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New Swans recruit Walta aims to score goals

Leo Walta is poised to replicate his impressive goal-scoring record in the Championship, having made the switch from Sweden’s top division to Swansea City.

In June 2024, Leo Walta earned his first senior cap for Finland, marking the beginning of his international career.

Following his move to Swansea City from the Swedish top-flight league, Leo Walta is confident that his impressive goal-scoring abilities will translate to the Championship.

The transfer took place on deadline day, with Walta joining Swansea City from Allsvenskan club Sirius.

Although Walta acknowledges the need to adapt quickly to the English second tier, he is optimistic about his ability to score goals for his new team.

When asked if he can replicate his goal-scoring form in Wales, Walta responded affirmatively.

Walta expressed his hope of bringing his lifelong practice of goal-scoring to his new role at Swansea City.

Initially, Walta's move to Swansea City was on a loan basis, but it is expected to become permanent by July.

Towards the end of the mid-season transfer window, head coach Vitor Matos sought an attacking midfielder who could make an impact in the final third, leading to a deal with Sirius for Walta.

Walta's 17 goals in the 2025 season in Sweden had caught the attention of scouts and coaches.

Walta reflected on his successful 2025 season, stating that scoring goals has always been one of his strengths, along with making good shots and passes.

With Sirius' season concluding in November, Walta bid farewell to the club as they entered pre-season preparations for the 2026 campaign.

Walta made his Swansea City debut as a substitute in the team's recent win over Sheffield Wednesday, his first match since the November international break, when he played for Finland.

According to Walta, Vitor Matos plans to utilize him in central midfield or as a number 10.

Having previously left HJK Helsinki for Norwegian club Nordsjaelland as a teenager, Walta is accustomed to adjusting to new environments.

Before joining Sirius in 2024, Walta had spells with Danish club HB Koge and Swedish side Mjallby.

While anticipating that English football will be more fast-paced and physically demanding than his previous experiences, Walta remains unfazed.

Walta mentioned that he is familiar with the Championship, having followed it on TV in Finland, and is excited about the opportunity to play in the league.

Walta expressed his enthusiasm for the new challenge ahead.

For the latest news, analysis, and fan perspectives on Swansea City, visit our website.

Vitor Matos believes that new signing Walta has the potential to make a significant contribution to the team.

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Walta's recent debut for Swansea City was not his first appearance in England, having previously played for Finland.

In September 2024, Walta made a substitute appearance for Finland in a Nations League match against England at Wembley.

With 10 caps for Finland, Walta looks up to former teammate Teemu Pukki, who retired from international duty in November, as a role model.

Pukki, a 35-year-old striker, had a successful five-year stint in English football with Norwich City, scoring 89 goals in the Championship and Premier League.

Walta praised Pukki's achievements in English football, both in the Championship and the Premier League.

Walta also appreciated Pukki's kind gesture, as the veteran striker congratulated him on his move to Swansea City.

Shefki Kuqi, a former Finland player, had a notable stint in Britain, playing for teams like Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town, and Crystal Palace.

Until recently, Kuqi was the only Finnish player to have represented Swansea City, having joined the team in 2010 under Paulo Sousa.

Walta is familiar with Kuqi's time at Swansea City and recalls the striker's iconic goal celebration, known as the 'Flying Finn'.

Although Walta was young when Kuqi played for Swansea, he has seen videos of the striker's celebrations and is aware of his reputation.

When asked if he would attempt to replicate Kuqi's celebration, Walta smiled and said it was possible.

Walta's response hinted at a potential nod to his Finnish predecessor's signature style.

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Serie A to air on BBC with live coverage of Scottish matches

A new multi-game rights deal has enabled the BBC to broadcast live coverage of matches featuring several Scotland internationals, including Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson, Che Adams, Lennon Miller, Kieron Bowie, and Josh Doig, starting this Sunday.

A number of Scottish players, including Che Adams, Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Lennon Miller, and Lewis Ferguson, are currently competing in Italy's top division, Serie A.

The upcoming Serie A match between Torino and Bologna will be a notable fixture, featuring several Scottish players.

The match is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 15 February, with a kick-off time of 17:00 GMT, at a venue that will be announced.

Fans can catch the live coverage of the match on BBC Alba, starting from 16:50.

