List of All Articles with Tag 'epgb sports'

Liverpool face Austrian opponents LASK Linz on Thursday evening, marking the beginning of the Europa League group stage for 2023/24. While the Reds are more used to playing midweek games in the Champions League, a poor year last season has proven costly - and also paved the way for a summer revamp in midfield. Jurgen Klopp’s side have started this year well in terms of results, despite some remaining defensive issues, and in truth should be firm favourites to top Group E which also contains French side Toulouse and Belgians Union St. Gilloise. LASK have been on a good run domestically, winning four of the last five to move into third place, but will need to lift their game even further to keep out their Premier League visitors. Liverpool have won their last four in the top flight and also sit third there. Follow all the latest updates from LASK vs Liverpool below and get all the latest football odds here.

Football, bloody hell, as Sir Alex Ferguson famously exclaimed after an action-packed finale against Bayern Munich. Manchester United had the final say again, Casemiro’s second goal meaning they got three in the Allianz Arena. Yet on a night of some surreal developments, there was a certain predictability, too. Of course Harry Kane scored. Bayern Munich bought him to be reassuringly reliable. Of course United lost, too, because that felt like a guarantee for a team with an acute self-destructive streak and even as they can savour the fact that the striker they did get instead of Kane, Rasmus Hojlund, opened his account. But as United’s third successive defeat was a tale of three summer signings, the notion it would come down to Kane against Hojlund, the master and the apprentice of goalscoring, overlooked United’s increasingly acute goalkeeping issue. While United named three goalkeepers on their bench, the problem was the one they had on the Allianz Arena pitch. Andre Onana was a Champions League finalist last season and arguably the outstanding shot-stopper in the competition. If Erik ten Hag thought he was buying a guarantee of their own, a Kane of goalkeeping, the Cameroonian marred his United bow in the competition with a horrible error, gifting Leroy Sane the opener and Bayern a path to a victory that, despite United’s three goals, rarely felt in doubt thereafter. While Jamal Musiala was outstanding, Thomas Tuchel’s team did not justify their billing among the favourites to win the competition. Nor did they need to. After 27 minutes of mediocrity from Bayern, Onana blundered, Sane scored and his torrid start to the season moved into the realms of the terrible. Short of players and confidence, United desperately require solidity, something to give them a platform they can build upon. Instead, for the first time since 2001, they have conceded at least two goals in five successive matches. Onana has been culpable for several of the 14, to varying degrees, but none as much as Sane’s limp shot. While Kane ended his Champions League debut for Bayern with an assist and a goal, the first came courtesy of Onana. As Bayern made an undistinguished start, the best pass Kane received in the first 27 minutes came from Hojlund, United transfer targets in various summers inadvertently combining. But then Sane cut infield, used Kane to play a one-two and shot. Gently. Towards Onana. But the ball squirmed under him, somehow. In a sense, it was a mistake that cost United two goals. They are a side with a capacity to struggle immediately after a setback and, for the third time already this season, they conceded twice in five minutes. The magnificent Musiala was the instigator of the second, a driving run drawing in three United defenders. In the process, they left Gnabry unmarked for him to steer in a shot. Onana neglected to dive this time, perhaps wary of what happened the previous time he did. But it meant there were unwanted similarities with Saturday. As they had against Brighton, United started well. As they did then, they unravelled before the interval. Ten Hag had ditched his midfield diamond and United had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring. After Alphonso Davies made a terrific recovery challenge on Facundo Pellestri, the ball fell obligingly for Christian Eriksen. Perhaps unable to believe how good a chance it was, he shot tamely at Sven Ulreich. Another Dane struck instead for United; it is a goal that may have a long-term significance. It was a first repayment of Hojlund’s £72m fee not, after his cameo at Arsenal, a first indication the young Dane is not intimidated by his price or the pressure it confers. After Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford combined, he span and shot; perhaps a better goalkeeper than Ulreich would have stopped it and United’s three goals suggested the goalkeeper may yet be Bayern’s undoing. But not here. Bayern responded, with a penalty awarded after the incident was reviewed on a monitor. Dayot Upamecano’s header struck the raised arm of Eriksen. Kane composed himself and beat Onana. And then Bayern, so mediocre at the start, were rampant. Sane rolled a shot against the post, Onana again motionless. The goalkeeper belatedly started making saves, launching a damage-limitation exercise when he had been responsible for the initial damage. Bayern, in a show of strength, were able to send on Kingsley Coman, the scorer of a Champions League final winner. Then