Liverpool forward Sadio Mane is Karim Benzema s biggest challenger for this year s Ballon d Or, according to Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry.
Benzema is enjoying the best season of his career in front of goal and has played a crucial role in Madrid s run to the Champions League final, where Liverpool await on May 28.
The 34-year-old has scored 43 times and provided a further 14 assists in all competitions, with no other player across Europe s top five leagues directly involved in more goals (57).
Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe are next on that list with 54 combined goals and assists each, while Mane lags some way behind on 23 for Liverpool – albeit having missed part of the season during the Africa Cup of Nations, which he won with Senegal.
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Diego Simeone justified his decision to not shake Jurgen Klopp s hand by highlighting the contrasting cultures after Atletico Madrid were downed 3-2 by Liverpool.
Antoine Griezmann s brace drew Atletico level at 2-2 before the Frenchman was dismissed in the second half – the loanee becoming the first player in the competition to score two-plus goals and be sent off in the same match.
Mohamed Salah then converted from the spot to restore the Reds lead before Simeone s side had a stoppage-time penalty overturned by VAR after Diogo Jota had allegedly shoved Jose Gimenez.
The Egypt forward s winner meant the LaLiga side conceded more than twice in a Champions League home game for the first time under Simeone, last doing so against Porto in 2009.
After the …
Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned as Ligue 1 champions after Lyon overcame Monaco 3-2 on Sunday.
A 4-1 midweek win over Lorient ensured that one more victory would be enough for Luis Enrique s team to get over the line, but PSG failed to get the job done themselves when they faced relegation-threatened Le Havre on Saturday.
That game was the 700th match of the QSI era at PSG, and the club s 1,900th in France s top flight.
However, PSG s wait to win their third straight title did not last long, as less than 24 hours later, Lyon – who will face the Parisians in the final of the Coupe de France at the end of May – came out on top in a topsy turvy encounter with second-placed Monaco.
12th title for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1!
— Ligue 1…
Manuel Locatelli believes he was overlooked for Italy s latest squad on technical merits, with the Juventus midfielder now determined to earn a recall.
Locatelli was omitted from coach Roberto Mancini s latest Azzurri squad for their Euro 2024 qualifiers with England and Malta this week.
A member of the Italy team that defeated the former in the Euro 2020 final, the 25-year-old won his most recent cap in June against the Three Lions again.
But he will not face them this time around, with the Bianconeri man revealing he did not receive a call from the national team coach to inform him either way.
I was sad about not being called up to the national team, he told Rai Sport. I m being honest. I didn t hear from Mancini.
Locatelli missed Italy s last…
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has signed a new two-year deal until 2026, the club announced on Thursday.
Kerr, whose contract was due to expire at the end of the Women s Super League season, has scored 99 goals in 128 matches since joining from Chicago Red Stars in 2019.
The 30-year-old has played a huge role in the success of Emma Hayes side in recent years, winning five consecutive league titles along with three FA Cups, two League Cups and the Community Shield.
During the 2022-23 campaign, Kerr scored 29 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions, making her 100th appearance for the Blues in the process.
The striker has not played since January because of an anterior cruciate ligament injury and has been ruled out of the Australia squad for this summer s…
Finland qualified for a major tournament for the first time by defeating Liechtenstein 3-0 to book their place at Euro 2020.
Delighted fans flooded the pitch at full-time of the Group J fixture at the Telia 5G Areena in Helsinki as Finland guaranteed second place behind Italy.
Jasse Tuominen opened the scoring in the 21st minute and Finland were really dreaming when Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki doubled the lead from the penalty spot midway through the second half.
A second for Pukki with 15 minutes remaining ensured the celebrations could really begin for the home fans.
RESULTS
Finland qualify for first-ever EURO finals
Sorloth double sinks Faroe Islands
Greece edge past Armenia
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@UEFAEURO)
The result me…
David Beckham may be involved in the kind of legal action that would once have ruled him out of any ambassadorial role, but his sensational off-field skills mean he remains central to England s bid to stage the 2018 World Cup, a top official said Tuesday.
Last week, former England captain Beckham filed a lawsuit against a US celebrity weekly that published allegations that he slept with prostitutes.
There was a time when such claims alone would have prompted Beckham s removal from any involvement with a bid in the traditionally conservative world of English football administration.
But such is the global fame and appeal of the former Manchester United midfielder, who now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the American Major Soccer League (MSL), he is widely con…
The 24-year-old has now confirmed he will be unable to feature in Italy s title defence at the Euros, with their Group B campaign set to begin against Albania on June 15.
In a post to his Instagram account, Zaniolo wrote: Thank you for your support in these hours, to you Villans and to the many Italian and Turkish fans. I can t wait to get back on the field stronger than before!
Unfortunately, I will have to give up my dream of representing my country in a major competition. But that day will come, I m sure, and it will be beautiful! Come on Azzurri!
Zaniolo also missed Italy s triumphant run at the delayed Euro 2020 three years ago as he was recovering from a ruptured cruciate ligament.
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England and France must be considered as the favourites to win Euro 2024, so says Pat Nevin.
Both Les Bleus and the Three Lions topped their respective groups, scoring 51 goals between them and going unbeaten in the process.
Gareth Southgate s side kick-off their tournament campaign at the Arena AufSchalke against Serbia on June 16, while Kylian Mbappe will lead the French out for the first time at a major tournament against Austria the following evening.
The two sides last faced off at the Qatar World Cup in 2022, with Didier Deschamps masterminding a quarter-final triumph to extend their winning record at major tournaments over England to three matches.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Nevin, who represented Scotland for a decade between 1986 and 19…
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen has been passed fit to play in his side’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against South Africa.
Osimhen was carried off on a stretcher during Nigeria’s 1-0 victory over Angola with abdominal pain and was a doubt for Wednesday’s last-four clash.
But having not travelled to Bouake on Monday, the Napoli forward arrived a day later and managed to train.
A tweet from the Super Eagles’ X account read: “Victor Osimhen has been declared fit and available for selection in the semi-final clash against South Africa on Wednesday. He has joined the team in Bouake and has trained with the squad today.”
*Super Eagles Camp Update*Victor Osimhen has been declared fit and available for selection in the semi-final clash against So…