REAL MADRID star Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly been left furious at what the club are willing to pay Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea. Manchester United star De Gea is expected to sign a new Old Trafford contract, despite Real Madrid making him their No 1 choice to replace Keylor Navas at the end of the season. The Spain international has been in stunning form throughout the campaign and impressed as the club drew 0-0 against Sevilla in midweek. Real are expected to
CHELSEA are considering Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles as one of their top transfer targets this summer. Lascelles has emerged as a big character for Newcastle since joining from Nottingham Forest in 2014. The 24-year-old was made skipper in 2016 by Rafa Benitez and has grown in the role under the Spaniard. In October 2017, Lascelles committed his future to the club by signing a new long-term contract. But that hasn’t stopped a host of admirers from keeping track of his progress and reports
Borrussia Dortmund striker Michy Batshuayi said he was racially abused by Atalanta fans during the second leg of their Europa League last-32 tie on Thursday. The Belgian, who is on loan from Premier League champions Chelsea, scored two goals in the first leg and helped Dortmund secure a 1-1 draw with Atalanta in the return leg as the German side progressed to the last 16 with a 4-3 aggregate win. “2018 and still racists monkey noises in the stands ... really ?!,” Batshuayi
CHELSEA defender Cesar Azpilicueta is a “manager’s dream”, according to Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard. Azpilicueta, 28, has been a consistent figure at the back for Chelsea since joining from Marseille in 2012 and is one of the first names on Antonio Conte’s team sheet. The Spain international was named as the Premier League’s best defender by Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher in 2014 and Gerrard believes he would walk into any team. “He’s a manager’s dream,” Gerrard said. “He gets in 99 per cent
CELTIC crashed out of the Europa League in calamitous style against Zenit St Petersburg in Russia. The Hoops’ 1-0 lead from the first leg of the last-32 clash at Parkhead last week was wiped out before half an hour had been played with Brendan Rodgers’ side culpable. Returning defender Branislav Ivanovic, celebrating his 34th birthday, put Zenit in front with a header from a poorly defended corner in the eighth minute, before attacker Daler Kuzyaev fired in a long-range drive in the 27th
ARSENAL were guilty of making one big mistake against Ostersunds, according to Jack Wilshere. Arsenal lost the second leg of their Europa League last-32 tie against the Swedish outfit 2-1 at the Emirates. Despite the surprise defeat, the Gunners advanced to the next stage of the competition following a 4-2 aggregate victory. Arsene Wenger played a weakened side with one eye on Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City (4.30pm). However, the Gunners were far from their best. And Wilshere has conceded there
Barcelona have tied up their young star defender Sergi Roberto to a new deal that see the young Spaniard stay at Camp Nou till 2022. The deal also effectively puts an end to all speculations regarding a bid from Manchester United for the youngster. Sergi Roberto has emerged as one of the most promising players in the Barcelona ranks ever since been given the opportunity by Luis Enrique. Roberto, who has been at the club for 12 years now has proved to be
CHELSEA boss Antonio Conte must make one change in order to get a result against Barcelona. Chelsea held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Tuesday. Conte chose not to play a recognised striker up top, instead deploying Eden Hazard in the false number nine role. When on the break, the Blues were able to get themselves out of danger when either Pedro, Willian or Hazard got on the ball. Although the Blues largely
ANDRES INIESTA has reportedly revealed Lionel Messi stopped Barcelona from signing Isco the summer the playmaker joined Real Madrid. Isco has spent the last four-and-a-half years at the Bernabeu after joining Real from hometown club Malaga. And during that spell he’s won 12 trophies, including the La Liga title once and the Champions League on three occasions. Isco’s move to Real back in 2013 came amid interest from a host of top clubs, including Barcelona and Manchester City. The latest reports from Spain
NEYMAR will quit Real Madrid for Paris Saint-Germain if Luis Enrique is the man to replace Unai Emery this summer. At least that’s what Don Balon claim the Brazilian has told Parc des Princes chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi as pressure mounts on Emery. PSG are 12 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and are into the French Cup quarter-finals, where they’ll play Marseille. Their goal is to win the Champions League though and that desire motivated the world-record £200m purchase of Neymar last
