AAO KHELEIN

Leeds [UK], Aug 1 (ANI): Tottenham's Juan Foyth sustained an ankle injury during his side's Audi Cup final clash against Bayern Munich on Thursday. The 21-year old, who picked up an injury in the second half, was taken off on a stretcher. However, Tottenham managed to register a victory on penalties after the score ended on 2-2 after full-time. Providing information on Foyth's injury, manager Mauricio Pochettino said the 21-year-old told him that his injury was 'very painful'. "I need to talk with the doctor now. He twisted his ankle but at the moment I cannot update. I saw when he was leaving the pitch and he said to me his ankle was very painful," Goal.com quoted Pochettino as saying. "For sure we will get an update in the next few hours or the next few days," he added. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2ZratZ0

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are among 10 nominees announced by FIFA in the run for the Best FIFA Men's Player award. Premier League side Liverpool, crowned in UEFA Champion League last season, saw Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk in the list, the Xinhua news agency reported. Other contenders for the award were Dutch hopefuls Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt, Eden Hazard, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe. For women's category, World Cup in France undoubtedly served as a big criteria. American title-winning striker Megan Rapinoe, winning Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the quadrennial tournament, was nominated alongside her national teammates Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz and Rose Lavelle. French club Lyon, treble winners in league, cup and Champions League, witnessed Lucy Bronze, Ada Hegerberg and France's internationals Amandine Henry and Wendie Renard amongst nominees. US coach Jill Ellis, the first coach to have won two Women's World Cups, will be t...

Leeds [UK], Aug 1 (ANI): Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp denied giving any concrete statement over Harry Wilson's future and said that they will have to do something which is right for both the club and the 22-year-old player. "We are in constant conversations, that's clear. We have to do the right thing for us and for the boy. There is nothing to talk about in public about it, so we will see what happens in the next eight or nine days until the window closes," Goal.com quoted Klopp as saying. Wilson has been linked with Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth during this ongoing transfer window. He scored a second-half goal in Liverpool's friendly match against Lyon on Wednesday. Liverpool registered a 3-1 victory in the match. Klopp praised Wilson and said he was happy with him in the whole pre-season. "He is obviously a really good player and I was really happy with him in the whole pre-season. He came back from Derby in a completely different ...

The 63-year-old was given an undisclosed payout for the termination of his contract three years before it was due to expire, reports Xinhua news agency. "It pains us that he is no longer Ecuador's coach," Francisco Egas, the president of the Ecuadorian Football Federation, told a news conference on Wednesday. "It's a shame because his name is important in the history of Ecuadorian football." The announcement came just over a month after Ecuador's group-stage elimination from the Copa America in Brazil, where they took just one point from three matches. Gomez took charge of La Tricolor for a second time last July after leading Panama to their first World Cup finals in Russia last summer. The 63-year-old was also Ecuador's head coach from 1999 to 2004, guiding them to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea. He also led his native Colombia to the World Cup finals in France four years earlier. via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2KfdpS8

New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): Indian women's football head coach Maymol Rocky on Wednesday said that the team's main focus is to win some games in the upcoming COTIF Cup. "The main aim for us in the COTIF Cup is to get some international matches under our belt," AIFF quoted Rocky as saying. Indian women's team will play against the likes of Guinea, Bolivia, Mauritiana, and Spain in the COTIF Cup. "We will be facing some tough teams this time, and that will really give us the match-experience that we are looking for, in order to take this team forward," she added. Although Guinea is placed at the 71st position in the FIFA women's ranking lower than India, Rocky believes that the match will be a tough game as they are a difficult opponent. "Definitely, the match against Guinea will be a tough one. African teams are always difficult to play against. They are strong; they are tough; they are speedy. That match will give us a proper estimat...

"Definitely, the match against Guinea will be a tough one. African teams are always difficult to play against. They are strong, they are tough, they are speedy," she said. "That match will give us a proper estimation of where we stand against quality opponents, and how we can play against them," Rocky added. Earlier, India had a three-week-long camp in Delhi which was overseen by Rocky, assistant coach Chaoba Devi and goalkeeping coach Rajat Guha. "We have had a good three weeks of preparation with the squad, where we have worked on a number of things to improve the overall game that we play," said Rocky, before adding: "We also have a number of new faces in the squad, and we are hoping that their improvement will go on to increase our squad strength in the future." "The main aim for us in the COTIF Cup is to get some international matches under our belt. We will be facing some tough teams this time, and that will really give us the matc...

Any person not telling the truth can be punished and "there is, indeed, an investigation against her", Albano de Paula Santos, director of the Judicial Police Department, told the media on Tuesday, reports Efe news. The Sao Paulo state civil police on June 12 also filed a complaint for slander against the model, Najila Trindade Mendes de Souza. The complaint was filed at the sixth police station in Santo Amaro, in the south of Sao Paulo, after commissioner Jose Fernando Bessa considered accusations made by the young woman during an interview with television station SBT. In the interview on the program 'Conexao Reporter,' the model accused the civil police of corruption. On Monday, the Sao Paulo Civil Police did not file criminal charges against Neymar after concluding a preliminary investigation into the model's accusation of rape by the soccer player during an alleged sexual assault on May 15 in a hotel in Paris. However, the case has not yet been dismissed,...

