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]
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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…
A game-changing substitution was the plan for Milan. They did not count on the match-winner stepping off Manchester United s bench.
Stefano Pioli was still to play his trump card 135 minutes into a Europa League last-16 tie in which Milan had been the better side.
The Rossoneri pressed United back in the first half at San Siro on Thursday, the visitors sloppy and submissive despite requiring a goal to advance.
The clear-cut chances still did not come for the home side, though. Five efforts before the break failed to cause Dean Henderson undue concern, a pattern all too familiar for Milan, who had 15 attempts at Old Trafford but waited until the last of them, in the 92nd minute, to equalise.
Theo Hernandez and Hakan Calhanoglu had returned to the side for …
Robert Lewandowski was withdrawn during Bayern Munich s 4-1 win at RB Leipzig as a precaution , though Serge Gnabry does appear to be a doubt to face Barcelona on Tuesday.
Julian Nagelsmann enjoyed a personally satisfying return to former club Leipzig on Saturday, as Bayern ran out comprehensive winners at the Red Bull Arena.
The coach was given a frosty reception at the start, with fans annoyed that he took several members of the coaching staff and Marcel Sabitzer to Bayern despite promising not to raid his former club.
Leipzig s social media team stoked the tension by poking fun at Nagelsmann and the situation before the game, posting a mocked-up image of Nagelsmann driving a car with his coaching staff, Sabitzer and Dayot Upamecano – who agreed a deal with B…
Sunderland have completed the signing of winger Charalampos Mavrias from Panathinaikos.
Greece international Mavrias known as Charis moves to the Stadium of Light on a three-year contract, becoming manager Paolo Di Canio s 11th signing of the transfer window.
Mavrias, 19, came through the academy at Panathinaikos, establishing himself as a regular with the Athens club after making his debut as a 16-year-old in 2010.
The teenager made 70 appearances in his time at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, scoring six goals.
Capped twice by his country, Mavrias progress through the ranks has been rapid, and he will now attempt to make an impression in the English game with a Sunderland side that finished a lowly 17th in the Premier League last term.
Di Canio has mad…
Vitesse must get back to winning ways when they face AZ in the Eredivisie to avoid Ajax widening their lead at the top of the table.
Peter Bosz s side were top for seven consecutive weeks earlier in the season but draws in their last two matches have seen Ajax open up a two-point gap at the summit.
They face an AZ side who are slowly rebuilding their campaign after a poor run of form saw them slip from top to mid-table, with last weekend s 2-0 win over Groningen pushing them back up to sixth.
Vitesse, who are unbeaten 12 league matches, will be confident despite their recent dip given that AZ have not won back-to-back matches in the Eredivisie since November.
Ajax welcome Groningen to the Amsterdam Arena on Thursday and boast a proud record against the visitors, …
The Mirror understands that Sunderland have terminated the contract of defender Papy Djilobodji.
The former Chelsea man has been sacked after breaching his contract by returning to the club late following close season and failing all medical tests upon his arrival.
Record signing Didier Ndong also remains AWOL, with the Black Cats considering suing both players.
Djilobodji signed from the Blues in the summer of 2016 but made just twenty-two appearances for the North East outfit in all competitions – all but four of which coming in a disastrous Premier League campaign, where they finished bottom of the table.
He spent the majority of last season on loan with Ligue 1 side Dijon while he played just once for Chelsea when he initially arrived in Engla…