A goal by midfielder Edson Alvarez on his first start and a brilliant strike by Dusan Tadic fired Ajax into the Champions League group stage as they beat Apoel Nicosia of Cyprus 2-0 on Wednesday following a scoreless draw last week.

Edson Alvarez celebrates scoring a goal for Ajax in the Champions League playoffs. Getty Images

They will be joined by Club Brugge, who beat Austrian side LASK Linz 3-1 on aggregate, and Slavia Prague, who claimed a second 1-0 victory over CFR Cluj of Romania to win the two-legged tie 2-0.

After dominating the first half against the dogged Cypriot side, Mexican midfielder Alvarez put Ajax ahead just before the break, heading home Hakim Ziyech‘s superb free kick.

Klaas Jan Huntelaar thought he had doubled the advantage from a similar Ziyech free kick early in the second half, but his effort was ruled out after a lengthy VAR review found that defender Joel Veltman was marginally offside in the build-up.

Apoel suffered the same fate a few minutes later as an offside flag cancelled out what would have been a precious away goal.

With the visitors tiring visibly, Tadic put the tie beyond doubt with a sublime goal in the 80th minute, deftly controlling Huntelaar’s sumptuous crossfield pass before firing an unstoppable shot past Vid Belec.

That brought the 53,100 fans at the Johan Cruyff Arena to their feet, and they sang well after the final whistle to celebrate the progression of the four-times European champions and last season’s semi-finalists from a tricky qualifying phase.

“This was a difficult game for us, but with the help from our fans we were stronger. Teams always play very compact against us, and the state of the pitch today did not help our play,” Tadic told reporters after the match.

“But scoring the first goal provided some rest – Ajax belongs in the Champions League, we need to play Champions League every year.”

Defender Jan Boril scored for Czech champions Slavia Prague to give them a 1-0 home win over Cluj and a 2-0 aggregate victory to make the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in 12 years.

Midfielder Hans Vanaken put Belgian side Bruges on course for the group stage with a goal in the 70th minute but LASK Linz hauled themselves back into the tie with a penalty 16 minutes from time.

A red card for central defender Gernot Trauner ended their spirited fightback, however, and Emmanuel Dennis sent Bruges through with an 89th-minute goal.

The losing sides go into the draw for the group stages of the Europa League on Friday. The Champions League draw takes place on Thursday.

Source – ESPN

The majority of England’s top-flight sides will fancy their chances against lower-ranked sides.

Photo by Getty Images

Defending Carabao Cup champions Manchester City have been drawn away to Preston North End in the third round, while Manchester United will host Rochdale.

Last season’s beaten finalists Chelsea got a home tie against either Grimsby Town or Macclesfield Town, while Champions League winners Liverpool will go to MK Dons.

Tottenham face a trip to Colchester United and their north London rivals Arsenal are at home to Nottingham Forest.

Portsmouth will welcome rivals Southampton to Fratton Park for a south coast derby, with matches to be played in the week commencing September 23.

Sunderland produced the biggest shock of Wednesday’s second-round action, dumping out Premier League side Burnley 3-1 at Turf Moor despite falling behind to Jay Rodriguez’s first goal since re-joining the Clarets.

Will Grigg equalised for the Black Cats before Tom Flanagan and George Dobson struck in the first five minutes of the second half to complete the comeback for Jack Ross’ unbeaten League One side.

Sunderland’s reward is another clash with Premier League opposition, having drawn Chris Wilder’s newly promoted Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Bournemouth go to Burton Albion next after they needed a penalty shoot-out to edge past Forest Green Rovers following a goalless draw at home, while Leicester City – who will head to Luton Town – also triumphed on spot-kicks after a 1-1 draw in an all-Premier League tie at Newcastle United.

Everton fell behind in the first minute away to League One side Lincoln City but triumphed 4-2 to earn a trip to Sheffield Wednesday, who progressed thanks to Atdhe Nuhiu’s 96th-minute goal in a 1-0 victory at local rivals RotherhamUnited.

Portsmouth won 2-0 at QPR and Sam Surridge struck twice as Swansea Citythrashed Cambridge United 6-0 to set up a game at Watford.

Source – Goal.com

The Swedish striker believes he could still play in the Premier League having scored 22 goals in 22 matches for LA Galaxy this season.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes he is still good enough to play in the Premier League and joked Manchester United know where he is if they want to re-sign him.

The 37-year-old striker scored twice in the El Trafico derby as his LA Galaxyteam drew 3-3 with rivals Los Angeles FC in a pulsating MLS clash.