came a further exchange of goals, Casemiro first finished while grounded before applying a finishing touch to Fernandes’ free kick. Sandwiched by his pair, Bayern added an ultimately decisive fourth: after Thomas Muller struck the post, another substitute, Mathys Tel, finished emphatically. Shorn of 12 players for various reasons – again, some self-inflicted – United had no such enviable options. Their replacements included three goalkeepers, four rookies and a 35-year-old Jonny Evans. United once beat Bayern because they had Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as substitutes. In a rematch, they had two late goals, both from Casemiro, but fewer reasons to party like it was 1999. Read More Bayern Munich vs Manchester United player ratings: Kane scores and Musiala shines after Onana howler Arsenal are back in the Champions League — and they look like contenders too Harry Kane on target as Bayern Munich pile misery on Manchester United How Harry Kane unshackled Bayern Munich with a classic move from his Tottenham days Andre Onana owns up to mistake against Bayern: ‘One of my worst games’ Bayern Munich vs Manchester United player ratings: Kane scores after Onana howler

Manchester United were made to suffer in Germany after a promising start to their Champions League opener against Bayern Munich. Christian Eriksen should have opened the scoring inside the first five minutes only to be denied by a sharp save from Sven Ulreich. United were quick to transition the ball up the pitch and looked comfortable in the game until a howler from Andre Onana gave the hosts the opening goal. Leroy Sane added a second before the break following a wonderful solo run from Jamal Musiala who took the ball through midfield before pulling it back to Sane for the finish. Rasmus Hojlund netted his first goal for United to give them hope of a comeback after the break but Harry Kane restored the host’s cushion with a beautifully taken penalty. The goals kept on coming with three being scored late. Casemiro bagged a brace either side of a Mathys Tel rocket but United couldn’t get the win. Here’s how all the players rated at the Allianz Arena: Bayern Munich Sven Ulreich - 6. Denied Christian Eriksen an opening goal in the fourth minute after his defenders lost the ball deep in their own half and kept out a wild shot from Marcus Rashford. Could do nothing about Rasmus Hojlund’s or Casemiro’s goals and unfortunate to conced three. Konrad Laimer - 6. Thought primarily about getting forward on the wing and linked up nicely with Leroy Sane to exploit the spaces in behind Sergio Reguilon. Dayot Upamecano - 7. Stayed switched on to cover Laimer’s forward runs, handled Rashford and Hojlund with composure and poise until United’s first goal. Minjae Kim - 6. A top partner for Upamecano against a United attack that lacked persistent bite. Drove the ball up the pitch a couple of times but went to sleep late in the game with the match won. Alphonso Davies - 7. Stuck a foot on the ball first when tackling Facundo Pellestri, stopping the Uruguayan youngster from scoring a simple tap-in early in the match. Joshua Kimmich - 6. Was a valuable link between defence and attack providing pressure high up the pitch towards the end of the game. Leon Goretzka - 6. Commanding in midfield though wasn’t put under enough pressure from United’s attacking personnel. Took umbrage with a tackle on Kane from Lisandro Martinez and got booked. Leroy Sane - 9. His movement off the ball caused real problems and he was Bayern’s biggest threat. Scored the opening goal and curled one past the post in the first half before hitting the post in the second. Jamal Musiala - 8. Developing a solid relationship with Harry Kane making several forward runs when the England captain dropped back. A wonderful solo run and cutback set up Bayern’s second goal. Serge Gnabry - 7. Drifted into space inside the box and slotted a clinical finish past Andre Onana to double his team’s lead in the first half. Harry Kane - 8. Went through several spells without touching the ball but proved his quality by setting up the first goal thanks to some top quality hold up play and slotted home a perfect penalty when called on. Subs: Kingsley Coman - 6, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting - 7, Mathys Tel - 8, Thomas Muller - n/a Manchester United Andre Onana – 5. Picked out a few good passes and made some nice saves but all that is overshadowed by a howler that allowed Sane’s shot to sneak under him and give Bayern the lead. Diogo Dalot – 6. Out-paced and out-classed by Musiala in the build-up to the second goal. Seemed to suffer from a lack of confidence like most of United’s defence but was willing to put his body on the line. Victor Lindelof - 6. Dealt well with the aerial balls into the box but got caught a couple of times out of position and didn’t have the legs to recover properly. Lisandro Martinez - 6. Grew frustrated as the night went on before getting into a scrap with Leon Goretzka and earning an unnecessary yellow card. Sergio Reguilon - 7. Wasn’t afraid to make sharp forward runs trying to force United into the final third whilst also relishing the battle against Sane. Looks to be settling into his role at left-back. Casemiro - 8. The more defensive of United’s two holding midfielders, sat deep to keep the shape compact and provide cover for the back line but played a couple of wonderful passes over the top for