Fresh Sports Updates

Real Madrid supporters were left fuming by their side's performance as they were torn apart by rivals Atletico in their International Champions Cup match in New York on Friday. Madrid fielded arguably their strongest team for the game, with new signings Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic involved along with the likes of Luka Modric, Isco and Sergio Ramos. But a remarkable match saw Atletico race into an amazing 5-0 lead at half-time, which included a hat-trick for Diego Costa and a first goal for the club for Joao Felix. Madrid were shocking at the back, with some fans calling for the game to be stopped because they were so poor.   Although Madrid did manage to get on the scoresheet three times after the break, the final result of 7-3 was seen as a humiliation for many supporters, and some have big worries for the season ahead. There were even calls by some fans for manager Zinedine Zidane to quit after the game.

Liverpool news and transfers RECAP - Bruno Fernandes linked again, Federico Chiesa 'demands move', Juventus 'drop' Paulo Dybala asking price The latest Liverpool transfer news and rumours from Anfield with Bruno Fernandes, Paulo Dybala and Federico Chiesa and others all in the spotlight. One player who has continually been linked with a move to Anfield for what feels like forever is Real Madrid star Marco Asensio. However, the midfielder won't be joining the Reds anytime soon after suffering a serious injury against Arsenal in the early hours this morning. Elsewhere, there's the latest on Bruno Fernandes and Federico Chiesa's futures, while Liverpool have been urged to sign Paulo Dybala after Juventus reportedly dropped their asking price for the star striker. Meanwhile the Reds are being linked with a move for Abdulkadir Omur, dubbed the 'Turkish Messi'. The 20-year-old Trabzonspor wideman is one of the brightest talents in the Turkish le...

For a sixth successive season, Barcelona have announced record revenue figures, though the club's profits are down from 2018.   Barcelona have confirmed record revenues of €990million during the 2018-19 campaign, though the club's profits fell from 2018. Ernesto Valverde's side retained their LaLiga title last term, though the season ended in disappointing fashion with a Copa del Rey final loss to Valencia following a disastrous defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals. Off the pitch Barca - who last year stated an intention to make €1billion in revenues by 2021 - are in a strong position, having far surpassed last season's then-record total of €914m. However, operating profit stands at €17m, down from last season's €32m, while the club's net profit for 2017-18 was €13m, up from the €4.5million announced for 2018-19. The club have already made major moves in the transfer market during the close season, with Frenkie de Jong - who was si...

BREAKING: @ CONMEBOL has officially suspended Lionel Messi for his behavior following this summer’s @ CopaAmerica # Messi # CONMEBOL  

Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has denied the club made a bid for Marc Roca of Espanyol.   Marc Roca has a release clause in his contract but Bayern Munich have not made an offer to Espanyol, according to the Bundesliga champions' chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Midfielder R oca was a key part of the Spain side that triumphed at the European Under-21 Championship. He has been linked with leaving Espanyol following the tournament but Rummenigge denied Bayern having a bid rejected for the 22-year-old. "There has been no contact or negotiation with the club," Rummenigge told reporters. "But I understand he has a clause in the contract." Jerome Boateng was widely expected to leave Bayern ahead of the 2019-20 season, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested. But Rummenigge indicated the centre-back could stay at Bayern after impressing during pre-season. "He has behaved very positively within the team and co...

Jurgen Klopp's comments leave door open for Liverpool transfers as lack of activity comes into focus. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp used to his first press conference in America to seemingly leave the door to Melwood ajar. The Reds boss, fresh from watching his side win the Champions League in Madrid, was back under the media's glare in the United States last week. The European champions, as had been anticipated for much of the calendar year, are reluctant to dive deep into the market for replenish their squad with big-money additions this summer. After a 2018 that saw them spend close to £250million, the Reds are much better placed to merely tweak their playing staff ahead of the upcoming season. So far, just 17-year-old Sepp van den Berg has arrived at the club, with a modest £1.3million deal being sealed with Dutch side PEC Zwolle. Repeated links to high-profile players across the continent have proven to be inaccurate, but Klopp posed something of a teaser when s...

