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      England vs Scotland LIVE: Stream FREE, TV channel, team news, build-up from Wembley – Euro 2020 latest updates

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      ENGLAND take on Scotland tonight in one of the most eagerly-anticipated games of Euro 2020. The Three Lions are sitting pretty in Group D after victory over Croatia, while the Scots are desperate to get themselves on the board after defeat to Czech Republic.

      Kick-off time: 8pm BST
      TV channel: ITV1

      Follow ALL the build-up and latest with our live blog below…

      ⚽ ENGLAND vs SCOTLAND BETTING SPECIAL ⚽

      England are among the favourites for Euro 2020Credit: Andy Hooper-The Daily Mail
      What time does England vs Scotland kick off?

      The match kicks off at 8pm UK time tonight.

      What TV channel is England vs Scotland on and can I live stream it?

      England vs Scotland is live on ITV1.
      To stream the game live, head to the ITV Hub.

      Can I watch England vs Scotland for free?

      What is the team news?
      Harry Maguire has declared himself FIT for the Three Lions’ clash with Scotland but it remains to be seen whether Gareth Southgate will give him a part to play immediately.
      If not, John Stones will continue in the heart of defence alongside Tyrone Mings.
      Southgate will also make a decision on who to start at left-back with both Ben Chilwell and Luke Shaw having missed out last time out.
      For Scotland, Kieran Tierney could return after missing the Czech Republic loss.
      Che Adams could also start for Steve Clarke’s side.
      LAST TIME OUT
      Doesn’t this feel like a long time ago?
      Daniel Sturridge – the forgotten man – netting as England swept aside Scotland in World Cup 2018 qualifying.
      Three Lions fans will be hoping for more of the same tonight…

      TARTAN BARMY
      Sir Alex Ferguson has arrived at Wembley to cheer on his beloved Scotland… but the Man Utd legend was refused VIP parking.
      Fergie, 79, had a brief stint as boss of Scotland in 1985 but left the role after failing to qualify from their World Cup group a year later.
      Despite his remarkable success in football, it appears he wasn’t handed the red carpet treatment in North London.
      Ferguson was chauffeured to the home of football around four hours before kick-off.
      But he wasn’t greeted with the warmest of welcomes when a steward turned him away from the VIP parking.

      GREAL ISSUE
      Former England winger Paul Merson believes Jack Grealish does NOT fit into England’s formation and it would cause a ‘problem’ to play him tonight.
      Gareth Southgate won plenty of praise from the former Arsenal man over his selection for the Euro 2020 opening win over Croatia.
      He told Sky Sports: “Southgate has to be careful with his selection against Scotland as he does not want to bring unwanted pressure on himself by making too many changes.
      “If he brings in Jack Grealish and he rips it up, people are going to want him to play every game. But he will not play against Scotland.
      “If you play Phil Foden, Grealish, and Mason Mount all in the same team, then when will England be getting the ball back?
      “Sterling played well, Foden showed glimpses, Harry Kane struggled as he kept on coming short into a packed midfield, where he was never going to find space, he needed to go the other way and stay up top if he wants to get involved with the team.
      “We just need to get him chances, but even if he does not score in his first four games of the tournament, he will still play in the fifth.”

      FITS THE BILL
      A ‘leaked’ Scotland team has emerged on social media ahead of tonight’s Euro 2020 crunch with England – and it contains Chelsea star Billy Gilmour.
      The former Rangers kid has yet to start a match for his country but social media is ablaze with suggestions that he will be thrown into the heat of battle against the Auld Enemy.
      The team sees David Marshall starting in goal, with Stephen O’Donnell keeping his place at right back.
      Kieran Tierney is apparently a starter on the left side of a back three, while it is claimed that Scott McTominay and Grant Hanley will be fielded alongside him.
      According to the ‘leaked’ team, Che Adams comes in alongside Lyndon Dykes up top.
      Time will tell – we’re expecting concrete team news around 6.45pm.

      LOUD AND PROUD
      There will be 22,500 fans in Wembley tonight, with Scotland allocated 2,600 for a lucky selection of away supporters.
      Expect them to make a din, no matter how many are in the ground.

      HEAD-TO-HEAD
      Here’s how England and Scotland look in the head-to-head stakes.
      The teams have actually met just once in tournament football, when Gazza famously inspired England to a 2-0 win at Euro 96.
      England have the superior head-to-head record but not by as much as recent results would suggest.
      They have won 48 of the meetings between the two sides, compared to Scotland’s 41 triumphs.
      Last time the two sides met, Harry Kane netted a last minute equaliser for England in World Cup qualifying at Hampden.
      Leight Griffiths thought he had done enough to earn Scotland a stunning win by curling in two free kicks before Kane popped up to secure a 2-2 draw.

      MEMORY LANE
      You’ve got to go back 25 years for the last time England face Scotland at a major tournament.
      And we all know what happened then…

      SOUTHGATE TALKS
      The boss has been talking to the media and it looks like Raheem Sterling will keep his place after deciding the game against Croatia.
      “Well I think any tournament the fall out from the first game is always massive, good or bad.
      “I liked the way we settled so quickly for a team that weren’t able to play together in the friendlies.
      “Throughout the game, our defending from front to back was excellent and I thought our forwards, and in particular our wide players, Raheem stood out.
      “In terms of cutting the angles off, his tackling back, and I know people don’t want to hear coaches talking about that from wingers, but it’s a reality of the game.”
      Credit: AP
      THE BIG ONE
      A match 25 years in the making, England vs Scotland finally meet again tonight a major tournament.
      It doesn’t get much better than this.
      Wembley is all set to host the Group D showdown later this evening, with the Tartan Army still streaming into the capital to support their boys.
      The Three Lions come into the game knowing victory will see them into the knockout stages after beating Croatia 1-0 in their opening game.
      Things aren’t so rosey for the Scots however, who can no longer come here and try frustrate the hosts.
      Defeat to Czech Republic will have David Marshall having nightmare about Patrick Schick for the rest of his days – unless the Scots can spring a big shock tonight.
      England are 1/4 favourites on home soil, with 22,500 lucky fans allowed inside the stadium this evening.
      Scotland have brought the weather with them and it’s set to be a game played in damp, drizzly conditions.
      We wouldn’t have it any other way.
      After all the waiting, the countdown to kick-off at 8pm starts now.
      Load more entries… More

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      Croatia vs Czech Republic LIVE: Stream FREE, TV channel, team news as Euro 2020 clash UNDERWAY – latest updates

      by

      CROATIA will be aching to get their first points on the board at Euro 2020 this evening when they take on Group D leaders Czech Republic at Hampden Park.The Croats lost 1-0 to England in their first game while the Czechs overcame Scotland 2-0 in Glasgow.

      Start time: 5pm GMT
      TV/Live stream: BBC One/iPlayer
      Croatia XI: Livakovic, Vrsaljko, Vida, Lovren, Gvardiol, Modric, Kovacic, Brekalo, Kramaric, Perisic, Rebic
      Czech Republic XI: Vaclik, Coufal, Celustka, Kalas, Boril, Soucek, Holes, Masopust, Darida, Jankto, Schick

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      CROATIA 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
      4. Confident start from the Czech Republic. A couple of crosses are cleared before a Coufal shot is blocked by Domagoj Vidashot. A corner is headed just over by Soucek.
      CROATIA 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
      1. We’re off and under way. Some questionable singing from the Croatia squad during the national anthems. It’s a good job they can play football.
      PEEEEEEEEEREEEEEEEEP!HERE WE GO!
      HAVE YOUR SAY
      Fancy winning £100? Course you do! Predict the score to enter our prize draw…

