Both Spartak Moscow and Fenerbahce are desperate to qualify for the Champions League group stage – but only one can. Who will gain a vital first leg playoff advantage? We preview the match.
Everton have a good record in opening games, although also start slowly in terms of points. Can Manchester United breeze to victory in this Premier League match at Goodison Park? We preview it.
Mexico are worthy winners of the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games after powering past Brazil in the final. For Mano Menezes’ men, the wait goes on. But there is much more to Mexico’s victory than simply luck.
PSG are heavily fancied to win Ligue 1, succeeding Montpellier, who pipped Carlo Ancelotti’s men to the post last year. How will 2012/13’s Ligue 1 unfold? We preview it.
Paris Saint-Germain have finally secured the marquee signing they craved in Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Now the French giants will look to the Swede to power a surge which places the club amongst Europe’s elite.
No club in France has the financial clout to challenge PSG, except Monaco. Backed by billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, the principality outfit have lofty ambitions, but must gain promotion first.
Brazil and Spain are sure to take some stopping in the men’s football tournament at the London 2012 Olympic Games. There is though much more talent bubbling beneath the surface. We preview the fight for the gold medal.
New Russia coach Fabio Capello will find that his hefty salary comes with a tricky situation at the 2018 World Cup hosts. An ageing team, political wrangles and concerns over homegrown talents all make meeting expectations exceedingly difficult.
Brazil may not have invented football, but the South American country certainly has adopted it as its national sport. Quite simply, the country lives and breathes the game, obsessing over every result, especially internationally. Alex Bellos investigates this in his superb book Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life. Read our review here.
The signings of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud promised to set Arsenal on the path to an improved team. But Robin van Persie’s contract bombshell changed the picture. Now the Gunners must think about keeping him for the final year of his deal.