Sevilla player Joris Gnagnon shown straight red card for kicking Liverpool youngster Yasser Larouci during 2-1 defeat in US tour friendly. Football fans, journalists and ex-players slammed Sevilla star Joris Gnagnon for his cynical foul on Liverpool youngster Yasser Larouci. The Reds took on the Spanish side in a pre-season match at Fenway Park tonight as part of the club's US tour. And the 'friendly' was marred by Gnagnon's actions in the second half. He was instantly shown a straight red card for the shocking kick which saw Larouci stretched off the pitch. Sevilla went on to score a later winner once they had been reduced to 10 men, with Alejandro Pozo getting the goal after earlier strikes from Nolito and Divock Origi. The final score was 2-1 - but unfortunately the match will be mostly remembered for what Gnagnon did.

Ruben Neves believes Wolves have the best set of fans in the Premier League - and only Liverpool supporters run them close. The Portuguese midfielder, who moved to Molineux in 2017 from Porto, says he feels at home at Wolves and thanked the fans for their support - but he couldn't help but admit his admiration for the Anfield support. Speaking to the Mirror , he said: “Look, I feel at home in Wolverhampton. It is unbelievable the way that the fans receive all the players at the club. “There is only one club in the Premier League who can get close to our fans in the way they support the team – and that is Liverpool. “Our fans are the best and they make our stadium the most difficult place for other teams, so I am not thinking about other clubs." Neves, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool in the past, says he's not thinking about leaving the club for the time being. He said: “I just focus on my job to help Wolves become a better team and to achieve g...

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was joined by Sporting Director Michael Edwards to meet up with owner John Henry and other FSG chiefs in Boston.   The Reds flew into New England on Saturday before holding an open training session at Fenway Park , the home of the Boston Red Sox. Klopp's side return to Fenway to take on Sevilla in the second friendly match of their pre-season tour of the USA on Sunday night.

A rsenal are confident of completing a loan move for Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos as a replacement for the departed Aaron Ramsey. Arsenal will play the Spanish side in Washington DC on Tuesday and the two sides are believed to be edging closer to an agreement. Ceballos is seen as one of the most exciting talents in Spanish football but has struggled to hold down a regular place in the Madrid starting lineup over the past two seasons. The 22-year-old, who has made six senior appearances for the Spanish national team, joined Madrid from Real Betis for a fee of around £15 million. Raul Sanllehi, Arsenal’s head of football, has flown back to London from their pre-season tour of the United States as the club looks to step up their activity in the transfer market. T hey remain hopeful of signing Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney and have all but completed a move for Saint-Etienne defender William Saliba. If a deal can be agreed with Madrid, Ceballos would fill the mid...

Liverpool midfielder James Milner opens up on Rhian Brewster's development and what the talented young striker must now learn to succeed. It was the perfect example of the self-belief coursing through the veins of Rhian Brewster – and confidence the Liverpool youngster is starting to breed among his team-mates. After Ben Woodburn was shoved to the ground by Borussia Dortmund's Mateu Morey inside the area, thoughts immediately turned to who would take the resultant penalty with James Milner off the field. Jordan Henderson didn't give it a second thought, though, throwing the ball to teenage striker Brewster who placed it on the spot, took a few steps back and then emphatically finished into the top corner. A fourth goal in three pre-season games wasn't enough to prevent Liverpool from beginning their US tour with a 3-2 defeat at the Notre Dame Stadium on Friday. But it further underlined how Brewster is in a hurry to make up for lost time having lost more tha...

Latest AVFC transfer news includes significant update on Kalvin Phillips Aston Villa have been dealt a crushing blow in their pursuit of Kalvin Phillips after Leeds United director of football Victor Orta all but guaranteed the midfielder will stay at the Championship club. Villa have been keen on Phillips all summer but the two clubs remain well apart on their valuation of the highly-rated 23-year-old. Leeds are holding firm to an asking price of over £25m for the Elland Road academy graduate – a figure that Villa haven’t been willing to meet. Dean Smith hasn’t given up on Phillips but Leeds have offered him a new contract on improved terms in a bid to keep him away from Villa’s clutches. This one-word transfer verdict will excite Villa fans  Orta is leading the talks and the Leeds chief has revealed he is confident the deal will be signed - forcing the claret and blues to look elsewhere. “It’s not a negotiation," he told LeedsLive. "He is a Leeds United p...

