I' m not among world's best - Luiz Suarez

Barcelona star Luis Suarez insists he does not consider himself among the world's best players despite his performances in recent seasons.

The controversial Uruguayan scored 25 goals in all competitions for Barca last season, following on from prolific campaigns at Liverpool.

But he is unfazed by where he stands among the world's best players.

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"One always tries to accept praise and the things fans say, but I don't consider myself the most humble nor one of the best," Suarez told ESPN FC.

"I just try and do my work the best I can. I'm in the best team in the world and doing things I never imagined doing, but that job I leave to the rest so they can give their opinion."

With Lionel Messi and Neymar, Suarez helped form a devastating Barca attack that won the treble in 2014-15.

The 28-year-old said he had to maintain a good level to keep up with his fellow stars.

"You're in Barcelona and you have Leo and Neymar by your side so you have to be one of the best," Suarez said.

"I have the privilege to play with those quality players, just as much them as the whole team, including [Andres] Iniesta, which was a dream for me to play by his side, with players that I enjoy playing alongside.

"Being on the best team in the world fills you with pride, leaves you calm, shows you how hard it is to get here. And that's why you have to enjoy the moment once you're here."

Wolsburg crowned DFL-Super cup champions

Wolfsburg were crowned DFL-Supercup champions on Saturday as Nicklas Bendtner levelled late on before scoring the winning penalty at the Volkswagen Arena.

Bendtner - who has struggled to establish himself with the DFB-Pokal holders - made his case for a starting berth with a well-taken equaliser followed by the crucial spot-kick amid a dramatic finale as Wolfsburg were 5-4 victors in the shootout.

Arjen Robben - featuring for the German champions for the first time since April after a muscular injury - had given Bayern the lead early in the second half following an action-packed opening period in which both sides spurned opportunities.

For much of the second it seemed a lack of cutting edge would haunt Wolfsburg - who named Kevin De Bruyne in their XI following injury concerns.

However, substitute Bendtner was on hand to convert the Belgian's pinpoint cross following a sweeping counter-attack down the right to take Bayern to penalties.

Debutant Arturo Vidal got Bayern off to a good start in the shootout, but team-mate Xabi Alonso was the only one not to score - Wolfsburg's reserve goalkeeper Koen Casteels saving well with his left foot in Diego Benaglio's injury-enforced absence.

It allowed Bendtner to convert the winning penalty and give Dieter Hecking's men a confidence boost as they seek to run Bayern closer in the Bundesliga this term.

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Bayern handed a competitive debut to Douglas Costa and the Brazilian showed electric pace early on to set up a sight on goal for Alonso.

The Spaniard sent a scruffy shot wide, but Bayern continued to threaten, Jerome Boateng rattling the crossbar after Thiago Alcantara's header fell to him inside the penalty area.

Vieirinha - given a torrid time by Costa early on - asked questions of his own at the other end when he blasted Wolfsburg's first effort narrowly off target from distance.

Costa wasted a great opportunity when he passed to Robert Lewandowski instead of shooting when through on goal and, as the chances flowed, Manuel Neuer was required to keep out a wicked deflection off Medhi Benatia.

The final chance of a gripping half fell to De Bruyne - the in-demand Belgian shooting wide with an open goal at his mercy after Neuer and Benatia made a mess of clearing a bouncing ball.

Somehow, the sides were level at the break, but Bayern needed just four minutes of the second half to take the lead, Robben snaffling up his chance after Lewandowski's close-range effort was spilled by Casteels.

The energetic Costa was again pivotal down the left and, while Wolfsburg continued to threaten, Bas Dost latched onto De Bruyne's incisive pass only to shoot straight at Neuer.

Eventually, Wolfsburg were rewarded one minute from time when Bendtner converted De Bruyne's cross and his evening got better when he sealed the win.

Alonso's saved penalty proved costly as Bendtner followed Ricardo Rodriguez, De Bruyne, Andre Schurrle and Max Kruse in beating Neuer to ensure Wolfsburg's first Supercup success.

Walcott claims victory for Arsenal

Theo Walcott scored the only goal of the game for Arsenal as they rounded off the Emirates Cup with a 1-0 win over Bundesliga runners-up Wolfsburg on Sunday.

Arsenal ensured they topped the table in the pre-season competition as Walcott - reportedly close to agreeing a new deal at the club - proved the match-winner at the Emirates Stadium.

On his first Arsenal start, youngster Jeff Reine-Adelaide marked an impressive display with an expert assist for Walcott's opener shortly after the interval.

Arsene Wenger's side hammered Ligue 1 opponents Lyon 6-0 on Saturday but there was to be no such rout against Dieter Hecking's well-drilled DFB-Pokal champions.

Making his home debut, Petr Cech was made to work for a clean sheet as Arsenal made it two wins from two ahead of Sunday's Community Shield clash with Chelsea at Wembley.

Kevin De Bruyne - named German player of the year on Sunday - threatened down the left early on but Cech was on hand to collect the Belgian's delivery.

Close-season signing Cech will have been concerned as former Arsenal man Nicklas Bendtner just failed to make contact with a dangerous De Bruyne delivery from the right.

The Czech's opposite number Diego Benaglio was called on to deny Walcott soon after but it was the Bundesliga side who continued to threaten more frequently - De Bruyne showing why he is a reported target for Manchester City.

With chances largely at a premium in a goalless first half, Timm Klose shanked an effort over the crossbar for the visitors while Mesut Ozil's side-footed effort rolled wide of the far post following a slick passing move.

Arsenal had their breakthrough five minutes into the second half when Reine-Adelaide offered a glimpse of his potential - threading a ball for Walcott to calmly finish past Benaglio.

The largely impressive De Bruyne then ballooned an effort over, having skipped inside Mikel Arteta, before Ricardo Rodriguez saw a long-range strike easily saved by Cech.

