Tag Futebol

Let's say Aston Villa supporters were told back in May that club-record signing Moussa Diaby and midfield general Douglas Luiz would be sold this summer, having defied the odds to record a top-four Premier League finish and roll out the carpet to Europe's pinnacle club competition.

Let's say that Unai Emery found himself beset with PSR concerns that, at one point, looked almost insurmountable. Let's also say that the sage Spaniard and Villa's president of football operations, Monchi, overcame such obstacles and repainted the squad with a shiny new tint.

The Midlands' high fliers have skipped past the financial battering ram to ensconce themselves in a promising position. Emery is perhaps a little light in defence, but that may be sorted out in due course.

So too could the Lions pounce on a new forward to complement the brilliant Ollie Watkins – if the price is right.

Aston Villa transfer news

As per Corriere dello Sport – via Sport Witness – Aston Villa are in the running to sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku this summer, even though he is expected to join Serie A side Napoli.

The report goes that Villa are willing to trump Napoli's offer of €25m (£21m) plus bonuses, with Monchi informing Chelsea that he is willing to meet his €43m (£37m) release clause in full.

The Premier League suitors, moreover, boast Champions League football, whereas the fallen Parthenopeans finished tenth last term, a title defence that has left them shackled to domestic duties this season.

Imagine Romelu Lukaku & Ollie Watkins

It's a difficult one for sure. Napoli are confident that they will sign the experienced sharpshooter and yield one of Europe's finest and most highly-coveted strikers in Victor Osimhen – a man who, incidentally, is top of Chelsea's shortlist.

Once described as a "world-class" striker by Thomas Tuchel, Lukaku has found a productive home in the Serie A but could reignite himself as a top-class goalscorer by moving to Villa Park. After all, he's hardly untested in the Premier League, with 121 goals and 36 assists in the division.

And if partnered with Watkins at the front of the Villans attack, a stunning partnership could be born. Watkins posted 27 goals and 13 assists across all competitions last season as he supercharged a rise into Europe's elite mix.

Everton

166

87

27

0.69

Inter Milan

132

78

23

0.77

Belgium

119

85

18

0.87

RSC Anderlecht

98

41

17

0.59

Manchester United

96

42

12

0.56

Chelsea

59

15

2

0.29

AS Roma

47

21

4

0.61

West Brom

38

17

4

0.55

Hailed as "the Premier League's second-best striker" by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell last term, the England international's innate use of his motility allows him to glide into promising positions, where his sharp goalscoring ability takes over.

The hulking Lukaku, now 31, boasts a fearsome frame but he's not the same kind of player, ranking among the top 14% of forwards in Serie A last season for non-penalty goals and progressive passes received per 90 last season, as per FBref.

To put that another way, he's a natural-born striker and could thrive at Villa Park through his ability to rifle them past the shot-stoppers, but his expertise as a frontal focal point could be perfect for a more dynamic option in Watkins, who won the Premier League's Playmaker of the Season award last year, notching 13 assists.

It's a duo that could wreak havoc in the Premier League and on the continent this year, and if Monchi and co find that the financial means are within grasp, this could be an excellent addition for a side seeking to impress across multiple fronts.

Aston Villa could land a bigger coup than Onana in £34m "beast"

Unai Emery has the chance to sign a highly-rated Spanish talent…

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 15, 2024

During his first pre-season interview, Mikel Arteta admitted that the transfer window was a rather slower affair this time around.

You can perhaps blame Copa America and Euro 2024 on that. Plenty of Arsenal players have shone over the summer months, however, notably in Germany.

Kai Havertz scored twice before the host nation were knocked out. Bukayo Saka scored against Switzerland and netted his crucial penalty in the same match.

The true star, however, is not one who plays for the Gunners. They'd love him to, but sadly he doesn't. That is 17-year-old Lamine Yamal.

Lamine Yamal's Euro 2024 in numbers

The teenager has been a total phenomenon during the European Championships, scoring a simply sumptuous goal in the semi-finals against France and registering three assists along the way.

Yamal's stats prior to the Euro 2024 final.

He has captivated not just his nation, but the entire continent. There isn't a single player in football history to score a goal at a major tournament at a younger age than Yamal.

The Spaniard is the natural heir to Lionel Messi and after such a breakout tournament, Barcelona will be slapping an almighty price tag on his head to warn off any potential suitors.

At the moment, he is currently valued at €90m (£77m) by Transfermarkt but that is set to skyrocket in the forthcoming years.

Actually rather similar to Saka in the way he cuts inside onto that deadly left foot, you may well ask why the Spanish sensation is relevant to Arsenal's transfer business. Well, there's a player they've previously been interested in who's worth a little bit more.

Arsenal have targeted Florian Wirtz

Reports from Spain a few months ago suggested that Arsenal and Liverpool were battling Real Madrid to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz.

The German, who like Yamal scored at the Euros this summer, was nothing short of spectacular under Xabi Alonso last term.

Playing alongside former Gunner Granit Xhaka, the attacking midfielder scored 18 goals and supplied 20 assists in all competitions as Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title unbeaten.

It was a remarkable achievement and indeed a remarkable term for the 21-year-old who has undoubtedly captured the eye of plenty of suitors.

There is an inkling that Wirtz will be staying put this summer but if Arsenal, or any other suitor could tempt him away from his homeland, they would surely strike gold.

To put his numbers into context versus those already at Arsenal, only Saka scored more goals last term (20), while no player in the famous red or white registered more assists. The club's number 7 was the main man again in that regard, supplying 14, three more than Martin Odegaard.

