Messi desperate for Champions League success

The festive period may not have gone quite to plan for Liverpool but the return of Thiago Alcantara provides a reason for optimism at the start of 2021.

The Spaniard came on as a second-half substitute against Newcastle United on Wednesday, having not featured since suffering an injury when caught by Richarlison in the Merseyside derby back in October, a challenge that saw the Everton forward dismissed late on in a 2-2 draw. 

Yet despite the lengthy absence, Thiago hardly showed no signs of rust at St James  Park. While unable to help Liverpool fashion a late winner as they drew for a second successive outing, his appearance off the bench provided a welcome reminder of just what the Reds have missed in recent months. 

After replacing James Milner…

Fabio Capello has consigned England s Euro 2008 humiliation at the hands of Croatia to the dustbin of history, insisting it will have no bearing on Wednesday s World Cup qualifier at Wembley.

Croatia s last visit to the home of English football, in November 2007, ended with a 3-2 win for the visitors, who duly progressed to Euro 2008 while England missed out.

But Capello, who took charge in the wake of that failure, revealed that he had not even watched a recording of that match.

I studied Croatia s game against Belarus on Saturday, I ve not watched the game of two years ago, it is too old, the Italian said. I study always the latest games that we played, not what happened two years ago. It is history.

Capello also voiced confidence that memories of th…

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to join rivals Arsenal in the race to sign promising Paris Saint Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot,.

The 19 year old has been a target for the Gunners for some time, but Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is keen to win the race to secure his services.

Having spent the second half of the 2012/13 campaign on loan at Toulouse, Rabiot broke into the PSG first team last season racking up thirty-four appearances in all competitions and scoring three times while he has turned out for them nine times so far in this campaign.

Internationally the former Manchester City youth player has been capped at every level from U16 to U21.

Tottenham currently sit in ninth place and can move to within two points of fourth place Manchester United w…

Turkey international Caglar Soyuncu would be keen on a switch to Arsenal, amid reports that new Gunners boss Unai Emery is eyeing his services.

Emery has already made two additions to his Arsenal squad, signing Stephan Lichtsteiner on a free transfer from Juventus and capturing Germany goalkeeper Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen.

Freiburg defender Soyuncu – who has started 49 Bundesliga matches since moving to Germany in 2016 has emerged as another potential recruit, and a move to the Premier League would interest the 22-year-old.

I hope I go to Arsenal, Soyuncu said, as reported by Gunes.

Let s have your messages for our new goalkeeper

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal)

I really want to play in the Premier League, but everything …

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Giovanni Reyna from Borussia Dortmund in the final days of the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Bundesliga club Dortmund are open to offloading Reyna, and that Premier League outfit Forest are in talks over a potential deal.

Forest, who are aiming to avoid the dreaded drop to the Championship at the end of the season, want to sign Reyna on a loan deal with the option to make it permanent in the summer of 2024. 

The 21-year-old USA international, who can operate as an attacking midfielder or as a winger, has made one start and nine substitute appearances in the Bundesliga and has played 20 minutes in the UEFA Champions League this campaign. Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga table with 33 p…

(GSM) Stuttgart defender Ludovic Magnin claims Jens Lehmann has been causing dismay and disrupting the harmony in the Stuttgart dressing room in recent weeks. Lehmann has caused problems at club after criticizing the management and producing several below-par performances.

Magnin will be leaving Stuttgart after agreeing a transfer to Zurich on Friday. The transfer will take place on January 1 once the Winter transfer window opens.

Jens is not a person to set the tone off the field, Magnin told the Bild newspaper.

Lehmann was given permission to take an extra day off per week in the contract he signed with Stuttgart in 2008, while he can also travel back home alone from away matches when he wishes.

Magnin revealed Lehmann s special treatment has not be…

Eden Hazard has admitted he was like a ghost during Chelsea s dismal campaign in 2015-16.

The Belgium international won the Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year and was named the Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year after inspiring Jose Mourinho s side to the title two seasons ago.

Hazard s performance level then dipped markedly last term and he failed to score in the Premier League before April, with Mourinho having left Stamford Bridge 16 games into the season.

However, the 26-year-old has recaptured some of his best form in Antonio Conte s table-topping side and he is determined to re-establish his place as the leading light in the division.

I was the best player two years ago, but last season I was like a ghost, he …

Kobbie Mainoo’s dramatic late winner fired Manchester United to a stunning 4-3 win at Wolves as Marcus Rashford shook off any Belfast blues.

The 18-year-old midfielder’s first Premier League goal shocked Molineux in stoppage time after Pedro Neto’s leveller looked to have snatched a point for the hosts just two minutes earlier.

Pablo Sarabia’s penalty and Max Kilman’s close-range strike had given Wolves – who initially came back from 2-0 and 3-1 down – hope either side of Scott McTominay’s second-half header.

Special moment. Special player. ||

— Manchester United (@ManUtd)

Rashford had earlier scored and helped assist Rasmus Hojlund after being disciplined by boss Erik ten Hag.

He called in sick on Friday and was omitt…

Inter defender Danilo D Ambrosio is hopeful he can retain his starting place for the trip to former club Torino in Serie A on Sunday as Roberto Mancini s side look to overhaul leaders Fiorentina.

Mancini s men have made an impressive start to the campaign, particularly defensively, and moved second last weekend thanks to a 1-0 victory over third-placed Roma.

Goal difference is keeping Mancini s side behind leaders Fiorentina, with strong defending having been crucial to Inter s form this term, conceding just seven goals in 11 Serie A outings.

It is at the other end that Inter have toiled, with only 11 top-flight goals to their name, but former Torino full-back D Ambrosio is keen to play his part again this weekend after earning a recall to the starting XI f…

Paris Saint-Germain have been declared Ligue 1 champions after the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) confirmed final standings will be decided on a points-per-game basis.

French prime minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday said the 2019-20 football season could not restart as he banned any sporting events taking place before September, leaving the LFP to decide the sporting and economic consequences for the top two tiers.

Following Thursday s meeting, the LFP opted for the final league standings to be determined by points won per match, leaving PSG – who were 12 clear at the top before the campaign was halted – as champions.

We have decided to work hard to find solutions. We still have difficulties ahead of us. We are in an environment where there is a…