Games: 227 Goals: 49 Assists: 66 Trophies: 6 Gareth Bale at Real Madrid: Games: 231 Goals: 102 Assists: 65 Trophies: 13

Writes Jack Gaughan: “Rodri reads the game effortlessly, calmly ferries possession to others and refuses to stray from his station unless required. “He is still only 23 but looks like making an instant impact, with Fernandinho also seen as an option at centre half. Guardiola believes Rodri will act as City’s base for years to come and the nonchalance with which he goes about his business suggests he has all the tools.” Manchester Evening News : Raheem Sterling shows he is up for next big challenge Simon Bajkowski: “The intelligent runs off the ball have always been there but improvements to his finishing have given him the confidence to carry much more of a threat. Have you read...? Men's Team Guardiola reveals Kompany contact: Pep Guardiola is in regular conversation with Vincent Kompany as he begins his coaching career with Anderlecht. Yesterday Guardiola reveals Kompany contact: Pep Guardiola is in regular conversation with Vincent Kompany as he begins his coach...

Many Liverpool fans want to see Philippe Coutinho brought back to Anfield but former Red thinks Jurgen Klopp's men should bring in a different Barcelona star Liverpool have been urged to sign Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele - as a replacement for Roberto Firmino - but warned against bringing Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield. Former Reds midfielder Danny Murphy - a treble cup winner under Gerard Houllier in 2001 - has been given his views on what Jurgen Klopp 's men should be doing this summer as they prepare for another tilt at the Premier League title.   42-year-old Murphy, who scored 44 goals in 249 games during a seven-year Anfield career and now works as a media pundit, gave his thoughts during an interview with bookmaker bwin . Asked about the speculation linking Liverpool with a move for 22-year-old Barca winger Dembele, Murphy said: "Dembele would be a fantastic signing for Liverpool. "He’s not had the best time at Barcelona, but clearly has an abun...

Merseysider Kenny McKenna - now assistant boss at Morecambe - faced Reds after previous Champions League triumph The first manager to face Liverpool after 'The Miracle of Istanbul' believes that the current Reds side are better than the class of 2005 he came up against. Jurgen Klopp's team lifted the club's sixth European Cup last month – their first success in the competition since the incredible scenes against AC Milan some 14 years ago – but unlike then they are now guaranteed a place in the group stages of next season's competition. Back in 2005, seeing as they had finished outside of the Premier League's top four, holders Liverpool were required to go through the qualifying stages of the following season's tournament and their first opponents were Welsh Premier League champions TNS, managed by Birkenhead-born Kenny McKenna.   Now assistant boss at Morecambe, where he and Jim Bentley are the longest-serving managerial team in English football,...

A rsenal’s pre-season continued with an encouraging 2-1 victory over German champions Bayern Munich in Los Angeles. A late Eddie Nketiah strike sealed the win for Arsenal, who welcomed their first-team stars back into the side for the first time since their Europa League final defeat at the end of last season. Here are Sam Dean’s key talking points from the Dignity Health Sports Park: Ozil at the heart of the action Unai Emery’s decision to return to a 4-2-3-1 system, after opting for a back three for so much of last season, provided the much-maligned Mesut Ozil with an opportunity to start the match in his preferred No 10 position, behind a central striker and with attacking options either side of him. The German looked sharp, drifting into those pockets of space from which he can turn and play his deft passes. He had a couple of chances in the first half, too, thanks to a willingness to push forward into the box in support of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyan...

