Manchester City’s treble winners arguably greatest ever English team – Joe Royle

Diego Simeone refused to view Atletico Madrid s goalless La Liga draw against Villarreal in a negative light.

Like city rivals Real Madrid earlier on Sunday at Malaga, Atleti were forced to settle for a share of the spoils and are now eight points behind defending champions Barcelona at the summit with 13 games remaining.

However, speaking at a post-match news conference, Simeone was reluctant to discuss the title prospects of his 2013-14 champions – preferring to focus on maintaining a six-point advantage over their miserly opponents Villarreal, who lie fourth.

The top-three teams in La Liga earn automatic Champions League qualification, while the side in fourth must undergo a preliminary round in Europe s premier club competition.

If we focus on our …

Manchester City have denied that they are to make an approach for Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas,.

The 27 year old looks set to move away from the Catalan club this summer, though he will not be joining the Premier League champions, who are instead expected to pursue more defensive targets.

Fabregas returned to Barcelona in 2011 after an eight year spell with Arsenal, during which time he scored fifty-seven goals in three-hundred and three appearances in all competitions.

Arsenal were linked with a move for the Spaniard last summer, as were then champions Manchester United though neither were successful in their pursuit of the player.

In eight-seven international appearances, Fabregas has scored thirteen goals and he will be hoping to add to tha…

February 3 – In an interview with Catlaan publication Sport, sporting director Eric Abidal says the club had begun considering Valverde s future after the 0-0 draw with Real Madrid on December 18. He adds that he and his colleagues identified many players weren t satisfied nor working hard and there was also an internal communication problem .

February 4 – Messi hits back at Abidal, calling on him to name individuals rather than tar every player with the same brush. Writing on Instagram and highlighting a section of Abidal s quotes, Messi says: I honestly don t like to do these things, but I think everyone has to be responsible for their tasks and take care of their decisions. The players [are responsible for] what happens on the pitch and we are also the first to recogni…

Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix has been voted the world s best under-21 player after winning the 2019 Golden Boy award, beating Borussia Dortmund s Jadon Sancho.

Portugal international Joao Felix broke into the Benfica first-team last season and swiftly became a fixture in the side, impressing with his athleticism, ability on the ball and strong finishing skills, earning comparisons with Brazil and Milan great Kaka.

He finished the 2018-19 season with 15 Primeira Liga goals from just 21 starts and featured for Portugal in their Nations League triumph.

Joao Felix s form understandably led to transfer speculation and, although several of Europe s biggest clubs were said to be interested, Atletico got a €126million deal over the line in July as they identified hi…

Alexis Mac Allister is exactly the type of player Liverpool need if they are to return to the top, according to Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool wrapped up a £35 million deal to sign the Argentina midfielder from Brighton last week.

The Reds are hoping to bounce back from a disappointing Premier League season that saw them miss out on the top four as they finished fifth despite a strong finish to the campaign.

Van Dijk, speaking before the Netherlands play Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in Rotterdam on Wednesday, thinks the swoop for Mac Allister is an ideal start to the transfer window.

He is a very good player, said Van Dijk.

Obviously, we have played against him many times [with Liverpool] and also with Holland against Argentina.

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Defender Filipe Luis has set his sights on a Premier League and UEFA Champions League double in his first season at Chelsea.

The full-back completed his move from Atletico Madrid to Stamford Bridge on Friday, penning a three-year deal.

Filipe was part of the Atletico side that won La Liga on the final day of last term and then lost in extra time in the Champions League final against city rivals Real.

And the 28-year-old is determined to go all the way in Europe with 2011-12 winners Chelsea as well as mounting a sustained title challenge domestically.

Last season was brilliant but I ve come here to do exactly the same, Filipe told the club s official website.

I want to go one better in the Champions League and, in terms of the Premier League, …

Pep Guardiola has quashed speculation that Jerome Boateng could swap Bayern Munich for Barcelona.

Reports in Spain on Monday had suggested that World Cup-winning defender Boateng is a top target for Barca as they look to strengthen their back line following the retirement of captain Carles Puyol.

However, Guardiola has no intention of allowing the 25-year-old Germany star to join the Bayern coach s former club.

I do not know what the media say, he said at a media conference ahead of Bayern s clash with an MLS All-Star team in Portland.

I only know that Jerome Boateng will be a Bayern player next season, 100 per cent.

Since joining Bayern from Manchester City in 2011, Boateng has won eight trophies, including two Bundesliga titles and the 2013…

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel was taken aback by his side s 9-0 demolition of Guingamp on Saturday.

Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani scored hat-tricks, while Neymar netted a double as PSG humiliated Guingamp in Paris.

PSG tied their record Ligue 1 winning margin, leaving German boss Tuchel stunned post-match.

I have to think about it, but I don t think I ve ever seen that before 9-0 in a league game, Tuchel told reporters.

 Biggest home win in  
 Biggest win in , equaling the scoreline from a March 2016 victory  Troyes

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English)

We really wanted to score, we played with a lot of quality. We improved during the second half and played very smoothly with a good offens…

Leicester City expect full commitment from Riyad Mahrez and will drop the winger if he does not show it, while the Premier League club have still not received any offers for the star, manager Craig Shakespeare says.

Mahrez confirmed his intention to leave the 2015-16 Premier League champions by releasing a statement in May, with Arsenal reported to be among the clubs interested.

But despite Arsene Wenger making complimentary comments about the Algerian, Shakespeare said Leicester have not had any bids for Mahrez and will not select him if he is not focused on his game.

It can be disappointing when players go public with it but I think you have to understand the modern game, Shakespeare said.

Sometimes outside influences are secondary behind that and the…

Achraf Hakimi was sent off for Paris Saint-Germain as the Ligue 1 leaders played out a 0-0 draw with Marseille in Le Classique on Sunday.

Mauricio Pochettino s side, who started with the heralded trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, largely struggled to break down their stubborn hosts, even before Hakimi s dismissal in the 57th minute for a foul on Cengiz Under.

Valentin Rongier and Konrad De la Fuente wasted glorious opportunities to find a winner, while Messi was chased by a spectator late in the second half as he pushed forward in the Marseille half, with security slow to apprehend the man.

The result means PSG are seven points clear at the Ligue 1 summit, while Marseille are 10 points behind in fourth, although Jorge Sampaoli s side have a game …