Sports

Eden Hazard suggested he had played his final game for Chelsea after his two goals helped the club defeat Arsenal in the Europa League final.

The Belgian, 28, has been linked with a move to Real Madrid and said that he is now "waiting on both clubs".

"I think it's a goodbye, but in football you never know," he told BT Sport.

"We will decide in a few days - the only target in my mind was to win this final."

He added: "Maybe now it is the time for a new challenge."

• Hazard scores twice as Chelsea win Europa League
• Reaction from the all-English final in Baku

If the final in Baku was his last match, then it brings to an end a seven-year association with Chelsea, having joined them for £32m from Lille.

Hazard made 352 appearances for the Blues and his two goals in the final moved his tally for the club to 110.

He said: "My dream was to play in the Premier League and I have done that for one of the biggest clubs."

More to follow.

Source: bbc.com

Eden Hazard scored two goals and made another to help Chelsea thump London rivals Arsenal in Baku and win the Europa League.

Victory gave Blues boss Maurizio Sarri the first trophy of his managerial career and ensured the Gunners will miss out on next season's Champions League.

With only about 5,000 fans from both sides able to make it to Azerbaijan, there was an eerie atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, which appeared less than half full.

That was the surreal setting for a match played 2,500 miles away from both teams' home, and the game itself was devoid of action before the break before bursting into life early in the second half.

• Chelsea win Europa League - live reaction & analysis
• 'I think it's a goodbye' - Hazard hints at Chelsea exit
• Rate Chelsea & Arsenal players

Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud broke the deadlock when he met Emerson's clipped cross with a powerful near-post header that zipped past Petr Cech.

Cech, also facing his old side and playing the final match of his career, could do nothing about Chelsea's second goal either, with Pedro sweeping home a Hazard cross.

Hazard made it 3-0 from the penalty spot soon after, sending Cech the wrong way after Ainsley Maitland-Niles fouled Giroud.

Substitute Alex Iwobi briefly gave Arsenal hope with a powerful first-time strike moments after coming on.

But Hazard quickly made sure of victory, playing a one-two with Giroud and firing home Chelsea's fourth goal.

The Belgium forward said after the game it was likely to be his Chelsea "goodbye" as he continues to be linked to Real Madrid.

Chelsea's triumph brought them their fifth European title, and their first since they won the Europa League in Amsterdam in 2013.

An emotional Sarri celebrated with his players on the pitch, but his future remains in doubt despite ending his first season at Stamford Bridge on a successful note.

Hazard's departure appears rather more certain. His performance ensured this game will be at least partly remembered for footballing reasons, after being overshadowed beforehand by politics, plus travel and ticketing issues.

The Chelsea fans who did make it to the game - via train, plane and even taxis - were rewarded by a typically effervescent display from a player who has sparkled for them over the past seven years.

Giroud deserves credit too, particularly for his finish for the opening goal that led to Arsenal's collapse. But it was Hazard who made the difference, as so often this season and in previous years. If he does go, the question is who will replace him?

Man of the match - Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

If this is the Chelsea star's final match, he certainly signed off in style. Like everyone else, he was quiet in the first half but showed his class after the break to secure the silverware

Source: bbc.com

A number of La Liga and second division players and club executives have been arrested in Spain as part of an investigation into match-fixing.

Police say 11 people are expected to be arrested in total and at least three matches are being investigated across the country's top three divisions.

A spokesman for La Liga said the police action followed an initial a complaint it had made over a match in May 2018.

"Among those detained are active and retired players," police said. Presidents and directors of a club have also been arrested the police said.

"The investigation has established that those under investigation came to arrangements with different players to 'fix' at least three games in the first, second and third divisions."

The police said that in the case of one second-division match, more than 14 times the usual amount of money was bet on a game in that league. It did not specify which teams were involved.

Police said bets were made on the outcomes of games as well as other matters including the number of corners awarded.

A lawyer for Huesca, who were relegated from La Liga this season, confirmed that various people at the club had been detained on a warrant issued by a local court.

