Given that the competition has left him playing with a catheter for the past two seasons, Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez has an improbably insatiable appetite for the big Champions League moments.
The 22-year-old spoke graphically of his ordeal with a kidney problem, the result of a heavy blow sustained against Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, ahead of Tuesday s quarter-final second leg with Leicester City.
Saul insisted risking his health and passing blood after every match and training session was a worthwhile sacrifice in order to defend these colours, to fulfil this dream .
His tie-settling 26th-minute header in a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium, directed across Kasper Schmeichel and into the corner with clinical precision, was his third in this season s …
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Middlesbrough play host to Manchester City on Saturday lunchtime in an FA Cup quarter-final clash that will decide which set of fans make a memorable trip to Wembley in April.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough are in big trouble in the Premier League after finding themselves in the relegation zone and three points from safety. They have picked up just four draws in the last nine games and their goal scoring has been a real issue after netting just twice in that time. However, their form in the FA Cup has been quite the opposite after beating three teams to get to this stage. Although they have played lower league opposition at the Riverside Stadium in all previous rounds, they have still managed to score seven goals a…
While might have travelled to Goodison Park on Saturday night enjoying a 16-match unbeaten run across all competitions and also booking their spot in the knockout stage of this year s Champions League, the Blues came crashing back down to earth on Merseyside.
Although Frank Lampard s side might have seen the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City all drop points, the Londoners were hit with a 1-0 defeat on the road and it is no secret that the former England midfielder is still looking to strengthen his squad.
Despite breaking the bank over the summer, Chelsea are still consistently linked with a move for West Ham s Declan Rice and their activity in the January transfer window could be down to who heads in the other direction.
Looking to cut their bu…
Daniel Farke was left fuming after Leeds United had a goal disallowed in their play-off semi-final first leg at Norwich on Sunday.
The game at Carrow Road ultimately ended 0-0, with both sides failing to seriously trouble the opposition goalkeeper as the teams combined for just 0.8 xG (expected goals).
It leaves the tie finely poised ahead of Thursday s second leg at Elland Road, but despite his side heading back to home turf with a clean sheet and level in the tie, Farke was left frustrated by a first-half incident which saw Junior Firpo put the ball in the net following a mix-up between Shane Duffy and Angus Gunn, only for the offside flag to be raised.
Farke believes the goal should have stood and bemoaned decisions that have gone against his side this season,…
Crystal Palace continued their impressive form as goals from Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eberechi Eze gave the Eagles a 3-1 victory over Wolves at Molineux.
Olise broke the deadlock with a curling strike after 26 minutes before Mateta grabbed a second just three minutes later to set Palace on the route to victory.
Matheus Cunha pulled a goal back for the hosts, but Eze restored their two-goal cushion with 17 minutes remaining, and they hung on despite Naouirou Ahamada receiving a second yellow card late on.
Wolves drop to 13th with defeat as Palace leapfrog them on goal difference into 12th position in the Premier League table, having enjoyed a resurgence under new boss Oliver Glasner.
The hot-streak continues for !
— Premier Leag…
Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu would sanction a transfer for Alex Teixeira, but insists the club have received no offers for the midfielder.
Teixeira has been linked with a move from the Ukrainian Premier League leaders to Premier League side Chelsea.
The 26-year-old has been at Shakhtar since 2010 and has helped the club to five league titles and three Ukrainian Cup successes.
And Lucescu told Shakhtar s official website: Teixeira and I are talked a lot in the press now. They are spreading rumours about us allegedly leaving Shakhtar. At the moment, Alex is Shakhtar s player.
We ll see in the summer; [for] now there s no point talking about it. This year, he needs to play so that he grows even more, despite the fact that Alex s level is very hi…
Kingsley Coman says speculation about Pep Guardiola s future will not affect the Bayern Munich squad ahead of their trip to Hannover in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The former Barcelona coach s contract with Bayern expires at the end of season and he will reportedly announce a decision about his future at the club after this weekend s encounter.
Several reports earlier this week suggested Guardiola has already told the Bavarians that he plans to move on come the end of the season, but neither of the parties involved has officially confirmed anything as of yet.
Coman though is adamant the uncertainty will not influence Bayern ahead of the match against Hannover.
I would be sad if Guardiola would leave Bayern. He is the best coach in the world for me. He ha…
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. manager Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed the club s interest in Valencia CF striker Roberto Soldado, understands.
Villas-Boas is looking to bolster his attacking options ahead of next season, with Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe the only experienced strikers in Spurs first-team squad at the moment.
Soldado, who has a €30 million release clause in his current contract, is at the top of Villas-Boas summer wishlist, and rightfully so.
The Portuguese is also interested in highly-rated Brazil international striker Leandro Damião, but the 24-year-old ace appears to be on the verge of joining Russian Premier League giants Zenit St Petersburg in a deal worth £21.5 million.
Soldado, 28, has proven to be a goal-scoring …
Aaron Ramsey says Arsenal must get in Eden Hazard s face to stop him from inflicting damage in the FA Cup final.
Arsenal meet Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday, Arsene Wenger s side bidding to salvage silverware from a season that saw them finish fifth in the Premier League, while the Blues chase a famous double.
The Gunners won 3-0 against Chelsea last September, but Antonio Conte s men inflicted revenge in a 3-1 Stamford Bridge win in February, Hazard scoring an impressive individual goal.
I think the way we started the [home] game in the first half was very good, Ramsey, who scored the winner in his side s 2014 FA Cup final victory over Hull City, said to Arsenal Player.
We won the game in the first half really. We were very quick, we counter-attacked w…
Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin says he has yet to receive any contact from Didier Deschamps over a possible call-up to the France squad.
The 24-year-old was sent off in the 2-2 derby draw with Tottenham on Saturday but has otherwise enjoyed an impressive season at the heart of Arsene Wenger s side.
Coquelin was part of the France Under-19 side which won the European Championship in 2010, but he has yet to earn a place within the senior set-up.
But while he admits it would be a privilege to be part of Euro 2016 on home soil in June and July this year, Coquelin insists his primary focus is on performing well at club level.
I m the kind of person who’s really focused on the club first, he told Arsenal Weekly. It s how you play at the club that will d…