The former Chelsea man was tested again by a fierce drive from midfielder Josuha Guilavogui as Wolfsburg piled on the pressure.

It was to no avail, however, Wenger's men topping the standings by three points from Villarreal ahead of the all-London curtain-raiser at Wembley in a week's time.

Mourinho tells Ronaldo: Team honours come first

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has questioned Cristiano Ronaldo's standing as the world's best player, while praising Stamford Bridge star Eden Hazard.

Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or in January but ended the season trophyless from a team perspective as Real Madrid fell short on all fronts.

And Mourinho, who coached Ronaldo during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, believes individual honours should come after success with club or country.

Asked if he believed Ronaldo should not be considered alongside Barcelona's Lionel Messi as one of the world's best two players, Mourinho said: "I think so. I don't like players or managers to win individual trophies without the team. Obviously depending on the season they have.

"They have to win some titles, no? Football without titles is nothing.

"Messi won the treble. He won three competitions last year, he reached the Copa America final [with Argentina]. He had a fantastic season for him and for his team.

"I am not saying he [Ronaldo] is not fantastic. I am just saying that, in my personal view, every football player in the world should understand that a team has to be in front."

Hazard's qualities have seen him become the most fouled player in the Premier League and Mourinho is worried the attacker could pick up a serious injury.

"Eden was very lucky not to break a leg last season," he added. "He's getting stronger and stronger, not just in his body but in his attitude. He's mentally tough. He's not the kind of boy who overreacts.

"After a bad tackle he never rolls and rolls like other players do.

"But the reality is that last season he was lucky - let's see what happens next season. He could have been injured many times. He suffered more than a couple of nasty tackles and could have been in trouble. I saw lots of players breaking legs and ankles with less than that.

"I would like more protection for him but it's beyond my control. I don't want to change his mentality or personality. I don't want him to start crying or overreacting. I want Eden to be what he is - absolutely fantastic."

Mourinho: Rivals trying to buy the title

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was accused of 'buying' the Premier League title during Jose Mourinho's first spell at Stamford Bridge, but the Portuguese believes the boot is now on the other foot.

Reigning champions Chelsea have had a relatively quiet transfer window so far - bringing in Asmir Begovic from Stoke City and Radamel Falcao on loan from Monaco as their only major signings so far.

Meanwhile, a number of their rivals have indulged in eye-catching close-season activity, with Manchester City recruiting England internationals Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph, and both Manchester United and Liverpool moving to strengthen their squads with a raft of new signings.

Mourinho said of Chelsea: "Basically you cannot say we have a lot of new players. We just made some adaptations in our squad to replace [Didier] Drogba and Petr Cech - we have Falcao and Begovic. The squad is the same, other squads are not the same.

"They are buying some of the best players in the country. They are buying some of the best players in Europe. So other squads will be very strong.

"So as people told me many many times in the beginning of Mr Abramovich coming to Chelsea, Chelsea was buying the title.

"Now, all of them, they are buying the title, and it's up to us to be strong and to fight them and obviously try to win the title again, even without the big investments.

Benitez refutes Ronaldo rift rumours

Rafael Benitez has reiterated there is no problem between himself and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested the pair have traded heated exchanges during pre-season, and tension erupted between them after Benitez disallowed a Ronaldo goal during training.

Despite talk of a rift within the Madrid camp, Ronaldo has started both friendlies at the International Champions Cup in Melbourne against Roma and Manchester City.

With Benitez set to lead his new charges against former club Inter in Guangzhou on Monday, he again insisted he had no issues with the Portugal international.

"My relationship with him is good," said Benitez. "When someone gets angry during a training session, but then does their job, there's no problem, it's fine."

Sunday soccer banker

Time	Match	Tip	odd	Result
18.00	dundalk VScork	2	5.50

Striker shortage forcing Tuchel to experiment

Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel says he is being forced to play some of his team in an unfamiliar striking role due to his lack of options up front.

Dortmund cruised to a 4-1 friendly win over Luzern on Tuesday in a game that saw Jonas Hofmann and Marco Reus both take up the position as a central striker.

The Bundesliga side face Juventus on Saturday before playing their first competitive game under Tuchel's stewardship against Shakhtyor or Wolfsberger in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League four days later.

"There's a little shortage in our centre forwards, and because during our friendlies we don't want to give the players too many minutes and Adrian [Ramos] is not ready yet, so we're trying different things," Tuchel said.

"We tried Kevin Kampl in the centre but now we would like to give him a chance on his regular position on the wings, so that he could prove himself to us.

"Jonas had really good training sessions in different positions and showed us his versatility, and that's why we want to see this yesterday in a game situation.

"And then it's always weighing up how to do that. We want to get new ideas but on the other hand we need situations where we are comfortable.

"So that everyone knows where to go and to create chances. After half an hour we changed and put Marco through the middle up front. We knew already that he could play this position and that this would work.

"At the moment it's kind of an experiment and Jonas showed us that he could play all positions offensively even though it was unusual to him.

"He is more effective for us at the moment if he comes from the wings. But in the middle it's a really tough situation for us at the moment."

Oscar rejects Chelsea exit talk

Chelsea midfielder Oscar has rejected talk of a move away from the Premier League champions, amid interest from Juventus.

The Brazil international was picked out by Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri as a potential signing last month.

However, the player's agent has already distanced him from a move, and Oscar has now reiterated his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge and build on his three trophies since arriving in 2012.

"I will be staying at Chelsea," he said. "The aim for this season -- to win as many titles as possible."

Oscar lifted his first Premier League title last season, making 26 starts as Jose Mourinho's side finished eight points clear of Manchester City.

Gerard handed Barcelona B role

Gerard Lopez has become the latest ex-Barcelona midfielder to assume the role of head coach for the club's B team after agreeing a two-year contract.

The 36-year-old will follow in the footsteps of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique in taking charge of the Camp Nou outfit's second string, with Barca hopeful he can ultimately emulate their successes.