      HERE COME THE TEAMS!
      VLASIC ISSUES RALLYING CRY
      Croatia midfielder Nikola Vlasic know how crucial a win would be for his country.
      He said: “It’s very important to win this game as it’s extremely difficult going into the last match knowing you have to win.
      “I think we have quality to do so.
      “I’d say that we’re going to dominate and attack, but it doesn’t depend only on us – the Czechs could also have a big day.”
      .Credit: AP
      SUPER SOUCEK
      FourFourTwo went for West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek as the Czech Republic’s key man prior to the tournament.
      They wrote: “A year ago it wouldn’t been Patrick Schick, with Soucek one to watch, but after the tireless midfielder’s stunning 12 months, it had to be him.
      “The 26-year-old covers every blade of grass, wins aerial duels and scores regularly, netting his first ever hat-trick in March.
      “His never-say-die spirit is as vital to the Czechs as it is to the Hammers.”
      .Credit: The Sun
      MARVELLOUS MODRIC
      FourFourTwo magazine picked Luka Modric as Croatia’s key man ahead of the tournament.
      The publication wrote: “Modric has been the beating heart of Croatia for over a decade, so the fact that he still plays at the highest level is nothing short of miraculous, even with Zinedine Zidane’s careful managing of the 35-year-old midfielder’s workload at Real Madrid.
      “Without [Ivan] Rakitic, Croatia depend on Modric’s leadership more than ever.”
      .Credit: Alamy
      WHOLE LOT OF HISTORY
      Croatia and Czech Republic have met once previously at a major tournament, in the group stages of Euro 2016.
      The game ended 2-2, with the Czechs coming back from 2-0 down to secure their only point of the group phase.
      Croatia are unbeaten in their three previous meetings with the Czech Republic (D2, L1).
      Croatia have lost eight of their last 14 matches in all competitions (W4, D2) and have just claimed two wins in their last 10 games (D2, L6).
      .Credit: PA:Empics Sport
      DALIC: IMPROVEMENT NEEDED
      Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic knows his side will need to turn in a much better performance today than the one against England.
      “We have to show much more intent and purpose up front if we are to stand any chance of beating the Czechs,” he said.
      “We need to rediscover our attacking threat. The Czechs are great at breaking out of defence with six or seven players but that will also allow us to counter-attack.
      “They are in a comfortable position having won their opening game and we are not, but we always got going when the going got tough in the past and I am optimistic because our fate is still in our own hands.
      “We have to improve in attack. We need a win to give us confidence.
      “One good win with one or two goals would really open us up. We will see a different Croatia against the Czech Republic compared to the one against England.”
      .Credit: Getty
      SILHAVY: WORK TO DO
      Despite impressing against Scotland, Czech Republic coach Jaroslav Silhavy says his men still have work to do to get out of the group.
      He said: “Croatia have players who like playing the ball, combine and build up attacks from the back.
      “If they have their good day, they will be very tough opponents for us.
      “I still consider them among two favourites of our group, and we are the third ones behind.
      “Our desire is clear – we want to qualify from the group. A point out of two games might be enough, but we do not want to play for a draw.
      “Croatia were runners-up in the World Cup with top-quality individuals from big clubs.
      “If we want to succeed, we need another excellent team performance with some extra bits. This is the only way to win.”
      .Credit: EPA
      TINKER TIME
      Croatia make two changes from the side that lost to England.
      Dejan Lovren comes in for Duje Caleta-Car, while Josip Brekalo replaces Marcelo Brozovic,
      There’s just one change from the Czech team that beat Scotland as Alex Kral makes way for Tomas Holes in the starting XI.
      .Credit: AFP
      CROATIA SUBS:
      5 Caleta-Car, 11 Brozovic, 12, Kalinic, 13 Vlasic, 15 Pasalic, 18 Orsic, 19 Badelj, 20 Petkovic, 22 Juranovic, 23 Sluga, 24 Bradaric, 26 Ivanusec
      CZECH REPUBLIC SUBS:
      16 Mandous, 23 Koubek, 2 Kaderabek, 4 Brabec, 7 Barak, 11 Krmencik, 13 Sevcik, 17 Zima, 19 Hlozek, 20 Vydra, 21 Kral, 24 Pekhart
      CROATIA XI:
      1 Livakovic; 2 Vrsaljko, 6 Lovren, 21 Vida, 25 Gvardiol; Modric ©, 8 Kovacic; 4 Perisic, 9 Kramaric, 7 Brekalo; 17 Rebic

      CZECH REPUBLIC XI:
      1 Vaclik; 5 Coufal, 3 Celustka, 6 Kalas, 18 Boril; 9 Holes, 15 Soucek; 12 Masopust, 8 Darida ©, 14 Jankto, 10 Schick

      THE TEAMSHEETS ARE IN!
      TEAM NEWS
      Croatia centre-back Dejan Lovren has recovered from a knee injury and should be available.
      Bruno Petkovic could replace Ante Rebic up front, while left-back Borna Barisic remains sidelined by a back problem. 
      The Czech Republic could name the same starting line-up that began Monday’s win against Scotland.
      Goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka has withdrawn from the squad because of a back injury and has been replaced by Tomas Koubek.

      GOOD AFTERNOON FROM GLASGOW
      While all eyes will be on England’s clash with Scotland later, there’s a tasty appetiser in the form of Croatia versus the Czech Republic.
      The two teams suffered contrasting fortunes in their opening Group D fixtures.
      Croatia were beaten 1-0 by England, while the Czechs earned a 2-0 win over Scotland.
      Both of the Czechs goals came from Patrick Schick and you’ll be hard pushed to find a better strike at this summer’s tournament than his second when he lobbed David Marshall from virtually the halfway line.
      Victory for the Czechs would seal their progress to the knockout stages.
      We’ll have all the team news and more in the build-up to the 5pm kick-off.

      Load more entries… More

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      Tottenham in for Gattuso OFF after fan backlash, Benitez to Everton, Grealish transfer LATEST, Ramos leaves Real

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      CHELSEA are reportedly eyeing up moves for Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham – but not both this summer. The Blues have reportedly agreed personal terms with the Dortmund star – and believe striking a deal with BVB will allow them to swoop for England midfielder Bellingham further down the line.
      We’ve also the latest on Jack Grealish’s future, as well as updates from Man City and Tottenham.
      And shock reports suggest that Rafa Benitez is close to becoming boss at Everton, while Sergio Ramos has left Real Madrid after 16 years with the club.
      Follow ALL of the latest news and updates below…

      WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game

      Follow ALL of the latest news and updates below…
      GIVE THEM MOUR
      Jose Mourinho has offered Steve Clarke some tactical advice to help Scotland down England at Wembley.
      The two Auld Enemies clash in their second Group D clash tonight.
      Mourinho told talkSPORT: “Steve [Clarke] deserves all the respect and the last thing I want to do here is be the smart one, it’s just my opinion like anybody else who listens to this show.
      “The fact McTominay can play in defence, he’s faster than Grant Hanley and I think Scotland need speed against Sterling and Rashford – they’re going to attack the space in the behind.
      “Do you lose a very strong midfield player? Yes.
      “But [Stuart] Armstrong and [John] McGinn are good players who are intense and recover balls and the kid, [Billy] Gilmour, he will give them a focal point because he wants the ball all the time.”

