Juventus coach Antonio Conte has refuted suggestions he dislikes rival coaches Rafa Benitez and Rudi Garcia.
Conte was involved in public verbal stoushes in the media with the Napoli and Roma bosses respectively in the latter part of the Serie A campaign one Juve went on to win for a third straight Scudetto.
Benitez got under Conte s skin by offering advice on how to beat Benfica a side Benitez mastered with Chelsea in the 2012-13 UEFA Europa League final ahead of Juve s Europa semi-final with the Portuguese outfit this term.
Benfica would win the two-leg semi 2-1 on aggregate.
Also, Garcia niggled Conte by claiming the smaller Italian clubs do not try against Juventus, to which the latter took offence.
However, the 44-year-old said he maintains a professio…
France coach Raymond Domenech on Tuesday opted for youth over experience with veteran goalkeeper Gregory Coupet overlooked in the 20-man squad for a friendly against Sweden in Gothenburg on August 20.
The 35-year-old Coupet paid the price for his first team place not being assured in his new club Atletico Madrid and his mediocre performance at the European championships where he conceded six goals during their first round exit.
Rennes right back Rod Fanni and Yoann Gourcuff of Bordeaux have been given their first call-up.
Gourcuff has returned to France after a forgettable passage at AC Milan, who have loaned him to Bordeaux, while Fanni has been called in to fill the gap left by injured Bayern Munich defender Willy Sagnol and Lyon s Francois Clerc.
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Real Madrid won the Spanish Supercup for the first time since 2003 with a 4-2 win at home over Valencia with goals by Ruud van Nistelrooy, Sergio Ramos, Ruben de la Red and Gonzalo Higuian.
The Spanish champions headed into the return leg of the tournament which is contested each year between the league champions and the winners of the King s Cup with a 3-2 deficit.
Valencia midfielder David Silva, who helped Spain to win Euro 2008, opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with an accurate shot that slipped in the left side of the net as Real keeper Iker Casillas looked on helplessly.
Real striker van Nistelrooy equalised four minutes into the second half with a penalty kick that slid past the right side of Valencia goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand.
The Spani…
U.S. Soccer elected Carlos Cordeiro as its 32nd president on Saturday in Orlando.
Cordeiro, who won on the third ballot, replaces Sunil Gulati and will serve a four-year term. He won the first contested U.S. Soccer presidential election since 1998, emerging victorious from an eight-candidate field that also featured Paul Caligiuri, Kathy Carter, Steve Gans, Kyle Martino, Hope Solo, Michael Winograd and Eric Wynalda.
Cordeiro received just 36.3 percent of the vote during the first round of voting, but then received 41.8 percent in the second round and finally 68.6 percent in the third and final round.
With a 68.6 percent majority vote, has been elected U.S. Soccer President. »
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer)
Cordeiro becomes president after s…
Pep Guardiola has urged football to learn lessons from the Barry Bennell affair after the former youth coach was convicted of multiple sex assaults on boys.
Bennell, 64, was convicted of 43 offences against 11 boys aged eight to 15 between 1979 and 1990 by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court this week.
The former Crewe Alexandra coach and Manchester City scout admitted to seven charges of indecent assault on three boys before the trial, two of whom were also part of the allegations he was tried on.
City issued a statement expressing sympathy with the victims and detailing an internal review launched in 2016, which is on-going and has identified allegations of child sex abuse in relation to two men with potential historic connections to the club, one of whom is Bennel…
Mexico international goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa has insisted he is happy at AC Ajaccio amid ongoing speculation linking him with a summer move to Liverpool, .
Last month, Ochoa revealed Liverpool as well as a number of clubs from Germany, Italy and Spain attempted to sign him during the January transfer window.
With the future of Pepe Reina uncertain, the Mexico international shot-stopper continues to be linked with a move to Merseyside.
I only know what is said sometimes in the press, Ochoa told Mediotiempo.
I have heard in Mexico that there is a type of interest from Liverpool but I have to let things happen.
Ochoa, 27, has started all 29 Ligue 1 matches for Les Corses this season, with his impressive form reportedly catching the …
Ghanaian forward Asamoah Gyan has completed his permanent move from Sunderland to Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates.
Gyan has signed a three-year deal with the club after starring on loan last term, scoring 25 goals in 23 appearances.
Al-Ain paid Sunderland a reported fee of six million pounds to initially secure the loan and it is said that they have spent a similar amount to secure the 26-year-old s services permanently.
Ghana international Asamoah Gyan has joined United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain on a permanent deal, a statement on Sunderland s website read.
The striker initially joined the recently-crowned Etisalat Pro-League champions on loan in September 2011 but will now remain in the Gulf state after the clubs agreed undisclosed terms.
Matt Doherty believes Tottenham must stick with Antonio Conte despite his inflammatory outburst in the wake of Spurs 3-3 draw at Southampton.
Conte lashed out at his players, as well as Tottenham s ownership, after his team surrendered a two-goal lead in the closing stages of Saturday s trip to St Mary s Stadium.
Spurs are now expected to part ways with the former Inter, Chelsea and Juventus coach during the international break.
However, Doherty – who left Spurs to join Atletico Madrid in January – has urged the club to stand by Conte, who he labelled as one of the best managers of all time .
In a press conference, the Republic of Ireland defender said: I hope he stays for a long time at Tottenham.
He s an unbelievable coach, an unbelievable …
Ernesto Valverde passed up the opportunity to berate referee Javier Alberola Rojas after two penalty decisions went against Barcelona in their 2-2 draw at Real Sociedad.
Barca were denied three points in the Basque Country on Saturday, having been outplayed for long periods by a Sociedad side for whom Real Madrid loanee Martin Odegaard impressed.
However, LaLiga s reigning champions felt they should have been awarded an injury-time penalty when Gerard Pique and Diego Llorente tumbled to the ground contesting a Luis Suarez cross.
Barcelona s frustrations were heightened by the fact Sociedad had taken the lead from a spot-kick of their own after 12 minutes, when Sergio Busquets was penalised for tugging Llorente s shirt in circumstances not dissimilar to those�…
Newcastle United would benefit from a change of manager in the close-season as opposed to sticking with John Carver, according to former defender Robbie Elliott.
Carver was appointed until the end of the season in January after former boss Alan Pardew left for Crystal Palace.
But with Newcastle stuttering towards the end of another mid-table campaign, Elliott has urged owner Mike Ashley to bring a fresh face into the dugout.
I think it s easier for Ashley to keep John in the role but I don t know if that s the right thing for the club, Elliott told Perform.
I feel we need a clean break and it s a very difficult role. Look at the managers we ve had over the years how successful they have been at other clubs, then they come to Newcastle.
You d …