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      in Soccer

      Chelsea ‘agree terms’ with Haaland, Benitez to Everton, Bellingham & Grealish transfer LATEST, Ramos leaves Real Madrid

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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…
      MELON ME ‘EAD, SON
      England footie stars have been twisting their melons to sink Scotland on Friday – by working out with fruit-patterned under­water balls.
      Players love kickabouts with ‘watermelon balls; at their training base. The soft, coloured globes can be kicked or thrown up to 10ft under water.
      The team – managed by Gareth Southgate – had a splashing time at St George’s Park yesterday as the final countdown began to the Battle of Britain Euro 2020 showdown at Wembley.
      Coaching staff at the camp in Burton-on-Trent, Staffs, introduced the bizarre balls in place of the unicorn pool inflatables which players loved at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
      Click here to read more

      SCOT FREE
      Harry Maguire gave England a massive Euros boost by insisting he is fit to play against Scotland on Friday.
      The Manchester United skipper has made a rapid recovery from the ankle ligament injury he picked up at Aston Villa last month.
      Yet the central defender is still unlikely to start against the Scots, with boss Gareth Southgate looking certain to keep faith with John Stones and Tyrone Mings.
      Asked if he is fit to start at Wembley, Maguire, 28, said: “Yes definitely.
      “I’ve done a few sessions now and feel like my fitness is there, so I’m available for the game.
      “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.
      “But I feel good and I’ve been in full training.”
      NOU PAY DEAL?
      Memphis Depay wants to join Barcelona.
      The former Manchester United player is out of contract from French side Lyon.
      And there are rumours he will soon move to Spain for a reunion with compatriot Ronald Koeman.
      Depay said: “Everyone knows that I have been negotiating with Barcelona for some time.
      “I want to play for Ronald Koeman. Now we have to wait, but there will be news soon.”

      GAME RON
      Aaron Ramsdale was gutted to miss out on a ticket for England’s first game against Croatia.
      Now the Sheffield United goalkeeper will have a ringside seat for tomorrow’s Battle of Britain against Scotland after being recalled to Gareth Southgate’s squad.
      And he is delighted to be swapping his back garden for Wembley.
      The Blades’ keeper said: “I tried to get a ticket for the first game but couldn’t manage it.
      “Game one, game two, game three – I just wanted a ticket. I would have gone on my own and met up with some of the other lads’ families.
      “I watched it at my house on Sunday, we were having a barbecue.
      “I jumped up and down like a crazy person when we scored. It’s crazy how things work out.”
      ‘FROM BADGER TO BOND’
      Roy Keane stunned ITV viewers by transforming from “raggedy badger to smooth Bond” by ditching his bushy beard.
      While Italy brushed off Switzerland, many armchair fans were bristling at the Manchester United legend’s unexplained new Keane-shaven look.
      One suggested the former hardman had “shaved his beard because he was annoyed you all said he looked handsome”.
      And in another reference to Keane’s cut-throat reputation as a player, one viewer tweeted: “He’ll probably have a full beard by the end of the game.”
      One wondered: “Does Roy Keane just take his beard off and let it run wild for a couple of weeks every six months or so?
      “Last night he looked like a raggedy old badger today smoother than Bond.”

      EURO 2020: ITALY 3-0 SWITZERLAND
      Italy enjoyed a comfortable victory over Switzerland at the Olimpico, which sealed qualification for Euro 2020’s Round of 16.
      The Azzurri thought they opened the scoring when captain Giorgio Chiellini picked a corner-kick from Lorenzo Insigne in the air and fired it behind Yann Sommer’s goal after the ball bounced back to his feet.
      However, VAR found that Chiellini’s arm hit the ball before he scored and things got worse for the Juventus star as he hobbled off the pitch with a muscle injury soon after.
      However, Manuel Locatelli made it happen on 26 minutes when he found Domenico Berardi down the right flank with a wonderful ball from midfield.
      Berardi delivered a wonderful low cross to the penalty area where Locatelli was after running the whole distance from midfield and beat Sommer with a wonderful finish.
      The Sassuolo star completed a brace after 52 minutes and became Italy’s third youngest player to score two goals in a single game of a major tournament.
      Ciro Immobile sealed his country’s big win with a long-range shot that Sommer couldn’t hold on to in the 89th minute

      RAMOS – WHERE WILL HE GO?
      Manchester United are believed to be desperate to sign a centre back to improve the defence and Sergio Ramos has been a long-term target.
      Co-chairman Joel Glazer has promised Ole Gunnar Solskjaer funds in the transfer market.
      Ramos is now a free agent but would still demand huge wages wherever he ends up.
      Pep Guardiola is keen to bring in more experience and leadership into his squad, especially with Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero leaving.
      And the 180-cap international – with 671 Real Madrid appearances – certainly fits the bill with a two-year deal reportedly being offered.
      Paris Saint-Germain may also look to try and secure a deal.
      FAN-TASTIC
      Christian Eriksen will pull on his Denmark shirt on Thursday to cheer them on against Belgium from his hospital bed.
      And Danes boss Kasper Hjulmand revealed the stricken star has also been giving him tips on how to stop his Inter Milan team-mate Romelu Lukaku.
      Hjulmand said: “Christian will watch the game. It is really crazy.
      “The hospital is right next to Parken and when he looks out of his window he will see it and probably hear everything.
      “That is crazy for Christian but he will be in his shirt and watch the game on TV.”
      LIFE HAK
      Chelsea have reportedly increased their offer for Achraf Hakimi to £52million PLUS Marcos Alonso.
      Repubblica claims Thomas Tuchel is desperate to land the Inter Milan star, 22, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain.
      And after reportedly having an initial bid for Hakimi rejected by the Serie A champions, Chelsea are said to have returned with a brand new offer.
      It’s believed Inter have been offered a whopping £52m for versatile wing-back Hakimi.
      And Simone Inzaghi can automatically strengthen on the left by also landing Alonso, 30, as part of the deal.
      It now remains to be seen if Inter are impressed by Chelsea’s proposal, with the European champions eager to strengthen their squad with several star signings.

      BREAKING NEWS – RAMOS LEAVES REAL
      Sergio Ramos has left Real Madrid.
      The club have just confirmed his departure.
      The 35-year-old played more than 650 games for the club in a 16-year spell.

      GATT TO GO
      Gennaro Gattuso could leave Fiorentina just two weeks after being appointed as their new manager, according to reports.
      There are believed to be disagreements between the Italian coach and the Serie A side’s board over transfer plans.

      FOR PETE’S SAKE
      Real Sociedad have signed Peter Pokorny, according to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano.
      The 19-year-old, who currently plays for Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, is believed to have joined the LaLiga outfit.
      He’s a defensive midfielder and a Slovakia U21 international.
      Real Sociedad have just completed the signing of Peter Pokorny. The midfielder joins the club on a permanent deal. 🔵 #RealSociedad— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 16, 2021

      BALE’S SHOCKING PENALTY
      Gareth Bale was sensational for Wales this evening as he produced two magical assists to give them a 2-0 victory against Turkey in Baku.
      But he did hit a penalty way over the bar…
      We’re sure Wales fans won’t care, though, as they celebrate another famous win at the European Championships.

      ‘THIS’LL BE EASY’
      Kevin Gallacher believes England’s arrogance could lead to an epic Scotland victory at Wembley on Friday.
      The ex-Scotland international told BETDAQ: “England will believe that they can go and walk all over Scotland.
      “I think that’s the way that their players will approach it. They’ll think, ‘This will be easy, it’s only Scotland.’
      “Living down in England, it’s almost like sometimes they belittle the Scottish players playing in the Scottish league.
      “We’ve got a few players now playing in the Premier League and they’re playing regularly.
      “For me, in Scotland-England games, form goes out the window. It’s who wants it more.”
      DEAL ME IN
      Son Heung-Min is reportedly set to give Tottenham a huge transfer boost by signing a bumper new contract.
      Fabrizio Romano claims the South Korea star, 28, will not look to follow strike partner Harry Kane out the door this summer.
      And instead, Son will commit his golden years to the London club on improved terms after a stellar season.
      The versatile forward found the target 17 times in the Premier League, helping Spurs lead an early charge up the table.
      Despite their following poor form under Jose Mourinho, who was eventually sacked in April, Son continued to impress up top.
      However, club chiefs feared he could look to follow in Kane’s footsteps by declaring his intention to quit.
      BREAKING NEWS – RAFA BENITEZ SET FOR EVERTON
      Rafa Benitez is close to becoming the new Everton manager, according to talkSPORT.
      This is a HUGE story.
      Benitez is the man who guided Liverpool – Everton’s local rivals – to their fifth Champions League title 16 years ago.
      The Merseyside derby on November 30 should be a little bit more interesting than usual…

      EURO 2020: TURKEY 0-2 WALES
      Wales have beaten Turkey after a heroic performance in Baku.
      Aaron Ramsey’s first-half goal gave Rob Page’s side a crucial lead.
      Gareth Bale smashed a penalty over the bar after the break and they were almost made to pay as Turkey went all out for an equaliser.
      But a late strike from Connor Roberts secured the win.
      Wales now have four points and will be sensing a place in the last 16.
      Their next game is against Italy in Rome.