London [UK], July 31 (ANI): England's football club Chelsea has banned a supporter for life for hurling racial abuse at Manchester City's player Raheem Sterling. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was initially looking into the case but they recently decided not to initiate any criminal prosecution. The club then started looking in the matter and found that one fan had indeed racially abused Sterling. Sterling was abused during the match between Chelsea and Manchester City on December 8 last year. Chelsea had sought representations from the individuals concerned and they also reviewed video evidence before coming to any conclusion. "One individual has been permanently excluded from Stamford Bridge for the use of racially abusive language and threatening and aggressive behaviour. Prior to making its decision, the club noted the decision of the CPS not to charge this individual with a criminal offence. While the club respects the decision of the CPS, the question that...

Ellis was appointed in 2014 and led the team to their first World Cup victory in 16 years in 2015. Last month, US retained their title with a 2-0 win over the Netherlands. "When I accepted the head coaching position this was the time-frame I envisioned," Ellis told the US Soccer website. "The timing is right to move on and the program is positioned to remain at the pinnacle of women's soccer. Change is something I have always embraced in my life and for me and my family this is the right moment." Ellis will depart as the first coach in history to win two Women's World Cups. She currently has a record of 102 wins, seven draws and 18 defeats. At the end of 2015, Ellis was named the FIFA World Coach of the Year and Concacaf Coach of the Year for Women's Football. While she steps away from the national team, the 52-year-old will continue on with US football for at least the next year in the role of an ambassador, which will include representing the fede...

Albiceleste team director Cesar Menotti told reporters earlier this month that a verbal agreement had been reached with Scaloni to extend the terms of his contract, which had been due to expire in December. But the former Deportivo La Coruna full-back's new three and a half-year deal was only confirmed in a statement on the AFA's official website on Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency. "The AFA's executive committee decided to continue with (Scaloni) for the upcoming qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar that will begin next year," the entity said. Scaloni, 41, replaced Jorge Sampaoli after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where the Albiceleste were eliminated in the last 16 by eventual champions France. He guided Argentina to third place at this year's Copa America in Brazil. The two-time World Cup winners are due to face Chile in their next match in Los Angeles on September 5 followed by another friendly with Mexico in San Antonio five days later. v...

Leeds [UK], July 31 (ANI): Real Madrid's defender Raphael Varane has lauded his French team-mate Paul Pogba, saying the player will be a fantastic addition to any team. Varane's remarks come after wide speculation over Madrid's interest in Paul Pogba. "I think we have a team. Pogba is a good player, I know him very well. For any team he would be fantastic," Goal.com quoted Varane as saying. Madrid have had a bad start to their season, as they have already lost their four pre-season games. They were able to win just one match against Arsenal at the Intercontinental Champions Cup. However, Varane showed faith in the team and said the side would put up better performance once the season starts. "I understand that you always want to improve. We are working on that and I trust in our work. It is true that on an individual level we are making mistakes. They're not tactical, they're technical errors. This will be corrected. I think we're going to im...

Paris [France], July 30 (ANI): Idrissa Gueye has signed a four-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday which will keep the midfielder with the club until 30 June 2023. Gueye has made a move from Everton, a club he joined back in 2016. The 29-year-old made 108 appearances for Everton. The Senegalese player said he is 'immensely proud' over signing the contract at PSG. "I'm immensely proud to sign for Paris Saint-Germain. After focussing on the AFCON with Senegal, I wanted to give a new boost to my club career by joining Paris Saint-Germain, one of the most structured and ambitious sports projects in Europe," the club's official website quoted Gueye as saying. Gueye also stated that he will do everything to justify the faith shown in him by the directors and coach. "I'd like to thank the directors, the coach and his staff for the confidence they have shown in me. I will do everything to justify the faith they have shown in me and t...

<br>Speaking to IANS, Thapa said that the AIFF must look at running academies beyond the one they have wherein there are only 50-60 boys. He feels that at present there is no sense of competition among the boys.<br> <br>"If out of all our states even 15 states agree (to have an academy) then see how many boys we will have and we can also conduct competitive tournaments for them. We can bring up the boys this way. In these academies, the only thing these boys will dream about is football. If this is done, after four years coaches will find it difficult to pick players and that too in every group," he said. Thapa laments the lack of any national level planning in improving the fortunes of the game. A sensation during his playing days, Thapa recalled that India was at one point one of the top teams in Asia, but now countries from West Asia have become regional champions. <br> <br>"They have developed football in their countries, the respective...

Bruno is the second foreign signing of the Malabarians after Ugandan striker Henry Kisekka. The Brazilian, who has played for the Indian Super League sides Chennaiyin and Delhi Dynamos, has immense experience playing in India. He has played in India for three seasons and has scored seven goals. "He is a wonderful player, who can create lot of chances. It is great to see such a player in the team. He has trained along with us only for a couple of training sessions but I can see the talent in him," said Gokulam Kerala FC head coach Fernando Santiago Varela. "This year we have quality foreign recruits. Henry Kisekka and Marcus Joseph are expected to be deadly combination upfront while Andre Ettienne is a solid defender. Now we have Bruno Pelissari in the middle of the park. Along with the local talents, I think we have good squad this year," said the coach. "I have played in ISL before and I have pretty good understanding of Indian football. I think I-League wi...

