Celta Vigo have completed a coup in securing star striker Iago Aspas to a new four-year contract.
Aspas has been a revelation for Celta since returning from Sevilla in 2015 for a second spell, and the club have acknowledged his inspirational form this term by tying him down until 2023.
The forward s career looked to be at a crossroads when successive seasons at Liverpool and Sevilla saw him score just two league goals in 30 appearances.
But a move back to Celta – where he came through the academy – saw him find his form again, scoring 14 LaLiga goals in the 2015-16 campaign and 19 in 2016-17, when he also helped the club to the Europa League semi-finals.
¡BOOOOOM! ¡ renueva y será celeste hasta el centenario del club!
— RC Celta (@RCCelta…
Yuri Lodygin sees no reason why Zenit s impressive start to action in 2015 cannot continue when Torino visit the Stadion Petrovsky in the UEFA Europa League last 16 on Thursday.
The Russian side have shown no ill-effects after a two-and-a-half-month break from competitive football in recent weeks, cruising to wins in their three fixtures without conceding a single goal.
Two of those games were against runaway Eredivisie leaders PSV in the Europa League s previous stage before Zenit resumed their Russian Premier League campaign with a 3-0 victory over Ural on Saturday to maintain their seven-point advantage at the top.
Andre Villas-Boas side blew away PSV 3-0 on home soil in the last round and Lodygin has called for no let-up when Serie A s eighth-placed team v…
Marouane Fellaini returns from his three-match ban as Everton visit Newcastle on Wednesday night
The New Year kicks-off with a full programme of midweek Premier League games.
In the first top flight game of 2013 West Brom hosts Fulham at the Hawthorns.
The Baggies are seventh in the Premier League, just three points behind fourth place Tottenham, despite losing 2-0 at Manchester United last time out.
The visitors have dropped down the table in recent weeks and have claimed just one win from their last 12 top flight games.
Martin Jol’s side are just four points clear of the relegation zone and are in desperate need of three points.
Manchester United start the new year seven points clear of city rivals Manchester City. The Red Devils visi…
Ben Johnson believes Ashley Cole’s influence can be key in England Under-21s’ bid to end their 39-year trophy drought.
The Young Lions host the Czech Republic in their Euro 2023 opener in Georgia on Thursday.
Cole – England’s most capped full-back with 107 appearances – has been part of Lee Carsley’s backroom staff since the boss was appointed in 2021.
He made his Premier League debut for Arsenal in May 2000 – when full-back Johnson was only four months old – and the West Ham youngster knows Cole’s input is crucial.
He said: “Ash is a top guy and a top coach. I think there could be a perception of him being here because of what he’s done for the seniors but his coaching is top drawer.
“He is a real encouragement to the lads…
Carlos Carvalhal left Sheffield Wednesday on December 24, 2017 after two and a half years in charge at Hillsborough.
The Portuguese, who guided the Owls to the play-offs in his first two seasons at the helm, departed the Sky Bet Championship club by mutual consent on the back of a seven-game winless run.
His exit came just hours after chairman Dejphon Chansiri released a statement of support for his head coach after fans chanted for his dismissal in the wake of a 2-1 home defeat to Middlesbrough a day earlier.
Carvalhal said on Wednesday’s official website: “The chairman and myself talked after the game and we believed this was the correct timing to make this decision.
“Of course, I am very sad at this moment because I have enjoyed my two seasons an…
The Green Bay Packers (4-1 SU/ATS) and Chicago Bears (3-2 SU/ATS) will renew their divisional rivalry at Soldier Field Sunday. The Bears are coming off a pair of wins — and covers — with Justin Fields under center while the Packers are riding a four-game winning streak and have won all four of the meetings with Chicago over the last two seasons.
Matt LaFleur is 4-0 ATS against the Bears and his Packers enter this Week 6 matchup as 4.5-point NFL betting road favorites. The total sits at 45 thanks to Chicago’s Top-10 DVOA defense and league-worst yards-per-play offense.
Here are our free picks and predictions for Packers vs. Bears for Sunday, October 17.
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The Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions play their first games of the NFL preseason on Friday night.
The preseason doesn’t always make for the most riveting showcases, but with both of these squads rebuilding and spots in the starting lineup at stake, it should be an intriguing matchup.
Falcons fans will get their first chance to see new quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder, while the Lions are hoping that No. 2 draft pick Aidan Hutchinson can help turnaround their defense.
Here our best free NFL picks and predictions for Falcons vs. Lions in Week 1 of the preseason.
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A new NFL season will soon be upon us, and with that comes a new season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
Debuting in 2001, the series follows one NFL franchise during training camp and the preseason, providing an exclusive and intimate look at the inner working of a team. Hard Knocks documents team practices, meetings, and delivers raw, behind-the-scenes footage of coaches, players, and staff as they go through the rigors of preparing for the upcoming season.
To be selected for Hard Knocks, a team must not have a first-year head coach or have successfully qualified for the playoffs over the last two years. Additionally, the team must not have been featured in a season within the past 10 years.
There are four teams in the running to headline the show in 202…
After a 69-point game indoors last week vs. the Browns, the Indianapolis Colts will again play hosts this weekend, this time to the rest-aided New Orleans Saints, who enter as a slight dog with a rising total according to NFL odds.
With Gardner Minshew capable of running this Shane Steichen offense indoors and a generous Indy defense, should bettors be backing the Over 43.5 even after the move from 41.5?
Find out in my free NFL picks for Saints vs. Colts on October 29.
Saints vs Colts odds
Saints vs Colts predictions
The Indianapolis Colts put up 456 yards vs. arguably the best defense in football last week. Gardner Minshew has had at least 350 total yards in all three starts (1,163 total yard…
With proper NFL playoff weather hitting hard this weekend, the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers had to wait until today for their Wild Card Round battle — just don’t expect offensive fireworks to warm up another cold day at Highmark Stadium.
The latest NFL odds have the Bills as heavy favorites, but the challenging conditions may level the playing field, with Mike Tomlin’s Steelers very comfortable in a physical, low-scoring contest.
We may not see eye-popping receiving numbers here, but there are still plenty of NFL player props to dig into ahead of what should be an old-school postseason clash. Here are my three favorite NFL picks in addition to your Steelers vs. Bills picks and predictions.
If that’s not enough, we’ve also got …