The Italian Football Federation (Figc) has announced the 12 cities involved in its bid to stage the 2016 European Championships.

Figc, which also unveiled the official logo for its candidacy, said the cities are Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Rome, Turin, Udine and Verona.

Italy has not hosted a major football tournament since the World Cup in 1990, when West Germany emerged victorious.

Many new stadiums were built for that tournament and others remodelled but most of those have since fallen into disrepair and decline.

The 2016 European Championships could represent an historic opportunity to transform the quality, security and welcome in Italian stadiums and will continue the project of cultural renewal of our footbal…

Matheus Cunha insists he is very happy at Wolves amid speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United.

The 25-year-old, who is contracted at Molineux until 2027, is reportedly the subject of a £60 million bid by the Red Devils.

Cunha arrived from Atletico Madrid following an initial loan deal in January 2023 and, despite injury struggles, chipped in with 12 goals and seven assists for Wolves during the 2023-24 season.

The Brazilian, who was left out of the Selecao s Copa America squad, endeared himself to the Molineux faithful with a hat-trick against Chelsea, while he also netted in the FA Cup win against local rivals West Bromwich Albion.

Cunha has returned to his native Brazil for a post-season holiday, and was questioned about his future whi…

Sofyan Amrabat wants to continue at Manchester United next season, according to . Amrabat spent the 2023-24 campaign on loan at United from Fiorentina, and the Morocco international defensive midfielder is keen on staying at Old Trafford.

United do not want to sign Amrabat on a permanent deal. The former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners, though, are open to keeping the 27-year-old on a loan deal. Juventus have been interested in the midfielder in the past. TuttoJuve has added that Fiorentina are in talks with Galatasaray over a deal for Amrabat.

Amrabat had a disappointing campaign for United last season. The 27-year-old defensive midfielder made 10 starts and 11 substitute appearances in the Premier League for the Red Devils last season. He also played …

Emiliano Martinez hailed Lionel Messi for making everything easier after the forward ignited Argentina s World Cup campaign with a goal and an assist against Mexico.

Argentina battled to a 2-0 win in Saturday s Group C contest to avoid an early exit from Qatar 2022 and keep their hopes of both progressing and finishing top in their own hands.

Messi made a breakthrough with a long-range strike after 64 minutes in a game that had been low on quality up until then, before assisting Enzo Fernandez for his side s second.

That goal was Messi s fourth World Cup goal from outside the box – only former Brazil attacker Rivellino (five) can better that tally since such records were first recorded in 1966.

He has also now scored in six successive appearances for A…

Ecuador believe they can hurt the Netherlands as they look to take a huge step towards the knockout rounds by springing another World Cup surprise.

The South American side cruised to victory over hosts Qatar in the tournament opener last Sunday.

A double from Enner Valencia secured a 2-0 win, giving Ecuador the chance to triumph in their opening two matches of a World Cup for the first time since 2006.

Yet their record against European nations suggests that will be a difficult challenge.

Indeed, Ecuador are winless in their last four World Cup games against European sides (D1 L3), scoring just once across those four matches.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last eight World Cup matches against South American sides (W5 D3), since a…

Belgium have lost form at a terrible time at the World Cup, with their place in the last 16 at risk against Croatia, but Eden Hazard still believes in their quality.

The Red Devils were out of sorts in beating Canada 1-0 and were duly punished in their second match against Morocco, losing 2-0.

That defeat ended a 13-game unbeaten run in group-stage games at the finals, although they have not lost consecutive such matches since a sequence of three in a row across the 1982 and 1986 tournaments.

Another reverse against Croatia – who impressed in crushing Canada – would see them eliminated, while a draw may not be enough either.

We have to do better, we cannot deliver the performance we want [right now], said captain Hazard, who also skippered Belgium to…

Karim Benzema would have loved to play alongside Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid, but insists the forwards decision to stay at Paris Saint-Germain will not affect their friendship.

Mbappe was widely expected to move to the Santiago Bernabeu at the end of his contract in Paris, but he conducted a late U-turn last week and chose to sign a new three-year contract with the Ligue 1 champions.

But Madrid showed they have the firepower to cope without the 2018 World Cup winner as they beat Liverpool 1-0 in Saturday s Champions League final, with Vinicius Junior scoring the only goal of the game.

Benzema played a key role during Madrid s 14th European triumph, scoring 15 Champions League goals this season to fall just two strikes short of Cristiano Ronaldo s single-season r…

Erik ten Hag is still convinced Antony can make a success of his time with Manchester United after an underwhelming first two seasons at Old Trafford.

Antony joined United in an £85million (€100m) deal in 2022, reuniting with Ten Hag after playing under him at Ajax.

He has struggled to live up to expectations since arriving in England, only managing five goals and three assists in 54 Premier League appearances.

Ten Hag, however, has refuted suggestions he convinced United to pay over the odds for a player he knew well from his time in the Eredivisie.

The Dutchman also remains convinced the Brazilian will come good as he approaches his third season with the Red Devils.

Boss

— Manchester United (@ManUtd)

Speaking to AD Sportw…

Carlos Tevez has confirmed his retirement from football at the age of 38, citing the death of his father as the reason why he turned down offers to continue playing.

Tevez enjoyed a glittering career, particularly in England where he played for both Manchester United and Manchester City.

As well as three separate spells at boyhood club Boca Juniors, he also spent time at Corinthians, West Ham United, Juventus and Shanghai Shenhua.

Tevez played his final game for Boca Juniors in 2021 before saying goodbye, though at the time he left the door open for a move to another team.

Pueblo xeneixe no tengo palabras para agradecer tanto cariño, no sé si lo merezca, pero lo q si se es q mi sangre no en roja, mi sangre siempre va hacer azul y amarilla !!! 
Hasta p…

Bournemouth boss Scott Parker said his team s performance was unacceptable after they fell to a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Cherries, back in the top flight after promotion from the Championship last term, were dominated in their own back yard by a freewheeling showing from Mikel Arteta s side.

The hosts were so off the pace of their opponents that they failed to register a single shot or touch in the opposition penalty area during the first half, just the second time a home side has blanked in such a way since 2008-09 in the Premier League.

That first such occasion saw Bournemouth as the lacklustre team involved too, before Parker s time, against Manchester City in 2019.

Former Fulham boss Parker was stinging in hi…