La Liga side Real Valladolid issued a statement saying the club had "learned of the arrests related to match-fixing" and that they "are the cause of a La Liga complaint".

The statement added: "Real Valladolid rejects any type of conduct or fraudulent behaviour, denouncing corruption among individuals, money laundering, criminal organizations or any type of behaviour that originates or could lead to the distortion and corruption of any sports competition. "Faced with the arrests made, Real Valladolid maintains, as it has done since the day of its constitution, its commitment and fight against corruption or any type of illicit activity that undermines the integrity of sports competitions."

Valencia also issued a statement saying that reports of "supposed involvement by players and directors of other clubs in illegal gambling and alleged match fixing" are not related to the club, and that "Valencia CF is an entity completely outside of this matter".

A La Liga spokesman said: "We want to thank the police for the extraordinary work done to dismantle what appears to be an organised criminal group dedicated to obtaining economic benefits through the predetermination of football matches. "During the 2018-19 season La Liga filed eight complaints with the general commissioner of the judicial police for alleged acts related to match-fixing in lower divisions of Spanish football and low-profile friendlies between foreign clubs in Spain. "We have also sent alerts to the general directorate of gaming on 18 football matches for possible identification and sanction of players from lower divisions who could have bet on their competition. "La Liga continues to fight to eradicate any scourge against fair play in Spanish football."

Source: bbc.com

Barcelona lost a home league match for the first time in two years as the Spanish champions were beaten by Real Betis's expert display at the Nou Camp.

Junior Firpo gave Betis a deserved lead after 20 minutes, before veteran Joaquin made it two before the break.

Lionel Messi scored a penalty in reply but a Marc-Andre ter Stegen error saw Giovani lo Celso add a third for Betis.

Arturo Vidal's tap-in gave Barca hope, but Sergio Canales got the away side's fourth, before a Messi consolation.

Ernesto Valverde's side remain at the top of La Liga, one point ahead of Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Alaves.

The hosts had Ivan Rakitic sent off for a second yellow card with eight minutes left when trailing 3-2 and were powerless to match a determined and clinical Betis side, despite Messi's two goals on his return from a fractured arm suffered three weeks ago.

Barca's previous home league defeat came on 10 September 2016, when they lost 2-1 to Alaves.

Betis had lost on their past eight visits to the Nou Camp and had not won there for more than 20 years.

But they came away with three points that lifts them up to 12th in the table courtesy of an impressive display built on adventurous counter-attacking and smart play in possession.

Quique Setien's side went into this game having scored only eight goals in 11 matches, the lowest return in La Liga.

Here they mustered eight shots on goal to Barca's five and scored from half of those.

Ter Stegen did let a Lo Celso strike slip through his gloves immediately after Messi had scored Barca's first from the penalty spot, which slowed the home side's momentum.

But nothing should be taken away from Betis, who more than deserved this victory which keeps Barca's rivals for the title within touching distance.

Source: bbc.com

Real Madrid began life without Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane with defeat in the first ever Uefa Super Cup derby as Atletico Madrid scored twice in extra time.

Two excellent late goals from Koke and Saul sealed victory for Atletico after the game ended 2-2 in normal time.

It was Real's first match since Ronaldo signed for Juventus for £99m in the summer and Zidane was replaced as manager by former Spain coach Julen Lopetegui.

Koke's smart finish and Saul's sensational 16-yard volley in extra time helped Europa League holders Atletico win their third Super Cup in as many appearances.

Diego Costa also scored twice in normal time, thumping in the opener after 49 seconds and tapping in another after the interval.

Gareth Bale had set up Karim Benzema with a header at the back post for Real's first and captain Sergio Ramos slotted home a penalty for a 2-1 lead after Juanfran was penalised for handball.

Full-back Marcelo squandered an excellent chance to score the winner for Real with an overhead kick in the final seconds of normal time as back-to-back Champions League winners Real were looking to become the first side to win three Super Cups in successive seasons.

