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The day is upon us. It's Arsenal against Manchester City for a potentially thrilling title finale. Will there be a Sergio Aguero moment again? Will the Citizens fall 2-0 down as they did against Aston Villa a few years ago, only to mount a remarkable comeback?

Pep Guardiola will no doubt hope for a rather more straightforward day but Mikel Arteta will pray some late drama can take his team across the line.

Whatever happens, supporters inside the Emirates Stadium can be incredibly proud of the club's achievements this season. They may end the campaign without a trophy but to take this City team to the final day is remarkable.

Once all is said and done, they could end the 2023/24 term with 89 points and still lose out. What more can you do at that stage?

Arsenal have had their wobbles this term but to look back at certain games and wonder what if will only cause you to have a meltdown. It's better just to reflect on the good times.

Premier League: As it stands

Team

Played

W

D

L

GD

PTS

1. Man City

37

27

7

3

60

88

2. Arsenal

37

27

5

5

61

86

So, what does need to happen for the Gunners to win the crown?

How Arsenal can win the league

Well, they will need a miracle today, there's no two ways about it. Though, stranger things have happened, right?

First and foremost, Arsenal need to beat Everton today. They come into the final day of the season two points behind City and with a superior goal difference. So, all Arteta's men can do is grab the three points and hope.

If City draw or lose to West Ham at the Etihad and Arsenal win, the Londoners will take home the trophy. If City win, there is nothing that can be done to stop them.

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Posts ByStephan Georgiou May 20, 2024 The starting lineup to help Arsenal win the title

So, it'll probably largely be business as usual for Arsenal. David Raya will start in goal, just days after being handed the Golden Glove award while a familiar front line of Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard will likely be given the nod to help unlock a stern Everton defence.

In midfield, there could be a change if Arteta prefers the extra security of Jorginho over Thomas Partey but it's a certainty that Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard lineup alongside each other.

Ben White, Gabriel and William Saliba are shoo-ins to begin in defence but there may well be a shift around at left-back on a day where Arsenal will need all the possession they can get.

One of the few positions on the pitch that Arteta has found troubling this term is at left full-back. Jurrien Timber started there on the opening day before his devastating ACL injury before Oleksandr Zinchenko quickly took on the role.

However, he hasn't always been preferred this term. Jakub Kiwior had an impressive run in the team at the beginning of 2024, notably supplying three assists and scoring once across five league matches in February and early March.

Though, of late it's been Takehiro Tomiyasu who has been preferred on the left-hand side of defence, starting the last four league games. Arteta has trusted him when Arsenal needed a settled team during the run-in so it's likely the Japanese defender will play from the off again.

However, if the Spaniard wants an expert in the inverted role to feature today then Zinchenko is his man. The Ukrainian is a wonderful player on his day but the fact of the matter is that, as one Arsenal podcaster branded him, he can be a defensive "liability".

Also criticised for an "appalling" display by writer Oli Price Bates in the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa, perhaps it might not be such a wise idea to play Zinchenko in a game of this magnitude.

Well, it's likely Everton won't have much of the ball so this may be the perfect game. After all, the former Man City man is a far better passer of the ball than his positional peers.

Zinchenko vs Arsenal's left-backs

Stat (per 90)

Zinchenko

Tomiyasu

Kiwior

Pass success %

87.7%

81.8%

83.7%

Key passes

1.49

0.42

0.57

Final 3rd passes

7.93

4.49

4.10

Progressive passes

11.7

5.42

5.24

Shot-creating actions

3.36

1.27

1.24

Stats via FBref.

So, when it comes to the key passing statistics, the £150k-per-week earner is far and away the best man. Arsenal need to keep the ball, they need to create opportunities to score and they need to win.

All being well, Sean Dyche's side shouldn't see too much of the ball in their final third which is where the club's no.35 struggles. Therefore, starting him today does have an element of sense to it.

Related Arteta must bench Partey and unleash Arsenal's "ridiculous" star

The veteran midfielder would bring an element of much-needed calm to the Gunners’ young team.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 19, 2024

Tottenham have received a reply after tabling an offer for a "special" player, as chairman Daniel Levy and the Spurs recruitment team make early summer moves.

Postecoglou looking to upgrade in key positions at Spurs

Reliable media outlets have claimed that the north Londoners are ready to back manager Ange Postecoglou again this summer, despite their disappointing end to the Premier League campaign.

Tottenham now ready to sell £110,000-per-week star for just £13 million

The Lilywhites could take a slight loss.

ByEmilio Galantini May 8, 2024

On Wednesday, journalist Tom Allnutt wrote a report for The Times, sharing that Spurs are set to try and provide Postecoglou with three major signings in a new striker, centre-back and midfielder when the transfer window reopens.

The Lilywhites are prepared to hand their manager the necessary funds to upgrade his squad, coming after Postecoglou recently stated that serious change is needed at Tottenham. The Australian is also on record stating that Spurs will indeed look to bring in another central defender.

1. Arsenal

28

2. Man City

33

3. Liverpool

38

4. Aston Villa

53

5. Tottenham

58

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here. I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen."

Tottenham have displayed interest in Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly as one target, with the Englishman set to leave on a free deal this summer. Another bargain option could be Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, who is in the same position as Kelly, and has been pivotal for Fulham since returning to the first team.

