Explainers

Subterms

    More stories

    • 125 Shares189 Views

      in Soccer

      What happens if Chelsea finish fifth and win Champions League?

      by

      CHELSEA and Manchester city will meet in Istanbul on May 29 in the third all-English Champions League Final.And the Blues are still in a top four battle with Leicester and Liverpool heading into the last week of the Premier League season.
      Chelsea are currently fourth in the Premier League but have reached the Champions League finalCredit: Getty
      CASINO SIGN UP OFFER: CLAIM UP TO £800 IN CASINO BONUS CASH
      But what does it all mean for European qualification for next season? SunSport explains:
      How many Champions League and Europa League places do the Premier League get?
      England has seven places, with the top four in the Prem qualifying for the Champions League.
      Fifth in the table and the FA Cup winners go into the Europa League. And from this season onwards, the Carabao Cup winners go into the new Europa Conference League.
      But Manchester City won the Carabao Cup. So now what happens?
      That means the team finishing sixth take the Conference League spot, with a place in the final play-off round at the end of August.
      Leicester and Chelsea played in the FA Cup final – does that impact things?
      Assuming both of them finish in the top six – likely but not yet confirmed – it means sixth takes a Europa League place and SEVENTH in the table means the Conference League.
      But could things change again?
      Yes – but that depends on the outcomes of the two European competitions.
      Under Uefa rules, the Champions League and Europa League winners automatically qualify for the Champions League.
      But Uefa also caps at a maximum of five the number of teams from ANY country in the Champions League and a total of seven teams in all competitions.

      Go on…what are you saying?
      Well, if Chelsea win the Champions League and finish fourth, nothing happens. But if they finish fifth, they would join the top four in next season’s competition.
      The Premier League said: “Should a Premier League club win the UEFA Champions League they will automatically qualify for the group stage of next season’s competition regardless of their league finishing position.
      “A maximum of five Premier League teams are eligible for UEFA Champions League qualification.”
      Teams in sixth and seventh would then BOTH be in the Europa League.

      Why is it so complicated?
      Chelsea finishing in the top four and Manchester United winning the Europa League would make it easier.
      Then fifth and sixth are in the Europa and seventh in the Conference. More

    • 188 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Euro 2020 TV channel schedule: ITV and BBC info for summer’s tournament and England matches

      by

      EURO 2020 is almost here and the TV games have been announced.ITV and BBC have revealed which England matches they will be showing, plus all other fixtures.
      Harry Kane will be looking to lead England to Euro 2020 gloryCredit: Reuters
      WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game

      The Three Lions have been drawn with Czech Republic, Croatia and Scotland, while Wales face Turkey, Italy and Switzerland.
      Which Euro 2020 games are on ITV and BBC?
      11th June: Turkey vs Italy (8pm) – Rome – BBC
      12th June: Wales vs Switzerland (2pm) – Baku – BBC
      12th June: Denmark vs Finland (5pm) – Copenhagen – BBC
      12th June: Belgium vs Russia (8pm) – St Petersburg – ITV
      13th June: England vs Croatia (2pm) – Wembley – BBC
      13th June: Austria vs North Macedonia (5pm) – Bucharest – ITV
      13th June: Netherlands vs Ukraine (8pm) – Amsterdam – ITV
      14th June: Scotland vs Czech Republic (2pm) – Glasgow – BBC
      14th June: Poland vs Slovakia (5pm) – St Petersburg – ITV
      14th June: Spain vs Sweden (8pm) – Seville – BBC
      15th June: Hungary vs Portugal (5pm) – Budapest – ITV
      15th June: France vs Germany (8pm) – Munich – ITV
      16th June: Finland vs Russia (2pm) – St Petersburg – BBC
      16th June: Turkey vs Wales (5pm) – Baku – BBC
      16th June: Italy vs Switzerland (8pm) – Rome – ITV
      17th June: Ukraine vs North Macedonia (2pm) – Bucharest – ITV

