Girona boss Michel has called on his team to end their remarkable season on a high by finishing second in LaLiga, ahead of Friday s trip to Alaves.

Girona fought back to beat Barcelona 4-2 last weekend, a result that left Real Madrid with an unassailable lead in the table as they clinched a record-extending 36th Spanish top-flight title.

It also ensured Girona confirmed Champions League qualification with four games to spare, putting them 13 points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao and taking them above Barca into second.

Girona s previous highest finish in the Spanish top flight is 10th, which they achieved in both 2017-18 and 2022-23, and Michel is now keen to add further gloss to an unforgettable campaign.

The objective is to be second and we need…

Inaki Williams acknowledged Athletic Bilbao missing three penalties against Girona cannot happen in LaLiga, while taking the blame for his part in the disappointment.

Alex Berenguer was denied by Paulo Gazzaniga in the first half from 12 yards, with Williams then denied in the second period by the Girona goalkeeper on Sunday.

Gazzaniga was adjudged to have stepped off his line too early for the Williams spot-kick save, though the former Tottenham man then saved from Ander Herrera s retaken penalty.

In a remarkable turn of fate, Cristhian Stuani converted a 99th-minute penalty for the visiting Girona to snatch a 2-1 victory, much to the dismay of Athletic winger Williams.

There are no excuses, we missed three penalties. I plead absolutely guilty, we can …

UEFA president Michel Platini has backed calls for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to be played in the European winter.

Temperatures could reach up to 50 degrees in the host country during June and July when the World Cup is traditionally played, leading to a number of calls for the tournament to be played at a different time of year when the weather will be cooler.

Platini, who is tipped to succeed FIFA president Sepp Blatter, has stated that he is willing to move European club competitions in order to facilitate the plans, telling reporters the World Cup is the most important thing .

If we play in winter, not a problem to organise it, Platini said.

How can people go to Qatar in 50 degrees in June? If the people can t come to enjoy it it s not good.

…

England caretaker boss Stuart Pearce has revealed he would like the chance to be in charge of the team at this summers European Championship.

The under-21 boss will be in charge of the Three Lions when they face Holland in their final friendly before the tournament but it looks like he hopes to be kept on long-term.

Hopeful

He told a press conference: ‘ I am available and I have tournament experience if they (the FA) need me to step into the breach in the summer,

“ That is obviously a decision for the employees here. They know exactly where I am, they know exactly what I want to do. If they need me to take the squad in the summer I will do that with pleasure.

If they need me to coach a manager that is coming through the door, I will do that…

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid faced each other at the Civitas Metropolitano on Sunday evening within the eight round of the 2024/25 La Liga campaign. Eder Militao took advantage of a Vinicius Junior cross in the 64th minute to send Real ahead, but Angel Correa, having come off the bench, snatched an equalizer for Atletico five minutes into the second-half stoppage time.

The teams

Both teams were arranged in the 4-4-2 formation, which isn t surprising for Diego Simeone s Atletico, but Real boss Carlo Ancelotti likely chose this approach in light of the absence of Kylian Mbappe through injury. However, there were differences in the way their respective midfield sections operated; while Rodrigo De Paul, Marcos Llorente and Conor Gallagher played behind Julian Alvarez for Atleti…

The prime minister of Italy has called for the Euro 2020 final to be moved from Wembley due to coronavirus concerns.

Mario Draghi says the level of infection in the United Kingdom means alternative venues must be considered.

I will try to stop the final being held in a country where infections are rising quickly, he said on Monday when asked if Rome could be considered a possible replacement.

Wembley is due to host five knockout matches, including both semi-finals and then the final on July 11. Italy will also play their last-16 game in London against Austria on June 26.

Cases of COVID-19 have been increasing in recent weeks in the UK, fuelled by the Delta variant first identified in India, with a further 10,633 confirmed on Monday.

There are als…

Goals from Lukas Klostermann and Nils Petersen were enough for Germany to set-up an Olympic gold medal match against hosts Brazil at the Maracana as they overcame Nigeria 2-0 in the semi-final of the Rio 2016 men s football tournament.

In a tense affair at Sao Paulo s Arena Corinthians on Wednesday, it was Horst Hrubesch s side who took the lead early on in proceedings, Max Meyer picking out full-back Klostermann, who duly rolled home his finish from six yards out.

Germany survived a scare moments later, however, as a calamitous error from goalkeeper Timo Horn allowed Aminu Umar a clear sight on goal, but the Osmanlispor forward could only drill a tame effort straight at the backpedalling German shot-stopper.

Matters perhaps should have been made worse for Nigeri…

Croatia need to put together a much more convincing performance against Euro 2008 co-favourites Germany here on Thursday if they are to really reflect the confidence their coach Slaven Bilic has that they can win the title.

Croatia did win their first match but the manner of their 1-0 win over co-hosts Austria was laboured to say the least with bizarrely several of their players looking jaded by the start of the second-half and a similar performance against the Germans could result in a real hammering.

The Germans looked alert and sharp in their 2-0 victory over Poland, with Polish-born Lukas Podolski grabbing a brace and showing once again that he is the man for the big stage.

Bilic, though, is convinced that his young side will step up to the plate and that…

Luis Enrique was instrumental in Digne s move to Barcelona in 2016-17, luring the Frenchman to the Catalan giants from Paris Saint-Germain.

I will be forever thankful to the club and to Luis Enrique for bringing me to the greatest club in the world, he added. From the moment I heard of their interest, there was only one club I wanted to join, because it was always my boyhood dream to play here.

Now it is up to me to work hard and develop myself as a player, because obviously nobody is the finished article as a 23 year old. My ambition is to make an impact here and to be part of a great future for this club, and now I am looking forward to be playing for – and learning from – Ernesto Valverde. [I] can t wait for next season to start to be honest.

In his fir…

So it has begun. Long before any of the major European leagues have kicked off and long before the transfer window is closed, the preliminary round of this year’s UEFA Champion’s League kicked off this week. A summer break shorter than normal, bridged by the Euro 2008, it’s taken off.

I’m not going to analyze the matches in depth, basically since I haven’t seen a single minute of any of the matches. These rounds don’t exactly enjoy a high priority in televised media. Probably for a reason. Let’s face it, very few of these teams – if any – will make it to the Champion’s League, let alone win it. Naturally, all …