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Kylian Mbappe to miss PSG’s Champions League quarter-final due to ankle injury

Kylian Mbappe will miss PSG’s Champions League quarter-final against Atalanta in Lisbon on August 12 after suffering an injury in the Coupe de France final on Friday.

Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out for three weeks after he suffered an ankle injury in Friday’s French Cup final win over St Etienne, the Ligue 1 champions said on Monday.

It means Mbappe will miss PSG’s Champions League quarter-final against Italian side Atalanta in Lisbon on Aug. 12.

“The results of today’s scan confirmed an ankle sprain with damage to the external ligament. The player is expected to be sidelined for approximately three weeks,” PSG said in a statement.

A rough tackle from Loic Perrin saw the St Etienne defender catch Mbappe on the ankle and the 21-year-old collapsed on the pitch in pain before being substituted.

Perrin was sent off for the challenge as PSG won 1-0.

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Lionel Messi urges Barcelona to appoint Marcelo Bielsa as new head coach

Marcelo Bielsa, who has been a mentor to Pep Guardiola in the past, has previously managed in La Liga, taking charge of Espanyol in 1998 before leading Athletic Bilbao between 2011 and 2013.

Lionel Messi has reportedly expressed his interest in having Leeds United’s Marcelo Bielsa as the new manager of Barcelona after a disappointing second-place finish in La Liga last season.

Bielsa led Leeds United back into the Premier League for the 2020/21 campaign with a Championship title win, ending a 16-year-long wait. But the Argentine tactician is yet to sign a new contract at Elland Road.

The 65-year-old’s existing deal with Leeds is due to expire next week, and according to The Sun, Messi has urged Barcelona to bring the former Athletic Bilbao manager back in Spain.

After being appointed mid-season as the head coach of the Catalan club, Quique Setien is under pressure of losing his job after conceding the domestic league title to rivals Real Madrid by five points.

According to The Sun, Barcelona are yet to make contact with Bielsa’s representatives but the threat of a move “will set alarm bells ringing at Elland Road”.

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani, on the other hand, believes that the Argentine coach will need no persuasion to extend his deal at the club.

“It’s on merit for him to be here and he deserves it. I think it’s an honour for Marcelo as for any other coach to be in charge of a club like Leeds United in the Premier League,” said Radrizzani.

“So, at the end, we don’t have to persuade anyone to stay at our club. It’s on merit and ambition because it’s a big club,” he added.

Bielsa, who has been a mentor to Pep Guardiola in the past, has the experience of managing in La Liga, taking charge of Espanyol in 1998 before leading Athletic Bilbao between 2011 and 2013.

Barcelona will take on Napoli in the second leg of their last-16 UEFA Champions League clash on August 8 with the tie delicately poised following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Italy.

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Zenith sign Dejan Lovern

Zenit St Petersburg have signed defender Dejan Lovren from Liverpool for £10.9m on a three-year contract.

The Croatia centre-back, 31, has joined the Russian club after playing in 10 Premier League games this season for champions Liverpool.

Lovren, signed from Southampton for £20m in July 2014, also helped the Reds win the Champions League in 2019.

He scored five goals in 131 league appearances for Liverpool but played just three times in 2020.

Lovren also helped Croatia reach the 2018 World Cup final, where they lost 4-2 to France, and has 57 caps for his country.

His Anfield contract ran until June 2021 and the club had an option to extend it by a year.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said “another Liverpool legend” had left the club.

“He was absolutely a very, very important part of this team from the first day since I was in,” added the German, who took charge in October 2015.

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Vertoghen leaves spurs on a free

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has left the club after eight years.

Vertonghen, 33, made 315 appearances for Tottenham, but leaves after seeing his playing time limited under new manager Jose Mourinho this season.

The Belgian, who departs as a free agent, helped Spurs reach finals in the Champions League and League Cup.

“So my time at the club comes to an end, a sad day for many reasons,” Vertonghen wrote in a post on Instagram.

“I will miss the friends I’ve made here, the staff that make the club run, playing at the amazing new stadium and of course you fans,” he added.

“Thank you for all the support over the years. You’ve been amazing. We had many unbelievable memories but for now, it’s goodbye.”

Vertonghen, who joined Tottenham from Ajax in 2012, did not feature in his side’s last Premier League game of the season, a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

His team-mate, England striker Harry Kane, was among those to pay tribute to Vertonghen and goalkeeper Michel Vorm, who is also leaving.

“It’s been a pleasure sharing a dressing room with them,” Kane said in a caption, alongside a squad picture.

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Messi will sign new deal says Barcelona president

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says he has “no doubt” Argentina forward Lionel Messi will sign a new contract with the club.

The 33-year-old’s current deal expires in 2021.

BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague recently reported Messi was “fed up” at the Spanish club.

“Messi has said many times that he wants to retire here and I have no doubt that he will re-sign,” Bartomeu told Mundo Deportivo.

Barcelona finished the domestic season five points behind La Liga champions Real Madrid.

They play the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Napoli on 8 August with the score 1-1 from the first match in February.

Messi, who won the La Liga Golden Boot with 25 goals, has said “things have to change” at the club.