Bruno Fernandes before scoring two late goals with his first real forays up the pitch. Christian Eriksen - 5. Latched onto a loose ball early in the game but drilled a shot straight at the goalkeeper when he should have scored. Harshly judged to have handled the ball inside the box leading to the penalty. Facundo Pellestri - 5. Failed to toe United ahead early in the game and was denied any better chances for the rest of the match. Bruno Fernandes - 7. Was the playmaker for most of United’s attacks and led the press well off the ball. Misplaced a couple of difficult passes but was always looking to get the ball into the box even with his team chasing the game. Assisted Casemiro for the third goal. Marcus Rashford - 6. Pacey down the line, getting the better of Laimer on a few occasions. Set up Hojlund’s goal with a deft touch inside the penalty area but needs to be more creative in the wide areas. Rasmus Hojlund - 7. Made an impact at the top of the pitch with a well taken goal in the second half. His first for the club and signs are there that he’ll get plenty more. Subs: Scott McTominay 6, Anthony Martial - n/a, Alejandro Garnacho - n/a Read More Bizarre clash with Bayern ends in predictable outcome for Manchester United Arsenal are back in the Champions League — and they look like contenders too Bizarre clash with Bayern ends in predictable outcome for Manchester United Tottenham have Harry Kane ‘buy-back clause’ as Daniel Levy reveals option Erik ten Hag concerned by Manchester United’s mounting injury problems

Manchester United will face a tough test when they travel to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich for their opening fixture in this year’s Champions League group stages. Erik ten Hag’s team are in disarray thanks to three defeats in four Premier League matches and an ever-expanding injury list. The Red Devils have lacked the conviction and skill to beat big teams like Arsenal or well-drilled upstarts such as Brighton. It’s a situation that can only get worse as they face the Bundesliga champions in Germany tonight. Bayern signed England captain Harry Kane in the summer and he has made an immediate impact leading the line, scoring four goals in as many games for the club. Kane left Spurs to chase silverware with the prolific German side and he will want to impress on the biggest stage in Europe. Follow all the action from the Allianz Arena below. Plus you can get all the football betting sites offers and latest Champions League odds here. Read More Manchester United’s date with Harry Kane is a reminder of what they could have had Tottenham have Harry Kane ‘buy-back clause’ as Daniel Levy reveals option How the Champions League lost its spark and led to the end of an era

Lionel Messi is the only footballer whose shadow carries a gun. While he plays for Inter Miami, his bodyguard stalks the touchline: Yassine Cheuko is an ex-Navy Seal with a thick beard and a shaved head who treats his client like a president in a warzone, staring down giddy autograph-hunters and swatting away selfie-chasing children. During a recent match, a young pitch-invader in a Messi shirt made a dash towards his hero only to be walloped by Cheuko’s torso on arrival. Messi is like the sun: by all means enjoy his presence and bask in his glow, but by god do not look him in the eye – and if you touch him, you’re dead. It is just one of the more bizarre symptoms of Messi fever which has gripped Miami and Major League Soccer since his arrival in June. It began before he kicked a ball: Messi’s pink shirt outsold any sports jersey in history in its first 24 hours, generating $600m to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United and Tom Brady’s move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Miami’s Instagram account exploded from 1 million to 15 million followers, a bigger audience than every NFL team. Kim Kardashian bought tickets to his debut, while the list of special guests to watch him play at Los Angeles Galaxy was like Wimbledon’s Royal Box on steroids, featuring LeBron James, Selena Gomez, Owen Wilson, Gerard Butler, Leonardo DiCaprio and genuine royalty in Prince Harry, to name but a few. On the pitch Messi has been phenomenal, even at 36 years old and in the winter of his career: 11 goals and five assists in 11 games, and one trophy already. He has turned a terrible team into a good one, lifting Miami off the bottom of the table to be in with a chance of reaching US soccer’s Super Bowl equivalent, the MLS Cup, in December. He has brought with him from Barcelona two close allies: the left-back Jordi Alba, who built a career pretending to cross the ball only to cut back for Messi to score, and the great midfield conductor Sergio Busquets. It is a bit like a singer bringing along his sound and lighting technicians – not the full band but enough to put on a show. Perhaps his most memorable moment so far came in the final of the Leagues Cup against Nashville: as the ball bounced to Messi arriving on the edge of the box, the commentator let out a foreboding “uh oh” before he shuffled away from two defenders and curled the ball into the top corner. Major League Soccer is rightfully indulging in the moment. “The 🐐 plays here,” reads the Twitter bio these days. This is now an unprecedented window of opportunity: the US will host the Copa America in 2024, the Club World Cup in 2025, the men’s World Cup in 2026 and quite possibly the women’s