      17th June: Denmark vs Belgium (5pm) – Copenhagen – ITV
      17th June: Netherlands vs Austria (8pm) – Amsterdam – BBC
      18th June: Sweden vs Slovakia (2pm) – St Petersburg – BBC
      18th June: Croatia vs Czech Republic (5pm) – Glasgow – BBC
      18th June: England vs Scotland (8pm) – Wembley – ITV
      19th June: Hungary vs France (2pm) – Budapest – BBC
      19th June: Portugal vs Germany (2pm) – Munich – ITV
      19th June: Spain vs Poland (8pm) – Seville – BBC
      20th June: Italy vs Wales (5pm) – Rome – ITV 
      20th June: Switzerland vs Turkey (5pm) – Baku – ITV
      21st June: North Macedonia vs Netherlands (5pm) – Amsterdam – ITV
      21st June: Ukraine vs Austria (5pm) – Bucharest – ITV
      21st June: Russia vs Denmark (8pm) – Copenhagen – BBC
      21st June: Finland vs Belgium (8pm) – St Petersburg – BBC
      22nd June: Czech Republic vs England (8pm) – Wembley – ITV
      22nd June: Croatia vs Play-Off Winner C (8pm) – Glasgow – ITV
      23rd June: Slovakia vs Spain (5pm) – Seville – ITV
      23rd June: Sweden vs Poland (5pm) – St Petersburg – ITV
      23rd June: Germany vs Hungary (8pm) – Munich – BBC
      23rd June: Portugal vs France (8pm) – Budapest – BBC More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Chelsea vs Leicester: Live stream, TV channel, team news and kick-off time for TONIGHT’S massive Premier League clash

      by

      CHELSEA face Leicester for the third time this year in what could be a season-defining game for the Blues. Thomas Tuchel’s side lost 1-0 to the Foxes in the FA Cup final on Saturday thanks to Youri Tielemans screamer at Wembley Stadium.
      Brendan Rodgers’s side beat Chelsea 1-0 on Saturday in the FA Cup finalCredit: AFP
      And now Chelsea will be looking for revenge as they take on Leicester in the league, with the winner hoping to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
      What time does Chelsea vs Leicester kick-off?

      Chelsea’s top four clash with Leicester will get underway from 8.15pm UK time on Tuesday, May 18.
      The game will take place at Stamford Bridge in London.
      There will be 8,000 fans in attendance at the game, after the easing of government lockdown restrictions.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Chelsea’s home game with Leicester will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event.
      You can live stream the action from the Sky Go or NOW TV apps, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.

      Team news
      Chelsea will likely still be without Mateo Kovacic, who has missed much of the Blues’ most important stage of the season with a hamstring injury.
      Andreas Christensen will also probably be on the sidelines, with Edouard Mendy set to return to the No 1 position.
      Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic could start the game after being benched for the FA Cup final.
      Jonny Evans has a muscle problem which forced him off against Chelsea at the weekend.
      James Maddison could also start the game after coming on as a sub for Kelechi Iheanacho at Wembley.
      Odds

      Chelsea – 7/10
      Draw – 13/5
      Leicester – 4/1

      *Odds courtesy of Paddy Power and correct at time of publication. More

    • 213 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      France set to announce Euro 2020 squad TODAY with shock Benzema recall – all team announcement dates

      by

      EURO 2020 is almost here and the squads are already being announced.Big hitters Holland have provided their preliminary group, but Virgil van Dijk will NOT play at the tournament as he instead builds up his fitness after knee surgery.
      Karim Benzema is in line for shock France recall
      Jack Grealish is back playing first-team football again with Aston Villa and hopes to be picked for the EurosCredit: Getty
      WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game

      And today the world number one ranked side Belgium have announced their full travelling party for the competition.
      All competing Euro 2020 countries must name a squad of 26 players by June 1, though some are choosing to name larger preliminary squads beforehand.
      Euro 2020 squads
      Group A
      Gareth Bale will be key to Wales’ hopes in Euro 2020 Group ACredit: PA
      Italy
      Italy have yet to confirm the date manager Roberto Mancini will announce his squad.
      Switzerland
      Switzerland have yet to confirm the date manager Vladimir Petkovic will announce his squad.
      Turkey
      Senol Gunes has announced his provisional 30-man squad.