Tottenham make Tosin offer with reply received

According to reliable Spurs news source Paul O'Keefe, Tottenham have actually now made Tosin an offer to join them on a Bosman deal.

However, it is bad news, with the £47,000-per-week Englishman refusing their approach. It remains to be seen if they come back in for him, but the evidence suggests he could be worth a second punt.

“He is a key player for us. He is one of the leaders in our dressing room and we need these guys to step in in the right moments and he did it,” said Marco Silva on Tosin's excellent 23/24 form.

“We missed him a lot, we missed him because he didn’t play the first three months of the season. Tosin is a special player for us, I can’t hide that situation. The way he can defend the box but also on the ball he is a special player for me, the way I want to play, the way he can build (from the back).

“For three months we missed him but he has just played the last four or five games and he is getting better and better. A great performance from him against Everton and to be able to take the last decision to be deciding the game he deserves all the credit.”

Leeds United are eyeing up a move for a Premier League-proven striker ahead of the summer transfer window.

Leeds targeting attackers

With just three game weeks left of the 2023/24 Championship campaign, Leeds United remain firmly in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot. The Yorkshire outfit sit just two points off Ipswich Town and one point adrift of Leicester City in what promises to be a tight end to the season.

Should they indeed secure promotion, though, the Peacocks will need to ensure their squad is once again good enough to compete at the highest level. As a result, a busy summer is expected for the Whites, with a number of players already being tipped to make the move to Elland Road. Leeds are believed to be eyeing a "bargain" summer move for Southampton striker Che Adams, while the return of Kalvin Phillips to Elland Road has also been discussed.

Elsewhere, reports in February claimed Leeds are one of several clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Kilmarnock gem Bobby Wales at the end of the season. Now, a fresh name with proven Premier League quality has been linked with a move to Yorkshire ahead of the summer window.

Leeds eye surprise move for 204-goal striker

According to Star [via Sport Witness], Leeds are said to be a ‘surprise suitor’ for striker Michy Batshuayi. The Belgian joined current side Fenerbache from Chelsea in 2022 for €3.5m and has since found the net 41 times in 68 outings for the Turkish outfit.

However, the 30-year-old's current contract expires this summer and though there is reportedly the option to extend that deal by a year, Star claim that Batshuayi is likely to depart Fenerbache this summer and that Leeds are following his situation closely.

Should Leeds indeed secure promotion this season, signing someone of Batshuayi's experience would be a smart move. The forward has netted an impressive 204 goals for club and country across his career and while his time at Chelsea did not go as well as some may have hoped, he still received high praise, including from former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard.

"It was interesting to see not just the player – I kind of knew the quality Michy had and it’s always good to see that up close – but also the personality. Since early season, how he’s trained, his demeanour, his positivity, and quality when he’s come on, which is obviously the most important thing, have been top class.

"When Tammy is scoring regular goals and getting a firm foot in the team, that’s not easy. It’s the same for Oli [Giroud]. Michy has shown all the right ways of handling that. He has been very good for us so far, and that positive spirit when you’re not playing regularly is not just important for him, cause that’s tough sometimes, but it’s important for the group. He deserves extra praise for that. He’s positive, hard-working, loves scoring goals."

A move to Elland Road could be one to watch, but you'd expect Leeds will need to earn promotion first.

Ultimate team man turns his back on injury woes and you rather hope there’s a few more Tests left in this quick yet