Described as a "little genius" by scout Jacek Kulig, he could fetch an almighty fee when the time comes to leave.

According to Transfermarkt, he is valued at a colossal price, more than the aforementioned Yamal.

That estimation currently sits at a whopping £112m. To offer some perspective, Saka is rated at £120m and Declan Rice – their £105m signing of a year ago – is still valued at a similar amount.

We must admit that a deal this year seems unlikely but if the player is on the table in 2025, Arsenal should be all over it. He is an elite talent who is set to star at the top level for many a year to come.

Arsenal struck gold on amazing star who's worth way more than Lamine Yamal

The incredible star is worth his weight in gold.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 10, 2024

Manchester United supporters would have been eagerly tuning into their side's last pre-season friendly to see how Leny Yoro fared in a Red Devils strip for the first time, having just signed for a bumper £52m from French titans Lille.

The 18-year-old will be expected to perform valiantly in the heart of defence for Erik Ten Hag's men next season, despite only still being a teenager, and impressed for the most part against the test of Rangers up in Scotland.

INEOS won't be done there with expensive new summer recruits, as a move for his stunning Euros star is pondered over, who could shine next to fellow lavish purchase Joshua Zirkzee.

Manchester United attempting to seal move for electric Spaniard

According to Spanish outlet AS, via Sport Witness, Man United are attempting to seal a move for standout RB Leipzig man Dani Olmo this summer, having entered the race 'with force'. However, they could be facing a losing battle to try and sign the 26-year-old.

Further reports in Spain are now claiming that Barcelona have even made a bid for Olmo, who is an in-demand figure after starring for his nation on their way to Spain lifting the Euros trophy aloft at the expense of England.

Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has added further fuel to the fire by stating Bayern Munich and a host of Premier League outfits are also interested.

Mason Mount's now expected departure from the Theatre of Dreams camp will also open up more space for the top-flight giants to add new attacking midfield talents to their growing team, with the current Leipzig man potentially excited by the prospect of linking up with Zirkzee up top soon.

Dani Olmo at Euro 2024

What Olmo can offer Man United

Olmo was a key player for Luis de La Fuente's victorious group in Germany this summer, scoring three goals and assisting two strikes, which has led to many a suitor's interest being piqued, including that of Man United's.

The 26-year-old would have been relieved to have had such a dazzling time with Spain, having just been fresh off an injury-ravaged campaign in the Bundesliga, where he made only 21 appearances.

Games played

21

Goals scored

4

Assists

5

Touches*

44.5

Big chances missed

3

Big chances created

8

Still, even with his presence finding him regularly in and out of the Leipzig treatment room, Olmo would still tally up nine goal contributions in league action, with Marco Rose predominantly fielding him down the right wing.

Olmo's flexibility to either play centrally or down the flanks will also be useful to the Red Devils, where he could compete with the likes of Antony and Amad Diallo – who scored in pre-season versus Rangers – down the right channel.

Likewise, Zirkzee's addition to the squad will also give Ten Hag more options in his lone striker spot, with the two-time Netherlands international bagging 11 league goals for Bologna last campaign before Man United swooped in.

He could even strike up a lethal partnership with Olmo in the process, with the Leipzig number seven picking up 34 assists from 148 games playing in Germany to date.

Yes, United have the mercurial Bruno Fernandes who would no doubt create chance after chance for their new Dutch summer signing, but just imagine Olmo – a regular curator of goal-scoring opportunities at Euro 2024 – thrown into the mix too. Both Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund will be licking their lips with delight.

Once described as being an "incredible" talent by rival manager Pep Guardiola, it could be the case that Olmo lines up for the red side of Manchester this coming campaign, as opposed to being snapped up by his vocal admirer at the Etihad Stadium.

Man Utd pushing for "a younger Kante" who'd have been perfect for Pogba

This one’s creeping toward the finish line.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 19, 2024

Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been released from a Gold Coast hospital and has joined the Brisbane Heat in Canberra after recovering from Covid-19.Mujeeb is set to be available for Monday night’s clash with the Sydney Thunder but it remains to be seen whether he will be selected after he was hospitalised following a positive test for Covid-19 while in quarantine in Australia.The Heat confirmed on Saturday that Mujeeb had been released from hospital and had been able to board a flight to Canberra.Heat captain Chris Lynn spoke after the Heat’s loss to the Melbourne Stars on Friday night and was optimistic Mujeeb could play on Monday despite his limited preparation.Related

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“He’s really upbeat,” Lynn said. “He can’t wait to play. He has been part of our Heat family for a number of years now. He’s a world-class player and can be a game-changer.”Mujeeb’s countrymen Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad, and Zahir Khan are still in quarantine after being delayed trying to get to Australia for the BBL.The trio where initially supposed to land in Adelaide in November but a Covid outbreak in that city forced their flight to be cancelled and they could not board another flight until nine days later due to the Australian government’s restrictions on the number of daily overseas arrivals.Khan should be available for the Melbourne Stars third match against the Perth Scorchers in Launceston on Wednesday while Nabi and Ahmad should be available for the Melbourne Renegades third match against the Hobart Hurricanes in Hobart next Saturday.

Andy Robertson cut a forlorn figure as he conducted an obligatory post-match interview as Scotland captain last weekend. The Tartan Army had failed to muster enough quality to make history and become the first Scotland team ever to reach the knockout phase of the European Championships.

