Champions League draw

MANCHESTER UNITED drew Juventus in today's Champions League draw... with Cristiano Ronaldo primed to return to Old Trafford and Paul Pogba also facing his old club.

Jose Mourinho and Co also paired with Valencia and Young Boys while Liverpool and Tottenham received nightmare groups.

The Reds will go up against Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli, as well as Red Star Belgrade in one of the most intriguing battles.

Tottenham meanwhile will have to battle past Barcelona - along with PSV and Inter Milan.

Elsewhere, Manchester City drew Shakhtar Donetsk, Lyon and Hoffenheim in one of the easier groups.

Real Madrid, who will be defending their crown for the fourth consecutive year, will fancy their chances of progressing against Roma, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen

Group A is also sure to produce some exciting ties with Atletico Madrid facing both Borussia Dortmund and Monaco.

Belgium side Club Brugge make up the final four and will be hoping to defy the odds.

German giants Bayern Munich have been placed in a group alongside Benfica, Ajax and AEK Athens.

Finally 2004 winners Porto will face Lokomotiv Moscow, Schalke and Galatasaray in Group D.

View image on Twitter

Read More

Barcelona ‘to sign Manchester United star Paul Pogba, Ajax starlet Frenkie de Jong or PSG ace Adrien Rabiot

PAUL POGBA remains one of Barcelona's top targets going into 2019 — along with PSG's Adrien Rabiot and Ajax starlet Frenkie de Jong.

According to reports, the Catalan giants are in the process of re-shaping their ageing midfield and have the trio in mind.

And they unnerved Manchester United over the summer with a £50million-plus-player bid for unsettled Frenchman Pogba.

That offer did not go down well in the Old Trafford boardroom.

The 25-year-old has had a tough start to the season after clinching victory at the World Cup in Russia.

According to Sport, they will wait till next summer to go in again for Pogba and contract rebel Rabiot.

Read More

Yaya Toure passing medical in London.

 YAYA TOURE is on the brink of signing for a new club after "passing a medical in London."

The midfielder's agent Dimitry Seluk revealed he was "close to signing a new contract" after leaving champions Manchester City in the summer

Toure, 35, has been a free agent and was heavily linked with a reunion with Manuel Pellegrini at rock-bottom West Ham.

The pair were crowned Premier League champions in 2014 during a season the Ivorian scored a remarkable 20 goals.

But when quizzed whether Toure was heading to the Boleyn Ground, Seluk laughed off speculation by saying: "It's not West Ham, 100%. Yaya is a champion. The last place (of the league) is not for him."

Crystal Palace have also been linked with his signature but Seluk was quick to quash speculation yet again.

He added: "It's not Crystal Palace, 100%. Roy Hodgson said he doesn't know when his players' birthdays are... can Yaya go there?"

Toure famously caused a scene when he failed to receive a cake on his birthday while playing at City.

Seluk had previously tweeted: "Yaya Toure has passed a medical in London. Yaya is close to signing a new contract."

Toure won three Premier League titles in the eight years he spent at the Etihad.

But his relationship with the club soured after sensationally accusing manager Pep Guardiola of having a problem with African players. 

The row got so bizarre that Seluk claimed African shamans will put a Champions League curse on  Guardiola.

Read More

Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer joins Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund on season-long loan

PACO ALCACER has joined Borussia Dortmund from Barcelona on a season-long loan.

The Bundesliga side have the option to buy the 24-year-old for a fee of £25million - while the club will also pay the Spanish striker's wages during his time in Germany.

Alcacer flattered to deceive at the Nou Camp after joining from Valencia in 2016 - where he failed to cement himself as a regular starter in the side.

And he has now been shipped off on loan to Lucien Favre's side after mustering just 15 goals in 50 games in all competitions.

SunSport reported last week how Alcacer was attracting the interest from Dortmund - who announced his arrival to Signal Iduna Park with a Tinder-style video.

Given the No 9 jersey - Alcacer - who could join Dortmund on a four-year deal next summer, has spoken of his excitement at playing in front of his new fans.

He told the club's website: "I'm really looking forward to playing in the Bundesliga soon.