Both Guardiola and Luis Enrique went on to win trebles with the first team after learning their trade with Barca B, but the new boss in solely focused on lifting the club back into the second division.

"It is an honour to return to the club," he told the club's official website. "My family has been linked to Barcelona, I spent many years at the club and me back is better than I could spend.

"As a coach of Barca B have two major challenges – to return Barca B to the Second Division A and help youth players can climb into the first team.

"My experience in the squad and the club branch will be useful to me, because I put myself in the skin of the players. I want to start work and I am convinced that next Pep Segura will a great job. "

During his playing career Gerard made 140 appearances for Barca, scoring 10 goals in his five years there.

Liverpool seals Benteke deal

Liverpool have finally sealed the signing of forward Christian Benteke from Aston Villa after a lengthy pursuit of the Belgium international.

The 24-year-old has agreed a "long-term contract" at Anfield after impressing with Villa, where he scored 49 goals in 101 appearances.

It is thought Benteke's release clause was £32.5 million, which would make him the second most expensive player in Liverpool's history after Andy Carroll.

"I came here to win trophies," Benteke told the club's official website. "I came here to reach some great goals with the team.

"I'm very happy to be part of the Liverpool family now and I will do everything to make them happy and work hard for them and my team-mates."

It is the latest transfer in a busy window for manager Brendan Rodgers, who has already brought in the likes of James Milner, Danny Ings, Roberto Firmino and Nathaniel Clyne.

The movement has not all been one way, though, and want-away England star Raheem Sterling completed a switch to Manchester City last week, while Liverpool will be without stalwart and club legend Steven Gerrard next season following his move to LA Galaxy.

Rodgers will be hoping to improve on a disappointing 2014-15 campaign that saw his side finish sixth in the Premier League, having been challenging for the title the season before.

Replacing Luis Suarez - now at Barcelona - has been the Northern Irishman's biggest problem, with Daniel Sturridge's injury problems adding to Liverpool's goalscoring difficulties last season.

In the 2013-14 season they scored 101 top-flight goals, but saw that figure plummet to just 52 last term. 

For Tim Sherwood's Villa it is another blow, albeit one that had been a long time coming, with midfielder Fabian Delph having already departed for Manchester City.

Drogba confirms MLS talks, open to Inter move

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba confirmed he is in talks with an unnamed team from MLS, but the Ivorian did not rule out a move to Inter.

Drogba has made no secret of his desire to play in the United States and the free agent is reportedly set to join Chicago Fire, whose coach Frank Yallop was tight-lipped amid growing speculation on Saturday.

Fellow MLS outfit and CONCACAF Champions League finalists Montreal Impact have also been linked with the 37-year-old striker, while reports suggest Serie A giants Inter are interested.

"I'm not aware of that situation [with Inter]," Drogba told FCInter1908.

"Inter are a great club, and certainly if they were to contact me I'd gladly listen to their offer, but I'm currently in talks with an MLS club.

"Inter could be an option if they really are interested in me."

Ex-Ivory Coast captain Drogba was further quizzed about Inter's interest and his willingness to provide back up for Argentina international forward Mauro Icardi should he make the move to Italy.

The two-time African Player of the Year said: "It would be absolutely no problem.

"In every team there are players you have to compete with for a place in the team."

Drogba scored over 150 goals in two different spells for Chelsea, winning four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League in the process.

Rooney to make Everton return

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney will once again pull on an Everton shirt after agreeing to play in Duncan Ferguson's testimonial next month.

Everton fan Rooney came through the youth ranks at Goodison Park and played alongside fellow striker Ferguson after breaking into the first-team as a 16-year-old.

The England skipper departed for United in August 2004, but he will feature for Everton against Villarreal on August 2 to honour a player he described as a "hero".

"As a young lad growing up in Croxteth, Duncan Ferguson was a hero of mine, as a young player at the club he was an inspiration and when I broke into the first team he helped and looked after me," Rooney told Everton's official website.

"I cannot think of a better way to thank Dunc for all he did for me than turning out in his fully deserved testimonial match. Had he not asked me to play I would have gone and supported him on the day as I am sure most other Evertonians will."

Ferguson is a cult figure at Everton having scored 72 goals in 191 appearances across two spells at the club.

And the Scot spoke of his appreciation that Rooney has agreed to feature in the match.

"I'm absolutely delighted that the wee man has agreed to play in the game," Ferguson said. "Everybody knows that we go way back. I knew him as a kid, he's a top man and I'm proud as his friend that he's fulfilled the potential we always knew was there.

"Wayne's a world-class player and I'm genuinely thrilled that he will play on the day."

Pellegrini hints at further City signings

Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that Manchester City could make further signings ahead of the new season, but stopped short of naming any targets.

City have been busy in the transfer window, signing Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling in a reported £49million move while also bringing in midfielder Fabian Delph from Aston Villa, as well as teenagers Patrick Roberts and Enes Unal from Fulham and Bursaspor respectively.

The Premier League club have been linked with Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba as they seek to regain the Premier League title, having finished eight points behind champions Chelsea last season.

Pellegrini said ahead of Tuesday's International Champions Cup clash with Roma: "I don't talk about rumour and names.

"When we have the player that we want you will know in that moment but at the moment we just have Delph, Sterling and Patrick Roberts.

"We will see in the future maybe more players will arrive but we cannot talk about names because we are not sure who will come.

"Our target is to try and have the strongest squad. I am not talking about names or positions but in the next days probably you will see who will arrive here. We are trying to have only the strongest squad and we will see which is the position we need."

Comedian throws money at Blatter in stunt

Sepp Blatter's media conference was delayed on Monday as a British comedian threw bank notes at the outgoing FIFA president as he took to the stage.

Blatter was facing the media in Zurich, following Monday's confirmation that an election to appoint his successor will take place on February 26, 2016.

