future.
Conceicao was introduced after 90 minutes and scored just two minutes later, capitalising on a loose ball to send Portugal level on points with leaders Turkiye, who beat Georgia 3-1 earlier on Tuesday in Group F.
Robin Hranac s unavoidable own-goal had earlier cancelled out Lukas Provod s rocketed second-half opener before Conceicao announced himself on the international stage at the Leipzig Stadi…
Ledley King is confident Harry Kane will not down tools amid Bayern Munich s efforts to sign him, with the former Tottenham defender hopeful Spurs will hold onto their star player.
Kane, whose 30 Premier League goals last season were not enough to help Spurs seal a European place, has been the subject of two bids from Bayern.
Both of those have been rejected by Spurs, though with Kane out of contract next year, there remains a possibility the England captain might finally end his long association with the club.
King, though, is hoping Kane will stay and play a key part in Ange Postecoglou s team.
He told Stats Perform: It s always important to keep your best players, of course.
Harry s an unbelievable player and what goes on from here is obviousl…
James Tavernier wants to get Rangers fans back onside under the tenure of Philippe Clement.
The Gers players were booed off following the 3-1 cinch Premiership defeat by Aberdeen at Ibrox last month which brought an end to Michael Beale’s time in the hot seat.
It was far from the first time this season that the Light Blues fans turned on their side who have slipped seven points behind league leaders and current champions Celtic and who were knocked out of the Champions League by PSV Eindhoven in the play-off.
Former Gers midfielder Steven Davis stepped in to oversee a shock 2-1 Europa League defeat by Aris Limassol in Cyprus which did little to improve the mood of the Gers supporters and a 3-0 league win over St Mirren in Paisley before Clement was appointed on…
The Australian government said Sunday it backed the country s bid to organise the 2018 World Cup, despite comments from FIFA President Sepp Blatter that Europe would likely host the tournament.
Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said Blatter had been a little cute when he suggested the World Cup would move back to the northern hemisphere for 2018.
Blatter, who was in Sydney for FIFA s 58th Congress, last week indicated that football s biggest competition would by hosted by a European contender and urged some nations, including Australia, to re-think their bids.
We have South Africa in 2010 and Brazil in 2014. Australia is also in the southern hemisphere is that not so? he said.
It would be a logical approach for the 2018 competition to go back (to the n…
Austria s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012 took a jolt following a 2-0 home defeat against Belgium on Friday.
Standard Liege midfielder Axel Witsel did the damage for the visitors with goals in either half, ensuring Austria fell to the first defeat of the qualifying campaign.Austria remain second in qualifying Group A but five points behind leaders Germany, while Belgium rise to third, equal on points with Austria.Expectations of a match approaching something like their 4-4 draw in Brussels last October were quickly sunk as Austria managed just the one real chance in 90 minutes.Belgium goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was at hand to smother that opportunity, collecting the ball at his feet after Austria captain Marc Janko was sent through.Witsel put the visitors ahead in just the six…