Kante wants to escape Ballon d´Or talk as Giroud hails modest France star

Tottenham ended their International Champions Cup tour on a high as Georges-Kevin N Koudou s 47th-minute strike gave Spurs a 1-0 win over AC Milan.

N Koudou scored powerfully a minute into the second half to put Premier League side Tottenham in the ascendency after Milan had created the better chances in the opening period on Tuesday.

The French winger could have doubled Tottenham s lead but he was denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma, whilst Patrick Cutrone and Franck Kessie came closest for the Rossoneri – who are reportedly close to signing Juventus pair Gonzalo Higuain and Mattia Caldara – in Minnesota.

Tottenham and Milan last met in the Champions League round of 16 in 2010-11, when Spurs advanced 1-0 on aggregate and it was another low scoring night at the U.…

Real Madrid legend Raul has defended Cristiano Ronaldo in the wake of his underwhelming start to the season and believes the Portugal international is well aware that more is expected of him.

Ronaldo has averaged more than a goal per game since joining Madrid from Manchester United in 2009, but he has netted just four goals in nine appearances in all competitions this term.

The 31-year-old cut a frustrated figure in his side s 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao at the weekend, but Raul sees no reason for panic just yet.

We should be proud of what Cristiano has been doing. He scores 50 goals per season. I struggled to hit 20, Raul told Cadena Ser.

He has a great personality and is very hungry for success. He is more critical of his own performances than anyo…

Didier Deschamps and Kylian Mbappe both insisted they are not worried despite France falling to the bottom of their Nations League group with a 1-1 draw in Austria.

Les Blues followed up their shock 2-1 home loss to Denmark and 1-1 draw against Croatia with another underwhelming display at Ernst Happel Stadion on Friday.

Substitute Mbappe scored seven minutes from time to cancel out Andreas Weimann s first-half opener, but France had to settle for another draw on their travels.

France are four points adrift of Group A1 leaders Denmark with three games to play and only one finals spot up for grabs, while Austria and Croatia are two points better off.

But despite their hopes of retaining the title they won in October with victory against Spain looking slim,…

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl described reports of poor behaviour from Giovanni Reyna during the United States World Cup campaign as incomprehensible.

Gregg Berhalter s young USA side suffered a last-16 exit against the Netherlands after finishing second in Group B at the tournament, with Reyna playing a limited role.

The attacking midfielder featured for a total of just 51 minutes in Qatar, and reports have since suggested the USA almost sent him home due to a lack of commitment in training.

Reyna labelled such reports highly fictionalised in a social media post on Monday, expressing disappointment that any dispute with Berhalter or his staff had been made public.

The 20-year-old has the backing of his club, with former BVB midfield…

Paris Saint-Germain s Neymar wants Kylian Mbappe to break all the records possible as he hailed his star team-mate ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Manchester City.

Neymar and Mbappe are central to PSG s Champions League hopes this season, with last year s runners-up preparing to face Pep Guardiola s City in the semis on Wednesday.

Mbappe – who has been linked with LaLiga giants Real Madrid – has starred since joining PSG from Monaco in 2018, and the latter hopes they keep coming. 

Neymar spoke of his admiration for France forward Mbappe on the eve of the opening leg against Premier League leaders City in Paris.

We have a great friendship. He is a great player and he has been showing that year after year, said Neymar.

I ho…

Speculations about the future of Cesc Fabregas have been appearing regularly since it became obvious he has no place in the starting XI under manager Maurizio Sarri this season. AC Milan reportedly hold a strong interest, but it seems AS Monaco have won the race for his services.

That s according to French outlet L Equipe, who claim the Spaniard will sign for the Ligue 1 side next week . His decision to move to Monaco rather than Milan is very likely to have something to do with the fact that he d be working there with his former teammate at Arsenal Thierry Henry, now the Monaco manager.

Fabregas spent eight years at the North London club, before moving to Barcelona in 2011. Having failed to secure a regular starting spot there for three seasons, Jose Mourinho gave him …

Luka Jovic s underwhelming Real Madrid career is over after Fiorentina confirmed the Serbian s arrival on a two-year deal.

Jovic cost Madrid €60million in 2019 after impressing for Eintracht Frankfurt, but his career has almost gone in reverse ever since.

He scored just two goals in 27 appearances during his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu, before then spending half of the 2020-21 campaign on loan in Frankfurt.

That spell was similarly unimpressive but he returned to Madrid for last season, scoring once in 19 games as Los Blancos won a LaLiga and Champions League double.

However, he now gets the opportunity for a clean break and the chance to re-establish himself away from the high-pressure environment of the Bernabeu.

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According to a recent report from L’Equipe, the future of Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti isn’t quite as certain as it may have once appeared. The defender, who is said to be a target for Arsenal amongst a series of other top clubs, would also consider a move to Lyon if he did decide to make the move away from the Nou Camp. 

Umtiti has seemingly been bouncing back and forth between staying and leaving for longer than most of us care to remember, with Barcelona themselves not even really being all too certain as to what the next step was going to be for him. 

When he arrived at the club he was being positioned as the next big thing at the back for the club, but it hasn’t quite worked out that way in the long run. 

If he does leave, the question re…

Manchester United are interested in signing Douglas Luiz from Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that the Red Devils have been considering making a bid for the Brazil international this summer. Newcastle United offered the Villans £30 million in the January transfer window, but it was turned down.

However, according to the report, Villa do not plan to sell Luiz in the summer transfer window. The Brazilian star is set to put pen to paper on a new three-year contract with Steven Gerrard’s side, having moved to Villa Park from Manchester City in 2019.

Luiz made  and three substitute appearances in the Premier League for Villa last season, scoring two goals and providing three assists in the process. T…

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City will continue to be perfect when he leaves the club.

The 51-year-old is in the final year of his current deal and has refused to be drawn on questions around his future beyond this season.

Guardiola has had a successful spell at City since arriving in 2016, winning four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups and an FA Cup.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the derby against Manchester United on Sunday, the City boss said he is just focused on his immediate duties, but did say he has no concerns about the club s prospects even when he does finally depart.

I would say my future is lunchtime because I m starving. I didn t have breakfast, he initially joked.

When I started to be a manager I think next month, next w…