George Dobell in Port Elizabeth19-Jan-2020Fast bowling is a tough business. A tough, serious business. Think of Gus Fraser, trudging back to his mark with a face as long as Livery Street. Or Jimmy Anderson, scowling his way through another spell. And who can blame them? Invariably fast bowlers have spines held together by plates and screws, toe nails that come off in their socks and blisters as large as a side of bacon. They’re kept going by a diet of physio and pain killers. Their future is full of hip operations and micro-fracture surgery.But, at almost every moment of this Port Elizabeth Test, Mark Wood has had a smile on his face. Before his overs, he’s run up to the umpire to give him his hat or jumper, much in the way you see excitable children act when they start playing cricket. And between deliveries, he’s thrown the ball up in the air to give himself catches, much in the way you see excitable children act when they start playing cricket. Often, in delivery, his commitment is such that he hurls himself off his feet. And ahead of play, he ran over to the traditional musicians who were entertaining the crowd to have a go on their drums. All while wearing a broad grin. Much in the way you see excitable children…And you can understand why. For Wood has spent more of his career in rehab than a Hollywood star. He’s undergone numerous operations on his ankle and, since his last competitive match – on July 14 – had knee surgery and endured a lengthy period on the sidelines due to a serious side strain.ALSO READ: England surge towards victory on Root four-wicket haulIt’s worth looking back on the moment that injury was incurred. It was the World Cup final. The 45th over of the New Zealand innings. Wood, who had defied all the predictions to play in 10 games in the tournament, was mid-way through his final over when he felt sharp pain in his side. He knew, in that instant, he was in trouble.He could have stopped bowling. Had he done so, he might still have had an outside chance of returning before the end of the Ashes. But the game was in the balance and he didn’t want to let his team, his captain, down. He completed his spell. The last two deliveries, with no thought to his own welfare, were bouncers. The pain worsened considerably.”I had three balls left,” he recalls. “And every ball I bowled it got worse. I knew it was pretty bad. But it’s a World Cup final and I didn’t want to limp off after 9.3 overs. I spoke to Eoin Morgan about going through those three balls, but I knew I was out of the Ashes.”So Wood will never take moments like these – representing his country, tearing in and unleashing whole spells of 90 mph deliveries – for granted. He knows such experiences are precious and fleeting. He knows it could be over at any moment.”I’m just trying to enjoy it,” he says. “I’m just trying to have fun, take it all in and play with a smile on my face. It’s been a lot of fun.”I love it. I’ve waited quite a while to come back. July was the last game I played and, with the way my body has been, it’s something you can’t take it for granted. This could be my last game.”I’m not just hoying [throwing] out clichés. That’s genuinely how it is. I have to take it as it comes because that’s the nature of how I bowl. Tomorrow I could fall over for the 54th time in the game and strain my ankle or something like that.”I’m just about patched together. I’m wrapped up like a mummy on my left leg. Something is going to hurt eventually but it’s part and parcel of being a fast bowler. I’m not a natural. I’m not 6ft 5in and built like a tank, so I have to give everything I’ve got to try and rev it up.”Now there will be those, reading this piece, who look at the scorecard and wonder what all the fuss is about. And it is true, at this stage, Wood only has two wickets. And while he has also seen a chance or two put down, struck five sixes in a brisk 42 that helped set up the declaration and plucked a fine catch out of the air – “I made a bit of a meal of that,” he says bashfully – the fact is there have been other, far more eye-catching individual performances in this match.But in a team game like this, we cannot be judging the value of players’ contributions simply by the scorecard. The truth is, Wood has bowled at a pace – somewhere around 94 mph at his quickest – that has brought a new edge to this England attack. Some of the South Africa batsmen – notably Zubayr Hamza – have looked horribly unsettled by him. And, while there is no way of proving it, you suspect Wood has, in both innings, helped create chances at the other end as rattled batsmen struggle to retain their composure. You suspect his value is far greater than the number of wickets he has so far taken.”I like the word ‘assists’,” he says, while trying to explain his contribution. “I think it’s good to bowl in a partnership.”The wicket of Dean Elgar will have been especially rewarding, though. Elgar is probably, at this stage, the best player of pace in the South Africa side. So to set him up with a spell of short balls and then send his off-stump sent cartwheeling with a rare full delivery that may have left him a fraction provided more tangible rewards than the slaps on the back from appreciative teammates.”Every fast bowler wants to see a stump going flying,” he says. “And that was a great feeling. And one that really helped with my confidence. If you don’t get a wicket you’re thinking ‘I need to try and prove a point; I need to show my value and keep my place in the team.'”Dean Elgar was bowled by Mark Wood•Stu Forster/Getty ImagesYou could argue – and you may well be right – that Wood overdid the short ball here. In the second innings, 41 of the 66 deliveries he has so far bowled have been short or back of a length. Only two have been fuller than a length. For a man capable of swinging the ball – both conventionally and reverse – that seems like a bit of a waste. He’s better than playing the part of a simple enforcer.Incidentally, that final spell was six overs. It’s too long for a bowler of Wood’s pace and fragility. Mitchell Johnson, at his very best, rarely bowled a spell longer than three or four overs. England could learn from that.But those were the orders and he’s a team man. “You do what is best for the team,” he says. “I noticed my pace dropped off a little at the end. But when you’re bowling bouncers all the time, it takes it out of you.”Wood’s career stats are, in the grand scheme of things, fairly unremarkable. This is his 14th Test; he has one five-for and an average of 36.81. But we should probably distinguish Wood’s statistics before he lengthened his run-up and afterwards. Before that change, there was a lot of talk about his pace, but not much evidence. He routinely bowled in the mid-80s and he routinely underwent ankle surgery.But since the end of 2018, when he made the decision to lengthen that run, he has bowled with consistent pace and hostility. The only other Test he featured in since then included his career-best performance – he was player of the match after dismantling West Indies in St Lucia – while his World Cup spells included the fastest delivery of the tournament and meant that only four men claimed more wickets. Just as importantly, the longer run appears to have taken a bit of stress off his body. But for that side strain – the knee was more of a clean-up job than anything especially serious – his body (and most crucially, his ankle) has stood up pretty well to the exertions.For that reason, there is hope he could appear in the fourth Test next week. And with Jofra Archer now bowling again in training, there is a possibility that England could field both their fast bowlers on a Johannesburg pitch which has, at times, been rated among the fastest in the world.”I’d love to play there,” Wood says. “I’ve never actually played a match there, but I trained there once and the ball flew through. I’d love to have a go there.”The word “love” comes up a lot in Wood’s conversations at present. He says he “loved” his batting, “loved” how well Ollie Pope batted and Dom Bess bowled and “loves” being back in the team and “doing something I really enjoy”.The result is that, if the weather relents – “I thought Africa was the sunniest place in the world,” Wood mused, “but I come here and it’s just like Durham,” – England have a great chance of achieving back-to-back victories in South Africa for the first time since January 1957. To put that in perspective, Winston Churchill’s second spell as Prime Minister had just finished. It’s a significant achievement.So was the gamble to keep bowling in the World Cup worth it?”Absolutely,” he says with feeling. “I’d take being a World Cup winner even if I didn’t play another game of Test cricket. I would not swap that for the world. I’ve always got that to look back on. It was the pinnacle of my career.”He’s probably right. But to see him throw himself into his work again at Test level, to know how hard it’s been to get back to this level, to appreciate how much better England’s attack looks when he is part of it and to witness his uninhibited enthusiasm… you rather hope there are a few more Tests left in Mark Wood yet.

