Laporte happy in Bilbao

Spain coach Luis Aragones criticised his employers on the eve of Sunday s Euro 2008 final for not sounding him out about a new contract.

Aragones is leaving the post he s held since 2004 having got Spain to their first major final in 24 years to return to club football with Turkish side Fenerbahce.

But the 69-year-old made it clear here Saturday that if it had been left up to him he might have stayed on to build on his success here and guide the team to the 2010 World Cup.

Without mentioning the Spanish Football Federation by name he told the eve of final press conference: I m standing down because nobody asked me anything. So I decided to go and there s no turning back.

I don t want it to be used that I wanted to go.

He added: I ve had fou…

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has been left hurt by fan protests, even though he would have understood if the club decided to sack him after a dismal run of form.

The Hoops, who are chasing a 10th straight league title, have managed just two wins from their past 10 matches in all competitions, with a 35-game unbeaten cup run coming to an end with a defeat to Ross County on Sunday.

Lennon s side sit second in the Scottish Premiership, 11 points adrift of Steven Gerrard s Rangers, and the loss to County sparked angry demonstrations from fans outside Celtic Park.

While understanding of the fans frustrations, Lennon – who has the support of Celtic s board – admitted he has been hit hard by the protests against him and the club.

On the scenes on Sunday, we r…

Emery claims Jordi Alba already sold

Departing Valencia coach Unai Emery has revealed that star player Jordi Alba has already been sold.

The highly rated full-back has been repeatedly linked with a summer move to Barcelona, but there have been no official reports that the transfer has been completed.

Nonetheless, Unai Emery, who has already agreed to take over the reigns at Spartak Moscow ahead of the new season, claims that Alba is to leave the club at the end of the season.

Valencia is a team that buys players who are not the finished article and then, when they are finished, possibly sells them on, as has happened with Jordi Alba, Emery told Spanish radio Onda Cero.

The talented tactician did not disclose Alba’s next destination, although a…

The French hot-shot Ousmane Dembele moved to Barcelona in a £94.50 million back in August 2017 when entire football world expected this young kid to act as a direct replacement for the world’s most expensive player, Neymar.

Victim of High Expectations

Former Borussia Dortmund hit the wall of high expectations from the very first moment he stepped on the hot Catalan soil and was burdened with huge pressure which boiled during his official club presentation.

What was supposed to be a ceremonial manifestation during which one of the world’s most talented players was supposed to strut some of his stuff in front of the anticipating fans, turned into a grotesque performance.

More than 17,000 Barcelona supporters gathered on Camp Nou on a warm August afternoon �…

When news broke on Thursday of Jose Mourinho signing a new deal, Manchester United supporters weren t the only ones punching the air and shouting back of the net!

Bosses at the snazzy Lowry Hotel in Manchester were surely rejoicing at the prospect of Mourinho securing himself a second contract.

Mourinho s decision to live in the hotel since joining United has been well-documented, with some claiming it to be evidence of an apparent lack of long-term interest in staying at the club.

But Mourinho put his decision to not buy a house down to his laziness and, presuming he doesn t irritate reception staff, Lowry bosses will no doubt be hopeful he doesn t suddenly become proactive on that front.

After all, the Portuguese coach – whose new deal could keep him…

Spain international midfielder Isco has revealed that he would leave Malaga if the club s well-documented financial problems forced a sale, .

Isco, 20, put pen to paper on a new long-term deal in January, amid interest from English Premier League giants Chelsea and Manchester City.

The new deal ballooned the Spain international s release clause from €20 million to around €40 million, and could prove to be a lucrative, strategic extension.

Isco, who joined Malaga from Valencia in 2011, is happy to stay at the Estadio La Rosaleda, but is bracing himself for a potential departure in the summer.

I m not worried as I m only thinking about being here, the 20-year-old told AS.

If a team does come to pay a lot of money for me, it will …

John Stones was omitted from the Manchester City squad to face Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Wednesday after he was injured during the Manchester derby.

Stones limped off in the second half of Saturday s 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United, which dealt another blow to City s fading hopes of winning a third straight Premier League crown.

The England defender missed training on Tuesday and was subsequently left out of the group for the trip to Croatia s capital, with David Silva and Sergio Aguero also missing out alongside long-term absentees Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte.

Pep Guardiola s side are boosted by the presence of Oleksandr Zinchenko, who returns from two months out with a knee injury to add to City s options at their problem left-back posi…

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Looking to extend their stay at the top of the Premier League table, Tottenham will make the trip across London on Sunday afternoon when they meet Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace

Starting with the hosts, while Crystal Palace might have suffered sluggish back-to-back defeats against Burnley and Newcastle when drawing a close to November, the Eagles did manage to make a return to winning ways in thumping fashion last weekend. Eventually putting on a real clinic away at a 10-man West Brom, Roy Hodgson s men picked up a 5-1 romp against the Premier League returners and they once again find themselves sat just a single point adrift of breaking back into the top-half. Landing their biggest win of the season last time out, th…

Former Brazil star Ronaldo believes Alvaro Morata should seek to return to Real Madrid from Juventus and prove himself at the Liga giants.

Spain striker Morata was sold to the Serie A heavyweights by Los Blancos in July 2014 and returned to haunt his former club that season, scoring at Santiago Bernabeu as Juve knocked the holders out of the Champions League semi-finals.

Madrid retain a buy-back option on the 23-year-old, meaning they can reacquire his serves in this off-season or before the start of 2017-18 for a fee of up to €30 million.

Juve chief executive Giuseppe Marotta this week indicated the club will attempt to keep hold of their prized asset, while Madrid have been tipped by some to re-sign Morata before selling him on at a higher price.

Rona…

Steve Bruce has condemned QPR captain Joey Barton s punch on Tom Huddlestone during Hull s last-gasp 2-1 win over QPR on Saturday.

Hull City boss Steve Bruce has labelled the actions of Joey Barton as ridiculous after the QPR captain was dismissed at the KC Stadium on Saturday.

Barton was sent off after clashing with Tom Huddlestone midway through the first half, following a challenge by young QPR debutant Darnell Furlong on David Meyler.

The former Newcastle United man then appeared to punch Huddlestone in the groin, leaving referee Anthony Taylor with no choice but to show the red card.

And although admitting that he did not see the incident, Bruce was quick to condemn Barton s actions, while dismissing any suggestion that Furlong should have also seen …