Dribble Diaries

Ruud van Nistelrooy did not have to wait long for his first official Premier League job. Leicester City have formally appointed the former Dutch international as their new manager. The 48-year-old recently received high accolades for acting as Manchester United's temporary manager following the dismissal of compatriot Erik ten Hag. He had an undefeated record at United (3-1-0) during his brief time on the Old Trafford bench, and the Foxes may have discovered a potential diamond in the making who might help them right the ship quickly. Van Nistelrooy previously managed Jong PSV, but stepped down due to a lack of support at the Philips Stadion. He now heads to King Power Stadium to face a fresh challenge. Ruud van Nistelrooy claims he called Enzo Maresca before accepting the LCFC position.📞. "I have to tell, when the interest arose, the first person I phoned was Enzo. He was very optimistic about it. He thoroughly enjoyed his time. When you hear stuff like this, you want to ...

The Europa League returned tonight, with numerous intriguing matchups taking place throughout the continent, including Ruben Amorim's first home game in charge of Manchester United and Claudio Ranieri renewing rivalry with Tottenham, this time as Roma manager. Højlund saves United to secure Amorim's first win. Ruben Amorim's first win as Manchester United's head coach was a 3-2 victory over Bodø/Glimt at Old Trafford. After scoring only two minutes into his debut game at Ipswich, United took the lead here even earlier, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring within a minute. Nikita Khaikin, the goalkeeper for Bodø/Glimt, mishandled the ball, allowing Rasmus Højlund to close him down and Garnacho to score in the empty net. Bodø, who carried a danger throughout, equalized in the 19th minute with a fantastic goal from Håkon Evjen. He curled a left-footed drive from outside the box after his side profited on some slack United play. Three minutes later, the Norwegians startled Old...

Real Madrid suffered their third Champions League defeat in five matches, falling 2-0 to Liverpool on Wednesday night. As a result, the reigning champions are in a dangerous situation in the league phase standings, sitting in the final play-off spot (24th). Real Madrid had a dismal night, according to Marca, and Carlo Ancelotti assessed his team's performance. "We did well in the first half. We defended well as a unit. The transitions were terrific, but we made the wrong option with the last ball. We could have evened it with the penalty. "We will improve." Ancelotti also publicly supported Kylian Mbappe, who had his penalty saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher with the score still 1-0. "Kylian Mbappe has everyone's support and will quickly recover from this terrible period. He is an exceptional player; we must be patient. He's doing well and adapting nicely." Real Madrid will attempt to bounce back this weekend when they host Getafe a...

Celtic will have to overcome a catastrophic error in the first half of their Champions League match on Wednesday. And quick. The Scottish club welcomed Club Brugge to town and gave the visitors the lead after an own goal. Cameron Carter Vickers, a central defender, was harassed by Maxim De Cuyper in his box and attempted to send the ball to goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. But his teammate was far away from the goal, and the ball trickled in as the Celtic player quickly buried his face in his hands. Is this the worst (or best?) own goal of the season already?

Ruud van Nistelrooy is likely to become Leicester City's new manager, succeeding Steve Cooper. Van Nistelrooy has agreed to take over at the King Power Stadium following Cooper's dismissal this week. Leicester are 16th in the Premier League rankings, having won only twice since their promotion back to the top division. The Foxes have now turned to Van Nistelrooy, who has been looking for work in England since leaving Manchester United. The 48-year-old returned to Manchester United this summer as Erik ten Hag's assistant. He was recruited back to work with his compatriot at Old Trafford after scoring 150 goals in 219 games for the Red Devils during his five-season playing career. Following Ten Hag's dismissal last month, Van Nistelrooy took over on an interim basis and guided the team to a four-game winning streak. His tenure as interim manager featured victories over Leicester in the Carabao Cup and Premier League. However, it was determined that he would quit his po...

Following some tremendous drama on Tuesday evening, the Champions League returned with several blockbuster matchups that came into focus tonight. Liverpool passed a significant European test with a home win over Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund ascended the table with a credible away win, and Aston Villa came close to a huge foreign scalp at Villa Park. Liverpool are absolutely the real deal. On a thrilling Champions League night at Anfield, Premier League leaders Liverpool defeated Spanish behemoth Real Madrid 2-0. Arne Slot's Reds looked the genuine deal for 90 minutes in front of The Kop, and despite Mohamed Salah's missed penalty, they were far and away the better team on this evening. The facts showed it even further. Liverpool are the only side with a 100% record in this season's Champions League, are eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table and have won 17 of their 19 matches so far in 2024/25.  Slot ball is in full flow. 😍   With five wins from ...

