Toulouse have added Tommaso Menoncello, Northampton boast a phenom in Fin Smith while Cheslin Kolbe leads a Stormers dream teamGlasgow have made strides in the Champions Cup, reaching the quarter-finals last season and pushing Toulon all the way, and if they are to do similar this campaign Tuipulotu will need to be firing on all cylinders. Continue reading...
Toulouse have added Tommaso Menoncello, Northampton boast a phenom in Fin Smith while Cheslin Kolbe leads a Stormers dream team
Glasgow have made strides in the Champions Cup, reaching the quarter-finals last season and pushing Toulon all the way, and if they are to do similar this campaign Tuipulotu will need to be firing on all cylinders.
Barcelona 3-0 Getafe, Inter 3-0 Parma, PSG 3-1 Le MansBayern concede fastest Bundesliga goal in Augsburg drawAnthony Gordon scored his first goal for Barcelona as they extended their perfect start in La Liga with a 3-0 home win over Getafe. The England international opened the scoring in the second minute and Gabriel Jesus added another after half an hour for the league leaders, who have won every match they have played this season.Gordon, who has impressed since joining from Newcastle this summ
Barcelona 3-0 Getafe, Inter 3-0 Parma, PSG 3-1 Le Mans
Bayern concede fastest Bundesliga goal in Augsburg draw
Anthony Gordon scored his first goal for Barcelona as they extended their perfect start in La Liga with a 3-0 home win over Getafe. The England international opened the scoring in the second minute and Gabriel Jesus added another after half an hour for the league leaders, who have won every match they have played this season.
Gordon, who has impressed since joining from Newcastle this summer, grabbed his first Barça goal with a low deflected effort after bundling his way past three players. Getafe defender Zaid Romero gave the ball away in his own box for Barça’s second, passing it straight to Jesus who stroked into the bottom corner.
Sylvain Houles’ newly promoted team finished alongside Catalans in mid-table but their big battle is for exposureBy No Helmets RequiredEvery now and then, something dramatic is required. No one could blame Sylvain Houles for threatening to quit rugby league if his Toulouse Olympique team were replaced in Super League next season by London Broncos. After all, he has just taken them to eighth in the table on half funding, finishing above their rivals Catalans Dragons for the first time in 25 years
Every now and then, something dramatic is required. No one could blame Sylvain Houles for threatening to quit rugby league if his Toulouse Olympique team were replaced in Super League next season by London Broncos. After all, he has just taken them to eighth in the table on half funding, finishing above their rivals Catalans Dragons for the first time in 25 years in the process.
The rumour that Toulouse could be ranked 14th by IMG and relegated has since been quashed – to every sane league fan’s relief. Shane Richardson, the NRL head of strategy, says the aim is to build the code’s presence in France, not slash it in half.
Too engrossed with the World Cup drama to keep up with goings-on in the transfer market? We’ve got you coveredAnnounced just before England’s soul-sucking semi-final defeat by Argentina, it would have been easy to miss Trossard’s £15.3m move to Istanbul. While, after three and a half seasons and at the age of 31, it feels like his time at Arsenal has come to a natural conclusion, he will be remembered as a player who scored in clutch moments and, ultimately, played a crucial role in the club’s f
Too engrossed with the World Cup drama to keep up with goings-on in the transfer market? We’ve got you covered
Announced just before England’s soul-sucking semi-final defeat by Argentina, it would have been easy to miss Trossard’s £15.3m move to Istanbul. While, after three and a half seasons and at the age of 31, it feels like his time at Arsenal has come to a natural conclusion, he will be remembered as a player who scored in clutch moments and, ultimately, played a crucial role in the club’s first league title in 22 years. Trossard departs after 174 appearances and 36 goals, a significant portion of which came from the bench in times of desperate need. He will be missed and deserves to be revered as one of the cult heroes of the Mikel Arteta era. Will Magee
Bill Foley – who also owns Bournemouth – thinks he can do better than Olivier Pantaloni but he may prove mistakenBy Get French Football News“Why can’t we beat everyone?” asked Lorient owner Bill Foley earlier this month. It’s not the kind of fighting talk you are accustomed to hearing from a newly promoted side but, given that they have already beaten Lens, Lyon, Monaco, Rennes, and now Marseille at home, it is justified.Lorient toyed with Marseille during their 2-0 win on Saturday, eliciting “o
“Why can’t we beat everyone?” asked Lorient owner Bill Foley earlier this month. It’s not the kind of fighting talk you are accustomed to hearing from a newly promoted side but, given that they have already beaten Lens, Lyon, Monaco, Rennes, and now Marseille at home, it is justified.