"This is one of the best leagues in the world, and BVB with these incredible fans and the famous South Stand probably has something magical for every footballer."

While BVB Sports Director Michael Zorc said: "We are very happy that Paco Alcacer has decided in favour of Borussia Dortmund and we firmly believe that this type of player fits well with our way of playing.

"Paco has its quality at an early age proved at Valencia, scored many goals and as a just 22-year-old experienced special appreciation by having him transferred to the captaincy.

In Barcelona, ​​he worked daily with some of the best players in the world.

"It is due to the extreme competition in the club's offensive that he has now decided to take a fresh start after two years."

Alcacer could be handed his Dortmund debut on Friday when the club face Hannover away.

Read More

Real Madrid set to re-sign Lyon ace Mariano for £23m to stop Sevilla snapping him up

REAL MADRID want to recapture £23million striker Mariano before he is flogged to the Premier League, according to reports in Spain.

The La Liga giants sold the Dominican Republic forward to Lyon last summer for around £7.5m and have first refusal on the 25-year-old.

Sevilla are ready to splash around £32m on the forward – with Real able to demand close to £10m as part of a sell-on clause.

But Marca say they are more interested in taking him back for £23m and being in sole control of his future.

Bernabeu bosses have until Thursday to make a decision on the forward, knowing that Lyon had hoped to sell the player to the Premier League for around £60m.

But now the British transfer window has closed, Lyon have lost out on that money-spinning opportunity.

Read More

Raheem Sterling on Real Madrid radar.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE holders Real Madrid have reportedly reignited their interest in Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling.

The 23-year-old has just two years left to run on his deal at the Etihad, with contract talks believed to have broken down in June.

According to Sky Sports, the La Liga giants are closely monitoring the ex-Liverpoolace.

And the Spanish side will send club representatives to watch Sterling in action for England against Spain at Wembley in the Uefa Nations League on September 8.

Although they claim that an offer for the former QPR youth star is unlikely to come in before the transfer window shuts on Friday.

Sterling alerted the attention of Real last year when he admitted he wants to play abroad when the time is right to leave City.

Sterling - who banged in 23 goals last campaign - is understood to be seeking a new deal to bring his salary closer to that of Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne.

Pep Guardiola is desperate for the winger to stay, and lauded his talents after he netted in the 2-0 win against Arsenal earlier this month.

He told reporters: "We are delighted with him and would like Raheem to stay.

"We’ll do our effort to make him feel we count on him. And we count on him.

Read More

MANCHESTER UNITED should target Roberto Martinez as their next manager.

MANCHESTER UNITED should target Roberto Martinez as their next manager, claims football pundit Andy Gray.

United have made a dismal start to the new season having lost two of their first three matches to leave Jose Mourinho under huge pressure

.The United boss is in the firing line after his team crashed to a 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham on Monday night.

That humbling, on top of the humiliating 3-2 loss at Brighton the previous week, have led to questions whether Mourinho has the ability to ever deliver success at Old Trafford.

Yet if the club did ever decide they needed to part company with their manager at such an early stage, there appears a shortage of top class alternatives waiting in the wings.

Zinedine Zidane, who led Real Madrid to three successive Champions League triumphs, is the biggest name currently available and not already in a top job.

Mourinho's odds to be sacked by Christmas have tumbled, and Zidane is now the bookies favourite to be the man to replace him.

But TV pundit Gray believes Ed Woodward and the United board could do a lot worse than turn to a man who failed to deliver success during his time in charge of Everton.

Gray was discussing United's troubles on BeIN Sport with host Richard Keys when he threw up his shock condidate.

Presenter Keys said: "I think his time is done at Manchester United.

"They are a club in crisis, I don't think players want to play for him and players don't want to go there.

"The football they play is not exciting."

He then claimed Zidane should be the man United turn to in an effort to bring success back to Old Trafford, but Gray accused his colleague of just picking a big name.

He then said: "I'll give you another name, and you might laugh at me - Roberto Martinez."

There was a period of silence in the studio, before Keys responded: "I'm not going to laugh at you. I'm speechless."

Martinez has rebuilt his managerial reputation with Belgium, leading the country to third place in the World Cup last summer.

Read More