The Champions League returned to our televisions on Tuesday, with nine matches taking place throughout the evening. Atlético beat Sparta Prague before Arsenal and Atalanta joined in, with Bayern Munich and Inter Milan also securing three points. Arsenal have regained their mojo. Sporting may have lost their manager during the international break, but their unbeaten streak has now ended, as Arsenal easily defeated the Lisbon side. Sporting hadn’t lost a game all season and were undefeated at home in over a year. Then Arsenal showed up…  Arsenal were anticipated to have a stiff test in Portugal after defeating Manchester City 5-1, but they were 3-0 up at halftime and, despite an early Sporting goal in the second half, ran out convincing 5-1 winners. Arsenal's return of Martin Ødegaard appears to have revived their side, and with him, they have returned to being one of the top sides in Europe. Manchester City continues to suffer. Manchester City's five consecutive losses had rais...

After the final international break of 2024, the UEFA Champions League returns with a bang. Tuesday's fixtures include a rematch of the 2019-20 final between Bayern Munich and PSG, as well as matches against AC Milan, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, and others. SI Soccer provides our predictions for the whole schedule. Slovan Bratislava versus AC Milan Prediction: Slovan Bratislava 1-3 AC Milan. AC Milan's Christian Pulisic leads them to another Champions League victory after defeating Real Madrid in their last match. The USMNT superstar is in top form as he aims to finish 2024 on a high note. Sparta Prague against Atletico Madrid Prediction: Sparta Praha 0-2 Atletico Madrid Diego Simeone's side has six points from its opening four games. Atleti requires a win here to begin climbing toward the top eight sports. Manchester City versus Feyenoord Prediction: Manchester City 3-0 Feyenoord. Pep Guardiola's team may be struggling in the Premier League, but their five-g...

Following Alyssa Naeher's retirement, the United States Women's National Team will be in need of a replacement goalkeeper. The 36-year-old broke the news on Monday, as the United States prepares for friendlies against England and the Netherlands in the coming week. Naeher, an icon in the organization and the worldwide women's game, retires from the international stage after 11 years with the senior USWNT. During that time, she won two FIFA Women's World Cup crowns and an Olympic gold medal. Furthermore, she is the only goalkeeper in history to record a shutout in both a World Cup Final and an Olympic gold medal game. "Having the opportunity to be a part of the USWNT for the past 15 years has been the greatest honor," Naeher told reporters. "When I started this adventure, I had no idea where it would lead me, and today I'm so grateful for all of the wonderful teammates I've shared the field with; teammates who have become lifetime friends. ...

Spurs' No. 1 underwent surgery to fix a fracture and is now expected to be out for an extended period of time. Tottenham have suffered a severe new injury blow with the revelation that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has had surgery. Spurs revealed on Monday evening that their highly-rated No. 1 had an operation to correct a fracture in his right ankle sustained during Saturday's spectacular 4-0 Premier League triumph over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Tottenham did not provide a timetable for Vicario's return or an estimate of how much time he will now spend on the sidelines, just stating that he will be evaluated by medical personnel in the future to determine when he may rejoin training. With the Italian international out for the foreseeable future, deputy Fraser Forster will step up and start for Ange Postecoglou's side during a hectic fixture schedule across all competitions leading up to Christmas, supported by Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman. "We...

Vinicius Junior, a Real Madrid winger, hasn't been hesitant about pointing the finger at who he believes is to blame for a hamstring injury that will keep him out for the rest of 2024. Vinicius played 90 minutes of Madrid's La Liga victory over Leganes on Sunday evening. However, Carlo Ancelotti chose to play him centrally in a swap with Kylian Mbappe, as he was already exhausted after traveling to and from South America during the international break. Vinicius sustained a hamstring injury, the club confirmed on Monday. Although no official recuperation timeline was provided, Spanish reports promptly estimated his absence at one month. That means he is unlikely to return before the winter break over the Christmas season. Vinicius used X, formerly Twitter, to express his thoughts on Madrid's upcoming absence. "The crazy calendar," he explained, adding, "TO RECOVER!" Elite players have increasingly expressed worries about packed fixture schedules, the ...

West Ham secured only their third win in ten Premier League games with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle on Monday. A previously impressive Newcastle squad paid the price for failing to implement an attacking game plan in front of St. James' Park fans. Despite being a mid-table match, the action on the pitch was enjoyable, especially for West Ham fans, whose squad seemed to be finding its identity. The game got off to a flying start when VAR ruled Alexander Isak's chip offside after only five minutes, but the deadlock was finally broken after ten. This season, the Hammers were one of the few clubs in the Premier League that have not scored from a corner. Newcastle, on the other hand, had yet to concede a goal from one. That was until Tomas Soucek was left unguarded in the middle of the box and smashed the ball past Nick Pope with his team's first shot on goal. Possession shifted in favor of the hosts, and regulars Anthony Gordon, Joe Willock, Joelinton, and Lewis Hall press...