      TASTY COSTA OFF FEE
      Diego Costa has been offered a £1.3million signing-on bonus to join Beskitas ahead of Benfica and Brazilian clubs.
      That’s the claim from Turkey as former Chelsea striker Costa, 32, seeks a new club after Atletico Madrid released him in January.
      Fanatik say Turkish giants Besiktas have lined up a one-year contract worth around £2.15m – £40,000 a week – following talks with Costa’s agent Joel Silva.
      That would still be a huge cut in wages from his recent deals.
      And the suggestion is Silva is confident of negotiating a compromise.
      Besiktas’ rising interest comes days after reports Costa was eager to join Portuguese side Benfica.
      AS also names Atletico Mineiro, Sao Paulo and Palmeiras from Costa’s native Brazil as keen to sign him.
      TRIPP-ING OUT
      Kieran Trippier is reportedly worried that Atletico Madrid will ‘price him out’ of a dream move to Manchester United.
      The England full-back, who helped the Three Lions to a 1-0 win over Croatia in their first game of Euro 2020 on Sunday, has emerged as a key target for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
      The Norwegian is not believed to have made signing a right back a priority over the summer window but is now allegedly ‘intrigued by the prospect’ of bringing Trippier to United.
      However, that all depends on whether the deal is right for the Red Devils.
      The Times claims that United are not currently willing to meet the £20million-plus price tag placed on the defender’s head by Atletico – but Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claims it is even as high as £34m.
      The LaLiga champions’ manager Diego Simeone is a huge fan of the ex-Burnley man and does not want to see the 30-year-old leave.

      THREESY DOES IT
      Cristiano Ronaldo’s mum has revealed her son will play for another three more years – as his club future remains up in the air.
      The Juventus forward is still one of the most lethal finishers in the game and has previously revealed a desire to play into his 40s.
      Ronaldo, known for his strict diet and fitness regime, kickstarted his Euros campaign with two goals in Portugal’s opening day 3-0 win over Hungary.
      Cheering him on was his mother Maria Dolores, who predicted her boy will be playing at least until he is 39.
      Per La Gazzetta dello Sport, she said: “Cristiano is in good shape, he will play three more years.”
      BIG FAV-E – EXCLUSIVE
      Crystal Palace are planning talks with coach Lucien Favre – the Swiss Roy Hodgson.
      Supremo Steve Parish has widened the search for a Hodgson replacement to the former Borussia Dortmund boss.
      And the 63-year-old is keen to come to the Premier League.
      Favre has plenty of experience having worked around Europe.
      That includes a spell at Neufchatel in his homeland as well as with Dortmund and Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany plus French side Nice.
      The widely-respected coach is similar to Hodgson in many ways, with his ability to work in several countries and organise teams in various leagues.
      HAAL ABOARD
      Erling Haaland has reportedly agreed personal terms over a summer transfer to European champions Chelsea.
      Ian McGarry of The Transfer Window Podcast claims Borussia Dortmund’s strike sensation has struck a deal to join Thomas Tuchel’s men after a stunning season in Germany.
      Haaland, 20, scored 41 goals in 41 games for the Bundesliga giants, having netted 16 times in 18 outings the previous term.
      Tuchel believes the Norway international is the man to fire his Champions League winners to next year’s Premier League title.
      And it appears all that’s left is for Chelsea to agree a potential club record transfer fee with Dortmund after getting Haaland to sign off on personal terms.
      McGarry said: “Personal terms for Haaland are signed off. It’s just a case of Chelsea agreeing a fee with Dortmund.”

      IN THE FIK OF TIME
      Fikayo Tomori has joined AC Milan permanently after they triggered his £24million transfer clause following a successful loan spell.
      Tomori joined the Italians in January as he looked for more regular football having been frozen out by Chelsea.
      And the centre-back impressed heavily in his five months in Milan, where he made 22 appearances, even scoring a goal.
      His form convinced manager Stefano Pioli to make a move to sign Tomori on a permanent deal.
      And Pioli had the backing to do so from legendary defender Paulo Maldini, the club’s current technical director.
      According to Fabrizio Romano, Tomori will join on a five-year deal after his transfer clause was triggered.
      ARSENAL CLOSE IN ON PARRIS
      Arsenal are set to sign England forward Nikita Parris from Lyon, according to Sky Sports.
      The 27-year-old, who has 50 international caps, has previously played for Everton and Manchester City.
      Parris’ trophy cabinet includes the French league, WSL and Champions League.

      UNMASKED
      Paulo Fonseca is expected to be announced as the new manager at Spurs, and fans can expect a swashbuckling ride next season.
      The former Roma boss, 48, is reportedly close to being confirmed as the new Tottenham manager.
      As a kid, the Portuguese coach admittedly grew up in poverty in Mozambique, Africa.
      His hero was the masked movie hero Zorro, who a young Fonseca would dress up as as a kid.
      In 2017, he once appeared in the character’s costume at a press conference while in charge of Shakhtar Donetsk.
      A year later, he married the love of his life – Katerina Ostroushko – who is 18 years his junior.
      Click here to read more

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      in Soccer

      Italy 3 Switzerland 0 LIVE REACTION: Locatelli nets brilliant brace as Mancini’s men cruise into Euro 2020 last-16

      by

      ITALY are the first team through to the Euro 2020 knockouts after thrashing Switzerland. Manuel Locatelli netted a terrific brace in Rome, before Ciro Immobile curled in another goal late on.

      Final score: Italy 3-0 Switzerland

      Follow ALL the latest reaction with our live blog…

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      THAT’S ALL FROM ROME!
      Italy enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Switzerland at the Olimpico, which sealed qualification for Euro 2020’s Round of 16.
      The Azzurri thought they broke the deadlock when captain Giorgio Chiellini picked a corner-kick from Lorenzo Insigne in the air and fired it behind Yann Sommer’s goal after the ball bounced back to his feet.
      However, VAR ruled that Chiellini’s arm hit the ball before he scored and things got worse for the Juventus star as he hobbled off the pitch with a muscle injury soon after.
      However, Manuel Locatelli opened the scoring on 26 minutes when he found Domenico Berardi down the right flank with a wonderful ball from midfield.
      Berardi delivered a stunning low cross to the penalty area where Locatelli was after running the whole distance from midfield and beat Sommer with a wonderful finish.
      The Sassuolo star completed a brace after 52 minutes and became Italy’s third youngest ace to score two goals in a single game of a major tournament.
      Ciro Immobile then sealed his country’s big win with a long-range shot that Sommer couldn’t hold on to in the 89th minute.
      That’s all from us here at SunSport, have a lovely night!
      GETTY IMAGES
      BERARDI REACTS
      Italy star Domenico Berardi praised Sassuolo team-mate Manuel Locatelli and the rest of the group after the big win against Switzerland.
      Berardi said: “Manu [Locatelli] and I know each other very well. He was smart to give me the ball and carry on the run. I am happy for him, he had a great game.
      “This group is fantastic, we fought to the end and brought home three fundamental points.
      “Training during the week, we get to know each other well. We’ve got so many good strikers, [Lorenzo] Insigne, [Ciro] Immobile, but also [Federico] Chiesa, [Andrea] Belotti and [Federico] Bernardeschi. We’re very happy.
      “We must try to give 100 per cent in every game. It’s another important test coming up and we will aim to win that too”
      GETTY IMAGES
      CIR-FUL ENDING
      Lazio star Ciro Immobile scored a wonderful goal for Italy against Switzerland on 89 minutes.
      Immobile fired a wonderful left-footed shot that put the cherry on top of a dominant night.
      Of course, Yann Sommer should have done better there as the ball slipped though his hands.
      Check it out:

      LOCATELLI REACTS
      Italy star Manuel Locatelli insists his Man of the Match performance comes down to the whole team and doesn’t stress Marco Verratti’s imminent return to full fitness.
      Locatelli told RAI Sport: “I have to share this award with the whole team.
      “I am one of the youngest here, they welcomed me so well and it’s wonderful to be here with them.
      “I think we are a wonderful group of lads and really hope Marco can be back soon, because he is such a talented player who can make the difference.
      “The coach has to make his choices, all we can do is be ready when called upon”
      GETTY IMAGES
      MANCINI REACTS
      Italy manager Roberto Mancini dedicated the win against Switzerland to all Italians struggling from the ongoing pandemic and has no information about Giorgio Chiellini’s injury yet.
      Mancini said: “Switzerland are a strong side, we knew it would be a tough game and it was. We had chances, could’ve scored earlier and suffered where we had to, but deserved it at the end.
      “We were struggling in the opening minutes, but then we pressed them high and forced them to make mistakes. The lads did really well, it wasn’t easy, their second game in five days and it’s so hot.
      “We changed system to have a breather, as we were tired and needed to make adjustments.
      “We’ll see tomorrow [about Chiellini] and hope it’s nothing serious.
      “We play to win every game and then we’ll see what happens. We dedicate this win to all the Italians who are suffering right now”
      GETTY IMAGES
      UPDATED TABLE
      Italy are top of Group A and are on their way to Euro 2020’s Round of 16.
      What we do not know yet is whether they will go through as first or second.
      Switzerland are third in Group A and will need to beat Turkey in their last game of the group stage to have any real chances of going through.
      More below:

      STATS
      Switzerland dominated 50.7 per cent of possession after a late comeback in the second half.
      However, the Swiss national team only managed six shots, one of which was on target.
      Italy, on the other hand, produced 13 shots, only three of which were on target.
      The Azzurri could have scored more goals as they had three clear-cut chances throughout the match
      FT: ITALY 3-0 SWITZERLAND
      Italy enjoyed a comfortable victory over Switzerland at the Olimpico, which sealed qualification for Euro 2020’s Round of 16.
      The Azzurri thought they opened the scoring when captain Giorgio Chiellini picked a corner-kick from Lorenzo Insigne in the air and fired it behind Yann Sommer’s goal after the ball bounced back to his feet.
      However, VAR found that Chiellini’s arm hit the ball before he scored and things got worse for the Juventus star as he hobbled off the pitch with a muscle injury soon after.
      However, Manuel Locatelli made it happen on 26 minutes when he found Domenico Berardi down the right flank with a wonderful ball from midfield.
      Berardi delivered a wonderful low cross to the penalty area where Locatelli was after running the whole distance from midfield and beat Sommer with a wonderful finish.
      The Sassuolo star completed a brace after 52 minutes and became Italy’s third youngest player to score two goals in a single game of a major tournament.
      Ciro Immobile sealed his country’s big win with a long-range shot that Sommer couldn’t hold on to in the 89th minute
      GETTY IMAGES
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      AND THAT’S IT IN ROME!!!!!!!
      ITALY 3-0 SWITZERLAND
      90 Three more minutes of stoppage time to go.
      Switzerland have accepted their fate…
      ITALY 3-0 SWITZERLAND
      89 It’s the night of incredible goals, it seems…
      Immobile fires a stunning shot outside of the box that ends up in Sommer’s bottom right corner.
      To be fair, though, the Switzerland international should have done better as the ball slipped from his hands during the lunge

      GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!
      ITALY MAKE IT THREE WITH IMMOBILE!!!!!!
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      88 Locatelli’s brace against Switzerland is going to be remembered.
      Here’s why:
      23y 159d – Only Giacomo Bulgarelli (v Switzerland in 1962) and Mario Balotelli (v Germany in 2012) have scored a brace for Italy at a major tournament at a younger age than Manuel Locatelli this evening (23y 159d). Swazz. #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/apRw64uxdR— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 16, 2021

      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      86 SUBSTITUTION
      And it’s time for a standing ovation for Locatelli who is substituted by Pessina.
      Italy manager Mancini also replaces Barella with Cristante
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      84 SUBSTITUTION
      Switzerland manager Petkovic introduces Sow, who takes Freuler’s place
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      83 Italy have slowed down on tempo in the last few minutes.
      However, they remain very vigilant in defence as Switzerland are still struggling to find space
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      80 Just 10 more minutes to go at the Olimpico.
      Switzerland have improved but Italy are so compact that they are not allowing them enough space to show any clinical edge
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      78 YELLOW CARD
      Switzerland international Embolo gets booked for a challenge on Barella from behind
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      76 SUBSTITUTION
      Switzerland manager Petkovic introduces Vargas, who replaces Shaqiri
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      75 WHAT A CHANCE!
      Italy get another impressive counter-attack as Chiesa passes to Immobile down his left and the Lazio star tries another shot that misses Sommer’s goal.
      As we said below, Switzerland are struggling to mark Immobile tonight, he gets a lot of space and down the attackign third
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      74 CHANCE!
      And Italy respond again!
      Immobile picks up a long ball by Bonucci from defence and tries a shot from a tight angle on the left that just misses Sommer’s bottom left corner.
      Switzerland are struggling to mark the Lazio star
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      73 CHANCE!
      Xhaka finds Gavranovic down the left flank with a long ball and the striker then switches with Shaqiri, who flicks it up in the air and tries a shot that is blocked by Italy’s defenders.
      The linesman finally raises the flag for offside on Gavranovic, that’s a shame as Shaqiri did well there
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      70 SUBSTITUTION
      Italy manager Mancini makes a double change as Toloi replaces Berardi and Chiesa takes Insigne’s place
      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      68 Locatelli’s goal is quite special for Italy, it seems…
      More below:
      29 – Having won each of their last nine games in a row without conceding before tonight, Manuel Locatelli’s opener is the 29th goal in a row Italy have scored without reply. Attention. #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/0krP3EbR4Y— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 16, 2021

      ITALY 2-0 SWITZERLAND
      65 CHANCE!
      Italy respond with Berardi just a few seconds later!
      The Sassuolo star moves the ball down the area from the right flank and delivers a shot that just misses the crossbar
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      in Soccer

      Turkey 0 Wales 2 LIVE REACTION: Dragons on brink of qualification to Euro last-16 after HUGE win – latest updates

      by

      WALES are on the brink of qualification to the last-16 of Euro 2020 thanks to their 2-0 win over Turkey in Baku.Aaron Ramsey’s first-half goal and Connor Roberts late tap-in was enough to secure three points but Gareth Bale missed a second half penalty for Robert Page’s side.

      RESULT: Turkey 0 Wales 2
      Turkey XI: Cakir; Celik, Ayhan, Soyuncu, Meras; Yokuslu; Under, Karaman, Tufan, Calhanoglu; Yilmaz
      Wales XI: Ward; C. Roberts, Mepham, Rodon, B. Davies; Allen, Morrell; Bale, Ramsey, James; Moore

