Sunday s announcement of a long-feared European Super League raised the possibility of unprecedented change in football, with the 12 founding clubs seemingly at threat of being kicked out of other competitions as a result.

The Premier League s so-called big six , Spanish giants Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid and Serie A trio Juventus, Milan and Inter have broken ranks and agreed to the formation of the breakaway competition.

Sunday s uniform announcement from most of the clubs involved confirmed the Super League will be made up of 15 founding clubs – with three to be added to the initial 12 – and unconfirmed guest teams.

It will run as a midweek tournament alongside the teams respective domestic leagues and guarantees the founding clubs a share of…

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed on Thursday that the club is working on a contract extension for 35-year-old Foxes icon Jamie Vardy.

Vardy arrived at Leicester back in 2012 and has since racked up 164 goals in 386 appearances for the club. Only Arthur Chandler (273 goals), who played from 1923-35, and Arthur Rowley (251 goals from 1950-58) have scored more for Leicester.

The former England striker has now registered seven consecutive Premier League seasons with at least 13 goals.

Vardy is in the final year of his contract, but Foxes boss Rodgers is optimistic he will sign another deal.

[Vardy s] appetite is still there, he said. We would like to extend his stay here and that s something the club and his representatives will look at.

…

Tottenham have completed the signing of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli.

Spurs had been searching for a long-term successor for captain Hugo Lloris, who is approaching the final 12 months of his deal and made clear his desire for a new challenge earlier this month.

While discussions took place with Brentford number one David Raya over a potential move across London, his £40million price tag saw Tottenham turn their attention elsewhere.

Vicario had long been tracked by the club as a candidate for Lloris and he has now become new boss Ange Postecoglou’s second signing.

The Italian, who has been called up to various national team camps, has signed a five-year deal at Tottenham in a move reported to be worth 19million euros (£16.4m).

Vica…

Gareth Bale could be set for a return to English football when his Real Madrid contract expires next month, according to his agent Jonathan Barnett, who has confirmed the winger s imminent exit from the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 32-year-old already looked set to leave Los Blancos at the end of his deal, with Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti saying last month that Bale wanted to finish on a high note with the club.

While Madrid wrapped up their 35th league title recently, Bale s role in that success was virtually none-existent, with the former Tottenham man making just seven appearances all season in all competitions, totalling just 290 minutes of action.

Bale has won four Champions League titles during his nine-year spell in the Spanish capital, scoring three goals in f…

Sergino Dest scored his first goals for Barcelona on a landmark outing for Lionel Messi as the Catalans thrashed Real Sociedad 6-1 to move back to within four points of LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid.

The United States international netted in each half after Antoine Griezmann had broken the deadlock against his former club on Sunday.

Messi marked a club-record 768th appearance in all competitions with Barca s fourth and sixth goals either side of a superb fifth from Ousmane Dembele, capping a resounding victory for Ronald Koeman s men on the road, with Ander Barrenetxea grabbing the hosts consolation. 

Barca s most impressive league win of the season lifted them back into second place behind Atleti, who earlier beat Deportivo Alaves, and means they head into…

It has been a long time since Paraguay last conquered South American football, and they start their 2021 Copa America campaign looking to arrest a slump against Bolivia.

Paraguay are two-time winners of the Copa America, though not since 1979 have La Albirroja hoisted the trophy aloft.

Since then, their best performance has been reaching the 2011 final, which they lost against Uruguay. Paraguay did make it to the 2019 quarter-final, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Brazil on penalties.

There are familiar faces in the squad – captain Gustavo Gomez, Newcastle United s Miguel Almiron and Angel Romero.

Juan Carlos Osorio oversaw Paraguay s run to the last eight two years ago, but former Celta Vigo, Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao boss Eduardo …

Phil Foden turned 21 on Friday, the day before he will play for Manchester City in arguably the biggest game in his boyhood club s history.

For all Foden s understated public persona and the unfussy way he goes about his business on the field, such a high-stakes landmark has felt inevitable since he emerged as a precocious and remarkably fully formed talent four years ago.

I don t have words. I would like to have the right words to describe what I saw, Pep Guardiola told reporters after Foden sparkled in an International Champions Cup friendly against Manchester United in Houston, Texas.

You are lucky guys, believe me, you are the guys who saw his first game in the first team at Manchester City. I ve not seen something like I saw today for a long time. His per…

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Getting their Group F campaign underway on Tuesday night, Portugal will meet the Czech Republic at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.

Portugal

Starting with Portugal, while the Navigators might have been frustrated out in Qatar 18 months ago as they eventually had to settle for a quarter-final finish, they have continued to shine under the guidance of Roberto Martinez. With some tipping the former European champions as a real dark horse contender this summer, the former Belgium boss will be calling on his squad to make an early statement on Tuesday night. Signing off their pre-EURO 24 preparations with a routine 3-0 romp at home against Ireland, Portugal also enjoyed a remarkable qualifying romp last year. Winning all of their 10 Group J …

Manchester City s 6-1 demolition of Manchester United at Old Trafford, 10 years and one day ago, was probably the worst defeat ever endured by Alex Ferguson.

In the club s modern history, even in the post-Fergie wilderness, there had never quite been an occasion to match it, even accounting for Tottenham s victory by the same scoreline last year.

There has now.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the hero of Barcelona 1999, knew a thing or two about creating spectacles as a player. As a manager, he still has the knack.

Manchester United 0, Liverpool 5. Has there ever been a more abject, visceral demolition of the 20-time English champions in the Premier League era? Has it ever looked this bad?

A goal down after five minutes and a missed Bruno Fernandes sitter…

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri feels the magnitude of Napoli s absentee list was overstated as he declared himself content with his side s 1-1 draw on Thursday.

Third-placed Napoli were without nearly an entire team of players due to coronavirus, suspension and international call-ups for Thursday s contest at the Allianz Stadium.

Despite being without the likes of Victor Osimhen, Hirving Lozano, Fabian Ruiz and Kalidou Koulibaly, Napoli led at half-time through a low Dries Mertens drive.

Federico Chiesa hit back for the hosts early in the second half, though, with his first home league goal since last March on what was his 50th start for Juventus.

The Bianconeri pushed for a winner but it remained all square, meaning the sides played out a leagu…