Sports

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo says the decision to undergo thigh surgery is not a matter of club versus country, with the centre-back set to miss the Qatar 2022 World Cup with Uruguay.

The 23-year-old had been widely expected to be a lock for Diego Alonso s side ahead of the end-of-year tournament.

But Barcelona s announcement that he will undergo thigh surgery for a tendon problem in Finland on Wednesday, with a likely three-month lay-off to follow, looks to have dashed those plans.

Taking to social media on Monday, however, Araujo was quick to shoot down suggestions he had chosen the Blaugrana over his country, instead stating he was merely following the best medical advice.

I want to make clear the reasons why I made my decision, to avoid speculati…

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has told his players their resounding Premier League victory over Brighton will count for nothing if they do not beat Leicester to clinch a place in the Champions League.

The Magpies survived a test of their top-four credentials at St James’ Park on Thursday evening when they defended a 2-1 lead in the face of a determined Seagulls backlash before eventually killing off the game to win 4-1.

As a result, they climbed four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool with both clubs having two games left, and will play in the Champions League next season if either the Reds lose at home to Aston Villa on Saturday or they beat the Foxes on Tyneside two days later.

The boss on tonight s big win!

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC)

A…

Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas has labelled Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger the most important person in his career.

The 26-year-old was signed by Wenger from the Barca youth team when he was 16, and worked his way through the Arsenal academy before making his first-team debut in 2003.

Fabregas made 303 appearances in eight years at the Premier League outfit before returning to Barca in 2011.

And the Spaniard s career has been littered with success he has won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, FA Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, the European Championships twice and the World Cup.

Despite only winning one major trophy during his time in England, Fabregas credits Wenger as the most important influence on his career to date.

I prefer not to talk too much about Arsenal beca…

Two tournament favourites in Napoli and Tottenham face tricky second legs as they look to progress to the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League.

Rafael Benitez s side host Swansea at the Stadio San Paolo after a goalless draw in Wales, knowing a score draw would eliminate them on away goals, as well as a defeat.

Tottenham face arguably a greater task in overturning a 1-0 deficit against Dnipro of Ukraine when the two sides meet at White Hart Lane.

Yevhen Konoplyanka s late penalty earned the Ukrainian side a slender advantage in the first leg as the English side s 100 per cent record in the competition was snapped.

Should Tim Sherwood s side progress, they are likely to face last year s runners-up Benfica, who hold a 1-0 lead going into their home leg with PAOK.

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Real Madrid are set to sign their former striker Mariano Diaz, who appears to have had a change of heart over a switch from Lyon to Sevilla.

Mariano left Madrid for Lyon last year in a reported €8million deal and the Ligue 1 side s president Jean-Michel Aulas denied reports the transfer included a buy-back option last November.

The striker made a great start to life in France, scoring 18 league goals in 2017-18, but he has not found the net since April.

Madrid, meanwhile, are yet to sign a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portugal captain joined Juventus in a deal worth €112million.

Sevilla president Jose Castro says his club were set to land Mariano, but will now miss out on the 25-year-old.

Real Madrid have a buy option the…

Radja Nainggolan scored on his Inter debut as Luciano Spalletti s men won 3-0 at Bologna to record their first Serie A victory of the new season.

After a slow start to 2018-19, Inter looked like being frustrated again on Saturday until Nainggolan produced a moment of quality in the 66th minute, netting with his side s first shot on target.

A muscular injury meant the former Roma midfielder s bow was delayed after his €38million move, but it proved worth the wait for fans of the Nerazzurri. 

Substitute Antonio Candreva and Ivan Perisic both struck inside the final eight minutes to wrap up a triumph that, while impressive, was not quite as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.

66 GL! IL NINJA !!! Controllo e destro di prima a incrociare imparabile 0-…

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier believes his players will have to show they can play under pressure if they are to take three points from Wednesday s Champions League meeting with Benfica.

The fixture sees two sides with 100-per-cent records so far in Group H face off, with PSG top by virtue of scoring more goals than their Portuguese counterparts.

Both teams also lead their domestic leagues and are yet to lose a game so far this campaign, suggesting the match in Lisbon could be an exciting and tight affair between two sides in excellent form.

And Galtier acknowledged the challenge that faces his players, telling reporters at Tuesday s pre-match press conference: What we are going to have to do, to perform well and beat Benfica, is have this abi…

Erling Haaland will have a break , Pep Guardiola assured the media after his Manchester derby heroics. Just not yet, it seems.

Concerns around the amount of football Haaland has played since signing for Manchester City are understandable.

Heading into this week s Champions League matches, team-mate Joao Cancelo was the sole outfield player in the Premier League to play more minutes than Haaland across all competitions this season.

Cancelo and Haaland are two of three players – the other being goalkeeper Ederson – to start every City match. Named in the line-up once more against Copenhagen on Wednesday, Haaland made his 12th start in City colours; his 12th of last season, playing at Borussia Dortmund, did not come until December.

Indeed, Haaland had al…

A late Daniel Sturridge equaliser salvaged a 3-3 draw for Liverpool against Everton in Saturday s dramatic Merseyside derby.

Everton had looked to be on course for their first derby success since October 2010 thanks to a Romelu Lukaku double in the second half at Goodison Park, but Sturridge headed home from a superb Steven Gerrard delivery in the 89th minute.

Philippe Coutinho was on the scoresheet after just four minutes in what was a lively opening 10 minutes, finishing from inside the six-yard box to hand his side the advantage.

Kevin Mirallas, a scorer for Belgium in midweek, was the man to bring Everton level. His first Premier League goal of the season restored parity just three minutes later.

Luis Suarez scored the game s third goal after 18 minutes, fin…

Eredivisie outfit FC Utrecht s French striker Loic Loval has returned to his native country by sealing a switch to Vannes Olympique Club. Loval, 28, has signed a two year contract with Vannes, who currently play in the second tier of French football.

Vannes reached the final of the 2009 Coupe de la Ligue, beating the likes of Nice and AJ Auxerre before losing to Bordeaux.

Loval had stints with Sochaux and Besancon before moving to the Netherlands in 2003 with De Graafschap. Two years later, he was transferred to Go Ahead Eagles. He left the Eagles in 2007 to join Utrecht.

[Source:- Vannes OC]

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