Real Madrid began the season with some ups and downs, not only in LaLiga but also in the UEFA Champions League, with 16 games played, 10 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses. Now that rumors have circulated that Madrid is looking for a new coach, we will have to wait and see what happens. Earlier this month, the powers that be at La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid began preparing to break ways with head coach Carlo Ancelotti. That is according to Relevo, who issued an update on the situation Saturday. According to reports, Ancelotti's future was largely determined by the outcome of Real Madrid's match against Osasuna prior to the international break. After two consecutive defeats to Barcelona and AC Milan, Florentino Pérez and co. decided to send the club's headmaster packing in the event of a loss versus Osasuna. Los Blancos had even lined up Ancelotti's replacement, ex-Blancos player Santiago Solari, who now serves as director of football at the Santiago Bernabéu. In the eve...

The NWSL has a new champion after the Orlando Pride defeated the Washington Spirit in the final Saturday evening, capping off a historic season with their first NWSL title. After placing in the top two during the regular season, it was only appropriate that the Pride and the Spirt would face off in the final, and the contest lived up to expectations. Barbra Banda, Orlando's great attacker, opened the goal by collecting the ball out wide before cutting in and shooting home. The Spirit had their own chances, but Anna Moorhouse was heroic in the Orlando goal, making a series of outstanding saves to maintain her team ahead in the second half. Marta remained a threat for the Pride as they pushed for the final nail in the Spirit's coffin, but the lone Banda goal was all the Florida club needed to secure their first NWSL title, which came after winning their first NWSL Shield during the regular season.

Manchester City lost their fifth consecutive match in all competitions, extending Pep Guardiola's worst managerial run. Here, we examine the reigning Premier League winners' dismal recent form following Saturday's humbling home defeat to Tottenham. Tottenham 2 Manchester City 1 (Carabao Cup, October 30) Spurs began this sequence of defeats by preventing City from adding to their four League Cup victories under Guardiola this season. Timo Werner and Pape Sarr scored in the opening 25 minutes, and while Matheus Nunes reduced the deficit, City were unable to recover at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Bournemouth 2-1 Manchester City, Premier League, November 2. Manchester City's unexpected fall continued at Bournemouth. Again, City fell behind 2-0, with Evanilson's second-half goal adding to Antoine Semenyo's early opener. They responded with a goal from defender Josko Gvardiol, but they lost consecutive games for the first time in over a year. It also brought an end t...

Five of the hottest football games to watch this weekend, including Ruben Amorim's debut at Manchester United and seismic Serie A clashes. Here are our five must-see games for the weekend. Ipswich Town versus Manchester United Manchester United fans are cautiously optimistic following the appointment of Ruben Amorim. The flamboyant coach, who has a rising reputation at Sporting Lisbon, has been tasked with turning around a fallen giant's fortunes. Amorim's ideas are fantastic, but they may take time to implement at Old Trafford. Ipswich Town, encouraged by their victory over Spurs before the international break, will want to burst the bubble. Napoli vs. Roma Napoli leads the Serie A title chase after one of the most exciting openings to a season in memory. Antonio Conte's team is only two points behind Juventus in sixth place, and every point counts in a crowded top half. Roma began the season with ambitions of joining the title-chasing group, but now sits 12th in the ...

Viktor Gyokeres continued his impressive start to the season during the international break, scoring five goals in just two games for Sweden. Gyokeres is perhaps the most sought-after centre-forward in European football right now, with several of the continent's superpowers interested in signing him from Sporting Lisbon. With four goals in Sweden's 6-0 hammering of Azerbaijan, the 26-year-old now has 32 goals for club and country this season. It's an incredible statistic for a player who appears to be worth a lot of money to Sporting in the coming transfer window. The insane statistics underlying Viktor Gyokeres' season thus far Champions League's top goal scorer (5) Gyokeres leads the Champions League scoring chart this season, with five goals in just four matches. Gyokeres has scored the most goals, tying Harry Kane of Bayern Munich and Barcelona's Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski for first place. A hat-trick against Manchester City on matchday four was a st...

The Women's Champions League group stage resumes this evening, with several notable teams in action. Diani's quickfire brace sinks Roma Lyon won their second match against Roma in just over a week, this time 3-1. Roma formed a defensive structure to keep Lyon at bay, and they were successful for an extended period. The Giallorosse were content to hit Joe Montemurro's side on the break, and their strategy paid off when 18-year-old Giulia Dragoni timed her run perfectly to hammer home a top-quality strike with only 15 minutes remaining. However, the lead was short-lived, as Kadidiatou Diani scored from close range following a corner just three minutes later.  Two minutes later, lightning struck again as another corner was sent into the box, and Diani finished high into the roof of the net. Eugénie Le Sommer sealed the victory just 80 seconds after coming on as a replacement, smashing a goal into the top corner after a wonderful pass from Diani with the outside of her boot...