World Cup in 2027 too. The football landscape is more competitive than ever amid the aggressive emergence of the Saudi Pro League and the greed of Europe’s superpowers, but if MLS cannot shed its image as a paid vacation for retirees and establish something serious now, it never will. That mission was part of Miami’s sales pitch to Messi. David Beckham and his fellow owners knew they couldn’t compete with the base salary being offered in Saudi Arabia, but they could offer other benefits which the Saudis couldn’t. They appealed to Messi’s family – he already owned a home in Miami, from where it is relatively easy to fly back to Argentina, and the Messis have enjoyed partying with the Beckhams behind the scenes. And they included huge commercial investments, like a share in sales of MLS broadcaster Apple, with whom Messi had an existing relationship, and a stake in Inter Miami which he can activate when he departs. Messi was convinced by the long-term opportunities for his brand and his legacy in North America. He was also wooed by some romantic history. Pele became a pioneer when he turned down offers across Europe to join the New York Cosmos in 1975. It had appealed to his ego to be the catalyst who made US soccer catch fire, and he was certainly that: the Cosmos played in front of 200 people before Pele, yet two years later they were filling the Giants Stadium with 77,000 converts. Beckham himself has had the greatest impact in America since Pele, and Messi is next in the dynasty. The problem for MLS is where to go next. Each new star since Beckham delivered another flurry of excitement – Thierry Henry, Kaka, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney – but there is no footballing high greater than watching Messi, no bigger dopamine hit than seeing his feet shuffle into life and create magic. Messi is football hedonism, and when he goes he cannot simply be replaced by a bigger, shinier star. The come down will hurt. How do you sell yourself as a serious sporting product when one player is that much better than the rest? So MLS has a plan to harness the hype and turn it into something that will last. Last year the league ditched long-term broadcast partner ESPN and signed with Messi’s friends at Apple, in what represented the tech company’s biggest step yet into the sports arena. Apple committed to a 10-year contract worth $250m per year for the right to show MLS on its platforms, and more lucrative media deals will follow. Long-time MLS commissioner Don Garber wants to invest in youth development, better stadiums and infrastructure for the long-term success of American soccer. But the league’s immediate need is to acquire talent, and here the clubs are met with restrictions. The MLS adheres to a strict salary cap designed to stop clubs overspending. It can be dodged via the designated player rule – or Beckham Rule – which allows each team to pay three star players more than the salary cap, but unless restrictions loosen further it will be impossible for the biggest teams in the league to sign more elite talent. Miami have certainly filled their quota and are in no position to sign more ex-Barcelona stars until those rules change. All the while, the danger is that Messi makes football look so easy, he undermines the league’s integrity. The drop-off from European football or the World Cup to MLS is a void – not just physically and technically, but in its tactical sophistication and defensive organisation. The worst MLS teams, of which Miami were one before Messi, match the upper echelons of England’s League Two, according to the models of consultancy Twenty First Group. That’s like dropping Messi into Gillingham’s first XI: how do you sell yourself as a serious sporting product when one player is that much better than the rest? It will be a hard journey to raise standards across the board, but Messi does at least provide the best possible platform from which to grow. Most European football fans have been devotees for a long time, but now the gospel of Messi is spreading throughout the United States. New followers are flocking to see him in the flesh. So enjoy watching Messi, America. Seize the moment. Just don’t try to touch him. Read More Every Lionel Messi goal, assist and key moment for Inter Miami Mbappe and Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era When does Lionel Messi play next? Inter Miami schedule and fixtures Cristiano Ronaldo declares rivalry with Lionel Messi ‘is over’ Messi favourite for men’s Ballon d’Or with four Lionesses on women’s list It turned out wrong – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man Utd return

