Revealed: How CR7 Helped Club Rival Neymar:

FIFA Ballon d'Or presenter Kate Abdo has explained how Ronaldo helped the Brazilian at the Golden Ball gala in January.

"At the Ballon d'Or which I did in January, we do a little rehearsal with the players before they are going to go on stage for real," Abdo told Football Beyond Borders.

"He (Ronaldo) came out with Neymar, who is Brazilian and Ronaldo is Portuguese, so they both speak Portuguese, and although (Lionel) Messi and Neymar are teammates, it was Ronaldo who took him around, showed him where he had to go, made sure everything was translated for him.

"He was just very kind and very caring towards Neymar, the way he looked out for him and made sure he knew what he was doing. 

"And that's a side (of Ronaldo) maybe you don't expect."

Reports: Messi Prefers Pep's City Over Man Utd & Chelsea:

he Argentine has always maintained that he is happy at the Camp Nou, but new reports in England suggest that the chance to reunite with his former boss could change his mind.

According to the Daily Star, Messi would only consider signing for City, and not crosstown rivals United or Chelsea, if he were to move to a club in the Premier League.

The 28-year-old also has a good relationship with the Citizens' director of football, Txiki Begiristain, and chief executive, Ferran Soriano, both of whom worked for the Catalan giants before joining the Etihad-based club in 2012.

Messi currently has a contract with Barca until 2018, but is expected to be offered a new deal once Neymar’s extension has been sorted out.

However, the Blaugrana are still struggling to find a new kit sponsor, with many believing the club needs the money to finance new deals for Neymar, Messi and Luis Suarez, as well as midfielder Sergio Busquets.

RONALDO                                   THE GREAT           LEGEND:                                                 Real Madrid CF

C. Ronaldo 3.26 Full Name: Cristiano Ronaldo Dos Santos Aveiro Nickname: CR7 Date of Birth: Feb 5, 1985 (Age 31) Place of Birth: Madeira Nationality: Portugal Height: 185 cm. Weight: 83 Kg. Position: Striker Squad Number: 7

Manchester United Transfer News: Toni Kroos Fee, Latest Michael Carrick Rumours:

Manchester United are reportedly set to offer Real Madrid €50 million (£39 million) for Toni Kroos to beat Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain to the player this summer.

That’s according to RMC (h/t Tom Coast of Sport Witness), who state that while the three juggernauts of European football are interested in the former Bayern Munich man, it’s United who are considering putting a package together. Coast also writes that, according to the RMC piece, Real would want a minimum of €45 million to consider cashing in.

RMC’s Mohamed Bouhafsi added further details to the reported interest in Kroos, suggesting he is already “in talks” with PSG:

La Liga Player Rankings: Keylor Navas Returns to Top 20, Pique and Godin Slip:

Jornada 30 saw two critical results at the top of the table, which tips the balance ever more in Barcelona's favour, as they took a point and Atletico Madrid lost. With both teams somewhat below their best, though, it means little movement among the top end of our player rankings this week—though the bottom half saw plenty of positional switches and a familiar face back involved in Keylor Navas.

As usual, we have analysed each game over the weekend to update our player rankings; the rankings are based on players' last six games and are continually updated throughout the season, with slightly more emphasis placed on their most recent outing.

Only Liga performances are counted, and typically, one-week wonders do not find their way in—instead, see our Team of the Week for the top performers over a single weekend. 

Real Madrid Transfer News: Alvaro Morata Comments on Juventus Exit Rumours:

Juventus forward Alvaro Morata has expressed his frustration with the uncertainty over his future, telling reporters a return toReal Madrid is a "real possibility" and he would like to know where to buy a house.

Speaking to Cadena Cope (h/t Football Italia), Morata made it clear he wants to know where he'll be playing his football next season as soon as possible: 

Speaking about next year is difficult for me, because I don’t have the certainty of knowing where I will be and this is a strange situation.

I can’t wait for the question of the re-purchase to be resolved. I’m happy in Turin, but I want to be able to know where I should buy a house. I want to know as soon as possible where I’ll be.

I’m happy at Juventus, but returning to Madrid is a real possibility because there’s a contract, it was all already written. I just want all of this to be resolved.

 

James Rodriguez, Isco Reportedly Upset Real Madrid Captains Amid Exit Rumours

Senior Real Madrid players Sergio Ramos and Marcelo are reportedly frustrated with the attitude of midfielders Isco and James Rodriguez, and there are suggestions the latter pair could leave the club at the end of the campaign.  

According to Alejandro Alcazar of Sport, the Isco and Rodriguez “are in trouble at the club, with [president] Florentino Perez, [manager] Zinedine Zidane, the fans—they were whistled against Sevilla—and now with the captains of the team.” Neither player has been at his best since Zidane took over, and Alcazar suggested in the story that the duo have been hit with an ultimatum: Improve your performances, or move on.

Ramos and Marcelo are reportedly displeased with Rodriguez in particular, with the report saying the two defenders “think he is a shadow of the player he was last year.”

