Despite fans and players celebrating qualification to the UEFA Champions League quarter finals following a hard fought win against Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was more concerned with his side’s performance than the result. Los Blancos wrapped up a 4-2 victory in a penalty shootout after the tie ended 2-2 on aggregate. Ancelotti was however disappointed that his side let in a goal inside the first minute that brought the contest at level matters as he insisted on more sharpness as they gear up to face Arsenal for a spot in the last four of Europe’s premiere competition.…
Author: Somto Isaac
Arne Slot pointed to the fact his Liverpool team were unlucky in the “best game” he has ever been involved in, following their Champions League exit on Tuesday against Paris Saint-Germain. The French giants were the dominant team in last week’s first leg but Harvey Elliott’s late goal snatched a win for the Reds at Parc des Princes. However, it was a reverse case as Slot watched some poor conversion of chances on display as Ousmane Dembele’s goal on 12 minutes proved decisive. PSG then triumphed on penalties after spot kicks from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones was saved by…
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique praised his side for qualifying for the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League while also insisting Liverpool were deserving of progression too. Enrique exhumed pride with his side’s performance as they came from a goal down from last week’s first leg to beat the Premier League leaders 1-0 at Anfield on Tuesday – while also winning 4-1 in the penalty shootout. “Both of the teams deserved to go to the next phase, they play better than us here, but I think my team at Anfield, in a special stadium, showed great personality and character,”…
Mikel Arteta expressed outrage at his team’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United, a result that might have blown Arsenal’s chances at the Premier League title. The Gunners trail leaders Liverpool by 15 points, and with 10 matches left to execute, Arne Slot’s team seems primed for their 20th league crown. Arteta was a visibly frustrated figure following the fact that his side could get just a single goal in the contest through Declan Rice’s second half strike against a United side struggling in 14th place. “Very frustrating we haven’t won with the dominance and the chances we…
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca fired back at critics of his side’s 1-0 triumph against Leicester City, stating that getting wins in the Premier League is not as easy as it looks on a “PlayStation console”. The Blues rose to fourth on the league table, thanks to Marc Cucurella’s strike in the second half. However, Chelsea’s display against 19th placed Leicester was largely unaccepted by the fans, who booed the players off at halftime. Maresca has previously defended his preferred possession style of play for his team as opposed to swift attacks under his tutelage — and his sentiments were no…
Barcelona president Joan Laporta faced the media following the death of the club doctor, Carles Minarro, while also expressing gratitude to Osasuna and LaLiga for accepting the request to postpone the scheduled game for Saturday. The Blaugrana supremo, whose facial expression showed immense grief, stated that the first team’s doctor “was a man very dear to everyone” while also explaining what transpired. “He passed away this afternoon at the team’s training camp. As you can imagine, the players, the staff, the coach, everyone was very sad. He was a person who was very much loved, who came to all the…
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard understands facing Manchester United will be a hard task despite their struggles this season but insists the Gunners will travel to Old Trafford searching for a win. The Red Devils have won just two of their last seven home games in the Premier League, against relegation-threatened Southampton and Ipswich Town. However, Ruben Amorim’s side who sit 15th on the log have shown signs of a different spirit, including a penalty shootout triumph at Arsenal in the FA Cup, in January. “When they click as a team it’s challenging to play them,” Odegaard said to reporters. “They’re…
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has made a rallying call to his players, insisting that Champions League qualification will not “fall from the sky”, after suffering a 1-0 loss at fellow top four contenders Nottingham Forest. The Cityzens were on the receiving end of their ninth league loss of the campaign – the most since the 2019-20 season – after Callum Hudson-Odoi’s winning goal in the 83rd minute. The return to Europe’s premiere club competition could now be in doubt for City, as they must now find a way to overturn their stunning decline. “We have to win games. We…
Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a calf injury while celebrating in Wednesday’s Champions League 3-0 triumph over Bayer Leverkusen. The German was pictured limping and was then subbed off in the second half after Jamal Musiala put the Bavarians 2-0 ahead. Bayern released a statement on Thursday confirming the goalkeeper’s injury as he will be out for the time being. The 38-year-old, who recently extended his contract at Bayern until 2025, was out of action for almost a year with a broken leg in a skiing accident from December 2022…
Liverpool manager Arne Slot understood his side were fortunate to come away with a 1-0 win at Paris Saint-Germain in their UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday. “If we had a draw over here we would have already been the lucky one. That is clear for everyone,” Slot said. The French giants were the dominant party in the clash at Parc des Princes but Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker was in supreme form as substitute Harvey Elliott scored in the 87th minute to steal the victory. “They were the much better team today, especially in the first half,”…