It was the fourth time in the past five years that the Super Cup was contested by two Spanish sides - but the first with both teams from the same city.

While Real Madrid are adjusting to life without Ronaldo, it was Atletico who provided the late heroics familiarly associated with their recently departed striker.

The club's failure to sign a direct replacement as of yet will remain a concern for fans following this defeat but there was still plenty of encouragement in Real's remaining attacking options.

Marco Asensio and Bale are two players who will hope to benefit from Ronaldo's exit and both started on opposite flanks, often switching and cutting inside to link-up with Benzema.

Bale's pace and pinpoint cross from the right teed up Benzema's equalising goal and the Welshman's fizzing strike had Jan Oblak scrambling in the first half.

Asensio came close to scoring too when his audacious flick was superbly parried by the Slovenian keeper before a bending effort bounced wide of the right post.

And Benzema seemed to embrace taking a lead role in the centre of attack - his goal capping off a strong performance.

Leaky at the back - the best of the stats

• Atletico Madrid are the first Europa League winners to go on to win the Uefa Super Cup since they did so against Chelsea in 2012.
• Real Madrid conceded four or more goals in a game for the first time since November 2015 against Barcelona in La Liga under Rafael Benitez - never doing so under Zidane.
• Lopetegui is the first Real Madrid manager to concede four or more goals in his first competitive game in charge since Michael Keeping against Celta Vigo in February 1948.
• Costa's opening goal for Atletico Madrid in the first minute of play is the fastest goal ever to be scored in the UEFA Super Cup (0:49).
• He scored his first brace in club competition since returning to Atletico Madrid, last doing so for Chelsea against Southampton in the Premier League in April 2017.
• Real Madrid's Benzema scored against Atletico Madrid for the first time since October 2015 in a La Liga match - he had gone eight games without finding the net against them.
• Ramos has now scored five goals against Atletico Madrid - only against Sevilla (six) has he scored more for Real Madrid. All five goals were scored in cup competitions.

Source: bbc.com

Houston pushed Golden State to the brink in Game 7. But in the end, the Warriors are moving on to the NBA Finals yet again.

“We’re right there,” Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni told his team during a timeout taken three and a half minutes into the fourth quarter of a Western Conference finals Game 7 that hit nearly every single beat we’ve come to expect from Golden State and Houston. He shrugged his shoulders; his team had just missed its 25th consecutive 3-point attempt, a new ignominious NBA playoff record. “We’re right there. Right?”

In D’Antoni’s West Virginian drawl, that last word was stretched and pulled in strange directions, sounding like an affirmative as much as a question. Televised huddles are an exercise in intentional banality, but it was a revealing portrait of D’Antoni in the latest ever-the-bridesmaid moment of his career, a 101-92 loss that eliminated him one series shy of the Finals for the third time since 2005. That right? might’ve been the closest we’ll get to seeing D’Antoni express a crisis of faith. In that moment, he became a statistic; the Warriors inevitably draw out that sense of doubt in every series they play.

The improbability of the Warriors’ endeavors in the first two seasons of their dynasty has been eroded by time. The narrative foundation of Golden State games has shifted from an anticipation of the journey to the unbending reality of the Warriors’ ultimate destination. That’s a stark change in how we process the rhythm of their games. Watching the Warriors is almost like watching basketball via one of Sam Hinkie’s strange ruminations: Why do we watch basketball games front to back? Why not watch games back to front, or out of order? Until it ends with a win, Warriors games are out of order.

The narrative beats that the Warriors instill over the course of 48 minutes can be both overbearing and oddly comforting, like a drawn-out will-they-won’t-they arc in a sitcom (yes, of course they will). Golden State puts the league in a constant state of déjà vu: A Rockets 15-point first-half lead in Game 7 only serves as fodder for the unyielding torrent to come in the third quarter, because that’s exactly what happened in Game 6. After Monday’s series clincher, Golden State over the course of the postseason has outscored opponents by a rate of 33.1 points per 100 possessions in the third quarter. Maybe it’s because those 15 minutes of halftime allow Draymond Green a chance to catch his breath and process all of the in-game adjustments that need to be made; maybe Steve Kerr puts on his own halftime show of motivational clipboard-chopping; maybe it’s just the masochism that develops with those in a position of power. Or maybe it’s as obvious as the Warriors make the sport: “Our talent took over,” Kerr said after the game. “I mean, it’s as simple as that.”