England’s resolve broken during four-wicket afternoon session as they slip to an innings defeat

The Report by Alan Gardner25-Nov-2019New Zealand marked the arrival of Test cricket in Bay of Plenty with an emphatic victory over England. These are times of rich promise for Kane Williamson’s side and they made light of the suggestion that the surface at Mount Maunganui might be too flat to provide a result, Neil Wagner’s ebullient five-wicket haul seeing them home with plenty of room to spare on the final day.For England, it was a case of new coach, new approach, but largely the same result. Having won the toss and gained first use of the pitch, a first-innings total of 353 was soon shown up as inadequate by New Zealand’s more ruthless approach. The brittle nature of their batting was then exposed for a second time, with no one managing more than Joe Denly’s 35 as they crumbled to an innings defeat.ALSO READ: ‘Missed opportunity’ with bat cost England – RootNeeding to bat for most of the day in order to squeeze out of the game with a draw, England lost four wickets during the afternoon session to fatally undermine their cause. Wagner claimed three of them in a five-over burst before tea that ripped the guts out of England’s resistance, with a ninth-wicket stand of 59 between Sam Curran and Jofra Archer only serving to underline what might have been achievable.New Zealand have not lost a Test at home since 2017, and the way they wrestled control in this match – through the record-breaking feats of BJ Watling and Mitchell Santner and a concerted team effort with the ball – ably demonstrated why they sit No. 2 in the ICC’s Test rankings. Watling was named Man of the Match for his marathon double-hundred and while Santner could not add to the three vital wickets he had claimed on the fourth evening, there was a flying catch to savour as New Zealand surged towards victory.Although England did threaten to draw the game out, losing just one wicket in the first 41 overs of the day, it is a marker of New Zealand’s collective strength that someone always seems to stand up when required. Wagner, who looks like he would celebrate the successful purchase of a new hoover with a fist-pumping run towards the cashiers, charged into the fray during the afternoon session to break the tourists resolve.England’s batsmen did, however, lend the odd helping hand. Perhaps most disappointing for Joe Root, the man hoping to help build a new era for England in Test cricket under Chris Silverwood, was his own dismissal and that of his vice-captain, Ben Stokes. Both departed to ill-judged strokes against balls that were not threatening their stumps, clearing the path for Wagner to run through the rest of the line-up.Watch cricket on ESPN+

New Zealand v England is available in the US on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the T20I series.

The loss of Stokes, England’s top-scorer in the first innings, dealt the gravest blow to their hopes of saving the game. He and Denly had taken the score to 121 for 4, approaching the afternoon drinks break, when Tim Southee’s perseverance outside off stump was rewarded as Stokes was bowled off his inside edge trying to force a wide delivery.New Zealand, and Wagner, sensed their moment. Denly’s 142-ball vigil was ended a few overs later, when Wagner went around the wicket and found some extra bounce from a length to flick the glove – Kumar Dharmasena declined the initial appeal but Williamson immediately, and confidently, reviewed.Ollie Pope was then suckered in Wagner’s next over, mishitting what looked like a wide full toss but was actually a knuckleball towards cover, where Santner continued a memorable Test by clinging on a full stretch. When Jos Buttler opted to leave Wagner’s first delivery with the second new ball, only to see it crash into the base of off stump, the game was effectively up. Curran and Archer stitched together a partnership to extend proceedings into the final session, thwarting Santner’s attempts to add a five-for to his hundred; but Wagner returned to claim the last two wickets with consecutive balls and seal an impressive win.The teams came back for the final day at Bay Oval with two outcomes on the table. Either New Zealand would take the seven wickets required, and possibly knock off a few runs, to claim victory and a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, or England and the pitch would conspire to deliver a draw in Mount Maunganui’s maiden Test.The initial signs were that bowling out England for a second time would be hard work, despite the pitch increasingly offering assistance to spin – and the departure of Trent Boult for treatment on a side problem after bowling just one over must have been a concern for Williamson. New Zealand only managed one breakthrough during the morning, but the fact that the departing batsman was Root would have encouraged hopes that they could get the job done.Root, fresh to the crease after Jack Leach’s dismissal from the final ball of day four, had looked reasonably assured, clipping a couple of fours off Santner but otherwise taking his time to get in. However, facing a field with three catchers in the covers, he was surprised by Colin de Grandhomme going short and steered limply to gully, departing having failed to make a significant contribution to the England innings for the second time in the match.

Football goes beyond just being a sport to becoming a spectacle of human drama and emotion in the high-stakes arena of the UEFA European Championship, when nations clash and emotions erupt.

Over the years, there have been a number of contentious moments in football history. These incidents, which range from dodgy referee calls to controversial off-field decisions, have also generated discussions among players, spectators and officials.