Those two goals took him to 22 strikes in as many league matches this season – including six in the last three games – and the Swedish forward believes his current form shows he could comfortably compete in England‘s top-flight again.

“I could play easy in the Premier League, so if United needs me, I’m here,” a similing Ibrahimovic told reporters. “But Galaxy has me, so I’m sorry.”

“Nah, I did my job in Europe. I enjoyed it, I have 33 trophies that I brought with me here and hopefully I can get something here. And then we will see where that adventure finishes.”

Ibrahimovic spent two season at Old Trafford between 2016 and 2018 and scored 29 times in 53 matches.

His spell with the Red Devils was cut short by a serious knee ligament injury and he moved to LA Galaxy in March 2018.

With United crashing to a 2-1 home defeat against Crystal Palace, the Swede says he watched the match and he believes luck deserted his former team.

“I saw [Manchester United’s] last game and I think they were unlucky,” he added.

“If they score the penalty, it’s a different game but a game in England is not finished until its finished.

“Anything can happen, especially in the last minutes where everything is in the heat of the moment.”

Ibrahimovic also spoke of his relationship with former United team-mate Paul Pogba, who the Swede recently said should be able to leave Old Trafford if he wishes.

With Pogba declaring he wanted a new challenge before the start of the new season, Ibrahimovic revealed he was a confidante to the French World Cup winner.

“I speak with him,” he said. “A lot of advice I give – but nothing I share with you!”

Source – Goal.com

A saga that has dragged on all summer long could be nearing a conclusion that would see the Brazilian return to Camp Nou.

Photo by Images

Barcelona are confident that they can complete a deal to sign Neymar before the end of the summer transfer window following face-to-face talks between the Blaugrana and Paris Saint-Germain in Paris on Tuesday afternoon, Goal can confirm.

A delegation that included CEO Oscar Grau, the man with the keys to Barca’s treasury, travelled to France with an offer of €160 million (£144m/$177m) plus bonuses for the Brazilian, to be paid in three instalments in order to keep in line with Financial Fair Play.

PSG, however, are asking for €100m (£90m/$111m) plus full-back Nelson Semedo. And the Catalans would rather not include any of their current crop of players in a deal that would see Neymar return to Camp Nou.

Regardless of the difference of opinion regarding payment, it is understood that Barca are now confident of reaching an agreement with the French champions – so confident, in fact, that they believe a deal could even be reached within a matter of hours rather than days.

“We don’t have an agreement yet,” Barca executive Javier Bordas told the press upon returning to Catalunya on Tuesday. “We are still talking but we are closer.”

For Neymar’s part, the attacker spoke to PSG sporting director Leonardo on Monday and conveyed his desire to sign only for the Liga champions, with Real Madrid seemingly not having shown enough interest to turn the Brazilian’s head.

In doing so, it is thought that the Parisian side are now more open to selling to Barca, having previously preferred to move on their star attacker to any other side due to the previous breakdown in relationship between the two clubs.

The presence of Grau in Paris cannot be understated either, with the chief executive officer fully in charge of Barcelona’s transfer funds. With Grau in France, a transfer would likely be wrapped up swiftly should the two clubs come to an accord on compensation.

Previously, the main sticking point in Barca moving for Neymar had been FFP regulations, with the Catalan club first having to get Philippe Coutinho’s wages off their books to make room for his fellow Brazil international at Camp Nou.

With Coutinho now having signed for Bayern Munich on a loan deal with an option to purchase, the final pieces of the Neymar puzzle could well be put together in Paris in the coming days and see the 27-year-old once again link up with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at the head of Barca’s attack.

Source – Goal.com

Former Manchester United forward Eric Cantona will be presented the 2019 UEFA President’s Award in recognition of his playing career and commitment to charitable causes, European football’s governing body said on Tuesday.

Eric Cantona works with several global charities, as well as Juan Mata’s Common Goal. Lynne Cameron/Getty Images

The 53-year-old Frenchman will receive the award in Monaco on Thursday during the Champions League group stage draw.

“This award not only recognises his career as a player of the highest calibre, but also honours him for the person he is,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement.

“A man who refuses compromise, who stands up for his values, who speaks his mind and in particular, puts his heart and his soul into supporting the causes he believes in.”

Cantona won four Premier League titles in five years with United in the 1990s and scored 64 goals for the Old Trafford club in 143 appearances.

The former Auxerre, Marseille, Nimes and Leeds United player won 45 caps with France and tried his hand at acting and beach soccer following his retirement at the age of 30 in 1997.

Cantona supports the Common Goal initiative, which funds football charities worldwide, and contributes 1 percent of his annual salary to the project co-founded by United’s Juan Mata.