Leeds [UK], July 29 (ANI): Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp lavishly praised Harvey Elliott, who made his debut on Sunday against Napoli, saying that the 16-year-old is a 'fine, fine footballer'. "He needs game time, we will see where he gets that but he is obviously a fine, fine footballer and that's why we were really interested," Goal.com quoted. Elliott played for the final 11 minutes during Liverpool's 0-3 defeat at the hands of Napoli. Klopp also said: "I could say so many positive things about the boy, we signed him, he came here, he decided for us and could have gone pretty much everywhere but he wanted to be part of Liverpool." Elliott was just 16 years and 30 days when he was introduced as a substitute for Fulham against Wolves last season, making him the youngest player in the Premier League. "The stories with the boy start early and already he is the youngest ever Premier League player and has broken quite a few records because o...

Leeds [UK], July 29 (ANI): Ahead of the FA Cup match against Manchester City this coming week, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that the Premier League 2018-19 season became a two-horse race between Manchester City and Liverpool. City were able to win the Premier League 208/19 as they edged out Liverpool by just one point after completion of 38 group games. City finished with 98 points whereas Liverpool finished with 97. "It became a two-horse race last year, but unfortunately there are too many good clubs in this competition. I think even City see it like this. They are the big favourite, and all the others try to beat them - and we are one of these teams. At least we should give it a try, but we have to play better football, and we will play better football, I know," Goal.com quoted Klopp as saying. The Champions League winners Liverpool suffered a 3-0 loss to Napoli in a friendly match ahead of the 2019-20 season, but the team were without their star players suc...

Leeds [UK], July 28 (ANI): Vissel Kobe's Andres Iniesta said he has 'no regrets' over making a move from Barcelona to the J1 League side. "No, no regrets. It's a very strong word to label it as that. I've always said it. If I had felt the desire or the strength to continue playing in Barcelona I would've loved to come here a year later playing for Barca against Vissel, but my moment ended," Goal.com quoted Iniesta, as saying. Iniesta played against his former club Barcelona in a friendly on Saturday. Barcelona won the match by 2-0 as Carles Perez scored twice in the game. Iniesta also stated: "Now, I'm in another place enjoying it in another way. I enjoyed the game, seeing my team-mates, it makes me very happy and I have a nice memory of it." Although admitting that he enjoyed playing against Barcelona, Iniesta said it was a 'bit strange' to face his ex-teammates. "It has been a bit strange. Instead of having them as pa...

Leeds [UK], July 27 (ANI): After witnessing a 7-3 defeat against Atletico Madrid on Saturday, Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos admitted he is frustrated with the 'very poor result' and urged players to work hard to reach levels they aspire to. "We're obviously not feeling great right now. This has only just begun, they're preparation games to get us up to the top level. There are many ways in which to lose, but we can't be doing it like we did today," Goal.com quoted Ramos as saying. "We played the game like a friendly, it's a big margin and we head away frustrated. It's a very poor result and we have to try and reach the levels we aspire to," he added. Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa scored four goals in the match and his club had a 5-0 lead after the conclusion of the first half. Despite a massive defeat, Ramos said that it is 'far too soon' to draw conclusions as it is still pre-season campaign. "We have to forget ...

Leeds [UK], July 27 (ANI): After Real Madrid faced an embarrassing 3-7 defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the International Champions Cup on Saturday, manager Zinedine Zidane said that his team 'lacked everything'. "What happened is that we entered the game very badly. A high-level competition, we entered very badly. At eight minutes we were down 2-0. There was no response from us to change something. The first part was difficult. We never entered the game. We have lacked everything. Especially intensity," Goal.com quoted Zidane as saying. Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa scored four goals in the match and his club had a 5-0 lead after the conclusion of the first half. "They scored seven goals, it can't happen. That is also known to the players, who are disappointed. You don't have to spin it over. It's a pre-season game. They've been better at everything. There is nothing more to talk about," he said. "We are preparing a se...

New Delhi [India], July 27 (ANI): After escaping an attack by bikers armed with knives in an attempted carjacking, German footballer Mesut Ozil said he's "doing well". "@seadk6, my wife Amine and me are doing well again after yesterday's incident in London. Thanks for all your supporting messages guys. #M1O," Ozil tweeted. The 30-year-old Arsenal club footballer was chased in Golders Green, North London when the gang surrounded his black jeep around 5 p.m. (local time) on Thursday, Anadolu Agency had reported. Ozil was with his teammate Sead Kolasinac when the incident took place. Leaving his car behind, Ozil ran into a Turkish restaurant fearing for his life after Kolasinac attempted to take on one of the assailants. Waiters and chefs from the Likya restaurant rushed to the aid of the football stars, forcing the gang to flee empty-handed. An Arsenal spokesperson had confirmed that the players were involved in an attempted carjacking, saying, "W...

