Paulo Dybala scored a brace as Juventus went top of Serie A with a routine 2-0 home win against Udinese on Sunday.
With leaders Napoli in action later in the day against Inter, Massimiliano Allegri s men only needed a draw to claim top spot, even if only temporarily.
Dybala s double secured an 11th straight Serie A win as Juve seek a seventh consecutive title, with the champions now in ominous form, having kept eight successive clean sheets in the league.
Juve s latest victory was rarely in doubt at the Allianz Stadium after Dybala gave the Bianconeri the lead with his eighth free-kick goal for the club, a superb curling effort that gave Albano Bizzarri no chance.
Bizzarri denied Gonzalo Higuain from the penalty spot after Dybala was fouled, but the …
Diego Costa and Lucas Hernandez were injured as Atletico Madrid booked a place in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Lucas was replaced at half-time after suffering what Atletico described as a strong facial trauma in a 1-0 defeat away to Sporting CP, Diego Simeone s men heading through 2-1 on aggregate.
Costa followed shortly after the restart after the striker appeared to sustain an injury to his left leg, but 2010 and 2012 winners Atletico were able to cling on.
Injuries to Costa and Lucas come as a blow to Simeone, who saw his squad options reduced by the sales of Nicolas Gaitan, Augusto Fernandez and Yannick Carrasco who all moved to the Chinese Super League during the January transfer window.
46 | 1-0 | Atleti sub is taken off after suffering…
Diego Maradona would love to see former Argentina international and Boca Juniors great Juan Roman Riquelme back at the club.
Riquelme, 38, retired in January 2015 after 51 appearances for the national team and having starred for Boca, Barcelona and Villarreal throughout his career.
However, Argentina great Maradona said Boca – eliminated in the Copa Libertadores semi-finals – should consider making a move for the talented attacking midfielder.
If I had money, I would ask Riquelme to return, Maradona said in an interview with Fox Sports.
Riquelme was a four-time Argentine Footballer of the Year, while he won Olympic gold in 2008.
He won numerous league titles with Boca, as well as three Copa Libertadores crowns.
…
New Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has set his sights on winning the Premier League but concedes it is going to be a mountain to climb .
Solskjaer was appointed on a three-year deal by United on Thursday following a successful spell in charge on an interim basis after Jose Mourinho s dismissal in December.
The Norwegian, who left Molde to return to the club he played for 366 times, won his first eight games in all competitions before inspiring an injury-hit United to the Champions League quarter-finals with a comeback win against Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.
United have not won the Premier League title since Alex Ferguson s final season in charge in 2013, but Solskjaer says he has every intention of returning the Red Devils to the top of …
Former England captain Ray Wilkins has died aged 61, it has been confirmed by his family.
It had been reported that Wilkins, who played for clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United and AC Milan, was critically ill following a heart attack.
A statement released by his family via St George s Hospital in London, where he was treated, confirmed his passing on Wednesday.
It is with great sadness we announce that Raymond Colin Wilkins passed away this morning, the statement said.
We would like to thank St George s staff for the amazing work they have done to care for our beloved Ray.
We would also like to say thank you for the many goodwill messages we have received from Ray s friends, colleagues, and members of the public.
Ray leave…
Earning a Spain recall would be a dream come true for David Villa, but the New York City captain insists he is solely focused on the MLS play-offs.
Spain s all-time leading goalscorer Villa has not featured for the national team since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but the 34-year-old has caught the attention of head coach Julen Lopetegui.
Lopetegui revealed Villa who has 97 caps to his name could return to the international fold for next month s World Cup qualifier against Macedonia having scored 23 goals in 33 league games this season, but the former Atletico Madrid and Barcelona star is not looking beyond Sunday s Eastern Conference semi-final first-leg showdown against Toronto FC.
Now, one day before the most important game, I m not thinking about this, Villa …
Tomi Juric hopes Australia can show more of a clinical edge in their crucial final World Cup group game against Peru on Tuesday.
The Socceroos kept their hopes of a spot in the last 16 alive with a 1-1 draw against Denmark on matchday two, but they are undoubtedly facing an uphill task.
They are three points behind Age Hareide s side, who sit a further two adrift of Group C leaders France, and Denmark only need to avoid defeat to Les Bleus to follow them into the knockout phase.
Both of Australia s goals in Russia have come from Mile Jedinak penalties and Juric admits a better attacking display against Peru in Sochi would aid their chances of going through.
3 With three goals, Mile Jedinak is now Australia s second highest goalscorer in World Cup history …
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott lit up Goodison Park as England Under-21s eased past Northern Ireland.
The midfielder’s classy brace inspired the Young Lions to a comfortable 3-0 win on Tuesday.
He now has five goals in Euro 2025 qualifying while Reds team-mate Tyler Morton, on loan at Hull, opened the scoring with his first for the Under-21s.
Back-to-back goals for Harvey Elliott! |
— England (@England)
It leaves them second Group F, three points behind Ukraine who beat Azerbaijan 1-0.
In what looks increasingly likely to be a straight shootout for the group win, the pair play each other in the penultimate game in October, and the Young Lions are in the rare position of playing catch-up.
It is clearly a chase they can achieve…
Jurgen Klopp emphasised the importance of the three Premier League matches Liverpool will play before the World Cup break as they look to recover ground on their rivals.
Liverpool took the title fight all the way to the final day of the 2021-22 season, narrowly losing out to Manchester City, but they enter this weekend down in eighth, 12 points behind leaders Arsenal.
Ahead of the season pausing next month, the Reds will face Leeds United on Saturday, before visiting Tottenham after a Champions League clash with Napoli and hosting Southampton following an EFL Cup tie against Derby County.
Klopp s side at least head into the Leeds game on a high, having secured their progress in Europe with a 3-0 win at Ajax.
Since losing 4-1 at Napoli, Liverpool have been…
Russian Premier League club Zenit have sent Burger King s reported interest in a naming rights deal with them up in flames.
The fast food giant were rumoured to have offered a whopping €6.8million to Zenit if they changed their name to Zenit Burger King.
Amid a plethora of social media jokes – Zenit St Petersburger King, anyone? – Zenit settled this unusual beef by unseating The King from his throne.
With a little help from HBO s television blockbuster Game of Thrones, the club posted a GIF to their official Twitter account that ensure they gave Burger King a thorough grilling.
Who s the king?!
— ФК «Зенит» (@zenit_spb)
Zenit would not have been Burger King s first foray into football sponsorship, after they infamous…