An astonishing rise was tragically stopped in its tracks when disaster struck Chapecoense last November.
Chape surged from the Brazilian fourth tier to the top flight and a first continental final in the space of seven years, but the plane carrying the squad, coaches and directors to Medellin for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional crashed, killing 71 people. The death toll included 19 players and coach Caio Junior.
A huge rebuild has since occurred with over 20 new arrivals and Vagner Mancini appointed as coach. The swiftly assembled team s first outing came in an emotionally charged friendly against Brazilian champions Palmeiras on Saturday.
A tribute to those who lost their lives was held prior to kick-off, with the loved …
Keith Wyness has claimed that Arsenal are in talks over signing Amadou Onana from Premier League rivals Everton in the summer transfer window.
Wyness, who served the CEO of Everton between 2004 and 2009, has said that sources have told him that the Gunners are keen on a deal for Onana.
Wyness told : “I still think there will still be sales this summer, even if there is a takeover. “Onana is one who I think will go. I believe from my sources there is interest from Arsenal, and that’s something which could materialise.
“He’s exactly the kind of player Arteta likes, and I’ve heard certainly that negotiations are ongoing.
“We’d all like to keep Branthwaite. The way Man United and Ratcliffe have handled that negotiation has been very poor.
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With the 2024/25 campaign now fast approaching on the horizon, all of England’s elite are putting the finishing touches to their summer preparations.
Watching the action officially get underway on August 16th when Manchester United welcome Fulham to Old Trafford, there are plenty of questions over how things could play out this time around.
Watching get a new era underway at Anfield this summer, reigning champions Manchester City are dreaming of the chance to make even more domestic history and hold off another gutsy Arsenal charge.
With many expecting what could be another sensational Premier League title charge this season, we have taken a look at some of the biggest title stories.
City have their sights set on shattering more Premier League records
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Manchester City and Liverpool have together redefined what was thought to be possible in a two-way race for the Premier League title this season.
Generally, hauls in excess of 90 points mean a dominant side cantering alone to glory, comfortably clear of the chasing pack.
But Liverpool s 97 points this time around is at once the third best in English top-flight history and only good enough for second place.
It is also the most points ever acquired by any team other than Pep Guardiola s City, who are the first side to retain the Premier League since Manchester United a decade ago.
Here s how they backed up last season s 100-point haul with a formidable challenger matching them step for step.
Flying out of the blocks
In a recor…
The Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal defended his country s tactics in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, ahead of their rematch with Spain.
The Dutch were widely lambasted four years ago in South Africa for their physical approach in the final in Johannesburg, which Spain won 1-0 in extra time.
In a performance that was in direct contrast to the traditional Dutch style of football, the Netherlands under then coach Bert van Marwijk tried to knock Spain off their game with referee Howard Webb dealing out five yellow cards in the opening half-hour, including three to the men in orange.
Nigel de Jong s flying kick to Xabi Alonso was the most controversial with Webb later admitting he should have shown a red card to the Dutch defensive midfielder.
In all, eight Dutch pla…
We have an exciting non-conference matchup for the second leg of the MNF odds board when the Los Angeles Rams meet the winless Cincinnati Bengals at PayCor Stadium.
The Bengals opened as a -6.5 favorite on the NFL odds board but are now -2 favorites with the news starting QB Joe Burrow aggravated the same calf muscle he injured during preseason workouts and could potentially miss this Monday Night affair.
This game brings us several NFL player props, and I’ve found three props I’m high on for tonight’s matchup. Please continue reading to find out my free NFL picks in the prop department for the Rams vs. Bengals in the final game on the Week 3 odds slate.
Be sure to check out Jason Logan’s full Rams vs. Bengals predictions and Mat…
The hits keep coming for the Buffalo Bills who have gone 3-5 SU (2-5-1 ATS) since beating the Chiefs in Arrowhead in Week 5. Now they’ll look to bust a two-game losing skid at home Sunday versus the Carolina Panthers who have been plagued by poor quarterback play and have dropped three in a row themselves.
Can Josh Allen put this team on his shoulders and carry them to a playoff spot despite an injured foot? Can the Panthers get some competent QB play and keep their slim playoff hopes alive or are they really a Bottom-5 team? Find out in our free picks, predictions and NFL odds for Panthers vs. Bills.
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The calendar turning to November not only signals the second half of the NFL schedule, but closes the door on “underdog” season for football bettors.
Over the past seven years, the opening eight weeks of action have proved profitable for those teams getting the points. NFL underdogs covered at a collective 54.5% between Week 1 and Week 8 from 2015 to 2021, with that success surging to 56.7% the previous three years.
The 2022 campaign has been no different, with point spread pups producing a 67-52-3 ATS count in the opening half of the slate (56.1%). But here comes November “kickin’ the door and wavin’ the four-four” in Week 9, so underdog bettors better bundle up for the cold, hard months ahead.
From 2015 to 202…
The Sunday night showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions has the highest O/U of Week 1, but I’m not hesitating to take the Over.
See why I’m also expecting a shootout between the Jaguars and Dolphins while betting on a sluggish contest in Cincinnati. Here are my three favorite NFL picks in the totals markets for Week 1.
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Week 14 featured a good handful of games with huge weather implications, and although the Week 15 odds may not feature as many games with impactful weather, there are still a few games projected to have some eye-opening and NFL odds-altering weather.
This week features some projected high wind speeds on the East Coast as well as some windy conditions in the cold confines of Lambeau Field.
Continue reading for breakdowns of the forecasts for Week 15’s outdoor matchups before making your NFL picks.
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