Dodgers at Philadelphia, 4 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570 Houston at Angels, 7 p.m., FSW, AM 830 Born on this date 1917 : Baseball player Lou Boudreau 1920 : IOC chairman Juan Antonio Samaranch 1941 : NFL player Daryle Lamonica 1942 : NBA player Connie Hawkins 1944 : Soccer player Carlos Alberto Torres 1949 : Dodgers broadcaster Charley Steiner 1956 : NHL player Bryan Trottier 1960 : NFL player Scott Norwood 1963 : Ski jumper Matti Nykanen 1980 : NHL player Ryan Miller Died on this date 1961 : Baseball player Ty Cobb, 74 1974 : Baseball player Dizzy Dean, 63 2015 : Race car driver Jules Bianchi, 25

“Keith Thurman was provocative, often bold. Manny Pacquiao was philosophical, sometimes political. “Welcome to the beginning of fight week, the so-called Grand Arrival Tuesday for the Pacquiao-Thurman bout Saturday at the MGM Grand. For a lobby full of fans, that meant cheers and maybe an autograph. For the media, it meant body language before the punches. No winners here. Just some pre-fight interpretation “First Thurman, then Pacquiao met the media after saying hello to the crowd. “Thurman arrived wearing his heart on his sleeve, or least across his chest. “Game Over,” it said on his black T-shirt. It might be a video game. But Thurman wasn’t playing games Tuesday. For a few hours, it expressed his intent. “Of course, this is meant for Manny Pacquiao,” Thurman said. “The unbeaten Thurman wasn’t exactly clear how it would end for Pacquiao, the 40-year-old welterweight who hopes to take Thurman’s 147-pound title and place it alongside all of his other titles, including h...

Meanwhile, in Anaheim, the Angels continue their surge with a 7-2 win over the Houston Astros. It was the Angels’ fifth straight win and moved them four-and-a-half games behind in the race for the final wild-card spot in the AL. As our Maria Torres wrote here, “The Angels could have wilted without the presence of their most intimidating hitter in the lineup. But for the second consecutive night playing without Mike Trout as he recovers from a minor calf injury, the Angels rolled to a 7-2 victory over the rival Houston Astros. “The Angels exacted the bulk of their damage in a first inning that, between the sides, took 37 minutes to complete. David Fletcher led off the Angels’ half poking a double to the warning track in right field; he came back to the plate 20 minutes later to end the inning with a flyball out. “In between, Astros opener Hector Rondon allowed five Angels to reach without recording an out. Andrelton Simmons bopped a single to right. Shohei Ohtani , whos...

Well that didn’t go as planned. It looked like the Dodgers had pulled off another of their improbable comeback victories on Tuesday night after Matt Beaty hit a three-run home run in the top of the ninth in Philadelphia to give the team an 8-6 lead. Unfortunately, the Phillies still had a chance to bat. The Dodgers turned to Kenley Jansen , who gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth of a 9-8 loss .  

The message from the Coutinho camp is clear - but an Anfield return offers no guarantees for the Barcelona misfit, writes Paul Gorst The message from Philippe Coutinho's camp was crystal clear. Asked about a potential Premier League return for the Barcelona misfit, Coutinho's agent, Kia Joorabchian, slung a forearm straight into the court of his client's former employers. "It would be very difficult for Philippe to play for any of Liverpool ’s rivals, because he has such a great affinity towards Liverpool," said Joorabchian. "His time there was fantastic." The future of the Brazil international has become a saga in its own right this summer transfer window, despite the absence of an obvious interest from any one particular club, not least of all, Liverpool.   Coutinho , who left the club for Barca in January 2018 for £142million, continues to be linked alongside Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and, of course, the Reds, with none of the...

Claims have emerged on various media websites that Coutinho has taken Barcelona out of his Instagram biography The future of Philippe Coutinho is one transfer saga that appears to have taken on a life of its own this summer. A number of clubs have been repeatedly linked with the Barcelona playmaker including his former team Liverpool . Now claims have emerged on various media websites that Coutinho has taken Barcelona out of his Instagram biography.  However, it appears as if the Brazilian midfielder never had his current team in the bio of his page on the social media website as you can see from the screenshots of his page taken over time below:  

Some former Liverpool players are continuing to be very successful after hanging up their boots There are a number of Liverpool players who have turned their hand to management over the years. Some have been very successful while others struggled after hanging up their boots. Whatever the case there are some very interesting and varied careers for these former Reds. So, here are all of the former players who have showed off their skills in front of the Anfield faithful and are currently in management around the world: Gerrard made 710 appearances for Liverpool, winning nine pieces of major silverware and scoring 186 goals. He was appointed as the club's U18s manager in 2017 but left the following summer to join Rangers as manager .  The former midfielder is continuing to lead the Scottish Premier League giants this season and is contracted at the Ibrox until 2022.  

