Treble beckons for Barcelona – Xavi

that Chelsea are lining up a shock move for Barcelona full-back Dani Alves.

The Blues are on the lookout for someone who can provide competition for Branislav Ivanovic who, despite a solid performance against Arsenal last weekend, has endured a shaky start to the season.

Alves was strongly linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer when his contract at Barca expired, with Manchester United linked with a move to secure his services though he eventually penned a new two-year deal at the Nou Camp.

The Brazil international is edging towards his three hundred and fiftieth club appearance since signing from Sevilla in 2008, while he has scored twenty goals for Barca alongside winning a host of major honours.

Chelsea travel to struggling Newcas…

Spain welcome England to Alicante for an international friendly on Friday, a match Raheem Sterling feels is the perfect opportunity for Roy Hodgson s side to prove how far they have come.

The defending European champions represent a tougher test than any of the Three Lions Euro 2016 qualifying opponents, who were dispatched comfortably as victories were picked up in all 10 matches.

Spain too had a smooth path through to the tournament in France next year, winning nine of their 10 qualifiers to ensure they will have the opportunity to defend their European title, having been dethroned at world level by Germany.

As well as taking on Vicente del Bosque s men, England have a game against hosts France this month and Sterling thinks the double-header is a great opportu…

Angel Di Maria has revealed his surprise at former club Paris Saint-Germain s decision to seemingly overlook Lionel Messi and give Kylian Mbappe all the power .

Mbappe looked destined to join Real Madrid on a lucrative free transfer ahead of the 2022-23 season, yet he decided to sign a new three-year deal to remain in the French capital.

It has been suggested the 24-year-old s contract allows him influence over the club s signings and team selections.

Di Maria, who played with Mbappe and Messi at PSG before his move to Juventus in July, understands Mbappe s profile in France, but believes his influence overshadows that of Messi.

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A brutally honest Arjen Robben admits Netherlands have no chance of securing the miracle seven-goal victory over Sweden required to book a World Cup play-off berth.

The Oranje narrowly avoided elimination with a late 3-1 win in Belarus on Saturday, but the result means they remain little more than a mathematical chance of finishing second in Group A.

Sweden earlier romped to an 8-0 rout of Luxembourg to effectively kill off those chances, with Janne Andersson s side boasting a three-point buffer and vastly superior goal difference ahead of their trip to Amsterdam on Tuesday.

And Robben, who scored an 84th-minute penalty to restore his side s lead in Belarus, concedes the 2010 World Cup finalists are set to miss Russia 2018.

This hurts. It is unfortun…

QPR have handed a new one-year deal to Alejandro Faurlin.

The Argentine midfielder moved to Loftus Road in July 2009, but has been restricted to just nine league appearances over the past two seasons, having suffered three anterior cruciate knee ligament injuries.

Faurlin managed just two Premier League outings last season as QPR were relegated, but, having regained fitness towards the end of the campaign, the London club have opted to hand him a new deal that includes the option of a further 12 months.

I m extremely happy,  Faurlin told the club s official website.

I have to say thank you to everyone at the club for keeping me here and giving me the chance to prove a lot of people wrong. I just want to play football.

I contemplated giving u…

Javier Mascherano s Barcelona future will be sorted out soon according to director Guillermo Amor.

The Argentina international s contract at Camp Nou still has 18 months to run but he has suggested he could leave the Catalan giants after falling down the pecking order under Ernesto Valverde.

Mascherano, who has been struggling with injuries, has seen his playing time significantly reduced in 2017-18, making just 10 appearances in all competitions.

He has suggested a move back to Argentina could be on the cards at the end of the current campaign, while Valverde has stressed his desire to keep the 33-year-old.

Exactly what will happen with Mascherano remains uncertain as the transfer window prepares to open in January, but Amor says it will soon become clea…

Harry Kane revelled in the special feeling after England clinched their Euro 2024 final place in dramatic fashion, acknowledging the Three Lions now have one more game to make history .

Ollie Watkins came off the bench to score a 90th-minute winner as Gareth Southgate s side edged out the Netherlands 2-1 to set up a showdown with Spain in Sunday s showpiece.

The match had appeared set to head for extra time with Kane s penalty drawing England level after Xavi Simons had fired the Oranje in front.

But there was to be a dramatic late twist with Watkins, on as a substitute for the skipper, sending the Three Lions through to their first final at a major tournament on foreign soil, and move them within one victory of their first silverware since 1966.

History…

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni insisted he has already passed a major test of leadership ahead of his team s Copa America third-place play-off against Chile.

After several years of chopping and changing managers, Argentina were hopeful Scaloni would lead them to trophy glory in Brazil to prove without any doubt he is the right man for the job.

He was appointed last year in the wake of Argentina s World Cup failure, when Jorge Sampaoli was in charge.

At the Copa, however, Argentina missed out after losing 2-0 to hosts Brazil in the semi-finals and inevitably that led to questions being asked of Scaloni s leadership.

He addressed that issue on Friday, saying: I do not feel as though I am on trial. I think my test has already passed. Bringing these players an…

Petr Cech has warned Czech Republic that Turkey will be desperate to prove their doubters wrong in Tuesday s pivotal Euro 2016 Group D clash.

Fatih Terim s side suffered back-to-back defeats to Croatia and Spain and must take all three points in Lens to have any chance of progressing to the last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.

Czech Republic, meanwhile, snatched a 2-2 draw against Croatia on matchday two, a result that means they could still go through in second place should leaders Spain beat Ante Cacic s side.

Reports of unrest within the squad and some heavy criticism of star midfielder Arda Turan has cast a shadow over Turkey s preparations, but Cech expects them to provide a stern test in what he considers to be their biggest game so far.

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Market: Cincinnati win

Odds: 2/3 @

Looking to make an immediate return to winning ways in the early hours of Thursday, Cincinnati will welcome Chicago to the TQL Stadium.

Starting with the hosts, missing out on what they had billed as a golden opportunity last weekend as they fell to a shock 3-1 loss at the hands of Charlotte, Cincinnati are seeking an immediate response here. Nevertheless, still leading the chase at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and pencilled in as a standout contender to defend their crown this season, Pat Noonan’s men have won 12 of their previous 15 appearances. With that run stemming all the way back to April 14th, the Ohio-based outfit will certainly be smelling the chance to lay down another marker here. Springing a major …