      SHAKING HIS ED
      Jose Mourinho has revealed that Eden Hazard is ‘awful’ in training and ‘doesn’t work much’.
      The pair worked together at Chelsea between 2013 and 2015.
      The SunSport columnist told talkSPORT: “The truth about Eden Hazard?
      “The truth is what you see from him, he is an amazing player with awful training.
      “You can only imagine what he could be with a super professional attitude in training.
      “In the end, he is an amazing kid, he is an incredible family man, he looks like he doesn’t belong to this generation of players, he’s very quiet and is totally focused on family, on kids, on parents, on a very quiet life.
      “But he gets onto the pitch every morning and… he doesn’t work much.
      “When he gets onto the pitch you don’t see the reflection of a week of work, you just see a reflection of his talent.”
      LOU ARE YA
      Louis van Gaal is set to return to management five years after departing Manchester United.
      The 69-year-old, who was sacked by the Red Devils in 2016 after winning the FA Cup, will step back into the dugout next season with SC Telstar.
      Thougn Van Gaal will only be in charge of his former employers for one game as part of a fundraising drive.
      Supporters can buy lottery tickets for the chance to serve as his assistant during the match.
      Looking ahead to his return to football, SunSport takes a look at seven of the most mental Van Gaal moments during his coaching career.
      Click here to read more

      ABOUT FACE
      Kevin De Bruyne has revealed that nerve damage has left him with no feeling in the left side of his face.
      The star, 29, suffered his facial injuries during Manchester City’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea last month.
      De Bruyne said: “I don’t feel anything on the left side, like after a visit to the dentist.
      “My nerve is very badly affected, which could take six months. It’s not a comfortable feeling, but the most important thing is that I can play.
      “The last two months have been up and down for me with minor injuries. After that fracture in the nose and eye socket, it was a bit of a wait.
      “But luckily I came back in the fastest way. There was very good intensity for half an hour, [against Denmark] then I felt it. But I’m glad I was able to play.”
      HOW ABOUT GAT?
      Ex-Tottenham assistant manager Joe Jordan will be delighted that Gennaro Gattuso will not be taking charge of the club.
      The AC Milan legend, 43, held talks with Spurs over the vacant managerial position after negotiations to bring Paulo Fonseca to North London broke down.
      But the ex-Napoli gaffer is now out of the running after a fiery fan backlash with #NoToGattuso trending on Twitter in the UK on Thursday night.
      Many fans were understood to be upset by alleged past comments by Gattuso on women in football, same-sex marriage and racism.
      News of the U-turn will likely amuse Jordan, who was involved in a heated exchange with the Italian in 2011 during his time at Tottenham.
      The 69-year-old was throttled by Gattuso at the San Siro during a fiery Champions League tie where Spurs won 1-0 thanks to Peter Crouch’s goal.
      Gennaro Gattuso has explosive clash with Joe Jordan after Tottenham linked with controversial move for AC Milan icon
      SPANISH INQUISITION
      Gini Wijnaldum joked that Memphis Depay speaks to him in Spanish, ahead of the forward’s impending move to Barcelona.
      Depay, 27, crashed Wijnaldum’s post-match interview, with the pair both on Netherlands duty.
      The former Manchester United star whispered something to Wijnaldum, prompting a Dutch reporter to ask the new PSG star what Depay had said.
      With a smile, Wijnaldum joked: “I do not know, I have not understood.
      “He must have spoken in Spanish.”
      Wijnaldum, who himself was in advanced negotiations with Barca before choosing PSG, was referring to Depay’s likely transfer to Catalonia.
      READY TO RAM-BLE
      Jose Mourinho has backed Sergio Ramos to be a huge success in the Premier League – but believes only a ‘top club’ can afford him.
      Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “I can imagine we will see him [Ramos] playing in a very good club.
      “Only a top club will be in a condition to fulfil his financial demands.
      “Look to Thiago Silva – he is in a similar situation.
      “He came to Chelsea, didn’t play every match, had a couple of little muscular issues.
      “But in big matches he gave great stability and you can imagine how much he helped the team to develop, the young players, the leadership.
      “Ramos is in a similar situation. He is even more physical than Thiago to compete with the Premier League demands.
      “I have no doubt he can play with intensity and the demands of the Premier League. No doubts.”
      CHRISTIAN VALUES
      Christian Eriksen sent his Denmark team-mates a WhatsApp message praising their ‘fantastic’ performance against Belgium.
      The midfielder sent the text from his hospital bed after his side’s unfortunate 2-1 defeat, revealed Martin Braithwaite.
      Striker Braithwaite, who hit the bar late on, revealed: “Eriksen wrote in the Whatsapp group after the game, he said we had been fantastic, I read the text on my way to the dressing room.
      “We had a great start, we proved to be mentally strong. We played for Christian and the whole country.
      “We felt the whole stadium around us, it was amazing.”
      LION’S PRIDE
      Jesse Lingard admits watching England in Euros action with the fans has given him a new understanding of how much playing for the country really means.
      The Manchester United star said: “It’s crazy, you don’t realise until like you’re actually in it how much it means to everyone.
      “Everyone’s watching the game and everyone’s in a beer garden, and the sun was out, the drinks are flying everywhere.
      “You don’t realise how important it is to the whole nation, to be to be putting on that shirt and playing for your country.
      “It gives you a different, different perspective. It’s crazy how many people really love football and want to be part of football.”

      EXCLUSIVE – AOU ABOUT THAT?
      Arsenal are ready to launch another attempt to sign Lyon’s Houssem Aouar.
      The Gunners were priced out of a move for the 22-year-old Frenchman last summer – with Lyon demanding up to £55m.
      However, the Ligue 1 club’s failure to qualify for the Champions League means Aouar will cost as little as £20m – a figure well within the North London club’s price range.
      And SunSport understands that Arsenal are readying a contract worth £100k-a-week to lure the midfielder to the Emirates at the second time of asking.
      Aouar chipped in with eight goals and four assists last season for Lyon, and has been on the radar of several Premier League sides, including Liverpool.
      However, Arsenal are currently leading the race as they look to bolster their creative attacking options ahead of the new season.

      EXCLUSIVE – ‘PROPER NUISANCE’
      Jeff Stelling has revealed a fan threatened to throw him down some stairs at Stockport last weekend because he was too gobby.
      Sky Sports’ brilliant but highly-excitable Soccer Saturday presenter is not only Hartlepool’s honorary president but is the club’s most famous loudmouth supporter.
      And last night Stelling said he couldn’t promise to behave himself on Sunday either when Pools meet Torquay in the National League Play-off Final at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate ground.
      Stelling, 66, is often seen shrieking on camera alongside the likes of Paul Merson when the Hartlepool score flashes across his screen.
      And the presenter couldn’t contain his highly-charged emotions in the Stockport directors’ box last Sunday when Rhys Oates crashed home a late 20-yard semi-final winner.
      Stelling confessed: “I’m a hooligan in the nicest possible way.”
      Click here to read SunSport’s interview with Jeff Stelling

      YOUR IN DEMAND
      Leicester are hoping Youri Tielemans will sign a new contract amid transfer interest from Manchester United and Liverpool.
      The midfielder, 24, enjoyed a stunning season for the Foxes.
      As reported by the Leicester Mercury, the Foxes are doing their best to tie Tielemans down in the East Midlands.
      He has two years left to run on his current contract and the club want to improve his deal to fend off potential interest.
      CHEL-SKI
      Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is enjoying some downtime in Dubai – by riding around on a jet ski.
      The Senegal star, 29, shared a photo on social media on Thursday posing on the white Yamaha in front of a stunning yacht with the Dubai skyline in the background.
      He captioned the Instagram post: “Time off.”
      Then on his story, Mendy added more photos from his holiday in the Middle East.
      He has spent time at the NAS Sports Complex and showed his 1million followers some content from behind the scenes.