But the news conference was held up in bizarre fashion as British comedian Simon Brodkin - who often uses the stage name Lee Nelson - approached the stage and threw money at Blatter.

Brodkin - whose previous stunts have seen him gatecrash an England photoshoot and Manchester City's pre-match warm-up during a Premier League game - was later photographed in a police van, having been escorted from the stage by security.

Blatter announced his intention to resign in June four days after winning a fifth term as president and six days after 14 people, including nine FIFA officials, were indicted on charges of racketeering conspiracy and corruption.

The Swiss has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Responding to the incident when the conference eventually started, Blatter said: "I'm sorry what just happened. I just called my late mother and she said 'don't worry it's just a lack of education'."

Raheem Sterling denies Liverpool sickie

Raheem Sterling has denied calling in sick for Liverpool training before his move to Manchester City.

Sterling, 20, last week completed a switch to the Etihad Stadium for a fee which could reportedly rise to £49million after an acrimonious departure from the Merseyside club.

The England international missed two days of training in his final week at the club, with suggestions he was trying to influence transfer talks.

But Sterling said it was a genuine illness – and the Liverpool doctor – that prevented him from training.

"Everyone thought I threw a sick note in. I was in training on the Tuesday - in the changing room my stomach started hurting. I still went out and trained though," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"That day I went home, and I told the doc I was ill. My stomach was rumbling and I had diarrhoea.

"The doctor just said to me you can't be around the other players. For the next 48 hours, I stayed at home.

"That's what the club doctor told me to do. When that 48 hours was done I came back to training as normal."

I inquired from Terry and Cahill advice on Falcao says Mourinho

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho consulted with central defensive duo John Terry and Gary Cahill before bringing Radamel Falcao in on loan.

Eyebrows were raised in some quarters when Mourinho opted to sign Falcao on loan, after the Colombian endured a difficult temporary spell at Manchester United last term.

But Mourinho has revealed that he spoke with Terry and Cahill about the former Atletico Madrid man, who they believe still has the qualities that made him one of Europe's most-feared strikers.

"We think the bright movement is there, the movement to get freedom in the box to score goals is there," said the Portuguese.

"Our players had difficulty to control him all the time and we feel the potential is there.

"Let's see if he can improve his confidence, his happiness.

"If the fact we have a good community of Portuguese people, plus the guys who were with him in Atletico [Diego Costa and Filipe Luis], let's see if this situation can help him.

"I watch Portuguese football regularly and in Porto he was very good.

"When he was at Atletico, I was in Real Madrid, so there were a few years where I was with him all the time. 

"Last season I watched our game against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge a few times because of him."

Espanyol turn down Real bid for Casilla

Espanyol president Joan Collet has revealed the club turned down a bid from Real Madrid for goalkeeper Kiko Casilla.

Having previously turned out for Real's reserve team earlier in his career, Casilla joined Espanyol for the 2007-08 campaign.

In recent days, reports have emerged suggesting Real legend Iker Casillas could be set to depart the Santiago Bernabeu, with speculation mounting that Casilla could make the switch to the capital to replace him.

Speaking on Saturday, Collet confirmed Espanyol had rejected Real's offer, while striker Christian Stuani could be in line to leave the club for pastures new.

"There is no negotiation with Real Madrid right now, we have rejected the offer," he said.

"We are negotiating the possible departure of Stuani."

Derby hit £250,000 jackpot prize

Derby County have become the latest club to benefit from Sky Bet's Transfer Fund after being selected to receive £250,000 on Friday.

The scheme sees fans entering the draw on behalf of their clubs before a winner is selected at random, and the prize money will allow Derby to invest in new players and wages.

Derby fan Richard Jones won the prize for his club and Paul Clement's side could now dip into the transfer market for a seventh time during the close season.

Tom Ince was the latest to arrive at the Championship club for a club-record fee from Hull City, joining Scott Carson, Alex Pearce, Andreas Weimann, Chris Baird and former loanee Darren Bent.

Clement is also a new arrival at the club - the former Real Madrid assistant replacing the sacked Steve McLaren, who is now manager at Newcastle United.

Messi lost his third major international career

Lionel Messi will end his career with an international trophy, Argentina team-mate Ezequiel Lavezzi insisted after Saturday's Copa America loss.

Messi, who has only won titles with Argentina at under-age levels, lost the third major final of his international career in Santiago, with Chile triumphing 4-1 on penalties after the visitors had dominated the goalscoring opportunities through 120 goalless minutes.

Argentina's failure at the Estadio Nacional will only serve to strengthen arguments by critics that Messi will not be truly great until he earns silverware for his country, but Lavezzi reckons it is only a matter of time before he dismisses those doubters.

Messi was also on the losing side in the 2007 Copa America final and last year's World Cup decider in Brazil.

"At some point Leo [Messi] is going to win something with Argentina," said Lavezzi, who came off the bench in the first half to replace Angel di Maria.

"We thought this was an opportunity to make our mark, but unfortunately we could not. It hurts a lot. Once again we are left with a bitter taste. It hurts because we believed that this was the chance to win something.

"I think that we should continue on this path. We are all very good in terms of the group. We are just missing that little step to achieve something."

Lavezzi was one of 10 players to have played a role in both this year's Copa decider and the 2014 World Cup final, while only Messi and Javier Mascherano have three final losses to their name after succumbing 3-0 to Brazil in Colombia eight years ago.

Mascherano could not believe he had missed out on an international winner's medal again.

"I cannot find a way to describe it. Hopefully, in the future Argentina can win," the Barcelona defensive midfielder said.

"I wanted enjoyment with this shirt like anyone, but I have to suffer.

"…Three finals of the Copa America and I lost all three. I cannot find an explanation.

"I thank the fans for the support, like a year ago at the World Cup. We could not provide the joy that we wanted. It is a torture.