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      AND ON THAT NOTE
      It’s time to say goodbye!
      The Euros action doesn’t stop here on SunSport, though.
      Italy are welcoming Switzerland to the Stadio Olimpico, Rome – and Wales will be watching on keenly.
      As always, we’ve got you covered. Click HERE to follow all the action from Rome!
      Have a good one.
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      RAMBO SPEAKS
      Juventus midfielder Ramsey admits that he was relieved to score after missing two big chances beforehand.
      Speaking to the BBC, he said: “I felt a bit of relief, I had two chances before to score but that first half today was superb, we really dominated.
      “Second half we showed great character and I think we thoroughly deserved the win.
      “The penalty was a big moment but we didn’t panic, we didn’t leave anything out there, and we worked hard from each other.
      “We’ve given ourselves a brilliant opportunity now, we’ve got another big game to go, we are in a good position now.
      “I’ve got a few [Juventus] team mates playing for Italy so it will be nice for me out there, but I’m representing my country now and we will do everything to win that game.”
      HERO ROBERTS
      Goal hero Roberts was buzzing after scoring the goal that sealed the win.
      Speaking to the BBC, he said: “That’s the best moment of my career that will probably never be matched.
      “To be playing in a major competition is the pinnacle for me, and to almost seal us through to the next stage is incredible.
      “Today is a massive step towards that, we have a massive game on Sunday, but it has done us no harm winning today.
      “They [Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale] are world class players, we know what we expect from them, Gareth said he was sorry for missing the penalty but without them I don’t think we win tonight.
      “We are a young group but we have resilience, people who will run until the last minute and we did that tonight.
      “Chris Mepham had told me not to go forward for that corner! But that’s just what I do, it’s an incredible feeling.”
      BALE SPEAKS
      Welsh captain Bale spoke to the BBC after the game: “I’m absolutely delighted with the win, we fought hard, worked our socks off, yes I missed a penalty but I feel I showed good character to keep going.
      “That second goal at the end was the icing on the cake.
      “Aaron [Ramsey] got in a few times, we’ve always linked up well, it was important to get the victory today.
      “You’d like to think that [four points] would be enough, we will have to wait and see, if you’d offered us four points at the start we would have bitten your hand off.
      “Playing in front of no fans is difficult, the fans were fantastic, I know most were Turkish but the Welsh fans were great too. It helped get your adrenaline going.
      “We want to thank the fans at home too who I’m sure will be cheering in their millions.”
      BALE’S MAGIC
      Scenes.

      RELIVE THE SECOND HALF THROUGH PICTURES
      What a second half.
      Things got heated inside Wales’ penalty area, and it all started from YilmazCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Roberts sealed the win in the 95th minuteCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Bale, despite the penalty miss, was a magician at workCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      What a moment for the travelling fansCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      FULL-TIME STATS
      Incredible performance by Rob Page’s team.

      HAVE YOUR SAY

      FT: TURKEY 0-2 WALES
      WOW!
      Wales have done it again. They’re pretty much into the knockout stages of the Euros.
      Every man played their part. The defence, in particular, deserve a lot of praise.
      They were rock solid and put their bodies on the line to get the result.
      But it was Bale’s brilliance in attack which played a major role in the win. Leading by example.
      He set up Ramsey’s goal in the first half.
      And in the 95th minute he wasn’t quite done with Turkey. He received the ball short from a corner and dribbled away from a couple of Turkish players close to the byline – before squaring it to Roberts.
      And the defender planted the ball into the back of the net to seal the win.
      Turkey dark horses? You’re having a laugh. They’ll need more than a miracle to make it through to the knockout stages.
      They have minus-five goal difference and they have zero points on the board.
      The lowest Wales can finish is third, but they have four points on the board and favourable goal difference.
      Portugal – 2016 winners – didn’t win a group game but went through as one of the best third-placed teams on three points.
      Wales can finish third and comfortably go through, without a doubt.
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE GOES IN BAKU!
      WALES HAVE DONE IT!
      THEY HAVE ONE FOOT IN THE KNOCKOUT STAGES!
      TURKEY 0-2 WALES
      90+5. Bale receives the ball short from a corner and dribbles away from a couple of Turkish players close to the byline.
      The Welsh superstar squares the ball and Roberts places the ball into the back of the net!
      Fans are in tears….. the scenes!
      GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!!
      ROBERTS FINISHES THE GAME OFF!!!!!!!!
      MORE BRILLIANCE FROM BALE!!!!!!
       TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      90+3. SUBSTITUTION!
      James’ night comes to an end and he is replaced by Neco Williams.
      Wales have a corner….. keep the ball in the corner!
       TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      90+2. Looking at the replay, Yilmaz hand a little kick out at a Welsh player on the floor – sparking the altercation.
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      90+1. YELLOW CARDS!
      Davies, Rodon and Mepham are booked for Wales, and Turkish captain Yilmaz is booked alongside Calhanoglu.
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      90. IT’S ALL KICKING OFF INSIDE THE WELSH PENALTY AREA!
      YILMAZ HAS REACTED BADLY TO A DECISION!
      WILL WE SEE SOME CARDS?!
      RODON AND DAVIES GET INVOLVED, THERE’S A LOT OF PUSHING AND SHOVING!
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      88. James gets away from his marker close to the touchline and he has lots of green grass to run into.
      Wales have Turkey outnumbered.
      He gets to the edge of Turkey’s penalty area and tries to square the ball to Wilson, but he puts too much power on the pass.
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      87. WHAT A SAVE!
      Turkey win another corner and Calhanoglu goes across to take once again.
      The creative midfielder delivers a wonderful cross into Wales’ penalty area.
      Demiral gets up well and sends a powerful header towards the bottom-right corner but Ward saves!
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      86. Moore does some fine centre-forward work as he uses his body to shield the ball and bring his team-mates into the game.
      He goes to ground and wins Wales a free-kick, slowing the pace of the game down.
      Wales are four minutes plus stoppage time away from the knockout stages.
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES

      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      84. SUBSTITUTION!
      Ramsey – who’s goal may possibly be the winner – is replaced by Liverpool’s Wilson in midfield.
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      82. SUBSTITUTION!
      Fenerbahce’s Kahveci is coming on for the final ten minutes or so and he is replacing Under, who has had a quiet night.
      Not long left to salvage a point or three.
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      80. Calhanoglu lets the ball do the work and run across him, before trying to thread the ball through Wales’ defence to Yilmaz.
      But Rodon puts in a crucial block.
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      77. CHANCE!
      Wales are 13 crucial minutes away from the knockout stages of the European Championships.
      Ramsey clips the ball towards the far post looking to find his captain Bale.
      Bale gets up really well and sends his header bouncing into the ground, but Cakir saves!
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      75. Calhanoglu delivers a good corner into Wales’ penalty area; Yilmaz tries to meet it with a diving header but spectacularly misses.
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      TURKEY 0-1 WALES
      73. SUBSTITUTIONS!
      Meras is taken off and he is replaced by Sassuolo’s Muldur. Karaman is also replaced by Dervisoglu.
      And for Wales, Allen’s quiet night comes to an end and he is replaced by Chelsea’s Ampadu.
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      Turkey vs Wales LIVE: Stream FREE, TV channel, team news as crucial Euro 2020 clash UNDERWAY in Baku – latest updates

      by

      WALES will be hoping to grow on their opening game draw with Switzerland at Euro 2020 when they take on Turkey this evening in Baku.The Dragons drew 1-1 with the Swiss while Turkey lost their first game of the tournament 3-0 to Italy.

      Start time: 2pm GMT
      TV/Live stream: BBC One/iPlayer/S4
      Turkey XI: Cakir; Celik, Ayhan, Soyuncu, Meras; Yokuslu; Under, Karaman, Tufan, Calhanoglu; Yilmaz
      Wales XI: Ward; C. Roberts, Mepham, Rodon, B. Davies; Allen, Morrell; Bale, Ramsey, James; Moore

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      TURKEY 0-0 WALES
      6. Really, really positive start by Wales.
      TURKEY 0-0 WALES
      5. SAVE!
      Bale skips away from Celik and spots the run of Ramsey in behind Turkey’s backline – he’s onside.
      Ramsey shapes up to shoot, but cuts the ball back and manages to lose his marker.
      The Juventus midfielder sends a shot towards the near post but Cakir saves!
      Has to score there.
      TURKEY 0-0 WALES
      4. Soyuncu tussles with Moore on the halfway line and the Leicester City defender is penalised.
      Good start from Wales, who are making good progress up the pitch.
      TURKEY 0-0 WALES
      3. Roberts manages to knock the ball away from Karaman down the right-hand side.
      The Turkey No9 catches Roberts on the follow-through and Wales have a free-kick in a good position.
      Dan James whips the free-kick towards the penalty spot.
      The ball ricochets off a Wales shirt and goes behind the goal for a Turkey free-kick.
      TURKEY 0-0 WALES
      2. Ramsey receives the ball on the halfway line and he tries to dribble through two Turkish players.
      He manages to break through, but he is tripped by Calhanoglu and Wales have a free-kick.
      TURKEY 0-0 WALES
      1. Wales get us underway and they will be shooting from right to left!
      Turkey is in all red and they have a large Turkish following inside the ground.
      Wales are in yellow and green.
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      WE’RE UNDERWAY IN BAKU!
      HERE WE GO!
      HERE COME THE TEAMS
      Both sets of players are making their way out onto the pitch ahead of kick-off!
      French league winner Yilmaz leads out his Turkey team in front of a large Turkish following in Baku, Azerbaijan.
      Serial winner Bale captains Wales, and his team know that a win secures a place in the knockout stages.
      However, if Wales lose, they’ll have to pull off a shock win against Italy in Rome.
      Cue the national anthems……. Wales to go first!
      NOT LONG TO GO
      We’re ten minutes away from kick-off!