Lorient toyed with Marseille during their 2-0 win on Saturday, eliciting “olés” from the crowd as they knocked the ball around. The fans at the Stade du Moustoir are used to being treated. Lorient have lost just twice at home in the last two seasons. Not even Paris Saint-Germain took all three points when they visited earlier in the campaign. Marseille’s sporting director, Medhi Benatia, launched into a tirade after the match, denouncing his players’ performances as a “scandal”, but he should have shown more respect for opponents who have defied the odds this season.
Barça thrash Sevilla to restore four-point lead in La LigaIsaksen damages Milan’s title hopes with first-half winnerRaphinha hit a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Sevilla 5-2 to restore their four-point lead at the top of La Liga. After Real Madrid cut the gap by beating Elche on Saturday, the Spanish champions responded by romping to a comfortable victory.Dani Olmo and João Cancelo also struck for Hansi Flick’s side, who host Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Fans streamed to the
Barça thrash Sevilla to restore four-point lead in La Liga
Isaksen damages Milan’s title hopes with first-half winner
Raphinha hit a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Sevilla 5-2 to restore their four-point lead at the top of La Liga. After Real Madrid cut the gap by beating Elche on Saturday, the Spanish champions responded by romping to a comfortable victory.
Dani Olmo and João Cancelo also struck for Hansi Flick’s side, who host Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Fans streamed to the stadium to vote in the club’s presidential elections, with either Joan Laporta or Victor Font to be announced the new chief later on Sunday night.
The club’s vision for a young team of players from the region has been put on hold due to concerns about going down By Get French Football NewsIf anyone can empathise with Stéphane Gilli, it is probably Antoine Kombouaré, the man who now replaces him as Paris FC manager. Gilli had felt like a lame duck since the Arnault family took over the club midway through last season, but earning promotion to Ligue 1 at the first time of asking bought him a stay of execution. It didn’t last long. With fears
If anyone can empathise with Stéphane Gilli, it is probably Antoine Kombouaré, the man who now replaces him as Paris FC manager. Gilli had felt like a lame duck since the Arnault family took over the club midway through last season, but earningpromotion to Ligue 1 at the first time of asking bought him a stay of execution. It didn’t last long. With fears of relegation growing, Kombouaré – a former lame duck turned firefighter – has taken his place.
Just like Gilli, Kombouaré too failed to fulfil the lofty ambitions of new owners; his face didn’t fit. QSI were merciless when they dispatched Kombouaré within just months of their purchase of Paris Saint-Germain in 2011; they were top of the league when he was replaced by Carlo Ancelotti. The self-proclaimed “bling bling” era had begun at PSG and, despite its flaws, there was at least a direction – which is more than can be said for Paris FC now.
Monaco have lost seven of their last eight league games. Next up they visit Real Madrid in the Champions LeagueBy Get French Football News“We are trying to anticipate things that could maybe not be in a good place soon,” said Monaco CEO, Thiago Scuro, when he sacked manager Adi Hütter and replaced him with Sébastien Pocognoli in October. The change did not save the club from the bad place they had feared. Perhaps Hütter wasn’t the problem, perhaps Pocognoli isn’t the problem either; that is cert
“We are trying to anticipate things that could maybe not be in a good place soon,” said Monaco CEO, Thiago Scuro, when he sacked manager Adi Hütter and replaced him with Sébastien Pocognoli in October. The change did not save the club from the bad place they had feared. Perhaps Hütter wasn’t the problem, perhaps Pocognoli isn’t the problem either; that is certainly the view of the club’s fans.
