According to a recent report from Sky Italy, Claudio Ranieri has agreed to become the new head coach of Watford after they sacked Xisco Munoz.
Ranieri left his role as Sampdoria boss at the end of last season and now, he’s on the verge of heading back to the Premier League a place that holds many special memories for him.
Ranieri was a solid force for Chelsea during his time at Stamford Bridge but he’s best known for guiding Leicester City to a remarkable Premier League title back in 2016. He’s certainly had a rollercoaster ride of a career since then but it appears as if he’s ready for the challenge of trying to steady the ship with the Hornets.
The problem is the managerial merry-go-round that seems to be in operation at Vicarage Road with many worryin…
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde marvelled at Lionel Messi s form this season, lauding him for making the special seem routine.
Messi has been inspirational for Barca in 2018-19, scoring 45 goals across all competitions to help the club cruise in LaLiga and reach the Champions League semi-finals.
No fewer than 33 of those goals have come from just 29 LaLiga games, while his recent form of 12 strikes in eight league matches has seen Barca maintain their strong form into the crucial stages of the season.
Messi was also at his best on Tuesday when Barca beat Manchester United 3-0 – the Argentina star scoring a brace – to set up a Champions League semi-final tie with Liverpool.
2013 Lionel Messi has scored in the s Quarter Finals for the first time after…
Jordi Alba hopes Spain can show more solidity defensively to complement their attacking panache as Fernando Hierro s side aim to seal a place in the knockout stages of the World Cup against Morocco.
The 2010 winners battled to a 1-0 victory over Iran s massed defensive ranks in Kazan on Wednesday after playing out a 3-3 thriller with Group B leaders Portugal in their opening game.
Cristiano Ronaldo s stunning hat-trick in Sochi came despite Spain controlling long passages of play and when Iran emerged from their shell there were some nervous moments, including an equaliser ruled out for offside.
I think we controlled the match [against Iran], but it is true they generated danger with the play of the disallowed goal and a header at the far post, Barcelona left-ba…
Ibrahim Kamara warned Ivory Coast that Riyad Mahrez will not be the only threat Algeria pose them in Thursday s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
Algeria have cruised through the AFCON in emphatic fashion, winning all four of their matches without conceding a single goal, including a convincing 3-0 last-16 triumph over Guinea.
While Ivory Coast represent a greater challenge than Algeria have faced so far, the Fennec Foxes are one of the few remaining favourites following the shock exits of Egypt and Morocco.
Mahrez has unsurprisingly been a star for Algeria, though Adam Ounas is the joint-leading scorer in the competition with three and Youcef Belaili – similarly to the Manchester City winger – has two to his name.
Consequently, Kamara wants Ivory …
Barcelona star Lionel Messi will appeal against the 21-month jail sentence handed down to him by a Spanish court after being found guilty of fiscal fraud.
The 29-year-old who received the backing of Barca following the ruling and his father Jorge were both given the same prison sentences for the offence, with the former Argentina international fined €2million for three counts of tax fraud and his dad penalised €1.7m.
Both men have always denied any wrongdoing, and Messi s representatives have confirmed the five-time Ballon d Or winner will fight his conviction at the Supreme Court.
The appeal was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday as Messi s camp insisted they had always behaved correctly, as well as expressing their confidence of success in challenging t…
Philippe Clement was pleased with the improved second-half performance of his Rangers side but suggested the bar was low during the 0-0 draw with Hearts.
Rangers started the encounter poorly, but Clement took encouragement from the improved display in the second 45 minutes, with Cyriel Dessers going closest as his header crashed against both crossbar and post.
Hearts had the better of the Scottish Premiership opener, having 18 shots to Rangers nine, and 0.78 of the hosts 1.28 expected goals (xG) was mustered in the first half.
Clement said: We showed the right images in half-time, we talked, we discussed, to do the right things – and then you see that we play better football and we create more and we have much more control of the game.
We need to conti…
Jose Pekerman has left his post as Colombia coach after transforming their international fortunes over the course of nearly seven years in charge.
Argentinian tactician Pekerman was appointed back in January 2012 during a turbulent period for Colombia, who at the time had not qualified for a World Cup since 1998.
Pekerman was Colombia s third coach in five months, as Hernan Dario Gomez resigned in August 2011 and his successor Leonel Alvarez only lasted until December.
But Pekerman had an instant impact and ultimately led Colombia to second place in South America s World Cup qualification campaign, securing a spot at Brazil 2014.
In Brazil, Colombia attracted acclaim from neutrals for their style of play and went as far as the quarter-finals – their bes…
Ashley Barnes scored a dramatic injury-time winner as Burnley beat Crystal Palace 3-2 in an enthralling Premier League contest at Turf Moor on Saturday.
Sean Dyche s men were in cruise control at half-time as goals from Sam Vokes and Johann Berg Gudmundsson put the Clarets into a 2-0 lead.
However, the hosts were rocked by a second-half Palace revival as first substitute Connor Wickham hammered home Wilfried Zaha s cross before Christian Benteke levelled from the penalty spot.
It appeared as though Palace had done enough to clinch a point but, with the clock winding down, Barnes whose last goal came in February 2015 finished another brilliant Burnley counter to steal the points.
Burnley consequently climb into the top half, while Palace s winless top-flig…
Roberto Martinez said his future as Belgium head coach will only be discussed after the World Cup later this year, having watching his side beat Poland 1-0 in the Nations League.
Michy Batshuayi s first-half header helped Belgium to their second win of this Nations League campaign, although they still trail the Netherlands by three points in Group A4 after being thrashed 4-1 by Louis van Gaal s men in their opening game earlier this month.
Results such as that one, as well as Belgium s failure to lift a major trophy despite producing a supposed golden generation of talent, have led to suggestions Martinez s job could be under threat.
But the former Everton manager will only entertain questions over his future after leading the Red Devils to the World Cup in …
England boss Sarina Wiegman maintained full faith in her side to stage the stunning second-half comeback that lifted the Lionesses to a 3-2 win over the Netherlands in their penultimate Women’s Nations League group-stage clash at Wembley.
Needing a victory to remain in contention to finish top in Group A1 and advance in the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for next summer’s Olympics in Paris, England quickly dug themselves a hole after Lineth Beerensteyn netted twice before the break to put the Dutch 2-0 up.
But the Lionesses battled back after the restart on a frigid night in London, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp stoking the crowd back into a frenzy by the hour mark before substitute Ella Toone sealed a dramatic victory in stoppage time.
Ella Toone …