Conor Benn will return to the ring this weekend, fighting for the first time since his failed drug tests in 2022. The Briton, 26, will box Rodolfo Orozco in Florida on Saturday, having been licensed by the state’s commission. The fight will take place at 154lbs, on the undercard of Richardson Hitchins vs Jose Zepeda in Orlando. Benn was due to fight compatriot Chris Eubank Jr in October 2022, but the bout collapsed after the revelation that Benn had failed two drug tests in the lead-up. Benn was subsequently stripped of his licence by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) and charged by UK Anti-Doping (Ukad), though the World Boxing Council cleared the unbeaten welterweight of any intentional wrongdoing. Later, the National Anti-Doping Panel lifted a provisional suspension on Benn, though the BBBofC and Ukad have appealed that move. Orozco, 24, will bring a professional record of 32-3-3 into the bout with Benn, having secured 24 of his wins via knockout. The Mexican has never been stopped. Meanwhile, Benn’s record stands at 21-0 (14 KOs). “I am undefeated in the ring, and in spirit,” Benn said in a Matchroom press release. “A return on Saturday is a step closer to redemption. After that, I’m putting the 147-160lbs divisions on notice. You are looking at a determined man with a deep desire to beat them all. “Warm-ups, I don’t treat them as warm-ups,” he added on Instagram. “I don’t go: ‘Oh, this is going to be an easy fight.’ They turn out to be your hardest ones, because of the mindset [but] I treat every fight as if it’s my world-title fight.” Meanwhile, Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn said: “Conor Benn is back, and I’m looking forward to seeing him pick up where he left off. He’s ready to go straight in for a big fight now, but his trainer Tony Sims will be pleased to get him back sooner against a game opponent in Rodolfo Orozco. “Conor is looking unbelievable in the gym, and I cannot wait to see him back in the ring where he belongs.” Read More Desperation and danger: Joe Joyce revisits risky Zhilei Zhang clash Joyce vs Zhang 2 live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Eddie Hearn: ‘Ask someone to name three people in boxing, they’ll say: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, me’

Spain players have ended their boycott of the women’s national team after showdown talks with the Spanish Football Federation (Rfef) which lasted more than seven hours. The squad was named at the start of the week with several World Cup winners included, despite the fact they had publicly stated their intention to not represent the national team following the sexism row which erupted following Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso after the final. That fallout of that moment, which outrageously overshadowed Spain triumphing on the biggest stage of all, included the team’s head coach Jorge Vilda losing his job and Rubiales being suspended from his duties by Fifa, though he refused to resign his post initially before succumbing to pressure and exiting. But the issues within Spanish football have not stopped there, with players called up for action after saying they would not make themselves available - though it now appears they have reached an agreement with their FA. “The players have expressed their concern about the need for profound changes in the Rfef (Spanish Football Federation), which has committed to making these changes immediately,” said Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) president, Victor Francos. “It is the beginning of a long road ahead of us,” Futpro - the players’ union - president Amanda Gutierrez said. “Once again, they [the players] have shown themselves to be coherent, and the vast majority have decided to stay for the sake of this agreement.” A joint commission is to be set up to oversee changes and “follow up on agreements” from the meeting, though it was not confirmed what those agreements were. The now-former Rfef president continued to insist his kiss with Hermoso, one of the team’s forwards, was consensual - but Hermoso rejected that notion and filed a complaint against Rubiales with the state prosecutor, with an investigation for sexual assault now underway. He has also been handed a restraining order, preventing him from being in close proximity to the World Cup winner. Hermoso was not called up to the latest Spain squad, with new head coach Montse Tome saying the national team wanted to “protect” the 33-year-old. Hermoso responded with a question of “from what?” to that claim, saying that the national team call-ups for players who had made themselves unavailable only proved that “nothing had changed” despite Rubiales’ forced exit. Spain face Sweden and Switzerland in the Nations League across the next week or so, with the competition also serving the purpose of qualifiers for the Paris Olympics next year. Read More Jenni Hermoso says Spain call-ups are a ‘strategy of manipulation’ by Rfef Spain plunged into fresh chaos after boycotting women’s players selected to play Jenni Hermoso not included in Spain’s first squad since winning Women’s World Cup

Lionel Messi is the only footballer whose shadow carries a gun. While he plays for Inter Miami, his bodyguard stalks the touchline: Yassine Cheuko is an ex-Navy Seal with a thick beard and a shaved head who treats his client like a president in a warzone, staring down giddy autograph-hunters and swatting away selfie-chasing children. During a recent match, a young pitch-invader in a Messi shirt made a dash towards his hero only to be walloped by Cheuko’s torso on arrival. Messi is like the sun: by all means enjoy his presence and bask in his glow, but by god do not look him in the eye – and if you touch him, you’re dead. It is just one of the more bizarre symptoms of Messi fever which has gripped Miami and Major League Soccer since his arrival in June. It began before he kicked a ball: Messi’s pink shirt outsold any sports jersey in history in its first 24 hours, generating $600m to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United and Tom Brady’s move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Miami’s Instagram account exploded from 1 million to 15 million followers, a bigger audience