Leeds [UK], July 27 (ANI): Manchester United winger Daniel James said he is mentally prepared and is not concerned about getting 'rough treatment' as he is used to it. "If you watch any of my games from last season, I think it's going to happen to me every game. I got some rough treatment against Spurs, but it's literally every game. I'm used to it. It's just about getting back up and getting on with it," Goal.com quoted James as saying. "Being a winger, I'm always going to get fouled, but it's just about how you get on with it. I don't let it get in my head and just keep going," he added. The 21-year-old was exposed to some brutal tackles by Tottenham's Moussa Sissoko in Thursday's clash, which the latter ended up losing 1-2. "The Sissoko one, I've nipped in just before and he's fouled me at the edge of the box in a good position. Part of my game is about winning those fouls and getting in good positions...

Leeds [UK], July 27 (ANI): Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo did not feature in the team during Friday's exhibition match against Team K League in Seoul due to fatigue, confirmed manager Maurizio Sarri. "We gave room to some of the younger figures who were ready to step up. Ronaldo was very tired, so we decided to rest him," Goal.com quoted Sarri as saying. The match ended in a 3-3 draw and Sarri stated that the decision of not including the 34-year-old was taken by him after consulting Ronaldo and club's manager Andrea Agnelli. "Ronaldo was expected to play, but he was not 100 per cent fit due to muscle fatigue. I spoke with Andrea and Ronaldo before the match and we concluded that it would be best for him to rest," he said. Ronaldo scored one goal each against Tottenham and Inter Milan, while Juventus' two goals out of three were scored by Ronaldo prior to Friday's clash. Juventus will now compete against Atletico Madrid on August 10. (ANI) ...

New Jersey [USA}, July 27 (ANI): Atletico Madrid defeated Real Madrid 7-3 in the International Champions Cup on Friday (local time) at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. With this win, Atletico Madrid have moved to the fifth spot in tournament standings whereas Real Madrid are placed ninth. Diego Costa scored four goals for Atletico Madrid, whereas Joao Felix, Angel Correa and Vitolo registered one goal each for the team. For Real Madrid, Nacho, Karim Benzema and Javier Hernandez Carrera scored one goal each. Costa, who went on to register four goals, was also sent off the field, as he was handed a red card in the 65th minute of the match alongside Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal. Costa opened the scoring for Atletico Madrid as he registered a goal in the opening minute of the match. Seven minutes later, Felix netted the ball to give Atletico Madrid 2-0 lead in the eighth minute. Correa scored in the 19th minute, and Costa went on to add two more goals to his name before the hal...

New Delhi [India], July 26 (ANI): After suffering a serious knee injury, Real Madrid's midfielder Marco Asensio on Friday wrote an emotional message on Twitter thanking his fans for all their support. Asensio suffered a knee injury in the team's match against Arsenal in the International Champions Cup and the player is likely to miss six to nine months of footballing action. In one of the tweets Asensio wrote, "I began this season with renewed hopes, looking after even the last tiny detail of my preparation so that this would be a great season for all the Madrid fans and for myself". "At the highest points in life, you can have an unexpected stroke of bad luck and suddenly everything changes. It is hard to accept everything these days, but I begin another personal challenge in my life. I still trust that this will be a great season," he wrote in another tweet. "Your messages of support and loving gestures give me even more strength to face this c...

Leeds [UK], July 26 (ANI): Vissel Kobe's Andres Iniesta is certain that his former Barcelona team-mate Ivan Rakitic wants to stay with Barcelona amid links with Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and Manchester United. "I don't know if he is untransferable, but I know he is happy and wants to stay at Barca. I hope he can [stay at the club] and continue to perform as before. I would be happy for him," Goal.com quoted Iniesta as saying. Rakitic is contracted with the club until June 2021 and has made 268 appearances for the club. Paris Saint-Germain is looking to sell Neymar and the Brazilian is rumoured to be linked with his previous club Barcelona. Neymar has scored 105 goals in 186 appearances for the Blaugrana and has netted 51 goals in 58 games for his current club. Iniesta praised the 27-year-old and called him 'one of the best'. "I have said it many times, for me, as a player, he is one of the best there is. If his signing is going well or badly, that ...

London [England], July 26 (ANI): England's football club Arsenal FC have confirmed signing French defender William Saliba. The player will be joining the team from Ligue 1 club Saint-Etienne. As part of the deal between the player and club, Saliba will be returning to the Ligue 1 side next season on loan before heading to Arsenal in 2020. "We're delighted William is joining us. Many teams wanted him but he decided he wanted to come to us and be part of our future. He will stay in France next season for more experience and then we look forward to him joining our group," head coach of Arsenal Unai Emery said in an official statement. The 18-year-old Saliba signed his first contract at the age of 17. He made his professional debut for Saint-Etienne in 2018. The player was recently named in France's under 20-squad. "Well, first of all, it's a massive pleasure to sign for a really, really big English club. This is the biggest club in England for me, so i...

The Indian football team moved down by two places to 103 in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday. In the recently held Intercontinental Cup, India failed to register even a single win as they lost to Tajikistan (2-4) and DPR Korea (2-5) before playing out a 1-1 draw against Syria in their last game of the competition. The dismal performance resulted in loss of five points for Sunil Chhetri's men. In April, India had jumped to 101. Before that, the Blue Tigers had dropped six spots to 103 in the February edition after ending last year on 97. Meanwhile, India have been clubbed in Group E alongside Bangladesh, Oman, Afghanistan and hosts in second round of Asian qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar. The matches in the second round will be played from September 5 to June 9, 2020. The group winners and four best runners-up (12 teams in total) will advance to the third round of Asian World Cup qualifiers. At the top of the rankings, Belgium continue t...

