Effenberg: I´d prefer Mandzukic over Neymar

Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi were on target at Barcelona beat Las Palmas 3-0 behind closed doors at Camp Nou, preserving their 100 per cent record in LaLiga against a backdrop of unrest surrounding Catalonia s independence referendum.

LaLiga chiefs rejected a request from Barcelona to postpone the match in light of violent scenes that marred Sunday s vote and left 465 people injured according to the Catalan health ministry, after the referendum was declared to be unconstitutional by the country s national government

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu explained the decision to play at an empty Camp Nou was borne out of solidarity and a rejection of what has been experienced as the stadium scoreboard bore the message Democracia , featuring an illustration of a ba…

Costa Rica step up preparations for their first ever Copa America appearance when they host Venezuela in an international friendly on Friday.

The Central Americans were invited to compete in the special Centenario edition of the tournament, celebrating the competitions 100th anniversary, to be held in the United States, starting June 3.

Christian Bolanos is one name to keep an eye out ahead of the friendly in San Jose, with the Vancouver Whitecaps winger in red-hot form heading into the clash. 

The 32-year-old has scored four goals in his first 11 games in MLS and will be looking to consolidate his spot in Oscar Ramirez s line-up for the Copa America, especially after missing out on the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Costa Rica have been drawn in Group A for…

The 20,000+ Colombia fans in Samara will toast a new hero on Thursday after Yerry Mina s solitary goal sent them through to the last 16 of the World Cup at the expense of Senegal.

As the only African nation left in the competition, Aliou Cisse s men were carrying the hopes of an entire continent, but they join Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria and Morocco in heading home early due to their inferior disciplinary record when set alongside that of Japan.

But that will be of little consequence to Colombia as, for the second time in as many games, Barcelona defender Mina rose highest to nod home and send the yellow army into raptures inside a deafening Samara Arena.

Mina had opened the scoring in the 3-0 win over Poland last time out a victory that rekindled the nation s hopes …

Didier Deschamps has now won more games in charge of France than any other coach after guiding his side to a 1-0 victory over Bulgaria on Saturday.

The 48-year-old, who has at the helm since 2012, has now overseen 42 wins, overtaking Michel Hidalgo and Raymond Domenech who both oversaw 41 triumphs.

Deschamps led France to the quarter-finals at the 2014 World Cup, while they were runners-up at Euro 2016 on home soil.

Les Bleus were a long way from their fluent best in Sofia, but a third-minute goal from Blaise Matuidi propelled them back to the summit of Group A in Russia 2018 qualifying.

They now go into Tuesday s game against Belarus knowing victory will secure their spot at the World Cup in Russia next year.

42 Didier Deschamps has now become…

England manager Sam Allardyce has suggested he will attempt to bring veteran Chelsea captain John Terry out of international retirement.

The last of Terry s 78 caps came against Moldova in September 2012 and he quit England duty later that month, before a Football Association (FA) hearing into allegations the 35-year-old racially abused Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea s defeat to QPR in October 2011.

The FA found Terry guilty and handed down a £22,000 fine and a four-match ban despite Westminster Magistrates  Court clearing him of the same accusation that July.

Terry has continued to be a strong presence on the field for Chelsea, lifting his fourth Premier League title at Stamford Bridge in 2014-15 and securing a contract extension with the club he has represen…

Market: Belgium win

Odds: 7/10 @

Looking to get this summer s European Championships off to a flying start, Belgium will face off against Russia in St. Petersburg on Saturday night.

Starting with Belgium, while The Red Devils would have been disappointed to have had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Greece in their opening friendly contest, Roberto Martínez s side managed to find some welcomed momentum last weekend. Eventually securing what was a deserved 1-0 victory against 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia, the one-time Everton boss finds his side tipped as one of the standout contenders this summer. Looking to lay down a real marker when they make the trip to St. Petersburg on Saturday night, it is well worth keeping an eye out for attacking talisman, Romelu L…

Antoine Griezmann has vowed to try to close the big gap to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of world football.

The France star is one of the favourites to end Messi and Ronaldo s 10-year dominance of the Ballon d Or, having helped Atletico Madrid to win the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup either side of scoring four goals in inspiring his country to World Cup glory in 2018.

Griezmann was named the best player in last season s Europa League on Friday and is one of 10 nominees for The Best FIFA Men s Player of the year, the three finalists for which will be confirmed on September 3.

Despite his success, the 27-year-old feels Messi and Ronaldo remain a cut above the rest of the game s elite.

 : the 2017/18 Player of the Season 
Where does…

Nuno Espirito Santo ended Tottenham s search for a new head coach by signing a two-year contract with the Premier League club on Wednesday.

An experienced, seasoned operator in elite European football, Nuno will be realistic enough to acknowledge he was not Spurs first choice when they sacked Jose Mourinho in April.

What number was he on chairman Daniel Levy s list? Honestly, it s hard to say.

Here, Stats Perform looks back over more than two months of approaches, talks and breakdowns before Levy finally filled his vacancy in the dugout.

April 19 – Mourinho sacked

Jose Mourinho chalked up 13 defeats in 2020-21, more than any other season in his coaching career, and Spurs had dropped a joint-highest 20 points from winning positions in the Premier Le…

Jurgen Klopp felt West Brom deserved the 1-1 draw they claimed at Anfield on Sunday to check Liverpool s title defence.

The Reds looked set to go five points clear at the summit thanks to Sadio Mane s sublime 12th-minute strike.

Liverpool were dominant before the interval but gradually let their control of the contest slip, appearing less secure when Joel Matip limped off to add to Klopp s injury problems at centre-back.

Alisson saved from Karlan Grant but the hosts did not heed that warning as Semi Ajayi headed home via the post eight minutes from time.

It was our own fault. I don t think anyone can expect that a team plays like West Brom in the first half, like a 6-4 [formation] or whatever it was, Klopp told Sky Sports when reflecting upon Albion s ul…

Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone joked she probably “won’t be best friends” with former team-mate Alessia Russo when the pair meet in the Women’s Super League on Friday night.

After spending three seasons in Manchester, Russo swapped the Red Devils for Arsenal in the summer, joining the north London outfit on a free transfer.

The 24-year-old striker now makes a quick return to her old stomping ground when United host the Gunners at Leigh Sports Village and her childhood friend Toone knows exactly what a threat her England colleague poses.

“We speak every day but we’ve not spoken about (Friday’s) game as such, probably not something we will speak about either,” Toone told the PA news agency.

“I’m sure we won’t be best friends f…