Juventus confirm signing of Udinese midfielder Mandragora

Spain underscored their status as World Cup favourites on Wednesday by swatting Austria 5-1 away in an international friendly encounter, David Villa twice on target.

But three-times winners Germany, who Spain beat in the final of Euro 2008, had to rely on a last-gasp goal from Lukas Podolski to secure a 2-2 home draw with Ivory Coast.

Reigning world champions Italy saw a second string side come through 1-0 at home to a Sweden team missing star player Zlatan Ibrahimovic with central defender Giorgio Chiellini netting in Cesena.

While Portugal were coming through their playoff match against Bosnia to sneak through the backdoor into the World Cup finals the team that beat them to automatic qualification, Denmark, had to come from a goal down to beat the United Stat…

World Cup favourites Spain feared a potential clash with Brazil or Portugal in the last 16 after being handed a seemingly straightforward group in the draw for the finals in South Africa on Friday.

The European champions, FIFA s top-ranked team, are joined by fellow Hispanic nations Honduras and Chile in Group H, along with Switzerland, in the draw made in Cape Town.

Spain have never lost to any of the three.

We can t complain or be happy, said coach Vicente del Bosque. But each team has its qualities Honduras is a good team, Chile is a great team and Switzerland will be a difficult rival.

But we can t think about the second round, we must qualify first.

Valencia striker David Villa, Spain s Euro 2008 Golden Boot winner, said Chile, who finish…

Former Everton loan signing Landon Donovan has backed new Manchester United manager David Moyes to be a success at Old Trafford.

The LA Galaxy man had loan spells under Moyes at Goodison Park during the MLS off-season in 2010 and 2012.

The former Preston manager faces the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of Alex Ferguson, who won 13 Premier League titles in his 26 years at United, but Donovan believes Moyes is more than capable of rising to the challenge.

He ll be fine, Donovan told Goal.com.

I have no doubt that he ll do well there.

It was, in my opinion, a pretty obvious choice.

He is across the board, by players, fans, staff, referees very respected. I think he ll do a fantastic job. I m very happy for him.

Mo…

European champions Barcelona posted Monday a net profit of 8.8 million euros (12.5 million dollars) for the 2008-09 season.

For the 2009-10 season the Spanish giants have tabled a record budget of 405 million euros which forecasts a profit of 30 million euros, the club said on their web site.

Barcelona stunned holders Manchester United to win their third Champions League crown with a 2-0 victory in May in Rome. The club also won the domestic league and cup last season, making it the first Spanish team to win the treble.

The club s success on the pitch helped lift operating revenues to 384.8 million euros in the 2008-09 season from 333.8 million euros during the previous season, mostly on the back of higher ticket sales and new marketing and media contracts.

…

Dele Alli continues his rise to stardom / Image via sport.bt.com

Nation’s Pride

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino labelled Dele Alli “the most important player to emerge in English football in recent years” and the Spurs boss could not be closer to truth.

England has endured some rather difficult times at the international level and gone through great struggles that came as huge contrast with emerging quality, marketing power and excitement surrounding the Premier League.

One of the two oldest national teams in football alongside Scotland, the Three Lions have been without a major international recognition since 1966 and their FIFA World Cup success. A place in the 1990 semi-finals and another one only at the European level six years later were the on…

Lionel Messi is once again absent from the Barcelona squad for Sunday s LaLiga clash with Real Betis.

Messi returned to training this week following a calf problem, with the 32-year-old missing Barca s entire programme of pre-season friendlies due to Copa America commitments and his injury.

Although he got several days of training under his belt and appeared to be in fine form in video footage that came out of the sessions, it was reported Messi felt discomfort on Friday.

Coach Ernesto Valverde also urged fans to be patient in his pre-match news conference a day later, adamant Messi will not be risked if he is anything other than 100 per cent ready to feature.

As such, Messi has been left out of the squad for the visit of Betis, who left Camp Nou with a s…

Juventus are planning to make an £8million summer bid for Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel.

The Old Lady are keen to bring in the Slovakia international as a replacement for the ageing Fabio Cannavaro at the back.

Skrtel joined Liverpool from Russian side Zenit St Petersburg in 2008 in a £6.5million deal.

Reports have also suggested that Juventus are keen to bring in Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez in the summer and Skrtel would be keen to follow the Spaniard to the Italian side.

Juventus have struggled in the Serie A this season and reports says they are planning to make big changes to their squad in the summer.

[Source: News of the World]

…

Australia international Tim Cahill believes Everton s mental attitude can play a major role in their Europa League clash against Sporting Lisbon here at Goodison Park on Tuesday.

The Toffees may have lost twice to another Portuguese side in Sporting s arch-rivals Benfica (5-0 and 2-0) in the group stage but Cahill has had his confidence bolstered by the English club s run of just two defeats in 11 games in all competitions including last week s win over Premier League title-chasers Chelsea.

I m very blessed to play for such a great club. I always say you have to run through brick walls, Cahill told www.uefa.com.

That s regardless of knocks and injuries. We have that right mental attitude. Hopefully we can just grow stronger.

I m just excited at the mo…

West Ham striker Andy Carroll is fit again and has credited boss Slaven Bilic with his new-found fitness

England striker Andy Carroll came off the West Ham bench to score the Hammers winning goal in last weekend’s 2-1 win over reigning Premier League champions Chelsea at the Boleyn Ground. The win moved Slaven Bilic’s team up to third in the top-flight table.

It was a display of just what the former-Newcastle striker can do, when fit and that has been the problem for the striker, staying fit.

Carroll could be on benching warming duty against Watford later today, but looks like he is now ready to make an impact again.

Injury-prone

Since making a club-record move to the Boleyn Ground in the summer of 2013 from Liverpool he has made just 37 appe…

Barcelona and Brazil forward Neymar has been going from strength to strength in his career. He s in the top-five best players at aged 23.

Barcelona forward Neymar continued his outstanding scoring run this season with a brace against Villarreal on the weekend. The Brazilian international beat the offside trap perfect and showcased real composure to collect a through ball with his weaker left foot and dispatch of his effort at the near post with his second touch. The speed of the move was particularly impressive, and it saw Barca breaking the deadlock on the hour mark.

Neymar’s second goal was a moment of magic to behold. Barcelona broke down the left-hand side through Luis Suarez, who saw his strike-partner in the middle and fed him the ball on the bounce. Neymar coll…