Leeds [UK], July 25 (ANI): Ademola Lookman has made a move from Everton to RB Leipzig as he signed a five-year contract with the club on Thursday. Lookman expressed happiness over joining the club again. "I am very happy to be back here and would like to continue where I left off in the second half of 2018 for RB Leipzig. Of course, I am also looking forward to seeing my team-mates again and would like to help the team to continue to celebrate great successes," Goal.com quoted Lookman as saying. "Finally I can play again in the Red Bull Arena in front of this great backdrop and the fans. And last but not least, I would like to thank God, the fans and RB Leipzig for making my move possible," he added. The club's sporting director Markus Krosche said that they worked hard to get Lookman. "We are very pleased as we have worked hard to get Ademola Lookman. It was a long process altogether, mainly because we would have liked to have him come last summer. B...

Leeds [UK], July 25 (ANI): Chelsea's Jorginho said that the club's former manager, Maurizio Sarri, who brought the midfielder to the club, was not his friend but his manager. Frank Lampard has now taken over as Chelsea's manager while Sarri is now managing Juventus. Jorginho said he feels like it is "another time in his life" and is looking forward to it. "He was my manager, he wasn't my friend. We worked together for four years but now it is another time and another page. Another time in my life. I look forward to that now," Goal.com quoted Jorginho as saying. Jorginho also expressed his happiness over being a part of Chelsea and said he was optimistic about the future. "I left him but I stayed here and I look to work for our team now, at Chelsea. I have a four-year contract. I am very happy in London and to be at Chelsea. I hope to be here for a long time.... I think we can achieve many good things." (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift...

Leeds [UK], July 24 (ANI): Real Madrid star midfielder Marco Asensio's knee injury is worrisome, said coach Zinedine Zidane on Wednesday. Asensio sustained an injury during the match against Arsenal at International Cup. "It's worrisome. Hopefully not, but he's gone directly to the hospital to test. It looks bad," Goal.com quoted Zidane as saying. The 23-year-old Asensio suffered a knee injury during a challenge with Arsenal's star Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang around the hour mark. Real Madrid defeated Arsenal 3-2 on penalties at the FedEx Field in Maryland. Alexandre Lacazette and Aubameyang had registered goals in the 10th and 24th minutes, giving Arsenal an early 2-0 lead over Madrid. Real Madrid were not able to achieve an equaliser in the first half and at half-time, the scoreline read 2-0 in favour of Arsenal. The first half was full of drama as Madrid's Nacho and Arsenal's Sokratis Papastathapoulos received red cards in the 9th and 40th minut...

Maryland [USA], July 24 (ANI): After Gareth Bale produced a match-winning performance against Arsenal in the International Champions Cup, Real Madrid's head coach Zinedine Zidane said nothing has changed for Bale at the club. Zidane's remarks come after his earlier statement that "Bale should leave the club as soon as possible". "He is with us and we will continue working. We play well 10 against 11 and better 10 against 10. I don't know what will happen. He wanted to play and the other day no," Goal.com quoted Zidane as saying. "I haven't talked to him. He has trained normally and that's why he played. Nothing has changed, you know what the situation is like," he added. Real Madrid defeated Arsenal 3-2 in penalties on Tuesday. After 90 minutes of play, the scoreline was tied at 2-2. Madrid was trailing Arsenal 0-2 at half time, and in the second half, Zidane introduced Bale and he did not disappoint as he registered a goal in the...

Maryland [USA], July 24 (ANI): Real Madrid defeated Arsenal 3-2 on penalties in the International Champions Cup on Tuesday at FedEx Field in Maryland. Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had registered goals in the 10th and 24th minutes, giving Arsenal an early 2-0 lead over Madrid. Real Madrid were not able to achieve an equaliser in the first half and at half-time, the scoreline read 2-0 in favour of Arsenal. The first half was full of drama as Madrid's Nacho and Arsenal's Sokratis Papastathapoulos received red cards in the 9th and 40th minutes respectively. Madrid's coach Zinedine Zidane introduced Gareth Bale after half-time, and the player did not disappoint as he registered a goal in the 56th minute of the match. Marco Asensio also registered a goal for the team in the 59th minute to bring the scoreline at 2-2. No other goals were possible in the second half, and the match went to the penalty shootout. Madrid defeated Arsenal 3-2 in penalties. Vini...

Leeds [UK], July 23 (ANI): Former Arsenal player Ray Parlour heaped praise on Manchester City and Liverpool stating that both the clubs are very good in the current era. Arsenal had an impeccable 2003-2004 campaign as they finished that season unbeaten in the Premier League. Parlour played 12 leagues matches and 26 games in total in all competitions during that campaign. "It's different eras. We were very good in our era and obviously, Manchester City and Liverpool are very good in this current era," Goal.com quoted Parlour as saying. Manchester City lifted the Premier League title in the last season while Liverpool stood at the second spot with 97 points, just one point behind the toppers. "People ask me all the time: 'Would you beat Man City?' Who knows? We had a very strong team, a powerful team, but Man City have been a different class. Liverpool showed how good they are. To finish on 97 points, lose one game and not win a title is amazing really,...