Steph Curry acknowledged a calmness in the locker room during halftime, despite the pressures of being down double-digits in an away game that could very well decide the future champion of the league and the moves made thereafter. His third-quarter eruption came and went like clockwork: Curry had 14 points in the frame, which included a two-minute stretch in which he scored 11 consecutive points for the team. It’s become something of a Curry signature: an offensive kick-start that restores order and reestablishes the values that the Warriors have built their team around for the past half-decade, notably the notion that Steph can turn himself into magma at a moment’s notice.

“We weren’t too worried, believe it or not,” Klay Thompson said after the game. Why would they be? More than any other team in the league (and possibly trailing only one player in the league), the Warriors control the narrative that surrounds both them and the teams they face. Which is why the most interesting and overwrought story of the Warriors’ season thus far is what, exactly, Kevin Durant means to this team, just as the early monotony of the 2000s Lakers dynasty was girded by the alpha tensions between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. It’s the only narrative in the Warriors universe that seems to have real-time stakes: Durant’s first half was the type of uninspired effort that keeps Warriors fans at an arm’s length in their support for him, although, just like the team as a whole, his performance evened itself out by the end. The 30-footer he drilled in James Harden’s face early in the fourth quarter to stunt a Rockets run was a soul-reaving gut punch, and exactly the kind of shot one might point to as an example of the Warriors’ tedious dominion:

We may be headed to a fourth consecutive Finals matchup between Golden State and Cleveland, but there has been a sense of optimism among the most prominent challengers to the throne. “I think we’re very close, obviously,” D’Antoni said after the game. “You know, some things we’ll tweak and we’ll get back on the horse and we’ll get these guys here pretty soon.” This wasn’t a sprint to the Finals the way last year was; both the Warriors and Cavs had grueling conference finals, and they’ll show each other their battle scars soon enough. Time isn’t done wearing away at what, from the surface, looks to be an infinite loop. There are costs to long-term greatness; how each side’s fatigue manifests is the most interesting subplot of the rivalry since the 2016 playoffs.

“Sometimes after you’ve reached a championship or two, the players who were key players might want something different—something more,” Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the Minnesota Lynx, winners of four WNBA championships since 2011, told The New York Times. “So how does that change the balance that made you so good in the first place? That’s why it’s so hard to repeat, because of change. Life happens to people.”

Massive changes are afoot as soon as the NBA Finals are over. So much of what we know about the league could be altered irrevocably. Cavs-Warriors IV could serve as a capstone to one of the most important sagas in this boom era of NBA history. For now, I’m willing to wade in the familiarity one more time. Golden State feels just as inevitable as it ever has during this dizzying four-year run, which is exactly why it could all change sooner than we think. Nothing gold can stay. Not even these Warriors. Right?

Source: www.theringer.com

Another Game 7, another virtuoso performance from LeBron James. With an eighth straight trip to the Finals secured, it’s clear: His adaptability is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

LeBron James found a way on Sunday, just like he always does. By leading Cleveland to an 87-79 win over Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, LeBron punched his ticket to his eighth consecutive NBA Finals appearance. No player since Bill Russell with the 1960s Celtics had been to four or more Finals in a row. LeBron has now done that for two separate franchises, with vastly different supporting casts. He’s the most versatile player in basketball history, adapting his game to maximize his teammates, regardless of who they are or what they can do. That ability has been on full display throughout this year’s playoffs, as an undermanned Cavaliers team has shapeshifted around LeBron in each series to advance.

