Midfield

Marco Reus Scores Two, Creates Three In Dortmund's 6-0 Demolition Of Gladbach

DORTMUND - Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus played a part in five goals as his side hammered his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach 6-0 in the Bundesliga on Sunday to stay in touch with leaders Bayern Munich.

Reus, who switched from Gladbach to Dortmund just over a decade ago for $19 million, scored two goals and provided three assists. But he opted not to take a penalty his side were awarded in added time, with Emre Can stepping up and converting to complete the drubbing.

Christian Eriksen Celebrates 30th Birthday By Playing In First Game Since Collapse

Christian Eriksen's inspiring return to the pitch took a massive step forward Monday as the midfielder made his first appearance since suffering an on-field cardiac arrest and recorded an assist in Brentford's friendly victory over fifth-tier club Southend United. To make things even better, Eriksen was celebrating his 30th birthday.

After being fitted with a heart-starting device known as an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), Eriksen terminated his contract with Inter Milan back in December while continuing to work on his fitness with former club Ajax.

Christian Eriksen Could Be Club's "Greatest Signing Ever," Says Brentford Manager

Brentford manager Thomas Frank said on Thursday Christian Eriksen could be the club's "greatest signing" ever and he hoped the Danish midfielder would be able to make his Premier League debut within a few weeks.

The 29-year-old player joined Brentford as a free agent on Monday, seven months after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during a European Championship match.

Eriksen's former club Inter Milan ended his contract in December because he is not permitted to play in Serie A due to the presence of a heart starter device (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator).

Luka Modrić Scores World-Class Goal As Real Madrid Claims Spanish Super Cup

RIYADH - Real Madrid were crowned Spanish Super Cup champions after goals from Luka Modrić and Karim Benzema earned them a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Real took the lead in the 38th minute after Rodrygo sprinted past two defenders before passing to Modrić, who rifled a shot into the back of the net.

RSL Signs Its Youngest-Ever First-Team Player, 15-Year-Old USYNT Midfielder Jude Wellings

Tuesday marks MLS SuperDraft day, and while it's always fun to see who your team adds and to pore over their college bio page, you ultimately want your club moving in the direction of producing and signing more Homegrown Players through its academy. Real Salt Lake did just that Monday with the addition of 15-year-old midfielder Jude Wellings — who becomes the club's youngest-ever first-team signing.

Tottenham's Tanguy Ndombele Booed Off By His Own Fans After Forgettable FA Cup Performance

LONDON - Tottenham Hotspur's record signing Tanguy Ndombele was booed off the pitch by his own fans after being substituted in his team's unconvincing 3-1 FA Cup third round win against League One strugglers Morecambe on Sunday.

The midfielder, who has struggled to live up to his $73 million fee after signing from Lyon in 2019, was one of three Tottenham players to be hauled off by manager Antonio Conte in the 69th minute.

Watch: Gavi Is Still Treating Defenses The Exact Same Way He Did At Age 12

The emergence of 17-year-old Pablo Páez Gavi for both Barcelona and Spain during the 2021-22 season has been criminally under-appreciated in the English-speaking world. It's a serious offense because just putting the La Masia product through the 90-minute eye test is enough to reveal a footballer of supreme talent, which is exceptionally rare when considering all the nuance and subtlety that comes with the midfield position. 

Marouane Fellaini's Match-Winner Earns Shandong Its First Chinese Super League Title In Over A Decade

HONG KONG - Marouane Fellaini was on target as Shandong Taishan defeated Hebei FC 2-0 in Guangzhou on Sunday to clinch the club's first Chinese Super League title in over a decade.

The former Manchester United midfielder netted from close range in the 21st minute to send Shandong on their way to the win they needed to take an unassailable lead at the top of the standings and claim the trophy for the first time since 2010.

You Know The Mannings, But What About The Incredible Seedorf Family?

Running through Wednesday's KNVB Cup results on ESPN FC there was a name that stuck out like royalty among the Van den Bergs and Voets — a goalscorer for Den Haag identified as one "C. Seedorf". 

A quick search revealed that he's 21-year-old winger Cain Seedorf, who spent time at Ajax's youth academy before signing his first professional contract with Den Haag in 2020. And yes, he's a nephew of the legendary Clarence Seedorf. 

This 15-Minute Lesson From Xavi Is Worth Any Coach’s Time

Ronald Koeman is living on borrowed time at Barcelona. After a 2-0 defeat to Atlético back on Oct. 2 that showed the ruthless effectiveness of Diego Simeone’s approach (29% possession but who cares) compared to the sterile flaccidity of Barça, Joan Laporta made it clear to Koeman that he had to win three straight matches to stay in the job.

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