On the transfer front, Bartomeu added: “Now we are making decisions and the players, if they do not come as part of a player exchange, it is very difficult for them to come.”

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LEIGHTON BAINES ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER 13 YEARS AT GOODISON PARK.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 1: Leighton Baines of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Manchester United at Goodison Park on March 1, 2020 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Leighton Baines has confirmed his retirement from football after 13 years at Everton.

The 35-year-old full-back made 420 appearances for Everton, captaining the side and scoring 39 goals after joining the club from Wigan in 2007.

Baines, who was also capped 30 times by England and appeared at the 2014 World Cup, announced his decision announced following the club’s 3-1 defeat by Bournemouth on the final day of the Premier League season.

He was offered a one-year contract extension by the Toffees, but has only played 17 times in the last two seasons as Lucas Digne took over as first-choice left-back.

“I am incredibly proud to have represented Everton for the past 13 years and my decision to retire has been a difficult one to make,” Baines wrote in a statement.

“After speaking to my family, I feel now is the right time to end my playing career but I do so with many great memories at this proud football club.

“As someone from the city, Everton means so much to me and it has been an honour to be part of the Club for so long.

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported me during my time at Everton, especially the fans who have been fantastic with me from the moment I signed.”

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Pedro set to Leave chelsea

Spanish striker Pedro has played his last league game for Chelsea, manager Frank Lampard has confirmed.

The forward, who will be 33 on Tuesday, came on for the final few minutes of Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League win over Wolves.

Pedro, signed from Barcelona for £21m in 2014, helped Chelsea secure the Premier League title in 2016-17 and also won the FA Cup and Europa League.

Reports suggest that he is set to join Serie A club Roma on a free transfer.

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Ronaldo scores to push juventus to the Title

Cristiano Ronaldo dedicated Juventus’ record-extending ninth successive Serie A title ‘to the fans’ as they defeated Sampdoria in Turin.

The forward scored his 31st league goal of the season from Miralem Pjanic’s short free-kick and Federico Bernardeschi sealed the victory.

Maurizio Sarri’s side are the only team to win nine consecutive titles in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

It extends their own record, which Bayern Munich had matched in June.

Ronaldo missed the chance to get closer to Ciro Immobile’s tally of 34 at the top of the Serie A goal charts as he struck a penalty against the crossbar in the final minutes.

Juventus had missed the chance to claim the title in what manager Sarri described as a “messy” defeat at Udinese on Thursday and began Sunday’s match with just one win in their last five games.

They were far from their free-flowing best and were forced to withstand plenty of pressure in the second half but Bernardeschi’s goal from Ronaldo’s saved attempt ensured former Chelsea manager Sarri won the first league title of his managerial career.

Sampdoria’s hopes of finding a way back into the match ended as they were reduced to 10-men following a second booking for Morten Thorsby.

Ronaldo’s goal sees him move to within three of leading Serie A goalscorer Immobile, who scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Verona earlier on Sunday.

“I told the players ‘if you win with me who has never won anything, it is because you are really strong’,” said Sarri, whose only major trophy win was the Europa League with Chelsea in May 2019.

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CHRIS WILDER: SHEFFIELD UNITED NEEDS BETTER PLAYERS

Sheffield United boss, Chris Wilder has appealed to his management that his team needs some bolstering if they must out perform their current status in the just concluded premier league season.

Speaking after the 3-1 loss to Southampton, Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder admitted that if his side want to progress further up the Premier League table then they need to invest in better players.

The Blades finished 9th on the log despite losing 3-1 to Southampton on final match day.

Chris Wilder’s men outclassed other new returnees to the premier league, Norwich City and Aston Villa, Only Villa managed to escape relegation on final match day after getting a draw against Westham United.

Despite missing out on European football for next season, Chris Wilder believes his team needs more bolstering if they must perform better next season.

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MAN CITY’S DE BRUYNE EQUALS THIERY HENRY’S ASSIST RECORD, BUT INSISTS HE’S SURPASSED IT

Kevin De Bruyne is adamant he has broken Thierry Henry’s Premier League assist record.

The Man City playmaker scored twice and assisted one goal in his side’s final-day 5-0 win over Norwich on Sunday.

That assist put De Bruyne level with Henry’s record (20) from the 2002/03 campaign.

In a 3-0 win at Arsenal last December, De Bruyne harshly had an assist taken off him for a Raheem Sterling goal.

The 29-year-old’s cross took a faint deflection off a Gunners defender before reaching Sterling, who tapped the ball in.
Speaking after the Norwich thumping, De Bruyne appeared to reference that goal and another one.

He said: “I have got two more assists. You guys took two away from me.

“I’m still claiming that one. For me I was already there [level with Henry’s record].”

De Bruyne, who also scored 13 league goals this season, came second to Jordan Henderson as the Liverpool captain won the PFA Player of the Year award.

While Henderson’s stats were nowhere near the Belgium midfielder, he led Liverpool to a first top-flight title in 30 years.

Only Barcelona star Lionel Messi (112) has more league assists than De Bruyne (101) since his arrival in England in 2012.