"It's a great sadness, especially for us who were doing very good things."

Messi, who was the only Argentine to convert a penalty against Chile, won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina's under-23 team in 2008 and the FIFA Under-20 World Cup three years prior.

Stephen Keshi sacked as Super Eagles coach

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi have been relieved of his duty after been sacked by the Nigerian Football Federation(NFF).

The NFF made the announcement on Saturday amid reports Keshi applied for the vacant Ivory Coast coaching job.

A statement on the NFF's official website read: "Having thoroughly reviewed the reports/findings of the NFF Disciplinary Committee and NFF Technical and Development Committee, as well as having reviewed the actions and inactions of Mr. Stephen Keshi, in the performance of his duties as Super Eagles' head coach, which we found to lack the required commitment to achieve the Federation's objectives as set out in the coach's employment contract.

"To this end and pursuant to the provisions of Clause 4.3 of the Employment Contract between Mr. Stephen Keshi and the NFF [the contract] and the various clauses therein, the Nigeria Football Federation has decided to exercise its option to summarily terminate the employment contract of Mr. Stephen Keshi with the Federation with immediate effect."

It is not the first time the NFF and Keshi, who signed a two-year deal in April, have parted ways.

After being appointed in 2011, Keshi resigned two years later but quickly reversed that decision, before his contract expired after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Keshi continued in his role on a match-by-match basis for the 2015 AFCON qualifying campaign, though he was replaced by Shaibu Amodu in October - only to be reinstated two weeks later.

The 53-year-old was unable to lead Nigeria to the finals in Equatorial Guinea, however, with Daniel Amokachi taking over on an interim basis after that failure, before Keshi returned to the hot seat in April.

"In the interim, the Super Eagles' team affairs will be jointly managed by assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf and the Technical Directorate of the NFF headed by coach Shaibu Amodu, until the Federation names in due course a new head coach, who, along with the NFF will chart a new direction for the Super Eagles to ensure credible participation in international competitions and assist in building a sustainable football culture for the country," said vice-president Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi.

Tevez: Those who dont love Messi knows nothing

Carlos Tevez says Lionel Messi has the support of the Argentinean people going into the Copa America and suggested any detractors should be ignored.

In the past, four-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi has been the subject of apathy from some in his home country thanks in part to leaving Argentina for Barcelona at a young age while also having struggled to replicate his form consistently with the national team.

In contrast, Tevez - who ended a three-year Argentina exile in November - is considered a 'player of the people'.

However, the Juventus striker defended Messi ahead of Argentina's Copa America's opener against Paraguay, telling the competition's official website: "I believe the people do love [Messi] because he’s Argentine and because he's the best in the world.

"He who doesn't love Messi knows nothing about football or about life. More than that, I don't know what’s going on in their heads.

"Messi is still the same. What has changed is that he has three or four kilos less than before. That means he has more desire, it changes your state of mind, it changes everything.

"I believe he is in his best moment."

Tevez was frozen out of the national set-up by Gerardo Martino's predecessor Alejandro Sabella, with some reports suggesting it was because of a fractious relationship between the Juve man and Messi.

Those suggestions were previously denied by the Barca star, with Tevez explaining:  "I missed the dressing room. I missed the guys. I missed this atmosphere.

"I'm 31 now, not 20 any more like I was before. Before I speak, I think about things. Before I spoke without knowing. That has made me more mature.

"You have to be intelligent when you get something wrong and try to always learn when you make a mistake. It's not good to make the same mistake twice and not learn."

Lewandowski nets four-minute hat-trick in Poland win

Robert Lewandowski scored a last-gasp four-minute hat-trick to give Poland a 4-0 win over Georgia in Euro 2016 qualifying on Saturday.

The hosts were leading 1-0 in Warsaw heading in to the 89th minute, thanks to Arkadiusz's Milik's 62nd-minute strike, before Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski added gloss to the scoreline with his late flurry. 

Lewandowski made it 2-0 as he smashed a shot beyond Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Loria after being played in by Milik.

The former Borussia Dortmund man scored his 25th goal in a Poland shirt with a header from Jakub Błaszczykowski's looping right-wing cross and then netted his 26th as he slid home a fourth from another Milik pass.

That was enough to take him to the top of the Euro 2016 qualifying goalscoring charts, with seven in total so far in the campaign.

Poland sit top of Group D, ahead of Germany and Scotland.

Ayew joins Swansea

Swansea City have announced a deal to sign Andre Ayew on a free transfer.

The Ghana winger has been on the lookout for a new club ahead of the expiry of his Marseille contract and has opted to move to the Premier League, penning a four-year deal at the Liberty Stadium.

Ayew had been linked with West Ham prior to joining Swansea and the 25-year-old becomes manager Garry Monk's first new arrival of the close-season.

Capped 63 times for his country, Ayew made 207 appearances in his eight years at Ligue 1 side Marseille.

Ayew will wear the number 10 shirt vacated by Wilfried Bony when he left Swansea for Manchester City in January.

Fiorentina seeks great comeback against Sevilla

Vincenzo Montella will look to mastermind one of the great European comebacks when Fiorentina host Sevilla in Thursday's UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg.

Reigning champions Sevilla took a huge step towards returning to the final with a 3-0 victory in last week's first encounter at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Unai Emery's side will now attempt to complete the job in Florence, as Sevilla continue their quest to become the first team to win Europe's secondary competition on four occasions.

However, history suggests the Andalusian outfit must err on the side of caution. Indeed, in last season's competition Valencia overturned a 3-0 deficit to progress 5-3 on aggregate in their quarter-final encounter against Basel.

Head coach Montella, whose side recorded back-to-back Serie A victories by beating Empoli 3-2 on Sunday, has not given up the ghost yet.

"On Thursday, we will above all need great self-belief," he said. "It is my duty to transmit my belief to the team.

