If multiple NFL franchises hadn’t combusted three weeks into the NFL season, more people would be talking about the Green Bay Packers, who appear to have another franchise quarterback. Jordan Love’s numbers aren’t eye-popping, yet he has a 7-1 touchdown to interception ratio and already plays with the poise of a vet. There are very few QBs who get shut out for three quarters and are still able to solve a defense, especially one as good as the group in New Orleans. I walked by a trio of Packers fans after the win over the Saints on Sunday, and they were glowing to such a degree you’d think the group had just finished a three-hour orgy. With all the piles of flesh and bodily fluids flying, a football game is comparable, but rarely do fans emit that kind of aura. New franchise QB energy is very similar to new girl or boyfriend energy, and this could be a honeymoon period, yet the coach and infrastructure in place leads me to believe this is real and sustainable. The game-winning drive against a New Orleans team that hasn’t given up more than 20 points in nine outings and counting gave me chills. We’re a few days past the news cycle to recap it, so I’ll just give you the game-winning TD pass. That came a down after the Packers ran a similar fade play, and it takes a load of faith in your QB to call that same look. Throw in Love’s refreshing elusiveness, and I know why Pack supporters were ready to dry hump the nearest block of cheddar Sunday. Green Bay got a haul for Rodgers, resides in the always suspect NFC North, and after a quarter of the season, can be a game up on the division with a win over the Lions on Thursday. For all the hype that Chicago and Detroit received leading up to the season, it’s pretty comical that the franchise with a history of successfully developing quarterbacks — and a history of success — went overlooked. Very rarely does an organization risk upsetting the status quo when the norm is the playoffs. (See Cowboys, Dallas.) The Packers fired Mike McCarthy and actually upgraded with Matt LaFleur. They drafted a replacement for Brett Favre, and it worked. They did the same with Love and Rodgers, and though he might not post a bunch of face-melting numbers, and earn as many accolades as No. 12, all Love has to do is match the number of Super Bowl wins — or should I say win.
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Age only 20, Beraldo is primarily a centre-back, but he has been known to step into the breach as a defensive midfielder too if need be, and his versatility is surely one of the things that will have attracted the attention of the PSG scouts. Since earning a place in the senior squad at Sao Paulo, he has made a total of 52 appearances for the club, getting on the scoresheet once.
With his contract running until 2028, Sao Paulo have apparently agreed to relinquish his s…
Market: Real Oviedo win
Odds: 11/10 @
Smelling the chance to lay down another Segunda marker on Sunday afternoon, Real Oviedo will welcome Ponferradina to the Carlos Tartiere.
Starting with the hosts, while Real Oviedo might need a minor miracle if they’re to claim a play-off spot this season, Alvaro Cervera’s men have continued on a real Segunda purple patch since returning from March’s international break. Last seen putting in another eye-catching display as they claimed a 2-1 victory away at Ibiza, Los Azules have collected 10 points from their last four second-tier appearances. In fact, causing a real upset on April 9th as they snatched a 1-0 win away at promotion contenders Las Palmas, the Blues have won each of their previous three straight Segunda o…
Atalanta s players crumpled to the turf dejected, crestfallen and beaten.
Gian Piero Gasperini s side were a had been half a minute, plus stoppage time, away from a place in the Champions League semi-finals before late goals by Marquinhos and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting saw Paris Saint-Germain break their hearts in Lisbon.
It concluded a season of unlikely triumph surrounded by crushing tragedy for the club and their city of Bergamo.
As they prepare to host Real Madrid on Wednesday, memories of their previous Champions League home game remain vivid, yet feel like they are from another time altogether.
Game zero
On February 19 last year, around 40,000 Atalanta fans – a shade under a third of Bergamo s population – packed themselves into coach…
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals
Best Odds:
Bookmaker:
Two sides who are looking to put a disappointing week behind them, Jose Mourinho will be demanding his Manchester United team immediately bounce back when they travel to Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon.
Burnley
Starting with Sean Dyche s side, although the Clarets enjoyed a record-breaking campaign last season, Sunday s hosts struggled to adjust to the demands of European football. Crashing out of the Europa League at the final qualifying stage 4-2 to Olympiacos on aggregate. Also struggling at the start of the new Premier League season, Burnley shipped four against newly promoted Fulham last weekend and have now picked up just a single point. It will be Burnley s often applauded defensive record that…
Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Fulham on Sunday, losing further ground in the Premier League title race after losing to West Ham three days earlier.
Manager Mikel Arteta was obviously disappointed with his team s performance, labeling it as the worst they ve had in 2023/24.
“The players are giving their maximum effort every game and today we showed some real resilience”
Ange s assessment of our victory against Bournemouth
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial)
…
Karim Benzema has retired from international football after sitting out France s run to the World Cup final due to injury.
The Real Madrid striker, who won the Ballon d Or in October, announced the decision to end his career with Les Bleus on his 35th birthday.
He wrote on Twitter: I made the efforts and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I m proud of it!
I have written my story and ours is ending.
J’ai fait les efforts et les erreurs qu’il fallait pour être là où je suis aujourd’hui et j’en suis fier !
J’ai écrit mon histoire et la nôtre prend fin.
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema)
Benzema was ruled out of the Qatar 2022 finals on the eve of the tournament after suffering a thigh injury in a France training se…
Portuguese sensation Joao Felix has the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of some of Europe s finest forwards after opting to join Atletico Madrid rather than any of the other huge clubs chasing his signature.
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Scorer of a Europa League hat-trick against Eintracht Frankfurt in April, Joao Felix has earned a reputation for breathtaking moments of skill, and he possesses the kind of exquisitely delicate touch that would make him an ideal replacement for outgoing Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann.
With Atleti spending €126million to land Joao…
Crystal Palace caretaker manager Paddy McCarthy believes new boss Oliver Glasner will have seen plenty to excite him in the Eagles’ battling 1-1 draw at Everton.
Hours after being confirmed as the successor to veteran Roy Hodgson, who stood down earlier in the day, Glasner was watching from the stand at Goodison Park as Palace claimed a point on Monday night.
McCarthy, who took charge of the side along with fellow assistant Ray Lewington after Hodgson was taken ill last week, feels the team being handed over is in fine shape.
The new boss. |
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC)
McCarthy said: “He’s seen a team with spirit and commitment to the cause. It’s a good point in the right direction at a difficult place to come.
“I’m sure…
The owners of Manchester City have become the majority shareholders of Indian Super League side Mumbai City.
The City Football Group has purchased a 65 per cent stake in the club, with the remaining 35 per cent retained by existing shareholders Ranbir Kapoor – a renowned actor and filmmaker – and Bimal Parekh.
Mumbai are the eighth football club to fall under the CFG umbrella, along with Premier League champions Manchester City, New York City in MLS, Australia s Melbourne City, Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan, Club Atletico Torque of Uruguay, Girona in Spain and Sichuan Jiuniu in China.
CFG chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in a statement: We believe that this investment will deliver transformative benefits to Mumbai City FC, to City Football Group and to Indian…
Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic strongly dismissed reports linking Thomas Muller with a January exit from the Bundesliga champions.
Muller has been heavily linked to struggling Premier League giants Manchester United and Serie A outfit Inter since revealing he was considering his future at Bayern.
Frustrated with his lack of game time under Niko Kovac, Germany international Muller has started Bayern s last two matches, including Saturday s 2-1 win over Union Berlin.
Amid the speculation regarding Muller, Salihamidzic told Sky Sport pre-game: We have two long-term injuries, and you re trying to convince us that we re giving someone up.
This is a novel you write all the time. We are not thinking about the players we should give up but l…