Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondentApr 19, 2024, 12:30 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Ilkay Gündogan has told ESPN that Barcelona are aligned in their pursuit of success ahead of El Clásico against Real Madrid on Sunday amid the fallout to his perceived criticism of Ronald Araújo after Tuesday’s Champions League exit. Gündogan was frustrated with Araújo’s
Clubs
Apr 19, 2024, 06:17 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The Football Association (FA) has defended its decision to scrap replays for the FA Cup from the first round next season, saying they discussed the move with the Premier League and English Football League (EFL). The FA said the call was made with the intention of
ESPN News Services Apr 18, 2024, 08:57 PM ET The director of a group that advocates for female sports fans says she and other Paris Saint-Germain supporters were subjected to “abusive” searches while entering Barcelona‘s stadium for a Champions League match earlier this week. Anoush Morel, the director of Her Game Too France, told L’Equipe
Newly-crowned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen reached the Europa League semi-finals but almost lost their season-long unbeaten record as they drew 1-1 away at West Ham United for a 3-1 aggregate victory on Thursday. Xabi Alonso’s side trailed to Michail Antonio‘s early header and were far below their usual high standards in the first half as
Jeff Kassouf Apr 18, 2024, 09:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions KANSAS CITY, Missouri — One thing is undeniably true about the recent and continued influx of talented young players in the National Women’s Soccer League: they would not be in the league right now without Olivia Moultrie. Moultrie is 18 years old, but is
Sam Marsden Moises Llorens Apr 18, 2024, 06:03 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Keira Walsh has said she is extra motivated to host Chelsea at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday as Barcelona eye back-to-back Champions League titles. Walsh, 27, joined Barça from Manchester City in 2022 and helped them win the Champions League for the
ESPN News Services Apr 17, 2024, 05:29 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he would echo his speech before the team’s barnstorming fightback against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League as they look to produce similar heroics at Atalanta on Thursday. Klopp’s side suffered a resounding 3-0 home loss in the
Open Extended Reactions MANCHESTER — It’s clear that Manchester City have established themselves within football’s elite since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan began to transform the club in 2008, but Real Madrid occupy an even higher echelon in the game’s hierarchy, delivering a painful reminder by dethroning the European champions and ending Pep Guardiola’s
Bayern Munich‘s Joshua Kimmich powered in a 63rd-minute header to give the Bundesliga side a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday and send them through to the semifinals for the first time in four years with a 3-2 aggregate win. Germany international Kimmich timed his run into the box perfectly to
Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FCApr 17, 2024, 10:45 AM ET Open Extended Reactions I was genuinely bummed out when Xavi announced, after the 5-3 home defeat to Villarreal in January, that no matter what happened from there, he’d be stepping down as Barcelona manager at the end of the season. Partly because I think
Apr 16, 2024, 04:26 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Wrexham‘s promotion won’t come with silverware in tow after the Welsh side were pipped to the League Two crown by Stockport County, who sealed the title with a 5-2 win over Notts County on Tuesday. The Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney owned side had sealed promotion
Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondentApr 16, 2024, 06:56 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández fumed about the decision to send Ronald Araújo off as his side were eliminated from the Champions League after Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Olympic Stadium. Xavi said Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs was a “disaster” and
Open Extended Reactions MUNICH — Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal reaching the Champions League semifinals at the expense of Bayern Munich would have a transformative effect on the club. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg last week, the Gunners face Bayern in Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening aiming to reach the last four for
Rob Dawson, CorrespondentApr 16, 2024, 09:10 AM ET Open Extended Reactions MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he “doesn’t fear” 14-time Champions League winners Real Madrid ahead of their quarterfinal second leg. City have faced Real Madrid in each of the last three seasons, knocking them out in the semifinals a year
Graham Hunter, Spain writerApr 16, 2024, 06:00 AM ET Close Graham Hunter is a Barcelona-based freelance writer for ESPN.com who specializes in La Liga and the Spanish national team. Open Extended Reactions I don’t think that this is particularly widely known or properly understood, but Jude Bellingham was always “scheduled” to be playing in the
Apr 15, 2024, 02:44 PM ET Open Extended Reactions AS Roma defender Evan Ndicka has been discharged from hospital and will undergo additional tests in Rome after he collapsed on the pitch during their match at Udinese on Sunday, the Serie A club said on Monday. The 24-year-old Paris-born player, who represents the Ivory Coast,
Rob Dawson, CorrespondentApr 15, 2024, 08:21 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Manchester United are content that Alejandro Garnacho has backed away from a potential row with Erik ten Hag after appearing to like social media posts criticising his manager but, according to a source, the forward’s actions will still be dealt with by the Dutchman.
Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterApr 14, 2024, 03:22 PM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Open Extended Reactions Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso hailed their Bundesliga triumph as “something extraordinary” after they secured
Adam Brown Apr 14, 2024, 11:30 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Liverpool fell behind in the Premier League title race on Sunday as they lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace at Anfield. The Reds’ recent struggles continued as they went 1-0 down inside the opening 15 minutes after Crystal Palace produced some intricate build-up play to
Napoli‘s aspirations for a top-four finish in Serie A were dealt a blow on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by relegation-threatened Frosinone. Napoli are now eighth with 49 points, putting them 10 points behind Bologna in the fourth Champions League spot with six rounds left. Frosinone are in 18th