"It will be a huge task, but I believe we can do it against Sevilla."Part of Sevilla's success has been the goalscoring potential in their team, with Carlos Bacca and Kevin Gameiro each scoring four times in this year's Europa League - the latter netting the third goal in last week's win over Fiorentina.

The form of those two players has meant that on-loan Liverpool man Iago Aspas has been largely restricted to a substitute's role, but he is revelling in Sevilla's success this term.

"The team's season has been very good," he told EPSN.

 "We are almost into the final of the Europa League in Warsaw and fighting for fourth place in La Liga.

"I think it is a good season. On an individual level, when things were going best for me, I was starting games, I had an injury and was out for a month.

"It is difficult, as the coach has played almost the whole season with just one forward. Bacca and Gameiro have scored a lot of goals. 

I have too in the small bit of time I have got to play. But it is difficult. I have done well, but my team-mates have too."Sevilla, who are three points adrift of Valencia in the race for fourth in La Liga, travel to Italy with Beto despite the goalkeeper nursing a shoulder injury, but Dani Parejo (knee) is absent.

Fiorentina, the 1990 runners-up, have injury problems of their own to contend with. Micah Richard (hamstring), Manuel Vargas (adductor) and Nenad Tomovic (hip) are all unavailable for Montella.

Pique wants El Clasico final

While his team-mates are unfazed by who they face in the UEFA Champions League final, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique would welcome an El Clasico against Real Madrid.

Luis Enrique's men booked their spot in Berlin with a 5-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich, despite losing 3-2 at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday.

Newmarket and Andres Iniesta are happy to play either Juventus or Real Madrid, who complete their semi-final on Wednesday, but Pique said a clash with their La Liga rivals would be ideal.

"A final against [Real] Madrid would be very exciting and historic," Pique said."We've marked an era. 

I'm very happy to be part of this team. We'll remember for a long time, now is the time to enjoy it.

"Neymar netted a brace in Germany after Mehdi Benatia had opened the scoring for the hosts, with the Brazilian's double crucial.

The 23-year-old said his team had celebrated, but understood there was a huge game ahead of them.

"Now we have only one step left. The dressing room hosted a small party, but we still have one more step," Neymar said.

"It's very important to be in the final. It doesn’t matter who we play."Iniesta echoed Neymar's thoughts, and he would like to see Barca win the treble of La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.

"Our goal was to be the final and once there it doesn’t matter who our rival is. But we mustn't stop and we have to try and win everything," the midfielder said."Being in the final is huge and it would be incredible to get the titles for the team and for the fans."

Drogba convinced me to join Chelsea - Hazard

Didier Drogba was behind Eden Hazard's big-money transfer to Chelsea almost three years ago, according to the Belgium international midfielder.

Hazard left Lille for Chelsea in a deal reportedly worth £32 million in 2012 and Rudi Garcia, who was coach of the Ligue 1 outfit at the time, claimed a phone call from owner Roman Abramovich persuaded the player to relocate to England .

However, the PFA Players' Player of the Year recipient insisted that was not the case, instead telling The Mirror that Chelsea icon Drogba convinced him to join the London club.

"I didn't want to go to Chelsea because I wanted to play the Champions League and they were sixth in the league," said 24-year-old, who has won the Premier League, League Cup and UEFA Europa League since arriving at Stamford Bridge.

"I was convinced when they won the Champions League in 2012."At the time, Roberto Di Matteo really wanted me, they had Juan Mata, and Oscar had been bought.

I was told: 'You'll see, Chelsea will play football'."Gervinho called me and said: 'Someone's on the phone'.

I didn't know who it was but it was Drogba, he wanted me to sign."I was flattered, he was maybe the best striker in the world. In my head, I wasn't going to sign, but in the end I was very pleased with my choice.

 I didn't speak to Abramovich."I don't know why coach Garcia wrote that in his book."

Ancelotti all out for victory against Juventus

Real Madrid will look to attack Juventus in their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg and take a lead back to the Spanish capital, says Carlo Ancelotti.

Once again without Karim Benzema for the trip to Turin, Ancelotti is confident Real possess enough fire power to see off Massimiliano Allegri's men, having seen Javier Hernandez come up with a quarter-final winner against Atletico Madrid.

Dreams of winning back-to-back Champions League titles remain alive for the Spanish giants, but Ancelotti acknowledges they face a tough test against a Juventus side brimming with confidence after sealing a fourth successive Serie A crown last weekend.

"I think it will be a balanced tie, Juve are a different side [to Atletico], so I expect a different game," he said. "We dominated against Atletico, but Juventus like to control possession too.

"They won the league last week and are playing with confidence. They have players with a lot of experience and really good qualities.

"We've got to try and play to our full potential. We are not going to look to draw, we are going to attack and have plenty of quality to do so.

"We want to play an attacking style, maybe we'll have to defend better in this game than in recent outings."

Ancelotti added on Benzema's continued absence due to a knee injury: "I wouldn't say it's a problem with Hernandez playing so well

"He helped us brilliantly in recent games, and we're here because he played an important role, he grabbed that opportunity and I'm sure he will help the side."

Mourinho rounds on critics after clinching title

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says his side are worthy Premier League champions, despite criticism from some quarters over the course of the season.

The 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge sealed Chelsea's fourth Premier League title and Mourinho's third with the club.

Mourinho has previously spoken at length about criticism in the media of his players, most notably from Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness, and aimed another dig following the weekend's celebrations.

Asked whether the Premier League was an easy title to win, Mourinho responded: "No, it's easier to be a pundit.

"To be a pundit you win every game, you don't lose matches as a pundit. It's a fantastic job really, maybe in 10 years' time it's my job - then I win every game.

"Now as a manager I lose sometimes and it's a much more difficult job."

Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge from Real Madrid prior to the start of last season and has already claimed League Cup and Premier League silverware.

"We do everything that a team wants, that's why we are champions," the Portuguese added.