Chelsea Hope £73M Tag to Warn Real Off Courtois:-

Chelsea hope their £73million world-record valuation of Thibaut Courtois will scare off Real Madrid. Real are considering making another move for the keeper this summer should they fail to prise David de Gea out of Manchester United. Courtois is understood to be keen to return to La Liga in the future after a three-year spell on loan from Chelsea at Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea Transfer News: Thibaut Courtois Wanted by Real Madrid, Latest Rumours:

Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois reportedly sits high on Real Madrid's wish list for this summer, and the latest rumours in the British press say he's open to a return to the Spanish capital.

According to the Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel, Los Blancos will ignore Keylor Navas' sensational form and continue their hunt for another goalkeeper, and if they can't land Manchester United's David De Gea, Courtois would be their first alternative.

The report also claimed Courtois is happy in London, but he and his Spanish partner wouldn't say no to a return to La Liga―and a club likely to compete in next year's UEFA Champions League.

Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest on Neymar and Sergio Aguero Rumours:

Real Madrid left-back Marcelo thinks it would be difficult for his club to sign Barcelona star Neymar, while Sergio Aguero's deal with Manchester City reportedly doesn't include an anti-Real clause, opening the door for a potential transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Speaking to Globoesporte (h/t Sport), Marcelo revealed he and Neymar don't talk much about football while they're on international duty with Brazil.

He then weighed in on the possibility Neymar would move to Los Blancos, saying: “We joke about other things [laughs]. We don’t talk about football much, so I don’t know...  But I think it would be difficult for Neymar, who is making history with Barcelona, to come to Real Madrid. I think it would be difficult.

Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest on Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos Rumours:-

Rumours of a potential summer clear-out at Real Madrid are surfacing, with the latest reports pointing at forward Cristiano Ronaldo and centre-back Sergio Ramos as possible candidates to leave the club during the upcoming transfer window.

That's according to Marca's Jose Felix Diaz, who writes the fates of several big-name players will be up to manager Zinedine Zidane and his willingness to improve the club's fortunes. Much of the optimism surrounding his appointment has evaporated in the last few weeks, and the 1-0 loss against rivals Atletico Madrid has all but killed Los Blancos' chances of winning the Spanish title.

Zidane was never expected to deliver a domestic title in his first season in charge, and some major decisions will be made this summer regarding the direction the club will take. Per Diaz, Ronaldo and Ramos are the two players whose heads could be on the chopping block:

The club knows that Cristiano Ronaldo remains a highly sought after player and he could be the first to leave the Bernabeu.

 

The Portuguese superstar will shoot it out with the Brazilian phenomenon for a place in the last eight of our knockout tournament to determine the greatest player of all time:
Who do football fans consider the 'real' Ronaldo? We're about to find out, as Cristiano Ronaldo goes up against Luis Nazario de Lima in the quarter-finals of Goal's inaugural Legends World Cup!

The straight knockout tournament pits 16 of the game's greatest icons against one another to determine the best player of all time, with each future tie to be decided by you, our readers.

Our fourth last 16 clash features both the Portuguese and the Brazilian Ronaldo! Cristiano, of course, is Real Madrid's all-time record marksman but his Brazilian rival was considered by many as the deadliest striker the game had ever seen before injuries eventually took their toll.

The Messi, Suarez and Neymar statistics that will frighten Arsenal fans ahead of Barcelona clash:

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar's goal records for Barcelona reveal just what Arsenal are up against in the Champions League.

The Gunners come up against the Catalan giants on Tuesday night, hoping to complete the impossible and knock one of the greatest club teams in history out of the competition.

It presents the major problem with finishing second in a Champions League group, as Arsenal were handed the daunting tie.

Petr Cech, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny and co will be tasked with keeping out the Blaugrana's fearsome front three, who have amassed no less than 213 goals between them since Suarez joined the club.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended my England career before it had started, says Ryan Shawcross:

Ryan Shawcross made his England debut over three years ago but still cannot escape the evening he was spooked by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

With 16 minutes left to play, Shawcross was introduced as a substitute to find Ibrahimovic at his imperious best, with the Sweden forward scoring three of his four goals, including a stunning bicycle kick from 30 yards.

The hipster’s choice: who is Europe’s coolest manager?

The hipster’s choice: who is Europe’s coolest manager?

We all love a hipster manager, don’t we? The prospect of the next big thing in Germany, who has just taken Paderborn on a run through to the latter stages of the DFB Pokal, is both more enticing and exciting than the safe bet: a Sam Allardyce, a Tony Pulis, or even a Rafa Benitez.

But what is it that makes us so idolise the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Marcelo Bielsa and Aitor Karanka. What is it that makes them fit the bill as the hipster’s choice?

Nationality

Steve McClaren was always up against it. An English manager at a big English club like Newcastle just isn’t as glamorous as an eccentric foreigner, is it? It is perhaps why so many find a glass ceiling preventing their progress to the top of the game: managers from abroad are just cooler, right?