Leeds [UK], July 23 (ANI): It is 'painful' to see Argentina player Lionel Messi's career progressing without clinching a title with the national team, says Al Ahly coach Martin Lasarte. "It is painful to see Messi's career going on without titles with Argentina," Goal.com quoted Lasarte as saying. Recently, Argentina faced a semi-final exit in the Copa America at the hands of Brazil, who later won the tournament. Lasarte also said that Barcelona star should not be blamed as he is just a human. "Often Messi has been excessively blamed but he is a human. Both in Argentina and with Barcelona, I have the feeling he is surrounded, maybe badly surrounded," Goal.com further quoted Lasarte as saying. Messi, on numerous occasions, is compared with former Argentina player Diego Maradona. However, Lasarte feels the comparison between both is terrible. "The comparison with Maradona is terrible. It must be hard to be compared to him," he said. (A...

Portugal star striker Cristiano Ronaldo will not face rape charges, US prosecutors have announced. The Juventus and Portugal forward had been accused by Kathryn Mayorga of sexual assault in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009. However, Las Vegas prosecutors said that the claims could not "be proven beyond reasonable doubt", reports Xinhua news agency. Mayorga claimed to have reached an out of court settlement with the star in 2010, and revealed that she had chosen to speak out against Ronaldo after being inspired by the #MeToo movement. The settlement, which compelled Mayorga to anonymity, involved a payment of USD 375,000. Vegas police began investigating the allegation in August 2018 at the request of Mayorga, but decided to drop the investigation "upon a review of information at this time." via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2Odto8f

Sevilla [Spain], July 23 (ANI): Nabil Fekir on Tuesday completed formalities to move from Lyon to Real Betis after he had signed a four-year contract with the club. Fekir is Real Betis' fourth signing for the upcoming season. "Real Betis Balompie and Olympique Lyonnais have reached an agreement for the transfer of midfielder Nabil Fekir. The French international has signed a contract until 2023 with the Green and White club. In this way, Fekir becomes the fourth team signing for the season 2019/2020," the club said in a statement. Fekir started his career in the academy at Olympique Lyonnais, while made his debut with the first team on August 28, 2013. Moreover, the French international was part of the team when they won the Russia 2018 World Cup. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2M2RfFb

Leeds [UK], July 22 (ANI): Former Arsenal player Ray Parlour has said that the young players should put in efforts during the pre-season and grab the given opportunities. During Arsenal's pre-season matches, young players like Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Bukayo Saka stole the limelight as the club defeated Colorado Rapids, Bayern Munich, and Fiorentina during their US tour. "It's so important for these young players to get an opportunity. The older of the younger generation, Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock, will get that opportunity to get into the first team. Saka, who played on the left-wing, has been very good. These guys have to put the effort in this pre-season, improve and try and show the manager that we can rely on you to go forward," Goal.com quoted Parlour, as saying. However, Parlour expressed his disappointment with the last season but is staying positive for the upcoming season. "I was disappointed with the last season, but you have to move on and b...

Leeds [UK], July 22 (ANI): Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko said that the unexpected departure of Vincent Kompany from the club made him cry. "I was crying because nobody was expecting that. But that's football, nobody knows what could happen," Goal.com quoted Zinchenko as saying. Kompany made a move to Anderlecht but Zinchenko said that he would like to stay in touch with the 33-year-old. "I would like to stay in touch with him. For me he is absolutely a life legend. I am so lucky. Last season he was helping me a lot. Outside the pitch, inside the pitch, about this position. I remember a few times he took me after some training sessions, he was working with me around 40 minutes or something to try and help me," he said. Last month, Zinchenko signed a contract extension at Manchester City. Zinchenko expressed his happiness over the contract extension as he said: "That's a massive dream, to be part of the squad, to be part of this huge fam...

The Indian football team has been clubbed in Group E alongside Bangladesh, Oman, Afghanistan and hosts Qatar for the second round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 34 top-ranked Asian sides as per the FIFA world rankings for June are joined in the second round by the six winners (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guam, Malaysia, Mongolia and Sri Lanka) of the Round 1 ties. The competing nations were drawn into eight groups of five teams, with a side from each of the below pots (also determined by June's FIFA rankings) making up the five-team pools. The matches in the second round will be played from September 5 to June 9, 2020. The group winners and four best runners-up (12 teams in total) will advance to the third round of Asian World Cup qualifiers. The group stage will be played in a double round-robin format where all teams will face each other twice in home and away conditions. India are likely to face some tough competition from hosts Qatar, given their impre...

Ahmedabad (Gujrat) [India], July 15 (ANI): In the fifth match of the ongoing Intercontinental Cup, DPR Korea defeated Tajikistan 1-0 here at EKA Arena on Monday. By the end of the full time, Ri Jin's goal in the 33rd minute was a solitary goal in the whole game. DPR Korea started finding space in Tajikistan's defence from the initial minutes of the game. In the 33rd minute, Ri Jin latches onto a low cross from the right flank and his first-time shot went into the back of the net to give DPR Korea the lead. The half-time scoreline read as 1-0, and DPR Korea had the lead of a single goal. Tajikistan tried to minimise their deficit, but DPR Korea tested their custodian with good chances, although failed to make the most of them. Tajikistan dominated in the possession but failed to score an equaliser and lost the match to DPR Korea, as the full-time ended at 1-0. After DRP Korea's win, India's hope to make it to the final is dashed as Tajikistan and DPR Korea finish ...