A growing list of Scottish players, including Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson, Che Adams, Lennon Miller, Josh Doig, and Kieron Bowie, are making a name for themselves in Serie A.

With a record number of Scots playing in Italy's top flight, the BBC is now providing live coverage of their matches, allowing fans to follow their favorite players.

As part of a new package, the BBC will broadcast eight live Serie A matches, showcasing the talents of Scottish players as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup.

The first match to be broadcast on BBC Alba will be the encounter between Torino, featuring striker Che Adams, and Bologna, featuring midfielder Lewis Ferguson, on Sunday, with a 17:00 GMT kick-off.

Bologna will be looking to bounce back from five consecutive domestic defeats, despite recent impressive results in the Europa League and against Celtic.

During their recent run, Bologna drew 2-2 with Celtic and secured a 3-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League.

Torino, on the other hand, has only managed one win in their last five outings but will be seeking to build on their recent 2-2 draw against Fiorentina.

Scotland's Nations League campaign is set to begin in Slovenia.

Clarke has confirmed that Barnes will not be making a switch to Scotland.

Scotland is scheduled to face Switzerland in the Nations League.

Future BBC Alba broadcasts will feature matches involving Napoli's Scottish duo, Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour, who is nearing a return from injury, as well as Lennon Miller's Udinese, Josh Doig's Sassuolo, and Kieron Bowie's Hellas Verona.

The number of Scottish players in Serie A has reached a record high, with the likes of Liam Henderson, who has played for several Italian clubs, now competing in Serie B.

Further details of the Serie A matches to be broadcast on BBC Alba will be announced in the coming weeks.

Margaret Cameron, director of content at BBC Alba, expressed her excitement about the opportunity for Scottish fans to watch their favorite players in action, free-to-air, ahead of the World Cup.

Presenter Alex O'Henley is looking forward to hosting the coverage of what he describes as a "golden era" for Scottish players in Italy.

With the World Cup approaching, O'Henley believes it's an exciting time for Scottish fans to follow the fortunes of their players in Italy.

Kieron Bowie made his debut for Verona against Pisa.

Che Adams, who was born in Leicester, has established himself as a key player for Scotland, earning 45 caps and scoring 11 goals since switching allegiances in 2021.

This season, Adams has scored six goals in 26 appearances for Torino, who currently sit 13th in the Serie A table.

Kieron Bowie, who began his career with Raith Rovers, has risen to prominence with Hibernian, scoring nine goals in 30 appearances before joining Hellas Verona in January.

Bowie made his debut for Verona in a 0-0 draw against Pisa, earning his first start for the club.

Josh Doig, who started his career with Hibernian, has become a regular player in Serie A, first with Verona and now with Sassuolo, earning one cap for Scotland.

Doig has made 24 appearances, including 20 starts, for Sassuolo this season.

Lewis Ferguson, who began his career with Hamilton Academical, has become a key player for Bologna, earning 21 caps for Scotland and leading his team to a Coppa Italia final win over AC Milan.

Ferguson has made 29 appearances, including 21 starts, for Bologna this season, helping the team to eighth place in the table.

Billy Gilmour, who started his career with Rangers, has played for several clubs, including Chelsea and Norwich City, before joining Napoli in 2024, where he won his first league title.

Gilmour has been limited to 12 appearances, including six starts, this season due to injury, but is nearing a return to action.

Scott McTominay, who came through Manchester United's youth ranks, has become a key player for Napoli, earning 67 caps for Scotland and scoring 14 goals, including a notable overhead kick against Denmark.

McTominay has made 34 appearances for Napoli this season, scoring 10 goals and helping the team to a strong position in the table.

Lennon Miller, who began his career with Motherwell, has made a promising start to his career, earning four caps for Scotland and joining Udinese in August.

Miller has made 14 appearances, including six starts, for Udinese this season.

Fans can stay up-to-date with their favorite clubs through BBC Sport.

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GB men’s curling team suffers upset defeat to Italy

At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Great Britain’s men’s curling team mounted a comeback against Italy following a disappointing beginning, ultimately falling short in their inaugural match.

Despite a valiant comeback, Team GB ultimately fell short as Italy held their composure to secure the win in the final end.

A dismal start to the match proved costly for Team GB's men, as they suffered their first defeat of the Winter Olympics at the hands of host nation Italy, despite a spirited fightback in the packed Cortina Curling Stadium.