The Stade Louis II was sparsely populated on Friday night for the visit of Lorient in Ligue 1. The Monaco ultras boycotted the first 45 minutes entirely, creating a tepid atmosphere. Every noise was accentuated, from the home fans’ ironic cries of “olé” as Lorient toyed with Monaco in the dying stages of their 3-1 win, to the celebrations of the 32 travelling fans who savoured their team’s first away victory of the season, and the calls for Scuro’s resignation.
Pool 1: Toulouse 77-7 SaleBoth clubs are through to Champions Cup last 16 They are box office, of course. The team anyone would pay good money to watch. A collection of youngsters from Manchester were given the best seats in the house, as their magisterial hosts ran rings round them. This is Sale’s record defeat. This is Toulouse avenging their defeat to Saracens last week. Far older and uglier players than Sale could call on would have suffered similarly.Both teams thus qualify for the last 16.
They are box office, of course. The team anyone would pay good money to watch. A collection of youngsters from Manchester were given the best seats in the house, as their magisterial hosts ran rings round them. This is Sale’s record defeat. This is Toulouse avenging their defeat to Saracens last week. Far older and uglier players than Sale could call on would have suffered similarly.
Both teams thus qualify for the last 16. Toulouse leapfrog their visitors into second place, for now, which means a home tie. They will be cheering on Glasgow, who host Saracens in the last match of the pool stages on Sunday.
Pool 1: Saracens 20-14 ToulouseRotimi Segun also scores twice for Prem side Even for the world’s best rugby player it is not all glamour. As he sniffed the damp air on a blustery, cheerless Sunday night in north London, Antoine Dupont must privately have been wondering if this was some sort of fiendish Anglo-Saxon conspiracy. Any similarity with the classic cathedrals and comforting familiarity of the Stade de France in next month’s Six Nations was conspicuously lacking.For a defiant Saracens, t
Even for the world’s best rugby player it is not all glamour. As he sniffed the damp air on a blustery, cheerless Sunday night in north London, Antoine Dupont must privately have been wondering if this was some sort of fiendish Anglo-Saxon conspiracy. Any similarity with the classic cathedrals and comforting familiarity of the Stade de France in next month’s Six Nations was conspicuously lacking.
For a defiant Saracens, though, this chilly, sodden evening delivered the most beautiful of outcomes and a result that transforms the mood of their previous flagging season. They fully deserved this rousing victory, two first-half tries from Rotimi Segun and a barnstorming display from man-of-the-match Tom Willis laying the foundations for the hosts’ best performance of the season which has sharply improved their Champions Cup knockout qualification prospects.
England captain comes on in 60th minute of 5-0 winFerran Torres hat-trick helps Barcelona sink Real BetisHarry Kane scored a hat-trick after coming on as second-half substitute to guide Bayern Munich to a 5-0 victory at Stuttgart.The Bavarian club, who have opened up an 11-point lead at the top, were a goal up but struggling against the aggressive hosts until the introduction of Kane on the hour mark. Stuttgart were also left with 10 men for the last 10 minutes after the dismissal of Lorenz Assi
England captain comes on in 60th minute of 5-0 win
Ferran Torres hat-trick helps Barcelona sink Real Betis
Harry Kane scored a hat-trick after coming on as second-half substitute to guide Bayern Munich to a 5-0 victory at Stuttgart.
The Bavarian club, who have opened up an 11-point lead at the top, were a goal up but struggling against the aggressive hosts until the introduction of Kane on the hour mark. Stuttgart were also left with 10 men for the last 10 minutes after the dismissal of Lorenz Assignon.
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