Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic feels N Golo Kante is a better holding midfielder than Claude Makelele.
Makelele made over 200 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea between 2003 and 2008 and was regarded as one of the best players in his position at the time.
Kante has often been likened to his compatriot, but Matic is adamant the 25-year-old former Leicester star has something extra.
Many people say that he is the new Makelele, but I don t think so, Matic told Sky Sports.
Makelele was a great player and we all respect him, me especially because I know that position and how it is difficult to play. But I think that N Golo is better than him. He is doing his defensive job very well and with the ball he has some extra quality.
I know how d…
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) have announced that national team manager Rob Page has signed a new four-year contract.
Page took over as Wales boss on a caretaker basis in November 2020 following Ryan Giggs arrest on assault charges and led the side to World Cup qualification for the first time in 64 years.
The 48-year-old also helped Wales reach the last 16 at Euro 2020 and secure Nations League A qualification for the first time.
Giggs resigned in June, with Page taking over permanently, and the FAW have moved to secure him to a long-term deal with a view to their qualifying campaigns for Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup.
There is no bigger honour than coaching your national team and I can’t wait for the challenge the next four years will br…
Kylian Mbappe and Neymar scored hat-tricks as Paris Saint-Germain brought an emphatic end to their poor away form with a resounding 6-1 victory at Clermont in Ligue 1.
Neymar and Mbappe struck in the opening 19 minutes as PSG ended a run of four straight losses on the road in all competitions and moved 15 points clear at the summit.
Jodel Dossou pulled one back for Clermont but Neymar scored from the spot and then set up Mbappe three minutes later as Mauricio Pochettino s men showed their teeth in the closing stages.
Mbappe completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes remaining and then returned the favour for Neymar, teeing him up for his third as PSG stayed on track for the title.
The visitors took the lead in controversial circumstances, Neymar s goa…
Manchester City took another big step towards the Premier League title as they thrashed Liverpool 4-1 on Sunday, a record-equalling 14th straight victory in all competitions.
Only Preston North End, whose run ended in January 1892, and Arsenal in 1987 have ever achieved such a sequence of wins while in England s top flight.
City can now set a new benchmark against Swansea in the FA Cup on Wednesday.
They have moved five points clear of second-placed Manchester United with a game in hand at the top of the Premier League, while Liverpool are back in fourth, 10 points off the pace.
Defending champions Liverpool were undefeated in 68 consecutive home league matches before hosting Burnley last month but have now lost three in a row at Anfield for the first tim…
Manchester United are interested in signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023, according to . The report has claimed that the Red Devils wanted to secure the services of the England international midfielder in 2020, but the teenager moved to Borussia Dortmund instead.
The former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners are keen on securing the services of the 19-year-old next summer and have made him their number one priority at the end of the season. Bellingham has established himself as one of the best young midfielders in the world and has been superb for Dortmund, both in the Bundesliga and in the UEFA Champions League.
Bellingham has scored three goals and provided one assist in 12 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund so far this s…
Adrian saved from Tammy Abraham as Liverpool beat Chelsea 5-4 on penalties to win the first all-English UEFA Super Cup following a 2-2 draw in Istanbul.
Olivier Giroud gave Frank Lampard s side a deserved first-half lead on Wednesday, but the introduction of Roberto Firmino as a half-time substitute changed the game for the Reds.
Firmino quickly set up Sadio Mane for the equaliser and, in the first period of extra time, the Senegal star smashed home from his team-mate s pass again before Jorginho equalised from the penalty spot.
But it was the European champions who triumphed in the shoot-out, Alisson s deputy Adrian denying Abraham with his right leg to secure victory for Jurgen Klopp s side.
Liverpool win on penalties in Istanbul!
— UEFA …
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone suggested Joao Felix, Diego Costa and Alvaro Morata could be set to start together in LaLiga for the first time.
Morata started the campaign alongside record signing Joao Felix when Costa was sidelined by an adductor injury.
After Morata succumbed to a knee problem, Simeone then opted to field Costa with Joao Felix in Atleti s attack.
With Morata fully fit and Atletico having failed to score in successive LaLiga games against Real Sociedad and Celta Vigo, Simeone could select the trio together for Wednesday s trip to Real Mallorca.
As I always said, and I said it before in some other press conferences, when Alvaro and Diego are both strong and in shape it s very likely that they will play together, he told repo…
Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane says he is disappointed for his players but remains satisfied with their efforts following the 0-0 draw at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Victory would have seen Los Blancos close the gap to Barcelona back to six points after the leaders dropped points against Celta Vigo, but the champions were unable to find the all-important goal against a side which is now winless in six league matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema could all have done better with first-half chances as Madrid s scoring troubles came to the fore once again.
It was the third time they have been held scoreless in this LaLiga campaign and a worrying trend which has left them fourth in the table, still eight points shy of pace-setters Barca.
According to a recent report from ESPN, Italian champions Juventus are interested in the possibility of signing Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson. The 21 year old youngster has been at Old Trafford since 2011 when he made the transition over from local club Carlisle, but ever since then he’s been sent out on loan to a series of different clubs. He’s currently with Sheffield United down in the Championship, where he’s been impressing for quite some time.
Juve aren’t the only major European club that could be in the running, though, with Bayern Munich also registering their interest. Henderson has five caps for the England under 21s but hasn’t actually made his official debut for the Red Devils yet, with David de Gea being a primary reason for that.
A …
Manchester United team-mates past and present have hailed Wayne Rooney after his departure to Everton was confirmed on Sunday.
Rooney leaves Old Trafford as United s record scorer with 253 goals in 559 appearances, having won five Premier League titles and the Champions League among 12 major trophies.
Here we take a look at some of the tributes given to Rooney from his former team-mates and other stars from the game
Ander Herrera s establishment in Mourinho s midfield last season was another blow to Rooney s first-team hopes, but the Spaniard will relish having played with his former captain.
One day I will be able to tell my grandkids I played with you. All the best and thank you
— Ander Herrera (@AnderHerrera)
Jesse L…