Lazio coach Edy Reja said Saturday s win over Napoli was vital for his side s chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
Reja also said that Lazio had dedicated the win to the memory of late club legend Giorgio Chinaglia.
Goals from Antonio Candreva, Stefano Mauri and Cristian Ledesma led Lazio to a 3-1 victory in Rome, while Goran Pandev was on target for the visitors.
Lazio are now six points clear of Napoli in third place, and the final qualifying spot for Europe s premier club competition.
Speaking after the match Reja underlined the importance of three points against their rivals, and pointed out that defeat could have had drastic consequences.
The match was a straight fight, and our victory is worth double, he told Sky Sports, alludin…
Erling Haaland is a doubt for Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Saturday.
The Norwegian striker was surprisingly substituted prior to extra time of the Champions League quarter-final loss to Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Manager Pep Guardiola revealed after the game the 23-year-old asked to be withdrawn but did not give a reason why.
Speaking on Friday, Guardiola confirmed the forward had suffered an injury but still gave little indication as to how serious.
Guardiola said at a press conference: “We will see. It was a tough game, a lot of action, high intensity for both sides.
“Erling felt something, a muscular issue. That’s why he told me he could not continue.
“The (doctor) said he had a little bit of niggles, …
CONMEBOL responded to allegations of corruption as they labelled Lionel Messi s comments unacceptable and unfounded at the Copa America.
Argentina defeated Chile 2-1 in the third-place play-off on Saturday, but Messi railed against corruption and a lack of respect following his red card against the two-time reigning champions.
Messi – who was controversially dismissed in the first half after an altercation with Gary Medel – vented his frustration post-match, having criticised the officiating following Argentina s semi-final loss to hosts Brazil.
The Argentina captain s allegations angered the South American football governing body, which hit back in a statement.
In football sometimes you win and sometimes you lose and accepting the outcome of a match…
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he could use Bournemouth midfielder Jack Wilshere in his injury-hit team now.
Wilshere was sent on a season-long loan by Arsenal in August, with the England international impressing in the Premier League.
Wenger, meanwhile, is still without Santi Cazorla and now has Francis Coquelin sidelined for four weeks with a hamstring injury.
Asked if he could have used Wilshere now, the Frenchman said: Yes, I could use him now.
But if he had not played until now, he would not be ready to play now. What looks unfair is that at some moment in the season you know you could need the player.
But even at the start of the season you need to have the right balance between competition and numbers and chances for the player to p…
Brazil legend and former Real Madrid striker Ronaldo does not put any stock in rumours linking Neymar with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Neymar is coming to the end of an injury-hit second season at Paris Saint-Germain and the opening of the transfer window could bring fresh speculation about his long-term plans.
Madrid have been credited with an interest in the Selecao star since his departure from Barcelona in 2017 and are expected to adopt an aggressive recruitment approach under Zinedine Zidane in response to an underwhelming campaign.
Ronaldo played alongside Zidane for Los Blancos and believes his old team-mate has little chance of prising attacker Neymar away from PSG.
“It s been dragging on for many years, Ronaldo said at a promotional event…
Manchester City have avoided a transfer ban after FIFA confirmed the club will only receive a fine for breaching regulations relating to the signing of young players.
The Premier League champions have been ordered to pay CHF370,000 (£314,577) for breaching article 19 of FIFA s rules on the status and transfer of players.
However, City will not face a transfer ban like that which FIFA handed down to Chelsea in March for similar offences.
Like Chelsea, FIFA has found City to be in breach of regulations regarding the recruitment of youth players.
LaLiga giants Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have also been handed punishments for similar offences within the past five years.
However, FIFA s Disciplinary Committee took into account the fact …
Willian has returned to boyhood club Corinthians after terminating his contract with embattled Premier League side Arsenal.
After just one season at Arsenal, Willian agreed to tear up his contract despite it having two years remaining in London, having signed from rivals Chelsea on a three-year deal in 2020.
Following the confirmation of Willian s Arsenal departure by mutual consent in anticipation of a Sao Paulo homecoming, Corinthians announced the 33-year-old s arrival.
I want to thank the fans for their affection, too, Willian – a two-time Premier League champion – said. I m getting a lot of messages. I ll do everything to bring joy to Corinthians fans!
Willian played for Corinthians youth teams between 1998 and 2006 before stepping up to the…
Atletico Madrid are close to signing Moussa Dembele from Lyon, Diego Simeone has confirmed.
The striker is expected to move to the Wanda Metropolitano on a loan deal with an option to buy, having told Lyon he wanted a new challenge.
The agreement has not yet been finalised but Simeone seems confident the move will be completed sooner rather than later.
It s still not confirmed, but it s very advanced, the Atletico coach told reporters ahead of Tuesday s match with Sevilla.
I m going to turn my head towards the game, which is what interests me, and when there s something [on Dembele], if there is something, I ll give an opinion.
Atleti will reportedly be able to secure Dembele for a €35million fee should he impress on loan before the end of …
Pep Guardiola has confirmed Kevin De Bruyne faces a “few months out” with a hamstring injury, with Manchester City now having to decide whether he will undergo surgery.
The 32-year-old midfielder was forced off in the first half of June’s Champions League final triumph against Inter Milan and did not play a single minute of pre-season.
De Bruyne returned as a second-half substitute in the Community Shield shoot-out loss to Arsenal and captained the side against Burnley in Friday’s Premier League opener.
PEP [On De Bruyne] It’s a serious injury, we have to decide on surgery but he will be out for a few months.
— Manchester City (@ManCity)
But the Belgium playmaker only lasted 23 minutes at Turf Moor, where seemingly out of nothing he …
Denmark attacker Jesper Lindstrom believes France s crazy team should reach the final of the World Cup, at the very least.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice on Saturday as the World Cup holders became the first team to seal a place in the round of 16 in Qatar with a 2-1 win over the Danes. It is the first time the reigning champions have reached the knockout stage since Brazil in 2006.
Andreas Christensen cancelled out Mbappe s opener at Stadium 974, but the Paris Saint-Germain forward bundled home from Antoine Griezmann s cross to claim the points in Group D.
Mbappe was the star performer in Doha, but Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot and Olivier Giroud were all excellent too.
With such a star-studded squad, Eintracht Frankfurt forw…