Following victories in their first two matches, including a win over the Swedish rink that beat them in the gold-medal match four years ago, Team GB entered their second high-profile encounter in as many days in a confident position.

However, a disastrous opening end, in which Italy stole four points, left Team GB trailing and facing an uphill battle in front of a boisterous home crowd.

The British team, currently ranked number one in the world, gradually regained their footing and managed to level the score by the ninth end.

Ultimately, Italy maintained their composure in the final end to emerge victorious, winning 9-7 and adding Team GB to their list of scalps, which already included the Swedes.

"We had to dig deep and play some solid curling, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get us over the line," Team GB lead Hammy McMillan said in an interview with BBC Sport.

With seven wins from nine round-robin matches guaranteeing a spot in the semi-finals, Team GB remains in a strong position, although fewer wins may still be sufficient to advance.

The women's team is set to take to the ice next, facing South Korea in their second match at 13:05 GMT, while the men will return to action on Saturday against the Czech Republic at the same time.

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The looks of shock on the faces of Team GB's curlers told the story of a disastrous opening end.

With a stone in play, Mouat attempted a risky shot in an effort to claim two points, but it backfired, resulting in none of Team GB's stones in the house and four Italian stones in position.

However, the Scottish quartet, ranked number one in the world, quickly regained their composure and got back to their game.

The teams exchanged singles before a impressive final throw by Mouat, aided by a measurement to determine which stone was closest to the button, allowed Team GB to claim two points and narrow the gap to 5-3.

Another excellent team effort, which included a well-judged throw by Mouat, a solid sweep by Hammy McMillan and Bobby Lammie, and Grant Hardie's strategic expertise, forced Italy to concede a point in the fourth end, reducing the deficit to a single point at the break.

Italy blanked the sixth end and added two points in the seventh to rebuild their lead, but Team GB fought back with two points of their own, remarkably levelling the score with one end remaining after a steal.

The match came down to the final end, but Italy held their nerve to secure the win, prompting a deafening roar from the crowd.

"It's an incredible experience, and we need to get used to it," McMillan added, describing the electric atmosphere as "surreal" and "cool," more akin to a football match than a typical curling crowd.

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Scotland Kicks Off Nations League Against Slovenia

Uefa has released the schedule for the Nations League, with Scotland set to begin their campaign on 26 September with an away match against Slovenia.

Uefa has released the schedule for the Nations League, with Scotland's campaign set to begin on 26 September with an away match against Slovenia.

The team's six group stage games will be played within a three-month period, culminating in a match against Switzerland on 16 November.

The fixture list was announced following Thursday's draw, which placed Scotland in a group with Switzerland, Slovenia, and North Macedonia.

Having been relegated from League A after a play-off loss to Greece last year, Scotland will compete in the second tier of the Nations League this year.

In response to the draw, head coach Steve Clarke noted that the teams in the group appear to be evenly matched.

Clarke reflected on the team's past experience in the competition, stating that it has been beneficial for Scotland.

He emphasized the importance of the Nations League, citing its role in helping the team qualify for Euro 2020, and anticipated a challenging set of matches.

A key matchup in the Nations League will see Scotland face off against Switzerland.

The group stage will determine the teams' fates, with the winner earning promotion, the runner-up entering a play-off, the third-placed team facing a relegation play-off, and the fourth-placed team being relegated directly.

The upcoming group games will mark a reunion for Scotland and Switzerland, who previously drew 1-1 in Cologne at Euro 2024.

Scotland's last encounter with Slovenia was during the 2018 World Cup qualification campaign, when they won 1-0 at home and drew 2-2 away.

The team has not played North Macedonia since the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, when they drew 1-1 at home and won 2-1 away, with goals from Ikechi Anya and Shaun Maloney.

The schedule for Scotland's Nations League campaign begins on 26 September with a match against Slovenia.

The team will then host Switzerland on 29 September, followed by a trip to face North Macedonia on 3 October.

Scotland will then play Slovenia at home on 6 October, before hosting North Macedonia on 11 November.

The final group stage match will see Scotland travel to face Switzerland on 16 November.

The team's home match against North Macedonia is set for 11 November.

The campaign will conclude with an away match against Switzerland on 16 November.

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