      Mert Günok (GK)
      Uğurcan Çakır (GK)
      Altay Bayındır (GK)
      Gökhan Akkan (GK)
      Kaan Ayhan
      Çağlar Söyüncü
      Zeki Çelik
      Merih Demiral
      Umut Meraş
      Ozan Kabak
      Mert Müldür
      Rıdvan Yılmaz
      Ozan Tufan
      Hakan Çalhanoğlu
      Okay Yokuşlu
      Yusuf Yazıcı
      Cengiz Ünder
      Mahmut Tekdemir
      İrfan Kahveci
      Dorukhan Toköz
      Abdülkadir Ömür
      Efecan Karaca
      Taylan Antalyalı
      Orkun Kökçü
      Halil Akbunar
      Turkey Göztepe
      Kerem Aktürkoğlu
      Burak Yılmaz (c)
      Kenan Karaman
      Enes Ünal
      Halil Dervişoğlu

      Wales
      Wales have yet to confirm the date interim manager Robert Page will announce his squad.
      Group B
      Kevin de Bruyne and Belgium are among the favourites for Euro 2020Credit: Reuters
      Belgium
      Belgium manager Roberto Martinez’s full 26-man squad is as follows:

      Thibaut Courtois (GK)
      Simon Mignolet (GK)
      Mats Sels (GK)
      Toby Alderweireld
      Dedryck Boyata
      Jason Denayer
      Thomas Vermaelen
      Jan Vertonghen
      Yannick Carrasco
      Timothy Castagne
      Nacer Chadli
      Thorgan Hazard
      Thomas Meunier
      Kevin de Bruyne
      Leander Dendoncker
      Dennis Praet
      Youri Tielemans
      Hans Vanaken
      Axel Witsel
      Jeremy Doku
      Eden Hazard (c)
      Dries Mertens
      Leandro Trossard
      Michy Batshuayi
      Christian Benteke
      Romelu Lukaku

      Standby: Thomas Kaminski (GK), Alexis Saelemaekers, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Bryan Heynen, Thomas Foket, Adnan Januzaj, Brandon Mechele, Jordan Lukaku, Zinho Vanheusden, Yari Verschaeren, Charles de Ketelaere
      Denmark
      Denmark have yet to confirm the date manager Kasper Hjulmand will announce his squad.
      Finland
      Finland manager Markku Kanerva will announce his 26-man final squad on Tuesday, June 1.
      Russia
      Russia manager Stanislav Cherchesov’s preliminary squad is as follows:

      Yury Dyupin (GK)
      Andrey Lunev (GK)
      Anton Shunin (GK)
      Matvei Safonov (GK)
      Georgi Dzhikiya
      Igor Diveev
      Mario Fernandes
      Roman Yevgenyev
      Yuri Zhirkov
      Vyacheslav Karavaev
      Fyodor Kudryashov
      Ilya Samoshnikov
      Andrei Semyonov
      Dimitri Barinov
      Rifat Zhemaletdinov
      Maksim Mukhin
      Aleksandr Golovin
      Arsen Zakharyan
      Roman Zobnin
      Daniil Fomin
      Aleksei Ionov
      Daler Kuzyaev
      Andrei Mostovoy
      Magomed Ozdoyev
      Denis Makarov
      Aleksei Miranchuk
      Denis Cheryshev
      Artem Dzyuba (c)
      Anton Zabolotny
      Aleksandr Sobolev

      Group C
      Holland are back in tournament football after a seven-year absenceCredit: AFP
      Austria
      Austria have yet to confirm the date manager Franco Foda will announce his squad.
      Holland
      Holland manager Frank de Boer announced his preliminary 34-man squad on Friday, May 14.