Robertson has endured an injury-hit 2023/24 campaign off the back of Liverpool's disastrous 2022/23 campaign, where Jurgen Klopp's side missed out on Champions League qualification and suffered a rather staggering collapse in the Premier League.

Aged 30, 'Robbo' may well have seen his last chance, his golden chance, to make history with his nation fly by, and his state of mind was reflected during a disconsolate discussion following Hungary's last-gasp interview.

He has, however, enjoyed an illustrious career with Liverpool; signed from Hull City for just £10m back in 2017, the left-back was one of the staples of Klopp's tenure, having now completed 297 appearances, notched 76 goal contributions and won the clean sweep of silverware.

Most Assists in Premier League History (Defenders)

Rank

Player

Apps

Assists

1.

Andy Robertson

226

59

1.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

275

58

3.

Leighton Baines

240

53

4.

Graeme Le Saux

327

44

5.

Andy Hinchcliffe

219

36

5.

Ian Harte

237

36

5.

Kyle Walker

395

36

Sourced via Premier League

Starting just 18 Premier League matches last season, however, there's a chance that new Liverpool head coach Arne Slot will seek a long-term successor at some point, with an exciting target already being lined up.

Liverpool lining up Robertson heir

According to journalist Abdel Hamed, Rayan Ait-Nouri is set to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer and Liverpool are considered to be the frontrunners. Hamed, who interviewed the full-back earlier this year, has also claimed that Chelsea and Manchester City are also attentive to the situation.

Despite signing a new contract at Anfield in 2023, Kostas Tsimikas, aged 28, could leave this summer after failing to ever really cement a regular starting berth on Merseyside, potentially opening up the opportunity to land Ait-Nouri.

The Wolves defender impressed in the Premier League last season. He would not come cheap, with the Old Gold placing a £60m price tag on his name.

How Rayan Ait-Nouri would fit in at Liverpool

Slot has been welcomed to Liverpool given his front-footed, purposeful press and emphasis on sharp technical skill and fluidity. The Dutchman has drawn comparisons to his Liverpool predecessor, which played a part in FSG opting to appoint him, though Slot has actually proclaimed himself to be "a control freak" like Pep Guardiola.

Liverpool supporters can expect stylistic remnants of the past era in Slot's brand but he will change certain things, with overlapping full-backs and inversions into midfield something discernible during his days with Feyenoord.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has already demonstrated an aptitude in completing such a transition, maximising his superlative passing range in the middle of the park, but Robertson might struggle to replicate it, performing a more traditional, wide-placed role.

Ait-Nouri, however, has the kind of athletic and dynamic approach that could see him thrive. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 20% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 14% for pass completion, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 13% for tackles per 90.

This signifies a broad skill set, demonstrating his breakneck quality, successfully taking on opponents and leaving them in his wake.

It's no wonder that the £10k-per-week ace has been described as "one of the Premier League’s best players in 2024" by to Sky Sky Sports' Dougie Critchley, completing 87% of his passes in the English top flight while averaging 1.6 dribbles, 4.1 ball recoveries and 6.3 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore.

He could also prove to forge a deadly partnership down the left flank with Luis Diaz, who has been linked with a move away in recent weeks but is presently considered a core member of Slot's first team.

How Ait-Nouri could thrive with Luis Diaz

Diaz is on Barcelona's radar but is unlikely to move to Camp Nou given the La Liga outfit's financial struggles. Contracted until 2027, the Colombian has a €75m (£63m) price tag and this makes his departure unlikely.

Fleet-footed and indefatigable, Diaz lacks end product but he plays an important role at Liverpool and this could be magnified under Slot, whose system is reliant on turbo-charged wide success.

So then, enter Ait-Nouri. The Algeria international's buccaneering style is something to behold and would allow him to bounce off the 27-year-old winger, also demonstrating the tactical flexibility to drift inside when called upon, something that could see his innate goal threat be honed at Anfield.

Diaz, while somewhat wasteful in front of goal, ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 12% for shot-creating actions per 90, so he could be the source of support needed for the left-back's success.

Robertson is clearly a high-class defender and he will feel that he can play an influential role in Slot's system over the next few years, but Liverpool might regret missing out on a talented star in Ait-Nouri this summer, for he could easily move to a Premier League rival if the pursuit is squandered.

Once hailed for his "phenomenal" start to life in England by The Athletic's Tim Spiers, Liverpool must now provide him with the platform to take the crucial next step in what hints toward becoming an illustrious career.

Related Liverpool in direct talks with star who'd be the biggest coup since Salah

FSG would make quite the statement by getting this one over the line.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 27, 2024

The first mid-week of the WBBL fixtures saw four teams in action

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2020The Hurricanes earned themselves a first win of the WBBL season with a trouncing of fellow strugglers the Renegades who were skittled for 81 – their second-lowest total in the tournament’s history – in a dismal batting display. On a slow Blacktown surface, the ground hosting its first matches of the competition, the Renegades laboured to time the ball from the start when Sophie Molineux was caught at backward point off her first ball. They had struggled to 1 for 30 after eight overs when 15-year-old spinner Amy Smith had Lizelle Lee lbw with her first delivery and in the 11th over Hayley Matthews removed Courtney Webb and Amy Satterthwaite in consecutive deliveries. When Nicola Carey bowled the in-form Georgia Wareham the hopes of a strong finish went with her and the entire innings contained just three boundaries. Rachel Priest struck six herself in an opening stand of 56 that ensured the chase was a formality and they had more than seven overs to spare.

Euro 2024 is almost upon us, and the stage is set for a dazzling summer tournament. England and Scotland are among the 24 teams hoping to make history in Germany.

