An independent commission set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has reported at least one foreign footballer in the Russian League had a positive drugs test hidden as part of a system of state-dictated doping cover-ups overseen by the Russian Ministry of Sport.
Richard McLaren, appointed by WADA to lead the independent commission, revealed his findings at a media conference in Toronto on Monday and stated Russia had a system in place to cover up positive tests in many sports .
While much of the revelations focus on irregularities during Russia s hosting of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games and track and field offences – Russia was banned from international competition by the IAAF last year – McLaren s report claims Vitaly Mutko, the country s Minister of Sport an…
Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata looks set to leave Stamford Bridge and return to Juventus during the summer transfer window.
As reported by Rai Sport, the 25-year-old has already agreed personal terms with the Italian champions and will end his frustrating Chelsea spell once the season draws to a close.
Morata already spent two years at Juventus before returning to Real Madrid in 2016. The Spaniard made 63 Serie A appearances and scored 15 goals during his Italian episode. Bianconeri want to bring his back to Turin with Max Allegri looking to boost his forward line in case either Mario Mandzukic or Paulo Dybala leave the club.
Juventus are said to be preparing a £13 million offer to sign Morata on loan but no exact fee has thus far been confirmed.
Morata …
Aston Villa defender Ron Vlaar hopes to make his return from injury against Everton at Goodison Park after the international break.
The Netherlands centre-back has not featured since Villa s win over Hull City at the end of August, having picked up a calf injury.
In his absence, Villa initially coped well and moved into the upper reaches of the Premier League but Paul Lambert s side have lost their last three games without scoring.
Defeats to Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have seen Villa slip to 10th but Vlaar is hopeful he can bolster Lambert s options following the international break.
My calf is improving all the time but I ve already resigned myself to missing Holland s next two European Championship qualifiers, he told The Birmingham Mail.
Ireland captain Robbie Keane is convinced his team will enter Tuesday s Euro 2016 qualifier against world champions Germany full of confidence.
Keane s side thrashed Gibraltar 7-0 in Dublin on Saturday and won 2-1 in Georgia in September to claim a perfect start to their European Championship qualifying campaign, sitting three points ahead of fourth-placed Germany in Group D, while Poland top the standings on goal difference.
Martin O Neill s Ireland were superbly led by Keane against Gibraltar with the veteran forward scoring a hat-trick inside 18 minutes before his team-mates added four more goals after the break.
Ireland have not defeated Germany since 1994, while the Germans famously thrashed Keane and co 6-1 in 2012, but the Irish striker is relishing the pr…
Olympique de Marseille have extended the contracts of key players Mathieu Valbuena and Taye Taiwo.
Midfielder Valbuena, 23, added a year to his previous deal and will stay at the Stade Vélodrome until June 2013 after an impressive season in which he was called up by France for the first time. Nigerian international left-back Taiwo, also 23, will now stay with the French club until June 2011. His previous deal was to expire in summer 2009.
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Chelsea head coach Antoinio Conte has challenged Diego Costa to hit 30 goals this season after offering a ringing endorsement of the striker s talents.
Costa was influential in firing Chelsea to Premier League glory during the 2014-15 season but his faltering form last time around mirrored the Stamford Bridge outfit s shambolic title defence.
Conte s acquisition of Belgium forward Michy Batshuayi from Marseille and links with other strikers led to speculation that Costa s days at the club were numbered.
But the Italian has involved the 27-year-old prominently during pre-season and wants to see Costa focused solely on being a dynamic penalty box presence as he seeks to restore Chelsea to the upper reaches of English football.
Asked whether Costa could hit …
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could hardly wish for better form ahead of this weekend s North London derby
Arsenal welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Emirates Stadium for Sunday’s North London derby in the Premier League, having gone four games without a win against Spurs in the division.
However, Arsenal are in fine form ahead of this weekend’s meeting while Tottenham are enduring one of their worst run of results in many years, so could the Gunners finally get their revenge?
Tottenham’s form since March 2016 has been a worry
Tottenham have recently hit a slump in form in all competitions, having failed to win their last five games but it’s Spurs’ form since March of last season that has been disappointing. Mauricio Pochettino’s men infamously…
Real Madrid have responded to a report that they are exploring the possibility of joining the Premier League, branding it absurd and impossible .
Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo claimed on Saturday that Madrid president Florentino Perez is looking at taking the club out of LaLiga.
The report said the Premier League was the preferred choice of Perez, who is at loggerheads with LaLiga president Javier Tebas.
Madrid staunchly opposed the new deal between LaLiga and CVC, which was voted in by the majority of clubs and will see around €2.1billion invested into the competition in return for a percentage of television revenue.
Tebas, meanwhile, is a firm opponent of the proposed European Super League, the breakaway competition still being pursued by Madrid,…
Thomas Tuchel has called on Bayern Munich to ignite the spark required to give them hope of a stunning Champions League comeback against Manchester City.
Bayern were beaten 3-0 at City in their quarter-final first leg, leaving Tuchel s side a mountain to climb in Wednesday s return match.
City were imperious at the Etihad Stadium, dominating Bayern despite the visiting coach s claims his team had performed well.
There is understandable talk of the need for a miracle in the German media, with only four teams in Champions League history having overturned a three-goal deficit in a two-legged knockout tie.
But Tuchel knows Bayern will have to go out and grasp the game – and the attention of the Allianz Arena crowd – to have any chance.
We can t c…
Everton are set to land Manchester City striker Jo on a loan deal at Goodison Park, according to the Daily Mail.
The Brazilian striker has failed to live up to expectations at City after moving to Eastlands for £19 million in the summer last year.
Jo arrived at City for a then transfer record, before Robinho joined later that year, but was signed by the club before the arrival of Mark Hughes and it seems the 21-year-old has fallen out of favour under Hughes since failing to make a league appearance in 2009.
Everton boss David Moyes is said to be desperate to land a striker after injuries to Yakubu, Louis Saha and James Vaughan. Tim Cahill has recently had to fill in up front, but with the capture of Jo Moyes will be able to resolve his striking problems …