Month: October 2019

The Three Lions showed their resilience at Wembley to come from a goal down to beat Croatia, leaving their match-winning captain delighted

Harry Kane praised England’s togetherness as the Three Lions came from a goal down to beat Croatia 2-1 and qualify for the Nations League Finals.

England went into Sunday’s clash at Wembley needing a win to progress to the last four of the international competition or a goalless draw to avoid relegation, with the latter option wiped out when Andrej Kramaric opened the scoring.

That left Gareth Southgate’s side needing two goals and substitute Jesse Lingard levelled things up after 78 minutes, before Kane slid home the winner with five minutes to play.

And England’s match-winner, who had gone seven games without a goal for his country, hailed the spirit with Southgate’s squad to keep going against a side who beat them in the World Cup semi-finals in July.

“It felt good,” Kane told Sky Sports. “It’s been one of those spells for me personally where the keeper makes a save or the ball gets cleared off the line.

“The lads stuck at it, we showed our character, stayed calm and deserved to win.

“We were disappointed not to take our chances but against big sides you gave to stay calm. 

“We said after the World Cup we want to keep progressing and get better – and the way to do that is by beating top teams. We finished the year strong. We’ll enjoy this one.

“It’s incredible, I’ve never seen Wembley like this in an England shirt. We want to make everyone proud. I know they’ll enjoy this one.”

While Kane grabbed the headlines, Lingard’s introduction proved pivotal with the Manchester United midfielder scoring five minutes after replacing Fabian Delph.

He then cleared off the line as Croatia pushed for a winner, a crucial intervention that enabled his captain to snatch victory and top spot in League A Group 4 in the closing stages.

“We kept the confidence, we kept the spirit and the togetherness that we’d taken from the World Cup and we brought it,” said Lingard. “We were 1-0 down and winning 2-1 is a fabulous feeling.

“As a team we know our roles and responsibilities whether when you are starting or you are not on the pitch. I knew my role defensively and to get the box as an eight attacking, so credit to the staff for that. 

“It’s brilliant. I can only say well done to the lads and the staff. We stuck together through the highs and the lows and we’ll now take it on to another semi-final.”

England join Portugal as confirmed participants in the last four, with France or Netherlands set to join them from Group 1 and Belgium hoping to seal their place as Group 2 winners with a positive result against Switzerland later on Sunday.

The Premier League champions insist there is no truth to the claims that they tried to lure the Barcelona No.10 with a mammoth contract offer

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Manchester City have refuted claims that they offered to triple Lionel Messi’s salary in a bid to sign the Argentina international from Barcelona.

The Premier League champions say there is no truth to the suggestion, which surfaced in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, that Pep Guardiola tried to persuade Messi to move to the Etihad Stadium on a deal that would have been worth more than £1 million per week.

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak was asked at a recent Q&A event which transfer near-miss he most regrets from his 10 years with the club.

A video posted to Twitter shows he replied, while laughing, “Messi”.

On Saturday, however, Mundo Deportivo ran an updated story, including quotes supposedly made by Al Mubarak, that revealed further details of City’s unsuccessful attempt.

City insist they “absolutely refute” this version of events, stating that Al Mubarak provided no extra information.

Goal understands that City had held a long-term interest in signing Messi, although the new deal he signed with Barca in November 2017 put paid to their hopes of luring him to England.

Indeed there are fresh reports that Messi is in line for yet another contract extension.

Barca are confident that they can tie him down for the remainder of his career, with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu telling the Times recently: “He doesn’t want to leave.

“We always tell him he can be a one-club man. That is his project too.”

The Manchester City youngster is confident that the current crop of youthful players can better the achievements of that fabled senior side

Phil Foden insists that England’s current crop of youngsters can match the achievements of the Golden Generation comprising the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

The 18-year-old has been included in his country’s Under-21 squad, while Gareth Southgate has shown that there is a very real path to the senior team by naming a youthful side at that level.

Already making an impact with Manchester City, Foden could soon make his breakthrough to the senior England team, with the likes of Borussia Dortmund prospect Jadon Sancho and Derby County’s Mason Mount already doing so.

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And the midfielder, labelled the ‘Stockport Iniesta’, is already excited about the potential in his age group.

“Yeah, definitely,” Foden said, when asked if the current generation can match the Golden Generation. “We have got a lot of quality in the team and Jadon is an example. It gives me confidence seeing Jadon in the senior team and I hope I can join him one day.

“It is exciting times for England with all these exciting kids coming through and the great thing is [manager] Gareth [Southgate] isn’t afraid to give us a chance. If you are playing well, he isn’t scared to call you up no matter what you are.”