The Three Lions will be looking to go one better than the previous tournament, where they were agonisingly beaten on penalties by Italy at Wembley Stadium. Meanwhile, the Scots are looking for a first-ever last-16 berth, having qualified for successive championships for the first time since 1996.

Football FanCast has put together a Euro 2024 guide that includes absolutely everything you need to know about the competition, whether that's as a die-hard fan or a complete newbie.

Euro 2024 hosts

Germany are the hosts of UEFA Euro 2024. As the host nation, they will kick things off after the opening ceremony at the Allianz Arena in Munich against Scotland on 14th June 2024 at 8pm GMT.

Host nations haven't had the greatest of fortunes in previous tournaments, with three of the last five editions seeing the team hosting the final end up on the losing side, including England during the pan-European 2020 edition.

Only three nations have won as hosts, which is pretty surprising since up to the 1976 tournament, only four teams qualified for the final phase.

France were the last winning hosts back in 1984, when Michel Platini inspired Les Bleus to their first major international honour. West Germany reached the semi-finals when they hosted the following tournament, won by the Netherlands in 1988.

Year

Host

Stage reached

1960

France

Semi-finals

1964

Spain

Winners

1968

Italy

Winners

1972

Belgium

Semi-finals

1976

Yugoslavia

Semi-finals

1980

Italy

Semi-finals

1984

France

Winners

1988

West Germany

Semi-finals

1992

Sweden

Semi-finals

1996

England

Semi-finals

2000

Belgium/Netherlands

Group stage/semi-finals

2004

Portugal

Runners-up

2008

Austria/Switzerland

Group stage

2012

Poland/Ukraine

Group stage

2016

France

Runners-up

2020

Europe

n/a

Ranking every team to win the European Championship

We have ranked every team to win the European Championship since its inaugural edition in 1960.

ByJamie Rooke Oct 8, 2023 Euro 2024 host cities and stadiums

The fixtures in Euro 2024 will be held across ten different locations, which will see teams battle it out all over Germany.

The Euro 2024 locations are:

Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich and Stuttgart.

The selected Euro 2024 stadiums are a sight to behold, with the smallest stadium of the lot still seating around 41,122 people.

Berlin is home to the largest stadium in the tournament capacity-wise, with the Olympiastadion seating a whopping 74,475.

Olympiastadion

Berlin

74,475

Hertha BSC

1936

Allianz Arena

Munich

70,000

Bayern Munich

2005

RB Arena

Leipzig

41,122

RB Leipzig

2010

Hamburg Arena

Hamburg

57,000

Hamburger SV

1953

Arena AufSchalke

Gelsenkirchen

50,000

Schalke 04

2001

Stadion Cologne

Cologne

50,000

FC Koln

1923

Stuttgart Arena

Stuttgart

54,000

VfB Stuttgart

1933

Westfalenstadion

Dortmund

66,000

Borussia Dortmund

1974

Frankfurt Arena

Frankfurt

46,000

Eintracht Frankfurt

1925

Düsseldorf Arena

Düsseldorf

47,000

Fortuna Düsseldorf

2004

Euro 2024 stadium profiles

Football FanCast provides a guide for every Euro 2024 stadium.

ByAlex Roberts Dec 3, 2023 Euro 2024 official ball

UEFA unveiled the Official Adidas Match Ball of UEFA Euro 2024, FUSSBALLLIEBE, that will be used during the final tournament.

Interestingly, this is the most sustainable Adidas ball there has ever been. Adidas used recycled polyester and water-based ink, as well as other sustainable materials to produce the Fussballliebe, including corn fibres, sugar cane, wood pulp and rubber, according to UEFA.

The Euro 2024 ball features Adidas' Connected Ball Technology for the first time at a UEFA international tournament. This means that there will be "unprecedented insight into every element of the movement of the ball". That means UEFA’s VAR decision-making process could be made a little easier thanks to deeper insight into how the ball may be moving for handballs and other potential incidents.

Euro 2024 squads

Teams had until Friday 7th June to submit a list of a maximum 26 players to UEFA, with everyone taking advantage of the decision to expand the squad sizes, which were originally going to revert to the standard 23 prior to the pandemic-affected Euro 2020 and 2022 World Cup. A full breakdown can be found below, including every player selected by their nations.

Every Confirmed Euro 2024 Squad

Gareth Southgate has named his 26 England players for Euro 2024 – here are all the confirmed squads in Germany this summer.

ByStephan Georgiou Jun 8, 2024 Euro 2024 qualifying standings

Group matches took place from 23rd March to 21st November 2023, with the top two teams from each group automatically qualified for the competition.

