Xavi to take first Barcelona training session on Tuesday

Jurgen Klopp knows Liverpool must cut off the supply line to Jamie Vardy when they travel to Leicester City in a meeting of the top two in the Premier League.

The Reds return to domestic duties on December 26 following their Club World Cup triumph in Qatar, with a trip to the King Power Stadium offering them the chance to extend their lead in the table.

Leicester missed the chance to cut the gap last weekend when they went down 3-1 to reigning champions Manchester City, meaning Liverpool remain 10 points clear ahead of a game against their nearest rivals.

However, if they want to put further daylight between themselves and the Foxes, they will need to keep Vardy quiet.

The former England international has scored 17 league goals already in this campai…

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said England is the only place where Leicester City s Premier League title miracle could occur, accusing the continent s bigger clubs of perceiving themselves as the Mother Teresa of football .

Leicester came from nowhere last season, having narrowly avoided relegation in 2014-15, to win the title over Mourinho s Chelsea – who started the campaign as champions and only managed a 10th place finish with the Portuguese manager sacked in the process.

Now, Mourinho is preparing to face off with Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri – ironically the last counterpart he faced in the Premier League when he was in charge of Chelsea prior to his departure in December – as United boss in Sunday s Community Shield and he claims the Italian…

Leicester City have they have reached the agreement to sign Ricardo Pereira from FC Porto. The 24-year-old will sign a five-year contract, subject to international clearance.

Pereira arrived to Leicester on Saturday in order to complete his medical and finalize personal terms, while the international clearance is expected by June 9.

Having appeared 43 times in all competitions for Porto in 2017/18 including seven games in the Champions League, and helping the team to the league title, Pereira is set to report for international duty as he has been named in the Portuguese 23-man World Cup squad together with his new teammate Adrien Silva.

Speaking to ’s TV channel LCFC TV, the right-back, also capable of playing as a winger, expressed his happiness to be at the…

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is available for his side s clash with Wolves on Sunday, according to manager Jurgen Klopp.

England midfielder Henderson suffered a kick on the shin in Liverpool s 4-0 victory at Leicester City on Boxing Day but Klopp described the injury as only pain as he confirmed the Reds have no new fitness concerns for the visit of Nuno Espirito Santo s in-form side.

The runaway Premier League leaders played a full-strength side at King Power Stadium, with Henderson alongside Naby Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum in Klopp s midfield three, and the Liverpool boss said the same squad of players would be in contention against Wolves.

Assessing his players recovery, Klopp told the club s official website his charges were quite OK , adding: The bo…

Sir Alex Ferguson is already dreaming of another Champions League final showdown with Barcelona as Manchester United prepare to return to the European stage at Besiktas on Tuesday.

It is four months since Ferguson s team lost their grip on the Champions League trophy after losing to Barca in the final of Europe s elite club competition.

United, the 2008 winners, were comprehensively out-played as Pep Guardiola s side, displaying all the nimble footwork and mesmerising movement that has become their trademark, cruised to a 2-0 victory in Rome.

But Ferguson is driven by a burning desire to see United match the likes of Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Ajax, who have all won more than the Old Trafford outfit s three European Cups.

On the eve of United s opening…

Ex-Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has said he learned enough from his five years under Arsene Wenger at Premier League side Arsenal to consider a career in coaching.

After each (of Wenger s) speeches to the team, you would learn something new about football, Lehmann told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

During my first year at Arsenal, I started to take notes and I continued until my last season there.

I noted the course of the training sessions, the exercises that he made us do and I carefully arranged my notes.

I do not have a coaching qualification, but I think that I could begin a career as a coach tomorrow.

Lehmann joined Stuttgart last summer after losing his first team place at Arsenal and retired from international duty in August having m…

Everton boss Roberto Martinez is now under-pressure to deliver after last seasons disappointing campaign

When Roberto Martinez arrived at Everton in the summer of 2013 to replace much-respected David Moyes there was uncertainty over the Spaniard’s appointment as Toffees boss.

He was affable enough, a seemingly intelligent guy and somebody who was obviously a student of the game.

However doubts were caused by Wigan being relegated from the Premier League the previous season, despite winning the FA Cup.

Successful

Martinez’s first ever campaign as Toffees boss was an unmitigating success, as the Catalan led the Merseysider’s to fifth place in the league and a Premier League club-record points tally of 72 points.

Most of his critics we…

Malta s prime minister has implored Hibernians FC to think carefully before offering a contract to convicted rapist Ched Evans.

Former Sheffield United striker Evans was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman and sentenced to five years in prison back in 2012.

Evans was released in October 2014 having served half of that term, and it was initially announced that he would be allowed to train with his former club.

But United, alongside a couple of other Football League clubs, subsequently distanced themselves from speculation linking them with signing the 26-year-old.

On Friday, reports emerged that Maltese Premier League leaders Hibernians had offered a deal to Evans, although a representative for the player has since come out to dismiss such claims…

Julian Draxler believes Mesut Ozil will be one of the most important players for Germany at the World Cup.

Ozil had an inconsistent season for Arsenal in 2017-18 as the Gunners again finished outside of the top four in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who has played 90 times for the national team, isn t certain of a starting spot for Germany, but PSG midfielder Draxler believes Ozil is one of squad s most creative players.

All the noise about Mesut [Ozil] being subdued and not up to his best is not true and has been way over the top, Draxler said.

The debate about his body language has been raging for a couple of years but he is an exceptional player.

He has technical abilities that are unparalleled. He s probably our most creati…

Cagliari have bolstered their midfield ranks further by signing long-term target Nahitan Nandez from Boca Juniors.

Uruguay international Nandez has agreed a five-year contract at Cagliari, who paid a reported €18million for a player they hoped to sign last January.

The 23-year-old will team up with Radja Nainggolan, who arrived on a one-year loan from Inter this week, in central midfield at the Sardegna Arena.

In a photo alongside Nandez posted on Twitter, Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini wrote: Finally a Rossoblu.

Venerdì 9 agosto, ore 2.30, Castello: finalmente rossoblù

— Tommaso Giulini (@tommasogiulini)

Nandez has won league titles in Uruguay and Argentina but was on the losing side in the 2018 Copa Libertadores final, des…