England setting the bar after decades of underachievement as Walker suggests ´it means something now
Kyle Walker feels England have set the bar for future generations at Euro 2020 following decades of disappointment and is convinced a rediscovered sense of national pride in the team has inspired them.
England beat Denmark 2-1 after extra time on Wednesday to secure a first ever appearance in the European Championship final, having not reached the showpiece of any major international tournament since winning the World Cup in 1966.
That 55-year period is the longest gap between major finals for any European nation, and now only Italy stand between England and the trophy.
The closest England had ever got to winning the competition before 2021 was in 1996 when they fell at the semi-finals stage, with the so-called Golden Generation that followed defined by their und…
Sweden international Albin Ekdal has fond memories of his time alongside Giorgio Chiellini at Juventus, but has warned the defender can be a swine on the pitch ahead of his country s euro 2016 encounter with Italy.
Ekdal joined Juventus from Brommapojkarna ahead of the 2008-09 campaign to become team-mates with Chiellini, before leaving the Turin side for Siena the season after.
Chiellini treated me, maybe not as a little brother but like a youth team player, Ekdal told Expressen.
He drove me to training when I didn t have a driving licence and so on.
On the pitch he can be a swine, though. He knows that himself but then everyone wants a player like that.
We will have to try to wind him up but he is not an unwise swine. He doesn t do much off …
Andres Iniesta said Spain were too focused on Italy after the two-time European champions crashed out of Euro 2016 in the round of 16.
Title holders Spain were sent packing from the tournament on Monday, accounted for 2-0 by the efficient Italians at Stade de France in Paris.
Goals from Giorgi Chiellini and Graziano Pelle condemned Spain to a last-16 exit and star midfielder Iniesta bemoaned the fact that the 2008 and 2012 champions strayed from their natural game.
There s little to say. We have to accept the disappointment and that they were more efficient in the key moments and they outdid us, Iniesta said.
I think we were focused too much on what they were doing and sometimes that can punish you.
In the first half we got it wrong, we were lo…
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Mallorca are set to host Valencia at the Iberostar Stadium in Palma de Mallorca on Thursday evening, in a game within round 36 of the 2022/23 season in La Liga. It will be a contest between the two teams to determine if either will keep a bleak theoretical chance (all realistic chances are gone) of playing in Europe next term, but interestingly enough, one of them still needs to secure survival in the Spanish top flight.
Mallorca
With two wins, one draw and three defeats from the last six matches, Mallorca cannot be said to be on a good run of form right now. They beat Getafe at home by 3-1, lost away to Atletico Madrid by 3-1, drew 1-1 at home against Athletic Bilbao, lost 2-1 away to Girona, beat Cadiz at home by 1-0, and eventually…