Lille
PSG quartet miss huge Ligue 1 fixture against Lille
Parc des Princes is the venue as Paris Saint-Germain and Lille battle it out for a top place in Ligue 1 on Saturday. PSG head into proceedings as table-toppers, albeit level on points with their upcoming rivals. Both sides have blown hot and cold lately and will be looking to prove a point in one of the most highly anticipated fixtures on the French football schedule. Paris Saint-Germain Preview Paris endured mixed fortunes in their five Ligue 1 matches ahead of the international break (W3, L2), all of which featured at least one first-half goal. After being held goalless to Lille in the reverse fixture earlier this season, Les Parisiens face the prospect of failing to beat this opposition in back-to-back league matches for the first time since 2012. Coming into this matchday, Mauricio Poc...
Spurs reportedly eye summer move for £22m forward in scintillating form
According to reports from Sky Sports, Tottenham Hotspur are checking on Lille winger Jonathan Bamba ahead of a potential summer move. The report claims that Spurs are unlikely to keep Gareth Bale for another year with them on loan. The Welshman has one year left on his Real contract. Bale has said recently that his plan “is to go back” to Madrid at the end of the season. “The original plan was to do a season at Spurs and after the Euros still have a year left at Real Madrid,” Bale told Sky Sports. Spurs – irrespective of where they finish at the end of the season – will be looking to add a quality attacking forward in the summer transfer window. The north London club have been track potential new forwards, including Bamba and Nicholas Gonzalez. Bamba joined Lille in 201...
Spurs have reportedly identified 25y/o as replacement for Man Utd-linked star
According to L’Equipe, Tottenham Hotspur are keen on snapping up Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan this summer. Spurs assistant head coach Joao Sacramento and goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos know the 25-year-old from their time together at the French club, and he has been touted as a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris. The 34-year-old could leave Spurs at the end of the campaign, and while he has been linked with a return to OGC Nice, he could choose to remain in the Premier League, with Manchester United reportedly a possible destination. Sportslens View Maignan is a major reason why Lille are level on points with Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the Ligue 1 table with just eight games left given his huge quality, and he is not short of suitors at the moment. Serie A giants AC Milan are als...
WCQ: Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele returns to France squad
Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele has been rewarded for his upturn in form with a recall to the France squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The 24-year-old hasn’t featured for Les Bleus since the summer of 2019 but now has the chance to add to his six international caps in matches against Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Other notable returnees include Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Lemar, who hasn’t featured since November 2019, while Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele, a member of their 2018 World Cup-winning squad, is back for the first time in two-and-a-half years. This represents Ndombele’s first international call up since his club-record €60 million (£54m/$68m) move from Lyon to Tottenham. The Frenchman arrived in north London with a reputation as an all-action midf...
Edinson Cavani: I almost joined Manchester United ahead of Napoli
Edinson Cavani has revealed he almost joined Manchester United 11 years ago. Cavani revealed he almost joined Manchester United in 2010. The Uruguayan was with Palermo at the time but ended up joining Napoli and then Paris Saint-Germain – before signing for United a decade later. Discussing it with Inside United, Cavani said: “Just imagine it! I can’t remember exactly what happened. “I do remember there was talk about one or two different teams, but hey, if I’d had that opportunity [to join United], I would have taken it, of course I would, without giving it a second thought. “I don’t remember definitively if that was the case. “But what I do remember is that I was due to travel to the World Cup in South Africa, and during that tournament, I had a conversation with Napoli, and well, told t...
Kylian Mbappe wants 700,000 euros a week
Kylian Mbappe has said he will only renew if big money is involved. He has yet to make a firm decision on his future, but he is clear that he wants a pay rise if he is to extend his contract. He wants 36 million euros a year, like Neymar. PSG are going to be involved in tough negotiations to keep hold of Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman is studying his options before deciding on his future, but he is clear what his transfer demands are if he is to form part of a new peoject. And his salary is the main issue. Mbappe wants to be seen as one of the best footballers in Europe and he wants that to be reflected in his salary. According to ‘The Athletic’, Man City have pulled out of the race to get the French striker after finding out about his transfer demands. Kylian, therefore, wants to earn sligh...