Group A

1st

Spain

8

7

0

1

21

2nd

Scotland

8

5

2

1

17

3rd

Norway

8

3

2

3

11

4th

Georgia

8

2

2

4

8

5th

Cyprus

8

0

0

8

0

Group B

1st

France

8

7

1

0

22

2nd

Netherlands

8

6

0

2

18

3rd

Greece

8

4

1

3

13

4th

Republic of Ireland

8

2

0

6

6

5th

Gibraltar

8

0

0

8

0

Group C

1st

England

8

6

2

0

20

2nd

Italy

8

4

2

2

14

3rd

Ukraine

8

4

2

2

14

4th

North Macedonia

8

2

2

4

8

5th

Malta

8

0

0

8

0

Group D

1st

Turkey

8

5

2

1

17

2nd

Croatia

8

3

1

4

16

3rd

Wales

8

3

3

2

12

4th

Armenia

8

2

2

4

8

5th

Latvia

8

1

0

7

3

Group E

1st

Albania

8

4

3

1

15

2nd

Czech Republic

8

4

3

1

15

3rd

Poland

8

3

2

3

11

4th

Moldova

8

2

4

2

10

5th

Faroe Islands

8

0

2

6

2

Group F

1st

Belgium

8

6

2

0

20

2nd

Austria

8

6

1

1

19

3rd

Sweden

8

3

1

4

10

4th

Azerbaijan

8

2

1

5

7

5th

Estonia

8

0

1

7

1

Group G

1st

Hungary

8

5

3

0

18

2nd

Serbia

8

4

2

2

14

3rd

Montenegro

8

3

2

3

11

4th

Lithuania

8

1

3

4

6

5th

Bulgaria

8

0

4

4

4

Group H

1st

Denmark

10

7

1

2

22

2nd

Slovenia

10

7

1

2

22

3rd

Finland

10

6

0

4

18

4th

Kazakhstan

10

6

0

4

18

5th

Northern Ireland

10

3

0

7

9

6th

San Marino

10

0

0

10

0

Group I

1st

Romania

10

6

4

0

22

2nd

Switzerland

10

4

5

1

17

3rd

Israel

10

4

3

3

15

4th

Belarus

10

3

3

4

12

5th

Kosovo

10

2

5

3

11

6th

Andorra

10

0

2

8

2

Group J

1st

Portugal

10

10

0

0

30

2nd

Slovakia

10

7

1

2

22

3rd

Luxembourg

10

5

2

3

17

4th

Iceland

10

3

1

6

10

5th

Bosnia and Herzegovina

10

3

0

7

9

6th

Liechtenstein

10

0

0

10

0

Euro 2024 qualifying play-offs

The Euro 2024 qualifying play-offs came to a conclusion back in March, with Poland, Georgia and Ukraine the three teams to have booked their place in this summer's tournament. Poland and Georgia needed penalties to see off Wales and Greece respectively, while Ukraine overcame Iceland in their play-off to qualify for the finals.

Here is how it unfolded:

Path A

1

Poland

2

Wales

3

Finland

4

Estonia

Semi-final 1 (21st March) – Poland 5-1 Estonia

Semi-final 2 (21st March) – Wales 4-1 Finland

Final (26th March) – Wales 0-0 Poland (4-5 on penalties)

Path B

1

Israel

2

Bosnia and Herzegovina

3

Ukraine

4

Iceland

Semi-final 1 (21st March) – Israel 1-4 Iceland

Semi-final 2 (21st March) – Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine

Final (26th March) – Iceland 1-2 Ukraine

Path C

1

Georgia

2

Greece

3

Kazakhstan

4

Luxembourg

Semi-final 1 (21st March) – Georgia 2-0 Luxembourg

Semi-final 2 (21st March) – Greece 5-0 Kazakhstan

Final (26th March) – Georgia 0-0 Greece (4-2 on penalties)

Euro 2024 fixtures, dates and TV channels

Of course, with the fixtures officially pencilled in, the dates and fixtures for Euro 2024 are below, complete with venues and kick-off times (all GMT), as well as TV information. TV picks between the BBC and ITV have only been made up until the completion of the group stages, while both channels will broadcast the final.

Friday June 14

Germany v Scotland (Munich, kick-off 8pm) ITV1

Saturday June 15

Hungary v Switzerland (Cologne, kick-off 2pm) ITV1

Spain v Croatia (Berlin, kick-off 5pm) ITV1

Italy v Albania (Dortmund, kick-off 8pm) BBC One

Sunday June 16

Poland v Netherlands (Hamburg, kick-off 2pm) BBC One

Slovenia v Denmark (Stuttgart, kick-off 5pm) ITV1

Serbia v England (Gelsenkirchen, kick-off 8pm) BBC One

Monday June 17

Romania v Ukraine (Munich, kick-off 2pm) BBC One

Belgium v Slovakia (Frankfurt, kick-off 5pm) ITV1

Austria v France (Dusseldorf, kick-off 8pm) ITV1

Tuesday June 18

Turkey v Georgia (Dortmund, kick-off 5pm) BBC One

Portugal v Czech Republic (Leipzig, kick-off 8pm) BBC One

Wednesday June 19

Croatia v Albania (Hamburg, kick-off 2pm) ITV1

Germany v Hungary (Stuttgart, kick-off 5pm) BBC One

Scotland v Switzerland (Cologne, kick-off 8pm) BBC One

Thursday June 20

Slovenia v Serbia (Munich, kick-off 2pm) ITV1

Denmark v England (Frankfurt, kick-off 5pm) BBC One

Spain v Italy (Gelsenkirchen, kick-off 8pm) ITV1

Friday June 21

Slovakia v Ukraine (Dusseldorf, kick-off 2pm) BBC One

Poland v Austria (Berlin, kick-off 5pm) ITV1

Netherlands v France (Leipzig, kick-off 8pm) BBC One

Saturday June 22

Georgia v Czech Republic (Hamburg, kick-off 2pm) BBC One

Turkey v Portugal (Dortmund, kick-off 5pm) ITV1

Belgium v Romania (Cologne, kick-off 8pm) ITV1

Sunday June 23

Scotland v Hungary (Stuttgart, kick-off 8pm) BBC One

Switzerland v Germany (Frankfurt, kick-off 8pm) BBC

Monday June 24

Albania v Spain (Dusseldorf, kick-off 8pm) BBC

Croatia v Italy (Leipzig, kick-off 8pm) BBC

Tuesday June 25

France v Poland (Dortmund, kick-off 5pm) BBC

Netherlands v Austria (Berlin, kick-off 5pm) BBC

Denmark v Serbia (Munich, kick-off 8pm) ITV4

England v Slovenia (Cologne, kick-off 8pm) ITV1

Wednesday June 26

Slovakia v Romania (Frankfurt, kick-off 5pm) BBC

Ukraine v Belgium (Stuttgart, kick-off 5pm) BBC

Czech Republic v Turkey (Hamburg, kick-off 8pm) ITV

Georgia v Portugal (Gelsenkirchen, kick-off 8pm) ITV

Every Euro 2024 manager ranked by win rate

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ByTom Cunningham Jun 12, 2024 Round of 16 Saturday June 29