      CREATOR IN CHIEF
      33% of Wales’ nine shots in their opening game against Switzerland were taken by Kieffer Moore, while 33% of them were created by Joe Morrell – with the Dragons’ leveller being scored by Moore from a Morrell assist.
      HAVE YOUR SAY
      Want to be in with a chance of winning £250 in cash? Course you do! Correctly predict the score before kick-off and you’ll enter our prize draw…

      ‘WE WERE HARD-WORKING’
      Speaking to the BBC ahead of the game, Wales boss Rob Page praised his team for their performance against Switzerland, describing them as ‘hard working’.
      He said: “I think we set our foundations. We were hard-working, we showed we can come back from difficult situations against a really good team.
      “I said to them after the game that was the foundation. Of course, there are areas we can improve on, and when you look at the team on paper we’ve got some gifted footballers on that teamsheet.
      “We’ll be looking for a little bit of improvement when we get on the ball and create more chances, create more shots at goal.
      “That will be the benchmark for us tonight.
      “Turkey will have looked at this game as a game they must win. We’re expecting an extremely tough game and we’ve got to be prepared for that.”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      TABLE CHECK
      Here’s how the Group A table looks ahead of kick-off!
      Italy take on Switzerland later on tonight at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, with the game due to get underway at 8pm.

      EUROPEAN TOUR
      Against Italy, Turkey kept up their record of losing their opening match at a major tournament (EUROs and World Cup), losing all seven such matches.
      However, they have progressed from their group the last three times they have avoided defeat in their second group stage match (EURO 2000, World Cup 2002 and EURO 2008).
      Turkey, who suffered a 3-0 defeat to Italy on MD1, haven’t lost consecutive matches in all competitions since November 2018 under Mircea Lucescu.
      They haven’t lost back-to-back games under Şenol Gunes since April 2003, with this their 42nd match under Güneş across two spells since then.
      Turkey had just three shots in their first match against Italy, their fewest ever in a European Championship match, while they failed to attempt a single shot on target for a second time in their last three matches in the tournament (also 0 vs Spain in 2016).
      GUNES’ THOUGHTS
      Turkey boss Gunes had this to say in the build-up before the match: “We need to look ahead.
      “We want to get six points against Wales and Switzerland. Wales are a good team defensively.
      “They attack fast, and they are also good at set-pieces. This game is like a decider for us, but the Switzerland match will be another decider.
      “Every game is so important and we will do our utmost to win both.”
      Every game is so important and we will do our utmost to win both.Senol Gunes
      PAGE’S THOUGHTS
      Wales boss Robert Page believes that his team ‘don’t fear anybody’.
      He said: “To get off to a positive start was important for us. We go into every game for the win.
      “If four points is enough [to qualify], brilliant. If not we’ll keep going.
      “We respect the teams that are in this group and competition, but we don’t fear anybody.”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      TURKEY BENCH
      1 Gunok, 3 Demiral, 8 Tokoz, 11 Yazici, 12 Bayindir, 14 Antalyali, 15 Kabak, 19 Kokcu, 21 Kahveci, 24 Akturkoglu, 25 Mulder, 26 Dervisoglu.
      TURKEY XI
      23 Cakir; 2 Celik, 22 Ayhan, 4 Soyuncu, 13 Meras; 5 Yokuslu; 9 Karaman, 10 Calhanoglu, 6 Tufan, 7 Under; 17 Yilmaz (c).
      TURKEY’S TEAMSHEET IS IN!
      WALES’ BENCH
      1 Hennessey, 2 Gunter, 21 A.Davies, 3 N.Williams, 5 Lockyer, 15 Ampadu, 17 Norrington-Davies, 18 J.Williams, 10 Brooks, 23 Levitt, 9 T.Roberts, 8 Wilson.
      WALES XI
      Boss Page names an unchanged side.
      12 Ward; 14 C.Roberts, 22 Mepham, 6 Rodon, 4 B.Davies; 7 Allen; 11 Bale (c), 16 Morrell, 10 Ramsey, 20 James; 13 Moore.

      WALES’ TEAMSHEET IS IN!
      DANGER MAN
      Four of Kieffer Moore’s six goals in all competitions for Wales have been headers, including his equaliser on MD1 against Switzerland.
      He’s netted in each of his last two starts for the Dragons, and five of his six international goals overall have come in competitive fixtures.
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      WALES TEAM GUIDE
      Wales’ best performance in the European Championships came five years ago in France.

      HEAD-TO-HEAD
      This will be the first match between Turkey and Wales at a major tournament.
      Their last encounter dates back to August 1997 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier – it produced 10 goals, with Turkey winning 6-4 in Istanbul.
      Four of Turkey’s goals were netted by Hakan Şükür, while current Wales manager Rob Page played for Wales that day.
      Wales last beat Turkey 40 years ago, in March 1981, courtesy of a goal from Carl Harris in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Ankara (0-1).
      Current Turkey head coach Senol Günes was in goal that day for the home side.
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      Euro 2020 LIVE: Ronaldo snub causes £4bn Coca-Cola loss, Pogba does same with Heineken bottle, Wales vs Turkey build-up

      by

      EURO 2020 is in full swing!And it’s been another frantic day, with Portugal leaving it late to beat Hungary before France saw off Germany.
      England are gearing up for their clash with Scotland on Friday.
      And Wales are in action against Turkey TONIGHT in a must-win game for Robert Page’s side.
      Royal Ascot day two special 🏇🎩

      Follow all of the latest news, build up and updates below…
      TURKEY V WALES – TEAM NEWS
      The teams for Wales’ Euro 2020 match with Turkey have been announced.
      Turkey: Cakir, Celik, Ayhan, Soyuncu, Meras, Yokuslu, Under, Karaman, Tufan, Calhanoglu, Yilmaz.
      Wales: Ward, C. Roberts, Mepham, Rodon, B. Davies, Allen, Morrell, Bale, Ramsey, James, Moore.
      Kick-off at 5pm.

      FT: FINLAND 0-1 RUSSIA
      Russia picked up an important victory against Finland at the Saint Petersburg Stadium.
      The Finnish national team thought they got the lead in the opening minutes when Jukka Raitala dispossessed Igor Diveev at the right flank and delivered a stunning cross to Joel Pohjanpalo.
      Pohjanpalo headed the ball past Matvei Safonov but was caught just an inch offside by VAR.
      Russia got unlucky soon after as they lost Mario Fernandes to what appeared to be a back injury.
      But Stanislav Cherchesov’s men created plenty of chances and finally broke the deadlock in the second minute of stoppage time.
      Aleksey Miranchuk danced around Finland’s defence and passed to Artem Dzyuba who then set his team-mate up in the area for a stunning curling shot that beat Lukas Hradecky.
      Russia had chances to seal the win in the second half with Aleksandr Golovin and Rifat Zhemaletdinov but they both just missed the target.

      NOT SO GREEN
      Mason Greenwood has been named on the 100-man longlist for the 2021 Golden Boy award.
      The Manchester United forward, 19, was dealt a cruel blow after being forced to withdraw from England’s Euro 2020 squad due to injury.
      Greenwood had been named in the 33-man provisional squad and had been tipped to make the final 26.
      But the Old Trafford whiz has been given some good news after being named among the 100 nominees for the prestigious Golden Boy award.
      Last year, Greenwood finished 12th as Erling Haaland won the crown.
      But the young striker will have another chance of glory in 2021 after he was named as one of 15 Premier League representatives on the list.

      LINE OF BEAUTY
      Russia boss Stanislav Cherchesov has stated that ‘beautiful girls’ will be banned from entering their dressing room during Euro 2020.
      The news will come as a blow to model Natalya Nemchinova – dubbed as Russia’s ‘sexiest fan’ due to her exploits at the 2018 World Cup.

