Isco is determined to prove he is still capable of performing at an elite level after ending his spell in the Real Madrid wilderness by joining Sevilla.
The midfielder, a five-time Champions League winner who made 353 appearances during a nine-year spell with Los Blancos, fell out of favour following Carlo Ancelotti s return to the Santiago Bernabeu last year.
He left the Spanish capital following the expiration of his contract in June, having made just three starts during Madrid s double-winning 2021-22 campaign, playing just 406 minutes in all competitions.
Sevilla swooped to sign the 30-year-old on a free transfer on Monday, and Isco hopes the move will revitalise his career.
I want to show the level that I have and that I have never lost. It s norma…
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois added: It has been an honor to have a legend like you as a coach. Thank you for what you have taught me, for the trust you have always had in me and for what we have won together @zidane. Hopefully we meet again. I wish you the best!
Zidane left Madrid with a 59.65 per cent winning record from his second spell, which began in March 2019, down on the 69.8 per cent he achieved in his previous 149 games at the helm.
It has been tougher without Ronaldo, who left for Juventus but has frequently been linked with a possible return that has yet to come to fruition.
In the first spell, which ran from January 2016 to the end of May 2018, Real Madrid had eight hat-tricks by players in LaLiga – Ronaldo with six of those – and a big chance con…
Lionel Messi was in fine form as Barcelona progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals, with a 3-1 second-leg defeat of Napoli sealing a 4-2 aggregate victory.
An action-packed first half at Camp Nou saw Barca take a three-goal lead, before Lorenzo Insigne pulled one back from the spot in stoppage time.
Clement Lenglet s ninth-minute header broke the deadlock, with Messi netting an exquisite second prior to winning a penalty which Luis Suarez converted.
Insigne s spot-kick gave Napoli hope, but Barca had enough to book their place in the last eight, where Bayern Munich await.
Dries Mertens clipped the woodwork inside two minutes but Barca swiftly took control – Lenglet heading home unmarked from Ivan Rakitic s inswinging corner, with the goal …
Wayne Rooney enjoyed a dream return to Premier League action for Everton with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Stoke City at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Quiet for much of the opening 45 minutes, the homegrown hero exploded into life with a well-taken winner in first-half stoppage time.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin assisted Rooney s opener and twice went close after the restart but the solitary goal proved enough for Everton to kick-off their campaign with a win for the first time in five attempts.
Everton had earlier struggled for fluidity as Ronald Koeman fielded five new signings from the outset, with Jordan Pickford comfortable in claiming a clean sheet.
Stoke looked bright in patches but, with only five teams scoring fewer goals last season, their troubles …
Inter Miami claimed a crucial three points in the race for the MLS playoffs with a 2-1 victory over star-studded Eastern Conference outfit Toronto on Saturday.
The win means Phil Neville s side are unbeaten in five games and have won three of their past four to move up to fifth spot in the east.
All the goal scoring action occurred in the first half, with Inter going ahead after Toronto goalkeeper Alexander Bono s inexplicable error from Jean Mota s hopeful long-range strike in the 24th minute.
Italian recruit Lorenzo Insigne produced a moment of magic with a low right-foot volley to equalise four minutes later.
But Inter restored their lead in the 44th minute with a classy set play from a free-kick ending with Damion Lowe nodding back for Ariel Lassiter …
Second-year franchise Austin rallied from two goals down before goalkeeper Brad Stuver s penalty shoot-out heroics sent them into the MLS Western Conference Semifinals with victory over 10-man Real Salt Lake on Sunday.
Austin triumphed 3-1 on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw where Sebastian Driussi s 94th-minute spotkick sent the game into extra-time at Q2 Stadium.
Stuver stepped up in the shoot-out, saving efforts from Andrew Brody and Braian Ojeda, before Tate Schmitt skied his effort well over the crossbar to end RSL s campaign.
The game turned completely when Rubio Rubin was sent off in the 52nd minute for a second bookable offence with a late sliding challenge on Stuver. Austin, down 2-1 at the time, dominated with 25-3 shots from that point.
Los…
Mikel Arteta expects a busy finish to the transfer window, but the Arsenal manager had no update regarding Houssem Aouar.
Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for Lyon star Aouar ahead of the transfer window closing on October 5.
Asked about Aouar after a 3-1 Premier League loss to Liverpool on Monday, Arteta had no update, but he predicted a frantic finish to the transfer period.
We don t have any news on new players and either with players that might leave the football club, he told a news conference.
It s a week to go, I think it s going to be really busy for other clubs because not much business has been done.
Let s see what happens.
Direct. Honest. Humble.
Watch s full post-match interview after
— A…
Market: Over 1.5 goals
Odds: 2/5 @
Looking to make an immediate return to winning ways on Wednesday night, Nice will welcome Lens to the Allianz Riviera.
Starting with the hosts, while Nice might still find themselves scrapping it out at the top of the Ligue 1 table, the Eaglets are certainly seeking an immediate response here. Missing out on what they had billed as a potential opportunity over the weekend as they eventually slumped to a shock 3-1 drumming at the hands of Le Havre, Francesco Farioli’s men have now recorded just a pair of wins from their last five top-flight showdowns. However, tipped as a runaway contender to book a famous Champions League ticket in the New Year, Nice will be excited to make a return to home soil here. Last seen at the Allianz…
Danny Rose watched in awe as his old club Tottenham were humbled 6-1 by Newcastle United and said being at the game made him fall in love with football again .
Former England defender Rose, who spent most of his career at Spurs but in 2020 enjoyed a short loan at Newcastle, has been a free agent since leaving Watford last September.
The left-back subsequently kept his distance from football, even going as far as avoiding watching the World Cup in Qatar earlier this season.
But appearing as a pundit during Sky Sports coverage on Sunday, the 32-year-old revealed how watching Newcastle s comprehensive victory over Spurs helped reignite his passion.
It may not be the most popular opinion with Tottenham supporters, who saw their team humiliated on Tyneside, bu…
Emile Smith Rowe scored for a third Premier League game running to extend Arsenal s unbeaten run as they beat Watford 1-0 in Mikel Arteta s 100th game in charge.
Arsenal s breakthrough came after a frustrating first half that saw a Bukayo Saka goal ruled out for offside before Ben Foster saved Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang s penalty.
Foster was in inspired form but could not keep out Smith Rowe s drilled shot with 56 minutes on the clock, with that proving to be the only goal of Sunday s clash at Emirates Stadium, where Juraj Kucka was sent off late on for Watford.
Arsenal are now eight league matches without defeat – winning six of those – making this their best such run in the competition since another eight-game spell ended in March 2020.
Saka though…