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Can a New Generation Lift Spain’s National Team to Euro 2020 Success?

Can a New Generation Lift Spain's National Team to Euro 2020 Success

Almost a decade ago, everyone was hailing the wondrous talents of the Spain’s national football team, will they do it at Euro 2020? Boasting a golden generation of talent playing a distinctive ‘tiki-taka’ brand of possession soccer, ‘La Roja’ quite literally had the world at its feet.

Spain won back-to-back UEFA European Championship tournaments in 2008 and 2012. Sandwiched between those triumphs was the ultimate glory, winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

However, heading into the Euro 2020 tournament, rescheduled to take place between 11 June and 11 July this year, Spain is no longer considered to be the same international force. The team coached by Luis Enrique is regarded as Euro 2020 betting outsiders, priced at 7/1 odds.

The Golden Generation

Back when Spain was considered untouchable in terms of quality, the national team boasted an embarrassment of riches, including several of the best players in world soccer. The midfield in particular featured an abundance of creative talent.

Xabi Alonso was in his Liverpool prime, marshalling the middle with his exceptional vision and passing range. Meanwhile, as the engine of a hugely successful Barcelona side in the same era, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández were also the driving force for their country, with Sergio Busquets as the enforcer.

Aside from that core midfield group, all of whom are now retired, Spain had exceptionally strong backup options. They included the likes of Arsenal maestro Cesc Fábregas, Santi Cazorla in his Villarreal heyday, and the agile David Silva prior to his move from Valencia to Man City.

In attack, there were goal scoring machines, either at the top of their careers or swiftly approaching. These included Fernando Torres in his Liverpool prime, who bagged the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final, along with David Villa, who peaked with Valencia and Barcelona.

At the back, Spain could rely on Iker Casillas between the posts. Ahead of him, defenders included Jordi Alba. The backbone was formed by Barça captains Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué, alongside Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos.

Only three players remain from the Euro 2012 squad. They are Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, both still with Barcelona, along with Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid, who is now 36 and has amassed 180 international appearances.

The New Spanish Hopes

While this could be the penultimate international tournament for Sergio Ramos, who insists he will still be playing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the rest of the Spanish side has changed significantly.

There’s an experimental feel to the squad now managed by Luis Enrique. His most recent selection included nine players aged 23 or younger. Most of them only have a handful of international caps, although what they lack in experience is compensated by enthusiasm.

Younger players to highlight include 21-year-old Pedro Porro, who can play as a full-back or a winger. Signed by Manchester City from Girona in 2019, he has yet to debut with the English club, yet superb form with Sporting CP in Portugal earned him a debut with Spain recently.

Hailed as the new Iniesta, 18-year-old Pedri has become a revelation with Barcelona. Since making his debut with Spain against Greece in March this year, he is almost guaranteed to be one of the participants at Euro 2020 in the summer.

Although Spain has always been highly regarded for its midfield talents, soccer has evolved. Many of the most promising prospects are attacking players, four of whom will be hoping to make the final Euro 2020 squad.

The cream of the crop is Ferran Torres, the 21-year-old Man City forward, who has already scored 6 goals in 10 Spain appearances. He could be joined by Dani Olmo of RB Leipzig and Mikel Oyarzabal of Real Sociedad, with both having opened their Spanish scoring accounts.

Possible Surprise Inclusions

Much of the selection choices facing Luis Enrique will depend on fitness and form. Unfortunately, 18-year-old Barcelona sensation Ansu Fati will probably miss out, unless he makes a swifter than expected recovery from knee surgery.

One player who could feature is wing wizard Bryan Gil, having enjoyed an exciting spell with Eibar in LaLiga, on loan from Sevilla. The 20-year-old is a fantastic prospect and although he has just 2 caps for Spain, he could be a secret weapon to unlock defenses at Euro 2020.

 

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Bo Bichette’s Injury may Permanently Sideline him, According to the Latest Update.

Bo Bichette

(CTN News) – Bo Bichette, the shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, left the game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday after six innings due to a strained right calf.

The game was played against the Tigers. In the end, the Blue Jays were defeated by a score of 5-4 by the opposing team.

Bo Bichette hit a line drive to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning, and it appeared that he injured his calf when he was sprinting to first base. The damage appeared to be caused by the line drive.

The calf that is causing the problem is the same one that Bo Bichette has been experiencing issues with throughout the entire season. After suffering a strain to his right calf fascia on July 10 while playing against the San Francisco Giants, he was forced to sit out the last four games before the All-Star break from the National Football League.

