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Ivan Rakitic scored a wonderful volley and Lionel Messi struck twice to inspire Barcelona to a thrilling 4-2 win at Tottenham in the Champions League. Philippe Coutinho took only 92 seconds to give Barca the lead at Wembley on Wednesday, with Rakitic's unstoppable 25-yarder doubling the Catalan side's first-half advantage. Harry Kane's 10th Champions League goal gave Spurs hope and, although Messi soon put Barca 3-1 up, Erik Lamela struck to set up a grandstand finish. Ernesto Valverde's men had failed to win their last three games and looked nervy in the closing stages, but Messi capitalised on poor defending in the last min ute to ensure his team join Inter on maximum points after two games in Group B. Reply to this message with a 👍 to like

Barca🔷 Made €30m Offer for Ajax's De Jong Barcelona made an attempt to sign Ajax's Frenkie de Jong this summer, according to reports. The Liga side made an offer of €30 million (£27m/$35m) for the 21-year-old and were willing to let him stay at Ajax on loan for another year. Ajax held firm, however, and were not willing to let their prized prospect leave - even for a higher offer. The Spanish side were hoping to avoid the inevitable bidding war for De Jong. Premier League clubs Tottenham and Manchester City are also rumoured to be hot on the trail of the Dutch star, and Barcelona feel they are losing some of their financial might and could be left out in the cold if a bidding war over De Jong actually occurs.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought up a bit of history with his 500th career goal on Saturday night, while the Houston Dynamo got a much-needed win in dominant fashion against the Portland Timber. Ibrahimovic rang up number 500 in style , his roundhouse kick pulling a goal back for a Galaxy side that still trailed by two goals even after his brilliant strike. The Galaxy did make a comeback, leveling matters briefly before Toronto FC netted twice in the final 15 minutes to take a 5-3 win on the night, leaving LA in need of some positive results to have any shot at a playoff place.

Watch Messi wonderful goal against huesca

Th e official draw for the UEFA Champions League group stages has just finished at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. 🔰Group A: Atlético Madrid , Borussia Dortmund, AS Monaco, Club Brugge 🔰Group B: Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, PSV Eindhoven, Inter Milan 🔰Group C: Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, Liverpool, Crvena Zvezda 🔰Group D: Locomotiv Moskva, Porto, Schalke, Galatasaray 🔰Group E: Bayern München, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens 🔰Group F: Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, Olympique Lyon, Hoffenheim 🔰Group G: Real Madrid (holders), Roma, CSKA Moskva, Viktoria Plzen 🔰Group H: Juventus, Manchester United, Valencia, Young Boys · Schedule📆 Kick-off Date: 8 September 2018 · Round of 16 Draw: 17 December 2018 · Round of 16 Kick-off: 12 February 2019 · Quarter-final/Semi-final Draws: 15 March 2019 · Quarter-final: 9 April 2019 · Semi-final: 30 April 2019 · Final: 1 June 2019 *La Liga is back! Follow all La Liga Matches LIVE with Duta: +917825829348*

Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of Paco Alcacer on loan with an option to buy from Barcelona. Dortmund will pay €2 million up front for the loan and can commit him to a four-year deal if they hand over a further €23m (£20.9m/$27m) at the end of the season, though the Catalan side can reject that offer. With a further €5m in variables, the 24-year-old could end up costing €30m. Alcacer had his medical at the German club on Tuesday after Liverpool pulled the plug on a prospective move for Divock Origi, and the Spain international is excited to begin his Bundesliga adventure. Alcacer was unable to secure a regular spot in the Barca first-team since joining from Valencia in 2016. The Spain international played just 17 times in La Liga last term and did not feature for Ernesto Valverde's team in the early stages of this season. However, he had been a success at Valencia, where he scored 43 goals in 124 games over a six-year spell.

Chr istiano Ronaldo has revealed his son, Cristiano Jr, has inherited his competitive nature and hopes to see him follow in his footsteps by becoming a football player. The eight-year-old has attracted plenty of attention already with some impressive free-kicks and tricks that Ronaldo often posts on social media, showing that the youngster has been heavily influenced by the global icon's style. And the Juventus star believes his eldest child will continue to follow in his example as he has the same motivation. "He’s very competitive, like me when I was young, and he doesn't like to lose," Ronaldo said on his unveiling as DAZN's Global Ambassador. "He will be like me I am sure, 100 per cent. I hope that with my experience with my motivation, my goals, I can teach him some stuff, but you know he is going to be whatever he wants. "I’m always going to support him, but of course I want Cristiano to be a football player because I think he has that

Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that the reception Juventus fans gave him after his remarkable overhead kick goal against them last year helped sway him to join the Serie A side. The former Real Madrid forward netted an incredible goal in last season's Champions League quarter-final first leg in Turin. The strike was so impressive that even the home Juventus supporters stood up and applauded the Portugal star's effort. Those fans wouldn't have known it at the time, but their ovation would be a major factor when Ronaldo decided to move from Madrid to Juventus in the off-season. "The small details make the big difference at the end of the day so … I would say what I saw in the stadium helped [the transfer]," Ronaldo said on his unveiling as DAZN's first Global Ambassador.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mohamed Salah will battle it out for the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award. Ronaldo, who joined Juventus from Real Madrid this summer, scored 15 goals in 13 Champions League appearances as Los Blancos won the trophy, beating Salah's Liverpool in the final. The Egypt international was injured in the final, but he was integral to the Reds' run to the final, scoring 11 goals in 15 appearances, including in the play-offs. Modric did not grab as many headlines in Europe's premier club competition, but he was vital to Real's performance in the final, pulling the strings as Real won 3-1. The winner will be announced during the Champions League group stage draw on August 30.

Two goals from Lionel Messi either side of a Philippe Coutinho strike allowed Barcelona to start their defence of the Spanish title with a 3-0 win over Alaves at the Camp Nou on Saturday night. Wearing the captain's armband following the departure of Andres Iniesta to Japan, Messi stepped up to send a cheeky second-half free- kick under the jumping wall and into the net for the opener, and Barca's 6 000th La Liga goal. Coutinho, who had come off the bench, lashed in the second goal before Messi added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time, with the clock having ticked past midnight in Catalonia. While they took their time to get going, it was an ideal opening result for Ernesto Valverde's side, who are hoping to once again see off the challenges of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the battle for the title. While Cristiano Ronaldo has left Real for Juventus, Messi remains as the figurehead at Barcelona and he won his 33rd trophy with the clu

Barcelona star Lionel Messi said the club will "do everything possible" this season to prise th e Champions League trophy away from arch rivals Real Madrid, who have won the competition each of the past three years. "This year I think we have a squad that allows us to dream. The new players are going to help us be better than before," Messi told fans at the Camp Nou ahead of Wednesday's 3-0 pre-season friendly win over Boca Juniors. "Last season was very good because we won the cup and La Liga but the Champions League sticks in our throat, especially given the way we were eliminated," he said, as Barcelona lost to Roma on away goals in the quarterfinals. "We promise you this year we're going to do everything possible so that this beautiful and much sought after cup comes back to the Camp Nou again," added Messi, a Champions League winner in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015. The 31-year-old will take over the captaincy

Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid for Juventus will not stop the La Liga giants from winning, according to club captain Sergio Ramos. Madrid are yet to bring in a Ronaldo replacement, with new coach Julen Lopetegui indicating he sees Gareth Bale playing a more important role. "You had to dig a little deeper. Here we have always felt a family," Ramos told a news conference. "The key to success has been that we have always been [a family], and we have felt part of that family. The loss of such an important player is negative, but that is not why we are going to stop winning." "He has decided to change stage and hopefully he will do well." Ronaldo joined Juve in a deal worth €112 million (£100m/$128m) to end a nine-year spell at Madrid that concluded with a trio of consecutive Champions League titles.

Ph ilippe Coutinho will wear the number seven shirt for Barcelona this coming season, the Liga champions have announced. Coutinho, who joined the Catalan club from Liverpool for €120m (£108m/$139m) in January, initially wore the No.14 shirt upon his arrival at the Camp Nou from Merseyside – but he now fills the jersey vacated by Arda Turan as Ernesto Valverde prepares for the new season. The Brazil international, who featured for his country at the World Cup in Russia where they reached the quarter-finals, follows in the footsteps of club legends Luis Figo and David Villa in taking on the mantle. In his first half-season with Barca, the 26-year-old won the domestic double with the club, winning the Copa del Rey alongside the league, scoring 10 goals across 22 appearances. In stepping into the storied legacy of the number seven shirt, Coutinho will hope to write his own legacy at Barca, similar to the mould of previous holders Figo and Villa, both of whom delivered triumphs d

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri is convinced he made the right decision to stay in Turin after turning down Real Madrid. Allegri, 50, was linked with Premier League side Arsenal and Champions League holders Madrid at the end of last season before opting to remain with the Serie A giants. Madrid appointed Julen Lopetegui in June following Zinedine Zidane's departure after Allegri claimed he rejected the chance to succeed the Frenchman at the Santiago Bernabeu. Reflecting on his decision, Allegri – who arrived from AC Milan in 2014 – told magazine Stile Mese: "I said 'no' to Real Madrid because I made a commitment with the president." Allegri did concede Madrid the title of the world's "biggest club" but believes it was the correct call to remain. "Therefore, my maximum respect for Juventus and given word were why I rejected the call of Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world and the dream for every coach. "I'd b

