Bitesize Prediction: Brisbane Roar vs Wellington Phoenix – 30/03/22

Market: Both teams to score

Odds: 7/10 @

In another A-League showdown that could prove to be a lively affair on Wednesday morning, the Brisbane Roar will welcome Wellington to Queensland.

Starting with the hosts, while Brisbane might have managed to find a much-needed boost earlier in the month, the Roar have really come crashing back down to earth. Enduring what has been another worrying week in Queensland, Head Coach Warren Moon has seen his side suffer back-to-back A-League defeats on home soil. Last seen over the weekend getting hit with an action-packed 3-2 defeat against Western United, the former champions have now lost five of their last seven outings. Firmly battling it out at the foot of the table and desperate not to lift the wooden spoon this season,…

Liverpool fire more Anfield blanks to set unwanted Premier League record

Liverpool slumped to a sixth successive home defeat on Sunday as relegation-threatened Fulham claimed a 1-0 win.

The worst part for Jurgen Klopp s beleaguered side was the fact that, from the moment Mario Lemina put the visitors ahead at half-time, the writing was on the wall to an extent.

The Reds  slump includes January s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City, when Mohamed Salah scored from the penalty spot.

That was the only defeat where they have found the net, with the losing run immediately preceded by a 0-0 draw against Manchester United.

It means, following 16 attempts without reward against Fulham, Liverpool have racked up 115 shots since they last scored from open play at Anfield in a 1-1 draw against West Brom on December 27.

That amounts to t…

Messi, Neymar and Mbappe? I´d love to take on PSG trio, says Lilian Thuram

Lilian Thuram has declared Paris Saint-Germain cannot rely on their superstar strike force to deliver trophies – and he wishes he had the chance to face them down.

France great Thuram recognises Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe bring individual brilliance to PSG, who are tearing away at the top of Ligue 1 despite a shock weekend defeat at Rennes.

In a reputational sense, the French giants possess the most fearsome front three in world football, with Messi arriving from Barcelona in August to complement an already mighty attack, with Mauro Icardi also hoping to make an impact.

That makes them strong contenders for the Champions League, in theory, and a European triumph is the target that PSG have been striving for since Qatar Sports Investments came o…

Koeman´s Barcelona future undecided after Laporta meeting – reports

Ronald Koeman met with Barcelona president Joan Laporta on Tuesday evening as reports claimed the future of the head coach remained unresolved.

Dutchman Koeman guided Barca to a third-placed finish in LaLiga this term, meaning they finished outside of the top two for the first time since 2007-08, though the Blaugrana did succeed in winning the Copa del Rey.

They were inspired by Lionel Messi, who scored 30 league goals to win an eighth Pichichi trophy, though the 33-year-old is also the subject of speculation over his next move, with his contract at Barca up next month.

Laporta succeeded previous president Josep Maria Bartomeu in March, taking charge at Camp Nou for a second spell.

Koeman was appointed by Bartomeu last year, after Quique Setien s ill-fa…

Paqueta to remain in Brazil´s Copa America squad despite FA charges

The Brazilian Football Association (CBF) confirmed Lucas Paqueta will remain in Brazil’s Copa America squad despite being charged over alleged breaches of betting rules by the English Football Association (FA).

Last August, it was reported the FA had opened an investigation into suspicious betting activity surrounding Paqueta, who said he was cooperating with the FA’s probe in March.

The West Ham midfielder is accused of intentionally seeking to receive a card in four different Premier League fixtures, three in the 2022-23 season and one on the opening matchday of 2023-24, with the charges brought against him last Thursday.

Paqueta, who has until June 3 to respond to the charges, addressed the situation on social media saying, I deny the charges in their enti…

Werner getting ´stronger and stronger´ – Tuchel not worried by striker´s barren run

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel insists Timo Werner is getting stronger and stronger despite the Germany international s goalless run in the Premier League now stretching to 14 games. 

Werner arrived at Stamford Bridge with a reputation as a prolific goalscorer following his move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig ahead of the 2020-21 campaign. 

But the 24-year-old has scored just four times in 22 Premier League appearances, with his blank in Sunday s 2-1 win at Sheffield United stretching his barren run even further. 

While he did not get on the scoresheet, he was in the thick of the action as Chelsea made it three wins on the bounce under new boss Tuchel. 

His low cross was clinically dispatched by Mason Mount to put the Blues ahead shortly before the int…

Real Madrid v PSG: Messi is in Mbappe´s shadow but do not buy the myth that he is finished

In many ways, patience isn t a virtue we can truthfully say is embraced in modern football, whether that s with respect to managers or players.

When someone s level dips, people – or specifically social media trolls – are quick to brandish them frauds or finished like rabid animals sated by black-or-white so-called hot takes .

If there s one player on the planet who deserves that patience, it s surely Lionel Messi. But so accustomed has the world become to his usually incomparable excellence that any opportunity to humanise him with blinkered criticism was going to be gobbled up by those who are – bizarrely – so eager for him to fail.

While that s not to say Messi is above criticism, and there have certainly been times this season when questions were fair…

Man City close in on second treble as Guardiola dismisses talk of FA Cup regrets

Pep Guardiola likened Manchester City s rivalry with Liverpool to an NBA playoffs series as he challenged his players to slam dunk their way into the FA Cup final.

City have a second treble in their sights this term, having previously completed a clean sweep of the three English domestic trophies in the 2018-19 season.

They can capture the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League this time, but Liverpool are a team who might deny them on all fronts, making Saturday s Wembley semi-final a tantalising prospect.

Guardiola said he had no regrets about City s disappointing record in FA Cup semi-finals during his reign. They have won only one of four matches at the last-four stage in this competition under his command, beating Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0 on the way…

Tottenham Hotspur linked with Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Premier League club Tottenham are looking for a new central defender, and that Bundesliga outfit Bayer are willing to sell Hincapie for close to €40 million.

Hincapie has been on the books of Bayer since 2021 and is one of the best young defenders in the Bundesliga. The 22-year-old Ecuador international centre-back has made 14 starts and seven substitute appearances in the league this season. He has scored one goal and given one assist in those games.

Tottenham are fourth in the Premier League table at the moment with 60 points from 31 matches, level on points with Aston Villa, who are fifth and have played only 32 …

Man Utd beat holders Chelsea for first time to reach Women’s FA Cup final

Manchester United advanced to an FA Cup final against Tottenham after holding out for a historic 2-1 victory over holders Chelsea at Leigh Sports Village.

In a rematch of last year’s final that they lost 1-0, Marc Skinner’s United went in front in the first minute through a Lucia Garcia header before doubling the advantage midway through the first half when Rachel Williams headed home.

Former United player Lauren James pulled a goal back just prior to the break and the visitors did most of the attacking thereafter but were unable to force extra time, with Mary Earps making a superb save to thwart James and substitute Catarina Macario hitting the bar.

THEY VE DONE IT have beaten Chelsea for the first time in their history!

THEY RE OFF TO WEMBLEY