Direct Champions League group stage qualification increased to 26 teams

The Champions League s quota for direct group-stage qualification has been increased from 22 to 26 teams, while UEFA also announced changes to kick-off times. 

Although the format of the competition remains the same from the group stage onwards, UEFA has revealed a number of alterations will come into effect at the start of next season for both the Champions League and Europa League.

Chief among those changes for the Champions League is the increase in teams going straight into the group stage, with the allocation increasing by four.

The Europa League will see a similar change, with 17 clubs now going directly into the group phase, plus another 10 dropping into the competition from the Champions League play-offs and third qualifying round.

There is als…

Tottenham Made The Right Call By Sacking Mauricio Pochettino

Tottenham Hotspur have become the latest Premier League team to become managerless after the Board of Directors decided to sack Mauricio Pochettino.

Some said Pochettino had an argument with chairman Daniel Levy over the team’s policies going forward. However, Levy made the decision based on the team’s poor run of results at the Premier League level. This should exclude the Champions League performances, where Tottenham were runner-ups last season.

It’s hard to deny what is happening with Tottenham if we look at their numbers. They currently sit in 14th place of the EPL standings with 14 points in 12 matches (W3, D5, L4). Plus, they are winless in their last five league outings (D3, L2). That’s a very poor record for a team featuring names such as Harry Kane, De…

Gary Cahill sent off 14 minutes into Chelsea´s title defence

Gary Cahill has been sent off for Chelsea just 14 minutes into their Premier League title defence.

The Blues captain was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Burnley midfielder Steven Defour in their opener at Stamford Bridge after he had lost possession with a heavy touch.

It is the third consecutive match in which the Blues have received a red card, having had Victor Moses sent off in May s FA Cup final and Pedro removed in last week s Community Shield, both matches against Arsenal.

However, it is the first red card Chelsea have received in league action for 40 matches.

1 Chelsea had gone 40 successive Premier League matches without a red card (since May 2015) before Gary Cahill s dismissal today. Off.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)

PSV Eindhoven 2/7 to win against NAC Breda in Sunday’s Dutch Eredivisie clash

Competition: Dutch Eredivisie
Market: PSV to win against Breda
Odds:

PSV Eindhoven travel to the Rat Verlegh Stadion to face NAC Breda in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday afternoon, and are big favourites to pick up all three points with how the two sides have started the new season. PSV could go top with a win this weekend, while Breda risk dropping to the foot of the table if they come unstuck.

As for the hosts, Stijn Vreven’s NAC Breda side find themselves just one place above the relegation zone after suffering defeat to Vitesse in their first game of the campaign. Breda lost 4-1 on the day and could well struggle to keep a side like PSV quiet as a result. Defeat could even see them end the weekend 18th.

Phillip Cocu’s PSV Eindhoven side are cu…

Van der Sar backs Eriksen to be Tottenham success

Edwin van der Sar has tipped Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen to be a success in the Premier League if he completes his move to Tottenham.

The 21-year-old Denmark international was reported to be in London on Thursday ahead of a move to White Hart Lane.

Eriksen has been linked with moves away from the Amsterdam Arena over the past few seasons after impressing for the Eredivisie side.

Van der Sar who is now marketing director at Ajax admitted it would be a big blow to lose Eriksen, but knows he has the quality to succeed in England.

He s a very good player and I would be sorry if he were to leave us,” he said. “He has great quality.

(He) is two-footed, is very quick, gives you a lot of pace on the ball and his corners and free-kicks are very good.

Prediction: Swansea City vs Newcastle United

Verdict: Swansea win and both teams to score

Best Odds:

Bookmaker:

It’s the return of the Premier League this weekend as Swansea host Newcastle at the Liberty Stadium. Both sides will be looking to build on their first league win picked up before the international break.

Swansea

Having been installed as pre-season relegation candidates, Swansea have made a pretty decent start to the Premier League. A 2-0 away win last time out to Crystal Palace and a 0-0 draw at St Mary’s mean the Swans are on a respectable four points from three games. It had seemed bleak just a couple of weeks ago when star player Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente left the club but some surprising signings in the transfer window has raised belief that it could be a successf…

Rumour Has It: Barca & Real Madrid battle for Skriniar as United include Maddison on shortlist

With Barcelona and Real Madrid keen to strengthen their defences, one Inter star is attracting interest.

Milan Skriniar is reportedly wanted by LaLiga champions Barca and Spanish rivals Madrid.

Will Inter be able to retain the centre-back?

 

TOP STORY – SKRINIAR WANTED BY LALIGA GIANTS

Barcelona and Real Madrid have set their sights on Inter defender Skriniar, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Skriniar – contracted to Inter until June 2023 – has established himself as one of the world s best defenders since moving to Milan from Sampdoria in 2017.

The likes of Manchester City and Manchester United have also been linked to the 24-year-old Slovakia international.

 

ROUND-UP

 Manchester United are …

Sporting Kansas City v FC Dallas: Luccin demands more than just resilience

Peter Luccin was thrilled with FC Dallas comeback against the Portland Timbers, but still sees plenty of ways they can improve.

Dallas came out on top from a topsy-turvy match in midweek, winning 3-2.

It saw Dallas bounce back from successive defeats, and they sit 11th in the Western Conference ahead of Sunday s clash with Sporting Kansas City, who are six points behind in 13th.

Asked what he liked about his team s performance against the Timbers, Dallas interim boss Luccin said: Resilience, resilience from the team. That was huge.

After the first half, we were very passive with nothing offensively. The only thing about the first half that I liked was the compactness of the team. We were compact, but no one making runs, no one even putting more pressure …

I love Napoli but we´ll see what happens – Koulibaly discusses future again amid Liverpool links

Kalidou Koulibaly insisted he loved Napoli, but said we ll see what happens amid speculation over his future.

Koulibaly, 29, has regularly been linked with a move away from the Serie A side, with Liverpool reportedly interested in the defender.

The Senegal centre-back, who is contracted at Napoli until 2023, acknowledged the interest in him, but said he loved the Italian club.

I love Naples and Naples loves me, that s the most important thing, Koulibaly said, via Sky Sport, after Thursday s 1-0 Europa League win over Real Sociedad.

I always make myself available game after game, I still have three years of contract, I m calm, the teams are looking for me but I m still here.

I play at my level and I help this team and these people because I wa…

Trippier and England ´absolutely delighted´ with Southgate decision to stay

Gareth Southgate s decision to remain as England manager has left his players absolutely delighted , according to Kieran Trippier.

The former Middlesbrough boss considered walking away from the post he has held since 2016 after his side were edged out in the World Cup quarter-finals by France.

With a semi-final appearance at Russia 2018, and a runner-up finish at Euro 2020, there had been questions over whether Southgate could depart before the end of his contract, which runs through to Euro 2024.

The subsequent confirmation he is staying has been positively received by his players, with right-back Trippier indicating the 52-year-old has the full backing of the squad he took to Qatar 2022.

We are all absolutely delighted about it, Trippier told the i new…