Gianluigi Donnarumma has taken the world by storm ever since taking up duties between the posts for AC Milan at the age of **. Still only 18, the Italian international has been a favourite in the rumour columns. The youngster has been eyes favourably by some of the biggest names in football and it seems that the Milan starlet is finally ready to move away from the San Siro. The teenager had reportedly accepted an offer from Real Madrid last summer – bringing
ARSENAL legend Martin Keown admitted he was embarrassed watching his former side tonight. Arsenal headed into the Europe League last-32 second-leg against Swedish side Ostersunds 3-0 up from the first leg. However, two goals in the space of a minute gave Ostersunds a shock lead and put the Gunners’ Europa League hopes under threat. A Hosam Aiesh strike was followed by a fine finish from Ken Sema to silence a sparse Emirates crowd. Keown tore into Arsenal at half time and says they
David De Gea has time and been labelled as the best keeper in the world and his performances for Manchester United this season has been nothing but outstanding. The Spaniard is a huge reason why Manchester United are still in the top four in the Premier League and still stand a chance of qualifying for the last eight of the Champions League. And now United want to repay their faith in the goalkeeper by handing him a new contract that would make him
ARSENE WENGER admits Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a slow learner - weeks after hailing him as a ‘very complete player’. Mkhitaryan joined Arsenal from Manchester United in January, a deal that saw Alexis Sanchez move to Old Trafford. The Armenia international had fallen out of favour with his former United boss Jose Mourinho and Wenger is perhaps realising why the Portuguese was willing to offload him. Wenger has no complaints with his new signing’s work rate but clearly feels he has a long way to go to
ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger says his players failed to perform in the first half as they fell 2-0 down to Swedish minnows Ostersunds. Arsenal went into the tie with a seemingly comfortable 3-0 lead from the first leg but the Gunners conceded twice within 70 seconds in the opening 45 minutes to put the game in major doubt. However, a couple minutes after half-time, Sead Kolasinac calmed matters with an emphatic finish to dent Ostersunds' momentum.The away side remained the better team and
PAUL POGBA reckons Jose Mourinho has made him a scapegoat for Manchester United’s lacklustre displays. The France international feels he is being singled out for criticism in training and is taking the blame for some poor results and performances in recent weeks. Pogba was left shocked when Mourinho left him out of his starting line-up for Wednesday’s Champions League clash in Seville. The French superstar was soon called into action to replace Ander Herrera after the Spaniard broke down injured in the first
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Jose Mourinho gave an interesting interview on TV after their 0-0 draw against Sevilla this evening when he HUGGED BT Sport reporter Des Kelly. Manchester United were held to a goalless draw against the Spanish side in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League clash. But much of their discussion leading into the game was regarding Mourinho’s decision to bench Pogba. Express Sport reported prior to the official team news that Scott McTominay was going to be handed
EDEN HAZARD has told manager Antonio Conte that he is willing to play as a ‘false’ number nine but warned that it is not the way to get the best out of him. Chelsea’s brilliant but diminutive Belgian was once again played as an out and out striker by Conte on Tuesday night and produced a fine performance, as his side were unlucky to be held 1-1 by Barcelona at Stamford Bridge in their last-16 first leg Champions League tie. Hazard had played
WILLIAN has suddenly come out of the cold to become a key player for Antonio Conte’s Chelsea as they head into the most important month of their season. After crashing home two goals in an outstanding display during the 4-0 win against Hull City in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday, the Brazilian produced an arguably even better performance against Barcelona on Tuesday in the Champions league, as he hit the post twice and scored in the 1-1 draw. The speedy, skilful
DAVID DE GEA stunned the BT Sport pundits with an incredible first-half save against Sevilla tonight. De Gea somehow kept out a header from Sevilla striker Luis Muriel just before half time of the Champions League last-16 first-leg clash in Spain. Muriel was allowed a free header after being picked out by former Manchester City winger Jesus Navas with a cross. The striker should have scored but for David De Gea to pull off a stunning reaction save with his right hand. The Spain