Because of the discomfort in his right calf, he has been out for nine games since then, and he did not return to action until the 24th of June.

Before the trade deadline on July 30, it is very clear that the Blue Jays will be deconstructed for pieces. It is fairly obvious that the Blue Jays have lost any possibility of winning in the American League East, which is a highly competitive division. Additionally, it is pretty certain that they will be disfigured for pieces.

Bo Bichette’s injuries could prevent him from being traded in the future.

However, it is probable that this injury will preclude him from participating in any further trade conversations. Recent trade rumors have stated that Bo Bichette could be a contender for a trade;

However, it is possible that this scenario will not occur. After an MRI was finished on Friday, Bo Bichette was placed on the injured list for a period of ten days. This list will remain in effect until that time.

Bichette will almost definitely be placed on the disabled list for a period of time that is longer than the minimum of ten days, even if the findings of the MRI come back negative. This is because of the recent spate of calf problems that have been occurring.

There is a lack of clarity on whether or not the Blue Jays would have been willing to trade Bo Bichette regardless of the ailment that he was suffering from.

It has been reported that Toronto has informed other clubs that they are not prepared to trade any players who are under their control beyond the year 2024.

Bo Bichette’s contract with the organization ends in 2025.

Additionally, Toronto has informed other teams for this reason. At the beginning of June, it seemed as though the general manager of the Blue Jays, Ross Atkins, was opposed to the concept of trading Bo Bichette while he was still on the team.

Bichette claimed in a recent comment that he would not be “surprised at all” if he were to be traded to a different team. He said this in reference to the possibility of being traded.

His batting average is even worse than it has ever been in his whole career.He has participated in 79 games so far this season, and he has a batting average of 223 and an on-base percentage of.597 to his name.

The two-time winner Despite the fact that the All-Star is having a challenging season, he would have a far higher chance of having a good season if he were to play for a team that was involved in a more intense level of competition.

On the other hand, it would appear that Bichette will not be participating in a game for a substantial amount of time, regardless of whether he is playing for the Blue Jays or for another team.

SOURCE: FS

SEE ALSO:

France Reaches Euro 2024 Quarter-Finals with Late Own Goal Against Belgium

Euro 2024 Host Germany Trounces Scotland’s National Team 5-1

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau started disastrously at the British Open.

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Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau started disastrously at the British Open.

Rory McIlroy

(CTN News) – Forget about Rory McIlroy’s final opportunity to compete in a major tournament this year; the British Open may have been his final opportunity.

At present, his most promising prospect is to endure for an additional day. Bryson DeChambeau, the US Open champion, is also present.

On Thursday, Pinehurst No. 2 protagonists encountered Rory McIlroy’s additional complications as a result of an opposing wind that arrived at Royal Troon. McIlroy required two strokes to emerge from a deep hazard located just to the right of the 123-yard eighth hole, which is referred to as the “Postage Stamp.”

Rory McIlroy’s mallet sailed over the rails after three holes.

It culminated in a 7-over 78, which was his lowest major opening round in five years. “I just didn’t do a good enough job on that back nine, and the conditions were tough,” according to him.

DeChambeau was not significantly superior. He encountered difficulties in making par shots at the outset; on the fourth hole, a par-5, he even missed one from three feet.

The par-5 seventh hole resulted in a double bogey for him as he attempted to strike a 7-iron through dense grass, but the ball was only moved a short distance.

Following his 76, he proceeded to the range to evaluate his equipment and determine the reason for his ball’s failure to connect with the driver as anticipated.

He observed, “That day was unusual.” It is highly unlikely that either of them will forget their involvement in the morning wave or their role as the primary attraction following the U.S. Open.

Rory McIlroy was in complete control of his destiny and was leading by two strokes on the back nine before missing a 30-inch par putt on the 16th hole and another par putt from just within 4 feet on the 18th hole, which prolonged his 10-year major drought.

Making a putt from a bunker 55 yards away, DeChambeau secured his second U.S. Open victory. Rory McIlroy’s finale was so challenging that he departed Pinehurst No. 2 without expressing his gratitude to DeChambeau or expressing any sentiments.

McIlroy was optimistic about his form as he approached the final major of the year, following his tie for fourth at the Rory McIlroy Scottish Open last week. Conversely, the wind came from the opposite direction, disrupting the plans of both him and his colleagues.

