The Europa League, poor relation of the Champions League financial behemoth, affords some of the continent s small fry the chance to enjoy a quick slice of fame, especially if they can squeeze through this week s playoff returns.
Yet the gulf between the participating clubs is huge and, in financial terms, nobody can talk of a level playing field.
While the likes of Welsh league outfit The New Saints can dream of mixing it with millionaires they would normally only see playing on television while sat in their own armchairs, for the larger clubs the tournament is almost an unwanted distraction.
For money-no-object Manchester City, who have been bankrolled to the tune of a reported 350 million euros since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan took over in August 2008…
Ex-Inter captain Javier Zanetti has anointed Andrea Ranocchia to replace him in the role next season.
The 40-year-old retired from football last season, ending a 15-year stint as skipper of the Italian giants.
Defender Ranocchia joined Inter from Genoa in 2011 and has quickly gone on to cement himself as a first-team regular at San Siro.
And Zanetti believes that he has the leadership qualities to take on the position for coach Walter Mazzarri.
Zanetti told Sky Sport 24: Andrea knows the value of the Nerazzurri (Inter) shirt and, in my opinion, he could be the right man when it comes to making this decision.
He is always available and everyone listens to him.
In my opinion he could do very well.
Zanetti, who stated how keen he was to take up a …
Chelsea have accepted an offer of £10m from Bournemouth for goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, according to Sky Sports.
The Cherries are looking to bring in a new goalkeeper having secured their best ever league position last term, and have identified Begovic, who is behind Thibaut Courtois is the pecking order with the Champions, as their top target.
Begovic moved to Stamford Bridge from Stoke City in the summer of 2015 and has since racked up thirty-three appearances in all competitions.
Over three quarters of those appearances came in his first campaign with the club as Courtois struggled with injury meaning that he only managed eight outings last term, with just two coming in the league.
Prior to his switch to the Blues he had spent six years with Stoke…
Croatia international and Real Madrid midfield maestro Luka Modric was awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or award on Monday night.
The Croat beat the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann to lift the coveted individual prize which capped a remarkable year for the diminutive midfielder.
Et le vainqueur du 2018 est… Luka Modric !
— la chaine L Équipe (@lachainelequipe)
Modric was overwhelmed with emotion upon the announcement.
He thanked his club, country and family…
La première réaction du Ballon d Or France Football 2018, Luka Modric
— la chaine L Équipe (@lachainelequipe)
…but he also mentioned the former Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane who might hav…
Juventus have always got it right in the games that matter this season and have a great chance to win the Champions League, according to Andrea Pirlo.
Having already secured the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles, a first treble in Juve s history is on the cards when they take on Real Madrid in Saturday s Cardiff final.
The Bianconeri s previous attempt to claim all three trophies in the same season fell at the final hurdle in 2015, with Pirlo part of the side that suffered a 3-1 defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League showpiece in Berlin.
Although the experienced midfielder now plies his trade at New York City, he will be cheering on Juve and believes they have proved their ability to come out on top at crucial moments this season.
We re here: Juv…
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is the latest player to be called up to Spain s back-up training bubble ahead of Euro 2020.
Spain s preparations have been thrown into disarray following Sergio Busquets positive coronavirus test on Sunday.
The senior squad, who are in isolation, all returned negative tests on Monday but will continue to follow strict protocols before the start of the Euros, with players from the Under-21 squad set to play in Tuesday s friendly with Lithuania.
As a precaution against further positive cases depleting his squad, coach Luis Enrique has created a parallel training bubble with players effectively on stand-by to join the main Euros squad.
Rodrigo Moreno, Pablo Fornals, Carlos Soler and Brais Mendez were first called up to th…
Diego Llorente is set to return to Spain s training camp on Friday after returning a negative test for coronavirus.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said the Leeds United defender had become the second player in camp to test positive for COVID-19 ahead of their Euro 2020 opener, with captain Sergio Busquets the first to have done so.
Llorente was removed from the team s base and was due to begin 10 days of self-isolation in line with COVID-19 health protocols.
However, a statement from the RFEF said a follow-up test undertaken on Wednesday came back negative, and that there are indications of a false positive from the original test.
Llorente will undergo further tests on Thursday and Friday and will be allowed to return to camp if both come ba…
Bottom-placed Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach have sacked manager Michael Frontzeck with immediate effect.
Borussia slumped to their 14th loss of the season on Saturday, falling 3-1 at St Pauli to remain stranded at the foot of the league table and seven points shy of escaping the relegation places.
The loss came one week after a humiliating 3-2 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Stuttgart, despite the hosts leading 2-0 at the break.
Sporting director Max Eberl said Frontzeck s position had become untenable.
Following the two defeats against our closest competitors Stuttgart and St. Pauli we had to reassess the situation. It was a very difficult decision, Eberl said.
Vice-president Rainer Bonhof added: We had all hoped that we could …
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been handed a five-match touchline ban and a hefty fine for comments made towards a referee.
The Football Association s disciplinary board imposed a three-match ban for Ferguson s verbal attack on referee Martin Atkinson after his side s 2-1 loss to Chelsea on March 1.
Following the loss, Ferguson said: You want a fair referee or a strong referee anyway, and we didn t get that.
I must say, when I saw who the referee was I feared it. I feared the worst.
A suspended two-match ban was also activated after Ferguson accused referee Alan Wiley of being not fit following a game in October 2009.
The United boss was also fined 30,000 pounds and will miss league games against Bolton, West Ham, Fulham and E…
Radamel Falcao says he expects to spend next season at Monaco after two difficult years in the Premier League.
The Colombia striker joined Manchester United on loan in September 2014, where he managed four goals in 29 appearances as he struggled to sustain form and fitness under Louis van Gaal.
Falcao s career has further stalled at Chelsea this season, with the 30-year-old playing just once in the Premier League since October as a result of persistent injury problems, and his lack of game time has resulted in him being omitted from Colombia s Copa America squad.
The former Atletico Madrid forward says Monaco are eager for a return on the reported €60million fee they paid to sign him in 2013 and is himself desperate for regular playing time next term.
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