Turin [Italy], July 15 (ANI): Juventus' new signing Aaron Ramsey said that he had no second thoughts regarding where he wants to play after he heard that the club was interested in him. "When I heard that Juventus were interested in me, I thought it would be a dream to come here, as well as a great challenge. You can't turn down this opportunity. This is the right club for me. I hope to be a part of the history," the club's official website quoted Ramsey as saying. Ramsey said that he wants to have an impact on the game and will try his level best to achieve targets. "A player like me - I want to have an effect on the game be it a goal or an assist. I will be trying to create and score as much as I can next season in order to achieve our targets. When I go into full training, I like to know what the coach wants. I am looking forward to it, there is a lot of competition for places and I am ready to challenge to get into the team," he said. Ramsey als...

London [UK], July 15 (ANI): Chelsea on Monday confirmed that Mason Mount has agreed on a new five-year contract with the club ahead of travelling with the squad on their pre-season trip to Japan. Mount has been at Chelsea since he was six and signed at the Under-8 age group. The 20-year old expressed joy, saying that it is a 'massively proud' moment for him. "It's a massively proud moment for myself and my family. I joined this club at six years old and it was always my goal to play for the first team one day," the club's official website quoted Mount as saying. "I'm really looking forward to the coming season now and working hard to have an impact here at Chelsea. I've been at the club for a long time already and hopefully I'll stay for a long time to come." Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia called Mount a 'fantastic talent' and 'dedicated individual'. "Mason has come right the way through the Chelsea Academy...

Leeds [UK], July 15 (ANI): Mohun Bagan coach Kibu Vicuna has expressed his satisfaction over the club's performance in the pre-season friendlies in Goa. The club has played two matches and triumphed in both. Mohun Bagan claimed their first victory against Salgaocar FC 4-2 on Saturday followed by a win over Sesa FA 2-0 on Sunday. "I'm happy with the performance of the team in both the games. I think we played better with the ball (against Salgaocar). I think we had many chances in the two games," Goal.com quoted Vicuna as saying. Moreover, the 47-year old said that they committed too many mistakes against Sesa in the first half but bettered themselves in the second half. "I think we played better in the second half (against Sesa) not only because we scored the goal. Subu (Surabuddin Mallick) had three good chances," he said. "We committed too many mistakes in the midfield line in the first half. The second half was better. We controlled the game. W...

London [UK], July 14 (ANI): Tottenham's Erik Lamela eulogised his team-mate and compatriot Juan Foyth for the performance the latter delivered in the recently concluded Copa America. "He's a young player who always wants to train hard and play. He always shows very good character and I'm so happy for him - what a way to finish the season!," the club's official website quoted Lamela as saying. Argentina finished on the third place in the tournament while the hosts Brazil clinched the title. Lamela said the 21-year-old is developing and will always help him as much as he can. "It's important for him. He's young and developing well. He still has a lot of time. I'm so happy for him and will always try to help him as much as I can," he said. Lamela further added: "To be there, the pressure is big in Argentina. The team always has to win. Juan has a big character and I believe in him. He is a player who is always confident, I can see...

Leeds [UK], July 14 (ANI): Amid Neymar's transfer speculations, former Brazil boss Dunga said that Paris Saint-Germain player should join a club where he is going to be happy. "It's important that he chooses where he's going to be happy, where he will enjoy playing," Goal.com quoted Dunga as saying. Dunga is hoping that Neymar will demonstrate his full potential in the next season. "People don't understand that the Brazilian player is different from the European one. We like to play, to have fun, otherwise we get tense, sad... I hope that next season he can give us a lot of joy and demonstrate his full potential. It's up to him," he said. "Dunga further added: "He has many qualities, technical quality. He does everything a player needs to do and has matured a lot. He wins fouls now and he likes more to score, and not only to dribble. I think he's in a good moment." (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2Sds7fT

Valencia [Spain], July 14 (ANI): Valencia on Sunday confirmed that Maxi Gomez has made a move to the club after he signed a deal which will keep him with Valencia until June 2024. "Valencia CF have reached an agreement with Real Club Celta de Vigo for the transfer of Uruguayan international striker Maxi Gomez, who has signed his contract as a new Valencia CF player until June 2024, with a buyout clause of 140 million euros," the club said in a statement. Uruguayan striker said he is happy "to be joining Valencia" and is aiming to give all for the club. "I'm very happy to be joining Valencia CF. They're a very big club, I'm happy to be here and it's a good move for my family as well. For them to show confidence in a player is a big thing. I hope to be able to give my all for Valencia CF, and that everything goes well," the club's official website quoted Gomez as saying. Gomez also said that he always dreamt of playing in Champions L...

