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Battle of the Champions as Premier League fixtures are Released

Champions Liverpool will face Championship winners Leeds United in the standout opening weekend game of the 2020-21 Premier League season.

Championship play-off winners Fulham will host Arsenal, while West Bromwich Albion, the third promoted side, are at home to Leicester City.

The opening round of fixtures will take place on the weekend of 12 September.

However, Manchester City v Aston Villa and Burnley v Manchester United will be rearranged.

Those two games will not be played on the opening weekend to give City and United 30 days since their defeats in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the semi-finals of the Europa League respectively.

Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ opening matches are both scheduled for Monday, 14 September after their slightly earlier European exits.

The Blues are at Brighton, while Wolves go to Sheffield United.

The other opening weekend fixtures are Crystal Palace v Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur v Everton and West Ham United v Newcastle United.

Exact dates and kick-off times will be confirmed when the television selections are made. Matches will be played behind closed doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The English Football League fixtures are expected to be announced on Friday.

Premier League fixtures opening weekend (exact dates to change)
Crystal Palace v Southampton (12 Sep)
Fulham v Arsenal (12 Sep)
Liverpool v Leeds United (12 Sep)
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton (12 Sep)
West Bromwich Albion v Leicester City (12 Sep)
West Ham United v Newcastle United (12 Sep)
Brighton v Chelsea (14 Sep)
Sheffield United v Wolves (14 Sep)
Burnley v Manchester United (later date)
Manchester City v Aston Villa (later date)
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MANCHESTER CITY MAKES CARSON THIRD SUMMER SIGNING.

Scott Carson has signed for Manchester City on loan for another season, the club have confirmed.

Carson, 34, spent the 2019/20 season on loan from Derby County, acting as the third choice keeper to allow Aro Muric to depart on loan.

The former England international did not make an appearance, but did feature on the first team bench on a 17 occasions while Ederson or Claudio Bravo were unavailable.

Now, Carson will spend another year on loan at the Etihad, filling an important homegrown spot in City’s Premier League squad. His contract at Derby expires next summer.

Claudio Bravo has left the club, with loanee Zack Steffen set to return from his spell at Fortuna Dusseldorf to act as number two.

Announcing the signing, City said: “The 34-year-old has spent the past 12 months providing valuable back-up to Ederson and the now-departed Claudio Bravo in the first team goalkeeping department.

Everyone at Manchester City wishes Scott the best of luck throughout the next 12 months at the Club.

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LEEDS UNITED UNVEIL NEW MARCELO BIELSA INSPIRED ADIDAS KITS.

Leeds United ’s new Adidas kit has been officially unveiled ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Following 16 years outside the top flight, the Yorkshire club are back in England’s top division.

And to celebrate the season ahead, Adidas have teamed up with Leeds to drop their latest famous white home strip.

The jersey has blue stripes across the shoulders but is predominantly white, as per the club’s traditional colour.

White shorts and socks accompany the home strip for Adidas’ first kit at Elland Road.

Replicas will be available for fans online from 8am on Thursday morning, an hour before the Premier League fixtures are due to be released.

A statement on Leeds United’s website read: “Made from moisture-absorbing fabric to keep you cool when Bielsa Ball is in full flow, an embroidered crest and crew neck-collar look solid on show.

“Three stripes line the shoulders in royal blue, whilst AEROREADY technology helps the players reach their peak and the kit is complete with traditional white shorts and socks.

So from the streets to the stands, no matter where the game takes you, show your support for this one club city.”

Supporters are also expecting further exciting news in the form of a new contract for their manager.

Argentine boss Marcelo Bielsa is reported to have signed a new deal at Elland Road.

And the contract ties him down until the end of the 2020/21 season, meaning he has extended his stay by a further 12 months.

Bielsa has been a huge hit with Leeds fans since arriving at the club in 2018 and leading them back to the Premier League.

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SERGE GNABRY BRACE HELP BAYERN EASE PAST LYON AS GERMAN CHAMPIONS SET UP UCL FINAL WITH PSG

Serge Gnabry led Bayern Munich into a first Champions League final in seven years, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory over Lyon on Wednesday.

After losing four semifinals since lifting the European Cup for the fifth time in 2013, the German champions will now play first-time finalist Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday in Lisbon.

While Lyon was wasteful with its chances, Gnabry’s first-half double extended his hot scoring streak to nine goals across nine games in this season’s pandemic-disrupted competition.

But only Robert Lewandowski has scored in nine consecutive games, after heading in Bayern’s third in the 88th minute to make it 55 goals in total this season for the striker.

The loss for Lyon, in its first Champions League semifinal in a decade, means the French side will not feature in any European competition next season after only finishing seventh in the curtailed Ligue 1 season.

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Newcastle sign Jeff Hendrick

Republic of Ireland midfielder Jeff Hendrick is close to joining Newcastle United after leaving Burnley.

The 28-year-old, who has 54 caps for his country, left the Clarets in June and is a free agent.

He was signed by Burnley manager Sean Dyche for a then club record fee of £10.5m in 2016 but was unable to agree a new contract.

Hendrick would represent Newcastle’s first signing since the collapse of the proposed takeover in July.

Manager Steve Bruce has said previously that he hopes to bring in a couple of signings before the transfer window closes on 5 October.