Match 37: Germany v Denmark (Dortmund, kick-off 8pm) ITV

Match 38: Switzerland v Italy (Berlin, kick-off 5pm) BBC

Sunday June 30

Match 39: Spain v Georgia (Cologne, kick-off 8pm) ITV

Match 40: England v Slovakia (Gelsenkirchen, kick-off 5pm) ITV

Monday July 1

Match 41: Portugal v Slovenia (Frankfurt, kick-off 8pm) BBC

Match 42: France v Belgium (Düsseldorf, kick-off 5pm) ITV

Tuesday July 2

Match 43: Romania v Netherlands (Munich, kick-off 5pm) BBC

Match 44: Austria v Turkey (Leipzig, kick-off 8pm) ITV

Quarter-finals Friday July 5

Match 45: Spain v Germany (Stuttgart, kick-off 5pm) ITV

Match 46: Portugal v France (Hamburg, kick-off 8pm) BBC

Saturday July 6

Match 47: Netherlands v Turkey (Berlin, kick-off 8pm) ITV

Match 48: England v Switzerland (Dusseldorf, kick-off 5pm) BBC

Semi-finals Tuesday July 9

Match 49: Spain v France (Munich, kick-off 8pm) BBC

Wednesday July 10

Match 50: Netherlands v England (Dortmund, kick-off 8pm) ITV

Final Sunday July 14

Spain v England (Berlin, kick-off 8pm) BBC One & ITV

Euro 2024 group tables

The group stage draw was made in December 2023, with England avoiding any big-hitters early doors in Group C – even if it does involve a rematch with Denmark, who they previously met in the semis last time out.

Groups B and D look particularly tasty, with some classic match-ups to look forward to at this early stage. Spain, Croatia and Italy will all meet in Group B, which will invlude a repeat of Euro 2020's semi-final, while France and the Netherlands are set for an early heavyweight clash in Leipzig.

Elsewhere, Scotland's task of getting out of the group stage for the first time will likely require them to overcome Hungary or Switzerland, with all Group A contenders hoping Germany will get the jitters in front of an expectant home crowd.

Belgium will be strong favourites to progress from Group E, and while the same goes for Portugal in Group F, it is full of potential dark horses, including a Czech Republic side that made the quarter-finals in the previous tournament.

The groups for this summer's competition are as follows:

Group A

1

Germany

3

2

1

0

8

2

7

2

Switzerland

3

1

2

0

5

3

5

3

Hungary

3

1

0

2

2

5

3

4

Scotland

3

0

1

2

2

7

1

Euro 2024 Group A: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

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ByStephan Georgiou Jun 9, 2024 Group B

1

Spain

3

3

0

0

5

0

9

2

Italy

3

1

1

1

3

3

4

3

Croatia

3

0

2

1

3

6

2

4

Albania

3

0

1

2

3

5

1

Euro 2024 Group B: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

Everything you need to know about Spain, Croatia, Italy and Albaniaahead of Euro 2024.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 9, 2024 Group C

1

England

3

1

2

0

2

1

5

2

Denmark

3

0

3

0

2

2

3

3

Slovenia

3

0

3

0

2

2

3

4

Serbia

3

0

2

1

1

2

2

Euro 2024 Group C: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

Everything you need to know about Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia and England ahead of Euro 2024.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 9, 2024 Group D

1

Austria

3

2

0

1

6

4

6

2

France

3

1

2

0

2

1

5

3

Netherlands

3

1

1

1

4

4

4

4

Poland

3

0

1

2

3

6

1

Euro 2024 Group D: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

Football FanCast takes a look at Poland, Netherlands, Austria and France ahead of Euro 2024.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 10, 2024 Group E

1

Romania

3

1

1

1

4

3

4

2

Belgium

3

1

1

1

2

1

4

3

Slovakia

3

1

1

1

3

3

4

4

Ukraine

3

1

1

1

2

4

4

Euro 2024 Group E: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

Everything you need to know about Belgium, Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine ahead of Euro 2024.

ByStephan Georgiou Jun 10, 2024 Group F

1

Portugal

3

2

0

1

5

3

6

2

Turkey

3

2

0

1

5

5

6

3

Georgia

3

1

1

1

4

4

4

4

Czech Republic

3

0

1

2

3

5

1

Euro 2024 Group F: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

Everything you need to know about Turkey, Georgia, Portugal and the Czech Republic ahead of Euro 2024.

ByStephan Georgiou Jun 10, 2024 How to buy Euro 2024 tickets

It's likely you've missed the boat to buy tickets from official sources like UEFA and your respective country's organisers, as the sales period for the group stage of UEFA Euro 2024 is now closed. However, it may still be worth checking UEFA's ticketing portal for any updates.