      AMPED UP
      Exclusive by Chisanga Malata: Ethan Ampadu had a winner’s mentality long before he hit the big time with Chelsea and Euro 2020 contenders Wales.
      Former Stoke Hill coach David Evans told SunSport: “He used to play for us in the summer tournaments.
      “And then all of sudden, there’d be a penalty shootout in the semi-final and if you win it, you’re in the final and if you lose it, you’re going home.
      “And I remember seeing him in tears after we lost a penalty shootout.
      “Playing in local football was Ethan’s first introduction to winning and losing and being competitive.”
      RUD BEHAVIOUR
      Antonio Rudiger will escape action for his apparent “bite” on Paul Pogba.
      Chelsea defender Rudiger appeared to nibble the back of Pogba’s neck and tweak his nipple in the latter stages of the first half of Germany’s opening group F defeat by France.
      The incident was spotted by the cameras and looked at by the VAR officials on duty at Uefa’s Nyon base.
      And despite the pictures being shared globally, Uefa have confirmed that no disciplinary case has been opened by inspectors, clearing Rudiger to face Portugal in Germany’s next game in Munich on Saturday.
      PAV A LAUGH
      UEFA have ordered France to explain what precautions they took after allowing Benjamin Pavard to play on despite being knocked out against Germany.
      Pavard admits he lost consciousness for a short while after Germany’s Robin Gosens crashed into his head during France’s 1-0 win on Tuesday.
      The Bayern Munich right-back’s head then smacked into the floor as he fell – and he was left out cold on the pitch as medics raced on to tend to him.
      But after receiving treatment which included having a bottle of water thrown over his head, the 25-year-old was then allowed to resume playing the remainder of the match.
      Now the governing body have asked the French Football Federation to explain what protocols they went by in allowing a player to carry on despite having been knocked out.
      Overriding medical consensus is that if a player loses consciousness after receiving a blow to the head, then they have suffered some form of concussion.
      All 24 teams in the European Championship signed up to a concussion charter before the start of the tournament – but IFAB’s protocols including the use of concussion subs are not in place.
      Even so, each team doctor is supposed to watch closely video replays of collisions to help determine the severity of an injury, and not just rely on a player telling them they are OK to continue.
      Uefa want to know if any of the recognised safety protocols were followed – and will still demand to know Pavard is fit to train and play matches over the next few days.
      Under the charter, each national federation has to provide a written explanation of a player’s condition and prognosis to ensure they are safe to take part in any training or matches after a concussion.
      DOWN TO A TEE
      Finland players wore T-shirts sporting a get-well message for Christian Eriksen ahead of their Euro 2020 clash with Russia.
      The Denmark star, 29, shocked the globe when he collapsed on the pitch in the first-half of the 1-0 defeat to Finland.

      ARN-OUT-OVIC
      Marko Arnautovic has been given a one-match ban for his wild celebration against North Macedonia.
      The former West Ham star has been penalised for insulting another player during Austria’s 3-1 victory,
      He will now miss his country’s Euro 2020 match against the Netherlands on Thursday.
      RUD AWAKENING
      Antonio Rudiger has denied biting Paul Pogba during France’s 1-0 win over Germany.
      He said: “I should not come close with my mouth to his back, no doubt about it.
      “It looks unfortunate. Paul and I have talked about it as friends after the final whistle.”

      RON THE RECORD
      Cristiano Ronaldo broke a number of records in Portugal’s win over Hungary.
      When Ronaldo netted from the spot against Hungary, he became the oldest player to score a goal for Portugal at a major tournament aged 36 years, 130 days.
      The record was previously set by Pepe at World Cup 2018 (35 years, 124 days)
      Astonishingly, Ronaldo has scored at every single European Championships he’s ever played in.
      He scored in his first ever match in the competition in a group stage match against the Greece in a shock 2-1 loss in 2004.
      In 2021, his strike from 12-yards meant he has managed to score in five different Euros.
      .
      EUR THE BEST
      England stars Harry Kane and Jadon Sancho both make the most valuable Euro 2020 XI.
      Sancho – a summer transfer target for Manchester United – is currently worth a sensational £86m.
      Dortmund are looking to recoup that to the final penny, with United’s first bid of the year £11m short, at £75m.
      But his £86m tag is enough for Sancho to make it into the Euro 2020 most valuable team worth €1.04BILLION (£890m) at right midfield.
      On the opposite wing, France star Kylian Mbappe is the priciest star, valued at £137m.
      The rest of the midfield is made up of Belgium star Kevin de Bruyne (£86m), Germany ace Joshua Kimmich and Holland’s Frenkie de Jong (both £77m).

      MORE FROM LINEKER
      The BBC presenter moved to explain why the Beeb aired distressing images of Christian Eriksen’s collapse rather than cutting to the studio.
      He told the Times: “The Uefa broadcast feed cut into a couple of images that we never would have.
      “While it’s happening, it’s easy to be critical. In an ideal world we wouldn’t have had a couple of those images for sure, which is why I came back with some apologetic words. But it was a very difficult half-hour.”
      LINEKER ON ERIKSEN
      The former England star was lead anchor for BBC when Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark’s 1-0 defeat to Finland.
      He told the Times: “Our reaction was the same as anyone at home. Shock, and it felt quite traumatic.”
      “I honestly suspected at one point we had lost him because they were suddenly putting screens up. ‘Oh my goodness.’
      “I was working the day that Fabrice Muamba had his collapse [playing for Bolton Wanderers away to Tottenham Hotspur in 2012] and the Leicester helicopter incident [in which five people died, including the club’s owner, in 2018], but they weren’t during the show.
      “These were unbelievably difficult circumstances.”
      FINGER SNIFFIN’ GOOD
      Joachim Low has been caught on camera sniffing his fingers… again.
      The 61-year-old has become well known for his ‘scratch and sniff’ touchline antics during major tournaments.

      RAM RAID
      Exclusive by Charlie Wyett: Aaron Ramsdale is a shock target for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
      The Sheffield United keeper, 23, was yesterday called up into the England 2020 squad as a replacement for injured Dean Henderson.
      And Ramsdale is a surprise name on Arsenal’s summer wanted list.
      However, the recently-relegated Blades want around £20million for their star stopper.
      Emirates boss Arteta has a major goalkeeper issue with the future of Bernd Leno unclear as he could be returning to Germany.
      Brighton’s Mat Ryan spent the second half of last season on loan in North London but looks unlikely to return to Arsenal.

      GIFT OF THE GAB
      Gabby Logan has opened up about the tragic death of her younger brother Daniel.
      The popular TV presenter was reminded of Daniel’s passing, aged just 15, by Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest on Saturday while playing for Denmark.
      After the harrowing events in Copenhagen, Logan, 48, said: “Saturday night stirred up a lot of memories about Daniel, what happened to Christian, and I realised my own personal journey, my career, evolved in many ways out of a need to have some sort of a connection with his life.”
      She then added: “He was just a few months shy of his 16th birthday and he was about to start his full-time professional contract when he died of a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a hidden heart condition.
      “We had absolutely no idea that he had this ticking time bomb inside him.
      “He was playing football in the garden with my dad, and my other brother, who was six at the time.
      “And he went over to the long grass to pick up a ball, fell over, and died.”
      BEER WE GO
      Paul Pogba mirrored Cristiano Ronaldo’s Coca-Cola snub by removing a Heineken beer bottle during his press conference.
      The devout Muslim moved the beverage from the table in front of him following France’s 1-0 win against Germany on Tuesday night.
      Pogba, who made a religious pilgrimage to Mecca along with Kurt Zouma in 2018, refused to endorse one of Euro 2020’s official sponsors as alcohol is forbidden for Muslims.
      The 28-year-old has become the latest star to take a stance against the Euro’s sponsors after Ronaldo removed two bottles of Coca-Cola placed in front of him.

      RUD BEHAVIOUR
      Paul Pogba has claimed Antonio Rudiger ‘nibbled’ him during France’s 1-0 win over Germany.
      He said: “I’m not crying for cards, yellow, red cards because of such actions.
      “He nibbled, I think, a little bit on me. But we have known each other for a long time.
      “I told the referee and he takes decisions and he took a decision. It’s over.
      “It was a great match for us … and I didn’t want him to be suspended because of such a situation. It was towards the end of the match. We hugged each other and that’s it.”

