As European minnows Georgia prepare for their Euro 2024 clash with Spain, it could be one of their former players trending on social media ahead of their current crop.
25.06.2024 - 10:26 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Manchester City's pre-season friendlies will be under way this time next month, as the preparations for the 2024/25 season begin just a week after the end of Euro 2024.
The summer tournaments have seen 14 City players represent their countries across the Copa America and European Championships, which leaves a threadbare squad ready to report back for pre-season training. The likes of Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish and Ederson have not taken part in the tournaments due to injury, failure to qualify and omissions from their squads, giving some star quality to take to the United States next month.
And they could be joined by two players who have been in action at the Euros, after Croatia were cruelly denied a last-16 spot in the 97th minute on Monday.
ALSO READ: Man City academy agree with Lionel Messi's comments on Pep Guardiola 'confusion'
ALSO READ: Arsenal and Liverpool FC are already helping Man City in the transfer window
Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic knew that they needed to beat Italy to qualify for the knockout stages and set up a last-16 clash with Manu Akanji's Switzerland. Things were going well after Luka Modric quickly put a missed penalty behind him to score, and the Croatian substitutes were preparing to celebrate an unlikely qualification until Mattia Zaccagni scored a fine equaliser with the last kick of the game to send the Italians through instead.
Croatia therefore finish third in their group with just two points, and their goal difference of minus three means they are heading for a premature exit from the tournament rather than get a last-16 place as one of the four best third-placed finishers.
At full time, Gvardiol sank to the floor, and later posted a black-and-white image of himself crouching
As European minnows Georgia prepare for their Euro 2024 clash with Spain, it could be one of their former players trending on social media ahead of their current crop.
The banlieues of Paris, the street footballers in Sao Paulo, the academy talent factories in Lisbon - all of them production lines for a steady flow of talent - but to the list can be added a small triangle just south of Manchester that might be called upon to help rescue England's Euro 2024 campaign in Germany tonight.
The Premier League could cite Swindon Town’s enforced top-flight relegation in 1990 as a legal benchmark for Manchester City’s punishment should they be found guilty of finance breaches, it has been claimed.
Manchester City know more than most the value of academy talent.
Manchester City continue to search for new signings to strengthen their squad - but can still refresh their senior options by promoting a number of young players next season.
The Bear has returned to Disney+ for its hotly-anticipated third season - but fans appear to be torn over the award-winning comedy. After an explosive first episode, some reckon the rest of the series is 'monotonous and tiresome.'
Phil Foden has jetted back to Germany after the birth of his third child with girlfriend Rebecca Cooke, having left the England camp earlier this week.
Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount has sent a short and brief three-word message to supporters as he continues to enjoy his post-season break.
Manchester City star Phil Foden has left England's Euro 2024 camp and returned to the UK due to a "pressing family matter".
Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic It’s difficult to believe that JD McPherson, one of the great classic-minded rock ‘n’ roll singer-songwriters of the modern age, hasn’t had a new album of non-seasonal material out in seven years. That absence of fresh recordings hasn’t caused anyone to issue any missing-person alerts for him in the past few years, though. He’s been quite visible, serving as both the band leader and opening act for three successive Robert Plant/Alison Krauss tours.
After a few years on pause during the pandemic, Manchester City returned to pre-season tours in 2022.
The shadow looms large over Premier League football at the moment.
Barcelona are reportedly targeting Erling Haaland to fill the gap left by Lionel Messi.
Manchester City will have to dip into their academy to field teams in pre-season games against Celtic, AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea.
Copa América, which kicks off later today with Argentina taking on Canada, is set to be the subject of a docuseries.
When Manchester City begin their 2024/25 season at Wembley against Manchester United on August 10, it will kick-start a campaign that could last 11 months.
The heaviest defeat of Euro 2024 so far came on the opening night, when Germany flexed their muscles as home nation to dismantle a sorry Scotland side.
Phil Foden insists England showed a different side to their game during their much-criticised performance vs Serbia as he defended his own contribution in the Euro 2024 opener.
Coronation Street star Jodie Prenger has offered an update after revealing her recent animal rescue. Fans of the actress and West End star will know that she's a massive animal lover with her own crew of four-legged and feathered friends occupying her smallholding with businessman fiancé Simon Booth.
Manchester United now regard Amad as one of their more integral squad members for the future.