      Bizot (GK)
      Cillessen (GK)
      Krul (GK)
      Stekelenburg (GK)
      Van Aanholt
      Ake
      Blind
      Dumfries
      Hateboer
      Karsdorp
      De Ligt
      St. Juste
      Tete
      Timber
      Veltman
      De Vrij
      Windal
      Van de Beek
      Gravenberch
      Frenkie de Jong
      Klaassen
      Koopmeiners
      De Roon
      Vilhena
      Wijnaldum
      Berghuis
      Bergwijn
      El Ghazi
      Gakpo
      L De Jong
      Malen
      Memphis Depay
      Promes
      Weghorst

      North Macedonia
      North Macedonia have yet to confirm the date manager Igor Angelovski will announce his squad.
      Ukraine
      Ukraine manager Andriy Shevchenko’s 36-man preliminary squad is as follows:

      Andriy Pyatov (c) (GK)
      Andriy Lunin (GK)
      Heorhiy Bushchan (GK)
      Anatoliy Trubin (GK)
      Mykola Matviyenko
      Oleksandr Karavayev
      Serhiy Kryvtsov
      Eduard Sobol
      Vitaliy Mykolenko
      Bohdan Mykhaylichenko
      Illya Zabarnyi
      Oleksandr Tymchyk
      Viktor Korniyenko
      Denys Popov
      Oleksandr Syrota
      Andriy Yarmolenko
      Yevhen Konoplyanka
      Taras Stepanenko
      Oleksandr Zinchenko
      Ruslan Malinovskyi
      Serhiy Sydorchuk
      Viktor Kovalenko
      Viktor Tsyhankov
      Marlos
      Yevhenii Makarenko
      Mykola Shaparenko
      Vitaliy Buyalskyi
      Oleksandr Zubkov
      Volodymyr Shepelyev
      Oleksandr Andriyevskyi
      Artem Bondarenko
      Bohdan Lyednyev
      Heorhiy Sudakov
      Roman Yaremchuk
      Artem Besyedin
      Artem Dovbyk

      Group D
      Harry Kane will hope to lead England to a first international trophy since 1966Credit: Andy Hooper-The Daily Mail
      Croatia
      Croatia have yet to reveal the date manager Zlatko Dalic will announce his squad.
      Czech Republic
      Czech Republic have yet to reveal the date manager Jaroslav Silhavy will announce his squad.
      England
      England manager Gareth Southgate will announce his 26-man Euro 2020 squad on Tuesday, May 25.
      Scotland
      Scotland have yet to reveal the date manager Steve Clarke will announce his squad.
      Group E
      Zlatan Ibrahimovic (right) had come out of retirement but will not feature for Sweden after getting injuredCredit: EPA
      Poland
      Poland manager Paulo Sousa’s squad is as follows:

      Lukasz Fabianski
      Wojciech Szczesny
      Kukasz Skorupski
      Kamil Glik
      Maciej Rybus
      Bartosz Bereszynski
      Jan Bednarek
      Tomasz Kedziora
      Pawel Dawidowicz
      Michal Helik
      Kamil Piatkowski
      Tymoteusz Puchacz
      Grzegorz Krychowiak
      Piotr Zielinski
      Mateusz Klich
      Karol Linetty
      KamiL Jozwiak
      Przemyslaw Frankowski
      Jakub Moder
      Przemyslaw Placheta
      Kacper Kozlowski
      Robert Lewandowski (c)
      Arkadiusz Milik
      Dawid Kownacki
      Jakub Swierczok
      Karol Swiderski

      Slovakia
      Slovakia manager Stefan Tarkovic will announce his final 26-man squad on Wednesday, June 2.
      Spain
      Spain manager Luis Enrique will announce his final 26-man squad on Thursday, May 27.
      Sweden
      Sweden manager Janne Andersson will announce his final 26-man squad on Tuesday, May 18.
      Group F
      Dominik Szoboszlai will be key to Hungary’s hopes as they look to defy the odds and escape the Group of DeathCredit: Getty
      France
      France manager Didier Deschamps will announce his final 26-man squad on Tuesday, May 18, with reports claiming Karim Benzema is in line for a shock recall after five years away.
      Germany
      Germany manager Joachim Low will announce his final 26-man squad on Wednesday, May 19.
      Hungary
      Hungary manager Marco Rossi’s 30-man preliminary squad is as follows:

      Peter Gulacsi (GK)
      Adam Bogdan (GK)
      Denes Dibusz (GK)
      Balasz Toth (GK)
      Gergo Lovrencsics
      Adam Lang
      Attila Fiola
      Willi Orban
      Attila Szalai
      Szilveszter Hangya
      Endre Botka
      Akos Kecskes
      Bendeguz Bolla
      Csaba Spandler
      Adam Nagy
      Laszlo Kleinheisler
      Filip Holender
      David Siger
      Dominik Szoboszlai
      Loic Nego
      Daniel Gazdag
      Andras Schafer
      Tamas Cseri
      Adam Szalai (c)
      Nemanja Nikolic
      Roland Sallai
      Roland Varga
      Jevin Varga
      Janos Hahn
      Szabolcs Schön

      Portugal
      Portugal manager Fernando Santos will name his final 26-man squad on Thursday, May 20. More

    • 250 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      What did Karim Benzema say about Olivier Giroud, why didn’t he play for France and who has most international goals?

      by

      THERE appeared to be no love lost between French strikers Karim Benzema and Olivier Giroud.Les Bleus won the World Cup in 2018 with then-Arsenal forward Giroud playing a key part, even if he didn’t net during the tournament.
      Karim Benzema had some choice words for Olivier GiroudCredit: AFP or licensors
      But in a live chat on his Instagram, Benzema was less than complimentary about his fellow French striker.
      Why didn’t Benzema play for France?
      BENZEMA is in line for a sensational return to the international fold.
      The Real ace has not played for France in five years after becoming involved in an alleged blackmail sextape plot involving teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
      At Euro 2016, Giroud was targeted by booing French fans and spoke out after being jeered during the Championship on home soil.
      Speaking to Le Parisien, he said: “I immediately realised that the people who booed me were not anti-Giroud, but pro-Benzema.
      “It could not be otherwise. I came from a great season with Arsenal. It was just disappointing.
      “Yes, it annoyed me. I was not even remotely responsible for this story and I did not understand the kind of hatred that developed against me.”

      In November 2019, France Football Federation president Noel le Graet had seemingly ended any hopes of a recall for the French ace.
      He said: “For me, Benzema is a very good player. I have never criticised his qualities.
      “On the contrary, he is proving again this year at Madrid that he is one of the best players in his position.
      “But the adventure with France is over.”
      What did Benzema say about Giroud?
      DURING his revealing online chat in early 2020, Benzema was asked how he rated fellow centre-forward Giroud.
      He replied: “This won’t take long. You don’t confuse F1 with go-karting. And I’m being kind. Next… and I know I’m F1.
      “It works because he’s there. That’s all. It’s not going to be spectacular, it’s not going to be anything crazy but in his way you see more of Griezmann or Mbappe because he will put the work in.
      “Does everyone like that way of playing? I don’t know.”
      Benzema doubled down on his scathing assessment later on March 30, 2020 stating he was ‘telling the truth’.
      He continued: “About Giroud, I simply told the truth.
      “But we didn’t remember what I said about him, especially about what he brings to the French national team.
      “We just remembered the moment when I said I was F1 and he was karting. That’s what I think, that’s the truth, and that’s how it is.”
      Benzema became embroiled in scandal in late 2015Credit: AFP

      Who has the most goals for France?
      IN Benzema’s stead, Giroud has emerged as Didier Deschamps’ go-to striker.
      The Chelsea striker has earned 107 caps for the world champions, netting 44 times.
      His last goal came in a 3-1 win over Sweden back in November.
      Only Thierry Hnery (51) has more goals for France.
      While Benzema has played 81 times for his country, the last of which came in 2015.
      He has netted 27 goals for Les Bleus. More

    • 225 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      What date is the England squad for Euro 2020 getting announced? How many players can Gareth Southgate pick?

      by

      GARETH SOUTHGATE faces the toughest job in football next week – naming the England squad for Euro 2020.With the final at Wembley this summer and an expectant home crowd hoping for a big performance from the Three Lions, naming his squad is a huge step towards glory.
      Gareth Southgate will name his squad soon after the Premier League season finishesCredit: AFP
      Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the players hoping to convince Southgate ahead of Euro 2020Credit: AFP
      WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game

