Xavi has called on Barcelona to turn the page after their Champions League disappointment as he still believes they can deliver a great season .
The Blaugrana were eliminated from Europe s elite club competition in midweek, with Inter s victory over Viktoria Plzen sealing their fate even before a 3-0 home defeat to Bayern Munich.
Barca paid the price for taking only a point from their double-header against Inter, who followed Bayern into the last 16.
The Catalan giants had invested heavily in the transfer market – despite their financial difficulties – to try to ensure there would be no repeat of last season s group-stage exit, but Xavi s side still fell short.
However, sitting second in LaLiga and only three points behind leaders, champions and rival…
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka was forced off with injury against Nottingham Forest, adding to England s fitness concerns ahead of the World Cup.
Saka created Gabriel Martinelli s fifth-minute opener on Sunday at Emirates Stadium, becoming the third-youngest player to 20 Premier League assists (aged 21 years and 55 days).
The England international appeared in some discomfort in the 15th minute, though, requiring medical treatment after what seemed to be a left-ankle injury following a challenge from Renan Lodi.
Saka attempted to continue but again went down after 26 minutes, with Mikel Arteta withdrawing the winger with Reiss Nelson replacing him.
Substitution…
Nelson
Saka
1-0 (27)
— Arsenal (@Arsenal)
England will be h…
Celtic manager Neil Lennon tried to focus on the positives following his team s 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Europa League.
The Scottish Premier League side, reinstated to European competition following Sion s expulsion, were undone by goals from Atletico s new signings Radamel Falcao and Diego.
Despite the loss, Lennon believes the scoreline was not an entirely fair reflection on his team s performance at Estadio Vicente Calderon.
I felt we could have played a little bit higher up the pitch in the first half, Lennon said.
We did that in the second half and for a good spell after half-time, we were unfortunate not to score I felt.
And the second goal is a killer goal as far as we are concerned.
We had to change it then and …
Costa Rican Carlos Hernandez is in the selection mix for Melbourne Victory s clash with A-League arch-rivals Adelaide United on Friday.
Hernandez, who played the last 25 minutes of last Friday s friendly against Brazil in San Jose, became available when Costa Rica s friendly against Cuba, scheduled for Tuesday night, was cancelled.
The 29-year-old forward headed straight back to Melbourne with a view to squeezing his way into the line-up that fought out a thrilling scoreless draw with Sydney FC in the opening round last weekend.
I just turned up to training and Carlos was back, coach Mehmet Durakovic said.
It was a fantastic surprise for us.
He trained really well this morning and he s in the mix for the Adelaide side on Friday night.
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Chelsea captain John Terry is hopeful he can extend his association with the club beyond the end of this season.
Former England skipper Terry is out of contract in June and announced earlier this year that the final chapter of his playing career would lie away from Stamford Bridge, where he made his debut in 1998, after he was not offered an extended deal.
The 35-year-old was sent off during the closing stages of Saturday s 3-2 defeat to relegation-threatened Sunderland, a dismissal that could still stand as an unsatisfactory end to his Chelsea days.
On Monday, Terry travelled to watch Brondby s 2-1 win over Nordsjaelland. He is a personal friend of the Danish club s owner Jan Bech Andersen.
This link has led to speculation Terry could be in line for a…
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says winning the FA Cup is essential for the club as a whole, and not just for his own future.
Aside from the Community Shield three years ago, United have not won a piece of silverware since Alex Ferguson secured the Premier League title in his final season in charge in 2012-13.
Van Gaal s position has come under increased scrutiny throughout the campaign, with United missing out on a Champions League place and having drawn heavy criticism for a cautious style of play.
But the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona boss says beating Crystal Palace in Saturday s final at Wembley means much more to the players and fans that it does to his chances of keeping his job.
I think the interest of the club is much more importa…
Wydad Casablanca could only draw 0-0 at home to Lobi Stars in the CAF Champions League on Tuesday, but the 2017 winners remain on track to qualify as they have seven points from four games.
In Group A s earlier fixture, ASEC Mimosas were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Mamelodi Sundowns, the South African side also moving on to seven points after a contest that saw just two shots on target.
ES Tunis took a step towards qualifying from Group B with a 2-0 win at home to Orlando Pirates, Anice Badri giving the holders an early lead before substitute Haythem Jouini struck late to clinch the points.
Horoya moved into second place in the table behind the Tunisian side, with Ocansey Mandela and Hudu Yakubu on target in the second half to secure a 2-0 home win over …
Alaves have announced the signing of Manchester City youngster Manu Garcia on a season-long loan.
The 18-year-old joined City from Sporting Gijon in 2013, but has made just one Premier League appearance, coming on as a substitute in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa in March.
More quality for the midfield. Alaves bring in Manu Garcia, a young and promising footballer from Manchester City, Alaves confirmed via their official website.
Manu joins for one season and with a lot of eagerness to show his football in LaLiga.
The player will sign with Alaves B, but will be brought into the first team.
. has joined side, on a season long loan Good luck Manu!
— Manchester City (@ManCity)
City Tweeted: Manu Garcia has joined LaLiga sid…
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has matured since being made captain and is an important one to keep for Arsenal, says former Gunners defender Kolo Toure.
Since making his Arsenal debut in February 2018, no player has scored more Premier League goals than Aubameyang, whose return of 68 is matched only by Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.
The Gabon forward s importance to the club was emphasised when former boss Unai Emery handed him the captaincy in November, a job he kept when Mikel Arteta took over a month later.
Aubameyang s long-term future at the Emirates Stadium remains shrouded in doubt with the 31-year-old into the final year of his contract and yet to commit to fresh terms, although Arteta has stated his belief their prized asset can be persuaded to stay.
…
Julian Nagelsmann has revealed he turned down an offer from Real Madrid as it was not the right step for his career.
Then at Hoffenheim, Nagelsmann was on a shortlist of candidates to replace Zinedine Zidane at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2018, but Julen Lopetegui was eventually appointed to the post.
Lopetegui s tenure ended in October that year, however, while Santiago Solari also having a brief spell in charge before Zidane returned in March 2019.
Nagelsmann, meanwhile, opted to join RB Leipzig, taking charge in 2019 and guiding the side to a third-placed finish in the Bundesliga. The 33-year-old has confirmed he decided against joining Madrid, as he thought he was not yet ready to take on a job of such magnitude.
We had phone calls, but in …