But, this isn't the end of the road, as the next opportunity for fans to get to games will be when tickets for the knockout stages are released from Sunday 23rd June.

Euro 2024 ticket prices

The cheapest Euro 2024 tickets available for Euro 2024 are €30 (£25.71) for the lowest category pricing of group stage fixtures.

All group stage tickets range from €30 to €200 (£171.40).

Tickets for the knockout stages range from €50 (the cheapest round-of-16 ticket) to €600 (the most expensive category 1 semi-final ticket). That's the equivalent of £42.85 at the lowest and £514.19 at the very most.

Prices for the final, which takes place at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, range from €95 to €1,000 (£81.41 to £856.98).

Fans First

£25.71

£42.85

£51.42

£68.56

£81.41

Category 3

£51.42

£72.84

£85.70

£167.11

£257.09

Category 2

£128.55

£149.97

£171.40

£342.79

£514.19

Category 1

£171.40

£214.25

£257.09

£514.19

£856.98

Euro 2024 winners' odds

Major competitions like Euro 2024 offer fans an opportunity to take a bit of a gamble on their favourite countries to see if they can win a bit of cash.

Sky Bet, for example, has priced up the candidates for Euro 2024, with the Three Lions still the current favourites ahead of World Cup runners-up France and hosts Germany.

The likes of Belgium and Spain have drifted ever so slightly, while Portugal, Italy and Croatia are among the nations to see their odds shorten over recent weeks. However, the bookies seem to think England are the team to beat this summer.

Team

Odds

England

10/3 fav

France

4/1

Germany

9/2

Portugal

15/2

Spain

8/1

Italy

14/1

Netherlands

18/1

Belgium

20/1

Croatia

33/1

Denmark

40/1

Odds correct as of 11th June 2024.

Leeds United now know they are only one game from returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking, after putting on a show against Norwich City in the Championship playoffs.

After a cagey 0-0 first-leg, the Whites let off steam and pummeled the hapless Canaries 4-0 at Elland Road to set up a Wembley showdown with Southampton to be within touching distance of the top-flight again.

Incomings through the door will depend on whether Daniel Farke's men can return to the top division or not, with the Whites fully aware their chances of getting Joe Rodon on a permanent deal potentially rest on what league they are in next campaign.

It's also the case with this brand-new transfer target, who would be a fantastic upgrade on a waning Patrick Bamford if a deal can be pulled off.

Leeds going after EFL striker

Leeds, even with their crunch clash with Southampton coming up soon, are throwing their hat into the ring over the potential free transfer capture of Saints star Che Adams according to TEAMTalk.

Yet, it looks as if they could be foiled in their mission to sign Adams, who is available on a free transfer at the end of the season, by Wolverhampton Wanderers who have allegedly already agreed a deal to sign the wantaway Southampton man and remain in advanced talks. as per other reports.

Still, nothing will be set in stone involving the Scotland international's future until the playoffs are over and done with, and Leeds will hope they can still swoop in at the death if they clinch promotion back up to the Premier League at Wolves' expense.

How Adams compares to Bamford

It would be an almighty sucker punch for Russell Martin's group if Adams was to play his final ever game for the Saints at Wembley and then relocate to the Whites, but funnier things have happened in football.

Adams vs Bamford – FBRef numbers over the last year

Stat – per 90 mins

Bamford

Adams

Non-penalty goals

0.48

0.63

Non-penalty xG

0.52

0.53

Shots total

3.19

3.15

Shot-creating actions

1.69

2.60

Progressive passes

1.45

3.46

Stats by FBRef

Alongside Adams trumping Bamford in many of the attacking statistics above, the Saints striker has also proven to be a goalscoring and creative menace alongside Adam Armstrong up top with goals and assists aplenty.

Adams comes in with an impressive 17 goals and six assists for the campaign, with Bamford only registering a weak two assists from 36 games alongside his lesser nine goals.

Leeds will hope Adams and Daniel James can form an equally terrifying combination if a deal can be reached, with the Welshman terrorising Championship defences for fun on his A-Game.

How James could complement Adams

James has also proven himself to be a reliable source of goals alongside being a creative force for the Whites this season, racking up 20 goal contributions from 45 games.

Adams would, no doubt, love to feed off of James' darting runs and finish like a poacher which he has done all campaign long side-by-side with Armstrong.

James vs Armstrong – 23/24 stats

Player

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

James

45

13

7

Armstrong

51

23

13

Sourced by Transfermarkt

The former Manchester United winger will hope his game can be elevated to the ridiculous levels Armstrong has managed to maintain this campaign, knowing he has a deadlier finisher than Bamford to hand chances to.

The in-demand 27-year-old would also be a smart buy, if Leeds can beat Wolves to his coveted signature, based on his 25 strikes playing in the Premier League in the past.

Described as being a "fantastic" talent by Ralph Hassenhuttl during the Austrian's lengthy stay as Saints manager, Adams will have his fair share of clubs to pick from this coming summer with Wolves looking to be leading the race.

But, if Leeds want to flex and show their ambitious nature moving up if promotion is clinched, they could fancy swooping in at the last minute for the standout Saints man.

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Whilst there's still plenty of time for more drama to take place in the Championship this weekend, Leeds United are currently on course to miss out on automatic promotion in a failure that will reportedly have transfer consequences if they then fail to go up through the play-offs.

Leeds transfer news

Promotion will be the key to Leeds' summer transfer business. Reach the Premier League and attracting players of a certain calibre will be far simpler than pitching the project centred around first earning promotion. Meanwhile, if they do fail to go up, then keeping hold of players will become that much harder, especially when it comes to the likes of Crysencio Summerville.

