More goals than LaLiga and Ligue 1, a three-way title race and wanton abandon of defensive ideals. This is Serie A, but not as we know it.

This is a season in which bottom-club Pescara went months without a victory, losing two eight-goal encounters, and then hammered Genoa 5-0. We ve seen Fiorentina net five in 33 minutes and Palermo, by far the lowest scorers in the division, win 4-3 on the road (Genoa, again) thanks to two goals in the dying embers.

Even Juventus have fuelled their latest title bulldozer with a formation change that has seen Massimiliano Allegri play two forwards and Mario Mandzukic on the left wing. Nobody expected me to actually do it! Allegri admitted. I am not much of a theorist, but every now and then I come up with a mad idea and try it on the pi…

Gareth Southgate joked he is glad England s supporters were booing opposition players rather than their own after Virgil van Dijk was jeered during the Nations League semi-final.

Five days on from lifting the Champions League trophy with club side Liverpool, Netherlands centre-back Van Dijk was targeted by England s travelling fans every time he touched the ball in Thursday s match in Guimaraes.

But rather than join any condemnation of his side s supporters, Southgate feels it can be considered a positive that opposition players are being singled out instead of his own men, as was the case during a World Cup qualifier in Malta in 2017.

I m happier they re booing the opposition now than when they booed our players when we started, he said ahead of Sunday s third…

Antonio Conte may keep his job at Chelsea by knocking Barcelona out of the Champions League, according to the club s former manager Ruud Gullit.

Conte s future at Stamford Bridge is believed to be uncertain, with Chelsea making a poor attempt at defending their Premier League title.

Conte has indicated he will see out his contract, which runs to 2019, although the Italian has regularly spoken of returning to his homeland.

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) vice-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta has confirmed Conte is on the shortlist to be the permanent new national team coach, the 48-year-old having led the Azzurri from 2014 to 2016.

Former Netherlands international Gullit managed Chelsea from 1996 to 1998, when the Dutchman was sacked, despite leading…

Liverpool have accounted for four of the 11 nominations for The Best FIFA men s player award.

The Premier League champions have Virgil van Dijk, the 2019 runner-up to Lionel Messi in this category, recognised along with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Thiago Alcantara, who joined in the last transfer window after winning the treble with Bayern Munich.

Messi and two-time award winner Cristiano Ronaldo are also on the shortlist along with Paris Saint-Germain forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Robert Lewandowski is among the favourites to win the award, with Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos the other nominees.

FIFA confirmed last week its The Best awards will go ahead as a virtual event on December 17 despite Franc…

Julen Lopetegui wasn t instantly won over by Jules Kounde following his 2019 arrival at Sevilla from Bordeaux, unlikely as that seems currently.

He had only made four LaLiga starts by the end of October in his first season, and although that was followed by a more prolonged run in the team, a rocky performance against Osasuna in December saw him back on the bench.

As it was, Osasuna weren t able to punish Kounde s struggles on that occasion – the closest they came was hitting the post after his misjudgement of a bouncing ball led to a clear opportunity.

He was withdrawn soon after and only made another two league starts – a defeat at Real Madrid and underwhelming 1-1 home draw with Deportivo Alaves – before the start of February.

Indeed, it arguably…

Almost 20 per cent of playing time at the Women’s World Cup went to players from English-based clubs.

Spanish champions Barcelona were the dominant individual club as their nation defeated England in the final and here, the PA news agency looks at what the statistics show.

Super League shows the way

Twenty of England’s 23 finalists play for Women’s Super League clubs, with Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh contributing to Barca’s tally and Georgia Stanway of Bayern Munich the other exception.

That was a big factor in the English league’s dominance but, mirroring the growth of the men’s Premier League, the collection of top talent from around the world has also contributed significantly.

While none of the Spain squad play in the WSL, beaten semi-fin…

Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales is set to step down on Friday after heavy criticism of his behaviour at the World Cup final in Sydney on Sunday, according to reports in Spain.

Rubiales’ expected resignation will come one day after FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the 46-year-old, who grabbed his crotch in celebration of Spain’s victory over England, then kissed Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the trophy celebration.

FIFA said in a statement issued on Thursday afternoon: “The FIFA disciplinary committee informed Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Association, today that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup on August 20, 2023…

Louis van Gaal has warned Manchester United to control their aggression against Liverpool in order to avoid a repeat of Steven Gerrard s red card from last season.

Former Liverpool captain Gerrard was sent off for a stamp on Ander Herrera less than a minute after being brought on at half-time of the clash at Anfield, which United went on to win 2-1.

United boss Van Gaal accepts that passions run high due to the bitter rivalry between the clubs, but has urged his players not to get carried away by the occasion.

I ve felt it [the passion] also, four times, because we ve played each other four times, he told his pre-match media conference on Friday.

You can see it on the faces of the players: last year, for example, Gerrard came in and was sent off wit…

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque would not be drawn on a possible recall for Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz but acknowledged the experienced forward is enjoying a fine run of form.

The 34-year-old is the leading Spaniard in La Liga s scoring charts so far this season with 10 goals from 13 appearances trailing only Barcelona pair Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Aduriz followed his brace against Augsburg last Thursday with a hat-trick in the win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, prompting suggestions of a potential recall to the national side, having earned just one international cap, a goalless substitute appearance in a 3-1 win over Lithuania in 2010.

Spain are next in action in March with friendlies against Italy and Romania prior to Euro 2016 but Del Bosque sought not…

Liverpool players went from ecstatic to disappointed in the matter of hours with a proposed and hugely anticipated deal for Lyon star Nabil Fekir falling out in the eleventh hour and even after the photos of him wearing a Liverpool kit were leaked from the club shooting.

In the aftermath of the failed transfer it is being suggested that Liverpool decided to turn their heads away from Fekir due to fitness concerns. As his move dramatically collapsed on Saturday, here is a list of alternatives Liverpool should and could go for as Jurgen Klopp’s looks to add extra depth to his squad.

Xherdan Shaqiri

The first name on the list is the one most likely to join the Anfield pack this summer. Indications are Reds would go for the Stoke City star regardless of the nabil Fekir…