Previous winners of the UEFA President’s Award include former players such as Alfredo Di Stefano, Sir Bobby Charlton, Eusebio, Raymond Kopa, Johan Cruyff, Francesco Totti and David Beckham, who was awarded it it in 2018.

Source – ESPN

Forward Romelu Lukaku scored on his debut for Inter Milan as they made a flying start under new coach Antonio Conte with a 4-0 win over promoted Lecce in Serie A on Monday.

Romelu Lukaku and Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte celebrate after the team’s win on Monday night. Claudio Villa – Inter/Inter via Getty Images

Marcelo Brozovic, with an exquisite curling shot, and Stefano Sensi gave Inter a 2-0 halftime lead before Lukaku, signed from Manchester United this month, opened his account on the hour.

Antonio Candreva completed the rout with a stunning strike from 35 metres.

Chinese-owned Inter appointed Conte, who previously won three Serie A titles with Juventus and one English Premier League title with Chelsea, to replace Luciano Spalletti in the close season in a bid to end eight seasons without a major trophy.

As expected, there was no place for forward Mauro Icardi who has been told he is not part of Inter’s plans but has yet to negotiate a move away from the club.

“I am very happy and satisfied; I like working with these guys who have always shown great willingness,” said Conte.

“Romelu has entered the Inter world with great humility, he is ready to work for the team.”

Lecce, back in the top flight after a seven-year absence, made a bright start, forcing Brozovic to make an acrobatic clearance and then Milan Skriniar to clear away Gianluca Lapadula‘s effort with goalkeeper Samir Handanovicbeaten.

But Inter quickly began playing the whirlwind football associated with Conte and Lautaro Martinez hit the crossbar with a free header from a Candreva cross.

Brozovic broke the deadlock in the 21st minute when he curled a delightful shot into the far corner from the edge of the area.

Sensi, making his debut after his move from Sassuolo, added the second three minutes later, scoring with a low shot which went through a defender’s legs.

As Inter continued to pour forward after halftime, Lukaku snapped up a rebound after Martinez’s shot was parried by goalkeeper Gabriel to add the third.

Lecce finished with 10 men after second-half substitute Diego Farias, making his debut after a move from Cagliari, was sent off for a reckless tackle from behind on Danilo D’Ambrosio.

Candreva’s dipping, long-range effort capped a near-perfect start for Conte’s side and sent Inter fans home with hope that this season they can finally challenge Juventus for the title.

Source – ESPN

The defender admitted he would have to earn his place in a stellar back line after being left on the bench against Parma.

Photo by Getty Images

Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt has confessed to being confused by head coach Maurizio Sarri’s decision to not use him at all in the Bianconeri’s first Serie A game of the season.

The defending Italian champions got off to a winning start in De Ligt’s absence, beating Parma 1-0 thanks to a goal by one of the men Sarri preferred in the back line, Giorgio Chiellini.

De Ligt said he didn’t think he’d be a substitute but knows that displacing a centre-back pairing that he considers one of the best in the world will not be easy.

“Of course, I would have preferred to play,” the ex-Ajax man said after the game.

“I couldn’t read this based on the training sessions, in that sense I didn’t see this coming, but obviously I respect the decision of the coach.

“I’m also realistic, I’m still getting used to being here in Italy. The duo that played today, Chiellini and [Leonardo] Bonucci, were seen as the best defensive pairing in the world.

“It’s not like you’re just going to play instead of them in the opening match. I’ll have to conquer them to earn my place in the team this season.”

De Ligt, bought from the Dutch champions for £78 million ($84m), was not the only new arrival in Turin over the summer, but former Chelsea boss Sarri did not select any of them in the starting XI.

Aaron Ramsey, who joined on a free transfer from Arsenal, is recovering from injury, but is close to being available, and has been picked by Wales manager Ryan Giggs for fixtures against Azerbaijan and Belarus starting on September 6.

Adrien Rabiot, who also arrived on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, did make his Juve debut from the bench, replacing Sami Khedira just after the hour.

Paulo Dybala, the subject of continuing transfer rumours, was named in the matchday squad but did not make it onto the pitch, with Juan Cuadrado and Federico Bernadeschi chosen ahead of the Argentina international.

The players who did not make an appearance in the match with Parma will have to wait until Juventus face Napoli on August 31 to potentially make their mark this season.

Source – Goal.com

The forward scored a pair of goals on his Camp Nou debut, as a pair of academy talents also made headlines for the Blaugrana on Sunday.

Photo by Josep Lago

It’s not often Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez can put their feet up and watch Barcelona rack up a big win from the front row, but Antoine Griezmann and Carles Perez gave the South American duo plenty to smile about on Sunday.

