Sports

Paul Pogba will not be a big loss to Manchester United should he leave, according to club great Paul Scholes.

Pogba announced at the end of the 2018-19 season that he wanted to depart Old Trafford, with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez recently confirming he tried to sign the France midfielder.

But a move failed to materialise and Pogba started the new Premier League campaign at United, though he is currently injured.

Scholes suggested the club may have asked Pogba to give them another year, similar to before Cristiano Ronaldo was allowed to join Madrid in 2009.

I think it s quite clear he wants to move on, said Scholes, a 13-time Premier League winner during his career-long association with United.

He wanted to go to Real Madrid, fo…

Emma Hayes is determined to enjoy the thrill of a title race going to the wire in her final days as Chelsea boss.

Following their defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League, Chelsea s hopes of winning a trophy to mark Hayes final season in charge looked slim heading into the run-in of the WSL season.

Yet Manchester City s defeat to Arsenal, combined with an 8-0 victory for Chelsea over Bristol City last time out, has left the Blues in with a great chance.

With the goal difference having swung in Chelsea s favour, victory over Tottenham on Wednesday would see Hayes team go into the final day of the WSL season in top spot.

And while the pressure is on, Hayes is eager to have fun as she soaks in her final matches of a 12-year tenure.

I m going to e…

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The race for the La Liga title could take a dramatic twist this weekend with the latest installment of El Clasico.

Real Madrid host Barcelona at the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano with the two teams second and third respectivaly in the current standings. With Atletico Madrid now holding just a one-point lead at the top of the table, a victory in El Clasico looks as crucial as ever.

Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane s me head into the game in truly stunning form. Los Blancos have won their last five matches in all competitions after their 3-1 victory against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, whilst they have extended their unbeaten run to 12 games in all competitions. That is their longest run without a…

Gianluigi Buffon has confirmed he will leave Juventus but the Italy great says he might not be ready to retire.

The 43-year-old returned to Juve in 2019 following a season away at Paris Saint-Germain and has been second choice to Wojciech Szczesny since.

Buffon s announcement on Tuesday arguably did not come as a surprise; however, the fact he is still contemplating playing on may have raised some eyebrows.

If he does continue his playing career, whoever his next employers are will certainly be able to count on plenty of experience and knowhow.

Buffon is one of the sport s few stars who have played top-level football into their fifth decade.

Here are seven other legends who set an example for Buffon to follow with their remarkably long careers in…

Thomas Tuchel wants his Bayern Munich side to rediscover their inner child when they take on Real Madrid on Wednesday.

After last week s 2-2 draw in Munich, Bayern will have to beat Madrid in their own back yard if they are to reach the Champions League final at Wembley.

With Bayer Leverkusen ending Bayern s 11-year Bundesliga dominance by securing the league title last month, the six-time European Cup winners have only one trophy left to fight for this season.

Tuchel spent several minutes talking to his players in an empty Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday and said that he told them they needed to find extra motivation within themselves.

It is important to connect with your own inner child. When we were little we played these games in the garden. So now we a…

Despite wrapping up their 35th LaLiga title and retaining a chance of winning the Champions League this term, Real Madrid find themselves at something of a crossroads.

The individual brilliance of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior may have fired Los Blancos to a dominant triumph in LaLiga, but attention will soon turn to Madrid s attempts to defend the title for the first time since 2007-08.

With the potential arrival of a true global superstar and one of the Premier League s best defenders, as well as the matter of refreshing a brilliant but ageing midfield, it promises to be an interesting few months at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Here, Stats Perform analyses what Carlo Ancelotti s men could do to fend off the potential challenge of an improved Barcelona next season…

Lionel Messi is staying put, meaning he will be able to add to his stunning goal haul for Barcelona.

Messi made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old and has gone on to become Barca s all-time leading scorer with 634 goals and 276 assists in 731 appearances in all competitions for the club.

His incredible feats in front of goal have helped him win 34 trophies with the Catalan club, but his days had looked numbered when he expressed a desire to leave following a trophy-less campaign in which the club suffered a humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final loss to Bayern Munich.

However, after running into issues over the release clause in his contract, the Argentina superstar confirmed a dramatic U-turn on Friday.

Despite all of the drama, Messi s goals…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes Kylian Mbappe should be confident of winning another World Cup but does not expect Argentina to do likewise after their disrespectful title celebrations.

Mbappe s France lost on penalties to Argentina in December s Qatar 2022 final despite their talisman scoring a hat-trick.

Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Lionel Messi instead added the final major medal he was waiting for to his collection.

Despite Mbappe matching Messi almost stride for stride, he was the subject of taunts from the Argentina players both immediately after the game and in their celebrations back home.

PSG great Ibrahimovic criticised the Albiceleste s lack of class and suggested it was a sign they will not repeat their win.

I said Argentina will for sur…

Boca Juniors made a moving tribute to the daughter of club legend Diego Maradona during their 2-0 win over another of his former sides Newell s Old Boys on Sunday.

Argentina great Maradona, regarded by many as the best footballer ever, died at the age of 60 last Wednesday.

Such was his influence on the sport, homage has been paid across the world – from compatriot Lionel Messi revealing a Newell s shirt during a goal celebration earlier in the day, to Napoli confirming plans to rename their stadium Stadio Diego Armando Maradona and revealing an Argentina-inspired fourth kit in their weekend win over Roma.

Boca, where Maradona spent two spells, had their Copa Libertadores clash with Internacional postponed just a few hours after the 1986 World Cup winner die…

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Looking to make one final statement on Sunday evening, newly-crowned Europa League champions Atalanta will welcome Fiorentina to Bergamo.

Atalanta

Starting with the hosts, making real history on May 22nd as they stormed their way to a famous first piece of European silverware, the mood in Atalanta’s camp is certainly at an iconic high. Eventually stormed their way to a remarkable 3-0 romp against German record-breakers Bayer Leverkusen, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men will be looking to make one final statement this weekend. Putting in another stellar performance last time out in Serie A action as they secured a routine 3-0 victory against Torino on home soil, La Dea have continued to receive a string of plaudits from across the contine…