Leeds [UK], July 14 (ANI): Amid transfer rumours from Paris Saint-Germain to the previous club Barcelona, Neymar said that defeating PSG during his time in Barcelona was the best feeling for him. "When we won against PSG with Barcelona it was completely... we all went crazy afterwards. I believe it was the best feeling for all of us. The 'Remontada' against Paris, what we felt when we scored the sixth goal... I have never felt anything like this. It was incredible!" Goal.com quoted Neymar as saying. The match took place back in 2017 when Neymar was with Barcelona and netted two goals to help his side thrash PSG by 6-1. Neymar's first goal came via stunning free kick in the 88th minutes followed by a penalty in the 91st minute. Apart from Neymar, it was Luis Suarez Layvin Kurzawa, Lionel Messi and Sergi Roberto who scored a goal. Whereas from the PSG side, only Edinson Cavani managed to score a goal and consequently, PSG faced a 1-6 defeat. (ANI) via Sify.c...

Barcelona [Spain], July 14 (ANI): Spanish football club FC Barcelona's newest signee Antione Griezmann on Sunday said he's looking forward to seeing what Argentine Lionel Messi is like on a day to day basis in training. "I am looking forward to seeing what Messi's like on a day-to-day basis in training. I am really looking forward to working with my new teammates and with the boss, and playing at Camp Nou and hopefully winning a lot of things," Barcelona's official website quoted Griezmann as saying. Barcelona on Friday had confirmed the signing of Griezmann from Atletico de Madrid. The player would be representing the club for the next five years. The centre-forward said that he is pretty excited to represent Barcelona for the next five years. "Barcelona is a big club and I hope to help it continue to be big or make it even bigger. I'm very happy. I'm very excited and am looking forward to working with the squad and meeting my new team-mates,...

Leeds [UK], July 13 (ANI): Inter Milan's captain Samir Handanovic is elated over the fact that Gabriele Oriali has joined the club as team manager as he said that Oriali is the link between the club and squad. "We are happy that Lele Oriali has returned as team manager, because he is the link between the club and squad, he sees everything," Goal.com quoted Handanovic as saying. Mauro Icardi was removed from Inter captaincy last season amid conflicting views of an apparent knee injury and also because of the internal disagreements with the club's hierarchy. Whereas, Radja Nainggolan was suspended by the club. Handanovic appeared to slam both Icardi and Nainggolan indirectly as he said: "He (Oriali) is here because we want to get back to having the values that were lost over the years. Players have duties towards the club too, they can't just think they are allowed to do anything because they are talented." The club will be guided by new coach Antonio...

Madrid [Spain], July 12 (ANI): Real Madrid on Friday announced that their manager Zinedine Zidane has left the pre-season training camp in Montreal because of personal reasons. "Our manager, Zinedine Zidane, has left the pre-season training camp in Montreal for personal reasons," the club said in a statement. However, the club did not confirm the time for which Zidane will be absent. Today was the club's third day of training in Canada and will face Bayern Munich in their pre-season opener in Houston on July 20 in the International Champions Cup. The statement also stated that until Zidane makes a return, assistant coach David Bettoni will lead the sessions. "Until he returns, sessions will be led by assistant coach David Bettoni," the statement read. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2lbuEeh

Madrid [Spain], July 12 (ANI): Soon after France's Antoine Griezmann made a move to Barcelona, his previous club Atletico de Madrid released a statement saying that the deposited amount is insufficient to cover his buyout clause. The player will be signing a new contract with Barcelona for the next five seasons up to June 2024. "Antoine Griezmann, represented by his lawyer, has appeared at the headquarters of the Professional Football League to unilaterally terminate the contract that links the player with Atletico de Madrid, with Futbol Club Barcelona having deposited the sum of 120 million euros in the name and on behalf of the footballer," Atletico de Madrid said in a statement. "Atletico de Madrid considers that the deposited amount is insufficient to cover his buyout clause, since it is obvious that the agreement between the player and FC Barcelona was closed before the clause was reduced from EUR 200 million to EUR 120 million. It was also prior to the date...

Barcelona [Spain], July 12 (ANI): Spanish football club FC Barcelona on Friday confirmed the signing of France's forward Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid. The player will be signing a new contract with the club for the next five seasons up to June 2024. "FC Barcelona has paid the 120 million euro buyout clause to release Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid. The player will sign a contract with his new club for the next five seasons, through to 30 June 2024, with a buyout clause of 800 million euros," the club said in an official statement. Griezmann began his senior football career as a member of Spanish team Real Sociedad in 2009, and he finally departed five seasons later to join Atletico Madrid. The striker was part of the Atletico Madrid's squad that finished as the runners-up in the Champions League in 2016. In the same year, he finished amongst the top three in the battle for the Ballon d'Or. He was also named La Liga Best Player in 2016. He w...

New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): Peter Crouch, former England, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspurs striker on Friday announced his retirement from football at the age of 38. Crouch took to his Twitter account to announce his retirement. In one tweet, Crouch wrote: "After a lot of deliberation this summer, I have decided to retire from football! Our wonderful game has given me everything. I'm so thankful to everyone who helped me get there and to help me stay there for so long". "If you told me at 17 I'd play in World Cups, get to a champions league final, win the FA cup and get 100 @premierleague goals I would have avoided you at all costs. It's been an absolute dream come true," he added. Crouch represented England in Two World Cups, in 2006 and 2010. He spent most of his playing days in the Premier League as he featured for Liverpool and Tottenham. The 38-year-old joined Tottenham in 1998 although he left two years later and then he returned to t...