Simeone is already at a big team, insists Garcia

Luis Garcia feels Diego Simeone has no need to leave Atletico Madrid in the near future, insisting the Argentine coach is already at a big team who are moving in the right direction.

Simeone has won La Liga, the Europa League and the Copa del Rey since taking charge at the Vicente Calderon in December 2011, while he also steered the team to the Champions League final – where they lost after extra time to Real Madrid – in 2014.

His work at Atletico has seen him linked with vacancies abroad, particularly in the Premier League, despite him signing a new long-term contract in March 2015.

However, Garcia – who spent a season playing for Atletico – feels Simeone is happy in the Spanish capital and does not necessarily need to move on to enjoy further s…

Fulham close in on Jordan Ayew

Fulham are in talks over a deal to sign Swansea City forward Jordan Ayew, according to Sky Sports.

The twenty-six-year-old was the top scorer for the South Wales side last season though his eleven goals weren’t enough to keep them in the top flight.

He is among several players heading towards the Liberty Stadium exit door with Lukasz Fabianski and Alfie Mawson also linked with moves away.

Ayew signed for the Swans from Aston Villa in the January 2017 and has since racked up fifty-eight appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring twelve goals.

Internationally, he has been capped forty-six times for Ghana, scoring twelve times and was part of the squad 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

Fulham won promotion to the Premier League afte…

Trabzonspor handed one-year European ban

Turkish Super Lig leaders Trabzonspor have been handed a one-season ban from European football for breaching UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations.

UEFA said in a statement on Wednesday that the club had failed to meet the conditions of a 2016 settlement agreement which required them to be break-even compliant .

The governing body confirmed the ban would be applied if the club qualified for the Champions League or Europa League in either of the next two seasons.

Trabzonspor, who have not played since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, are level on points with Istanbul Basaksehir at the Super Lig summit with eight games remaining.

Happy Ronaldo still has more years at Juventus, says Pepe

Cristiano Ronaldo is happy at Juventus and looks primed to stay at the club for multiple years, according to his former Real Madrid and Portugal team-mate Pepe.

The forward has 25 goals in 27 Serie A matches this season, topping the league s scoring charts, four clear of nearest rival Romelu Lukaku.

Ronaldo has been prolific since signing for Juve from Real Madrid in 2018 and continues to be so at the age of 36, now three goals away from reaching 100 for the Italian club in all competitions.

However, his future was thrown into the spotlight after Juventus once again failed to reach the latter stages of the Champions League this season, with Pepe and Porto knocking them out in the last 16.

Domestically, Inter look poised to end Juve s run of nine straight…

Copa America to be held in Brazil after Argentina removed as hosts

CONMEBOL has confirmed the 2021 Copa America will go ahead as planned, with Brazil taking over hosting duties.

This year s edition of the tournament – postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – had been due to be shared between Colombia and Argentina.

However, Colombia lost co-hosting status amid mounting political unrest in the country, while the event then needed to find a new location after a surge in coronavirus cases ruled out playing games in Argentina.

CONMEBOL met on Monday to determine the future of the competition, electing to move the tournament to Brazil, who were crowned champions on home soil in 2019.

A post from the governing body s official Twitter account read: The CONMEBOL Copa America 2021 will be played in Brazil!

Real Madrid 5-0 Leganes: Benzema Los Blancos´ talisman again in easy win

Karim Benzema had a hand in three goals as he inspired Real Madrid to a 5-0 win over Leganes in LaLiga on Wednesday.

With last weekend s scheduled Clasico against Barcelona postponed due to political tension in Catalonia, Madrid appeared to have fun on their return to action as they toyed with rock-bottom Leganes, who had no answer to the classy Benzema at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Frenchman was central to a brutal Madrid start that saw them lead 2-0 within eight minutes – Benzema setting up Rodrygo Goes and Toni Kroos, before Sergio Ramos got in on the act from the spot.

Benzema eventually got a deserved goal of his own from 12 yards, taking him to seven for the season, and Luka Jovic finally got his first goal for the club in stoppage time as Los Blancos m…

Ospina buoyed by Arsenal recruitment

Arsenal s newest recruit David Ospina has spoken of his belief in the quality at Arsene Wenger s disposal ahead of the coming season.

The Colombia international who impressed at the World Cup in Brazil completed his move from French side Nice on Sunday.

The goalkeeper is Wenger s third signing of the close-season and joins Alexis Sanchez and Mathieu Debuchy through the door at the Emirates Stadium.

With Arsenal ending their nine-year trophy drought last season with victory in the FA Cup, Ospina is confident he and his fellow new arrivals can bring further silverware to the club.

I m very confident. I believe we are putting together a brilliant squad, with top players, the 25-year-old told Arsenal s official website.

Now we all have to be fit f…

Kane breaks Boxing Day record with Brentford strike

Harry Kane broke the Premier League s goalscoring record on Boxing Day with his strike during Tottenham s clash with Brentford.

The England captain netted his 10th goal on the day when he headed home Ivan Perisic s 65th-minute cross at Gtech Community Stadium.

Kane, who surpassed the previous record set by Robbie Fowler (nine), also maintained his record of scoring in all seven of his Premier League appearances on Boxing Day.

Antonio Conte s side fell 2-0 behind as Brentford took control with goals from Vitaly Janelt and Ivan Toney, but goals from Kane and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg dragged the visitors level.

Kane s appearance for Spurs came 16 days after a crushing defeat in the World Cup in Qatar, where England lost to France in the quarter-finals and Kane …

Nigeria replace Keshi with Amodu

Stephen Keshi has been sacked as coach of Nigeria with Shaibu Amodu appointed as interim replacement.

Keshi had been in charge of the African nation since 2011, but had been leading the team on a non-contract basis since the World Cup.

Nigeria took just one point from a possible nine early in qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015, before Wednesday s 3-1 win over Sudan, which failed to convince Nigerian authorities of Keshi s capabilities to turn their form around.

As such, the Nigeria Football Federation have acted to replace their former captain with Amodu who will serve in charge for the remainder of the year following an NFF Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday.

In the interest of Nigeria football and the desire to ensure qualification …

Bitesize Prediction: Middlesbrough vs Cardiff – 03/10/23

Market: Both teams to score

Odds: 4/5 @

In what could prove to be a lively affair from the Riverside on Tuesday night, Middlesbrough will welcome Cardiff to the north east.

Starting with the hosts, while Middlesbrough might have endured a nightmare start to the 2023/24 campaign, the Reds have certainly claimed a much-needed boost over the past fortnight. Although Michael Carrick’s side might have marked their return from September’s international break with a 2-1 loss away at Blackburn, the one-time Manchester United coach has seen his squad come roaring back. Last seen over the weekend putting in a season-best display as they claimed an action-packed 3-2 win against Watford on the road, Boro have now won each of their previous three appearances across all f…