Competition: Euro 2016 Qualifier
Market: Netherlands to win against Iceland
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Netherlands lock horns with Iceland in their Euro 2016 qualifier this week, and the Oranje are favourites to come out on top with home advantage. Boasting a squad with the likes of Memphis Depay (Manchester United), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich) and a rejuvenated Robin Van Persie (Fenerbahce), only a win will do for the hosts after a poor start in their group.

Currently third in the table, Netherlands are six points off first-placed Czech Republic, and could go second ahead of Iceland if they win Thursday night’s clash. Join top scorers in the group so far, Danny Blind’s men are hoping to build up some momentum in a crucial tie that could well shape the outcome of the table…

Eintracht Frankfurt twice came from behind as Omar Marmoush s stoppage-time goal snatched a 3-3 draw against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

Marmoush, who had brought the sides level at 1-1 after Kim Min-jae s opener, salvaged a point when he raced onto Junior Dina Ebimbe s header and slotted in beyond Manuel Neuer in the 94th minute.

It marked a third game on the spin without a win for Bayern in all competitions, albeit they still top the standings ahead of RB Leipzig on goal difference, with Eintracht in third.

Bayern, desperate to bounce back from their midweek Champions League loss at Aston Villa and last week s Bundesliga draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen, went ahead when Kim slotted in after a quarter of an hour.

Their joy was short lived though, …

Prediction: Match to end in 1-1 draw

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Slovakia and Sweden will lock horns with each other in 2024–25 UEFA Nations League C this week. The Group 1 match between Francesco Calzona’s side and Jon Dahl Tomasson’s team will be held at Tehelné pole in Bratislava and is scheduled to kick off at 7:45 pm UK time on Friday.

Slovakia

Slovakia are a modest footballing nation in Europe, but they are not minnows. There have been occasions when Slovakia have done well, and these days they have a number of players playing in Europe’s top domestic league and are a force to be reckoned with.

The Falcons are second in 2024–25 UEFA Nations League C Group 1 at the moment with six points from two matches, level on points with leaders…

Dean Smith is intent on reminding Charlotte FC how good we could be as the visitors look to back up an impressive win when they head to Columbus Crew in MLS.

Smith s side humbled Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati with a 3-1 victory last time out, with Ashley Westwood assisting all three goals – a club record.

That eye-catching result marked a perfect response after back-to-back defeats against Inter Miami and Houston Dynamo, leaving Charlotte sixth in the East standings.

The next challenge for visiting head coach Smith is to keep his side honest, and more importantly, consistent.

I keep talking in our dressing room about how good we could be. And we ve got to be consistent, Smith said.

We ve just lost the last two games. I thought we pl…

Luka Modric says Croatia must play the best match of our lives to overcome Lionel Messi s Argentina in Tuesday s World Cup semi-final.

The 2018 runners-up Croatia have reached the World Cup s last four in remarkable fashion once again, beating Japan and pre-tournament favourites Brazil in dramatic penalty shoot-outs.

Croatia could become just the second team to win knockout ties against both Brazil and Argentina at a single World Cup next time out, after Germany did so in 2014.

Their hopes of reaching the final may depend on their ability to contain Albiceleste great Messi, who has recorded six goal contributions at the tournament – a tally only bettered by Kylian Mbappe (seven).

While Modric knows stopping Messi will be crucial, he warned Zlatko Dalic…

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is confident the club have the squad to win trophies in 2016. 

The Spanish giants failed to lift a trophy in 2015, finishing second in La Liga behind Barcelona and eliminated by Juventus in the semi-finals of the Champions League. 

Madrid are third in La Liga and were thrown out of the Copa del Rey for fielding an ineligible player, with pressure mounting on coach Rafael Benitez.

However, Perez remains upbeat about the club s chances in the second half of the season. 

I ask for health for everyone, work, welfare and happiness, he said in a New Year message.

And those who form part of this great family of Real Madrid enjoy new titles, which I am sure will come because we have great squads in football, and…

Sebastian Giovinco is determined to earn a place in the Italy squad for Euro 2016, believing his form at Toronto has helped put him back in the race for a spot.

Giovinco moved to the MLS side from Juventus in January 2015, with suggestions his time with the national team would end as a result.

The 29-year-old scored 22 goals and supplied 16 assists in his first season with Toronto, earning a recall to the Italy squad from Antonio Conte for the Euro 2016 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Norway last October.

The forward is confident he will form part of the squad for the tournament in France if he continues his sensational form in the 2016 MLS season, which begins when his side face New York Red Bulls on Sunday.

Some believed that I wouldn t return to …

Barcelona boss Xavi was angry and upset after his side conceded a late equaliser at Granada on Saturday.

The Blaugrana were on the verge of a crucial victory that would have seen them leap up to third in the LaLiga table, only for an 89th minute Antonio Puertas goal to cancel out Luuk de Jong s opener.

Speaking after the game, Xavi was frustrated with dropping two points as well as having to play the final 10 minutes a man down following Gavi s dismissal for a second yellow card.

We cannot leave happy. We are angry and upset, he told reporters.  We also lack experience, it s clear.

I m not talking about the referees, I m talking about the consequence of the expulsion. We are with one less, we have to go back [be defensive] and it costs us because we …

Mikel Arteta admits his spell in charge of Arsenal has been very, very intense after reaching 150 matches in the Gunners dugout.

The Spaniard hit the milestone during Sunday s 1-0 win over Chelsea that sent his side back to the Premier League summit following a brilliant start to the season.

Arteta has now matched the number of appearances he made for the Gunners as a player between 2011 and 2016, during which time he won the FA Cup on two occasions.

Speaking ahead of his side s EFL Cup showdown with Brighton, the manager reflected as he approaches nearly three years in the role, having replaced Unai Emery at the helm in December 2019.

A lot has happened in those two different experiences, but this one has been very, very intense, he said. The way it sta…

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey said team-mate Danny Welbeck is shattered after another knee injury ruled him out of representing England at the upcoming Euro 2016.

Welbeck who has struggled with injuries all season in his second season at Arsenal suffered another setback during his team s 2-2 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

The England international went down holding his right knee and has been ruled out for at least nine months after undergoing surgery on the injured knee.

Ramsey has plenty of experience of spending time on the sidelines himself and said that while injuries were bad at any point in a footballers career, they are particularly devastating ahead of big international tournaments.

I have spoken to him and obvi…