      BELLI RUB
      Jude Bellingham says it was an ‘easy’ decision to reject Manchester United – despite Sir Alex Ferguson giving him a guided tour of the club.
      The 17-year-old midfielder left Birmingham City for Borussia Dortmund last summer and has gone on to shine in the German top-flight.
      He said: “To be fair, it was a decision that was quite easy in the end.
      “I think if you look at Dortmund’s track record with young players and the way they develop them, it was the obvious answer.
      “Obviously at the time it’s hard to see it like that because you’ve got so many other options.
      “But my strength of character, I’d probably say it comes from my parents and stuff.”
      DO THE HOKEY COKE-Y
      Euros stars have been told to STOP moving sponsors’ drinks in press conferences – or risk their team getting fined.
      Cristiano Ronaldo started the trend when he put a pair of Coca-Cola bottles out of the way on Monday.
      But Euro 2020 tournament director Martin Kallen revealed Uefa has ‘communicated with the teams regarding this matter’ and disciplinary action may be taken.
      He said: “It is important because the revenues of the sponsors are important for the tournament and for European football.
      “We are never fining players directly from the Uefa side, we will do this always through the participating national association and then they could look if they will go further to the player, but we are not going directly for the moment to the player.”
      Credit: Getty
      COMMENT
      Even by Spurs standards, this is a shambles.
      A two month hunt for the replacement for Jose Mourinho and still no decision.
      Instead, a series of candidates identified then dumped, for a variety of reasons.
      And now, with Rino Gattuso’s potential employment rejected in the wake of a social media fan backlash, there will be many asking if Daniel Levy has any idea what he will do next.
      Read Martin Lipton’s full rundown of the saga here.
      Credit: PA
      MORE ON RAMOS
      Meanwhile Sergio Ramos has immediately ruled out moving to Sevilla or Barcelona, following his Real Madrid exit.
      The defender will leave the Bernabeu for good at the end of this month after 16 years of service.
      As quoted by Fabrizio Romano, he said: “I’m not joining Sevilla, this is not even an option.
      “Barcelona? Impossible. You’ll never see me at Barca. I don’t know which club I’m joining yet.
      “When I’ll know, I’ll be the first to announce it. It’s not time to talk about my future.”
      Credit: PA
      CAPTAIN KARIM
      Sergio Ramos’ departure means Real Madrid have been left with a decision to make regarding their captaincy.
      According to Marca, Karim Benzema and Dani Carvajal are the frontrunners for the job.
      Experienced alternatives Casemiro and Luka Modric could also be considered by Carlo Ancelotti for the role.
      ED CHECKED
      Jose Mourinho  has revealed that Eden Hazard is ‘awful’ in training and ‘doesn’t work much’.
      The pair worked together at Chelsea between 2013 and 2015 and the SunSport columnist told talkSPORT: “The truth is what you see from him, he is an amazing player with awful training.
      “You can only imagine what he could be with a super professional attitude in training.
      “In the end, he is an amazing kid, he is an incredible family man, he looks like he doesn’t belong to this generation of players, he’s very quiet and is totally focused on family, on kids, on parents, on a very quiet life.
      “But he gets onto the pitch every morning and… he doesn’t work much.
      “When he gets onto the pitch you don’t see the reflection of a week of work, you just see a reflection of his talent.”
      Credit: Reuters
      HELLO JOEL
      Norwich and Celtic are reportedly fighting for Exeter winger Joel Randall.
      A six-figure bid for the 21-year-old from Peterborough is said to have been turned down as clubs circle for the talented player.
      And Football Insider claim the pair are getting involved with Randall out of contract in a year’s time.
      VA-RANE DANCE
      Reports in Spain suggest Real Madrid are increasingly resigned to selling Raphael Varane.
      After letting Sergio Ramos go, Carlo Ancelotti is set to have David Alaba and Jesus Vallejo introduced to his defence next season.
      And Cadena SER claim Varane has already informed them that he does not want to sign a new contract.
      With his deal up in 2022, the Frenchman rejected a renewal offer earlier this year.
      Credit: Getty
      PURPLE RAGE
      Fiorentina parted company with Gennaro Gattuso following a row over transfers.
      Corriere Fiorentino report on disagreements between the coach and club on how many reinforcements were needed this summer, with deals for the likes of Sergio Oliveira and Jesus Corona deemed too expensive by the Italian club.
      And Gattuso now looks to have missed out on a move to Tottenham as well, after the Premier League side pulled out of talks.
      YOUR IN DEMAND
      Leicester are hoping Youri Tielemans will sign a new contract amid transfer interest from Manchester United and Liverpool.
      The midfielder, 24, enjoyed a stunning season for the Foxes.
      As reported by the Leicester Mercury, the Foxes are doing their best to tie Tielemans down in the East Midlands.
      He has two years left to run on his current contract and the club want to improve his deal to fend off potential interest.
      Credit: EPA
      ALL IN
      Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is interested in bringing midfield general Allan to the Bernabeu, according to reports in Spain.
      The Everton star was signed by the Italian last summer having also played under him at Napoli.
      And Defensa Central claim a bid could be launched for the Brazilian.
      DAKA RALLY
      Patson Daka is nearing a £25million to Leicester.
      Talks for the RB Salzburg striker accelerated after the Foxes grew frustrated with their pursuit of Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard, according to the Mail.
      The Zambia star hit 34 goals last season and is said to cost less in terms of wages than Edouard, who Celtic valued at £25m despite having only a year left on his contract.
      Credit: Getty
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      Sergio Ramos to Man Utd hint from Rio Ferdinand, Trippier ‘to replace Telles’, Sancho transfer latest

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED are hopeful of completing their big-money transfer for Jadon Sancho NEXT WEEK, according to reports. Meanwhile Rio Ferdinand may have dropped a hint on Twitter that Sergio Ramos could be headed to Old Trafford.
      And the Red Devils are reportedly looking to sell Alex Telles to make money for Kieran Trippier.
      Stay up to date with every twist from Old Trafford in our live rolling blog…
      WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game 
      SANCHO LATEST
      Manchester United are ‘very confident’ of signing Jadon Sancho.
      According to the Mirror, further talks with Borussia Dortmund have provided cause for optimism despite an opening bid of £67million being turned down.
      The Bundesliga giants are said to want most of the payment up front while personal terms were already agreed last year, meaning an update to the deal will not prove difficult.

      LOU ARE YA
      Louis van Gaal is set to return to management five years after departing Manchester United.
      The 69-year-old, who was sacked by the Red Devils in 2016 after winning the FA Cup, will step back into the dugout next season with SC Telstar.
      Thougn Van Gaal will only be in charge of his former employers for one game as part of a fundraising drive.
      Supporters can buy lottery tickets for the chance to serve as his assistant during the match.
      Looking ahead to his return to football, SunSport takes a look at seven of the most mental Van Gaal moments during his coaching career.
      Click here to read more

      SPANISH INQUISITION
      Gini Wijnaldum joked that Memphis Depay speaks to him in Spanish, ahead of the forward’s impending move to Barcelona.
      Depay, 27, crashed Wijnaldum’s post-match interview, with the pair both on Netherlands duty.
      The former Manchester United star whispered something to Wijnaldum, prompting a Dutch reporter to ask the new PSG star what Depay had said.
      With a smile, Wijnaldum joked: “I do not know, I have not understood.
      “He must have spoken in Spanish.”
      Wijnaldum, who himself was in advanced negotiations with Barca before choosing PSG, was referring to Depay’s likely transfer to Catalonia.
      LION’S PRIDE
      Jesse Lingard admits watching England in Euros action with the fans has given him a new understanding of how much playing for the country really means.
      The Manchester United star said: “It’s crazy, you don’t realise until like you’re actually in it how much it means to everyone.
      “Everyone’s watching the game and everyone’s in a beer garden, and the sun was out, the drinks are flying everywhere.
      “You don’t realise how important it is to the whole nation, to be to be putting on that shirt and playing for your country.
      “It gives you a different, different perspective. It’s crazy how many people really love football and want to be part of football.”