Victor Osimhen returns to training ahead of Bologna clash
Victor Osimhen has returned to full training ahead of Napoli’s Serie A game against Bologna at Stadio San Paolo on Sunday. The 22-year-old suffered head trauma after landing awkwardly on the turf following a collision with Cristian Romero in his side’s defeat to Atalanta on February 21. The forward spent the night in the hospital and underwent several tests but has been cleared of any damage to his head. The Nigeria international missed Napoli’s clash against Granada in the Europa League as well as their league games against Benevento and Sassuolo. The Parthenopeans have now confirmed the Super Eagles forward has rejoined the rest of his teammate in preparation for their league game against Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men “Osimhen did the whole session with the team,” read a statement from the clu...
Arsenal star bolsters line-up, but Arteta takes big risk in defence
The Europa League takes centre stage this evening with the round of 32 second leg ties featuring some enthralling fixtures. We’ll update this story with reports, results and the latest Europa League highlights as the games are played. One tie has already been completed, with Tottenham Hotspur beating Wolfsberger 4-0 on Wednesday to book their place in the last-16. Arsenal are in early action against Benfica on Thursday and will fancy their chances of going through after drawing 1-1 in the first leg. Kieran Tierney is in the starting XI for the Gunners, but the inclusion of David Luiz and Hector Bellerin in defence is a risky move by manager Mikel Arteta. 📋 Tonight’s team news is in! 🏴 @KieranTierney1 starts🇧 ...
Ajax pair will miss out, Lille almost at full strength
Thursday’s Europa League action gets underway at 5.55 pm as Ajax welcome Lille to the Johan Cruijff Arena for the return leg of their last-32 tie. Ajax hold a 2-1 advantage following the first-leg in France last week. All three goals were scored after half-time. Timothy Weah slotted the ball past Maarten Stekelenburg to put the home team in front in the 72nd minute. However, Ajax skipper Dusan Tadic converted a spot-kick in the 87th minute to initiate the comeback. The visitors did not have to wait long to complete the turnaround. Davy Klaassen unlocked Lille’s defence with a pinpoint through ball, with Brian Brobbey poking home from a few yards out. The French giants now have a mountain to climb in Amsterdam. Ajax Preview Ajax have joined the Europa League on the back of their premature C...
Ligue 1 Preview: Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco to face off in must win encounter
This season’s Ligue 1 has been one of the most captivating campaigns in recent years in France, with four teams very much in the hunt for the league title. This weekend’s batch of fixtures in the French top-flight could prove to be crucial, as two of the quadrant, Paris Saint-German and AS Monaco, face-off this weekend in a game that could have huge ramifications for the Ligue 1 table. Here is a preview of the games you can look forward to this weekend. Brest vs Lyon 19-02-21 (BT Sport ESPN) 20:00 GMT The weekend action in France kicks-off tonight, as Lyon travel to Brittany to take on mid-table Stade Brestois. OL will have to be at their best in this match as Olivier Dall’Oglio’s Stade Brest have proven to be stern opposition so far this season. Rudi Garcia will be keen for...
Ligue 1 Preview: Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco to face off in must win encounter
This season’s Ligue 1 has been one of the most captivating campaigns in recent years in France, with four teams very much in the hunt for the league title. This weekend’s batch of fixtures in the French top-flight could prove to be crucial, as two of the quadrant, Paris Saint-German and AS Monaco, face-off this weekend in a game that could have huge ramifications for the Ligue 1 table. Here is a preview of the games you can look forward to this weekend. Brest vs Lyon 19-02-21 (BT Sport ESPN) 20:00 GMT The weekend action in France kicks-off tonight, as Lyon travel to Brittany to take on mid-table Stade Brestois. OL will have to be at their best in this match as Olivier Dall’Oglio’s Stade Brest have proven to be stern opposition so far this season. Rudi Garcia will be keen for...
Key Arsenal player unlikely to be risked, Tottenham star omitted
The Europa League is back with a bang on Thursday as the round of 32 gets underway. Eight clubs have dropped into the competition from the Champions League, joining the 24 who safely navigated through the group phase. Manchester United and Ajax are the biggest names to enter the Europa League at this stage, and both will fancy their chances of making progress. However, with Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Leicester City, AC Milan and Napoli amongst a strong line-up, winning the Europa League will not be easy. All four Premier League clubs are on the road for their first leg matches, with Arsenal facing the toughest test against Benfica. The Gunners have been boosted by Kieran Tierney’s return to training, but the defender is unlikely to be included in the starting XI. Spurs will be without Joe...