"We deserve so much to be champions, I think everyone knows that. Those that have a big face to say we don't deserve it are the ones that in my country we say 'the dogs bark and the caravan goes by'.

"It's not more pressure it's just the understanding that when you go back to a place you had success before, you risk a little bit of your prestige and your history, I risked it.

"But okay, we won again and I can say I won titles with Chelsea with two generations separated with two decades."

Guardiola returns to Camp Nou as Barcelona face Bayern on wednesday

Former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola makes his return to the Camp Nou on Wednesday targeting a repeat of the sides' UEFA Champions League semi-final of 2013.

Bayern cruised to a dominant 7-0 aggregate success two years ago under Guardiola's predecessor Jupp Heynckes, before going on to complete a famous treble.

For Guardiola, Bayern can only lift two titles this term and to do so they will need to arrest stuttering form against a Barca side full of confidence.

While Guardiola's men were dumped out of the DFB-Pokal semi-finals by Borussia Dortmund before losing 2-0 to Bayer Leverkusen, Barca put eight past Cordoba to keep their treble hopes on course.

Javi Martinez made his long-awaited return from a knee injury at the BayArena and is focused on helping shackle Barca's free-scoring front trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

"The knee is good. Leverkusen was a good test for me and now I'm ready to help my team in the next game," he told reporters ahead of Wednesday's first leg.

"Whether I play or not depends on the coach. Stopping Messi, Neymar and Suarez will be very difficult.

"But we are not afraid. If we want to win, we can't allow ourselves to be afraid. We have a big heart and we have a big goal."

Robert Lewandowski is set to feature with a mask after sustaining multiple injuries against former club Dortmund although Franck Ribery (ankle) remains doubtful.

Guardiola's former Barca team-mate Luis Enrique has one worry - having seen Jordi Aba train alone on Monday - as he seeks to ensure the four-time winners reach their eighth final.

The pair both coached at Barca B after their playing careers ended with Luis Enrique making a strong start in his bid to emulate Guardiola's 14-trophy at the Camp Nou helm.

Victory on Tuesday would set Barca on course for their first Champions League final appearance since 2011 and the Liga leaders could hardly be in better form.

Winning 15 of their last 16 games in all competitions and with Messi taking his tally for the season to 40 at the weekend, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu played down the importance Guardiola's return.

"There's no favourite. It's an open tie against a great team that has a coach who knows us very well," Bartomeu told Hat Trick Barca.

"It is necessary to honour Pep and I believe it has to be spontaneous. We won't organise anything. There'll be no video or anything.

"He comes with all the honours but also to win. After the game we can salute him.

"I believe the relationship between Guardiola and the board ended well. The doors of Barca are open when he wants to come back. I think he will one day."

Luis Enrique:i was worried during 8-0 humiliation

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique feared his side would slip up in La Liga on Saturday, during their 8-0 rout of Cordoba.

It took until the 42nd minute for the league leaders to break through, with Ivan Rakitic putting them ahead - but the former Real Madrid and Barcelona midfielder feared the goal would never come.

Little did Luis Enrique know at the time, the opener would be followed by another seven.

"It's true that we are in really good form, but with each new game you have to create the type of chances that help you get those good results," Luis Enrique said.

"Today the result was a big one thanks to the efficiency we had.

"But up to the 39th minute, we had two or three clear chances and it looked like the ball didn't want to cross the line.

"We were all worried about this being one of those uninspired matches. But it wasn't like that.

"The goals from Ivan and Luis [Suarez] helped us to a 2-0 lead at half-time and in the second half the team performed at a high level, creating chances and being very effective.

"I'm happy because we grabbed three key points."

Suarez finished with a hat-trick at the Estadio Nuevo Arcangel, while Lionel Messi bagged a brace.

The 44-year-old coach said Barca have set the bar high, heading into their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.

"To arrive in the semi-finals of Champions League with the season we are having reinforces our strength a lot, but we have to back this up in a really difficult knockout tie," he said.

Barcelona have won their past two matches by a combined 14-0, while they have scored 20 goals without reply in their past five in all competitions.

They carry a 16-match unbeaten streak - 15 of which were wins - into their first leg with Bayern at Camp Nou on Wednesday, and have won 45 of 53 fixtures this season.

Pellegrini lost faith in me - Negredo

Valencia loanee Alvaro Negredo said he left Manchester City because he lost the trust of manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Negredo returned to his homeland at the start of the season, joining La Liga outfit Valencia on loan with a view to a permanent move after falling down the pecking order at City.

The 29-year-old Spain international striker ended the 2013-14 campaign without a goal in 16 games as City won the Premier League and League Cup, leading to suggestions his dip in form was due to homesickness.

Negredo, however, denied those reports by claiming City boss Pellegrini lost faith in him.

"I was not homesick. I was very happy in Manchester and on a personal level. It is a different way of life but it is not an excuse," Negredo told the Daily Mail.

"I made an effort to learn English, the manager spoke English in the dressing room and I could understand most of it by the end of the season.

It is not a reason to say my family wasn't happy. There are things you miss when you leave your country but the main reason I left is because the manager lost faith in me.

"Around February, I had an injury to my shoulder. I didn't stop to rest it. I was playing in a huge amount of pain. Kun [Sergio Aguero] was injured and Stevan Jovetic had problems, so I felt I had to play.

"We had huge games against Chelsea and Barcelona. I didn't play well and the manager started to play Edin Dzeko. I don't feel I ever regained his trust."

Negredo, who has scored six goals in all competitions for Nuno Espirito Santo's Valencia this season, added: "I began to lose my confidence but I didn’t give up. I trained harder than ever and tried to show Pellegrini I deserved to play.

"In the end, though, when you do all that and you still don’t get a game, it’s difficult. I need to play for a manager who wants me.