      READY TO RAM-BLE
      Jose Mourinho has backed Sergio Ramos to be a huge success in the Premier League – but believes only a ‘top club’ can afford him.
      Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “I can imagine we will see him [Ramos] playing in a very good club.
      “Only a top club will be in a condition to fulfil his financial demands.
      “Look to Thiago Silva – he is in a similar situation.
      “He came to Chelsea, didn’t play every match, had a couple of little muscular issues.
      “But in big matches he gave great stability and you can imagine how much he helped the team to develop, the young players, the leadership.
      “Ramos is in a similar situation. He is even more physical than Thiago to compete with the Premier League demands.
      “I have no doubt he can play with intensity and the demands of the Premier League. No doubts.”
      RAMOS RULES OUT TWO CLUBS
      Sergio Ramos has immediately ruled out moving to Sevilla or Barcelona, following his Real Madrid exit.
      The defender will leave the Bernabeu for good at the end of this month after 16 years of service.
      As quoted by Fabrizio Romano, he said: “I’m not joining Sevilla, this is not even an option.
      “Barcelona? Impossible. You’ll never see me at Barca. I don’t know which club I’m joining yet.
      “When I’ll know, I’ll be the first to announce it. It’s not time to talk about my future.”
      Ramos is believed to be a target for Manchester United.
      Credit: PA
      YOUR IN DEMAND
      Leicester are hoping Youri Tielemans will sign a new contract amid transfer interest from Manchester United and Liverpool.
      The midfielder, 24, enjoyed a stunning season for the Foxes.
      As reported by the Leicester Mercury, the Foxes are doing their best to tie Tielemans down in the East Midlands.
      He has two years left to run on his current contract and the club want to improve his deal to fend off potential interest.
      BELLI RUB
      Jude Bellingham says it was an ‘easy’ decision to reject Manchester United – despite Sir Alex Ferguson giving him a guided tour of the club.
      The 17-year-old midfielder left Birmingham City for Borussia Dortmund last summer and has gone on to shine in the German top-flight.
      He said: “To be fair, it was a decision that was quite easy in the end.
      “I think if you look at Dortmund’s track record with young players and the way they develop them, it was the obvious answer.
      “Obviously at the time it’s hard to see it like that because you’ve got so many other options.
      “But my strength of character, I’d probably say it comes from my parents and stuff.”
      NEY WAY
      Scott McTominay has revealed all on his sparring match with Neymar in the Champions League.
      Paris Saint-Germain’s trip to Old Trafford last year featured plenty of toing-and-froing between the pair, which the Scot has opened up on.
      He told The Athletic: “I do quite like verbal sparring with opponents. 
      “I had a run-in with Neymar when Paris Saint-Germain came to Old Trafford last season. 
      “He ended up grabbing me. You could see his head was gone for a moment in the way he was so aggressive. 
      “There was a lot of talking going on — words that your mum or dad might not like to hear. But that is part of the enjoyment of football, of competition. He’s trying to beat me, and I’m trying to stop him.”
      Credit: Reuters
      REAL DEAL
      Manchester United could miss out on long-term target Raphael Varane after Sergio Ramos’ dramatic exit from Real Madrid.
      Madrid’s decision to end Ramos’ 16-year stay in the Spanish capital has forced club president Florentino Perez to rethink Varane’s future at the club.
      The club has now opened talks with the France international over a new contract to fill the void left by Ramos, which could bring an end to Man Utd’s interest in the player.
      Talks previously haven’t progressed well with Madrid, and at one point an exit looked inevitable for the 28-year-old.
      Varane will most likely form a centre-back partnership with new signing David Alaba, who signed as a free agent from Bayern Munich.
      Either way, returning boss Carlo Ancelotti has a defensive headache to sort out.
      BRU THE ONE
      Bruno Fernandes has paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo – but insisted the Portuguese team is paramount.
      The Juventus forward scored twice against Hungary in their opening Euro 2020 game, even bagging penalty rights over the Manchester United spot-kick specialist.
      And Fernandes said: “Ronaldo is influential, as always. 
      “He is another one who wants to do his best and is making a difference. 
      “The most valuable player in the national team is the ‘we’. The ‘we’ is the most important, there are many Is, but the ‘us’ is what counts.”
      Credit: Reuters
      THE HEAT IS ON
      Tom Heaton will soon be announced as a Manchester United player.
      According to BBC Sport, the anticipated deal to bring in the ex-Red Devil from Aston Villa as a free transfer is near completion.
      The goalkeeper is expected to provide back-up to David De Gea and Dean Henderson.
      SHAW ENOUGH
      Luke Shaw is reportedly in line for a start against Scotland tonight.
      The defender sat out England’s win over Croatia but Gareth Southgate may shift things around for this Wembley clash.
      Steve Clarke’s men play with a back five and England could follow suit with Reece James also coming in.
      According to Sky Sports, it is James and Shaw likely to set up alongside Harry Maguire in defence.
      HAK’D OFF
      Manchester United Hakan Calhanoglu is set to be offered a REDUCED deal by AC Milan.
      A lacklustre Euro 2020 performance with Turkey has left the out-of-contract midfielder’s options limited, as reported by Tuttosport.
      The Rossoneri’s new offer is said to be weighted towards performance related bonuses rather than a high basic salary.
      Credit: Alamy
      VA-RANE DANCE
      Reports in Spain suggest Real Madrid are increasingly resigned to selling Raphael Varane.
      After letting Sergio Ramos go, Carlo Ancelotti is set to have David Alaba and Jesus Vallejo introduced to his defence next season.
      And Cadena SER claim Varane has already informed them that he does not want to sign a new contract.
      With his deal up in 2022, the Frenchman rejected a renewal offer earlier this year.
      MAC BACKING
      Scott McTominay has praised Bruno Fernandes’ role in leading the Manchester United team.
      Writing in The Athletic, the midfielder talked up the instant impact his team-mate had when arriving at Old Trafford last year.
      He said: “Bruno Fernandes is always communicating. Sometimes in strong terms! 
      “But Bruno is Bruno, he can say what he wants. He is a top personality. A lot of the things we’ve been doing well at United, he’s been firmly at the heart of them. Big credit to him. 
      “As soon as he walked through the door he was practising hard, doing everything to the best of his abilities. He revels in that competitive edge. 
      “You can tackle him hard, you can talk back to him, and he still loves you. He never holds back with anything and that’s the sign of a true Manchester United player.”
      Credit: AFP
      JADON INCOMING
      Manchester United are ‘very confident’ of signing Jadon Sancho.
      According to the Mirror, further talks with Borussia Dortmund have provided cause for optimism despite an opening bid of £67million being turned down.
      The Bundesliga giants are said to want most of the payment up front while personal terms were already agreed last year, meaning an update to the deal will not prove difficult.
      WOOD YOU KINDLY?
      Ed Woodward hailed fans ‘the lifeblood of the game’ after the club’s financial losses were confirmed.
      The outgoing executive vice-chairman is optimistic about the prospect of fans returning to football grounds in much greater numbers following losses of £21.7million.
      He said: “The absence of fans over the past year has proved that they are the lifeblood of the game.
      “Following the successful return of limited numbers at the end of last season, and continued trials of increased crowds at sports events this summer, we remain optimistic about the prospect of fans returning to Old Trafford in larger numbers going forwards.
      “With the foundations for long-term success in place, including significant initiatives to strengthen engagement with our supporters, we look forward to the upcoming season.”
      Credit: EPA
      IN THE RED
      Manchester United have posted a £21.7million loss due to the coronavirus pandemic.
      The absence of fans inside Old Trafford has seen United’s matchday sales fall to just £1.6m, down from £29.1m the year prior.
      Man Utd’s matchday, commercial and sponsorship revenue slump all saw drops of £27.5m, £10.5m and £8.9m.
      Figures from January to March 2021 show that Man Utd made £118.3million compared to £123.7m the year before, a revenue fall of 4.4%.
      But an increase in broadcasting revenue – five additional games broadcasted – slightly softened the financial blow.
      IN-SAN-ITY
      Manchester City are the ‘only winner’ if they decide to go head to head with Manchester United for Jadon Sancho.
      That is according to former City star Paul Stewart, who has told Football Fancast that his old club would be streets ahead in cutting a deal.
      He said: “There’s only one winner if both clubs are going for him and that’s Manchester City, and I would like to see him back in the Premier League.
      “I think he’s one of the best right-sided players out there and he’s gone away and proved it.”
      Credit: Reuters
      WHO’S IN ACTION TODAY?
      Harry Maguire is racing back to fitness for England’s game with Scotland tonight.
      The Manchester United star last played in the Red Devils’ trip to Aston Villa in early May and missed the Europa League final.
      Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw will also hope to make the starting XI having been substitutes for the win over Croatia.
      On the other side, Scott McTominay is expected to keep his place in the Scots’ side.
      GOOD MORNING RED DEVILS FANS
      Man United target Sergio Ramos claims he wanted to stay at Real Madrid – but didn’t sign his contract extension in time.
      Speaking to the Spanish press, Ramos said: “The offer was accepted but it had a use-by date.
      “They informed us a week ago that the offer had run-out. I don’t know why it had an expiry date.
      “Maybe I interpreted it wrongly or I didn’t understand it but no one told me.”
      Meanwhile, Donny van de Beek’s agent has labelled reports linking the midfielder with a move away from Man United as ‘bulls***’.
      VI transfer expert Simon Zwartkruis said: “He [the agent] told me the rumours are complete bull**t. Donny had a discussion with his manager about next season.
      “[Solskjaer told him] he simply needs to get fully fit quickly, in order that right from day one he will be the strong Van de Beek who United signed last year.”
      Finally, Harry Maguire is ready to make his injury comeback for England against Scotland today.
      The Man United captain beamed: “I feel good. I’m back available, been training and I’m looking forward to it.
      “Obviously, the injury was a setback club-football-wise.
      “Internationally, I wanted to come into this with a lot of games under my belt with full fitness.
      “I’ve done a few sessions now and feel like my fitness is there, so I’m available for the game.”
      DEP IN THE DEEP END
      Man Utd flop Memphis Depay wasted a glorious chance for Netherlands in their 2-0 victory over Austria at Euro 2020.
      The Dutchman opened the scoring in Amsterdam before Denzel Dumfries confirmed his country’s spot in the last 16.
      But Depay won’t be able to forget this horror miss any time soon as he closes in on a free switch to Barcelona.

