Lyon confirm Ben Arfa interest

Vinicius Junior played a starring role as Brazil kick-started their Copa America campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over 10-man Paraguay, who were eliminated from the competition.

The Real Madrid forward scored twice for the Selecao, who opened the tournament with a drab goalless draw against Costa Rica on Monday, while Savinho and Lucas Paqueta were also on target at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Dorival Junior s side subsequently closed in on a quarter-final spot by moving onto four points in Group D – two behind leaders Colombia, who they will join in the last eight with a draw when the nations meet in their final group outing on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Omar Alderete s wonderful long-range strike proved academic for Paraguay, as La Albirroja bowed out…

Borussia Dortmund host Chelsea for the first leg of a Champions League tie that sees two of the world s best prospects go head-to-head.

Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez have a combined age of just 41. Between them, the pair have already stacked up 278 senior club appearances.

Bellingham has played 161 times for Dortmund and Birmingham City, while Fernandez has racked up 117 appearances across spells at Defensa y Justicia, River Plate, Benfica and now Chelsea.

As good as the duo have been for their clubs, they elevated themselves into the must buy category for Europe s elite sides with their performances at last year s World Cup.

Fernandez was named the tournament s best young player as he played a key role in Argentina claiming their third world crown, …

Ignazio Abate has committed his future to Milan by penning a new four-year deal with the club.

The Italy defender has risen through the ranks at San Siro and his latest contract runs through to June 2019, by which time he will be 32.

Abate broke his way into the first team at Milan in the 2009-10 season, having had temporary spells with the likes of Napoli, Piacenza and Torino earlier in his career.

The full-back has subsequently become a mainstay in Milan s first team and only injuries prevented him from adding to his 23 Serie A appearances last term.

Abate was also part of a Milan side that won the Serie A title under the stewardship of Massimiliano Allegri in the 2010-11 season.

…

Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan insists the club s tiki-taka style of play is not as easy to implement as it looks.

The Spanish giants are renowned for their possession-based style of football, introduced in the late 1980s by Johan Cruyff, with Pep Guardiola taking it to further extremes.

Guardiola took over at Barcelona in 2008 and won 14 trophies across four seasons as he revolutionised the way the game is played. 

Under current coach Luis Enrique, Barcelona have continued to play in a similar way, and Turan explained just how hard it is to continuously implement. 

From the outside, it s like chess, which looks easy to play, he said.  But just like tiki-taka, it s not.

Everyone has a duty, a position, and everyone is fulfilling their …

Rafael Benitez has confirmed Lucas Digne wants to leave Everton.

Left-back Digne, who signed from Barcelona for a reported £18million in August 2018, has not featured for the Toffees since a 4-1 home defeat to Merseyside rivals – and Benitez s former club – Liverpool on December 1.

That loss was one of eight for Everton from their last 12 Premier League games. They have won just one of their fixtures in that run, beating Arsenal 2-1 thanks to a late Demarai Gray stunner.

Everton, who were limited in the off-season transfer window partly due to the Premier League s profit and sustainability rules, have been active already this month, signing right-back Nathan Patterson from Rangers for a fee believed to be £11m plus add-ons, and bringing in left-back Vitali…

Best Odds: 8/11

Bookmaker:

Making a return to MLS action in the early hours of Thursday, Inter Miami will welcome Toronto to the Chase Stadium.

Inter Miami

Starting with the hosts, last seen putting in a nightmare performance as they fell to a 6-1 drumming at the hands of Cincinnati, Inter Miami are desperately seeking an immediate response here. Battling it out at the top of the Eastern Conference table and tipped as a leading title contender, Gerardo Martino’s men have gained a fearsome reputation since opening up the 2024 campaign. Getting July underway with a 2-1 victory away at Charlotte, the former Barcelona boss has seen his squad muster 12 points from their previous five MLS appearances. Likewise, remarkably losing just a pair of their previous 17 top…

Inter maintained their perfect start to the Serie A season by dominating Spezia in a 3-0 win at San Siro, as Lautaro Martinez netted a thunderous strike to open his account for the new campaign.

Martinez drilled home from outside the area as Inter swiftly established control, with Denzel Dumfries and Romelu Lukaku guilty of missing excellent chances before half-time.

Hakan Calhanoglu gave the Nerazzurri breathing space with a neat right-footed finish shortly after the break, ensuring there was no need for the sort of last-minute heroics Inter required at Lecce last Saturday.

Joaquin Correa then came off the bench to tap in a late third, sending Simone Inzaghi s men to the top of the table at this early stage.

Bartlomiej Dragowski made an acrobatic save…

La Liga outfit Real Betis have completed the signing of Dutch defender Ryan Donk from Galatasaray, the club have announced.

Joining on a season-long loan with an option to buy, the 30-year-old becomes club’s 11th signing of the summer transfer window.

Having conceded 6 goals in their opening fixture against Barcelona, coach Gustavo Poyet decided to reinforce his back line and he clearly believes that Donk will be a useful signing.

The experienced footballer had made a name for himself at AZ Alkmaar, and he was predicted a bright future in the game when he joined West Bromwich Albion on loan in 2008.

However, he has since failed to realise his full potential, albeit enjoying successful stints with Club Brugge and Kasimpasa.

Donk was purchased by…

Jack Grealish admitted he is more structured at Manchester City than he was at Aston Villa, but believes it is an inevitability of playing with so many great players .

Grealish moved to City from Villa in 2021 for a record £100million fee, but has struggled to have the same impact he did at his boyhood club.

The 27-year-old has come in for some criticism in the media, though replied with a goal and a strong performance in Saturday s 3-0 win at Wolves.

Kevin De Bruyne recently stated his belief that his club team-mate is more harshly judged because of who he is, and Grealish somewhat agrees.

I can see where he s coming from a little bit, he said at a press conference ahead of England s Nations League clash against Italy.  But I think that s the way i…

Xavi replaced Koeman and has been given significant backing in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.

Suarez feels Barca legend Xavi has everything in place to be a success.

Asked if Xavi will produce the style of football fans of the Catalan giants expect, he said: I think so. He is showing it, without being perfect. He is a coach who grew up there and knows what the club and the fans need.

I see many conditions for him to go far as a coach, and, in addition, they gave him good tools for it, they gave him the players that he needed and wanted. It s up to him to prove it.

Suarez believes Barca have a good blend of youth and experience as they strive to dethrone LaLiga champions and fierce rivals Real Madrid.

…