Klopp all but rules Keita out of Atletico clash

He recounted Colombia defender Juan Zuniga s challenge that left Neymar with a fractured bone in his back, ruling him out of the 2014 World Cup semi-finals, and added of the most recent global showpiece in Russia: A stomp on his ankle [from Mexico s Miguel Layun] when he was out of the game. 

It was said that there was nothing and that, on the contrary, he simulated. He had VAR, he had the whole world watching, but anyway, he was considered guilty .

Neymar Santos Sr also cited the Strasbourg incident to strengthen his case and said whenever his son falls, he is considered a diver and met with harsh treatment. 

He added: Can we not dribble? We do not have the right to have talent? He gets carried away! 

He believes that some in the press pu…

Antoine Griezmann is determined to add the Champions League to his impressive list of honours as Atletico Madrid prepare to kick-off their latest bid for glory at Monaco on Tuesday.

Griezmann inspired Atleti to Europa League success last season, hitting a brace in the 3-0 final victory over Marseille, before starring in France s triumphant 2018 World Cup run.

Atletico were only in the Europa League after a Champions League group-stage exit in 2017 – quite a turn up for the 2014 and 2016 beaten finalists, and their attacking talisman takes his share of the blame

Griezmann, who committed his future to Atleti during the close season by penning a long-term contract until 2023, told AS: When I see the Champions League trophy, I think, The next one s mine . We didn t…

Borussia Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic has fired a warning to Bayern Munich ahead of the start of the Bundesliga campaign.

Carlo Ancelotti s side have been crowned champions every year since Dortmund won back-to-back titles under Jurgen Klopp in 2011 and 2012.

BVB finished third last season, three points behind RB Leipzig in second and 18 adrift of Bayern at the top, having suffered six defeats in their 34 matches.

However, they secured two wins against Bayern over the course of the season, claiming a 1-0 league victory in November and a 3-2 triumph in the semi-final of the DFB-Pokal, which they went on to win.

And Pulisic, who has rubbished rumours of a move to the Allianz Arena in recent weeks, believes Dortmund are well placed to take back the Bund…

Jesus Vallejo is adamant he has a future at Real Madrid and plans to stay after overcoming injury problems.

Vallejo joined Madrid from Real Zaragoza in 2015 after emerging as one of Spain s most promising youngsters.

At hometown club Zaragoza, Vallejo was appointed captain as a teenager and impressed with his technical abilities and reading of the game from centre-back.

Madrid loaned him back to Zaragoza and then to Eintracht Frankfurt, where he caught the eye despite fitness problems, which have also interrupted his career since returning to the Santiago Bernabeu for the start of the 2017-18 campaign.

Vallejo made just five LaLiga appearances this term, but all of them were in the last three months and he is feeling optimistic about the future.

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The Mirror understands that Ashley Cole could return to England, after being released by LA Galaxy.

The former England full-back had been playing his football in Los Angeles for the past two years, racking up eighty-six appearances in all competitions and scoring a total of three goals.

Prior to his switch to the MLS, Cole had a stint in Serie A with Roma which followed eight years at Chelsea where he won a whole host of major honours including the Premier League, four FA Cups, the Europa League and the Champions Leagues.

He also won multiple trophies with his first club Arsenal while internationally, he won one hundred and seven caps for his country and played at no less than five major tournaments between 2002 and 2012.

He became the first black p…

While we might have only just opened the 2020/2021 campaign, strikers up and down the Premier League are desperate to get their year off to a flying start and will undoubtedly have one eye on a certain individual award.

With Jamie Vardy lifting the Golden Boot last season after bagging 23 top-flight strikes for Leicester, the bookmakers have drawn up their list of who the favourites to get their hands on the title this time around.

In a stacked list of striking superstars, who are the three attacking MVP s leading the early odds in the race for this year s Golden Boot?

Mohamed Salah 4/1 with

While Mohamed Salah might have watched on as Sadio Mane s brace helped Liverpool pick up a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, the Egyptian superstar has already ope…

Mesut Ozil has no plans to leave Arsenal and expects to stay at least until his contract expires in 2021, despite rumours suggesting he could depart this month, according to the German s agent Dr. Erkut Sogut.

The former Germany international is enduring a difficult season with the Gunners, having been in and out of Unai Emery s team since the coach arrived from Paris Saint-Germain.

He was left out of the EFL Cup quarter-final defeat to Tottenham on December 19, before returning to the team in the Premier League for meetings with Burnley and Brighton and Hove Albion, getting injured against the latter.

Ozil s erratic performances have frustrated supporters this term, while some pundits have suggested his style of play simply does not fit into Emery s ideal setup…

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 400th goal since turning 30 with a superb opening strike in Al Nassr’s 2-0 win over Al Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.

Ronaldo, 38, picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area in the 26th minute and turned his marker, who was left on the floor after the Portugal forward then faked to shoot.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star took a touch to set himself before firing the ball into the roof of the net from just outside the penalty arc.

He’s done it again

— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN)

It was Ronaldo’s 12th league goal this season, which puts him top of the standings ahead of Aleksandar Mitrovic, who joined Al Hilal from Fulham during August.

Al Nassr had earlier seen a g…

Former Borussia Dortmund coach Matthias Sammer has described the club s players as immature after their shock 2-1 Bundesliga defeat to Augsburg on Friday.

The loss means reigning champions Bayern Munich can move level on points with Dortmund at the league summit if they beat Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.

Lucien Favre s side have now won just once in their last five games and Sammer has warned Dortmund s players that they need to change their mentality swiftly if they are to win a first Bundesliga title since 2012.

Because they have already been German champions, there are expectations on Dortmund, the 51-year-old told Eurosport.

But they are immature. The game was decided in the head. You have seen for a while now that they do not know what to…

According to a recent report from Marca, there are a series of clubs believed to be interested in signing Thomas Partey. The 25 year old has been with Atletico Madrid since 2012, joining the senior team three years later in 2015. He is also a Ghana international, and has been turning heads for quite some time now at the highest level.

The reason that there is so much interest right now is because it was recently revealed that he has a £43 million buyout clause. That’s the kind of figure that many top clubs around Europe are capable of paying, with offers being set to come in from both Italy and England.

Atletico have always made it known that they’ll try and keep hold of their biggest stars by any means necessary, but they may not have a choice in this one – espe…