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The winger has already been linked with Liverpool and rejecting the Reds would arguably be almost impossible at a Championship club. Losing Summerville, in particular, would deal Daniel Farke a significant blow too. The Dutchman has managed 20 goals and 10 assists for a stunning 30 goal involvements in all competitions this season. Take those away and where Leeds would be is anyone's guess. And yet, he may not be the only player heading for the exit door.

According to ABC via Estadio Deportivo, Marc Roca has agreed to turn his loan permanent at Real Betis if Leeds fail to gain promotion to the Premier League this season. The midfielder endured a debut campaign to forget at Elland Road last year and was among those to leave on loan following the Whites' relegation. Now, if they fail to go up, he could have already played his final game for the club.

Given the success that both parties have had apart this season, a summer departure for Roca shouldn't be seen as a major blow, especially when considering that it would see Leeds clear a reported £35,000-a-week from their current wage bill.

"Interesting" Roca's exit is best for both parties

Chalked down as a transfer to forget, Roca's potential exit suits all parties involved, with the midfielder recently speaking positively about his time at Real Betis, saying in an interview with PTV Sevilla: “We’ll see (about my future). It’s true that we’re in contact with the club. We’ll see how everything evolves. It’s up to my agent to reach an agreement, and then Betis will have to talk to Leeds. We’ll see how the negotiations progress, but I’m very comfortable and very happy.”

With that said, Leeds could at least make back some of the £10m transfer fee that they initially paid out to reinvest into Daniel Farke's squad and turn any potential promotion failure into the beginning of a Championship title charge. Described as "interesting" by former Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, Roca just never found his feet at Leeds amid a squad on course for Premier League heartbreak last season.

Since leaving Elland Road, he has made 22 starts in a Real Betis side looking to qualify for European football in La Liga this season to put his nightmare spell in Yorkshire behind him, whilst those at Leeds set their sights on returning to the top flight.

Ellyse Perry feels “very grateful” that the Australia Women’s team has avoided cuts to their backroom staff amid Cricket Australia’s redundancies while also stressing the importance of domestic competitions being retained in their current structures.CA announced 40 job losses earlier this week – of which men’s batting coach Graeme Hick was among them – but confirmed that the senior domestic tournaments across men’s and women’s cricket would not be cut back after previously being under threat when the financial impact of Covid-19 looked likely to be more severe, although the Under-15 and Under-17 set-ups have been suspended for the 2020-21 season.However, while the women’s national team has not experienced any direct losses to their staffing Perry still expects the game to adapt to a new landscape with the expectation there will be a less centralised high performance set-up.ALSO READ: Interim Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley calls for unity after redundancies“We’ve been incredibly fortunate to be able to maintain the structure and make-up of our staff within the Australian team albeit maybe with slightly varied roles and hours,” Perry said. “In terms of the resourcing we’ve been able to keep our group together which I know from a player and staff perspective we are very grateful for given everything that’s been going on.”It actually presents a really good opportunity. We are really fortunate to be able to run with some great luxuries around resourcing and high performance, and those things are absolutely great, but I think sometimes paring it back and figuring out what you absolutely need is not a bad thing. I’m sure we’ll look at those different things and highlight what’s best to spend time and resources on and in many ways that could be a positive.”In terms of the domestic competitions, Perry said it was vital that the current level was maintained in the women’s game. “It’s important not just from an Australian players’ perspective but even more so from a domestic players’ point of view. We don’t play a lot of cricket as is so to be able to maintain the number of games is crucial for cricket to keep developing and providing opportunities to everyone who will have a pretty long winter just training, so nice to have something to look forward to at the end of that.”Perry was also confident that the women’s game would continue to thrive as sport emerges from Covid-19 and believes there could even be an upside with people desperate to be able to reconnect with the game.The crowd at the MCG for the Women’s T20 World Cup final broke the record for the most number of people attending a women’s sporting event in Australia•Getty Images

“People really want it back on our screens and be able to go down to matches,” she said. “Women’s sport is increasingly playing such an important role in that, especially for families, you look at the demographic of our audience, especially at the ground, a lot of it is young families so I don’t see that changing – if anything as we go forward it could be enhanced.”Australia are scheduled to return to action with a series against New Zealand starting late September. Perry remained hopeful that she would be available for those matches as she continues her recovery from hamstring surgery, following the injury she sustained in the T20 World Cup which forced her to miss the knockout stages, but also wants to ensure she is able to perform at her peak.”It’s going pretty well. I caught up with the surgeon a couple of weeks ago and he was really happy with the progress,” she said. “It would be lovely to be fit for the New Zealand series, at this stage it’s tracking that way but there’s a little bit to go. Coming back from injury there’s a clear distinction in my mind between being fit to play and fit to perform. I don’t really mind if I don’t play in those games, it’s more about when I do play again I want to be a position to contribute and perform.”The major event of the season is the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand next February and March although it remains to be confirmed if that will go ahead as scheduled either directly due to the impact of Covid-19 or the knock-on impact to the calendar.”In some ways in the scheme of things a World Cup seems a bit irrelevant given everything else that has gone on, but at the same time everyone will prepare like it will happen,” Perry said. “It’s nice to know that more than likely we’ll be playing this series in September against New Zealand so that’s an immediate focus. Obviously depending on what depends on what happens on the men’s T20 World Cup that could have an impact on the Women’s World Cup.”