Football / Sports

Sadio Mane Joins Bayern Munich After Six Years in Liverpool

Sadio Mane has just signed for Bayern Munich for a fee of approximately $33.6M USD with $9.1M USD in add-ons.

The striker claimed it was the right time for a challenge, stating, “I’m very happy to finally be with FC Bayern in Munich. We had a lot of talks and I felt the great interest of this big club from the start.” He adding that he was a big fan of Bayern Munich during his time at FC Salzberg.

Bayern Munich’s CEO, Oliver Kahn, said in an official statement that they were delighted to have signed Mane. “With his outstanding performances and his great successes at the highest international level over many years, there are very few players like him in the world. We’re sure that Sadio Mané will delight our fans in the coming years with his spectacular style of play. He’s ambitious and eager to win more titles. This is a very strong package. With players like him at FC Bayern, all the biggest goals are possible,” Kahn said.

The 30-year-old forward departs after spending six years with Liverpool. The attacker joined the Merseyside in 2016 from Southampton, in which he’s won the Premier League, the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.

The Senegalean forward bid farewell to Liverpool and their fans, claiming that he sent a long text announcing his departure to everyone involved. “That was the plan from the beginning – to leave Liverpool in a very good way. It was fantastic in the club, in the dressing room. I am friendly with everybody, the coaching staff and even the kitchen staff, the ladies in the kitchen! So, for me leaving in a good way is so, so important – and [for] the fans as well,” Mane saod.

It might take some time to get used to for Liverpool fans as Mane leaves after scoring a total of 120 goals in 269 appearances. With just one year left on his contract, he departs shortly after the club-record signing …

Football / Sports

Reds comeback to claim 3 points

Liverpool overcame an early hiccup to beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park on Tuesday, going level on points with first-place Man City before the leaders play Wednesday.

A controversial opener saw Douglas Luiz put Villa in front after just three minutes, but the lead lasted less than that as Joel Matip bundled the Reds level in the sixth.

It was a cagey affair that looked like Liverpool could drop points for a second-straight match, but Sadio Mane scored in the 65th minute to get the Reds to 86 points.

Villa stays 11th with 43 points, one back of the top half of the table.

Liverpool’s goal differential is three behind Man City. Any hope of a Reds title would require City to either draw twice or lose at least once.

Aston Villa vs Liverpool final score, stats

Aston Villa 1, Liverpool 2

Scorers: Luiz (3′), Matip (6′), Mane (65′)

Shot attempts: Aston Villa 9, Liverpool 17

Shots on goal: Aston Villa 4, Liverpool 6

Possession: Aston Villa 379 Liverpool 61

Three things we learned from Aston Villa vs Liverpool

1. To the wire we go: The Premier League title race will certainly head into Week 38 thanks to the three points claimed by the Reds on Tuesday. Man City plays Wolves on Wednesday and will not be able to clinch the Premier League title even with a win there and a Week 37 win coupled with a Liverpool loss. Man City can, however, go up six points on Liverpool before the Reds meet Southampton for their 37th game, which won’t come until Tuesday, May 17.

2. Not a banner day for Jon Moss and crew: An early offside against Aston Villa went unspotted and a few moves later the ball was in Liverpool’s goal, unable to be reviewed because the initial chance/phase has gone. Then, on a much lesser note, Philippe Coutinho was clobbered by Fabinho on a Villa counterattack and referee Jon Moss was looking in the wrong direction while the assistant referee did not raise his flag …

Football / Sports

Reds reach 10th European Cup final

Liverpool played as poorly as they’ve played in months for 45 minutes and it still didn’t matter as the Reds scored three second-half goals to advance to their 10th European Cup Final with a 3-2 second-leg win over Villarreal on Tuesday that gave Jurgen Klopp’s men a 5-2 aggregate victory.

First-half goals from Boulaye Dia and ex-Arsenal man Francis Coquelin had it level at the break, but Liverpool scored for the 28th time in 31 games and then scored again… and again.

Fabinho, Luis Diaz, and Sadio Mane led the three-goal final 45 minutes and Villarreal rarely showed a threat after the Reds got the score line back to 3-2 on aggregate.

Liverpool will meet either Manchester City or Real Madrid in the final on May 28 in France. Man City leads Real Madrid by a goal heading into Wednesday’s second leg.