Cristiano Ronaldo has arrived in Turin ahead of his first training session with Juventus on Monday. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star completed a shock €100 million (£88m/$117m) move to Serie A following the World Cup in Russia and was unveiled by the club earlier this month. The work now begins for the Portugal star, who made his way to Turin on Sunday. Juventus are in the United States on their pre-season tour, having already faced Bayern Munich and Benfica in International Champions Cup action. They take on the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday in Atlanta before closing out their tour with a match against Real Madrid next Saturday - though Ronaldo is unlikely to play. The Portuguese, along with a host of other World Cup stars, took no part in the club's pre-season tour and are now reporting to club's home base in Italy to prepare for the upcoming Serie A season.

Cristiano Ronaldo has arrived in Turin ahead of his first training session with Juventus on Monday. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star completed a shock €100 million (£88m/$117m) move to Serie A following the World Cup in Russia and was unveiled by the club earlier this month. The work now begins for the Portugal star, who made his way to Turin on Sunday. Juventus are in the United States on their pre-season tour, having already faced Bayern Munich and Benfica in International Champions Cup action. They take on the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday in Atlanta before closing out their tour with a match against Real Madrid next Saturday - though Ronaldo is unlikely to play. The Portuguese, along with a host of other World Cup stars, took no part in the club's pre-season tour and are now reporting to club's home base in Italy to prepare for the upcoming Serie A season.

Barcelona's summer transfer business is not over, according to coach Ernesto Valverde, who says the Blaugrana are likely to make more signings before the close of the window. The Liga champions recently announced the capture of Brazilian winger Malcom from Bordeaux, beating Roma to the punch at the last minute. Malcom became the club's third signing of the summer following Arthur Melo and Clement Lenglet's arrivals at Camp Nou. “We're open to any possibility,” the coach told a news conference, “It's true that we've had some big departures in midfield so it's likely that we will make more signings. “We will try to build the most competitive squad possible, keeping in mind that Andres [Iniesta] and Paulinho have left.” When quizzed on what profile the club are looking for in terms of targets, he said: “It doesn't depend only on me, but on the club and what players are available. “We want players that fit our style. We need people that can gener

Bernardo Silva netted a brace as Manchester City overturned a two-goal deficit to trump Bayern Munich 3-2 for their first win at the International Champions Cup. City were facing their third consecutive defeat in the United States when quick-fire goals from Meritan Shabani and Arjen Robben put Bayern 2-0 ahead inside 24 minutes Saturday. However, Silva came off the bench in place of injured team-mate and club-record signing Riyad Mahrez to lead City's comeback in Miami. Silva struck on the stroke of half-time following a mazing run on the edge of the penalty area and City youngster Lukas Nmecha equalised in the 51st minute before the Portugal international sealed the win 19 minutes later at Hard Rock Stadium

Alvaro Morata pressed his claims to remain Chelsea's first-choice striker with an encouraging display in a penalty shoot-out win over Inter in the International Champions Cup on Saturday. Questioned for an unconvincing debut season at Stamford Bridge, the reported AC Milan target turned in a promising 65 minutes as the Blues prevailed from the spot following a 1-1 draw in normal time. Willy Caballero also enjoyed a measure of redemption in Nice as the goalkeeper put a forgettable World Cup behind him by denying Milan Skriniar and giving Chelsea a 5-4 shoot-out success for their second straight win under Maurizio Sarri. Morata was particularly influential early on, going it alone in the eighth minute with a superb turn and shot that fell kindly for Pedro to tuck away the opener, just as he did in the 1-0 defeat of Perth Glory that kicked-started the Sarri era. The early strike would not be enough on this occasion, though, as Inter stemmed the tide and equalised soon after ha

Everton and Barcelona have come to an agreement over a fee for France international left-back Lucas Digne, as per reports. The Toffees have agreed to sign the former Roma and Paris Saint-Germain star for a value between €22 million (£19.5m/$25.6m) and €25m (£22m/$29m) once bonuses are included. The defender, who turned 25 last week, grew frustrated at Camp Nou last season when his first-team opportunities were limited under new coach Ernesto Valverde, who restricted him to only 20 appearances in total and caused the player to miss out on the opportunity of playing at the World Cup. His Barcelona career had started promisingly under Luis Enrique, who quit at the end of the 2016-17 season. Valverde’s presence, however, saw Lille youth produce Digne have his playing time dramatically reduced as Jordi Alba became an immovable object in Barca’s system. It is expected that Digne will replace Leighton Baines at Goodison Park, with the 33-year-old having now played 10 seasons for the T

