Nadal made Champions League request ahead of Madrid Open contest, reveals tournament director

Didier Deschamps says Age Hareide s criticism of France and Paul Pogba was not particularly pleasant but insists it will not add spice to Les Bleus clash with Denmark on Tuesday.

Speaking last month, Denmark boss Hareide criticised Pogba for only thinking about his haircut and also labelled Deschamps side as nothing special .

They were bold words given his side were due to meet the Euro 2016 runners-up in Moscow but Deschamps will not be using them to motivate his players.

He said: Anyone can say whatever they want, and they are responsible for those words.

It s not particularly pleasant and my players know very well what the coach said they can read, they can listen but that s not what will motivate them tomorrow.

With wins against Australia a…

Verdict: Both teams to score yes

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Having sluggishly secured a top spot in Group C off of a goalless draw with Denmark, France have scheduled a Last-16 meeting with its fellow underachievers Argentina who struggled to a great extent to seal progression into the knockout stage of the World Cup.

France

Euro 2016 finalists France are having an underwhelming World Cup campaign in Russia. The boundlessly talented squad with some of the world’s most exciting prospects such as Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba or Nabil Fekir is simply not living up to the hype at the tournament.

With back-to-back wins by single-goal margins in their first group games, Didier Deschamps’ men did just enough to secure progression into the next phase of t…

Inter have completed the signing of forward Joaquin Correa from Serie A rivals Lazio.

Correa has been reunited with Simone Inzaghi, joining the Nerazzurri on loan before making a permanent move to San Siro.

Lazio revealed Inter will pay an initial fee of €5million for the Argentina international, with a further €1m potentially due depending on performances.

Inter will then be obliged to spend another €25m to complete a permanent deal for Correa, who has agreed terms on a four-year contract with the Serie A champions.

Grazie di tutto, !  

— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio)

The arrival of Correa is a boost for Inter following the departures of key men Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi to Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain respect…

Champions League winner Virgil van Dijk is joined by Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi and Juventus Cristiano Ronaldo on the three-man shortlist for UEFA s Player of the Year award.

Van Dijk played a vital role in Liverpool s successful European campaign, playing 12 times en route to lifting the trophy.

As well as the UEFA recognition, he is also expected to be a major contender for the 2019 Ballon d Or, as is Messi.

Barcelona reached the semi-finals before being eliminated by Liverpool, but Messi still managed to enjoy a fine Champions League campaign.

NOMINEES: 2018/19 UEFA Men s Player of the Year

 Leo Messi
  Ronaldo
 

  winners announced at the , 29 August  

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague)

The Arge…

Former Juventus and Chelsea boss Claduio Ranieri is reportedly on the verge of taking over at Serie A side Roma after manager Luciano Spalletti resigned today.

Reports from Reuters go as far as to say that the Italian coach has taken over at the club already with a two-year deal agreed today according to Ranieri s lawyer.

Spalletti only resigned today following 2 defeats, no major signings in  the summer plus reported dressing room problems at the Stadio Olimpico and was linked with numerous jobs at clubs like Juventus and Zenit St. Petersburg his rumoured destination.

Ranieri, known as the Tinkerman from his time at Chelsea, was sacked from Juventus in May 2009 following a poor end to the season and may return to England with Roma in the same group as P…

PSV Eindhoven hotshot Jeremain Lens has revealed that he wants to continue his career in English Premier League.

The 25-year-old has enjoyed another very successful season in the Dutch Eredivisie, and it appears he is looking to leave his current employers in the summer transfer window.

Despite being followed by AC Milan and few other top European clubs, the talented forward has made it clear he wants to move to England.

“Given my style of play I would fit in well in England,” Lens .

Jeremain Lens began his professional career at AZ Alkmaar, and joined PSV Eindhoven in a €6 million move in the summer of 2010.

The striker has since clocked up 96 Eredivisie appearances for the Dutch giants, scoring 34 goals in the process.

After enjoy…

Mikel Merino has left Newcastle United for Real Sociedad after just one season at St James Park, the club have confirmed.

The midfielder arrived on loan from Borussia Dortmund ahead of the 2017-18 campaign, before the Magpies exercised a clause to make the move permanent on a five-year deal in October.

However, Merino found Premier League starts hard to come by in the second half of the campaign and just 14 of his 24 top-flight appearances were as part of the starting XI.

The 22-year-old now returns to Spain with Sociedad, a club based just over 50 miles from his home town of Pamplona, with reports suggesting he had a £10million release clause in his contract.

Thanks and good luck, Mikel.

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC)

I m very happy…

Cristiano Ronaldo claims it was an easy decision for him to join Juventus from Real Madrid and took a thinly veiled swipe at his contemporaries who chase final paydays away from elite leagues.

The 33-year-old completed his stunning €105million move from Madrid to Juve last week and was greeted but a joyous band of supporters in Turin ahead of his medical and unveiling on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference, the five-time Ballon d Or winner insisted it was the challenge of performing for another European heavyweight that persuaded him to end nine years at the Santiago Bernabeu – a more attractive prospect than heading for the Chinese Super League or Qatar.

It was straightforward due to the power and the size of the club, said Ronaldo, who stated Juventus o…

He made his debut at just 15 years 175 days for Southampton and arrived at Arsenal as the most expensive teenage footballer in British football.

At just 16 Theo Walcott was the next big superstar. The little man who would be a future Premier League and England star.

He even went to the 2006 World Cup with England, despite having not actually played for the Gunners senior side. However in the years that have followed he has struggled for fitness and form.

Regular

His biggest moment in football so far was undoubtedly his hattrick for England in the 4-1 victory over Croatia in 2008. When he scored that hattrick I couldn’t help thinking here we go he will now grab a regular place in the England side.

Here is the answer to all England’s problems o…

A Chinese factory ordered to stop producing mascots for the World Cup due to allegations of sweatshop conditions defended itself Wednesday, saying its facilities were among the best in China.

Global Brands Group, the master licensee for all FIFA World Cup 2010 merchandise, said Tuesday it had withdrawn manufacturing approval for the Shanghai Fashion Plastic Products after an audit showed standards had been flouted.

The Global Brands Group investigated the factory, which produced figures of the tournament s dreadlocked leopard mascot Zakumi, following reports that it employed teenage workers, ran 13-hour shifts and paid just three dollars a day.

Considering China s actual conditions the environment in our factory, if not the best, is very good indeed, a company …