And with technology now in play these days, there will surely be plenty more controversial moments to come.

With that being said, we have compiled a list of the top 10 most controversial moments in European Championship history…

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Posts ByLuke Randall Mar 14, 2024 10 Turkey v Croatia quarter-final Crazy extra-time period ends in drama (Euro 2008)

The Euro 2008 quarter-final match between Turkey and Croatia was headed for a Croatian win with a late goal in extra time, only for Turkey to score an even later equaliser, taking the match to penalties, where they won.

The controversy stemmed from the timing of Turkey’s goal, with debates over whether the referee should have ended the match before the equaliser was scored. This incident remains a point of debate regarding timekeeping and referee discretion in ending matches, which is something we have seen in the Premier League and other leagues as well.

(The drama kicks in at 10:21 here…)

9 Marko Arnautovic’s goal celebration North Macedonia incensed by Austrian's gesture (Euro 2020)

Marko Arnautovic appeared to disrespect opponents of Macedonian origin during his celebration following a goal against North Macedonia during Euro 2020.

Arnautovic received a one-match ban from UEFA as a result of the celebration, which some deemed unsportsmanlike and gave rise to accusations of racism. This served as a reminder of the organisation’s opposition to racism and discrimination.

8 Yugoslavia's disqualification Civil war and expulsion led to huge tournament shock (Euro 1992)

Following a strong qualifying campaign, Yugoslavia had earned a spot in the 1992 Euro, which was scheduled to take place in Sweden. With a wealth of talent that has made major contributions to European football, the team was regarded as one of the tournament favorites. But the growing violence inside its boundaries attracted international criticism, and the UN placed economic sanctions on Yugoslavia as a result.

Less than a month before the competition was scheduled to begin in May 1992, UEFA, the organisation that governed football in Europe, came under growing pressure to take action. In the face of mounting worries about the event’s safety and security as well as the political ramifications of Yugoslavia’s involvement, UEFA took the historic decision to banish the Yugoslav squad from contention.

The dismissal occurred as a direct result of international sanctions placed on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by UN Security Council Resolution 757. The decision made by UEFA was in line with the larger international campaign to isolate Yugoslavia due to the conflict and violations of human rights that were taking place on its soil.

Denmark, who had placed second in the same qualifying group, was invited to play in the tournament to take up the void left by Yugoslavia’s exclusion. This last-minute addition proved to be a Cinderella tale as Denmark went on to win the title, overcoming Germany in the final and the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.

7 Sol Campbell disallowed goal v Portugal Late header would've sent England to the semi-finals (Euro 2004)

England defender Sol Campbell headed what many English fans believed to be a worthy late winner in the quarter-final matchup against Portugal at Euro 2004. Nevertheless, the goal was disallowed by the referee, who penalised John Terry for supposedly fouling Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo in the build-up.

It has been disputed whether the referee’s ruling was excessively harsh, which resulted in England’s elimination following a penalty shootout.

Sol Campbell has come out since, talking on the incident.

6 Mario Balotelli racist abuse v Croatia Striker's displays overshadowed by vile fan behaviour (Euro 2012)

During Euro 2012, Mario Balotelli was subjected to racist taunts, particularly during the group stage match between Croatia and Italy in Poland, in which Croatian fans were the suspects.

UEFA investigated the racial insults after taking the matter seriously. After the investigation, UEFA fined the Croatian Football Federation €80,000 (£62,800) for the fan behaviour, which included inappropriate and racist banners being displayed, pyrotechnics being set off and thrown, as well as racist chants directed at Balotelli.

5 Spain's 'offside' goal v Croatia Croatia fume as late winner allowed to stand (Euro 2012)

Another controversial moment in 2012 was the dispute that erupted during Croatia’s match against Spain, leaving players and spectators arguing over the nuances of football’s offside rule.

The dispute started in the 88th minute. After receiving a pass from Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta appeared to be in an offside position, but he calmly squared to Jesus Navas, who hammered the ball into an empty net. The players from Croatia, together with their coach Slaven Bilić, quickly protested the goal, who maintained that when Fabregas made the pass, Iniesta was offside.

The decision was quite close, as evidenced by post-match replays and analysis. Some angles even suggested that Iniesta might have been level with the final defender at the time the ball was played. But as there was no VAR available at the time, the assistant referee’s on-field ruling stayed and there was no chance for a video review.

Related Spain: Every European Championship campaign

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Posts ByStephan Georgiou Mar 18, 2024 4 Booing of the Danish national anthem English fans make for hostile environment in tense semi (Euro 2020)

When England and Denmark played in the Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley Stadium, English fans booed the Danish national anthem, which caused a lot of controversy and outrage.

This move was swiftly criticised heavily by spectators as well as by those within the stadium. The media and supporters condemned the conduct as “disgraceful” and “unsportsmanlike”, emphasising that it goes against the values of respect and worldwide unity as well as the spirit of the game.

We have to agree.

3 Ronald Koeman's crazy celebration Koeman's shirt swap causes fury (Euro 1988)

One of the most talked-about moments from Euro 1988 was Ronald Koeman’s celebration following West Germany and the Netherlands’ semi-final match, which perfectly captured the fierce rivalry between the two countries.

