It was a wonderful moment back in May when Mario Balotelli, after a four-year absence from the national team, scored his first goal for Italy since June 14, 2014, and his return to form with Nice in Ligue 1 was cemented. Fast forward seven months and it’s all turned sour again for the 28-year-old.
Rangers climbed to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 2-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle Stadium on Sunday, but the march to three points for Steven Gerrard’s men was greatly complicated by the straight red issued to Canadian international Scott Arfield in the 72nd minute.
Some great goalkeeping from Hearts' Zdeněk Zlámal resulted in two saves in a matter of seconds, including the second one on the goal-line. However, with the ball secured safely at the goalmouth, Arfield came crashing in with a horrendously late sliding challenge on the ball and Zlámal’s face.
It’s been almost 180 days since Sergio Ramos put Mohamed Salah into a judo hold, fun-cussed Loris Karius and gave Roberto Firmino the flu by sweating on him, but to Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren, it still smacks of yesterday.
The Croatian defender has gone full-on Dani Alves of late, telling anyone and everyone under the sun about his every whim and desire, and we’re here for it.
An assistant referee was assaulted, a coach was hit with a coin and a fan punched a goalkeeper — just another Edinburgh Derby.
The Edinburgh Derby, the name for the match between Edinburgh-based Scottish clubs Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian, has been played since 1875. They’ve played 644 times (319 in competitive matches) with Hearts winning 282 (140).
Wednesday’s match finished in a 0-0 draw and while no goals were scored, there was plenty of action. Sadly, most of the action was off the pitch.
With Real Madrid mired in a five-match winless streak and displaying historic levels of ineptitude at the attacking end, manager Julen Lopetegui is being framed as a dead man walking.