Leicester to face Barcelona and PSG as reward for remarkable season:

Leicester City will face European heavyweights Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain this summer as reward for their remarkable Premier League season.

Claudio Ranieri and his squad have been selected to play in the International Champions Cup, a pre-season tournament organised by American businessman Charlie Stillitano, who claimed last month that Leicester would not be welcome in a European Super League.

Revealed: The dirtiest 20 Premier League players of the last five years:

Every club has its own pantomime villain and, in some cases, its bête noire, but who statistically are the dirtiest players to have played in the Premier League in the last five years? Telegraph Sport has done the calculations so that you don't have to and has awarded a point each for a foul, three for a yellow card and six for a red card. Here's what we discovered . 

Louis van Gaal's 10 most baffling decisions at Manchester United:

decisions at Manchester United

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Louis van Gaal has baffled Manchester United’s fans on many occasions during his 20 months at Manchester United to date. As he prepares for another huge week involving the Manchester derby with City and an FA Cup replay at West Ham, we look at the 10 most curious...

The Arsene Wenger referendum: should he stay as Arsenal manager?

Forget EU membership: the biggest question on the lips of many football followers is whether the man who has single-handedly transformed Arsenal over the course of almost two decades should remain in his post.

Arsene Wenger's long-term prospects appear bleaker than ever after their Champions League exit was confirmed by Barcelona last night, given they are already out of the FA Cup and trailing a distant third in the Premier League title race.

So what happens next? We canvassed opinion among our football experts, asking them the following simple question:

If Arsenal finish the season without a trophy, should Arsene Wenger stay on as manager - or go?

17 Mar 2016

Manchester United v Liverpool: who makes our composite XI?

makes our composite XI?

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Louis van Gaal and Jurgen Klopp go head to head for a second time in a week in tonight's Europa League decider at Old Trafford. But who would get into a composite team drawn from the available players on each side? Alan Smith passes judgement...

Premier League past-it XI: who should just give up?

The arrival at City next season of Pep Guardiola, working alongside the former Barcelona axis of chief ­executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain, also makes the club, they believe, the likely destination of any of ­Barca’s star players should they leave the Nou Camp.

Messi’s contract at Barcelona runs to at least 2018 – there are ­suggestions it is 2019 – by which time he will be 31 and the likelihood is that he will be offered another ­extension before then.

Manchester City confident Lionel Messi will join them if he ever decides to leave Barcelona:

Manchester City firmly believe that they would be Lionel Messi’s first choice of club should he ever ­decide to leave Barcelona.

While City’s hierarchy are aware of how deeply embedded Messi is at the Spanish club and how difficult it would be to sign him, their ­confidence that he would want to come to them indicates that ­detailed conversations have taken place about the world’s best player.

England's strongest XI - who should Roy Hodgson pick for Euro 2016?

In just over two months time Euro 2016 will be upon us and once again a nation's hopes will rest on the shoulders of a few select players.

Roy Hodgson has the task of selecting a side that can (hopefully) challenge for the trophy. So it begs the question, if everyone is fit, who should he pick?

For simplicity's sake we've gone for the traditional 4-4-2. Here's your chance to be the England manager... 

Barcelona vs Arsenal, Champions League: Goals from Neymar, Suarez and Messi see off Gunners:

That's your lot

But there's another game going on! Bayern vs Juventus has gone to extra time so why not head over there for lots of late drama?

10:09pm

Ian Wright's thoughts

Wright reckons that if Arsenal come third or fourth Wenger has to go. "The natives have turned - more want him out than in."

Interesting, and probably not inaccurate from Wright.

10:03pm

Wenger speaks

"The performance was good - it was a great game - we go out with regrets but they have exceptional quality up front and can take advantage of any mistake.

"I felt we were wobbling a bit at 1-1 and they took advantage

"It is difficult to take to go out but well done to them, we wish them well.

On Iwobi penalty claim: "I don't know if he was touched. Overall I think the referee had a good game"

On substitutions: "I wanted to protect Danny Welbeck - he has had some problems recently."

9:56pm

That penalty shout

 They are still discussing Alex Iwobi's first half penalty shout, which Howard Webb maintains should have been a penalty as "Mascherano has a duty of care" not to touch the striker.

I agree - it should have been a pen. Mascherano doesn't mean it but it impedes the striker. Gary Lineker isn't so sure.

Manchester United Transfer News: Ousmane Dembele Fuels Red Devils Rumours:-

Rennes wonderkid Ousmane Dembele has given Manchester United a potential boost in the race for his summer signature after he admitted he usually chooses to play as the Red Devils on PlayStation.  

The 18-year-old has become subject to an onslaught of speculation following a breakout season in France, and he told French daily L'Equipe of his soft spot for the Premier League giants (h/t James Dixon of the Manchester Evening News):

It’s nice, but in the end, I still have three years with Rennes. I’m still progressing. I’m discovering Ligue 1. I think especially of what happens on the pitch, and not what’s going on around it.

I’ll be the one who decides my future.