The incident in question happened after the game when Germany’s Olaf Thon and Koeman were spotted switching shirts. Now, this doesn’t seem like anything crazy, but it was what came after that caused a rift. Television cameras captured Koeman acting as though he was wiping his behind right in front of the Dutch supporters, wearing the shirt that Thon had given him.

Outrage was instantly ignited by this move, which was seen as a deliberate act of disrespect towards the German team and its supporters.

2 Spain banned from playing against USSR Soviets given walkover after Spain forfeit quarter-final (Euro 1960)

One famous instance of politics having a direct impact on sports during the Cold War era is Spain’s withdrawal from the 1960 European Nations’ Cup – the first edition of the European Championship – after being pitted against the Soviet Union.

Spain were scheduled to meet the Soviet Union in the tournament’s quarter-finals but dictator Francisco Franco’s administration stopped the game from being played on Spanish territory. Strongly anti-communist, Franco’s government refused to acknowledge the Soviet Union.

The Spanish Football Federation was forced to exit the competition as a result of government intervention, allowing the Soviet Union to advance to the semi-finals. The USSR defeated Yugoslavia 2-1 in the tournament final in Paris to win the title.

1 Sweden v Denmark match-fixing allegations Convenient result angers Italy (Euro 2004)

Due to claims of match-fixing, the Euro 2004 Group C encounter between Sweden and Denmark caused a great deal of controversy. Italy was eliminated from the tournament with the final score of a 2-2 draw, which sparked rumours and claims that the two Scandinavian nations may have orchestrated the outcome.

Before the game, there was a lot of talk that, regardless of Italy’s performance against Bulgaria in their last group encounter, a 2-2 draw would guarantee that both Sweden and Denmark advanced to the quarter-finals at the expense of Italy. Suspicion and tensions increased during the game, particularly among Italian supporters and the media, as it progressed and reached the controversial 2-2 outcome.

Sweden equalised after Denmark took the lead twice, and the second Swedish goal came late in the game to seal the draw that would see both teams through.

Italian supporters and media expressed their displeasure, criticising the match’s integrity and claiming that the result was too opportune to be coincidental. However, players, referees, and coaching staff from both Sweden and Denmark angrily refuted any accusations of match-fixing, insisting that the game was done honestly and competitively.

After reviewing the game, UEFA also discovered no proof of conspiracy or misconduct on the part of the participating teams, which led to them upholding the outcome.

After bringing in Brendon McCullum as the head coach, Kolkata Knight Riders have added David Hussey and Kyle Mills as the chief mentor and as bowling coach respectively for the 2020 IPL season.The announcement was made on Saturday, as part of an overall revamp of the Knight Riders backroom. Franchise CEO Venky Mysore said in a statement, “It’s great to welcome David Hussey and Kyle Mills to the Knight Riders Family. They bring a wealth of experience as professionals, and are terrific individuals. We are confident that their contribution as part of the think tank of KKR, and to the KKR Academy, will be invaluable.”Hussey is a former Knight Riders player, having represented the franchise in 23 games between 2008 and 2010 during the course of a glittering T20 career in which he played 267 matches, scoring 6097 runs and picking up 68 wickets.Apart from turning out for Australia 39 times, 42-year-old Hussey plied his trade in leagues in his own country for the Melbourne Stars, in the West Indies, New Zealand and Australia, apart from playing in the IPL with Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab. Earlier this year, in May, Hussey was appointed coach of the Stars for the next edition of the Big Bash League, replacing the outgoing Stephen Fleming.Former New Zealand paceman Mills, meanwhile, remains at No. 2 behind Daniel Vettori in the list of his country’s highest wicket-takers in ODI cricket – 240 from 170 games – despite retiring from international cricket in 2015.The 40-year-old paceman also played 98 T20s – 42 of them internationally – for 105 wickets, and took up a role as bowling coach with the New Zealand men’s team for a brief period in 2018.Mills replaced Omkar Salvi, the team’s bowling coach till last season.Back in mid-July this year, following a fifth-place finish in IPL 2019, Knight Riders parted ways with head coach Jacques Kallis and assistant coach Simon Katich, and appointed McCullum as the chief coach, for the Kolkata franchise as well as the owners’ team in the Caribbean Premier League, Trinbago knight Riders.

Tottenham Hotspur are in the thick of a battle for Champions League qualification in the Premier League, with Ange Postecoglou seeking a positive finish to his first campaign in London.

After finishing eighth last season and resultingly losing Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, Spurs were in desperate need of a reset and the Australian has offered just that, placing the pillars of a new era despite much ebbing and flowing.

Several exciting signings have been made to shape the improving team, while one of Postecoglou's first ports of call was to ship out deadwood such as Tanguy Ndombele and Davinson Sanchez – also ridding his system of the out-of-favour Eric Dier last month – there are still players yet to be shipped on that very much look without a successful future down N17.

Spurs' signing of Ryan Sessegnon

One player who is surely nearing the end of their Lilywhites career is Ryan Sessegnon, who has made one paltry appearance this season, against Burnley in the FA Cup, as he battles against ongoing fitness issues.

Signed from Fulham in a £25m package back in 2019 as a 19-year-old after dazzling in the second tier, posting 25 goals and 18 assists across 120 displays, there was much buzz surrounding then Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino's new left-back, also capable as a winger.

