Market: Lille double chance
Odds: 17/20 @
In a showdown between two French giants on Sunday night, Lyon will welcome a high-flying Lille to the Groupama Stadium.
Starting with the hosts, managing to make a much-needed return to winning ways last week, there is no doubt that Lyon will be looking to build off of that success on the road. Eventually leaving Montpellier with a hard-fought 2-1 victory, Les Gones are trying to find their feet under new boss Laurent Blanc. However, with many across France believing that the Whites are in an uphill battle to claim a European return this season, the one-time Manchester United defender has seen his side gain a reputation for their continued inconsistencies. On a run that is highlighted by a 3-2 victory away at Rennes on O…
Joaquin Correa felt his persistence paid off after scoring both goals in Inter s 2-0 win over Udinese.
Despite controlling possession in the Serie A clash, Simone Inzaghi s third-placed side had to be patient for the breakthrough at San Siro on Sunday.
It finally arrived on the hour mark courtesy of Correa s marvellous strike and the Argentina international doubled the lead with a clinical finish just eight minutes later.
On just his third start for the club and first at San Siro the Lazio loanee took his tally to four for the season since arriving from the Biancocelesti.
And the forward believes he and his team-mates reaped the rewards for their patience.
| OUR GUY
— Inter (@Inter_en)
It was a very complicated g…
The agent of Barcelona keeper Jose Manuel Pinto has revealed that his client would like to test his skills in English Premier League.
The 35-year-old arrived to Camp Nou as a back-up for Victor Valdes in 2008 and has since mostly been restricted to Copa del Rey appearances.
The player has one year left on his deal with the Catalans, but aims to play on for few more years.
“The first option, of course, as we always say, is to stay at Barca,” player’s agent Juan Maraver told COM Radio.
“From there, if this were not the case, he’ll give his maximum until June 2012.
”His preferred destination would be the Premier League.”
…
LDU Quito reached to quarter-finals of the Copa Sudamericana after a nail-biting second leg of their Round of 16 tie with Independiente.
Winners of the tournament in 2009, LDU Quito fell 1-0 to their Argentina Primera Division opponents on Wednesday but scraped through courtesy of a 2-0 win in the first leg in Ecuador on September 28.
LDU Quito had to hang on for dear life to claim the aggregate win, with Independiente pushing hard for a tie-equalling goal as time ran out at Estadio Libertadores de America.
Themselves former winners of the Sudamericana, in 2010, Independiente had claimed their way back into the tie moments before half-time when Leonel Nunez s strike was deflected past Alexander Dominguez in LDU Quito s goal.
But it was Dominguez who was …
Schalke have secured the services of experienced defender Naldo from Wolfsburg on a free transfer.
The 33-year-old has signed a contract with the Gelsenkirchen side until June 2018 with an option for an additional season.
We immediately looked into it when we heard Naldo was available, Schalke s sporting director Christian Heidel commented on the capture of the centre-back.
It was very important to add such an experienced player to our young and talented team.
Naldo enjoyed a seven-year spell with Werder Bremen before joining Wolfsburg in 2012. He has since made over 100 Bundesliga appearances for the club, while also winning the DFB-Pokal in 2015, but is looking forward to a new challenge.
I had a great time at Wolfsburg with plenty of succes…
Departing Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said he conquered France after guiding the French champions to yet another trophy on Saturday, though the Swede insisted he is still warming up .
Ibrahimovic a free agent when his contract expires at the end ofJune farewelled PSG in style, scoring a brace as the capital club ran out 4-2 winners over Marseille in the Coupe de France final, claiming a second successive domestic treble in the process.
The 34-year-old was at his trademark best at Stade de France, giving PSG a 2-1 lead via a 47th-minute penalty before completing the scoring eight minutes from time for his 50th goal of the season, taking his career tally with Laurent Blanc s men to 156 in 180 appearances.
This PSG group is very special, what we …
The Mirror understands that Barcelona are ready to drop their interest in signing Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho.
The Brazil international had been linked with a big money move to the Catalan club throughout the summer though the Reds managed to keep hold of their man.
Now Barca look ready to turn their attention elsewhere, with Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri very much on their radar.
Coutinho is now in his sixth season with Liverpool and has so far racked up on hundred and eighty-two appearances for the Merseyside club in all competitions, scoring forty-two goals.
He was named the club’s Player of the Year in both 2015 and 2016 while internationally he has been capped twenty-nine times for his country, scoring eight goals.
The twenty…
Michael Ballack says Germany face a challenge replacing a retired core of leaders as the world champions prepare for their opening game of Euro 2016.
Joachim Low s team will be without former captain Philipp Lahm, his fellow defender Per Mertesacker and striker Miroslav Klose when they take on Ukraine in Lille on Sunday.
The trio all called time on their international careers after lifting the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
And Ballack, who inspired Germany to the final of the World Cup in 2002 but missed the defeat to Brazil due to suspension, knows how important it is for the more experienced players in the squad to take responsibility in France.
We lost a few leaders with Lahm, Mertesacker and Klose which we have to replace, he told Omnisport.
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Leeds United failed to regain top spot in the Championship as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at struggling QPR.
Steve Bruce, meanwhile, extended his unbeaten run as Sheffield Wednesday boss to six league games as his side saw off Brentford 2-0.
Bristol City slipped up in their bid to consolidate sixth place, going down 2-1 at home to Birmingham City.
Elsewhere, Hull City returned to winning ways with a 2-1 home victory over Millwall.
to winning ways!
— QPR FC (@QPR)
FREEMAN DENTS LEEDS TITLE HOPES
Leeds did not manage to make their game in hand count as Luke Freeman struck to end QPR s seven-match losing streak.
Marcelo Bielsa s side would have gone top with a win, but went behind when Freeman tucked home from close r…
Paul Pogba joined Romelu Lukaku in dismissing reports of a row between the two after Manchester United s win over Southampton, calling the claims funny .
Lukaku had struck twice to help give United a 3-2 lead at Old Trafford on Saturday when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s side were awarded a late penalty.
Pogba stepped up to take the spot-kick, rather than allowing Lukaku the chance to seal a hat-trick, and the France midfielder saw his effort saved by Southampton goalkeeper Angus Gunn.
A report in British newspaper The Sun, which quoted an unnamed United source, claimed Pogba and Lukaku had a row over the penalty following the match and needed to be calmed down by Solskjaer.
When the hate don t work they start telling lies, came an apparent response from Luk…