Of course, that fabled England team only ever reached the World Cup quarter-finals, while Southgate’s vintage made the last four in Russia over the summer.

Foden, though, has already tasted glory on the international scene, winning the Under-17 World Cup, and he believes that such success will stand him in good stead as he continues to develop.

“The success was crazy,” he added. “We went there confident that we were going to win it but to actually go on and do it was crazy.

“We will remember it for years. We can say: ‘We’ve won the World Cup for England,’ and we can all push on. Hopefully the other lads at their clubs will get a chance too. It’s a special moment.

“We were close in the Euros, lost to Spain in the final [on penalties]. We knew we were capable of beating Spain because we went so close last time.

“It’s good practice winning the World Cup young. If you go into the senior squad at a major tournament and you’ve already lived it, and you know what you’re doing.”

The Belgium coach believes that there is little chance of the midfielder missing his club’s vital meeting with the Blues at the weekend

Belgium boss Roberto Martinez is confident that midfielder Marouane Fellaini will be available for Manchester United’s trip to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.

Fellaini did not feature in Belgium’s international friendly against the Netherlands on Tuesday, a match that finished 1-1.

Martinez revealed that the former Everton midfielder was not “100 per cent” physically ready for that clash, sparking fears that he could miss out at the weekend, but the Spaniard is confident he will prove his fitness.

“He should be fine, it’s just he wasn’t 100 per cent,” he said.

“He’s got an important game at the weekend and this wasn’t the game to use players who weren’t 100 per cent.

“We expect he should be fine in the next couple of days.”

As Jose Mourinho attempts to rebuild United’s season following a slow start, Fellaini has been an important figure for him. Indeed, the Belgian has started the club’s last five Premier League matches, while he also netted a dramatic late equaliser against Derby in their third-round Carabao Cup clash, though the Red Devils ultimately lost that on penalties.

Mourinho’s side go into the weekend’s match against the Blues eighth in the Premier League standings, having suffered three defeats already this season, though their come-from-behind victory against Newcastle at Old Trafford a fortnight ago has temporarily eased the pressure upon the embattled Portuguese.

A loss against Maurizio Sarri’s unbeaten Chelsea, however, would leave United 10 points off the early-season pace and would renew scrutiny over Mourinho’s long-term future at the club.

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Pep Guardiola still has question marks over whether Manchester City are ready to win the Champions League.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted he was unsure if his team were ready to win the Champions League.

Guardiola led the Premier League champions to the quarter-finals last season, almost matching their best ever run in Europe’s elite club competition – the semis in 2015-16.

City are considered among the favourites to again challenge in Europe, but Guardiola said clubs with previous success in the Champions League were bigger contenders.

“Our great success as a club was the Champions League semi-final, in all our history,” he said on Sunday.

“I don’t know whether we are ready, it’s the truth, I don’t know. We don’t have much history behind us, but so much confidence.

“It’s not just a matter of coach, players, club and supporters. It’s a matter of believing we can and we have to win, and honestly, I don’t know whether we have already reached this point.

“There will be a point where [AC] Milan will be back playing in Europe, and they have won, I don’t know, five, six, seven times.

“My favourites are the teams that have a history bigger than us – Real Madrid, Barcelona, these teams.

“I believe Juventus buying Cristiano [Ronaldo] wanted to show that this year they want to win. They reached the final twice, each time they get closer.

“Atletico Madrid will be playing at home. It’s a team that did very well in the last few years. And then some other team will be in, and I hope we can be there too.”

City are second in Group F through two games in the Champions League this season having topped Hoffenheim after falling to Lyon. 

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The defender and team-mate Ivan Rakitic both attempted to downplay fears of Barca faltering without their star man

Gerard Pique acknowledged the absence of Lionel Messi will be a blow but insisted Barcelona can cope without their superstar captain.

Messi will miss three weeks with a fractured arm after suffering the injury in Barca’s 4-2 win over Sevilla in Saturday’s top-of-the-table La Liga clash.

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After setting up Barca team-mate Philippe Coutinho and scoring himself, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi landed heavily on his right arm before leaving the field in the first half at Camp Nou.

Messi will sit out next weekend’s Clasico against Real Madrid , as well as Barca’s Champions League fixtures against Inter.

But Pique believes there is enough cover in the side to come out on top even without the Argentine playmaker in the side. 

“Psychologically we know that when he is there we are stronger but we cannot allow his absence to affect us,” Barca centre-back Pique said.

“It makes a big difference to have or not to have him but we have enough cover so as not to worry about whether he is there or not.”

Messi has scored seven La Liga goals for the Spanish champions this season and 12 in all competitions and is once again proving to be key to Ernesto Valverde’s system . 