Debutant Arthur scored a stunning goal and Malcom converted the decisive spot-kick as Barcelona surrendered a two-goal lead but survived to beat Tottenham 5-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw at the International Champions Cup. Barca were cruising at half-time thanks to Munir El Haddadi and Arthur, who put the LaLiga champions in a commanding position in Pasadena, California on Saturday. A €40million signing from Gremio, 21-year-old Brazilian midfielder Arthur curled a shot past Spurs goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga approaching the half-hour mark at the Rose Bowl. Arthur's memorable strike followed Munir El Haddadi's opener 14 minutes earlier, however, Tottenham dominated the second half and scored two goals in as many minutes with 15 minutes remaining through Son Heung-min and substitute Georges-Kevin N'Koudou. Barca, though, held their nerve in the shoot-out as debutant Malcom – who was set to join Roma before the move was controversially hijacked by the Spaniards – s

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed midfielder Nemanja Matic will miss the start of the Premier League season following his side's 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool. Serbia international Matic has played no part in United's International Champions Cup campaign in the United States since returning from World Cup duty, and Mourinho has now revealed he has undergone surgery. "Matic arrived from the World Cup, holiday, direct to surgery because something happened in the World Cup," Mourinho told the club's official website. "He has had surgery. He is out for the start of the season. "We play Real Madrid and we have no more players than what we have," he told MUTV. "Antonio Valencia comes from holiday - I think too much holiday for him. His condition was not good when he was back, then injury and also go back. "Anthony Martial has the baby and after the baby is born - beautiful baby, full of health, thank God -

wolves goalkeeper Carl Ikeme has retired from professional football after a 12-month battle with acute leukaemia. Last month Ikeme, 32, announced on Twitter he was in complete remission from the disease after "a tough year and intense chemotherapy". But after a consultation with medical experts he has decided to call time on his career. Ikeme joined Wolves as a 14-year-old and has made more than 200 appearances for the club. He has 10 international caps for Nigeria, who named him as their 24th squad member for the World Cup this year as a special tribute. "I can't risk trying to come back, my health is the main thing in all of this," Ikeme told Wolves' official website.

A laudable gesture from Barcelona has gone sour after it emerged that the giants' men's and women's teams were subjected to different treatments on a landmark tour. The Catalans made history with their first-ever mixed tour this summer, as both sides headed to the United States to prepare in pre-season. Stars like Sergi Roberto, Nelson Semedo and Denis Suarez were pictured smiling alongside Barca women's top talents on the plane prior to take-off. But once the photo opportunity was over, the men's team made themselves comfortable in business class on the flight to Portland while the women had to settle for economy tickets. According to the club, a lack of space in business was behind the embarrassing segregation, which was noticed on social media by accounts that follow the exploits of Barca women.

Monaco have signed Aleksandr Golovin from CSKA Moscow for €30 million (£26.5m/$35m). The Russia international had been close to a move to Chelsea and seemed to be on the way to Stamford Bridge as recently as last week, as former team-mate Sergey Chepchugov wished him good luck in England But Monaco had already entered the race by making an offer and have now wrapped up the deal, with Golovin signing a five-year contract with the Ligue 1 side. The deal will cost Monaco €30m up front, Goal understands, but CSKA will receive a percentage of any future sale of the 22-year-old star. "I am very happy to sign for AS Monaco," he told his new team's website. "This is a new adventure for me that I approach with a lot of ambitions. I am now very much looking forward to meeting the staff and my new teammates and to get going." Golovin played 113 games for CSKA since making his senior debut in 2014 and won the Premier League title in 2016.

Chelsea have made Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford their primary target should Thibaut Courtois leave for Real Madrid this summer, as per reports. Earlier this week, Sky Sports News reported Kasper Schmeichel and Jack Butland are among the possible replacements at Stamford Bridge, but Pickford ranks above both of them on Chelsea's wanted list. Everton are likely to resist any approach for the man they signed for £30m from Sunderland last summer, with the 24-year-old one of England's standout players as they progressed to the World Cup semi-finals. He was also Everton's Player of the Year last season, in both the awards voted for by fans and his team-mates. Liverpool stole a march on Chelsea by signing Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who was the first choice to work under new manager Maurizio Sarri, but now Pickford is the favoured option. Chelsea have yet to make a formal approach to Everton, while there has been no comment from either club so far.