      RAPH RIDE
      Man Utd are kicking on with a busy summer in the transfer market amid talk of a bid for Raphael Varane.
      The Manchester Evening News claims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer failed with a £50million bid for the Real Madrid star.
      However, Varane is refusing to commit to a new deal, with his current contract expiring in 2022.
      And an offer of around £80m could be enough to bring the French World Cup winner to Old Trafford.

      DANCE A HIG
      Gonzalo Higuain claims the only way to play alongside Man Utd legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona icon Lionel Messi is to ‘serve’ them obediently.
      Higuain told Bobo TV: “I was fortunate to play with both. 
      “They are at a level so high that you have to adapt them to serve them.
      “With Messi and Ronaldo to the side have at the least three or four goal situations a game, if you ‘re smart and you understand. 
      “For me it was a privilege.”

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      Sweden 1 Slovakia 0 LIVE REACTION: Forsberg penalty secures Swedes vital three points in drab game – latest updates

      by

      EMIL FORSBERG secured Sweden a crucial three points with his late penalty in a 1-0 win over Slovakia at Euro 2020.Sweden now sit on four points and have all-hut confirmed a place in the knockout rounds, while Slovakia still have Spain to play.

      RESULT: Sweden 1 Slovakia 0
      Sweden XI: Olsen, Lustig, Lindelof, Danielson, Augustinsson, Larsson, Olsson, Ekdal, Forsberg, Berg, Isak
      Slovakia XI: Dubravka, Pekarik, Satka, Duda, Hrosovsky, Skriniar, Hubocan, Hamsik, Kucka, Mak, Koscelnik

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      GOODBYE
      One goal was enough for Sweden – and they now have one foot in the last sixteen.
      Emil Forsberg’s late penalty settled a dreary encounter with Slovakia in Saint Petersburg, and now passes the pressure on to Spain and Poland, the big guns in Group E that play each other tomorrow.
      Before that, however, it’s all about Group D. Our live coverage of Croatia’s game against the Czech Republic, and the big one between England and Scotland are already up and running. You won’t want to miss them!
      SWEDES LEAD THE WAY
      Following this afternoon’s victory in Saint Petersburg, Sweden have leapfrogged Slovakia to sit top of Group E.
      With Spain and Poland in action tomorrow, there is the very real possibility that one of Europe’s top marksmen – Robert Lewandowski or Adama Traore – missing out on the knockout stages.
      UEFA.Com
      IMPRESSIVE ISAK
      Once again, Alexander Isak caught the eye for Sweden. The La Liga Young Player of the Year was a menace on the ball, and showed off his ability to beat players at will.
      6 – Alexander Isak completed six dribbles against Slovakia; the most by a player in a game at EURO 2020 so far, and the most by a Swedish player in a game at the tournament since Tomas Brolin at EURO 1992 (7 v Denmark). Slalom. #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/Kjb0vFeNGH— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 18, 2021

      FULL TIME STATS
      A second clean sheet for Sweden and a crucial victory. Slovakia had ten attempts on goal, but not one of them on target.

      FT: SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      Sweden claim a vital three points in Group E courtesy of Emil Forsberg’s second half penalty. Janne Andersson’s side were just about worth their victory for an improved performance after the interval, and leapfrog their opponents to take top spot.
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!THE FINAL WHISTLE GOES!
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      90+5. With time running out, Kucka lets fly with a decent effort from 35 yards. It’s as ambitious and it is desperate, and it’s no surprise to see it fly over the top of Olsen’s goal.
      Once a hopeful VAR check for handball in the box is complete, Slovakia accept that their chance has gone.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      90+4. Slovakia win another corner…
      …and here comes Dubravka.
      Benes’ corner is aimed towards the Slovkian goalkeeper too, but Koscelnik leaps in front of his teammate and sends it over.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      90+2. Sweden give away an unnecessary corner, and will have some more defending to do.
      Duda curls it out from the right, and finds Kucka at the back post. Before Slovakian fans can get too excited, however, the midfielder is penalised for a foul on Lindelof.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      90. It’s hope for Slovakia, and anguish for Sweden as five minutes of additional time are indicated by the fourth official.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      89. The Swedes eat up a few more seconds a double change.
      Pierre Bengtsson and Gustav Svensson are on for a piece of the action. Albin Ekdal and Ludwig Augustinsson head the other way.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      88. Relief for Sweden comes in the form of an unnecessary foul from Weiss which brings a booking for the Slovakia substitute.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      87. Chaos in the Sweden penalty area as those in yellow cling on to their lead at a Duda corner.
      Amid an almighty scramble, Hancko has two shots blocked before the Swedes manage to fully clear the danger.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      84. Slovakia’s final two changes as they go in search of an equaliser.
      The last throw of the dice brings Michal Duris and David Hancko into the action as Patrick Hrosovsky and Tomas Hubocan are withdrawn.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      82. Isak has a chance to seal the points but gets caught in two minds between shooting and playing in Quaisson.
      He delays before eventually striking at goal with a shot that’s diverted behind by Hubocan.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      80. A yellow card for Ondrej Duda. The former Norwich midfielder is cautioned for a late a challenge.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      79. Slovakia made a couple of substitutions either side of the penalty being taken with Marek Hamsik and Robert Mak off, and Vladamir Weiss and Laszlo Benes on.
      SWEDEN 1-0 SLOVAKIA
      77. Sweden lead with 13 minutes remaining!
      It’s a superb spotkick from Emil Forsberg, who plants his penalty into the right corner despite Martin Dubravka diving the right way.
      Anything less from Forsberg, and Dubravka would have made amends for his clumsy challenge on substitute Robin Quaison, whose pace ensured he was first to Alexander Isak’s flick around the corner ahead of the Slovakia goalkeeper.

      GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!EMIL FORSBERG SCORES FROM THE SPOT!!
      MARTIN DUBRAVKA BRINGS DOWN ROBIN QUAISON!PENALTY TO SWEDEN!