than every NFL team. Kim Kardashian bought tickets to his debut, while the list of special guests to watch him play at Los Angeles Galaxy was like Wimbledon’s Royal Box on steroids, featuring LeBron James, Selena Gomez, Owen Wilson, Gerard Butler, Leonardo DiCaprio and genuine royalty in Prince Harry, to name but a few. On the pitch Messi has been phenomenal, even at 36 years old and in the winter of his career: 11 goals and five assists in 11 games, and one trophy already. He has turned a terrible team into a good one, lifting Miami off the bottom of the table to be in with a chance of reaching US soccer’s Super Bowl equivalent, the MLS Cup, in December. He has brought with him from Barcelona two close allies: the left-back Jordi Alba, who built a career pretending to cross the ball only to cut back for Messi to score, and the great midfield conductor Sergio Busquets. It is a bit like a singer bringing along his sound and lighting technicians – not the full band but enough to put on a show. Perhaps his most memorable moment so far came in the final of the Leagues Cup against Nashville: as the ball bounced to Messi arriving on the edge of the box, the commentator let out a foreboding “uh oh” before he shuffled away from two defenders and curled the ball into the top corner. Major League Soccer is rightfully indulging in the moment. “The 🐐 plays here,” reads the Twitter bio these days. This is now an unprecedented window of opportunity: the US will host the Copa America in 2024, the Club World Cup in 2025, the men’s World Cup in 2026 and quite possibly the women’s World Cup in 2027 too. The football landscape is more competitive than ever amid the aggressive emergence of the Saudi Pro League and the greed of Europe’s superpowers, but if MLS cannot shed its image as a paid vacation for retirees and establish something serious now, it never will. That mission was part of Miami’s sales pitch to Messi. David Beckham and his fellow owners knew they couldn’t compete with the base salary being offered in Saudi Arabia, but they could offer other benefits which the Saudis couldn’t. They appealed to Messi’s family – he already owned a home in Miami, from where it is relatively easy to fly back to Argentina, and the Messis have enjoyed partying with the Beckhams behind the scenes. And they included huge commercial investments, like a share in sales of MLS broadcaster Apple, with whom Messi had an existing relationship, and a stake in Inter Miami which he can activate when he departs. Messi was convinced by the long-term opportunities for his brand and his legacy in North America. He was also wooed by some romantic history. Pele became a pioneer when he turned down offers across Europe to join the New York Cosmos in 1975. It had appealed to his ego to be the catalyst who made US soccer catch fire, and he was certainly that: the Cosmos played in front of 200 people before Pele, yet two years later they were filling the Giants Stadium with 77,000 converts. Beckham himself has had the greatest impact in America since Pele, and Messi is next in the dynasty. The problem for MLS is where to go next. Each new star since Beckham delivered another flurry of excitement – Thierry Henry, Kaka, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney – but there is no footballing high greater than watching Messi, no bigger dopamine hit than seeing his feet shuffle into life and create magic. Messi is football hedonism, and when he goes he cannot simply be replaced by a bigger, shinier star. The come down will hurt. How do you sell yourself as a serious sporting product when one player is that much better than the rest? So MLS has a plan to harness the hype and turn it into something that will last. Last year the league ditched long-term broadcast partner ESPN and signed with Messi’s friends at Apple, in what represented the tech company’s biggest step yet into the sports arena. Apple committed to a 10-year contract worth $250m per year for the right to show MLS on its platforms, and more lucrative media deals will follow. Long-time MLS commissioner Don Garber wants to invest in youth development, better stadiums and infrastructure for the long-term success of American soccer. But the league’s immediate need is to acquire talent, and here the clubs are met with restrictions. The MLS adheres to a strict salary cap designed to stop clubs overspending. It can be dodged via the designated player rule – or Beckham Rule – which allows each team to pay three star players more than the salary cap, but unless restrictions loosen further it will be impossible for the biggest teams in the league to sign more elite talent. Miami have certainly filled their quota and are in no position to sign more ex-Barcelona stars until those rules change. All the while, the danger is that Messi makes football look so easy, he undermines the league’s integrity. The drop-off from European football or the World Cup to MLS is a void – not just physically and technically, but in its tactical sophistication and defensive organisation. The worst MLS teams, of which Miami were one before Messi, match the upper echelons of England’s League Two, according to the models of consultancy Twenty First Group. That’s like dropping Messi into Gillingham’s first XI: how do you sell yourself as a serious sporting product when one player is that much better than the rest? It will be a hard journey to raise standards across the board, but Messi does at least provide the best possible platform from which to grow. Most European football fans have been devotees for a long time, but now the gospel of Messi is spreading throughout the United States. New followers are flocking to see him in the flesh. So enjoy watching Messi, America. Seize the moment. Just don’t try to touch him. Read More Every Lionel Messi goal, assist and key moment for Inter Miami Mbappe and Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era When does Lionel Messi play next? Inter Miami schedule and fixtures Cristiano Ronaldo declares rivalry with Lionel Messi ‘is over’ Messi favourite for men’s Ballon d’Or with four Lionesses on women’s list Julian Alvarez proves Man City’s man for all occasions as the unlikely No 10

