Teams at every step of the pyramid will be encouraged to embrace AI as part of a new partnership the Football Association’s director of women’s football hopes will help boost attendances at overlooked local clubs.
On Thursday the FA announced a new three-year deal which will see tech company Adobe take over as title sponsor for the Women’s FA Cup, which this year boasts a doubled prize pot from £3million to £6m.
But while the women’s game has witnessed unprecedented recent growth, particularly following the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 triumph, Baroness Sue Campbell admits clubs below the top tiers have not equally benefitted from the boost.
The FA’s director of women’s football told the PA news agency: “If you’re talking about Newcastle in tier three…
Jurgen Klopp feels pundits who were critical of Bayern Munich early in Niko Kovac s reign are now at risk of looking silly as the Bundesliga champions recover under their new coach.
Bayern won their first seven games under Kovac before stumbling into a run of four matches without a victory, but they travel to Anfield on Tuesday for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in fine form.
Friday s 3-2 win at Augsburg means Kovac s side have taken 27 points from the last 30 available in the Bundesliga, with their deficit behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund cut to three points.
And Klopp is more aware of Bayern s threat than most, with the German having battled for titles with the Bavarian giants when he coached Dortmund between 2008 and 2015.
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Thomas Muller marked his record-breaking 710th Bayern Munich appearance with a goal as they beat Freiburg 2-0 at the Allianz Arena.
Harry Kane was also on target from the penalty spot for the hosts, who made it two Bundesliga wins from two under Vincent Kompany.
Bayern broke through in the 38th minute after Max Rosenfelder was penalised for handball following a VAR review.
Kane stepped up and made no mistake as he calmly sent Freiburg goalkeeper Florian Muller the wrong way from 12 yards.
Bayern s Muller climbed off the bench to seal the victory 12 minutes from time, controlling Serge Gnabry s cross before firing into the roof of the net.
Freiburg had the opportunity to grab a consolation in stoppage time after Joao Palhinha handled Ritsu Doan s s…
“It would be more difficult for Timo Werner to play at Liverpool than at Leipzig”, Nagelsmann said. “He will not get the status he has here in the first few years and I tell him that too.
“The boys are seeing how we are developing and how much potential we have. We don’t leave anyone, who helps us, defenceless.”
RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann has put forward a warning to striker Timo Werner after he noted that he was proud to be linked with a move to Liverpool. Werner scored the winner for Leipzig against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League earlier on this week, and with the club being on the verge of reaching the quarter-finals of the competition, speculation is running rampant over the future of their star man.
For now it looks lik…
Tottenham Hotspur came back from 0-2 to beat Olympiacos 4-2 in the Champions League last week.
The goal which had set the score level, bagged by Harry Kane, came from a lightning-quick attack down the right flank, made possible by a ball-boy who saw the opportunity for his heroes to capitalize on a quick throw-in.
The boy was personally congratulated and thanked by Jose Mourinho, and later by the whole Spurs team as he was invited for a meal with them.
What an articulate, polite and clearly very grateful young lad. Fair play to him.
Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold)
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Djed Spence is about to leave Tottenham Hotspur for Genoa, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Italian journalist has reported on X that Spence is undergoing medical tests at Genoa and will complete a move to the Italian club on loan in the January transfer window.
https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1745376753474822314
Romano has added that Genoa will have the option to make Spence’s loan deal permanent. Tottenham will cover all of the right-back’s salary. Spence was sent out on loan to Leeds United in the Championship in the summer of 2023 and was expected to be on loan at the West Yorkshire club until the summer of 2024.
However, Spence struggled to make an impact at Leeds, who decided to send him back to Tottenham, who have now decided to send the ri…
The United States will face the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the women s football tournament at Tokyo 2020 after being held 0-0 by Australia to finish second in Group G.
USA bounced back from a shock 3-0 loss to Sweden in their opening game with a 6-1 win against New Zealand, but they dropped further points in the round-robin stage on Tuesday.
Previously unbeaten in 44 games before that Sweden loss, USA failed to break down Australia s defence – Alex Morgan s disallowed goal for offside the closest they came to doing so.
Mary Fowler hit the crossbar for Australia and in the end a point apiece was a fair outcome, with the Matildas also advancing to play Great Britain in the last eight.
It is the first time in history record four-time winners USWN…
Cesc Fabregas looks to have played in the Premier League for the final time after leaving Chelsea for Ligue 1 strugglers Monaco.
A sparkling Premier League career concludes with two winners medals and 350 appearances over two stints in England.
The Spain international joined Arsenal in 2003 and spent eight years with the north London club, becoming captain under Arsene Wenger before departing for boyhood side Barcelona.
Fabregas was back in England with Chelsea in 2014 and finally got his hands on a Premier League title in his debut season at Stamford Bridge, winning another two years later.
With the 31-year-old seemingly unlikely to be seen on English shores again, we take a look at the numbers behind his time in the Premier League.
100 Premier …
Maddison started the war of words with the caption “a short story” beneath three pictures – one of Maupay celebrating, one of Maddison with his arms aloft and one of the final score – before the Frenchman hit back, writing: “Went a bit early with that one. Gutted we couldn’t get the win. More goals and less relegations in my career than James Maddison. We go again Monday bees.”
Asked about Maupay, Maddison told TNT Sports: “I said to him, he probably hasn’t scored enough goals of his own in the last few years to have his own celebration, so he had to copy mine. A short story and it ended well for us.”
He added: “I feel really positive. We’ve had a very stop-start season with injuries and suspensions. We started really well and had the same XI for …
Milan s pursuit of Rangnick – who is a free agent after leaving his role at Red Bull – caused tension within the club.
Technical director and club great Paolo Maldini voiced his displeasure, while chief football officer Zvonimir Boban was sacked after clashing with chief executive Ivan Gazidis.
I was first contacted [by Milan] at the end of October, when the team was three points off the relegation zone, said Rangnick, with Milan only appointing Pioli in October to replace Marco Giampaolo.
I never talked about it in public. I do want to make it clear that I never signed a contract or had a clause. Up until three weeks ago, I was tied to Red Bull. As for Milan, they were the best team post-coronavirus lockdown, so changing would not have been wise or respect…