Barcelona can make moves to sign Lionel Messi, but LaLiga will not alter its regulations to help, even if Javier Tebas is keen to see the superstar forward back in Spain.
Messi, widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, left Barca on a free transfer two years ago after financial restrictions prevented the club from giving him a new contract.
There has since been consistent talk of Messi returning from Paris Saint-Germain, with his initial contract in France up at the end of the season.
But Barca s financial situation still has not improved to the extent they could immediately bring their great number 10 back into the fold.
Indeed, LaLiga chief Tebas told the Blaugrana last month they would have to recoup a significant sum in transfe…
Market: Switzerland win
Odds:
Swiss grabbed a late goal against Serbia to give them an advantage to progress while the Central Americans have yet to record any goals or points so far.
For Switzerland, although Vladimir Petković s side were trailing Serbia 1-0 at half-time, The Swiss valiantly battled back and thanks to a late goal from Xherdan Shaqiri goal, The Reds secured a 2-1 win and now remain in pole position to secure a spot in the last 16. Carrying on their remarkable record in all competitions, Switzerland have remarkably only lost one match since June 2016 and on paper, it appears they should come through a Costa Rica side well and truly out of form with relative ease.
As for Óscar Ramírez s Costa Rica side, coming off the back of concedin…
Guangzhou Evergrande have their sights set on a treble as they take on Kashiwa Reysol in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday.
Marcello Lippi s men are 11 points clear at the summit of the Chinese Super League and still in contention to win the FA Cup ahead of their first-leg clash away to Japanese opposition.
They are the first Chinese team to reach the final four of the tournament since 2005, seeing off the threat of Qatari outfit Lekhwiya with a 6-1 win on aggregate in the last eight.
Guangzhou will look to go one better than Shenzhen Ruby did eight years ago and they have had ample time to prepare after their FA Cup meeting away to Beijing Guoan, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed.
The league leaders were also due to face Liaoning Whowin last we…
Monterrey could make CONCACAF Champions League history on Wednesday when they host Santos Laguna in the second leg of the 2012/13 final.
Having claimed a scoreless draw at Santos Laguna s Estadio Nuevo Corona last week, Monterrey could be 90 minutes away from becoming the first club to win three-consecutive CONCACAF Champions League titles since the 1970s.
Mexico s Cruz Azul is the only club to have achieved that feat when they won in 1969, 1970 and 1971.
Monterrey, who are also a Mexican club, should have plenty of confidence ahead of Wednesday s clash with fellow Liga MX outfit Santos Laguna, in what is a rematch of last season s CONCACAF Champions League final.
Santos Laguna have not won in Monterrey in over a decade, including in the first leg of the …
USM Alger go into Sunday s CAF Champions League semi-final with El Hilal on Sunday in fine form, as they seek to reach the final for the first time since 2003.
Miloud Hamdi s side stormed through Group B ahead of fellow semi-finalists Al Merrikh taking 15 points from their six outings to equal the record points haul set by Esperance in 1999 and 2013.
Their only defeat came at the hands of Merrikh, having already ensured progression with five wins from their first five outings.
However, while Esperance failed to reach the final on both those occasions, Alger will hope to deny their Sudanese opponents a third appearance in the final and ensure a chance at righting the wrongs of 2003 when they were beaten 3-2 on aggregate by Enyimba of Nigeria.
While…
Manchester United greats Alex Ferguson and David Beckham will be reunited at Old Trafford on November 14 after agreeing to take part in a charity match to raise funds for UNICEF.
Beckham will captain a Great Britain and Ireland team managed by Ferguson that will face a Rest of the World XI led by Carlo Ancelotti and skippered by Zinedine Zidane.
Money raised through profits from ticket sales and donations made on matchday will go to UNICEF to help protect the world’s most vulnerable children.
Beckham said: I want a world where children can grow up safe from violence, free from poverty and protected from preventable diseases.
This match gives me the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and vital funds to help reach the children who need it most. I am…
Edinson Cavani will now stay at Manchester United during the international break after Uruguay confirmed the striker will not travel due to current restrictions.
The Premier League announced last week that clubs had agreed players who would have to travel to red-list COVID-19 countries would not be released.
Despite the decision, Cavani was initially selected for Oscar Tabarez s squad for their three World Cup qualifiers against Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
Both Uruguay and Peru are on the United Kingdom s red list, meaning the 34-year-old would have had to quarantine for 10 days in a hotel upon his return from South America.
Tabarez has opted to cancel the call-up due to the fact the United forward would subsequently miss at least two top-flight games agai…
Newcastle United are determined to sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that the Magpies are willing to hand a four-year contract with Rabiot. Arsenal and Chelsea are also claimed to be keen on the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, who is out of contract at Juventus at the end of the season.
Rabiot has made 26 starts and one substitute appearance in Serie A for Juventus so far this season, scoring eight goals and providing three assists in the process. The 28-year-old has scored two goals in five UEFA Champions League matches this campaign.
Newcastle are third in the Premier League table at the moment with 65 points from 33 matches. Meanwhile, Juventus currently find themselves third in the Se…
Cardiff City striker Joe Mason has joined Championship side Bolton Wanderers on an emergency loan deal.
The 22-year-old will move to the Reebok Stadium until January 5 and could make his debut against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Mason almost made his a loan move to Bolton earlier this month but the deal was called off by Cardiff manager Malky Mackay because of injuries to Rudy Gestede and Peter Odemwingie.
However, the former Plymouth Argyle man has now completed his switch and joins a side who are eight games unbeaten in the Championship.
The most recent victory for Dougie Freedman s side came on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Watford, Jermaine Beckford the scorer.
Mason, who moved to the Welsh club in 2011, has not featured in the Premier League this sea…
Felipe Anderson s representatives, Base Soccer, have insisted the Brazil international does not have a gentleman s agreement with Lazio that allows him to leave if a big-money offer comes in.
The 22-year-old has developed into one of his side s undisputed stars since joining them from Santos in 2013 and played a key role in Lazio s third-place finish last term.
A string of good performances have not gone unnoticed elsewhere and he has been linked with a number of big clubs in recent months, including Manchester United.
However, the agency representing the winger together with his sister Juliana Gomes have downplayed suggestions he could be on the move come January if a good offer comes in.
Contrary to reports, Felipe Anderson has not agreed a deal to l…