Klopp's change of stance has been to Liverpool's long-term benefit in the transfer market Jurgen Klopp did little to conceal his dislike of English football's loan system in the early weeks of his Liverpool reign. Having arrived on Merseyside in October 2015, he was shocked to discover that as many as 17 players were out on loan when he took the role as manager. For Klopp, a man steeped in the most time-honoured traditions of German football, having so many players on your books benefiting the fortunes of others was an alien concept. A close focus on the development of players at Under-23 level was something that resonated more with the new Reds boss and it was no surprise to see him pitch up at the Kirkby Academy within days of him taking charge nearly four years ago.   "If they are very young then clubs in the past have sent them on loan and I don’t think it is the perfect situation," Klopp said. "It’s much better that we can work with them together o...

The idea that Gareth Bale could go back to Tottenham this summer has been rubbished by the player’s agent Jonathan Barnett. ‘Nothing has changed,’ Bale’s representative told Sportsmail on Tuesday after Marca published a front-page story linking the player with a return to North London. The player – who celebrates his 30th birthday today in Canada – still wants to stay at the club where he has three years left on his contract. And no club can match his €17m-a-season net salary.

Jurgen Klopp recently compared the two players, but would the role change make sense? Josh Williams takes a tactical look Speaking after Liverpool 's 3-1 win over Bradford City on Sunday, Jurgen Klopp was quoted comparing Adam Lallana to a relatively unexpected player. The man in question was Chelsea's Jorginho, a deeper-lying central midfielder who has developed a reputation for conducting his team's football from a withdrawn area of the pitch. Lallana on the other hand, has largely been deployed in offensive midfield zones under Klopp , linking the play and offering a glue of sorts in the final third. “Adam is the kind of player he can play that and he enjoys this 'Jorginho' role – I hope (former Chelsea boss) Maurizio Sarri doesn't see the games or he will make an offer!” joked Klopp. In terms of the profiles held by the two players, they are considered to be very different as a result of how they've been utilised over the course of their careers....

Liverpool fans will significantly outnumber their Chelsea counterparts in next month's UEFA Super Cup in Istanbul. UEFA have revealed the full amount of tickets requested by the two competing clubs ahead of the showpiece occasion at Besiktas’s 41,000 capacity in the Turkish capital on 14 August. They have now confirmed Liverpool will taken 5,973 tickets while Chelsea only asked for 1,314, meaning the six-times Champions of Europe will have more than four times as many travelling supporters than the Europa League winners. UEFA have stressed they have fully accommodated both clubs in what they requested. The Reds were initially given just 4,957 tickets for the showdown at Besiktas Park but last week said Anfield officials had been working closely with UEFA to gain additional seats in a stadium which will have a 38,000-capacity for the all-Premier League clash. Liverpool will be hoping to win the Super Cup for the third time after wins over Hamburg in 1977 and Bayern Mu...

Manchester United will not be Philippe Coutinho's next destination, according to his agent, due to his strong affinity for Liverpool. Philippe Coutinho will only consider returning to the Premier League to play for Liverpool and a potential move to Manchester United would be near impossible, according to agent Kia Joorabchian. Liverpool love lingers for Coutinho Coutinho moved to Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018, the Reds receiving a transfer fee that could hit €160million (£142m) with add-ons. He initially appeared to be a good fit, producing some solid performances in his first few months at Camp Nou as he finished the 2017-18 season with eight goals in 18 LaLiga matches. But he flattered to deceive last term, netting only five times in 22 league starts as he failed to live up to expectations. He has been linked with a transfer to United, with Barca said to be eager to free up funds to sign Neymar , but his agent effectively ruled out such a move....

