Herve Renard is hoping to win his third Africa Cup of Nations title as a coach but is well aware of the task facing Morocco in Group C ahead of their opener against a resurgent DR Congo on Monday.
After breaking into the top 50 of FIFA s world rankings in 2016, DR Congo appear to be getting somewhere close to their former glory days of the 1960s and 70s, when they won AFCON in 68 and 74, as Congo-Kinshasa and Zaire, respectively.
Two years ago they managed to finish third in Equatorial Guinea and they possess a squad with a significant amount of experience in European football, making them an interesting proposition in terms of progression to the knockout phase after getting past their pre-tournament row over unpaid bonuses.
But Group C looks set to be fiercely …
Verdict: Draw no bet Southampton
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It is another Cup challenge for Southampton, who take on Arsenal in the FA Cup just days after completing a narrow win over Liverpool in the EFL Cup during the week. Both teams are on a three-match winning run and we should be in for an exciting match at St Mary’s.
Southampton
Good times are back at Southampton, who are coming off from the 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the midweek League Cup semifinals. Having clinched their place in the final at Wembley, the Saints now shift their focus to the FA Cup action feeling motivated to take another big-name scalp at the weekend. The Saturday’s fourth round clash at St Mary’s is the only Premier League duel in the FA Cup and there is no doubt that b…
The knockout stages of the Champions League get underway on Tuesday, with three former European champions in action.
Having finished behind Arsenal in Group A, Paris Saint-Germain have been handed a tough draw against 2015 winners Barcelona.
Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, topped their group ahead of holders Real Madrid and now face Benfica, who lead the Primeira Liga in Portugal.
Here are some of the best stats from the first legs of those last-16 clashes, courtesy of Opta.
Benfica v Borussia Dortmund:
6 Borussia Dortmund are one of six teams yet to suffer a defeat in the Champions League this season (W4 D2). They won both games earlier this season against another Lisbon side, Sporting (2-1 in Portugal, 1-0 at home).
6 However, D…
Granada moved to the top of LaLiga after a 1-0 win over Real Betis on Sunday, less than five months on from their promotion back to the top flight.
Diego Martinez s side took advantage of the postponed Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with Alvaro Vadillo s second-half goal sealing all three points at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.
The Andalusian side have enjoyed a remarkable return to LaLiga after two seasons in the second tier, winning six of their opening 10 games, including a memorable 2-0 victory over Barca on September 21.
With Barca not playing this weekend after their clash with Madrid was postponed, Granada were able to move a point clear at the top of the table.
Their haul of 20 points from 10 games this season is as many as they managed …
Danny Rose says any speculation surrounding his Tottenham future in January will come to nothing as he intends to run down his contract.
The 29-year-old has repeatedly been linked with a move away from Spurs after he publicly announced an intention to leave following an outstanding 2016-17 season.
Then linked with Manchester United, Rose has since struggled for form and fitness and was a reported target for Premier League strugglers Watford on the eve of the new season.
However, the England international claims there was never any possibility he would leave in the most recent transfer window.
He says Tottenham have informed him his contract, which expires in 2021, will not be renewed and the club want him to leave. But Rose is standing firm.
It s…
Jenni Hermoso has accused the Spanish Football Federation of a “manipulative, hostile and controlling culture” as the World Cup-winning squad refused to play while president Luis Rubiales remains in post.
A total of 81 players signed a letter stating they will not accept national team call-ups while Rubiales refuses to resign after kissing Hermoso – who has stressed she did not consent – following the country’s Women’s World Cup final win over England.
He claimed it was “spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and consensual” but Hermoso, who previously suggested comments playing down the incident attributed to her by the federation were false, has hit back with an attack on the organisation as a whole.
Official Announcement. August 25th,2023.
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Liverpool are interested in signing Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Premier League club Liverpool are looking at Felix as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah should the Egyptian forward leave.
Al Ittihad are interested in signing Salah from Liverpool in the final days of the summer transfer window. The Saudi Pro League club have already made an offer to Salah and are willing to make a £100 million bid to Liverpool for the forward.
Football Transfers have reported that one of the players Liverpool are looking at to replace Salah with is Felix. The Portugal international, who can play as a forward, winger or attacking midfielder, spent the second half of last season on loan at Chelsea an…
Olivier Giroud scored at both ends while Aaron Ramsey was also on target as Arsenal picked up a 3-1 win over Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Arsene Wenger saw his side labour at times en route to a first win in four Premier League matches the Arsenal boss having faced difficult questions this week after Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla joined a lengthy injury list in Sunday s 1-1 draw at Norwich City.
Joel Campbell and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were therefore handed starting spots and it was the former who opened the scoring 33 minutes in when he converted Mesut Ozil s delightful pass from inside the area only for Giroud to score at the wrong end before half-time.
Wenger s men were given a stern test by a Sunderland side now resolute and…
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has claimed that Roberto Martinez should hold out to join a top European club amid links with Everton.
The Spaniard has emerged as the clear favourite to succeed David Moyes at Goodison Park with the Scot widely reported that the 50-year-old was set to depart in order to take over at Manchester United.
But Whelan believes Martinez should wait for a better opportunity than that offered by the Merseyside outfit.
It s a battle that I will lose and Wigan will lose (at some point), I ve no question on that, Whelan told BBC Radio 5 Live.
It s (a case of) would Roberto choose to go to Everton or would he wait for one of the really big clubs?
I m not degrading Everton in any way, shape or form they re a great club with great supporters but is Everton regar…
Peter Crouch has admitted that he may need to leave Stoke City, .
The veteran striker scored in Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup third round victory over League One side Doncaster Rovers, but has not started a Premier League game this season, with all three of his outings coming as a substitute.
He moved to the Britannia Stadium in the summer of 2011 and has racked up one hundred and sixty-two appearances for the club, far more than any of the previous sides for which he has played.
He has hit forty-four goals for the Potters, and also has an impressive scoring record for his country netting twenty-two times in forty-two games though he hasn’t featured for them since October 2010.
Having booked their place in the fourth round, 2011 FA Cup finalists Stoke c…