      GROUP OF DEATH
      Group F containing France, Portugal and Germany is certainly the group of death at this summer’s tournament.
      And yesterday’s 1-0 defeat to France was the first time Germany have lost their first game of a Euros campaign – after winning seven and drawing five in their Euros history.
      Joachim Low’s side face an uphill battle to get their hands on the trophy a the only nation ever to win the competition after losing their opening game was the Netherlands back in 1988.
      Things don’t get any easier for Germany either – their next game is against the current Euros holders Portugal.
      STAT ATTACK
      Here are some pre-match stats to get you in the mood ahead of the first matchday two fixtures of Euro 2020.
      Russia have never lost against Finland in four international fixtures between the two nations.
      Wales have won three out of their six clashes with Turkey.
      And Italy are unbeaten in an impressive 28 international fixtures.
      CRASH LANDING
      A Greenpeace protestor crashed into football fans yesterday during a parachute stunt that went wrong just moments before France’s Euro 2020 match against Germany.
      Just before kick off, the activist could be seen flying overhead at the Allianz Stadium in Munich but as he descended towards the pitch his parachute caught a camera wire – bringing him to the ground.
      The event caused debris to fall down onto the pitch, almost striking France manager Didier Deschamps who took shelter under the dugout.
      UEFA responded to the incident with a statement calling the activist’s actions “reckless and dangerous” and confirmed several people had been injured and were taken to hospital.
      France vs Germany sees protester parachute into stadium before Euro 2020 kick-off
      TARTAN ARMY’S COMING
      Up to 20,000 Scotland ticketless fans are set to descend on London for Friday’s Euro 2020 match with England.
      Tartan Army supporters are planning to mass in Hyde Park before watching the crunch Group D clash in pubs and bars.
      But there is increasing concern about the lack of Covid-secure fan zones for the match with the Auld Enemy.
      Traditional meeting point Trafalgar Square has been turned into a fanzone for key workers only.
      Scotland have been allocated less than 3,000 tickets for the sellout 21,500 qualifier at Wembley.
      But between 6,000 and 20,000 Scottish supporters are reportedly planning on making the trip south.
      FRENCH CELEBRATIONS
      Thousands of French fans took to the streets of Paris last night to celebrate the 1-0 victory over Germany.
      The city is still in the midst of a curfew due to the Coronavirus pandemic but politicians asked for some leniency from police services due to the circumstances.
      World Cup holders France last won the Euros in 2000, after winning the 1998 World Cup just two years previously.
      Can Les Bleus win back to back major tournaments again?
      Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Credit: Getty
      REMEMBER THIS?
      On this day FIVE years ago Daniel Sturridge scored a dramatic late winner for England in a 2-1 win over Wales during the Euro 2016 group stage.
      Gareth Bale had given the Dragons the lead in the first half before Jamie Vardy hit back for the Three Lions after the break.
      The game seemed destined to end in a draw until Daniel Sturridge popped up late on to seal three points for Roy Hodgson’s side.
      It was Wales who would have the last laugh in the tournament though – their historic run saw them make it all the way to the semi-final while England suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to minnows Iceland.

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      Man Utd face Leeds as Premier League fixtures REVEALED, Sancho LATEST, Keylor Navas tracked, Trippier ‘close’

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED are hopeful of completing their big-money transfer for Jadon Sancho NEXT WEEK, according to reports. The Red Devils have been after Sancho since 2019 and could finally be on the verge of landing their man.
      Paris-Saint German goalkeeper Keylor Navas is also said to be on United’s transfer radar, while England star Kieran Trippier is ‘close’ to an Old Trafford move.
      And United have found out who they face on the opening day of the season with the Premier League fixtures announced this morning.
      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 
      MAN UTD FIRST SIX
      Manchester United will start their Premier League campaign with a massive clash against Leeds United at Old Trafford.
      Here are the Red Devils’ first six Prem fixtures (subject to change)…

      Leeds United (H) – August 14 – 3pm
      Southampton (A) – August 21 – 3pm
      Wolves (A) – August 28 – 3pm
      Newcastle (H) – September 11 – 3pm
      West Ham (A) – September 18 – 3pm
      Aston Villa (H) – September 25 – 3pm

      BRIGHT IDEA
      Brighton have reportedly rejected a £40million bid from Arsenal for defender and Manchester United target Ben White.
      Sky Sports claims the Gunners launched their ambitious offer on Wednesday for Graham Potter’s England star.
      But Brighton rejected the offer after reportedly slapping White with a £50m price-tag following his Euros call-up.
      However, it’s added that Arsenal remain undeterred and are expected to return with an improved offer.

      NOT SO GREEN
      Mason Greenwood has been named on the 100-man longlist for the 2021 Golden Boy award.
      The Manchester United forward, 19, was dealt a cruel blow after being forced to withdraw from England’s Euro 2020 squad due to injury.
      Greenwood had been named in the 33-man provisional squad and had been tipped to make the final 26.
      But the Old Trafford whiz has been given some good news after being named among the 100 nominees for the prestigious Golden Boy award.
      Last year, Greenwood finished 12th as Erling Haaland won the crown.
      But the young striker will have another chance of glory in 2021 after he was named as one of 15 Premier League representatives on the list.

      PRE-SEASON BREAK
      England’s Prem stars will get a two-week break next season – although not an official one.
      But overseas players from outside Europe face a globe-trotting fortnight while team-mates have their feet up.
      The FA and Prem agreed to a three-season trial of the “mid season player break” starting in February 2020.
      But the impact of the pandemic on last season’s congested fixtures meant the trial was temporarily abandoned – and there is no return of the “split” fixtures for the 2021-22 campaign.
      Instead, the new fixtures list showed consecutive weekends at the end of January and beginning of February without Prem games.
      That is partly because the FA Cup fourth round will take place on the weekend of February 5th and 6th.
      But with Fifa having squeezed in a series of catch-up World Cup qualifiers in Africa, Asia, South America, Concacaf and Oceania for the last week of January, it meant no Prem games were possible for January 29.
      With League matches due on the weekend of January 22 and then again in the midweek starting Tuesday February 8, it could see a number of Gareth Southgate’s squad having as much as 17 days off if they are rested for the FA Cup tie.
      Other Europeans will also be able to take advantage of the rest.
      But the likes of Egypt’s Mo Salah, Korea’s Heung-min Son and Brazilians Ederson, Alisson and Richarlison will all be expected to head back to their home continents to play two or three 2022 qualifiers before returning to the UK.
      HEY JUDE
      Luke Shaw has been impressed with Manchester United target Jude Bellingham on England duty.
      “It’s unbelievable that he’s 17.” 🤯“We all say it around the hotel. We all feel like he is a man already. He’s so mature.”Luke Shaw says the England players are all in awe of @BellinghamJude’s talents. pic.twitter.com/fyfxuXXBZO— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 16, 2021

      RUD BEHAVIOUR
      Antonio Rudiger will escape action for his apparent “bite” on Paul Pogba.
      Chelsea defender Rudiger appeared to nibble the back of Pogba’s neck and tweak his nipple in the latter stages of the first half of Germany’s opening group F defeat by France.
      The incident was spotted by the cameras and looked at by the VAR officials on duty at Uefa’s Nyon base.
      And despite the pictures being shared globally, Uefa have confirmed that no disciplinary case has been opened by inspectors, clearing Rudiger to face Portugal in Germany’s next game in Munich on Saturday.
      BELLI RUB
      Chelsea are reportedly interested in deals for Manchester United targets Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland.
      The Blues are long-term admirers of the Borussia Dortmund pair and tried to sign Bellingham, 17, before he moved to Germany.
      That interest has not gone away following his quick adaptation to playing for one of the Bundesliga’s top clubs.
      But the Blues will have to tread carefully in dealing with Dortmund, in the knowledge that they also hold the key to the future of Haaland.
      As reported by Goal, Chelsea hope a good relationship can be struck up with the German team.
      If they can find a mutually-beneficial route to signing Haaland, there is said to be optimism that Borussia will be more open to doing a deal for Bellingham further down the road.

