Category: Europe

David Beckham picks Milan as Champions League favorites even though they’re not in it

Despite having more money than the Queen, David Beckham is still doing the usual retired footballer things like attending store openings in Dubai. During this appearance, Beckham was asked who he thinks will win the Champions League this year.

“Who do I want to win is a different story to who I think is gonna win, well maybe it’s not actually,” he began. “I’m gonna have to say Man United, PSG, AC Milan. One of those three I’d like to see win, but when you’re in the Champions League you realize how important this competition is in football and it’s one of the best competitions to actually play in and definitely to win.”

The problem, of course, is that Milan didn’t qualify for the Champions League this year since they finished 10th in Serie A last season. Now, a recently retired player not paying super close attention to the game is understandable given how painful Beckham has admitted it is to no longer be out there himself. But if you’re going to just name the clubs you used to play for, why leave out Real Madrid?! Or maybe have some fun with it and say the LA Galaxy. Or just say “I don’t give a crap about the Champions League, I have more money than the Queen.”

You’re slipping, Becks. You’re slipping.

Roma’s Alessandro Florenzi scores incredible goal from midfield against Barcelona

Down 1-0 to Barcelona at home in the Champions League, Roma’s Alessandro Florenzi (who you might remember from the time he celebrated a goal by hugging his grandmother) saw space between Marc-Andre ter Stegen and the goal, so he decided to let rip with a shot from a rather insane distance and angle that floated into the net to equalize in the 31st minute.

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DTotD: Luke Shaw suffers gruesome leg injury against PSV

Early in the first half of Manchester United’s Champions League group-stage opener at PSV, Luke Shaw suffered a sickening leg injury (later confirmed to be a double fracture) resulting from a dangerous challenge by Hector Moreno.

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Austria coach celebrates Euro 2016 qualification with French stereotypes

Austria sealed their first ever qualification for a European Championship (their previous appearance in 2008 was as a host nation) by beating Sweden 4-1 on Tuesday. So to celebrate their trip to France for the tournament next year, the team’s Swiss coach, Marcel Koller, showed up to his press conference on Wednesday wearing a beret and toting a baguette.

“It tastes very good,” he told reporters after taking a bite of the bread.

Clearly this man has a future in prop comedy.

Damien Duff inspired to donate all his wages to charity by his son’s heart surgery

(heartchildren.ie)
(heartchildren.ie)

When former Chelsea winger Damien Duff joined Shamrock Rovers last month, it was reported that he would donate his wages to charity and end his career on an altruistic note. Since David Beckham did the same thing at PSG on a larger scale, Duff’s gesture seems to have received limited attention, but his reasons for doing it have nothing to do with PR or a desire to copy Beckham.

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Croatia ban their own fans from Euro qualifiers to prevent more racist incidents

Despite sitting at the top of Euro 2016 qualifying group H, Croatia fear they could be dumped from the competition in their next match. This fear isn’t based in competitive concerns, though. It’s rooted in the growing number of racist incidents perpetrated during their games. So they’ve taken the extreme step of banning their own fans from their next three away matches in an effort to send the message that this behavior has to stop.

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Barcelona overcome first MEGA CRISIS of the season to win UEFA Super Cup

Going into the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla, Barcelona showed all the makings of another apocalyptic crisis from which they will never recover. Neymar had to go into quarantine with mumps, Pedro was held out of the starting XI amidst his prolonged transfer saga with Manchester United, and the club hadn’t won a major trophy since the Champions League final last season.

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