Although Europe’s elite might have only just closed shop for the summer break, it will be the international stage that steals all of the headlines over the next couple of weeks.
With European Championship qualifying getting back underway on Friday night, all of Europe’s heavyweights will be looking to take another giant step towards EURO 2024.
Ahead of a stacked weekend of international fixtures from across the continent, we are also treated to a host of interesting betting markets.
So, for those you looking to stick on a weekend EURO qualifying flutter, we have created your ultimate Friday Double.
19:45 Wales vs Armenia
Although Wales might have failed to make any kind of impact during their World Cup adventure out in Qatar over the winter…
Italy s unexpected hero Emanuele Giaccherini believes his team have the best defence at Euro 2016 after surviving a late Belgium onslaught in Lyon on Monday.
The Sunderland midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Bologna, was held up by many before the tournament as an example of Italy s inferiority compared to some of their illustrious predecessors.
But he defied his critics by scoring an expertly taken opening goal in a 2-0 win over Group E rivals Belgium at Stade de Lyon, benefitting from a pinpoint Leonardo Bonucci pass.
It was not the defender s creative skills that were most often on show though, as he and his Juventus colleagues Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini somehow defied a wave of late attacks from Belgium, before Graziano …
Verdict: Dortmund win Over 2.5 goals
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Borussia Dortmund opens its Bundesliga title bid with a first difficult test against Eintracht Frankfurt. The game will be played at Signal Iduna Park where over 80, 000 fans are expected in the stands, despite the Summer holiday. While a heatwave crossing Europe might impair players output, Borussia Dortmund legend Nuri Sahin is keen to start his Bundesliga managerial career with a win.
Borussia Dortmund
Although the BvB impressed in the last two seasons by playing great quality attacking football, the hosts failed to get their hands on a trophy. While a dramatic 2023 Bundesliga finale had sent the title to Munich, Borussia Dortmund suffered another major blow by losing the last Champions …
Defender James Chester insisted Wales do not fear anyone with star Gareth Bale in the team as they gear up for the last 16 of Euro 2016.
Wales advanced to the knockout round of the tournament as Group B winners, with a fixture against one of the best third-placed teams looming on Saturday.
It remains to be seen who Wales will face for a spot in the quarter-finals, thought it will become a lot clearer after Wednesday.
Nonetheless, Chester and Co. are confident in their ability against anyone in the competition.
Of the possible upcoming fixtures, Chester said: It s far too confusing for me.
I just go where I m told and if we perform like we did against Russia and keep clean sheets, which is another bonus, then we re confident that we can make it di…
According to , Real Madrid are keeping an eye on RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba.
Following the defeat to Manchester United in the race for the signature of Leny Yoro this summer, Los Blancos continue their plans to strengthen the central defence, and Lukeba appears to be the type of player they re looking for. After the acquisition of Eden Hazard from Chelsea in 2019 for a reported fee of €120 million went wrong, they are wary of spending big money on players in or close to their thirties.
Lukeba is only 21 and shouldn t be too expensive, despite his contract with Leipzig running until 2028. The left-footed centre-back joined the Bundesliga side from Olympique Lyon in 2023 for €30 million. Since then, he s gone on to make a total of 46 appearances in a Leipzig…
Welcome to Part II of the English Premier League Preview: 13 May 2012.
Today s segment will feature betting odds, match previews and match predictions for Norwich City v Aston Villa, Stoke City v Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland v Manchester United.
Thus, tomorrow s segment will feature previews for the following fixtures: Swansea City v Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham, West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal and Wigan Athletic v Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Now then, let s get started.
English Premier League Betting Odds: 13 May 2012
Norwich City () v Aston Villa (); Draw ()
Stoke City () v Bolton Wanderers (); Draw ()
Sunderland () v Manchester United (); Draw ()
Preview: Norwich City v Aston Villa
Kings of the …
Jurgen Klopp has distanced himself from taking on the vacant England job, saying it would be the biggest loss of face in the history of football .
Klopp, who left Liverpool at the end of last season after a nine-year stay on Merseyside, is one of many names linked with taking over from Gareth Southgate.
Southgate led England to back-to-back European Championship finals, failing to win in both and stepped down from his role after their defeat to Spain at Euro 2024.
The last time the Three Lions employed a foreign manager came back in 2008, when Fabio Capello was announced as Steve McClaren s replacement.
Klopp was asked at an International Coaches Congress in Wurzburg whether he had been offered a way back into management since leaving Liverpool.
…
England will play their first match without Gareth Southgate in the dugout when they take on the Republic of Ireland.
Southgate quit his post in the wake of England s 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024 in July.
That ended a hugely successful eight-year stint for Southgate when it came to turning around the fortunes of the Three Lions, and restoring England s pride in the national team.
Yet for all the promise and potential, England could not get over the line when it truly mattered, falling short in two Euros finals, and a World Cup semi-final.
England had endured a miserable Nations League campaign before their exploits in Germany, and in hindsight, it showed that perhaps Southgate s magic was wearing off.
Now in League B, having been …
And so, the countdown begins…
The 2022 World Cup is just over a year away, with Qatar set to begin the tournament against a still-to-be-decided opponent on November 21, 2022.
Even writing it feels strange. A World Cup… starting in November. But that is the reality, with Qatar s controversial – to put it kindly – hosting of the competition effectively rendering a tournament in June/July impossible due to the conditions.
With only a year to go, 13 of the competing nations (including Qatar) have confirmed their qualification, including record five-time winners Brazil and defending champions France.
Of course, most countries will have a fairly settled group of players, but a year is a long time in football, and a few newcomers will make the breakthro…
Alessandro Del Piero made the cut on Tuesday as Italy coach Roberto Donadoni trimmed his Euro 2008 list of possibles down to 24 though he has to drop one name by May 28.
Veteran attacker Del Piero has been regularly overlooked by the world champions recently, but scored twice at the weekend for Juventus to give him a Serie A best goal tally for the season of 21.
Italy have six forwards in the 24 but Del Piero is easily the most experienced with his 85 caps, although Bayern Munich hitman Luca Toni is nowadays top dog.
Marco Borriello of Genoa has won just two caps, Sampdoria s Antonio Cassano just 10 and Udinese s Fabio Quagliarella only eight.
Antonio Di Natale of Udinese has won 17.
There are no reserves, insisted Donadoni. There are 24 pla…