      And there are some incredibly tough decisions to make for the man who got England to the World Cup semi-finals three years ago.
      When is the England squad announcement for the Euros?
      Southgate will name his England squad on Tuesday, May 25.
      The deadline for all Euro 2020 squads to be named is June 1, but the Three Lions boss will have them out of the way just 48 hours after the Premier League season finishes.
      The announcement is set to take place at 1pm.
      How many players can international managers name in their Euro 2020 squad lists?
      Each squad can have 26 players in it.
      How England’s path to Euros glory could look

      Uefa initially announced that there could be 23 stars in each, but because of the threat of players having to isolate due to Covid, the European governing body expanded each squad by three.
      Many think that can be an advantage for England, with some serious strength in depth in certain areas, such as right-back and attacking midfield.
      But other countries like France, Spain and Germany will surely feel the same way. More

    • 213 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Chelsea vs Leicester: Live stream, TV channel, team news and kick-off time for massive Premier League clash

      by

      CHELSEA face Leicester for the third time this year in what could be a season-defining game for the Blues. Thomas Tuchel’s side lost 1-0 to the Foxes in the FA Cup final on Saturday thanks to Youri Tielemans screamer at Wembley Stadium.
      Brendan Rodgers’s side beat Chelsea 1-0 on Saturday in the FA Cup finalCredit: AFP
      And now Chelsea will be looking for revenge as they take on Leicester in the league, with the winner hoping to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
      What time does Chelsea vs Leicester kick-off?

      Chelsea’s top four clash with Leicester will get underway from 8.15pm UK time on Tuesday, May 18.
      The game will take place at Stamford Bridge in London.
      There will be 8,000 fans in attendance at the game, after the easing of government lockdown restrictions.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Chelsea’s home game with Leicester will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event.
      You can live stream the action from the Sky Go or NOW TV apps, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.

      Team news
      Chelsea will likely still be without Mateo Kovacic, who has missed much of the Blues’ most important stage of the season with a hamstring injury.
      Andreas Christensen will also probably be on the sidelines, with Edouard Mendy set to return to the No 1 position.
      Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic could start the game after being benched for the FA Cup final.
      Jonny Evans has a muscle problem which forced him off against Chelsea at the weekend.
      James Maddison could also start the game after coming on as a sub for Kelechi Iheanacho at Wembley.
      Odds

      Chelsea – 7/10
      Draw – 13/5
      Leicester – 4/1

      *Odds courtesy of Paddy Power and correct at time of publication. More

    • 200 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd vs Fulham: Live stream, TV channel, team news, kick-off time for Premier League clash

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED host Fulham this week as they aim to bounce back from their Liverpool defeat – and for the first time this season will have fans in attendance at Old Trafford.Next up for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side is the west Londoners, who only have pride to play for following their relegation to the Championship.
      Paul Pogba in training for United ahead of the Fulham fixture
      When is Man Utd vs Fulham?

      Man Utd vs Fulham takes place on Tuesday, May 18.
      The match kicks off at 6pm BST.
      Up to 10,000 fans will be in attendance at Old Trafford as supporters finally return.

      What TV channel and live stream is Man Utd vs Fulham on?
      Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League will be broadcasting the match live.
      Sky Sports begin their coverage at 5pm.
      What is the team news?
      Harry Maguire, Anthony Martial, Phil Jones and Dan James are all out for United with Solskjaer set to hand Axel Tuanzebe a start at centre-back.
      Maguire is on crutches and wearing a protective boot after damaging ankle ligaments just over a week ago against Aston Villa.
      It left manager Solskjaer fearing the worst ahead of the final against Villarreal in Gdansk a week on Wednesday.
      But the latest update has been more positive and Solskjaer says he will give his captain right up until the last minute to prove his fitness.
      How United could line up against Fulham
      Solskjaer said: “When I spoke to him this morning he was positive. Naturally the day after he was injured everyone was very down.
      “But we decided we had to focus and be positive and think he is going to make it. He is making progress but we have consciously made the decision not to test him out too early.”
      As a result, Tuanzebe may be given a start in place of Eric Bailly.
      With Victor Lindelof also available it will be two of the three who start the game. More