Liverpool will face Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Sporting CP during their tour of America Liverpool have named their 28-man squad travelling to the United Stated as part of their pre-season preparations.   Jurgen Klopp and his players will depart for America on Tuesday morning. They are set to arrive in Indiana for a friendly with Borussia Dortmund at the Notre Dame Stadium on Friday, July 19, before moving to Boston to play Sevilla at Fenway Park on July 21 and Sporting CP at the Yankee Stadium on July 24. There is one surprise name included in the squad in Jakub Ojrzynski -  a Polish goalkeeper who recently signed for Liverpool U18s. His inclusion comes amidst the Reds having a lack of shot-stoppers available with Alisson Becker yet to return from his summer break after helping Brazil win the Copa America, Caoimhin Kelleher recovering from surgery on a broken wrist, Vitezslav Jaros suffering with an elbow ligament strain and Kamil Grabara - who Huddersfi...

Over 30,000 Liverpool fans had their say on Philippe Coutinho in our poll and it's pretty clear what they want..   Two thirds of Liverpool fans want the Reds to bring Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield - according to a poll on the ECHO website . The issue over whether the Reds should look to re-sign the Brazilian playmaker - who left Liverpool to join Barcelona for £142m in January 2018 - is developing into the issue that is beginning to define a quiet summer at Anfield thus far transfer-wise. We asked fans earlier today if they would like to see the 27-year-old brought back to L4, with three options available: Yes absolutely, bring him home! ; No way he made his bed ; and, Don't care. We have been inundated with replies with over 30,000 responses during the day and the consensus of those polled is pretty clear. 66% voted in the affirmative and want to see the Brazilian brought back to Anfield to rekindle his 'Fab Four' relationship with the attacking triumv...

How good can Liverpool wonderkid Rhian Brewster become? We asked Football Manager On the face of it, Liverpool's squad depth in attack isn't great. The front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah will play the majority of games for the Reds next season, but should Jurgen Klopp decide to rest one or two of them, his options look limited.   The likes of Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri can come in, with Gini Wijnaldum also capable of playing upfront too, but there is also a promising youngster who Klopp can rely on. Rhian Brewster struggled with injury last season, but he impressed in Liverpool's recent friendly win over Tranmere, scoring two goals, showcasing his exciting talent. But, just how good is Brewster? And how good can the 19-year-old potentially become?  

Alex Smith just took a HUGE step toward returning to the NFL ... the Redskins QB had his gnarly leg brace removed for the first time since he snapped his shin 8 months ago. Washington's signal-caller was hurt badly when J.J. Watt twisted his leg on Nov. 18 last season ... and he required multiple surgeries and a massive brace just to get the injury stabilized. In fact, when Smith first showed off the contraption keeping his leg together -- some wondered if the guy would ever play football again.   But, Smith's wife said Monday that Alex had the brace removed ... and is now inching closer to making a return to the football field. "The last 8 months have been nothing short of crazy," Elizabeth Smith said ... "Although it’s not over, today is a big milestone." "We are shedding the weight Alex has been carrying (literally and figuratively). It’s one step closer to the goal. The resilience, determination and mental fortitude of this m...

Stan Kroenke has treated Arsenal Football Club solely as an investment for far too long. He’s sucking the life out of the club & would happily watch us fade into mediocrity as long as it lines his pockets adequately. Either step up, or get out.   # WeCareDoYou

Philippe Coutinho's Barcelona nightmare has gone from bad to worse with the news he is likely to have coveted number seven 'blaugrana' shirt taken off him. The Catalan giants today announced the signing of Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann , with reports in Spain suggested the Frenchman will wear the No.7 shirt currently occupied by the Reds' former playmaker. Coutinho , who made the move from Anfield to the Camp Nou in January 2018, initially wore the No.14 shirt at the Camp Nou before being presented with the number seven. It is another setback for the Brazilian whose dream move to Catalonia has not worked out thus far in the way he would have hoped, with his substitution during the Barca's humiliating 4-0 Champions League semi-final second leg in May putting into sharp contrast the fortunes of both parties since the beginning of last year.  Back in March, we spoke to ESPN's Barcelona correspondent Samuel Marsden who gave some real insight into h...