The club did, however, respond well to his injury on Saturday, holding off Sevilla and moving to the top of the Spanish league’s table. 

Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic both netted after Messi was taken from the field, and the latter hopes his side can cover up the absence of the 31-year-old for the next few weeks. 

“We will try to make sure Leo’s absence is noticed as little as possible,” Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic added.

Real Madrid’s continued struggles will soften the blow of losing Messi somewhat, with the La Liga sides set to face off in the first Clasico that won’t involve either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in 11 years . 

Barcelona currently hold a four-point lead over Madrid in La Liga, but are level with Inter on six points through two Champions League matches and face a pair of clashes against the Serie A side before the Argentine’s expected return. 

U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters pose for a photo in Baghouz, Syria, in March after the SDF declared the area free of Islamic State militants.

Updated at 1:05 p.m. ET

The White House announced late Sunday that Turkey is ready to launch an offensive in northern Syria and that U.S. forces will stand aside, renewing fears that America is abandoning Kurdish allies who stood on the front line in the years-long fight against ISIS.

A two-paragraph statement released by White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said that President Trump and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had spoken by telephone and that “Turkey will soon be moving forward with its long-planned operation in northern Syria.”

“The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in the operation, and United States forces, having defeated the ISIS territorial ‘Caliphate,’ will no longer be in the immediate area,” it added.

The abrupt announcement immediately raised concerns among U.S. allies, who worry that Turkey could now be given a free hand to move against Kurdish fighters whom Washington views as allies but Ankara considers to be terrorists who are allied with Kurdish separatists in Turkey.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces called Trump’s decision “shocking,” adding that it “has made people in the Northeast lose hope.”

In an apparent attempt to ease those concerns, and possibly clarify the White House’s announcement, the Pentagon said on Monday that it has not endorsed a Turkish military offensive over the border.

“The Department of Defense made clear to Turkey — as did the President — that we do not endorse a Turkish operation in Northern Syria. The U.S. Armed Forces will not support, or be involved in any such operation,” said Jonathan Hoffman, assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs.

In a tweet, Trump said, “if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!).”

U.S. forces on the ground in Syria recruited and trained the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which bore the brunt of the fighting on the ground against Islamic State fighters, assisted by U.S. airstrikes.

Early last year, Turkey launched an offensive in Kurdish-dominated northwestern Syria, slowly pushing Kurdish militia and civilians into the city of Afrin, which Turkey captured in March 2018.

In December, Trump abruptly announced that U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Syria — a move that elicited praise from Turkey but sparked criticism among Washington’s allies and within the president’s own Cabinet, where the move prompted the resignation of then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Within days, then-National Security Adviser John Bolton clarified that the U.S. drawdown would be conditioned on the defeat of the Islamic State and the safety of the Kurds.

The U.S. has a total of about 1,000 troops in northern Syria and it wasn’t immediately clear whether the White House statement meant they would be totally withdrawn from the country or only from the immediate area of Turkish operations.

Erdogan has threatened for months to launch an assault against Kurds in northern Syria. But U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have warned that allowing Ankara a free hand against the Kurds would send a troubling message about U.S. commitment to its allies.

Judging by what has emerged from the conversation between Trump and Erdogan, it seems that each leader is now hoping to resolve their own nagging issues related to Syria.

As NPR’s Daniel Estrin reports, Erdogan is facing domestic pressure over his handling of more than 3 million Syrian refugees who are in Turkey. With the incursion, Estrrin says, Turkey hopes to “create a so-called safe zone to resettle the refugees” outside its own borders.

And for Trump, there’s the conundrum of what to do with foreign fighters who were taken captive in the battle against ISIS militants.

Throughout the conflict in Syria, the Islamic State used social media to recruit fighters from abroad, scoring particular success in parts of Europe. According to Ambassador James Jeffrey, the State Department envoy to the coalition fighting the Islamic State, Kurdish forces in northern Syria are holding about 2,500 foreign fighters.

The White House statement said the U.S. “has pressed France, Germany, and other European nations, from which many captured ISIS fighters came, to take them back, but they did not want them and refused. The United States will not hold them for what could be many years at great cost to the United States taxpayer.”

Kurdish forces, not the U.S., have kept ISIS fighters, sympathizers and family members in makeshift camps in northern Syria.

The White House statement said, “Turkey will now be responsible for all ISIS fighters in the area captured over the past two years in the wake of the defeat of the territorial ‘Caliphate’ by the United States.”

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The King Power has turned out to be an ideal landing spot for the attacking midfielder, who is relishing the chance to play regularly

James Maddison feels his fine start to the Premier League season, and subsequent England call-up, vindicates his decision to join Leicester City.

