Argentina great Diego Maradona has described Lionel Messi as a teddy bear and vowed to confront FIFA president Gianni Infantino over his four-game ban.
Messi will miss all but one of Argentina s remaining World Cup qualifiers after FIFA punished him for swearing at an assistant referee following their 1-0 victory over Chile on March 23.
Edgardo Bauza s side were beaten 2-0 by Bolivia in La Paz in the absence of their talisman and now face a real battle to earn a qualifying spot for the finals in Russia in two years time, especially as Messi will only return for the final match against Ecuador.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) intend to appeal the ban, with Messi insisting that his remarks were made to the air and not directly to the official, and Maradona…
Jorginho believes relentless Arsenal are approaching the Premier League title race with more maturity than last season.
The Gunners were top of the table for a total of 248 days last term before ultimately slipping behind Manchester City in the run-in.
Pep Guardiola’s men are again in the running this time, with the holders sandwiched between leaders Liverpool and Arsenal as the season enters the final straight.
Just two points separate the table-topping Reds and third-placed Gunners, who ran amok at sorry Sheffield United in a 6-0 Monday mauling.
Hitting six on the road
— Arsenal (@Arsenal)
“The performance of the squad (was great) and the mentality to start strong and carry on the momentum,” Jorginho said.
“It was rea…
Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing Alan Varela from FC Porto in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that PSG are among the clubs who have been impressed with Varela. The midfielder’s release clause in his contract is worth €70 million, and Porto are not going to let him leave for anything less.
Varela can play as a defensive midfielder or as a central midfielder. The Argentine has made 19 starts and one substitute appearance in Liga Portugal so far this season, scoring two goals and providing two assists in those games. He has also played seven times in the UEFA Champions League this campaign.
PSG are at the top of the Ligue 1 table at the moment with 55 points from 24 matches, nine points ahead of second-placed Brest. Meanwh…
Alan Pardew admitted his Newcastle United side got exactly what they deserved after they were hammered 4-0 at his former club Southampton.
The 52-year-old, who managed Southampton for just over a year before being sacked in 2010, was able to deliver a team talk for the first time since serving a three-match stadium ban for headbutting Hull City midfielder David Meyler.
But his words clearly failed to inspire his players after they were on the end of their second heavy defeat of the week, having been beaten 3-0 by Everton on Tuesday.
Jay Rodriguez opened the scoring in first-half injury time after being frequently denied by the brilliance of Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot, deputising in the absence of the injured Tim Krul.
Rickie Lambert then doubled the lead fou…
Arsene Wenger has not ruled out strengthening Arsenal s squad, but will exercise his customary caution in the January transfer window.
The 61-year-old Frenchman is noted for his reluctance to sign players mid-season, with the purchase of Andrei Arshavin from Zenit St Petersburg in 2009 one of few exceptions to the rule.
And this season appears no different, with Wenger making it clear that only a player who can genuinely improve the team will come under consideration.
It depends if somebody goes or not and whether we find on the market something that really gives us a plus then we will of course not turn it down, Wenger told Arsenal TV.
Don t expect miracles in January; you have a high number of players who have played already in Europe and couldn t h…
UEFA has confirmed RB Leipzig and Salzburg have both been admitted into the Champions League for 2017-18.
There were doubts over whether the pair, who are both owned by Red Bull, would be able to compete in European club football s elite competition due to a potential violation of Article 5, which relates to the integrity of the competition.
Salzburg earned their place by virtue of being crowned Austrian champions, while Leipzig finished a stunning debut Bundesliga season by finishing second behind Bayern Munich.
They will move directly into the group stages, while Salzburg will meet either Hibernians or Tallinn in the second qualifying round.
The Adjudicatory Chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) has decided to accept the admission o…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has spoken to a number of transfer targets and said he noticed an increased desire to play at Anfield following the club s progress this season.
The Reds are in fourth place, one point ahead of Arsenal, as they prepare to face Middlesbrough in their final Premier League game of the season, and Klopp is aiming to guide the club into the Champions League for the first time since 2014-15 by finishing in the top four.
When asked whether the club s reputation had been restored, Klopp told the Telegraph that he had sensed a shift in players feelings towards Liverpool.
I feel we are already back on track, he said. It should not sound disrespectful to the past. I really feel we are already on the way – we started already. Of course it …
Cristiano Ronaldo once again scored a late winner as Manchester United overturned a two-goal deficit against Atalanta to win 3-2 and move top of Champions League Group F at the halfway point.
Mario Pasalic broke the deadlock after just 15 minutes at Old Trafford, with Merih Demiral heading home to double the blow before the half-hour mark on Wednesday.
Marcus Rashford pulled one back after the break as he scored the 300th goal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s tenure before Harry Maguire levelled with 15 minutes of normal time remaining.
Ronaldo, who scored a stoppage-time winner against Villarreal, then climbed the highest to cap a memorable comeback and move the Red Devils to the summit.
3 Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in three consecutive Champions League games…
Denmark will use some tips from their stricken team-mate Christian Eriksen as they look to thwart Romelu Lukaku in Thursday s Euro 2020 Group B match against Belgium.
Kasper Hjulmand s side are back in action for the first time since the ordeal of witnessing Eriksen s sickening cardiac arrest on the turf at Parken Stadium just before half-time in last Saturday s 1-0 defeat to Finland.
The Inter playmaker thankfully pulled through and is feeling fine, under the circumstances as he continues to recuperate in hospital.
But Hjulmand told reporters that Eriksen s insight into his San Siro team-mate Lukaku could prove invaluable.
Lukaku scored twice in Belgium s 3-0 win over Russia, dedicating his opening goal to his close friend Eriksen.
That made him…
England manager Fabio Capello has warned Liverpool striker Andy Carroll to watch his drinking.
The Italian boss said he was wary of any potential mishaps Carroll, an England squad member, might have while socialising, and the impact that would have on the former Newcastle striker s perception in the public as a national representative.
He needs to be careful at every moment because when you play with the England national team you are the focus of the fans, the newspapers, the photographers, the people that live around him, Capello said ahead of his side s friendly with Ghana on Tuesday.
The England boss said he told Carroll he could continue to drink in social situations, but to significantly decrease his intake or risk his national team spot.
Not only…