ESPN FC’s Gab Marcotti dives into Gareth Bale’s saga at Real Madrid, calling the star’s antics “idiotic.” Shaka Hislop questions whether or not Gareth Bale will leave Real Madrid in January. Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale said anger over his treatment and media speculation about his future at the Spanish club had not distracted him from
The ESPN FC crew analyse Barcelona’s performance sans Antoine Griezmann in their 4-0 win over Sevilla. Steve Nicol weighs in on the rumours Barcelona may try to swap Antoine Griezmann for PSG’s Neymar. Frank Leboeuf explains why Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann’s on-field relationship won’t improve any time soon. The FC crew choose which of
The Serie Awesome crew discuss the strengths of Stefano Pioli ahead of his expected appointment at AC Milan. Alexis Nunes and Gab Marcotti detail Milan’s dramatic 2-1 win over Genoa. AC Milan have named former Inter boss Stefano Pioli as the replacement for Marco Giampaolo, who was sacked on Tuesday. Pioli’s last role in management
Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller says he’s always felt comfortable with the club amid continued rumours he’ll leave the Bavarian giants. Alexis Nunes and Gab Marcotti break down Bayern’s surprising defeat against Hoffenheim after beating Spurs 7-2. Ale Moreno assesses whether in-form Robert Lewandowski is valued as much as he should be at Bayern. Thomas Muller
Gab Marcotti muses over how Paris Saint-Germain will integrate their injured stars back into the lineup. Steve Nicol weighs in on the rumours Barcelona may try to swap Antoine Griezmann for PSG’s Neymar. Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop say Neymar’s performance on the field is the only way to win fans back after a dramatic
12:18 PM ET Atletico Madrid lost ground to La Liga leaders Real Madrid as they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Real Valladolid on Sunday, their third goalless draw in four games, after the hosts squandered a penalty in the first half. Striker Sandro Ramirez sent the ball flying over the crossbar from
Even before a ball was kicked, Manchester United bosses expected a hard season in 2019-20. Everton more than matched the asking price to loan defender Marcos Rojo on deadline day but the deal was canned at the last minute over fears that Marco Silva already had a stronger squad. Chris Smalling was told he could
From as early as I can remember, football was always the great equalizer. By now, everyone knows I have obsessive compulsive disorder and Tourette’s syndrome. It hasn’t been easy. But on the pitch, nobody cared. My facial tics, the coughing, none of it mattered as long as I stopped the ball from ending up in
Chicago Fire end their season with a rout of fellow playoff outsider Orlando City. Watch MLS on ESPN+. The Chicago Fire officially confirmed their return to Soldier Field for the 2020 season. The Fire will host 2018 MLS Cup champion Atlanta United in their home opener on March 21. The team made the announcement in
The FC guys break down how Wolves shut down a potent Manchester City attack in their 2-0 upset at the Etihad. Craig Burley says Manchester City need to get healthy after falling eight points behind Liverpool. Manchester City have caught Liverpool once in a Premier League title race and can do it again, according to
The transfer windows in Europe’s top leagues are closed, but it’s never too late to look forward to January. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below. Top 10 free agents in 2020 | European transfer review TOP STORY: Premier League giants want Haaland Three of the
In case you’re not familiar with expected goals (xG) yet, the statistic is built around the idea that the majority of teams and players convert the same chances at the same frequency. For the most part, the best teams and players aren’t the best because of their ability to finish a high percentage of attempts;
Craig Burley and Mark Donaldson give you five overreactions from the weekend in European football. The European Cup holders return to first place, ahead of three defending league champions. Meanwhile, Germany’s surprise leaders are a new entry. Dropping out: Manchester City, Inter, Granada Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on
Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool are setting a relentless early pace in the Premier League. Eight games into the 2019-20 Premier League season, Liverpool have made a record start by winning all eight fixtures so far to sit eight points clear of the chasing pack heading into the international break. For Jurgen Klopp’s team, the season
Alexis Nunes and Gab Marcotti detail Milan’s dramatic 2-1 win over Genoa. Pepe Reina makes up for a howler with a late penalty save to lead Milan past Genoa. Watch Serie A on ESPN+. Italian Serie A: Lasse Schöne (41′) Genoa 1-0 AC Milan. To watch Serie A sign up to ESPN+. AC Milan have
The ESPN FC crew analyse Barcelona’s performance sans Antoine Griezmann in their 4-0 win over Sevilla. Spain manager Roberto Moreno announced his squad last Friday in the now fashionable, social-media-friendly manner at which the Spanish FA has become pretty good. It’s ironic that it was Moreno, a Catalan, a self-declared Barcelona supporter and someone who
Bastian Schweingsteiger has called time on his football career. Chicago Fire midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has announced his retirement from professional football. In a statement released on social media Schweinsteiger announced his decision and thanked his former teams as well as his wife, former tennis player Ana Ivanovic. “Saying goodbye as an active player makes me
Olympique Lyonnais have parted company with coach Sylvinho and have named Gerald Baticle as caretaker, the Ligue 1 side said on Monday. Lyon are 14th in the standings on nine points after nine games, winning two matches under Sylvinho, drawing three and losing four. His last game in charge was Sunday’s 1-0 defeat away to
Arsene Wenger won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups as Arsenal boss. Arsene Wenger is interested in becoming Lyon manager, sources have told ESPN FC. Wenger is also considered as an attractive option by the French club although their priority is Laurent Blanc. Sources have told ESPN FC that former France boss Blanc
ESPN FC’s Ale Moreno explains why Kylian Mbappe’s presence at PSG makes Neymar an expendable asset. French football correspondent Julien Laurens explains the main reason behind Neymar not getting a move away from PSG this summer. A Brazilian judge says the model who accused football superstar Neymar of rape will face trial on charges of