Barcelona to ‘close deal’ with Man Utd co-owner Ratcliffe ‘obliged’ to replace ‘great disappointment’

Carlo Ancelotti vowed Real Madrid will not give up on chasing down Barcelona at the top of LaLiga, despite his side falling nine points adrift of the leaders on Sunday.

Madrid were held to a goalless draw by Real Betis on a potentially pivotal day in the title race, a few hours after 10-man Barcelona had battled to a 1-0 home win against Valencia.

Los Blancos still have to travel to Barca in a fortnight, but Opta s league predictor now gives the reigning champions just a 9.8 per cent chance of finishing top of the table.

After seeing his side held for a second league game running, having drawn 1-1 against Atletico Madrid last week, Ancelotti accepted Madrid have their work cut out.

It s not impossible, he told Movistar when asked if there is any hope of …

Kylian Mbappe scotched the prospect of an early escape from his Paris Saint-Germain contract by declaring he still wants to win the Champions League with his home city club.

The newly installed France captain signed an extension to his PSG contract last May, keeping him with the Ligue 1 champions potentially until the end of the 2024-25 season.

That staved off strong interest from Real Madrid in the player who went on to be top scorer at the Qatar World Cup, hitting a hat-trick in a losing cause against Argentina in the final.

For Mbappe, triumphing in the Champions League with the French capital giants would be the crowning glory of his career.

PSG went close in 2020, losing out 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the final, but they have been bundled out at the las…

Karim Benzema is doing so much better as he battles to be 100 per cent fit for France s World Cup campaign, according to his Real Madrid team-mate Eduardo Camavinga.

Benzema won his first Ballon d Or last month after leading Real Madrid to glory in LaLiga and the Champions League in the 2021-22 season, but has endured an injury-hit campaign to date.

The striker has started 11 games in all competitions this season, scoring six goals, but he spent time on the sidelines with a knee injury before missing further fixtures after suffering from muscular fatigue in his left quadriceps.

However, with less than a week remaining until France begin their Group D campaign against Australia, Camavinga is enthused by his team-mate s recovery.

He s getting better. He s …

Inter had earlier issued a statement on the club’s official website confirming the results of tests on Martinez’s injury.

It read: “Lautaro Martinez underwent medical examinations this morning at the Istituto Clinico Humanitas in Rozzano. The Nerazzurri attacker has suffered a strain to the muscle in his left thigh. His condition will be monitored over the coming days.”

Simone Inzaghi’s men lost for the first time since September when they slipped out of the cup they have won for the last two seasons, going down 2-1 after extra-time and in the process ending a run of 15 games without defeat.

However, they have lost only once in the league all season – at home to Sassuolo on September 27 – and head into the weekend four points clear of second-placed …

According to a recent report from Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid are ready and willing to offer Eduardo Camavinga a new deal.

At the age of just 20, Eduardo Camavinga is already one of the most intriguing players in world football. He seems to possess wisdom beyond his years and in addition to that, he’s already become an important member of the Real first team squad since arriving back in 2021.

The youngster has been attracting a whole lot of attention and, as per the aforementioned report, that’s one of the reasons why the Spanish giants want to tie the Frenchman down.

Camavinga’s current deal is set to last until June 2027. However, Madrid are ready to offer him a new contract in the wake of increased interest from Arsenal.

The Gunners have been l…

Wrexham are to hold talks with Ben Foster over whether the former England goalkeeper wants to prolong his career with them in the English Football League.

Foster was retired for nine months until he answered a Wrexham SOS in March after regular goalkeeper Rob Lainton was ruled out for the rest of the campaign through injury.

The 40-year-old played the final eight games of the season, saving a stoppage-time penalty in the crunch 3-2 victory over title rivals Notts County, as Wrexham won the National League with a record points total of 111.

“A discussion will take place with Ben Foster to establish if his intention is to return to retirement or continue playing,” Wrexham said in a statement announcing their end of season release/retained list.

Foster s…

Former Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso has been acquitted of tax fraud by a court in Madrid.

Alonso was accused of defrauding the Spanish tax office of almost €2million between 2010 and 2012, when he was at Real Madrid.

The Prosecutor s Office had called for a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, but at a ruling on Tuesday, Alonso – who had always denied any wrongdoing – was found not guilty.

Two advisors to Alonso, Ivan Zaldua and Ignasi Maestre, were also acquitted.

Several high-profile names have been the subject of separate tax cases in Spain. 

In June 2018, former Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo – now with Juventus – accepted a suspended two-year jail term and total fine of €18.8million to end a dispute with …

Pep Guardiola has been hugely impressed with Leicester City under Brendan Rodgers as the Foxes prepare to visit the defending Premier League champions on Monday.

Should second-placed Liverpool lose at Rafael Benitez s Newcastle United on Saturday, victory for City at the Etihad Stadium will see them achieve what no team has managed since 2008-09 and successfully retain the title.

Since Rodgers was appointed in late February, Leicester have won six of their nine outings, while Jamie Vardy has rattled in 10 goals during that period to propel the side firmly into contention for a seventh-place finish and Europa League qualification.

And Guardiola paid tribute to both Vardy and Rodgers in Friday s pre-match news conference.

His [Vardy s] career speaks for it…

France are not overly dependent on Kylian Mbappe, according to head coach Didier Deschamps.

Mbappe has been in sparkling form at the Qatar World Cup and is the top scorer in the competition with five goals from four appearances.

The 23-year-old s double in the last-16 win over Poland has taken his tally of World Cup goals to nine, as many as Lionel Messi and more than Cristiano Ronaldo.

World champions France are unbeaten in the 13 games Mbappe has started in major competitions – outside of penalty shoot-outs – and will be hoping that record continues against England at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, with a place in the semi-finals up for grabs.

Deschamps dismissed the idea France rely too heavily on the Paris Saint-Germain forward, who has now scored 2…

Rio Ferdinand believes Frank Lampard can be Chelsea s answer to Pep Guardiola as Maurizio Sarri reportedly nears a move to Juventus.

Chelsea head coach Sarri is poised to sign a three-year deal to replace Massimiliano Allegri at Serie A champions Juve, according to reports.

Former Chelsea midfielder Lampard has emerged as one of the favourites to take over if Sarri leaves after almost guiding Derby County to the Premier League via the Championship play-off in his first season at the helm.

Ex-Manchester United defender Ferdinand – who played alongside Lampard with England – likened the 40-year-old to Manchester City manager Guardiola prior to the Spaniard being appointed Barcelona boss in 2008.

That is genius!  

One from the archives, and it …