Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona regained the title in LaLiga with a pulsating 4-2 win against Deportivo La Coruna, who were relegated.
The runaway leaders headed into Sunday s fixture at the Riazor knowing a point would be enough to win a seventh title in the past 10 seasons and the 25th in their history.
A routine victory looked on the cards from the moment Philippe Coutinho finished Ousmane Dembele s pass, and Messi scored a 30th league goal of the campaign from Luis Suarez s sensational assist to double the lead.
But Depor, who had to win to avoid going down, made a real contest of it.
Lucas Perez deservedly cut the deficit before the break and Emre Colak finished a fine team move to level in the 64th minute.
Ultimately, though, De…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic would add determination and character to a beleaguered Milan side who suffered their worst Serie A defeat in over 21 years against Atalanta, says Stefano Pioli.
The Rossoneri were embarrassed in Bergamo on Sunday with Josip Ilicic s double and goals from Alejandro Gomez, Mario Pasalic and Luis Muriel consigning them to a 5-0 defeat – not since May 1998 against Roma had they lost by five goals.
Ex-Milan striker Ibrahimovic has long been linked with a return and, although Pioli insists a deal for the veteran striker remains in the hands of the club s hierarchy, the head coach acknowledged the qualities he would add to his squad.
These are questions for the club owners, he told DAZN when asked about Ibrahimovic, who is a free agent.
…
Manuel Neuer has been included in Germany s preliminary squad for the World Cup, with Joachim Low including four goalkeepers in an initial 27-man selection.
Neuer, out of action since September due to a foot injury, has been given the chance to prove his fitness, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Bernd Leno and Kevin Trapp his rivals for selection.
Low who agreed a contract extension to 2022 on Tuesday has left out Bayern Munich striker Sandro Wagner and injured Liverpool midfielder Emre Can, as well as Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Gotze, who scored the goal that clinched the World Cup title four years ago in Brazil.
Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi is another notable absentee after an error-ridden Premier League campaign, with Serge Gnabry unable to force his w…
Christian Benteke has been amongst the goals of late for club and country
Last season was a frustrating one for Belgium international striker Christian Benteke.
The 25-year-old had made a big-money move from Aston Villa in the summer of 2015 but struggled for game time at Anfield after Reds boss Brendan Rodgers was replaced by Jurgen Klopp in October.
The striker made 29 Premier League appearances for the Reds last season.
However, 15 of those were from the substitute’s bench. Benteke still managed to score nine goals and produce three assists for the side from Merseyside, despite his limited game time.
Mersey misery ended this summer
This summer, Benteke’s stay on Merseyside came to an end when he joined Crystal Palace for a fee in t…
West Ham United are ready to offer Diafra Sakho an improved contract following his impressive start to his Premier League career, .
The twenty-four year old only moved to Upton Park ten weeks ago, but has set the league alight with a goal in each of the seven game he has started for Sam Allardyce’s side.
Prior to arriving in East London, the striker spent his entire career in France turning out over one hundred times for Metz, as well as having a brief loan spell with Boulogne in 2012 while internationally he has been capped twice by Senegal, scoring his first goal in a 3-1 win over Kosovo back in May.
His latest goal for West Ham proved to be the winner in Saturday’s clash with champions Manchester City – a result which kept them in fourth position, th…
Bundesliga hotshots RB Leipzig are said to have reached an agreement with Montpelliere over a summer transfer for highly-rated defender Nordi Mukele.
Reports found in L’Equipe and German Sky Sport claim that French Under 21 internationals will move to Leipzig in a €16 million deal. The central defender arrives as a direct replacement for Benno Schmitz who is set for a move to FC Koln.
The 20-year-old defender joined Montpeiller in 2017 from Laval and has enjoyed a fantastic breakthrough season in Ligue 1.
Having made 16 league appearances in his debut season, Mukiele was given a more prominent role this term. He raked up 33 appearances in the French top flight, registering an assist along the way.
Mukiele is said to have been impressed by the Leipzig…
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been banned for six weeks – four of which are suspended – and fined £75,000 for breaching FA betting rules.
In November 2018, the England international faced eleven misconduct charges, with nine of them concerning alleged breaches of the FA s inside information rule .
Sturridge was accused of providing information to family and friends relating to possible transfer moves in January 2018, with the details allegedly used for betting purposes.
An independent Regulatory Commission dismissed those charges but found Sturridge guilty of two others, in which it was alleged the player told his brother to bet on a potential move away from Liverpool to Spanish side Sevilla.
A move to LaLiga never materialised and …
Rubin Kazan could face an Inter Milan backlash as the Italians head into Tuesday night s Champions League Group F match on the back of their first Serie A defeat of the season.
Inter, who played out a goalless draw in their first European fixture against Barcelona at the San Siro, failed to find the back of the net in their game at Sampdoria on Saturday.
A 1-0 defeat saw Jose Mourinho s side drop to third in Serie A.
I couldn t say if it is better to arrive at a Champions League game on the back of a victory or a defeat, said Inter owner Massimo Moratti, when asked about the state of mind of his players.
At times a defeat can stimulate the team.
Inter certainly need stimulating in front of goal when it comes to the Champions League.
Th…
David Beckham will not be in AC Milan s starting line-up against Roma in a Serie A clash on Sunday, according to Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Beckham is ready to play, but he s coming out of two months of inactivity, so it s difficult to name him as a starter for the match against Roma, said the Milan chief.
He will play if he is in the right condition and if we consider he can give a positive contribution to the match. Beckham is a great professional, very committed and we are all happy with him, even if he will only stay at Milan for two months.
The ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder was ready to help out at Milan, we are happy he s with us even if he ll only be staying two months .
If he then wants to stay with us, that would suit us …
Arsene Wenger has not been surprised by the impact former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song has made at West Ham this season.
Song spent seven seasons at Arsenal under Wenger before leaving for Barcelona in 2012.
The Cameroon international then returned to the Premier League with West Ham in August, agreeing a season-long loan, and has quickly established himself as a key figure for Sam Allardyce s fifth-placed side.
Song will face his former club on Sunday when Arsenal visit Upton Park and Wenger has spoken of his admiration for the 27-year-old.
He s a good player, Alex Song. I brought him here at the age of 17 and kept him despite all the opinions against him, said the Arsenal manager.
He developed into a very good player, so you don t need to co…