Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training with Manchester United on Tuesday after Erik ten Hag backed the forward to play his way back into favour.
Superstar Ronaldo was dropped from United s squad for the game against Chelsea on Saturday, and briefly exiled from first-team involvement, after refusing to play as a substitute against Tottenham last week.
Leaving the bench before the final whistle and heading for the dressing room, before reportedly also heading out of the stadium early, also went down badly.
Yet Ronaldo, against many expectations, may still have a future with United.
His former team-mate Gary Neville has spoken of what appears an uneasy alliance between player and club, saying on Sky Sports that United and Ronaldo should end it this week or c…
Xavi described becoming Barcelona head coach as his dream but insisted he respects under-pressure incumbent Ernesto Valverde.
Valverde s position has come under increased scrutiny after Barca s dramatic 3-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana semi-final.
Al Sadd boss and Barca legend Xavi confirmed reports he had met with the Camp Nou club s director of football Eric Abidal in Qatar on Friday amid speculation he will be offered the opportunity to succeed Valverde at the end of the season, or potentially before that.
But the 39-year-old was reluctant to go into detail about the meeting, insisting he respects his former club and their coach.
674 Only Xavi Hernandez (767) has made more appearances for Barcelona than Andres Iniesta in all c…
Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha and rapper Stormzy are set to become joint owners of non-League club AFC Croydon.
The pair are part of a three-man consortium, along with former Palace head of player care Danny Young, that has agreed a deal to acquire the assets of the south London side, who play in the Combined Counties Football League Premier South Division – the ninth tier of English football.
Croydon announced contracts had been exchanged with the existing ownership and the consortium “will own, operate and develop their childhood hometown football club”.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT
We are delighted to embark on a new era at AFC Croydon Athletic, subject to final FA and league approval. This has been the culmination of many months of discussions.
Atletico Madrid ended a miserable week with a dramatic defeat as Cadiz claimed a controversial late 3-2 LaLiga win.
Knocked out of the Champions League group stages in astonishing fashion with a 2-2 home draw to Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, Atletico fell behind after 27 seconds to Theo Bongonda s fastest LaLiga goal of the season.
Alex Fernandez looked to have sealed it for the hosts nine minutes from time only for a Luis Hernandez own goal and a stunning Joao Felix drive to pull Atletico level.
Yet there was a remarkable twist in the tale in the eighth and final minute of injury time when Ruben Sobrino turned home Ivan Alejo s cross, the goal allowed to stand by VAR despite him appearing to do so with his arm.
3-2 | ¡¡¡FINAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…
The start of the Greek Superleague season looks likely to be delayed after riots in the central city of Volos.
Police had to be deployed in the city after rioters lit fires in the streets and smashed windows following a march staged by 1500 football fans.
They were protesting about sanctions taken against the local club, Olympiakos Volou, which also affected another team, Kavala.
Both have effectively been relegated to the fourth division, after the sports commission decided not to grant either of them a professional license.
After a meeting earlier in the week, the commission determined that neither club had made any significant changes to their ownership status despite both of their owners, Makis Psomiadis and Achilleas Beos, being given life bans.
…
Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers is hoping Chelsea will consider allowing a loan move for starlet Josh McEachran to the Welsh club.
Rodgers was a youth and reserves team coach at the London club from 2006 to 2008 and is looking to discuss a potential loan move with the Blues for the England Under-21 star.
I need to have a conversation at length [with Chelsea], Rodgers said.
(McEachran) is not playing at the moment, he is on the bench. He is a wonderful talent and the positive thing is that clubs see Swansea as a club that can develop such talents.
He has a big future, he played in the same team as my son right through the system at Chelsea and has kicked on since he turned 14.
He has got great vision, he is a terrific footballer and he …
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed the club could bring in new players when the transfer window re-opens in January.
At the moment, Chelsea (9-3-0) running away with the English Premier League title, and the Blues stunning form could force City into seeking reinforcements in the New Year.
City are still alive in the UEFA Champions League, thanks to their improbable win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday. That said, Pellegrini s side need to win in Rome next month in order to book their place in the Round of 16.
It s a thing that maybe we will talk in a few weeks more, said Pellegrini. But not in this moment. We are just focused on the Premier League, focused on the game in Rome.
If we continue in the Champions Lea…
Fernando Torres looks set to return to first club Atletico Madrid
According to , Spanish striker Fernando Torres is set for a return to home-town club Atletico Madrid.
The former-Chelsea striker is currently on-loan at Italian giants AC Milan, but it now seems that his two-year loan deal could be cut-short and Torres looks set for a return home.
Agreed
Balague told Sky Sports News HQ: “Our understanding is that Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan have reached an agreement for Fernando Torres to go back to Atletico Madrid.
“It was all discussed, negotiated and agreed yesterday. It seems it is all confirmed. We have not received details from the club yet but (Atletico manager) Simeone asked for Fernando Torres three weeks ago.
“In f…
Jamie Maclaren marked his Melbourne City debut with a goal as they battled to a 1-1 draw at home to Adelaide United on Saturday.
The striker, who was playing his first A-League match since April 2017 after joining City last month, rescued a point for the home side in a competitive clash at AAMI Park.
Adelaide went ahead 43 minutes in, Craig Goodwin converting Nikola Mileusnic s cross with a thumping header.
However, former Perth Glory forward Maclaren levelled 24 minutes after the break, backheeling Luke Brattan s cutback past goalkeeper Paul Izzo.
69 | MACLAREN SCORES, MACLAREN SCORES, MACLAREN SCORES!!!
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity)
The result means Adelaide, who sit fourth, remain two points above City in the table.
…
A report from says that Atlético Madrid has made a €20 million bid for Luan Vieira, who currently plays at the forward position for Grêmio in Brazil.
After reports that Liverpool, Sampdoria and Zenit St. Petersburg are interested in the 24-year-old Brazilian, it seems like he has a new suitor and Luan is keen on the idea of joining the Madrid-based club.
ESPN Brazil also reported that the Porto Alegre club has made a counteroffer of €24 million and are awaiting response back.
Should the deal go through, Luan would be available to join after the end of the Brazilian season in December.
This would be an ideal situation for los Colchoneros as they are banned from signing new players until the next transfer window in January.
Since joining Gr…