      RUD AWAKENING
      Antonio Rudiger has denied biting Paul Pogba during France’s 1-0 win over Germany.
      He said: “I should not come close with my mouth to his back, no doubt about it.
      “It looks unfortunate. Paul and I have talked about it as friends after the final whistle.”

      RON THE RECORD
      Cristiano Ronaldo broke a number of records in Portugal’s win over Hungary.
      When Ronaldo netted from the spot against Hungary, he became the oldest player to score a goal for Portugal at a major tournament aged 36 years, 130 days.
      The record was previously set by Pepe at World Cup 2018 (35 years, 124 days)
      Astonishingly, Ronaldo has scored at every single European Championships he’s ever played in.
      He scored in his first ever match in the competition in a group stage match against the Greece in a shock 2-1 loss in 2004.
      In 2021, his strike from 12-yards meant he has managed to score in five different Euros.
      EUR THE BEST
      England stars Harry Kane and Jadon Sancho both make the most valuable Euro 2020 XI.
      Sancho – a summer transfer target for Manchester United – is currently worth a sensational £86m.
      Dortmund are looking to recoup that to the final penny, with United’s first bid of the year £11m short, at £75m.
      But his £86m tag is enough for Sancho to make it into the Euro 2020 most valuable team worth €1.04BILLION (£890m) at right midfield.
      On the opposite wing, France star Kylian Mbappe is the priciest star, valued at £137m.
      The rest of the midfield is made up of Belgium star Kevin de Bruyne (£86m), Germany ace Joshua Kimmich and Holland’s Frenkie de Jong (both £77m).

      BRU CHEEKY BOY
      Bruno Fernandes has fired a cheeky, light-hearted Euros warning at Manchester United team-mate Paul Pogba.
      The pair are set to do battle at Euro 2020, having both been drawn in Group F with their respective nations.

      ROY OF THE TOE-VERS
      Roy Keane has been teased after standing on his tip-toes for a photograph alongside Patrick Vieira.
      The towering former Arsenal midfielder comes in at 6ft 3in, somewhat taller than the 5ft 8in Keane.

      RETURN TRIPP
      Manchester United are close to signing Atletico Madrid star Kieran Trippier.
      According to the Football Insider, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes that Trippier will be a good defensive addition.
      The 30-year-old – currently with England’s Euro 2020 squad- helped Atletico to win LaLiga this season.
      And he would also provide some much-needed competition for fellow right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
      OLD RIVALS
      Manchester United couldn’t resist reminding Leeds United of the last time the two sides faced each other at Old Trafford.

      BEER WE GO
      Paul Pogba mirrored Cristiano Ronaldo’s Coca-Cola snub by removing a Heineken beer bottle during his press conference.
      The devout Muslim moved the beverage from the table in front of him following France’s 1-0 win against Germany on Tuesday night.
      Pogba, who made a religious pilgrimage to Mecca along with Kurt Zouma in 2018, refused to endorse one of Euro 2020’s official sponsors as alcohol is forbidden for Muslims.
      The 28-year-old has become the latest star to take a stance against the Euro’s sponsors after Ronaldo removed two bottles of Coca-Cola placed in front of him.

      GET YOUR FIX
      The Premier League 2021/22 fixtures have been announced!
      And United open up against Leeds…

      RUD BEHAVIOUR
      Paul Pogba has claimed Antonio Rudiger ‘nibbled’ him during France’s 1-0 win over Germany.
      He said: “I’m not crying for cards, yellow, red cards because of such actions.
      “He nibbled, I think, a little bit on me. But we have known each other for a long time.
      “I told the referee and he takes decisions and he took a decision. It’s over.
      “It was a great match for us … and I didn’t want him to be suspended because of such a situation. It was towards the end of the match. We hugged each other and that’s it.”
      KING’S ORDERS
      Manchester United have reportedly received a blow in their pursuit of Kingsley Coman with the Bayern Munich winger now expected to remain in Bavaria.
      The French winger had been heavily linked with a move away from the Allianz Arena after claims he rejected a contract extension.
      It has been stated that the 25-year-old believed the salary was too low, and he wanted to earning the same as £14.5million-a-year Leroy Sane.
      This led the Red Devils to target the former Juventus ace as a cheaper alternative to Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho.
      But according to Goal, it appears it is Sancho or nothing for United with Coman considered as a key player in new Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann’s plans.
      With Coman under contract until 2023, the Bundesliga champions are in no rush to sell the ex-Paris Saint-Germain man.
      They will only part ways with the player should a potential suitor stump up a fee in the region of £60million.

      POGBOOM
      Paul Pogba turned in a Man of the Match performance in France’s group stage opener against Germany.
      The midfielder was immense in the midfield, alongside N’Golo Kante and Adrien Rabiot.
      A Mats Hummels own goal was enough to seal victory for the world champions.

      KEY DATES
      The Premier League fixtures are due to be released today at 9am and Man Utd will find out who they kick off the 2021-22 Premier League season against!
      Make sure you stick around and we’ll bring you all of United’s league fixtures as soon as they’re out.
      GOOD MORNING
      England have been dealt with a significant blow as Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson has been ruled out for the rest of Euro 2020 due to a hip injury.
      Sheffield United keeper Aaron Ramsdale has been called-up as Henderson’s replacement.
      The Red Devils’ shot-stopper has returned to Manchester after picking up the knock during training.
      The 24-year-old was on the bench for the 1-0 win over Croatia.
      Meanwhile, United could seal the transfer of Borussia Dortmund ace Jadon Sancho by the end of the week.
      That is according to The Times, as ‘Dortmund believe that a deal could be finalised next week’.
      And transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that ‘United’s camp have been in contact with Sancho over the weekend’.
      Talks with Dortmund over a potential €95m (£81m) price, bonus details and payment structure will continue in the next days.
      But the Red Devils’ initial £60m won’t be enough to complete the transfer.
      And Paris Saint-Germain star Keylor Navas is reportedly being monitored by United after his future was thrown into doubt.
      Gianluigi Donnarumma is set to sign for PSG when his contract at AC Milan expires, potentially leaving Navas on the bench.
      According to Marca, the Costa Rica international could be set for a move with Milan, Juventus and the Red Devils all keen to sign him.
      The Manchester giants are set for a busy summer and a decision will need to be made on the futures of both goalkeepers Henderson and David de Gea.
      Finally, United are close to signing Atletico Madrid and England right-back Kieran Trippier.
      According to Football Insider, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes that Trippier will be a good defensive addition.
      The 30-year-old – currently with England’s 26-man Euros squad- helped Atletico to win LaLiga this season.
      And he would also provide some much-needed competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
      NAV SAID
      Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas has been linked with a move to Manchester United once more.
      Navas came close to joining United a while back but a move from Real Madrid, with David de Gea going the other way, broke down due to an administrative error.
      The Costa Rica international said: “This was one of the worst days of my life. I didn’t cry that day, but I did after all was said and done when I was with my wife.
      “I was waiting in the airport even without suitcases. I was not on the plane, but I was near.
      “In the end, after everything that happened, many complicated moments, we’re human and eventually the time comes when you burst”
      RETIREMENT PLANS
      Manchester United star Edinson Cavani said he is going to retire after the 2022 World Cup.
      Cavani said: “Honestly, that’s what I’m thinking. I believe every human being’s life is based on objectives, on desires you want to achieve, on arriving at certain goals.
      “From a football perspective my aim at the national team level, and in general, is to go to the World Cup in Qatar and from there to step aside and dedicate myself to my family, my people, my things.
      “I think this is the last dance”
      GETTY IMAGES
      TRIPPIER CLOSE
      Manchester United are close to signing Atletico Madrid star Kieran Trippier.
      According to the Football Insider, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes that Trippier will be a good defensive addition.
      The 30-year-old – currently with England’s Euro 2020 squad- helped Atletico to win LaLiga this season.
      And he would also provide some much-needed competition for fellow right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka
      MAGUIRE UPDATE
      Manchester United star defender Harry Maguire has stepped up his training for England but is still likely to miss Friday’s clash with Scotland.
      Maguire is still recovering from an ankle ligament injury he has been dealing with for a while, but was put through his paces by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.
      The centre-back’s ongoing injury prevented him from playing in the Europa League Final against Villarreal.
      The 28-year-old ace also had to sit out of England’s Euro 2020 kick-off match against Croatia
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