Villarreal vs Liverpool

Villarreal 2, Liverpool 3 (Liverpool wins 5-2 on aggregate)

Scorers: Dia (3′), Coquelin (41′), Fabinho (62′), Diaz (62′), Mane (74′)

Shot attempts: Villarreal 5, Liverpool 15

Shots on goal: Villarreal 2, Liverpool 5

Possession: Villarreal 44, Liverpool 56

Three things we learned from Villarreal vs Liverpool

1. Can’t stop scoring: This has a double meaning, in that Villarreal’s two goals at the break meant they’d still need at least one more to complete the upset and, well, Liverpool simply cannot stop scoring. The only times the Reds have been kept off a scoreboard in 2022 were in games that did not cost them anything but further effort: The 1-0 second-leg against Inter Milan in the Round of 16, which obviously wasn’t detrimental to the club’s goal of reaching the European Cup Final, a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in League Cup semifinal first leg, and the 0-0 with Chelsea in the League Cup Final that saw the Reds triumph in penalties. All told: Since a 1-0 loss to Leicester City on Dec. 28, Liverpool has scored in 28 of 31 matches.

2. What Villarreal did right: Unai Emery’s men didn’t exactly like the first half on …

Football / Sports

Liverpool vs Villarreal final score: Klopp’s men have total control

Liverpool bossed Villarreal in every area and will bring a 2-0 lead to Spain after controlling a UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg at Anfield on Wednesday.

Pervis Estupinan’s deflection of a Jordan Henderson cross went down as an own goal and Mohamed Salah set up a Sadio Mane goal as the Reds beat the Yellow Submarine by holding a 19-2 shots advantage and 74 percent of the ball.

The second leg is Tuesday in Spain, which will come after both teams play league matches early Saturday morning.

Liverpool vs Villarreal final score, stats

Liverpool 2, Villarreal 0

Scorers: Estupinan (o.g. 53′), Mane (55′)

Shot attempts: Liverpool 19, Villarreal 1

Shots on goal: Liverpool 5, Villarreal 0

Possession: Liverpool 74, Villarreal 26

Three things we learned from Liverpool vs Villarreal

1. Almost complete victory: The only thing that would’ve made this match better for Liverpool — and we’re being picky — is a third goal. The Reds have left the door closed but not locked heading to Spain next week, though Villarreal could be suitably dispirited by its defensive display yielding almost nothing on the counter. Liverpool was so good all the way across the back aside from one bad pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold that led to Villarreal’s most dangerous counter. There’s no reason not to anticipate a berth in the final.

2. Alexander-Arnold shines: One of several players to collect more than 100 touches on the day, Trent Alexander-Arnold managed the figure in less than 90 minutes as Jurgen Klopp rested some players for the weekend’s trip to Newcastle. Alexander-Arnold had four key passes and would’ve had an assist had Andy Robertson managed to stay onside for what could’ve been 3-0 to the hosts. Alexander-Arnold was also credited with four tackles on the day.

3. Emery back to the drawing board: Well, Unai Emery simply cannot play it this conservative in the second leg if he wants any hopes of shocking the Reds. Unfortunately, that could lead to Liverpool just pounding away at the hosts in Spain, but Emery

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Football / Sports

Senegal win Africa Cup of Nations for first time in history

The first Africa Cup of Nations to be played in Cameroon since 1972 sees plenty of stars colliding, and the final is going to be epic.

Liverpool stars Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah will do battle as they try to lead their respective nations to glory.

A tournament ripe with Premier League players and prospects holds sway over an entire continent for nearly a month with the final coming set to be sensational.

Burkina Faso have been the surprise story of the tournament but Sadio Mane’s Senegal but them in the first semifinal. Hosts Cameroon then lost to Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in the other semi.

There has not been a repeat winner or finalist at AFCON since Egypt won at home in 2006 before claiming the 2008 tournament title in Ghana and the 2010 edition in Angola.

Algeria beat Senegal 1-0 in 2019 to triumph in Egypt and become the seventh nation to win multiple AFCONs, following Democratic Republic of Congo (1968, 1974), Ivory Coast (1992, 2015), Nigeria (1980, 1994, 2013), Ghana (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982), Cameroon (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017), and Egypt (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010).

Below you’ll find the tables, schedules, how to watch Africa Cup of Nations live info, and outright odds for the winner.

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