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Benfica go to Germany for free shot at Champions League glory

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Benfica go to Germany for free shot at Champions League glory Sometimes it’s the small steps rather than the grand gestures that count, and it certainly felt that way in this weekend’s Liga NOS action. Just as they did a fortnight previously, Porto shot first at the top, and shot successfully, enjoying a brief stay at the summit of the table thanks...

Ligue 1 title race promises to go to the wire

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Ligue 1 title race promises to go to the wire The leaders negotiated a tricky away trip with calm and poise. The team in second made such a splash that you’d be forgiven for thinking they were the leaders. Back in third, a dramatic win that would have been the dominant headline in any other weekend almost crept under the radar as the squa...

The Expert: Mitroglou punishes injury-hit Braga

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The Expert: Mitroglou punishes injury-hit Braga This could, and maybe should have been the weekend that Porto’s excellent recent form finally resulted in them going to the top of Liga NOS. Nuno’s side fulfilled their half of the bargain, sweeping aside bottom team Tondela on Friday night as they prepared for this week’s big Cham...

The Expert: Sharp-shooting Delort lifts Toulouse ambitions

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The Expert: Sharp-shooting Delort lifts Toulouse ambitions “You’re going to have a few headaches with Andy.” It’s not the sort of line that you expect from an agent speaking to the head coach of his client’s new club, but that’s exactly what Toulouse boss Pascal Dupraz heard down the line when he took a call from Jean-Chr...

The Expert: Robust Porto finish Sporting’s title challenge

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The Expert: Robust Porto finish Sporting’s title challenge A chapter of history is being rewritten, and it’s Spain’s most capped footballer doing it once again. Iker Casillas was supposed to be the signing that saw Porto’s real-life interpretation of Moneyball unravel. In his 30s, in decline, and brought in on the highest wage in the club&...

The Expert: Bernardo’s late show could shape Monaco’s season

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The Expert: Bernardo’s late show could shape Monaco’s season “The first two times that I played here, we defended more than we attacked but today, we achieved a balanced match; Paris attacked, but Monaco did as well.” Leonardo Jardim’s summary of his Monaco team’s display at Paris Saint-Germain was heavy with nuance. The draw snatched ...

The Expert: Guimaraes win derby to shake up Portugal’s European race

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The Expert: Guimaraes win derby to shake up Portugal’s European race “Besides his evident qualities as a player, Soares always showed himself to be an exemplary professional and teammate, so Vitória Sport Clube wish him all the best personally and professionally.” As Vitória Guimarães waved goodbye to their Brazilian forward this week...

The Expert: Draxler debuts in style for Paris Saint Germain

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The Expert: Draxler debuts in style for Paris Saint Germain Sometimes, it just feels right. Even if January is hardly renowned for providing clubs with their best value-for-money signings, Paris Saint Germain already feel as if they have treated themselves to a tidy bit of business with the signing of Julian Draxler. Just one-and-a-bit games into his career,...

The Expert: Benfica start 2017 in emphatic fashion as Jonas returns

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The Expert: Benfica start 2017 in emphatic fashion as Jonas returns “Bem-vindo, Jonas”. The Brazilian forward is a more than familiar figure to Benfica fans but so prolonged has been his absence from the first team this season, Sunday’s edition of O Jogo felt it was necessary to welcome him into the fold in their headline.Coach Rui Vitória a...

The Expert: Monaco magic stalls as Valbuena comeback continues

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The Expert: Monaco magic stalls as Valbuena comeback continues After a spectacular few months, Monaco’s reputation has begun to precede them. Having scored 53 goals in their first 17 Ligue 1 matches of the season - and having qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a degree of comfort after beating Tottenham twice - Leonardo Jardim&r...