Life on the major stage had such promise for this dynamic flanker and while Sessegnon is still only 23, he will need to get a grip on his fitness sooner rather than later to live up to the chatter when plying his trade for the Cottagers.

Ryan Sessegnon's cost at Spurs so far

Sessegnon has completed 57 appearances for Tottenham, scoring three goals and providing four assists for his teammates, but there is no questioning the fact that he has fallen by the wayside after prodigious beginnings and, out of contract next summer, might be approaching the end of his time at the club.

While his injury issues are unfortunate, his time on the pitch has not exactly been paved in praise, with Tottenham expert Jon Wenham claiming that he looks like a "Championship player".

When combining the player's transfer fee with his wages earned throughout his time at Tottenham, it can be deduced that he has cost the club more than £39m, and counting.

To put that in perspective, popular footballing information site Transfermarkt records Sessegnon's total minutes for the outfit at 3,391, meaning he has cost approximately £1m per 90 minutes. That… is grim reading.

Player

Salary

Ryan Sessegnon

£55k-per-week

Yves Bissouma

£55k-per-week

Micky van de Ven

£55k-per-week

Emerson Royal

£40k-per-week

Bryan Gil

£40k-per-week

Oliver Skipp

£40k-per-week

As the table shows, Sessegnon is on par with first-team stars such as Micky van de Ven and Yves Bissouma, while sitting comfortably above a host of players who compete in Postecoglou's matchday plans with regularity.

The incessant injury troubles that have ravaged much of his career are unfortunate, but it's reaching the point where chairman Daniel Levy must consider whether keeping him on the books is a good idea, with the new chapter at the club requiring a certain ruthlessness to catch up with the Arsenal's, Manchester City's and Liverpool's of the Premier League.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Ultimately, Sessegnon is still only 23 years old and has a real shot at returning to prominence, but he would be better placed doing so away from Tottenham, where he can move to a side with a greater chance of earning a prominent, regularly starting spot.

Australia’s joint vice-captain knows that he will need to be patient and show a more measured approach to have success in English conditions

Daniel Brettig at Edgbaston30-Jul-2019Wielding his bat like a cutlass and swinging it with enough gusto to twice be caught at third man against India last summer, Travis Head would not, at first glance, look like an Australian player ideally suited to the subtleties required to bat successfully in England.There have been numerous similarly swashbuckling Australian talents who never quite cracked it in England, not least Doug Walters and David Hookes, when confronted by slower surfaces and the moving ball. Adding to the difficulty for Head is another matter of more recent history – he is too young to remember Australia winning a series in England, having been seven years old when a team led by Steve Waugh rushed to a 3-0 lead and ultimately a 4-1 final margin in 2001.”2001, very early days, I probably didn’t watch much of it. I was probably asleep most of the time,” Head said with a laugh. “Yeah, probably ’05 [was first memory]. Obviously the last one, coming to Trent Bridge, I only watched the first couple of sessions.”I was over here when Ash [Agar] got 98 [in 2013]. I think I was watching it with a mate in the Greek islands. I went to The Oval and watched Smudge [Steven Smith] get a hundred. So I’ve watched a bit of cricket here. I loved watching India here last year as well. It’s a place where you get exciting cricket. So looking forward to get involved with it.”ALSO READ: James Anderson the key as Glenn McGrath ‘sits on fence’ in Ashes predictionBack in November, Head was discarded from Australia’s ODI team at an inopportune time for anyone wanting to go to England for the World Cup – something Head clearly wanted. However, it also provided useful clarity in terms of what his goals should be, something added to when he acquitted himself more than adequately against Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka in his first three Test series – those edges to third man aside.After the SCG Test, Head was left with some regrets about not finishing off the series well, something he atoned for while striding to a century against Sri Lanka in Canberra in Australia’s last Test before the Ashes. Given that two other centurions for that match, Kurtis Patterson and Joe Burns, did not make the final Ashes squad, Head had to have done more work in the interim.”I think for a long part of my career, I was a bit, not reckless but I took the game on,” he said. “But as I’ve matured a little bit and played a lot more cricket, I’ve got more of an understanding of how I want to play on different wickets, especially in the last 12 months. Being able to adapt to wickets throughout the country in Australia and over here, and how I adapt my game it has been probably a more mature approach.”I’ve taken more time and tried to give myself a chance a bit more than I did when I was younger. As I’ve played more cricket and got more experience, I’ve been able to do that, and I found that the other week batting with Wadey [Matthew Wade, for Australia A against England Lions]. It was nice to spend time in the middle, and I’ve played a bit of cricket over here so I know what to expect. It’s about making sure I let them bowl to me, but also making sure that I’m still positive and don’t change my natural instincts.Travis Head celebrates a century•Getty Images”So when there’s a chance to score, score, because we’re there to get runs and it can be quite difficult to get runs over here. So when they’re on offer we have to make sure we take it, but also making sure we do it for a long period of time.”The battles against India, Jasprit Bumrah in particular, have stuck in Head’s memory bank ahead of likely duels with the similarly precise James Anderson, among others. “Looking back at the way I batted in Adelaide and knowing the conditions and not trying to drive the ball, just let the ball come,” he said. “I think I did a really good job in Adelaide and Perth of doing that, then got a little bit greedy in Melbourne and Sydney when the wickets were better and I wasn’t able to do it for long enough.”So it was nice to get through to the back end of the summer against Sri Lanka and be able to go out there and do it for a long period of time, to get a big score on a wicket on day one where it still did a bit. I was able to let the ball come, and do all the things I was able to do throughout the summer. It’s going to be a real key focus. I understand the England bowlers will put me under pressure and test that patience, I guess. For me, it’s about making sure I continue being as positive as I can be and moving the game, but also giving myself the best chance to get big hundreds and to be putting us into great positions.”Alongside Pat Cummins, Head was anointed co-deputy to Tim Paine during the Sri Lanka series, after the roles were passed on from Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh. Anyone thinking this premature, needed only look at how Head had been made South Australia’s captain in 2015, aged 21, and followed by building his batting record and consistency while helping the state to a pair of Sheffield Shield finals. He will, in England, be looking for advice from Smith and David Warner, both still barred from formal leadership roles.”I think I just look back on the captains that I’ve had – Michael Klinger, Johan [Botha],” Head said. “Just taking little bits out of everyone. I obviously had Steve for a lot of my one-day career, Painey’s been fantastic and it was nice to field next to him at first slip in the A tour because I got a great understanding of the way he thought about the game. I think in my first few years, I was trying to find that and probably looked at the job higher than what it was.”But I think in the last few years I’ve really taken a good focus, just making sure that my role is no bigger than anyone else’s, and just ticking off all the boxes for the boys, and just being there and creating a really good environment. Being really calm and consistent in the way I go about things, and trying to make it as good an environment as I possibly can. That’s been my focus and I see that as my role here, making sure that I’m on hand for Painey, that I’m a connection between the group and Painey.”Making sure we keep a really good environment, and a consistent environment throughout whatever we get throughout the next little period of time. And if games are getting a little bit out of hand, we can make sure that we’re calm and in control. So hopefully, I can bring that really levelled environment and level head out in the middle, and try and be a helping hand.”Walters toured England four times without success, and was left out of the 1981 tour. Hookes had only one chance in 1977, and never returned for a Test series. Head, his method so grooved on hard Australian surfaces, will make for a fascinating study on this tour.

