Howe hails ‘big moment’ for Newcastle as Tonali strikes it lucky
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said Sandro Tonali’s eye-catching winner in Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Brentford was a “big moment” in their push to qualify for the Champions League.
Newcastle Sport News
Sandro Tonali’s stunning strike keeps Newcastle in Champions League hunt
Sandro Tonali blasted Newcastle firmly into the race for Champions League qualification with a stunning strike to seal a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford.
Howe targets ‘game-changing’ Champions League return for Newcastle
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is targeting a “game-changing” return to the Champions League after the club ended their painful 56-year trophy drought.
Bayern survive St. Pauli scare to stay on course for Bundesliga title
BERLIN: Leroy Sane spared Bayern Munich’s blushes with two second-half goals on Saturday, as the Bundesliga leaders beat relegation-threatened St. Pauli 3-2 to stay six points clear at the top of the table. Sane settled Bayern’s nerves after an uneasy first half, as Vincent Kompany’s side struggled once again against weaker opposition. “It was a bit tight at the end, but we are really happy to have got the three points,” Sane told Sky. Having dropped unexpected points against Bochum and Union Berlin in recent weeks, Bayern were under pressure to avoid a third slip after reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen narrowed the gap to three points with a 3-1 win over Bochum on Friday. Sane insisted that pressure was a good thing for Bayern, “because it helps us keep our rhythm when we know we have to win every game.” Yet they looked sluggish against a fearless St.
Martinez punishment ‘out of Flick’s hands’ as Barca focus on title
BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Saturday he is focussed on winning games despite the threat of a potential punishment for an ineligible line-up rumbling on in the background. Flick selected Inigo Martinez in the 3-0 win over Osasuna in La Liga on Thursday, after the Spanish defender had withdrawn injured from the national team squad for their recent Nations League matches. Osasuna appealed to the Spanish football federation on Friday over Martinez being ineligible, citing FIFA rules regarding players which have not joined up with their national teams when called on. “We won three points and this is my focus, so I’m focussing on the next match against Girona,” Flick told a news conference Saturday, a day before leaders Barcelona host Girona in La Liga. “The other thing is not in my hands, it’s not about me.” FIFA rules state that players cannot appear for their clubs within five days of the last national team match, if they did not join the squad when called upon without the federation’s permission. Martinez played 90 minutes against Osasuna after pulling out of international duty with knee discomfort, as Barcelona took a three-point lead at the top of the table. The match was played on Thursday after being initially postponed from March 8, when a Barca club doctor died, with neither side wanting to play it this week but both having appeals against it rejected. Flick lined up against Osasuna with star striker Robert Lewandowski on the bench, although he later scored when appearing as a substitute. The Polish veteran has 23 goals in La Liga, leading the scoring charts, known as the Pichichi, ahead of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe on 20. “Lewandowski is focussed on the success of the team, not just winning the
Eze leads Crystal Palace into FA Cup semifinals
LONDON: Eberechi Eze inspired Crystal Palace to a 3-0 FA Cup quarterfinal win at Fulham on Saturday with a goal and assist in a four-minute period in the first half.
Ed Bethell targeting international glory with Regional in Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night
LONDON: Royal Ascot-winning trainer Ed Bethell is set to chase his first international Group 1 victory as his star sprinter Regional lines up for the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night next weekend.
Bayern chief slams Canada Soccer again over Davies injury
MUNICH: Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen doubled down on his criticism of Canada Soccer on Saturday, saying their handling of Alphonso Davies’ injury was “astonishing.” The German giants had threatened legal action after Davies returned from the international break with a torn anterior cruciate ligament this week. Canada Soccer initially gave the 24-year-old the all-clear after he went off injured in his side’s 2-1 CONCACAF Nations League play-off win over the USA in California. But an examination in Munich revealed he had torn his ACL, ruling him out for at least six months and prompting Dreesen to accuse the Canadian federation of “gross negligence” in an interview with tabloid Bild. Speaking to reporters after Bayern’s 3-2 win over St. Pauli on Saturday, Dreesen said Bayern were in touch with Canada Soccer and would write to them next week demanding an explanation. “It can’t be that you put a player on a flight without a bandage on his knee and not notice that he has torn his ACL,” said Dreesen. “It can’t be that you don’t send a scan, when Los Angeles has, I think, the highest density of MRT facilities per capita of anywhere in North America.