Ronaldo values Champions League over Barcelona´s double

Turkey goalkeeper Rüstü Reçber will not be available for the national team any longer. This was announced on the website of UEFA.

While complimenting his team mates for their achievements at Euro 2008, the keeper revealed that Wednesday s semi final with Germany had been his last game for Turkey.

I am ending my international career, where I served with pride, glory and honour for 14 years. I would like to thank everybody who has helped me.

Rüstü went to Euro 2008 as reserve goalkeeper but got his chance to shine when first choice goalie Volkan Demirel got suspended for two games.

The 35 year old Rüstü took the chance with both hands and helped Turkey to reach the semi finals by saving the deciding penalt…

Spanish striker Dani Guiza will marry his girlfriend if Spain land their first title since 1964 in the Euro 2008 climax against Germany on Sunday, the Real Mallorca marksman told the Spanish press on Saturday.

The 27-year-old leading scorer in the Spanish Championship last season with 27 goals said that a Spanish victory would prompt him to propose marriage to his long-term companion Nuria Bermudez, mother of his child, a former model and actress and now his agent.

If I win the title, we will go forwards and marry, said Guiza, who scored in the 3-0 semi-final victory over Russia.

The proposal by Guiza, who will also have a 214,000 euros win bonus to dangle in front of his fiancee, is diametrically opposed to that of France coach Raymond Domenech, who proposed…

Victor Osimhen has quashed rumours of a move away from Napoli and praised boss Luciano Spalletti, after he was ejected from a training session on Sunday.

Spalletti was referee for a team scrimmage and was prompted to kick Osimhen out of the training session after the Nigeria international responded angrily to a challenge from Leo Ostigard.

The 23-year-old, who contributed to 24 goals in all competitions for the Partenopei last term, has been linked in the off season with Bayern Munich and Tottenham.

Osimhen poured cold water over those rumours, however, by asserting he wants to stay at Napoli.

A transfer? I talked to ADL [Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis], calm down. Spalletti s top, he told Corriere dello Sport.

I am at Napoli, and I have g…

Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung believes Shinji Kagawa can shine at the club if he joins from Borussia Dortmund.

Park is aware of United s reported interest in Kagawa and would welcome a move for the Japan international.

Kagawa, 23, arrived at Dortmund in 2010, and has helped the club to successive Bundesliga titles in the last two seasons.

Kagawa already has experience in Europe and good quality, Park told reporters.

If he comes to United, I think he ll play well.

Park spoke of his disappointment at losing the English Premier League title to Manchester City on goal difference, and wants to see out his career at Old Trafford.

It was disappointing season but (the) past is past, I ll focus on what to do from now on, Park said…

Newcastle United played host to title-chasing Liverpool in the round before last of the 2018/19 season in the Premier League.

The Magpies position was secure; sitting 14th but a huge 11 points above the relegation zone, they were quite safe. They also had no chance of reaching a European spot, so they were in fact as comfortable as possible.

Liverpool, on the other hand, had to make sure they kept up the pressure on title holders Manchester City, with any hope they have of pipping them to it clinging desperately on winning every game for the rest of the season and City dropping points somewhere.

Team News

Former Liverpool boss, now in the Newcastle dugout of course, Rafa Benitez was without long-term absentees, defender Florian Lejeune and midfielders Miguel A…

Inter midfielder Joao Mario is having a medical at West Ham with a view to a loan move to the Premier League side, manager David Moyes has confirmed.

Joao Mario joined Inter for an initial €40million from Sporting CP after helping Portugal to Euro 2016 glory, featuring in every match for Fernando Santos side in France.

But he has struggled for first-team opportunities at Inter under Luciano Spalletti this season, and has been restricted to five starts in Serie A – although the 25-year-old has also managed to supply five assists in Italy s top flight.

Asked whether reports of Joao Mario having a medical at West Ham were accurate, Moyes told a news conference to preview Saturday s FA Cup fourth-round trip to Wigan: Your sources are correct. It is a loan, I ll b…

Wigan Athletic have made their first signing of the close-season with the arrival of Andrew Taylor from Cardiff City.

Taylor was part of the Cardiff side that secured promotion from the Championship in 2012-13 and made 18 appearances in the Premier League last term.

However, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer begins to mould his Cardiff squad for 2014-15, the defender has been deemed surplus to requirements and has moved to Wigan on a three-year contract.

Wigan missed out on an instant return to the Premier League last season after being beaten by QPR in the play-off semi-finals and Uwe Rosler has wasted no time in strengthening for another promotion push.

I m very, very happy to get a player of Andrew s stature and experience to our football club, Rosler told Wigan s offic…

Galatasaray have announced that they have parted company with manager Roberto Mancini by mutual consent.

The 49-year-old only moved to the Super Lig outfit in September last year after being sacked by Manchester City.

The move is at odds with Mancini s public comments earlier this week, in which he claimed he was to stay in Turkey despite acknowledging that he missed his home country of Italy.

In the interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Mancini said: I am under contract for a further two years and I ve done well so far.

Besides, we will play in the Champions League next season.

But a brief statement on Galatasaray s website confirmed the news on Wednesday, adding that the decision was by mutual agreement .

Mancini has been strongly linked with a retu…

Market: Over 2.5 goals

Odds: 4/6 @

In a matchup that could prove to be another high-scoring contest on Friday night, Leeds vs West Ham will take place at an empty Elland Road.

Starting with the hosts, while Everton might have managed to pick up three points and bring an end to their winless run away at Goodison Park when drawing a close to November, the Whites came crashing back down to earth last weekend. Eventually hit with what turned into a 3-1 drumming away at title outsiders Chelsea in West London, the Premier League returners do find themselves enduring a run of form that has seen them win just a pair of their last eight top-flight contests. While Marcelo Bielsa might find his side also without a win on home soil to their name since that dramatic 4-3 vic…

Prediction: Barcelona win

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Top leagues across Europe are now right in the midst of the always chaotic December period and the same is true for La Liga. It s been a season unlike any other for the Spanish top flight with many surprise results up and down the league, and today, we re going to be taking a look at a game that will pit two teams against one another that are much closer than you might think. Barcelona are in 9th place and Levante are in 17th, but they re actually only separated by three points.

Barcelona

The expectations may have been low heading into the campaign, but somehow, it feels like Barcelona are even failing to meet that bar right now. Ronald Koeman is a decent manager in his own right but he just hasn t bee…