Both Messi and Suarez are out injured, along with Ousmane Dembele, and after Barcelona’s opening day defeat at Athletic Bilbao they were among the 80,000 inside Camp Nou fearing the worst when Real Betis took the lead.

However a Griezmann double, Perez’s third and strikes from Jordi Alba and Arturo Vidal got Barcelona off the board in La Liga, earning the Catalans an emphatic 5-2 win.

The best news for Barcelona was Griezmann’s display, as the French star became the first Barcelona player to score twice on his home debut in the 21st century – and the first football player ever to throw glitter confetti in the air after doing so as part of an elaborate pre-planned celebration.

After whipping in his excellent second goal Griezmann made a dart for the corner flag and grabbed a handful of confetti from a club employee, flinging it into the sky in front of the Barcelona fans.

It was a homage to basketball player LeBron James’s chalk toss, a legendary icon of the sport whom Griezmann likened Messi to in interviews when he arrived.

Some will wonder if this kind of frippery is going to detract and distract from Griezmann’s Barcelona career, especially after the kerfuffle over his 2018 documentary in which he rejected a switch to Camp Nou, but his performance glittered too on Sunday.

Barcelona dominated the early stages and one move in particular between Griezmann and Rafinha Alcantara sliced open the defence beautifully, although Betis eventually scrambled the ball away.

However a perfectly weighted Loren Moron pass found Betis’s star summer signing Nabil Fekir, who finished sublimely. Neither the assist nor the strike had an inch of leeway to spare.

But Barcelona, despite missing their two figureheads, continued to drive forward and got the equaliser their performance merited when Sergi Roberto dinked a neat ball to Griezmann, who lunged in to slide home.

Off the mark, then, and hungry for more – five minutes into the second half Griezmann scored his second, and this felt like the moment from which his Barcelona career will really take off.

The striker also expertly slid a ball across the box for Vidal to ram in Barcelona’s fifth goal on a wild night.

A word too for Perez, who lacks the sheer quality Dembele possesses but whose work-rate, concentration and willingness to adhere to the tactical desires of the coach exceed the former Dortmund winger’s performance in those areas.

Perez plugged away and got the goal he deserved after a good link-up with Nelson Semedo.

It was a good night for Barcelona academy talents, with Ansu Fati making his debut at 16 years, 298 days old and becoming the second youngest player to feature for the club.

Although he came on while the players were celebrating Vidal’s goal and moments later had to watch Ter Stegen picking the ball out of his net after Loren Moron’s screamer, it was an exciting 15 minute cameo for the teenager.

Ansu may not get the chance to play with Messi for quite some time but there was plenty here for the Argentine and the club’s supporters to enjoy.

On tonight’s evidence Messi will already be looking forward to getting back on the pitch and linking up with his new playmate Griezmann.

Source – Goal.com

LIVERPOOL, England — The clock struck 57 minutes and for Arsenal, already 2-0 down against Liverpool, the nadir was still to come.

With Mohamed Salah leading the way, Liverpool showed their class in sweeping Arsenal aside. Getty

Mohamed Salah received possession on the right flank and beat David Luiz with such ruthlessness that social media was awash with obituaries for the defender’s career. The Egyptian forward sped goalward, with Nacho Monreal’s presence proving to be no impediment either, before planting the surest of finishes into the bottom left corner of Bernd Leno’s goal.

The home side had a third goal through a piece of wondrous football, and despite Unai Emery’s side following a different tactical script on this latest visit to Liverpool’s red side, their all-too-familiar inferiority on this ground had been extended: this 3-1 reverse means that Arsenal have conceded 25 times in the last seven league games at Anfield, of which they have drawn two and lost five.

“We are the champions, champions of Europe” had been the opening chant from the home support after kickoff and what followed on an atypically sunny Merseyside evening served as a reminder of how wide the gulf is between these two sides, something a late Lucas Torreira consolation strike could not disguise.

Having begun the season with back-to-back wins, Arsenal arrived with confidence and a plan to starve Liverpool of space centrally. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola once remarked that Jurgen Klopp’s men “especially like to attack from inside, through the middle. I don’t think there is another team in the world attacking in this way with so many players capable of launching moves in an instant” and Emery wanted to stifle that strength with a narrow midfield.

Klopp admitted later that he “didn’t expect the system they played,” and the tactic encouraged Liverpool to use the twin threat of full-backs Andy Robertsonand Trent Alexander-Arnold on the flanks, with the visitors backing themselves to deal with crosses and fire the ball quickly upfield to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe, isolating them against Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip.