      SWEDEN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
      71. Isak! A tremendous run past three! Saved!
      The young forward shows wonderful skill on the left to control and turn away from two men before skipping around the sliding challenge of a third to enter the area.
      The Real Sociedad forward’s run has earnt him a shot at goal despite the tight angle, and his powerful thump towards the near post doesn’t disappointment. It takes a very smart Dubravka stop to keep him out.
      SWEDEN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
      70. Twenty minutes remaining and with Robert Lewandowski and Poland still to come, many are convinced that Sweden need to find a winner here.
      SWEDEN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
      67. Another half-chance for Isak, who gets the better of Satka in the air, but then nods Lustig’s cross over.
      SWEDEN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
      64. Some substitutions.
      Robin Quaison and Viktor Claesson are on for Sweden with Kristoffer Olsson and Marcus Berg making way.
      Slovakia make one too as Lukas Haraslin comes on for Peter Pekarik.
      SWEDEN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
      62. Sweden are knocking on the door.
      Isak goes for goal from outside of the box with a shot that’s deflected enough to deceive Dubravka in the Slovakia goal, but also enough to drop the wrong side of the post.
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      F1 French Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Latest updates as practice gets UNDERWAY – stream, TV channel, UK start time

      by

      THE FRENCH Grand Prix is HERE!Champion Lewis Hamilton will be aiming to bounce back with the Brit star slipping to four points behind leader Max Verstappen.

      Start times: Practice sessions from 10.30am BST today
      Qualifying: 2pm tomorrow
      Race time: 2pm Sunday
      TV channel: Sky Sports F1

      ⚽ ENGLAND vs SCOTLAND BETTING SPECIAL ⚽

      Follow ALL of the latest updates below…

      RICCIARDO’S STRUGGLES CONTINUE
      It was another bad day for Daniel Ricciardo in practice.
      He was the 14th fastest, four places behind McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.
      He’s finished in P7, P6, P9, P6, P12 and P9 in the first six races of the season.
      Can the 31-year-old turn his form around in France?
      SHOCKER FOR ASTON MARTIN
      Aston Martin did not have a good FP2 ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix.
      Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll were 15th and 16th fastest, with only the Williams and Haas drivers going slower.
      It’s a far cry from two weeks ago, when Vettel finished P2 at the Azerbaijan GP.
      FINAL STANDINGS IN FP2

      KERBS CAUSING CHAOS
      Final element from FP2 is that Red Bull have asked to remove the kerbs that cost Verstappen some bodywork at Turn 2.
      A frank exchange between the team and race director, Michael Masi.
      Red Bull: “It is a huge penalty for going wide – penalty is around £100,000.”
      Masi: “Teams have asked for physical limits, they were there in 2019…I will have a look at it”.
      FP3 IS DONE
      Verstappen leads and looks good.Bottas looks inspired and revived.Hamilton unhappy in third place and said so.Alonso a surprise in P4 but getting up to speed for Alpine.
      BOTTAS IS LOOKING STRONG IN FRANCE
      And boys does he need it. Questions about his future. Two races with no points. Down in sixth place in the championship.
      He knows he needs a win this weekend before the pressure builds.
      VERSTAPPEN TOPS FP2 PEREZ IN 12TH

      ALONSO REDISCOVERING FORM
      It has not been the return to F1 he wanted, as he has been soundly beaten by his teammate. But there are signs he is getting back up to speed.

      HAMILTON UNHAPPY
      He radios his team and says: “There is something not right with the car, man!”
      BOTTAS STILL LEADS HAMILTON
      Remember, there was that curious decision from Mercedes to swap their chassis over for this race.
      Unusual to do it. Even more strange to announce it. Perhaps a way to show there is no preferred driver? Or to give under performing Bottas a lift?
      CHARLES LECLERC GOING FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE POLES
      But this could be one race too much. Ferrari were fortunate in Monaco and Azerbaijan, but they are off the pace in France so far.
      They have some work to do if they are to catch the Mercs and Red Bull.

      BITS FALLING OFF VERSTAPPEN’S CAR
      He runs over the kerbs and a part breaks off. Red Bull immediately radio race control to request the part is returned to the garage.
      That’s Red Bull wanting to protect their upgrades from prying eyes and to reattach it to Verstappen’s car.

      SPIN FOR MAZEPIN
      Death, taxes and spins for the Russian, as the Haas driver loses grip and slides around.
      DIZZYING PAINT WORK AT PAUL RICARD
      The red, white and blue painted lines is all rather striking but this track has so far served up two dull races in 2018 and 2019.
      Both of those won by Lewis Hamilton, who is going in search of his hatrick.
      FP2 IS GO IN FRANCE
      It was a Merc 1-2 in the morning session. Can Red Bull find a way back?
      DEFLATEGATE
      Lewis Hamilton’s rivalry with Max Verstappen has blown up with F1’s very own deflategate.
      Verstappen was sent crashing out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when his tyre burst without warning, sending him into a wall at 200mph.
      And Hamilton said: “Every weekend whenever there is a failure, they always put the pressures up – so that tells you something.
      “More often than not, [it’s] that the tyres are not being run at the pressures that are being asked. We didn’t have a problem with our tyres.
      “I think Pirelli have done a great job with the tyres this year, they’re more robust than before, and I think in this particular instance, I don’t think Pirelli are at fault.”
      But Verstappen shot back: “The only thing I can say is from our side the team did everything like they should have done. Pirelli cannot put the blame on us, and I think they have to look at themselves.”
      ALL EYES ON PIRELLI
      A major subplot following Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll’s crashes in Baku has been the Pirelli tyre failures that caused them.
      Both the teams and tyre manufacturer claim no fault in the high-speed smashes with Pirelli blaming lower pressures and errors in data simulations.
      Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola said: “What happened in Baku is simply that the running conditions expected were different compared to the actual running conditions – and that created the failure.
      “When you have a lot of energy going into the tyres, with the pressure that is lower compared to the expectation, the result is that on the sidewall you have what we call standing waves.
      “Standing waves are putting a lot of energy into the inside shoulder of the tyre. And, at a certain point, the tyre breaks. That is what happened, and the reason why we had this situation in Baku.”
      LEW-SING OUT
      Lewis Hamilton has stated that Mercedes will look for a ‘long-term’ solution to the error that ended his Azerbaijan Grand Prix hopes.
      The Brit knocked his ‘magic’ steering wheel button that severely reduced his brakes at the restart in Baku, and moving the feature around the pad is no quick fix.
      Hamilton said: “I don’t even count it as a mistake.
      “You can’t always be perfect [but] a mistake is where you drive off the track through missing your braking point or hitting the wall. 
      “But it was an unforced error, really something we had that was sitting there that could have happened at any point and it unfortunately bit us pretty hard. But we learned from the experience and we move forwards.”
      SET YOUR WATCH
      The second and final session of the day gets underway in just over an hour from southern France.
      Stay with us for FP2 at 2pm.
      GROSJEAN KO
      Romain Grosjean was set to run this weekend in a Mercedes for an emotional final outing in an F1 car.
      The Frenchman missed the final weeks of last year when his Haas car was involved in a terrifying fireball crash in Bahrain.
      And he had been given the chance to enjoy a test with the Mercs at Circuit Paul Ricard.
      Yet Covid quarantine regulations and travel restrictions has meant a delay, with the team restating their commitment to giving Grosjean a proper send-off.
      VETTEL’S SPIN
      It was a rather hairy first practice in Le Castellet and chief among the incidents was Sebastian Vettel’s collision with the wall at Turn 10.

      TOP TEN IN FP1
      1. BOT – 1:33.4482. HAM – Three tenths back3. VER – Unable to put in clean hot lap on Softs4. PER – 1:34.193 on Hard tyre5. OCO – Joint-most laps on 25 with Perez6. RIC7. ALO8. GAS9. NOR10. TSU
      Credit: AP
      CHEQUERED FLAG
      That is the end of the first session and Mercedes will be quietly pleased with a one-two on the timesheets.
      Plenty more running to come and there is a strong feeling that those Red Bulls have a lot left in the tank.
      VERSTAPPEN GOES WIDE
      In chasing the FP1 honour, Max Verstappen has to bail at Turn 1.
      Mind you, no one has won the race after ‘winning’ first practice this season, so it’s maybe not the most prestigious of gongs…
      OCON ON FORM
      Esteban Ocon celebrating his new contract with Alpine and is sitting above Fernando Alonso after a quick lap.
      The Frenchman is fifth with Daniel Ricciardo, who really needs a good weekend, sixth.
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    • 238 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Brazil 4 Peru 0 RESULT: Sandro, Neymar, Ribeiro and Richarlison goals lead to another Copa America triumph for Selecao

      by

      BRAZIL thrashed Peru at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro thanks to another masterclass by Tite’s men.The Selecao opened the scoring with Alex Sandro in the opening minutes and pretty much sealed the victory with Neymar in the second half, after the Paris Saint-Germain superstar had a penalty denied by VAR.
      Everton Ribeiro made it three in the closing stages of the match before Richarlison capped off another big win for Brazil.

