Didier Deschamps wants Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba to prove they can contribute at Qatar 2022 after announcing he will not be taking any injured players to the World Cup.

The France boss said everyone who travels to the finals, where Les Bleus will be defending the title they won in Russia, must be able to contribute immediately.

Manchester United centre-back Varane is not expected to play any club football until the Qatar 2022 finals get under way, after suffering a leg injury, while Pogba is back in training with Juventus after knee surgery but will not be rushed back to action.

It s absolutely clear, Deschamps said in an interview with French website Brut. I ve never embarked on a big competition with an injured player, even if there are some who can come u…

Julian Nagelsmann expects normal order to be restored against Bayer Leverkusen as he backed Bayern Munich and Robert Lewandowski to get back on track this weekend.

Lewandowski s run of netting in 15 successive Bundesliga matches came to an end prior to the international break as he failed to find the net against Greuther Furth and then Eintracht Frankfurt.

It is the first time since November 2019 that the 33-year-old has gone scoreless in consecutive league games, and he also failed to find the net in Poland s World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Albania over the international break.

The former Borussia Dortmund striker will be looking to put that right when Bayern travel to the BayArena, but his average of a goal every 225 minutes against Leverkusen is hi…

Laurent Blanc is back in football as head coach of Qatari side Al Rayyan, four and a half years after he left Paris Saint-Germain.

The appointment was announced on Saturday, with 55-year-old Blanc described by his nickname Le President as the Qatar Stars League welcomed its newest import. 

Laurent Blanc arrives, the club said on their social media channels. There was no detail immediately available about his contract.

A 1998 World Cup winner as a player with France, Blanc later coached the national team after a spell in charge at Bordeaux.

He then spent three seasons as PSG boss before departing at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, despite leading the Parc des Princes giants to two domestic trebles and a double.

PSG s Qatari owners decided that a…

Ronald Koeman has welcomed the idea of Lionel Messi making a return to Barcelona and believes the Argentina star is still the best player in the world.

The former Barcelona boss was in charge during Messi s last season with the Catalan club before he made an emotional exit on a free transfer to French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

Barca sacked the Dutchman in October 2021 after a poor run of form with the 60-year-old now returning to manage the Netherlands national team following the retirement of Louis van Gaal after the World Cup in Qatar.

Koeman himself will not be returning to Barcelona any time soon, but he still holds out hopes that Messi will make a romantic return to the club, amid speculation such a move is in the works.

Messi is the best player …

Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe admitted he was disappointed not to join LaLiga powerhouse Real Madrid after his failed off-season transfer.

With his contract expiring at the end of the 2021-22 campaign, Mbappe was heavily tipped to swap PSG for Madrid, who have made no secret of their admiration.

However, a transfer did not materialise as Ligue 1 giants PSG – still determined to re-sign the France international – refused to part with Mbappe.

Madrid are expected to sign Mbappe as a free agent at the end of the current campaign but the 22-year-old was asked about his frustration at the failed swich to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Disappointed with not leaving? A little, Mbappe told Amazon while speaking to France great Thierry Henry.

It s no…

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Looking to extend on their EFL Cup adventure on Tuesday night, Arsenal will welcome League One outfit Sunderland to the Emirates in midweek.

Arsenal

Starting with the hosts, while Arsenal might have opened the 2021/22 campaign in the midst of a nightmare run of form, the Gunners have certainly came roaring back. Making the trip to a heavily-weakened Leeds over the weekend, Mikel Arteta s men kept the mood in their camp at a red-hot high with a deserved 4-1 romp at Elland Road. Managing to prove to their last-gasp 2-1 defeat against Everton was just a minor blip earlier in the month, the north London outfit have won each of their last three Premier League contests. Finding a route back into the top-four and building off of their 2-0 win…

According to Fabrizio Romano, Al-Ittihad are in advanced negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain after expressing serious interest in the services of Danilo Pereira.

The 32-year-old defensive midfielder, who also plays occasionally as a centre-back, appears to have no place in the plans of PSG coach Luis Enrique after a summer of uncertainty. His contract at the club runs until the end of the season, but the Ligue 1 champions are believed to be keen to get him off their pay roll as soon as possible.

Al Ittihad have also advanced in negotiations to sign Danilo Pereira from Paris Saint-Germain.

Discussions at final stages to bring in Danilo ahead of Deadline for Saudi market.

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano)

Meanwhile, the Saudi club have a…

Antonio Rudiger headed home a late winner as LaLiga leaders Real Madrid opened 2024 with a 1-0 victory over Mallorca at the Bernabeu.

Real edged in front when the centre-back connected with Luka Modric’s 78th-minute corner, having survived some scares with Mallorca hitting the woodwork via Antonio Sanchez and Samu Costa.

The hosts then did so themselves, substitute Brahim Diaz heading against a post when looking certain to score, before Rudiger showed greater accuracy to ensure they celebrated boss Carlo Ancelotti’s new contract with three points.

Real went three points clear of second-placed Girona ahead of them playing Atletico Madrid later on Wednesday.

Ancelotti – whose new deal to 2026 was announced on Friday – made four changes from the 1-0 …

It is business time in the Champions League as the 2020-21 semi-finals get under way with the first legs this week.

Chelsea visit Real Madrid, who have seen pre-match questions focus on their continued pursuit of the controversial European Super League.

In the other tie, Paris Saint-Germain are the only remaining outfit not to have signed up for the competition prior to its collapse, gaining favour with UEFA.

They have a tough ask against Manchester City, however, after Pep Guardiola s men collected their first piece of silverware this season in the EFL Cup final.

Using Opta data, we break down the two matches

The final is in sight

Who will get there? |

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague)

Real Madrid v Chel…

“Also I am changing my mindset, I think I am more focused on the game now,” he said. “Before, when I miss one or two chances (I may have got disheartened)… I think that was not the case today.

“I think I created and my team gave me the ball – it was amazing – and I hit the post. I think it was more unlucky than a miss, but I keep trying.

“A minute after, I create another one and I miss the time to shoot, but I keep working, I keep trying, I keep focused on the game.

“I try to find another way to score and it worked. Sometimes it is all about this. Keep trying and then it works.”

Jesus earned the praise of boss Mikel Arteta for his desire to play in the game despite a knee problem.

“Gabi started to win the game two days ago,�…