It was partly successful for 40 minutes, with Arsenal coping with aerial bombardment and sustained pressure. But while the best chances for the north Londoners came via their front men, they were created by Liverpool’s mistakes. The standout statistic of the first half was that Klopp’s charges made 128 passes in the attacking third, while Arsenal only managed 18.

Liverpool’s superiority would eventually be reflected on the scoreboard, beginning when Joel Matip headed in Alexander-Arnold’s corner four minutes before half-time. During a 10-minute spell after the interval, Salah got the better of Luiz twice — first winning a penalty as the centre-back tugged on his shirt, then leaving him in his shadow for his second and Liverpool’s third — to leave Arsenal on the canvas.

“I think now we have reduced the difference with Liverpool over the 90 minutes,” Emery said post-match. “We’ve reduced the difference from last year (Arsenal lost 5-1 at Anfield in December 2018), but at the moment it’s not enough.”

That last line summed up matters succinctly. Arsenal were not so awful as they have been here — they were organised, they had a blueprint and they created chances in the first half — but that was nevertheless not enough against the champions of Europe.

Liverpool, like City, are operating in a different sphere from their rivals, and neither have yet hit the heights of which they are capable. Klopp noted after the game, for example, that “we could have controlled it better; that’s probably our real challenge.”

“I think everything we did well in the first four games we did tonight for longer, more precise and better tuned,” the Liverpool manager added. “I loved the desire, the passion, the power and the energy that we put into this game. It made us really uncomfortable to play against.”

Arsenal can take solace in the fact they will not be the only side to huff and puff but still be blown away at Anfield, where Liverpool are now unbeaten in 42 league fixtures.

Source – ESPN

Zinedine Zidane’s side huffed and puffed against Real Valladolid as they struggled to create clear-cut chances before Sergi Guardiola’s late equaliser.

Photo by Getty Images

Last weekend’s win at Balaidos gave Real Madrid a false sense of security.

Against a stubborn Real Valladolid at Santiago Bernabeu, Zinedine Zidane’s side stumbled to a 1-1 draw on Saturday, exposing the problems the coach has with this stale squad.

With James Rodriguez starting his first game for the club since May 2017 and Gareth Bale playing again from the off, only Thibaut Courtois set the XI apart from a potential line-up from that era, or even earlier.

The difference is, that Madrid side also had Cristiano Ronaldo, a focal point, a star, a true killer, who has not yet been replaced.

In theory the man to do that is Eden Hazard, the marquee summer signing for €100 million from Chelsea, but the Belgian has yet to play after suffering a thigh injury on the eve of the season.

Perhaps it was excitement for the new campaign or the anxious, disorganised hosts, but a 3-1 win at Celta Vigo on the opening weekend left Madrid calm, following a stormy pre-season.

It was an unusually quiet week in the capital because of that, with only the swirling rumours about Neymar to keep heart rates above a resting pulse.

But those who love drama need not worry now.Brows will be furrowed after a disappointing draw against Valladolid. Zidane started already, watching on in dismay as Sergi Guardiola’s late strike cancelled out Karim Benzema’s opener.

Madrid dominated the game and took plenty of pops at Jordi Masip’s goal, but did not create many clear chances. In fact, Benzema’s goal, sublimely taken, came out of nothing.

The Frenchman received the ball on the edge of the area and brilliantly curled a low strike into the bottom corner.

It was a half-chance at best, but the forward has continued his stunning form from last season, when he was the only Madrid player who pulled his weight.

Madrid’s defence, a perennial problem for Los Blancos, let them down though, with Guardiola squeezing in and prodding through Courtois’s legs.

The former Chelsea goalkeeper does seem to let in too many goals fired low and close to his body, but the bigger problem was Madrid’s lack of spark.

James played tidily but did not deliver anything special – and this is while he is fit and trying to impress – the Colombian is not always as fresh and spritely.

Bale followed up his strong opening day performance with another acceptable rendition, putting in a fine cross which Luka Jovic headed against the crossbar with his first touch after coming on as a substitute.

It was the first time Bale had played at the Bernabeu since April 21, when he was jeered and whistled – this time the crowd was more receptive and applauded him for his efforts.

However Madrid fans turn quickly and a few more displays like this and the white handkerchiefs will be back out.

Zidane needs Hazard to return from injury as quickly as possible – there have been some reports that he may be fit for next weekend – to give the team fresh impetus and drive.

The winger has a silky touch and fantastic imagination on the ball and his presence could shake a Madrid side up which fell into a stupor in the second half against Valladolid, with the exception of Benzema.

Source – Goal.com