Cleveland leaned on its defense to get past the Celtics. Kevin Love, the Cavs’ only reliable source of offense other than LeBron, went down in the opening minutes of Game 6 and didn’t play in Game 7 while in concussion protocol. There was no way for this team to beat Boston in a shootout without Love, so it didn’t try. Head coach Tyronn Lue stressed defense with every rotation decision. He started a lineup that had played only 24 minutes in the series prior to Game 7, surrounding LeBron with four veterans (J.R. Smith, Jeff Green, Tristan Thompson, and George Hill) who could switch screens, defend multiple positions, and hold up in single coverage without help.

Boston had no answer for that lineup, which registered a net rating of plus-23.3 over 53 minutes in the conference finals. Without the injured Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, the Celtics have relied on a democratic offense that ruthlessly attacked the weakest link on the opposing defense. Their problem in Game 7 was there simply weren’t many weak links to attack. Lue cut his rotation to eight, with his worst defenders (Kyle Korver, Larry Nance Jr., and Jordan Clarkson) coming in off the bench. Boston immediately went at them when they were on the court, so Lue played them only a combined 35 minutes. He played his starters for 205 of a possible 240 minutes, and he never took LeBron out of the game.

Boston couldn’t create any offensive momentum. Al Horford and Jayson Tatum had moments of brilliance attacking switches, but neither could sustain them for long enough to force the Cavs to send help and get their teammates open shots. The Celtics shot only 7-for-39 (17.9 percent) from 3. No one in their supporting cast was able to create offense, as Jaylen Brown (5-for-18), Terry Rozier (2-for-14), Marcus Smart (1-for-10), and Marcus Morris (5-for-14) spent the game bricking shots off the dribble.

The downside for Cleveland in starting all of its best defenders came on the other end of the floor. The Cavs didn’t have much 3-point shooting with Love in street clothes and Korver getting spot minutes, allowing Boston to pack the paint and send multiple defenders at LeBron. The Cavaliers shot 9-for-35 (25.7 percent) from beyond the arc, and LeBron had three of their makes. He didn’t have much space to operate, which makes his statistical brilliance (35 points on 12-for-24 shooting, 15 rebounds, and nine assists) all the more staggering. Give LeBron an inch and he’ll take a mile, lowering his shoulder and powering his way to the rim.

The only other Cavalier to get much going offensively Sunday was Green, who had 19 points on 7-for-14 shooting to go with eight rebounds. He has long been a punching bag around the NBA for his inconsistency, but came up big in the biggest game of his life, running into easy baskets, confidently attacking closeouts, and finishing over smaller defenders. Green did just enough to get LeBron some rest while he stayed on the court. Cleveland had only two other players (Smith and Thompson) in double figures, and almost all of their production came from LeBron spoon-feeding them open looks.

This probably isn’t a formula that can work over the long haul. Even LeBron can’t play this much over the course of an entire series. He tried to play all 48 minutes in Game 7 of Cleveland’s first-round matchup against Indiana, and his body couldn’t handle it. His defense on Sunday was hit-or-miss, as he lost Brown several times and couldn’t get as much lift in his legs as he needed, most notably when Tatum dunked on him on a drive in the fourth quarter. The good news for the Cavs is they have other formulas to which they can turn. That gets back to the shapeshifting: The way Cleveland beat the Celtics was very different than the way it beat the Raptors and Pacers.

The Cavs overwhelmed Toronto in the second round with their offense. Cleveland recorded a 121.5 offensive rating and 110.1 defensive rating in that series, as opposed to a 102.7 offensive rating and 102.1 defensive rating against Boston. Lue went with more offensive-minded players en route to a four-game sweep in Round 2, flanking LeBron with four 3-point shooters and blowing the Raptors off the floor. Toronto never found an answer for the two-man game between Love and Korver, and didn’t have enough offensive firepower to punish those two on defense.

