Zinedine Zidane was quick to play down comparisons with Pep Guardiola at his first media conference as Real Madrid boss on Tuesday.
Zidane was named head coach at the Santiago Bernabeu on Monday after succeeding Rafael Benitez, who lasted just seven months in the hot seat.
The Frenchman s career path mirrors that of Guardiola, Zidane starring as a player for Madrid before coaching the B team and then getting his chance to take charge of the senior side.
Guardiola followed the same route at Barcelona with his four years in charge at Camp Nou between 2008 and 2012 returning 14 trophies in a glittering spell in the Catalan club s history.
You can t make that comparison, said Zidane. Pep is Pep and I will do my best.
Guardiola is a fantastic coac…
Tottenham have completed the signing of Djed Spence from Middlesbrough for a fee in the region of £20million, with add-ons included.
Spence fell out of favour at Middlesbrough under Neil Warnock, and was subsequently sent on loan to Nottingham Forest, where he made 42 Championship appearances in the 2021-22 season.
The England Under-21 international impressed as Forest earned Premier League promotion to return to the highest level for the first time in 23 years, and also shone in the FA Cup against top-flight opposition.
Spence was a threat at both ends of the pitch, scoring two goals and assisting four, while competing for the most duels (508) among defenders in the Championship.
The 21-year-old will likely suit Antonio Conte s 3-5-2 system as …
Best Odds: 3/5
Bookmaker:
Two sides who find themselves battling it out at the top of the Brazil Serie A table, Palmeiras will welcome Internacional to the Allianz Parque on Sunday night.
Palmeiras
Starting with the hosts, last seen earlier in the week putting in a hugely impressive display away at a high-flying America-MG, Palmeiras will be desperate to build off of that success here. Eventually claiming a 1-0 win away at the title contenders, there is no doubt that the mood in Abel Ferreira s camp should be at a red-hot high. Now opening up Sunday s meeting at the Allianz Parque holding a four-point buffer over the chasing pack, the Verdão are enjoying a five-match unbeaten run across all formats. Likewise, suffering just a single defeat over the past month,…
Former Manchester United midfielder Nani said Portuguese countryman Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role in helping him settle into life in England.
The 29-year-old, who is now playing in Turkey for Fenerbahce, joined United from Sporting Lisbon for a fee of around €25million in July 2007.
And Ronaldo, who had already been at the club for four years, welcomed the new recruit into the house he shared with another big-money, Portuguese-speaking import Anderson.
I lived in his house to begin with – me, Ronaldo and Anderson, said Nani.
That was very important for us, because we were so young and he [Ronaldo] had all the experience.
He knew how to deal with everything [in England]; the streets, the cameras, the driving rules, because it s so d…
Atletico Madrid are set to sign Nahuel Molina from Udinese in the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano. The well-known and well-respected journalist has reported on that La Liga club Atletico and Serie A outfit Udinese have full agreement in place over the transfer of Molina in the coming days.
Romano has added that Nehuen Perez will be included in the deal, meaning that the 22-year-old Argentine centre-back will become an Udinese player on a permanent basis. The youngster spent last season on loan at the Italian club from Atletico.
Molina has been on the books of Udinese since 2020. The 24-year-old Argentina international central defender made 31 starts and four substitute appearances in Serie A last season, scoring seven goals and providing two assi…
Competition: EFL Cup
Market: Manchester City to beat Leicester
Odds:
The festive period is at its incredibly busy best this week with a number of interesting and exciting games to come. The Premier League is forced to have midweek off as the EFL Cup returns for the quarter-finals, with each team left in the competition well aware that a few good performances could see them lifting the first piece of available silverware. With this in mind, Leicester host Manchester City on Tuesday.
Leicester have been in good form this season and they are once again proving to be one of the surprise packages of the season. The sacking of Craig Shakespeare has seen Claude Puel installed at the top and the Foxes have not looked back. They were deprived making it …
Police arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of rape and assault on Sunday after Manchester United suspended forward Mason Greenwood following allegations made on social media.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said it had been made aware of online social media images and videos posted by a woman reporting incidents of physical violence .
The GMP statement said: An investigation was launched and following enquiries we can confirm a man in his 20s has since been arrested on suspicion of rape and assault.
He remains in custody for questioning. Enquiries are ongoing.
United said earlier in the day that 20-year-old England forward Greenwood will not return to training or play matches until further notice .
Before announcing that decision, the club s…
Joao Cancelo has signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at Manchester City until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Cancelo has been a pivotal figure for Pep Guardiola since the start of last season, after initially struggling to make much of an impact in his first campaign at the club.
The 27-year-old Portugal international joined from Juventus in 2019 and has played at both right-back and left-back for City, developing into one of the best full-backs in world football in the process.
Cancelo has now committed his long-term future to the club.
Manchester City is a fantastic club, so I am incredibly happy to have signed this new agreement, he told City s official website.
City players have everything they need to reach their full poten…
Anthony Martial is relishing the opportunity to prove himself in a central striking role all over again at Manchester United with the help of team-mate Marcus Rashford.
The France international reclaimed the number nine shirt this season following Romelu Lukaku s exit and he impressed through the middle in last weekend s 4-0 win against Chelsea, scoring the second of his side s goals.
A change in position means increased responsibility to get on the scoresheet but Martial is embracing the pressure that comes with leading the line, having been shunted out to the flank by former boss Jose Mourinho.
Since I was a young kid, I have always played as a striker but, then again, I m fine with playing more out wide as it s a position that I enjoy playing, Martial told Un…
Girona came from behind to win 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, continuing their unlikely charge at the top of LaLiga.
Alvaro Garcia gave hosts Rayo a fifth-minute advantage that threatened to halt Girona s fine recent momentum.
But left-footed goals from Artem Dovbyk and Savio either side of half-time gave Michel s men a fifth straight victory.
After finishing 10th last season, Girona have now won 12, drawn one and lost just one of their first 14 matches in a fantastic start to the 2023-24 campaign, their only defeat coming against Real Madrid in September.
They have moved five points clear of second-placed Madrid – who have a game in hand against Valencia later on Saturday – and sit 10 points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao in the race for C…