could be set to watch one of their star players depart, perhaps as soon as January, as Belgian winger Yannick Ferreira Carrasco is reportedly unhappy at the Spanish club, according to .
The winger has been a hugely important player for Los Rojiblancos, despite never having really established a permanent starting role under manager Diego Simeone. Since joining the Madrid based team in 2015 Carrasco has featured 107 times, scoring 22 goals. Perhaps his most memorable goal was the equaliser in the 2016 Champions League final, though Atleti ultimately went on to lose the game on penalties.
Despite his relatively successful period at the club the Belgium international has found it hard to settle and, according to AS, he has difficult relationships with some of the other pl…
Real Madrid s LaLiga title defence suffered another early setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Villarreal despite leading for 74 minutes on Saturday.
The champions were without captain Sergio Ramos and star striker Karim Benzema due to injury but were in front after just 107 seconds through Mariano Diaz, back in the line-up for the first time in 18 months.
Mariano s previous start in May 2019 had seen him score twice in a victory over Villarreal, yet his goal which angered Unai Emery and his players amid confusion over a potential offside proved only enough for a point this time.
Thibaut Courtois felled Samuel Chukwueze and, after a number of close calls for a defence evidently missing Ramos, Gerard Moreno tucked away the resulting penalty to equalise, keep…
If the scandal-rocked build-up to their 2006 FIFA World Cup triumph is anything to go by, Italy are poised to go all the way at Euro 2012.
Prior to the FIFA showcase event in Germany six years ago, Italian professional football was walloped by a scandal implicating the country s biggest clubs in systematic match-fixing.
Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi was at the centre of the investigations, accused of orchestrating the appointment of referees and match officials who were instructed to favour his and other clubs.
The subsequent criminal proceedings saw then-champions Juve stripped of their last two titles and demoted to Serie B, while AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina were all docked points for the forthcoming season.
The shocking revelations served …
Peru striker Claudio Pizarro believes his team are ready for greater things as they prepare for a crucial Copa America clash with Colombia.
The final round of Group C matches will take place on Sunday with all four teams holding three points and control of their own destiny.
Brazil take on Venezuela in Santiago, while Peru and Colombia will do battle in Temuco all four sides knowing they can guarantee a place in the last eight with victory.
Pizarro scored the winner for Peru last time out as they edged out Venezuela in Valparaiso.
And ahead of the Colombia fixture, the veteran striker said: The team is really great.
Match by match we re getting into the competition, getting to know each other better and I think we re ready for greater things. <…
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli wants to stay at the club and revive his career at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, according to . It has been reported that Newcastle United are interested in securing the services of the 25-year-old in the January transfer window, but fighting relegation for the second half of the season does not entice the midfielder.
Alli himself wants to stay at Tottenham and work with new head coach Antonio Conte. Spurs do expect clubs to show their interest in the England international midfielder, but they are not going to force the midfielder to leave. Conte reportedly thinks that he can get Alli to his best.
The Tottenham midfielder has made six starts and two substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season, scoring one goal in t…
Pep Guardiola insists Liverpool remain in the Premier League title race, despite the Reds losing further ground on Arsenal and Manchester City in a dramatic few days at the summit.
Liverpool suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Merseyside rivals Everton on Wednesday, a result which meant they failed to close the gap to Arsenal after the Gunners thrashed Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday.
While Jurgen Klopp s men couldn t respond to the Gunners pulling clear, City did on Thursday, with Phil Foden scoring twice in an emphatic 4-0 win over Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
One point behind Arsenal with a game in hand, City know five wins from their five remaining matches will seal an unprecedented fourth successive English top-flight title.
However, Guardiola expects further…
Hamburg coach Thorsten Fink has praised signing Rafael van der Vaart, saying the Dutchman has reinvigorated his struggling side.
The midfielder was signed from Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day, a move which saw him return to the club he left for Real Madrid in 2008.
Van der Vaart made his first appearance of his second spell at the club in an 11-2 friendly victory of Niendorf, and the former Basel coach was delighted with his new player s impact.
You saw a different team than they were a few weeks ago. We go onto the pitch with joy and have fun, Fink told Bild after the match.
Everyone saw that van der Vaart was the boss on the pitch.
Van der Vaart scored 48 goals in 112 appearances during his first spell at Imtech Arena.
…
Raheem Sterling has been withdrawn from Liverpool s squad for the club s pre-season tour of Asia and Australia.
Perform understands the winger will remain in England as talks continue over a highly anticipated switch to Premier League rivals Manchester City, who have already had two bids turned down.
Sterling had initially been included in Brendan Rodgers squad for the warm-up fixtures, but an Anfield exit now looks to be edging closer following a protracted contract saga.
With Sterling s deal set to expire in 2017, the winger missed a number of the club s training sessions last week due to illness.
And reports on Sunday suggest City have tabled a £45million bid to land their prime target.
Sterling arrived at Liverpool from QPR in 2010 and has …
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger backed fighter Joel Campbell to win a regular first-team place at the club.
The Costa Rica international has been on loan in four straight seasons since joining Arsenal from Deportivo Saprissa in 2011.
With injuries hitting Wenger s squad, Campbell has been given his chances, making three Premier League appearances and four in Europe.
Wenger said he was impressed by the 23-year-old s qualities and feels Campbell is ready to be a regular, even when the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain return.
This season I didn t want to give him out because he has a genuine team attitude and he s a fighter, the Frenchman said.
What you want from him is to bring more offensively when he played and recently he has sho…
Jurgen Klopp blamed Liverpool s failure to hold on to a win against West Brom on the performance of the officials and the dry pitch at The Hawthorns.
The visitors looked to be heading for a comfortable win thanks to goals from Danny Ings and Mohamed Salah, only for Jake Livermore and Salomon Rondon to score in the final 11 minutes and snatch a 2-2 draw.
Klopp was angry at the award of a free-kick against Joe Gomez that led to Rondon s equaliser, while he also criticised referee Stuart Atwell for failing to award a penalty for a Craig Dawson challenge on Ings and a blatant punch by Ahmed Hegazi on the striker.
He also accused West Brom of deliberately not watering the pitch in order to hamper Liverpool s passing game and suggested it is a tactic they are preparing…