On the shortened front nine, where high scores are possible, it was directly in their faces. Assistance was provided from the left on the longer back nine, which is challenging in any conditions. McIlroy was taken aback by the difficulty of the back nine, as Rory McIlroy had anticipated that it would be less difficult.

“The course was exceedingly challenging.” The circumstances are exceedingly difficult due to the wind that has yet to be observed this week. McIlroy stated that the wind dictated his strategy during the practice sessions.

However, according to him, “it starts to present different options and you start to think about maybe hitting a few clubs that you haven’t hit in practice when you get a wind you haven’t played in.”

“Just one of those days where I didn’t adjust to the circumstances well enough.” It was not a satisfactory conclusion to the round. Following his decision to play a driver off the 18th.

On the left, Rory McIlroy fired sideways due to a pot bunker.

He drove the wedge to a distance of Rory McIlroy approximately eight feet, made one final bogie, and missed one additional putt, indicating that there was still a significant amount of work to be done.

In order to survive the weekend, he declared, “I must improve my performance under those circumstances.” If not, I should endeavor to advance further on the leaderboard and feel as though I have a reasonable chance. McIlroy was ten strokes behind the lead when he finished, but he had hoped for a smaller margin.

Until he reached the par-5 16th, DeChambeau did not complete a hole below par. It is more accurate to describe him as a sluggish bleeding individual. That was the only positive aspect of the day. An eagle putt of 55 feet was executed on the 565-yard hole by him.

“I am satisfied with the way in which I maintained my composure today,” stated DeChambeau. It would have been so easy for me to give up at nine o’clock and declare, ‘I’m going home’.” No, sir. There will be an additional opportunity for me tomorrow. As I anticipate the assignment, I am eager to begin.

“I will be fine if I am able to make a few putts, hit a few shots, and figure out how to use the equipment.”

SOURCE: CT

SEE ALSO:

France Reaches Euro 2024 Quarter-Finals with Late Own Goal Against Belgium

Euro 2024: Spain Beats Italy 1-0 to Secure Final 16 Berth

Euro 2024 Host Germany Trounces Scotland’s National Team 5-1

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France Reaches Euro 2024 Quarter-Finals with Late Own Goal Against Belgium

France Reaches Euro 2024 Quarter-Finals with Late Own Goal Against Belgium

(CTN News) – Jan Vertonghen’s late own goal advanced France to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 at Belgium’s expense. A game that lacked quality and excitement for long stretches appeared destined for extra time, but a shot by replacement Randal Kolo Muani rebounded off Vertonghen with five minutes left to win the victory at Dusseldorf Arena.

France had previously missed multiple chances due to a lack of a cutting edge, and even captain Kylian Mbappe made efforts that would typically go wide.

Belgium could have seized the lead before France’s late goal when Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne sprinted into space through the middle, but Mike Maignan blocked his effort.

That was the only real opportunity for the underperforming Belgians, as France closed out the final few minutes to advance to the last eight, where they will meet Portugal or Slovenia.

Didier Deschamps’ team deserved to win, but the 2018 world champions will be relieved more than anything else after struggling to convert chances into goals once more.

They dominated play for long stretches but only had one effort on goal in the first half, Antoine Griezmann’s low strike from distance, which was well saved.

Mbappe is one of the world’s top forwards, but even he struggled when given a shooting opportunity, curling over in the second half after doing well to create space for himself.

France is through but still needs to improve.

In the end, they had 19 shots on goal, but only two were on target, and they are still waiting for their first goal from open play in Germany.

In a theme common to all of the bigger teams remaining in Euro 2024, France is struggling to play at the level they are capable of, but for the time being, they will relish being one step closer to the final.

Belgium was booed off the pitch by some fans after only drawing with Ukraine in their last group game, but their supporters were hopeful that they would improve their performance against the French.

However, they were once again overly cautious for extended periods, and their threatening moments were fleeting.

However, they should have punished France for their carelessness with De Bruyne’s effort in the dying moments, while Romelu Lukaku, who is leaving Euro 2024 without a goal, also saw a low shot saved in the second half.

Like Croatia, this has seemed like one last chance for Belgium’s ‘golden generation’, with players like De Bruyne and Lukaku in their 30s.

And, like Croatia, they will leave the tournament wondering whether this was a squandered chance to achieve what could have been with this set of players.

Source: BBC Sports

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