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,”…
Author: Somto Isaac
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,”…
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick was an extremely proud figure, praising his players’ display as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Benfica on Wednesday, after playing most of their Champions League last-16 first leg tie with 10 men. After a red card to Pau Cubarsi early on in the contest, Raphinha’s second half winner put smiles on the Catalan faithful, especially manager Flick who was delighted with his players’ maturity and defensive focus. “It is a great victory,” Flick said to Spanish TV station Movistar Plus. “We are thrilled not only with the win but also with how we…
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes Arsenal can get glory from the Champions League despite their Premier League title challenge fading away. The Gunners travelled to thrash PSV Eindhoven 7-1 on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 and another appearance in the quarter-final looks all but assured but a meeting with either holders Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid waits in store. Mikel Arteta’s men have been underwhelming in their last games and their enforcing display at Philips Stadion was a statement of intent. Henry, who is Arsenal’s all-time top scorer and was involved in the 2006 final…