Manchester City start their Champions League title defence at home to Red Star Belgrade this evening. Pep Guardiola’s side have won all five of the Premier League matches this season and are in terrific form ahead of this European top-flight opener. Last season, they finally lifted the trophy they most coveted, the Champions League, following a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the final and now they will be hoping to emulate Real Madrid by regaining it in consecutive seasons. They also became only the second English club to win the treble and it remains to be seen if anyone can stop them repeating that feat this time around. Red Star Belgrade are currently third in the Serbian SuperLiga but should pose no real threat to Guardiola’s men who will want to lay down a statement victory tonight. Follow all the action from this Champions League clash at the Etihad Stadium. Plus you can get all the latest football betting sites offers here. Read More Pep Guardiola promises major changes for Man City team amid gruelling schedule Pep Guardiola hails impact of Jeremy Doku in Man City’s win at West Ham Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era

Newcastle United take on AC Milan in their opening match of the 2023/24 Champions League when they travel to the San Siro this afternoon. Eddie Howe’s men have not featured in the group stage of Europe’s top-flight since the 2002/03 season over 20 years ago. Their group also features Ligue 1 winners Paris Saint-Germain and the Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund in what has been named the group of death. Newcastle come into the tournament as heavy underdogs but have shown enough promise and ability under Howe to prove that they are credible threats to the bigger sides. Milan have lost just one of their last 13 competitive matches as the home side but, while Newcastle ended a run of three defeats with victory over Brentford at the weekend, their hosts tonight were heavily beaten by local rivals Inter Milan and will hope to respond with victory over the Magpies. Follow all the action from this Champions League clash at the San Siro. Plus you can get all the latest football betting sites offers here. Read More How the Champions League lost its spark and led to the end of an era Callum Wilson on the spot as Newcastle warm up for Europe with win Newcastle fan stabbed in Milan ahead of Champions League match

As the new League Two season got underway last month, the bookmakers were clear in their opinion; Wrexham were the favourites. The team to beat. Eight games in, Phil Parkinson’s side sit fourth– just three points off table-toppers Gillingham – having won four and drawn three since their opening-day defeat to MK Dons. Two places above them in second is Notts County, Wrexham’s promotion rivals from last season who have also made an impressive start back to life in the Football League. Notts County, like Wrexham, were one of the early season favourites for the title despite this being their first season back in the fourth tier since 2019. While it may come as no surprise that two teams littered with Football League talent have taken little time to acclimatise to England’s fourth tier, it does point to a stark financial inequality that is beginning to emerge at the base of the Football League. In the case of Wrexham, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney may not be throwing around cash in such a carefree manner as their American counterpart, Todd Boehly, in the Premier League at Chelsea, but they certainly aren’t spending prudently either. The club’s financial records for their promotion-winning season aren’t yet available, but the records from the season prior paint a clear picture of the new owners’ willingness to part ways with cash in their bid for promotion. £1.2m spent on transfers and agents – up from just £10,000 the year before – alongside a 294 per cent increase in football costs and losses of £2.9m which far outweighed the average net loss for a club in the National League, which sits around £1.1m according to Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance. Some of that can be explained by the owner’s purchase of the freehold for the stadium and their 404 per cent increase in revenue – up to nearly £6m – but, regardless, the picture is as clear as ever. The big spenders rise to the top. One of last season’s big revenue drivers is expected to be Welcome to Wrexham, the hugely popular fly-on-the-wall documentary. The second season airs this week, showcasing the club’s second full season under their new owners, a campaign which ultimately concluded in Wrexham’s promotion back to the Football