From as early as I can remember, football was always the great equalizer. By now, everyone knows I have obsessive compulsive disorder and Tourette’s syndrome. It hasn’t been easy. But on the pitch, nobody cared. My facial tics, the coughing, none of it mattered as long as I stopped the ball from ending up in
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The FC guys break down how Wolves shut down a potent Manchester City attack in their 2-0 upset at the Etihad. Craig Burley says Manchester City need to get healthy after falling eight points behind Liverpool. Manchester City have caught Liverpool once in a Premier League title race and can do it again, according to
Alexis Nunes and Gab Marcotti detail Milan’s dramatic 2-1 win over Genoa. Pepe Reina makes up for a howler with a late penalty save to lead Milan past Genoa. Watch Serie A on ESPN+. Italian Serie A: Lasse Schöne (41′) Genoa 1-0 AC Milan. To watch Serie A sign up to ESPN+. AC Milan have
Craig Burley and Mark Donaldson give you five overreactions from the weekend in European football. The European Cup holders return to first place, ahead of three defending league champions. Meanwhile, Germany’s surprise leaders are a new entry. Dropping out: Manchester City, Inter, Granada Agree? Disagree? Let us know, and watch Shaka defend his picks on
Bastian Schweingsteiger has called time on his football career. Chicago Fire midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has announced his retirement from professional football. In a statement released on social media Schweinsteiger announced his decision and thanked his former teams as well as his wife, former tennis player Ana Ivanovic. “Saying goodbye as an active player makes me
Arsene Wenger won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups as Arsenal boss. Arsene Wenger is interested in becoming Lyon manager, sources have told ESPN FC. Wenger is also considered as an attractive option by the French club although their priority is Laurent Blanc. Sources have told ESPN FC that former France boss Blanc
Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool are setting a relentless early pace in the Premier League. Eight games into the 2019-20 Premier League season, Liverpool have made a record start by winning all eight fixtures so far to sit eight points clear of the chasing pack heading into the international break. For Jurgen Klopp’s team, the season
Craig Burley addresses Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s fit at Manchester United and credibility as a manager. Man United usually fight for a top six spot, but Mark Ogden says they might be fighting to avoid the bottom three. As Man United continue to slip in the table, how long will Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remain with the
The ESPN FC crew analyse Barcelona’s performance sans Antoine Griezmann in their 4-0 win over Sevilla. Spain manager Roberto Moreno announced his squad last Friday in the now fashionable, social-media-friendly manner at which the Spanish FA has become pretty good. It’s ironic that it was Moreno, a Catalan, a self-declared Barcelona supporter and someone who
Chicago Fire end their season with a rout of fellow playoff outsider Orlando City. Watch MLS on ESPN+. The Chicago Fire officially confirmed their return to Soldier Field for the 2020 season. The Fire will host 2018 MLS Cup champion Atlanta United in their home opener on March 21. The team made the announcement in
Arsenal are up to third, and Craig Burley says Unai Emery’s side can still go to another level. David Luiz nets his first goal for the Gunners in a 1-0 win over Bournemouth. Craig Burley and Stevie Nicol say Nicolas Pepe looks like “a flash in the pan” after failing to live up to the
Manchester City celebrated winning the 2018-19 Premier League title after a thrilling back and forth battle with Liverpool throughout the season. Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany reflects on his side’s path to a second consecutive Premier League title, and the competition they faced from Liverpool. (edited) A comprehensive list of all the possible European qualifiers
The transfer windows in Europe’s top leagues are closed, but it’s never too late to look forward to January. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below. Top 10 free agents in 2020 | European transfer review TOP STORY: Man United send scouts to watch Dembele Manchester United
Alexis Nunes and Julien Laurens break down Real Madrid’s 0-0 draw with derby rivals Atletico Madrid, including an underwhelming effort from Eden Hazard. Craig Burley says Atletico Madrid are good enough to defeat Real Madrid despite getting off to a slow start in league play due to a strong midfield. ESPN FC’s Steve Nicol and
Steve Nicol says Mauricio Pochettino needs to find a way to boost morale to get Spurs back to winning ways. Don Hutchison takes issue with Mauricio Pochettino’s infrequent usage of Tottenham’s Lucas Moura. The ESPN FC crew breaks down whether Mauricio Pochettino and Ole Gunnar Skolskjaer’s futures are intertwined. Mauricio Pochettino is adamant he’ll remain
As Man United continue to slip in the table, how long will Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remain with the team? The ESPN FC crew question if Man United can defeat lowly Newcastle despite their injuries and poor form. ESPN FC’s Shaka Hislop assesses potential Man Utd transfer targets Callum Wilson and Mario Mandzukic. Manchester United’s struggles
Portland clinch a playoff berth and end San Jose’s season with a 3-1 win. Watch MLS on ESPN+. MLS announced that Portland Timbers forward Brian Fernandez has voluntarily entered the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health (“SABH”) Program. Fernandez will be unavailable for team activities until he has undergone an assessment and is cleared for
Another busy weekend in Europe means it’s time for another bumper edition of Monday Musings. Gab Marcotti is here to recap the big stories around soccer. Jump to: Juve too good for Inter | Man City in crisis? | Barca ride their luck again | Man United go from bad to worse | Real continue
There are different paths to beating your opponent in a football match. You can outrun them, and you can outmuscle them. You can out-will them, and you can outwit them. All of the above are probably more satisfying to a coach whose job is to prepare, condition and motivate his players. After all, it shows
An angry Jurgen Klopp says Hazma Choudry should have been sent off for his tackle on Mohamed Salah. James Milner’s stoppage-time penalty against Leicester extends Liverpool’s unbeaten run to 17 matches. Steve Nicol says Liverpool deserved the win against Leicester despite the sides being level for 94 minutes. Mohamed Salah suffered a twisted ankle in