Cristiano Ronaldo will accept a two-year prison sentence and a fine worth €19 million (£16.9m/$22.15m) after striking a deal with Spanish authorities over tax charges. The ex-Real Madrid striker, now at Juventus, pleaded guilty to four charges of evasion between 2011 and 2014 worth a total of €14.7m. According to EFE, that amount has been reduced in his guilty plea to €5.7m, although taking into account fines, interests and other cost the sum ascends to €19m. The charges were initially denied by Ronaldo and his management company Gestifute, with the player answering tetchily whenever questioned over the matter. After reports emerged that the Spanish government had rejected an initial offer to settle the case, Cristiano wrote on Instagram "Don't try to spoil the beautiful moment I'm living through with fake news," while on another occasion he insisted: "I do things the right way and I will continue to do so." As a first-time offender Ronaldo's

Roma president James Pallotta will only forgive Barcelona for their "immoral and unethical" signing of Malcom if Lionel Messi is sent as a peace offering. The Serie A side were on the verge of completing the capture of the highly rated winger when Barca gazumped them with a last-ditch bid of €41million. Bordeaux accepted the offer and the 21-year-old was re-routed to Spain having been set to board a flight for a medical in Rome. "In terms of Barcelona, it looks like a pattern for them over the last few years of doing things that just should not be done at a club with the reputation that Barcelona intends to have," Pallotta said, as quoted by his club's website. "In fact, they apologised for their actions and how they went about things. I don't accept the apology. "The only way I'll accept it is on either one of two conditions: one, they give the player to us. That's obviously not going to happen. "Two, maybe as a goodwill g

The 2018/19 Serie A fixtures have been released and Cristiano Ronaldo's first chance to play in the Italian league will come against ChievoVerona, the team Juventus visit in the opening weekend. The match is to be played on the weekend of August 18, although kick-off times have yet to be confirmed. His first home league game in the black and white stripes will be against Lazio - who host Napoli in their opener - the following weekend.

Nominees:  Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid (now Juventus), Kevin De Bruyne - Manchester City, Antoine Griezmann - Atletico Madrid, Eden Hazard - Chelsea, Harry Kane - Tottenham, Kylian Mbappe - PSG, Lionel Messi - Barcelona, Luka Modric - Real Madrid, Mohamed Salah - Liverpool , Raphael Varane - Real Madrid Ronaldo, who won the award in 2017, guided Madrid to their third Champions League title in a row, while Messi scored 34 league goals to guide Barca to the Liga title. World Cup winners Antoine Griezmann and Raphael Varane join international team-mate Mbappe on the list, and Golden Boot winner Harry Kane is also included. Salah, meanwhile, is rewarded for an incredible season at club level with Liverpool; the 26-year-old scored a record-breaking 32 goals in 36 league appearances to help the Reds finish fourth in the table.

Jose Mourinho believes Liverpool's summer spending means they face immense pressure to win the Premier League, with the Manchester United boss labelling Jurgen Klopp's change in transfer policy as "funny". Klopp has been forced to defend Liverpool's expenditure on players, which topped £170m after signing goalkeeper Alisson last week, two years after the Liverpool boss was critical of United's £90m move for Paul Pogba. Speaking after the friendly against AC Milan - which United won 9-8 in a shootout after a 1-1 draw - Mourinho was in a jovial mood when asked about Liverpool's transfer business, but stressed there will now be a "demand" for the club to end their 28-year wait for a league title. "I think if you have the money, if you invest well, it is better than to have it in the bank. Because the interest rates are very low," Mourinho said. "And I'm also happy to smile [about Klopp's previous comments] and to see t

Mohamed Salah made a goalscoring return as Sadio Mane's last-gasp penalty secured a 2-1 win for Liverpool against Manchester City at the International Champions Cup in New Jersey. All eyes were on Salah at a wet MetLife Stadium, where the reigning Premier Golden Boot winner and Player of the Year started on the bench following a World Cup affected by a shoulder injury sustained in the Champions League final loss to Real Madrid. And the Egyptian phenomenon – who scored 44 goals in all competitions last season – scored less than a minute after his introduction in the second half, which turned Wednesday's game on its head. Salah, with the suggestion of offside, headed past the helpless Joe Hart to cancel out Leroy Sane's opener after the German put Manchester City ahead six minutes later, while the Liverpool star struck the woodwork moments later. Sadio Mane wasted two great chances during the closing stages but it did not matter as he stepped up and converted a 94th-m