"I came on as a sub but it was almost to waste time. On the last day with the trophy, Zaba [Pablo Zabaleta] said: 'This is yours, you have been fighting for it like anybody else, so make sure you enjoy it.’ In my head, I knew I'd played a big part but it was hard to feel part of it. I felt cold."

Steve Bruce inspired my Wenger ahead of Monday night clash

Steve Bruce knows his Hull City side's recent resurgence will be severely tested by the "remarkable" Arsene Wenger against Arsenal on Monday, Soccerway reports

Hull head into the KC Stadium clash on the back of two successive Premier League victories against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, wins that have provided a significant boost in the club's bid to avoid the drop.

But Hull's tricky run-in continues with the visit of Arsenal and Wenger, a manager who Bruce has a great deal of admiration for.

Despite such a successful and long spell at Arsenal, some fans continue to call for the Frenchman to be replaced and Bruce thinks such opinions are "astonishing".

"That's what I find that quite astonishing [that some fans want Wenger to leave]," said Bruce. 

"I think it's been a main problem for English coaches, the introduction of Arsene Wenger. Seventeen or 18 years is quite remarkable, he's had input in the stadium – what a stadium that is. 

"Top four for however long, three Premier Leagues [titles], FA Cups, the final again, but still people question him. 

"I take heart from that. If he gets stick, we can all handle it. How he can get stick is beyond me."

Hull's two triumphs had opened up a four-point gap between themselves and the bottom three in the Premier League, but wins for Sunderland and Leicester City on Saturday see Bruce's men perched just above the drop zone.

With matches against Tottenham and Manchester United still to come in their final three games after the Arsenal clash, Hull's run-in is tricky. 

At the other end of the table, Arsenal are still chasing the possibility of finishing second and head to Hull in fine form.

A 0-0 draw with Chelsea in their last outing extended Arsenal's unbeaten run to nine league matches. Wenger's team have not finished as high as second for 10 years, with the 2004-05 campaign being the last season in which they emerged as runners-up.

Arsenal will be buoyed by the fact they have few injuries to contend with, as Mathieu Debuchy (hamstring) appears to be the only player in danger of missing out, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin) could be named among the substitutes.

By contrast, Bruce has a few more fitness problems to take into consideration, with Mohamed Diame (knee), Andrew Robertson (ankle), Nikica Jelavic (knee) and Curtis Davies (thigh) all doubts.

Floyd Mayweather retains welterweight title after defeating Pacquiao

Boxing: Mayweather vs Pacquiao May 2, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao box during their world welterweight championship bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision on Saturday in their long-awaited welterweight world title showdown.

In a bout branded boxing's latest "Fight of the Century" Mayweather took his unblemished record to 48-0 adding the Filipino great's World Boxing Organization title to his World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council crowns. 

Pacquiao fell to 57-6 with two drawn, never able to mount the kind of sustained aggressive attack he needed to earn the decision.

Even so, Pacquiao said he thought he did enough to earn the victory. "I thought I won the fight," he said. "He didn't do nothing." In fact, Mayweather did what he does best, skilfully thwarting Pacquiao's offense

Although his punches didn't come in the bunches that Pacquiao's did, there were plenty of telling blows. Ringside judge Dave Moretti scored the bout 118-110 for Mayweather, while judges Glenn Feldman and Bert Clements both scored it 116-112 for the American.

Rio Ferdinand´s wife dies after cancer battle

Rio Ferdinand's wife Rebecca has died at a hospital in London after a short battle with cancer.

The QPR defender confirmed news of his wife's passing at Royal Marsden Hospital in a statement on the club's official website on Saturday.

It read: "My soul mate slipped away last night. Rebecca, my wonderful wife, passed away peacefully after a short battle with cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

"She was a fantastic loving mother to our three beautiful children. She will be missed as a wife, sister, aunt, daughter and granddaughter. She will live on in our memory, as a guide and inspiration.

"Myself, my parents Janice and Julian, along with Rebecca's parents Lesley and Stephen, would like to thank our families, friends and my club colleagues who have rallied around in these desperate days, weeks and months.

"I would also like to express my gratitude for the dedication and expertise of the staff led by Professors Johnstone and Clarke at the Royal Marsden. Their valiant efforts to prolong Rebecca's all-too-short life will not be forgotten.

"Our grief, as a family, is total. We would appreciate being allowed to mourn privately."

QPR added: "The thoughts of everyone at Queens Park Rangers Football Club are with Rio and his family at this immensely difficult time."

Mourinho to move on quickly from title success

Jose Mourinho says he will only take five minutes to celebrate before turning his thoughts to next season if Chelsea seal the Premier League title this weekend.

Mourinho's side know victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday will be enough to secure their first league championship since 2010.

The Portuguese, who already boasts seven league titles from spells with Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid, has fond memories of previous successes, but plans to swiftly refocus once silverware is secured.

"I have replicas of every cup I won, and I don't care about the replicas. Or the medals. They're in my houses. I have some in Portugal, some here, some in my son’s room. I really don't care," said Mourinho.

"What stays forever is the feeling, the emotion, the memory of the moment. I have clear in my head every one of these moments I lived.

"What motivated me are the basic things in football, like when you are a kid, you play in the street with your neighbours, three against three, four against four, and you want to win. That's the most pure feeling in football.

"The meaning is the important thing: the feeling, the emotion … that's what stays with you forever.

"If you are in a championship, you want to win it. It doesn't depend on the level you are. To be champions in the Premier League is not a different feeling to winning the championship in League One, League Two or the Conference. The happiness, also the frustrations … in terms of human feelings, they're exactly the same.

"But the moment itself, it only lasts for a flash. For that moment a final finishes, or the game that gives you the league ends, you have like a flash of the people you love most, the people who are with you, a little bit of the most important moments that lead to that trophy.

"It's like a quick flash. And, with me, five minutes later, I move on. I have to think about next season, to prepare. We need to think about that."