The midfielder attracted plenty of attention after impressing for Championship side Norwich City, with the Foxes paying a reported £25 million ($32.5m) to secure his signature in June.

It appears to be money well spent judging by the 21-year-old’s performances in the opening months of the 2018-19 campaign.

Maddison impressed on his top-flight debut in a losing cause against Manchester United at Old Trafford and has since contributed three goals, quickly becoming a key cog in Claude Puel’s side.

“It’s been brilliant since I signed a few months ago, I’ve settled in so quickly and I feel at home here,” Maddison told Leicester City’s website .

“I’m definitely happy with my decision to come to Leicester City, I’ve started all the games and I’ve had a good return and long may that continue.

“There’s so much competition for places here, it’s the Premier League, we’ve got such a talented squad. We’ve got so many good players in that dressing room.

“It’s never easy to be a regular in the starting XI, but I’ve worked hard in pre-season and my performances have been relatively good, so I think I’ve been deserving of the starts.”

Maddison’s form caught the attention of England boss Gareth Southgate too, leading to a place in the national squad for the recent Nations League games against Croatia and Spain.

While he did not get the chance to play in either fixture, the former Coventry City player is determined to make sure his standards do not slip after such a promising start to life at the King Power Stadium.

“I always believe in my own ability, that I can come to this level and have an effect,” he said.

“I wouldn’t use the word easy, as you come up against some really tough opponents, but it’s been a step up and one I’ve relished.

“Hopefully I can keep my form high and my performances good and we can carry it out for the rest of the season.”

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The former Athletic Bilbao forward is considering his future after struggling for regular first-team football in north London

Tottenham striker Fernando Llorente admits he would love the chance to return to La Liga at the end of season.

Llorente has spent the last three years in the Premier League, having initially joined Swansea from Sevilla in the summer of 2016.

After a successful season in south Wales, which saw him score 15 Premier League goals to help the club avoid relegation, Llorente made a £12.1million ($16m) move to Tottenham on a two-year contract.

The 33-year-old has been used largely as a substitute during his time in north London, making just 14 starts in all competitions.

With his contract expiring at the end of the season Llorente admits he is considering his future and a possible return to Spain.

“I’ve been away from home for many years, I’d love to go back to the Spanish league,” he told Sport.

Llorente refused to rule out an emotional return to boyhood team Athletic Bilbao, admitting he had some “wonderful moments” at the Basque club, but said he would wait and see what options he has available.

The former Juventus forward made an impact off the bench during Tottenham’s Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday evening.

Llorente was introduced after 75 minutes with Tottenham losing 1-0 at Wembley. But two late goals from England captain Harry Kane secured a dramatic victory for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

The win keeps Tottenham’s slim hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages alive, though they have to beat Inter Milan at Wembley in the next group game to have any chance of going through.

Llorente admits it is difficult when he is not playing regularly but was pleased to be able to help the side off the bench.

“I came in and things went well, so I’m happy to have helped the team,” he added. 

“I hope I continue to have opportunities, it’s important for me because it gives me the confidence to keep working, it’s not easy when you do not play because mentally you have to be very strong to continue training hard.”

Next up for Tottenham is a trip to play Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Saturday.

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Washington Gov. Jay Inslee at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines earlier this month.

Updated at 9:50 p.m. ET

Democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee announced Wednesday that he is withdrawing from the race.

“It’s become clear that I’m not going be carrying the ball, I’m not going to be the president, so I’m withdrawing tonight from the race,” the Washington governor said on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show.

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Inslee made climate change a top issue as a candidate. He proposed a 10-year action plan to, according to his campaign website, “achieve 100% clean electricity, 100% zero-emission new vehicles and 100% zero-carbon new buildings.”

“[Climate change] does call for a president to make this Job 1, because if it is not Job 1, it won’t get done,” Inslee told NPR in March. “We have to understand if we don’t solve the climate crisis, it will prevent us from dealing with all of our other hopes and challenges.”

But despite his focus on the issue, he didn’t qualify for CNN town hall on climate next month and hadn’t qualified for the September presidential debate.

In an message to his supporters, Inslee thanked them for helping change the “entire national dialogue” on climate change.

“Before I decided to run, Trudi and I — my wife of nearly 47 years — decided in our final days we wanted to be able to tell our three grandchildren, Brody, Zoe, and Chase, that we had done everything in our power to defeat this crisis,” he wrote.

“It is because of you and hundreds of thousands of others in this movement that we can now say that we have enjoyed one of life’s greatest gifts — to make a difference on a big issue.”