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      When is Brazil vs Peru?

      This Copa America group stage clash will be held on Friday, June 18.
      Kick-off is at 1am BST.

      Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
      You can catch all of this game live on the BBC Red Button.
      Every match of the tournament is being shown on free-to-air TV in the UK.
      Viewers can also stream by heading to the BBC iPlayer.
      THAT’S ALL FROM RIO
      Brazil picked up a dominant 4-0 win over Peru at the Olympic Stadium and made a strong case for the Copa America quarter-finals.
      Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar put together another masterclass as he was involved in all of the Selecao’s goals against Ricardo Gareca’s side.
      The Selecao took the lead after only 12 minutes as the star forward delivered a cross from the left flank that was headed out by the visitors’ defence.
      But Manchester City ace Gabriel Jesus got the ball on the right flank and passed it back to the penalty area where Alex Sandro was forgotten and fired it to the back of the net.
      The Copa America hosts thought they would double their lead from the penalty spot on 61 minutes but the referee checked with VAR and ruled that Neymar fell on his own while under pressure by Renato Tapia.
      But that didn’t matter as the 29-year-old got his goal anyway in the 68th minute with a stunning long-range shot after a pass by Fred caught Peru’s backline off guard.
      Tite’s men made it three just a minute before full-time when Neymar passed to Richarlison on his left and the Everton ace delivered a through ball to the penalty area where Everton Ribeiro stood and finished off with a beautiful shot.
      And Richarlison sealed another major win in the third minute of stoppage time when Neymar produced an incredible through ball to Roberto Firmino but the Liverpool star was denied by Pedro Gallese.
      Richarlison then fired a shot of his own that was blocked by a defender but the Toffees star tried again and this time he hit the net.
      Peru spent most of the match trying to control Brazil’s tempo by holding on to the ball, which is why they dominated possession at half-time.
      But Gareca’s men couldn’t provide much threat as the Selecao’s centre-back duo of Chelsea star Thiago Silva and Real Madrid ace Eder Militao did a great job keeping striker Gianluca Lapadula quiet.
      The closest Peru came to scoring took place on 78 minutes when Alex Valera found himself in front of Ederson after a set-piece but sent the ball over the crossbar.
      Thank you for following the live action with us, have a lovely night!
      GETTY IMAGES
      UPDATED TABLE
      Brazil are still top of Group A with two points ahead of second-placed Colombia.
      The Selecao seem to be on their way to the quarter-finals as they have won both of their opening matches and have scored a whopping seven goals.
      Both Liverpool star Alisson and Manchester City’s Ederson have also kept a clean sheet.
      More below:

      STATS
      Brazil dominated 55 per cent of possession after a much more convincing display in the second half.
      The Selecao registered a total of 17 shots, nine of which were on target.
      Peru, on the other hand, only produced seven shots, with a mere two of them being on target.
      Brazil were absolutely clinical thanks to a passing accuracy of 89 per cent
      FT: BRAZIL 4-0 PERU
      Brazil picked up another dominant win in the Copa America against Peru at the Olympic Stadium.
      The Selecao took the lead after only 12 minutes as Neymar delivered a cross from the left flank that was headed out by Ricardo Gareca’s defence.
      But Gabriel Jesus got the ball on the right flank and passed it back to the penalty area where Alex Sandro was forgotten and fired it to the back of the net.
      Brazil thought they would double their lead from the penalty spot on 61 minutes but the referee checked with VAR and ruled that Neymar fell on his own while under pressure by Renato Tapia.
      But that didn’t matter as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar got his goal anyway in the 68th minute with a stunning long-range shot.
      Tite’s men made it three just a minute before full-time when Neymar passed to Richarlison on his left and the Everton star delivered a through ball to the penalty area where Everton Ribeiro stood and finished off with a beautiful shot!
      And Richarlison sealed another big win in the third minute of stoppage time when Neymar produced another incredible through ball to Roberto Firmino but the Liverpool star was denied by Pedro Gallese.
      Richarlison then fired a shot of his own but it was blocked by a defender, however the Everton ace tried again and this time he hit the net
      GETTY IMAGES
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      AND THAT’S FULL-TIME IN RIO!!!!!!
      BRAZIL 4-0 PERU
      90+6 CHANCE
      Neymar fires another free-kick but it goes over the bar!
      BRAZIL 4-0 PERU
      90+3 Brazil are not done yet!
      Neymar delivers an incredible through ball to Firmino inside the box but the Liverpool star is denied by Gallesse.
      Richarlison fires a shot of his own but it’s blocked by a defender, however the Everton ace tries again and this time he hits the net!

      GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!
      BRAZIL MAKE IT FOUR WITH RICHARLISON!!!!!!!
      BRAZIL 3-0 PERU
      90 What an incredible, and Brazilian goal, that was!
      Neymar passes to Richarlison on his left and the Everton star delivers a through ball to the penalty are where Ribeiro stands and finishes off with a beautiful shot!
      Six more minutes of stoppage time to go

      GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!
      BRAZIL SCORE A THIRD WITH RIBEIRO!!!!!!!
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      87 WHAT A CHANCE!
      Richarlison drives the ball down the attacking third, passes to Neymar on his left and the Brazil star delivers a through ball to Firmino who fires a shot that Gallese saves with a brilliant reaction
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      84 SUBSTITUTION
      Another switch by Brazil manager Tite as Emerson replaces Danilo for the last few minutes of second half
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      84 CHANCE!
      Better from Neymar, who fires another free-kick that just misses Gallese’s bottom left corner
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      82 YELLOW CARD
      Peru ace Tavara gets booked for a rough foul on Neymar, who’s been very impressive tonight
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      81 CHANCE
      Neymar fires a free-kick but the ball goes straight to Gallese’s hands
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      80 Very hard to imagine Peru getting a better chance than this!
      If Valera had scored this then this game would have caught on fire!
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      78 WHAT A CHANCE!
      How did Peru not score that?
      Valera gets the ball right from a set-piece down the right flank right in front of Ederson and sent the ball over the cross bar!
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      77 SUBSTITUTION
      Brazil manager Tite makes another change as Lodi replaces Sandro
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      77 Neymar thought he would score from the penalty spot but VAR rightfully overruled the initial decision.
      However, that didn’t stop the Brazil star from still scoring with a stunning shot that he later celebrated with Tite
      GETTY IMAGES
      GETTY IMAGES

      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      75 CHANCE!
      Neymar, just like the rest of Brazil, have a newfound confidence thanks to their two-goal lead.
      The PSG star fires a long-range effort that just misses Gallese’s bottom left corner
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      74 SUBSTITUTION
      Peru manager Gareca makes another double change hoping to get something in the last few minutes.
      Tavara replaces Cueva and Arias takes Yotun’s place
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      73 CHANCE!
      Neymar drives the ball down the attacking third and passes to Richarlison on his left who tries a curling shot but Gallese lunges to his bottom left corner and makes a big save!
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      72 SUBSTITUTION
      Brazil manager Tite is starting to rest some players as Jesus makes way for Firmino
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      70 So what if he didn’t get his penalty?
      Neymar still got his goal, and if Peru don’t show something quickly then that could have been the shot that sealed the game!
      BRAZIL 2-0 PERU
      68 Brazil catch Peru’s defence off guard with a quick play as Fred passes to Neymar on the ege of the box.
      Ramos marks the Paris Saint-Germain star poorly and so he fires a brilliant shot down Gallese’s bottom right corner!

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