The two powerhouses closed the 2010 World Cup as Spain ran out 1-0 winners in the final, but they are now set to square off at the start of the 2014 tournament, with both sides hoping for a winning start that would get them much closer to the knockout stage.
No red cards were shown in the final game in South Africa, but only thanks to referee Howard Webb since everybody agrees Nigel de Jong should have been sent off for the blatant foul on Xabi Alonso. And with another intense affair expected this time out, you will definitely want to hear what BetVictor has to say.
If a Red Card is shown at any time during the Spain v Netherlands game, on Correct Score, First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Anytime Goalscorer, Half-Time/Full-Time, Scorecast and Spincast bets as a Free B…
Lech Poznan opened the new Ekstraklasa season with a 5-0 thrashing of promoted LKS Lodz on Friday, while Polonia Warsaw also won.
Lech, who finished fifth in the Polish top flight last season, secured the emphatic away win thanks to a hat-trick from Latvia forward Artjoms Rudnevs.
Rudnevs opened the scoring 21 minutes into the match at the Stadion GKS-u.
Lech were gifted a second just three minutes later when LKS defender Cezary Stefanczyk scored an unfortunate own goal.
Bosnian midfielder Semir Stilic then bagged the third goal with the match only 30 minutes old, sending Lech in at half-time with a comfortable lead.
It was Rudnevs, top-scorer in his first campaign for Lech last season, who was the stand out in Belchatow, netting twice in the spa…
Former Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi has compared Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti to Pablo Picasso because of his unpredictability.
Since moving to the French capital from Pescara in 2012, Verratti has developed into a key figure at the Parc des Princes – making 157 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals.
The 23-year-old s form has seen him linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona in recent months, with Sacchi expecting those links to continue as he improves with age.
Verratti is a talent. I know him well because I worked with him at Italy s youth teams. He is a player with a lot of quality, one of the most promising players around, Sacchi told L Equipe.
If I had to compare him to an artist, I would go with Picasso. He is unpredic…
Stephen Keshi s turbulent time as Nigeria coach continues as his side visit Congo for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday.
The drawn-out saga over Keshi s future goes back to the World Cup in Brazil, where confusion reigned over whether he had left his post following their last-16 exit to France.
Keshi had been in charge of the African nation since 2011, but, following the World Cup, led the team on a non-contract basis.
That arrangement came to an end when he was dismissed in October Shaibu Amodu appointed as interim replacement before Keshi s return was confirmed at the start of November with Nigeria having not played a fixture since his departure.
And the 52-year-old has a big task on his hands, with Nigeria three points off second-placed Co…
Coming off the back of winning the World Cup can actually be pretty hard, as difficult as that may be to believe. There s a certain standard you need to uphold in the years following the tournament, because if you don t, then the masses will jump at the chance to ridicule you. We ve seen it happen many times in the past, but when it comes to the French, it seems like they re in a pretty good place right now.
Getting the job done
Case in point: they tore through Iceland 4-0 tonight to keep their UEFA Euro 2020 qualification campaign going strong. Les Bleus played against the ultimate underdogs just a few years ago in Euro 2016, bringing their valiant push for a European title to an end in the quarter finals. On that night the Icelandic faithful were able to celebrate a few goal…
Ligue 1 defences beware – Neymar will be joined in the Paris Saint-Germain attack by Kylian Mbappe after the teenage sensation completed his switch from champions Monaco to the capital.
PSG have signed Mbappe on an initial loan deal which, when their option to buy is activated, will become a €180million transfer on a contract running until June 2022.
It has been a productive window for PSG but in the Premier League, deadline day was as notable for deals that did not come to fruition as those that did.
Alexis Sanchez remains an Arsenal player despite a £60m offer from Manchester City arriving. The crux was Arsene Wenger unable to acquire a top-class replacement, with Monaco s Thomas Lemar apparently the unwilling recipient of his attention.
Alex Oxlad…
Best Odds: 8/11
Bookmaker:
In what is a heavyweight Premier League showdown on Sunday afternoon, Chelsea will welcome a high-flying Arsenal to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea
Starting with the hosts, managing to make a much-welcomed return to winning ways earlier in the week while on European duties, Graham Potter s side will be desperate to make a statement on Sunday afternoon. However, while the Blues might have cruised their way to the knockout stage of this year s Champions League, they are coming off the back of a dreadful domestic display. Although the former Brighton boss might have enjoyed an extended unbeaten start to life in west London, the former European champions came crashing back down to earth on the south coast. With Potter suffering a nightmare retur…
Celtic are interested in signing Ben Davies from Preston North End in the January transfer window, according to . It has been reported that the Glasgow giants wanted to sign Davies in the summer transfer window, having identified him as a potential replacement for Kristoffer Ajer.
Although no move materialised before the window closes earlier this month, Celtic are reportedly still keen on the 25-year-old left-back and are working on a deal to bring him to Celtic Park in January. Davies, who can also operate as a central defender, is out of contract at Preston at the end of the season, but the Championship club in England are trying to convince him to put pen to paper on a new deal.
According to , Davies has played five times in the Championship for Preston so far this …
Market: Both teams to score
Odds: 4/7 @
In what looks set to be a fiery derby showdown on Saturday lunchtime, Norwich will welcome Ipswich to Carrow Road.
Starting with the hosts, eventually falling to what was an action-packed 3-1 loss away at Leicester earlier in the week, Norwich will be excited to make a return to Carrow Road here. Continuing to shine since opening the New Year and skyrocketing their way up the Championship standings, David Wagner’s men are now sat in the driving seat to clinch a play-off ticket in 2024. Marking thier return from March’s international break with a 21 win against Plymouth, the Canaries have continued to gain a reputation for their extended success on home soil. Including a stellar 5-0 romp against Rotherham prior to the f…
Graham Potter is one of the best coaches in the Premier League, and Chelsea will be rewarded for sticking with him, according to Pep Guardiola.
Chelsea face Guardiola s Manchester City in the EFL Cup third round on Wednesday – a task Potter is unlikely to relish given recent results.
After a nine-match unbeaten run to start his Stamford Bridge reign, Potter lost 4-1 at former club Brighton and Hove Albion last month.
A narrow defeat to Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday was a second in a row domestically, and pressure is already building on the coach.
But Guardiola thinks highly of his opposite number, and he said ahead of their meeting: I m not the right person to say that because it s not my business. But if Chelsea accepts my humble advice, wit…