League for the first time since 2008. The show has attracted eyeballs and acclaim for its presentation of a football club at the heart of its community, and rightly so. In the second episode of the new series, for example, the story follows a young 17-year-old autistic fan, Millie Tipping, who strikes up a heartwarming relationship with star striker Paul Mullin whose own son, Albi, shares the same disorder. That focus on the community is an uplifting thread that runs throughout the documentary. But it’s also no wonder when the alternative is confronting the fact that Wrexham seem intent on financially bulldozing the lower leagues with boatloads of cash and hefty wage bills. After all, there were no other clubs in the National League last year whose kits were adorned with the sponsorship money of a social media giant like TikTok. No other teams in England’s fifth tier who could ring up and tempt a former England international goalkeeper out of retirement to help secure promotion. This year, their squad has been boosted – yet again – by the arrival of talent from higher divisions in the form of Will Boyle, George Evans and James McLean, the latter a £250,000 signing from Wigan Athletic reported to be on “championship wages”. When added to a squad that had already picked off supreme talents from the leagues above when the Welsh side were still in the National League, it’s clear to see why the bookmakers had them right at the top of their odds sheet. Money talks. They are not the only ones following this path in League Two. Salford City were the poster boy for big spending when they first reached the division under the ‘Class of 92’ ownership group. Stockport County too, who pipped Wrexham to promotion in the documentary’s first season, have spent handsomely, bringing Nick Powell to the club after he left Stoke City in the summer. But as Wrexham’s documentary hits TV screens, it should be the big spending of Reynolds and McElhenney that is put under the microscope. The celebrity status and goodwill garnered from the documentary should not distract from the vast spending that could dramatically alter the lower league landscape. Their openness with the fanbase and their effect on the local community is to be celebrated. One only has to look into the shenanigans at Southend United and Scunthorpe Town to realise stable ownership is far from guaranteed. However, look beyond that and their on-field strategy – fueled by rocketing sponsorship income and aggressive spending – is creating an unwanted blueprint. Succeeding in the Premier League has long been dictated by an owner’s willingness to spend. Football must now avoid a world where big-name owners, vast sponsorship deals and the same ability to spend are the only ways to journey up the football pyramid. Read More Welcome to Wrexham: The seasons we never got to see behind the scenes Welcome to Wrexham: Best sporting moments from season one Welcome to Wrexham: Best moments to look out for in season two Wrexham’s legendary goalkeeper Ben Foster in profile Wrexham’s star striker ‘Super’ Paul Mullin in profile Ben Foster: Retired keeper set to star in Welcome to Wrexham season 2

Joe Joyce and Zhilei Zhang will square off in a heavyweight rematch this weekend, five months after the Chinese boxer beat the Briton in London. Zhang, 40, forced a sixth-round stoppage by damaging Joyce’s eye to the point of closure, also taking the WBO interim title from the 38-year-old with the win. Now, as the pair return to London, Joyce will look to reverse the result and regain the gold – potentially setting up a bout with Oleksandr Usyk in the process. Can the “Juggernaut” avenge the first professional loss of his career? Or will “Big Bang” prove too explosive again? Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the fight? Joyce vs Zhang 2 is set to take place on Saturday 23 September, at Wembley Arena in London. The main card is expected to begin at 7.30pm BST (11.30am PT, 1.30pm CT, 2.30pm ET), with ring walks for the main event due at around 10.30pm BST (2.30pm PT, 4.30pm CT, 5.30pm ET). How can I watch it? In the UK, the event will air live on TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport). In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds Joyce – 21/20 Zhang – 17/20 Draw – 18/1 Full odds via Betway. • Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) Zhilei Zhang (C) vs Joe Joyce 2 (WBO interim heavyweight title) Pierce O’Leary (C) vs Kane Gardner (WBC international super-lightweight) Anthony Yarde vs TBA (light-heavyweight) Sam Noakes vs Carlos Perez (lightweight) Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia (super-middleweight) Ezra Taylor vs Joel McIntyre (light-heavyweight) Royston Barney-Smith vs TBA (super-featherweight) Moses Itauma vs Amine Boucetta (heavyweight) Tommy Fletcher vs Alberto Tapia (heavyweight) Aloys Youmbi vs Erik Nazaryan (cruiserweight) Sean Noakes vs Lukasz Barabasz (welterweight) Read More Joe Joyce on heavyweight knockouts, oil painting, and teaching 60-year-olds to swim Heavyweight boxing is decaying before our eyes – no other sport would survive this idiocy Eddie Hearn: ‘Ask someone to name three people in boxing, they’ll say: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, me’ What time does Joyce vs Zhang 2 start this weekend? How to watch Joyce vs Zhang 2 online and on TV this weekend Joe Joyce on knockouts, oil painting, and teaching 60-year-olds to swim