Europe

Croatia’s Captain Testing Positive For COVID-19 At Halftime Shows Stupidity Of International Friendlies

Croatia’s captain and center back Domagoj Vida was surprisingly substituted at halftime during Wednesday’s friendly match against Turkey. It was only later revealed why Vida was taken out so early. His COVID test from that morning had come back positive.

Vida was quickly isolated from the team and further testing revealed he was indeed positive. This means that he played a full 45 while potentially spreading the virus to teammates and opponents.

Valencia’s Flor Bonsegundo Has Scored The Coldest Goal Imaginable

This is not a kind goal from Valencia’s Flor Bonsegundo. 

As a 27-year-old Argentine, the obvious inclination is to say this is Lionel Messi-esque. But truthfully this is maybe more Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, except Ronaldo always used his remarkable pace to round the keeper — he rarely finished with a delicate chip like this.

So really all you can say is this is a Flor Bonsegundo goal. 

We’ve never seen a player dice someone to the floor, play a pass to themselves through two defenders and then finish in this manner. QUÉ HACE. 

Why You Should Watch Spain’s Women’s League

Spain’s LaLiga has some of the biggest names in football like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Ramos. But Spain’s other league you may not be watching is certainly worth your time. 

The Primera Division is Spain’s highest level of competition for women’s football. It consists of 18 teams who all compete for the league title, as well as for two spots in the UEFA Women’s Champion League. 

Sergiño Dest (Sorta) Promises Us The 2026 World Cup

The rise of Sergiño Dest has been meteoric. After all, it’s only been 459 days since he made his league debut with Ajax and 380 since he committed his international future to the USMNT. 

But this is a 20-year-old who forced his way into the starting 11 of a title-winning Ajax side before convincing Barcelona to part with $25 million. And early returns in Catalonia have been good — Dest was arguably Barça’s best player in El Clásico. 

Toni Kroos Is Sick And Tired Of FIFA And UEFA’s Expanding Competitions

MADRID — Real Madrid and Germany player Toni Kroos has taken a swipe at FIFA and UEFA, claiming the world and European organising bodies are treating players like "puppets" by expanding tournaments and creating new competitions.

Kroos criticised the creation of the UEFA Nations League in 2018, which he competes in with Germany, as well as FIFA's expanded Club World Cup, which was set to take place in 2021 before being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Real Madrid Star To Pay Fine To Avoid Jail Time For Flouting Covid-19 Restrictions

MADRID — Real Madrid and Serbia forward Luka Jovic has agreed to pay a fine in exchange for a six-month jail sentence after flouting Serbian's COVID-19 restrictions, according to a court statement.

The court said the striker, 22, has been ordered to pay a fine of 3.5 million Serbian dinar, equivalent to around 30,000 euros or $35,000 USD, within a month in order to avoid prison.

The18’s Guide For Matches To Watch During This International Break

Let's face it: International breaks can be difficult to follow. With the Premier League, you know there will be four matches each on Saturday and Sunday, two on Monday and maybe the occasional midweek fixture. The international break though? Chaos. 

Some teams are playing friendlies, others in the UEFA Nations League, some are competing in World Cup qualifying, while others are still in the European Championship playoffs. And to top it off, you still have lower-level club fixtures being played. It's a lot.

Samuel Eto’o Escapes Head-On Collision With Bus Uninjured

Former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o was taken to the hospital over concern from his involvement in a nasty car crash near the town of Nkongsamba, Cameroon, on Sunday.

Reports say that Eto’o was driving home from a wedding when a public transportation bus collided with his car head-on. He was taken to the hospital with fears of a head injury, but BBC Sport reported he escaped the incident unscathed.

Ansu Fati Unable To Break Any Records For 4 Months After Knee Surgery

Barcelona forward Ansu Fati will be sidelined for four months after undergoing knee surgery, the LaLiga club said on Monday.

Fati, who turned 18 last month, ruptured the internal meniscus in his left knee during Barcelona's 5-2 home win over Real Betis on Saturday.

"Ansu Fati has been operated on successfully by Dr. Ramon Cugat... under the supervision of the Club's medical staff," Barcelona said in a statement. "The player will be out for approximately four months."

Zlatan Takes Himself Off Penalty Kick Duties

Zlatan Ibrahimovic might leave AC Milan's next penalty to team mate Franck Kessie, he said after missing his third spot kick of the season in their 2-2 draw with Verona on Sunday.

The 39-year-old later scored Milan's equalizer in stoppage time but not even that could diminish his frustration.

Pages