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Barcelona Appoint Koeman on a two year deal

Ronald Koeman has been named the new head coach of Barcelona two days after the club sacked Quique Setien.

The 57-year-old left his role as Netherlands boss, with two years left on his contract, to sign a two-year deal with the Spanish giants.

He played for Barcelona between 1989 and 1995, helping them to four league titles and the European Cup.

The Catalans finished second in La Liga last season, failing to win a trophy for the first time since 2007-08.

The five-point gap to champions Real Madrid and the humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final last week culminated in the dismissal of Setien on Monday.

The club also announced Ramon Planes as the new technical director. He was the assistant to Eric Abidal, who left his role as sporting director on Tuesday.

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Lazio sporting Director Angry about David Silva move

Lazio sporting director Igli Tare says he does not have “respect for the man” after David Silva joined Real Sociedad.

The Italian side were reported to be close to signing the former Manchester City and Spain midfielder after offering him a three-year contract.

Silva, 34, instead signed a two-year deal with Spanish side Sociedad.

“I learn about David Silva’s transfer to Real Sociedad. I have great respect for the player, but not for the man,” said Tare in a short statement.

Silva’s 10-year spell at Manchester City came to an end after Saturday’s Champions League defeat by Lyon.

The attacking midfielder, who is to receive a statue outside Etihad Stadium, made 436 appearances and helped City win 14 trophies.

Silva last played in La Liga in 2010, spending six years at Valencia before moving to the Premier League and becoming one of its greatest imports.

Sociedad finished sixth in La Liga and were in search of a new playmaker after Norway’s Martin Odegaard returned to Real Madrid following a one-year loan spell.

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Celtic win to qualify for the next round of qualifiers

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 18: Greg Taylor celebrates with Scott Brown of Celtic after scoring his team's fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League: First Qualifying Round match between Celtic and KR Reykjavik at Celtic Park on August 18, 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic hammered Iceland’s KR Reykjavik in Glasgow to cruise into the Champions League second qualifying round.

Mohamed Elyounoussi tucked in the opener with Arnor Adalsteinsson’s own goal soon making it two.

Christopher Jullien and Greg Taylor netted with headers and Odsonne Edouard and Elyounoussi added further strikes.

Neil Lennon’s side, back in action after having two league games postponed, will host Djurgardens or Ferencvaros next week.

Swedes Djurgardens visit the Hungarian champions in Wednesday’s one-legged tie and either side will offer Celtic a much stiffer test.

The Scottish Premiership winners’ matches against St Mirren and Aberdeen were called off after Celtic’s Boli Bolingoli broke Covid-19 protocols by visiting Spain then not quarantining before playing in the draw with Kilmarnock on 9 August.

The left-back was unsurprisingly omitted from the squad and his team-mates made short work of their semi-professional visitors.

Jullien’s precise long ball unlocked the KR defence to allow Elyounoussi to round goalkeeper Beitir Olafsson and finish.

Hatem Abd Elhamed centred low for Edouard with the ball deflecting in off Adalsteinsson and Ryan Christie’s corner was powered home by Jullien shortly before the break.

The onslaught continued in the second period and Taylor notched his first Celtic goal from Elhamed’s deep delivery before Edouard danced away from a clutch of defenders to slot in the fifth then made way for debutant Albian Ajeti.

KR improved in the closing stages and had the ball in the net following Palmi Palmason’s header but the offside flag was raised.

And substitute Olivier Ntcham’s superb pass into the box met the sliding figure of Elyounoussi for goal number six.

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Neymar might miss Champions League Final

Neymar could be suspended for the Champions League final after swapping shirts following Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-0 win over RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

The Brazilian star broke UEFA’s coronavirus protocol when he was caught on camera swapping shirts with Leipzig’s Marcel Halstenberg.

UEFA’s 31-page ‘Return to play protocol’, issued earlier this month, states: “Players are recommended to refrain from swapping their shirts.”

It adds that non-compliance with the obligations “may lead to disciplinary measures in accordance with the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations.”

According to reports before the competition’s return from the Covid-19 shutdown, swapping shirts during the Lisbon mini-tournament would result in a 12-day period of self-isolation.

UEFA’s official protocol does not explicitly address a period of isolation in cases of shirt-swapping.

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PSG Qualify for Champions League Final

One of Europe’s biggest spenders, but also one of the continent’s most high-profile underachievers on the grandest stage.

PSG finally seized their opportunity courtesy of goals from Marquinhos, Angel di Maria and Juan Bernat.

The former, who scored the first of two late goals in a comeback win over Atalanta in the last eight, rose to head home a superbly delivered free-kick from Di Maria.

The Argentine forward then finished well from close range following an audacious flick from Neymar after Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi had relinquished possession with a dire kick.

With the fit-again Kylian Mbappe and Neymar terrorising the Leipzig backline, the French side should have been out of sight before the break, but the latter twice hit the post – from a clipped finish then an opportunist free-kick from range – before side-footing another chance wide at the near post.

Prior to PSG’s second, Yussuf Poulsen had Leipzig’s best chance but fired wide after he was found by a Dani Olmo pull-back.

Bernat sealed the win in the second half with a header that Leipzig felt was offside but was legitimate as the prone Nordi Mukiele, who had slipped in the build-up, was playing the scorer onside.

PSG will find out who they face in Sunday’s final when five-time winners Bayern Munich play Lyon in the other semi-final on Wednesday.