قدم المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، هانز فليك، آخر التحديثات الخاصة بشأن فريقه وذلك قبل مواجهة خيتافي في الدوري الإسباني.

ويلاقي برشلونة نظيره خيتافي ضمن منافسات الجولة السابعة من منافسات الدوري الإسباني “لاليجا”، على ملعب “مونتجويك الأولمبي”، غداً الأربعاء.

ويحتل برشلونة صدارة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم برصيد 18 نقطة.

اقرأ ايضاً.. جوندوجان: لا أشعر بالندم للعب لـ برشلونة.. ولم أتوقع رد فعل جوارديولا

وقال هانز فليك في المؤتمر الصحفي قبل المباراة: “كل مباراة مختلفة عن الأخرى، علينا أن نضع الخطة المناسبة لمباراة خيتافي، وآمل أن ينفذها اللاعبون”.

وأضاف فليك: “لقد حللنا لقاء فياريال، وأعتقد أننا بحاجة للتطوير في بعض النواحي، هناك الكثير الذي يجب تقديمه، لكن علينا أن نمضي خطوة بخطوة”.

وحل إمكانية التعاقد مع حارس مرمى جديد، أكد فليك: “أود القول أولًا إن إنياكي حارس محترف، ويتدرب بشكل قوي، بالتأكيد هذا أمر صعب للحارس الثاني، إنه يملك ثقتنا، لكننا سنرى ما سنقوم به لاحقًا، وإذا استدعى الأمر تغييرًا ما فسنقوم بذلك، لكننا لسنا على عجلة من أمرنا”.

وعن روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، أشار: “لست متفاجئًا من أدائه الرائع، إنه يسجل حاليًا ويقوم بعمل رائع، كل مافي الأمر أنه عليك أن تعطيه التعليمات التي يود أن يقوم بها في الملعب، والسعي أيضًا أن يسجل بقية اللاعبين”.

وبشأن مستوى رافينها: “لم يفاجئني ما يقدمه، كل لاعب يقدم كل ما لديه من أجل النادي، نحن بحاجة له في المباريات، والجميع يحبونه في غرفة الملابس، ويقدم كل شيء للنادي، وهذا ما أحتاجه من اللاعبين”.

وحول إمكانية إراحة لامين يامال: “سنرى ما سيحدث، حاليًا لايبدو أنه بحاجة لراحة، هو يشعر بحالة جيدة، لا أعتقد أنه بحاجة لراحة غدًا، علينا أن نبدأ غدًا بفريق جيد، ويامال يقدم هذا الموسم مستوى مذهلًا، وعلينا أن نواصل ذلك”.

وواصل حديثه عن يامال قائلاً: “جودة اللاعبين لا علاقة لها بالسن، أعتقد أنه بإمكانه أن يصبح الأفضل في العالم في المستقبل”.

وعن موعد عودة أراوخو: “إنه بخير ويبلي جيدًا، لا أعرف متى يمكنه العودة، نحن لا نحتاج أراوخو فقط لقوته البدنية، لكن لمستواه الدفاعي أيضًا، عودته ستكون تعزيزًا قويًا لنا”.