Against Indiana, Lue found the middle ground in emphasizing offense and defense. It took him several games to figure out which of his newly acquired players could be trusted in a playoff environment, and he tinkered with his starting lineup several times against the Pacers before opting to go with the veterans LeBron trusted (Thompson, Love, Korver, and Hill) in Game 7. Cleveland has now employed a different starting lineup in each of its three closeout games in these playoffs. Lue catches a lot of flak for his simplistic offense and tendency to overthink rotation decisions, but he’s also flexible and unafraid to experiment, valuable traits for a coach whose star player is as uncommonly versatile as LeBron.

Lue and LeBron are constantly probing the Cavs’ opponents over the course of a postseason series, looking for weak spots to attack while shoring up weak spots of their own. The playoffs are all about matchups, and Cleveland is uniquely positioned to create and exploit mismatches because it can restructure its identity around LeBron. He is a basketball genius who can figure out exactly what his team needs in a given series, and then adjust his game to provide it. That’s one reason he has been so remarkable in closeout games in his career. Play a team enough in a short amount of time and he’ll figure out a way to defeat it.

Versatility is LeBron’s defining trait, especially in comparison to his fellow all-time greats. He’s not as explosive a scorer as Michael Jordan, and he’s not as good a passer as Magic Johnson. He isn’t as dominant defensively as Bill Russell, and he’s not as unguardable in the post as Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. What’s so incredible about LeBron is that he’s almost as good as all of those players in each of their strongest categories. None of the others could have succeeded on as many different types of teams as LeBron. James doesn’t have a position: He can play all five at a high level on both sides of the ball. Almost any combination of players can work around him. The past eight years are proof of that.

While LeBron’s 3-5 record in the Finals is often held up as a knock against him, his carrying those teams to the Finals represents a more impressive accomplishment. Cleveland will be a massive underdog against either Golden State or Houston in this year’s Finals, but that doesn’t make his work dragging the Cavs through the first three rounds of the playoffs any less impressive. What LeBron has done in 2018 goes right up there with what he did in 2007, when he led a team whose second-best player was Larry Hughes to the Finals. The same line of thinking applies to 2015, when he brought a team that started Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov to Game 6 of the Finals.

LeBron may not end up reaching Jordan’s mark of six NBA titles, but his eight consecutive Finals appearances will be just as difficult a mark for any future player to match. The sheer willpower and endurance necessary to make that happen in the modern NBA is mind-boggling. Only four teams have made four straight Finals in the past 50 years: the Showtime Lakers, Bird’s Celtics, LeBron’s Heat, and LeBron’s Cavaliers. (The Warriors will join that group if they beat the Rockets on Monday.) LeBron has played in 164 playoff games over the past eight seasons, the equivalent of two entire regular seasons (with two extra games thrown in for good measure). Most players would break down physically under that strain. LeBron has never suffered a serious injury.

LeBron shouldn’t be this good after 15 seasons in the league. He’s already played more career minutes than Jordan, even counting MJ’s two seasons with the Wizards. LeBron has dedicated his life to basketball, and he’s helped it reach new heights of global popularity. He’s not just the face of a franchise. He’s the face of an entire sport. That goes hand in hand his being in the Finals every year, no matter who he’s playing with.

LeBron can’t always win in the Finals once he gets there, but he doesn’t leave any points (or rebounds, or assists …) on the board. He uses his versatility to get the most out of his supporting cast, and Lue will shuffle pieces around him until something clicks. A team with LeBron James always has a chance.

Source: www.theringer.com

The chief executive of Morocco's 2026 World Cup bid, Hicham El Amrani, says his country is not bidding "for a communications stunt", but for victory.

On Friday, Morocco must hand a bid book to Fifa outlining their plans for the tournament - as must the rival joint bid from Canada/Mexico/United States.

"We are not here for a communications stunt - we are here to win," El Amrani told BBC Sport.

Morocco are making their fifth bid to host the tournament.

They have previously campaigned for the right to organise the 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010 editions.

Earlier this month, Morocco outlined the compact nature of its bid, in contrast to its rival's plans to span an entire continent.

The bidders have until 1600 GMT on Friday to hand over their bid books, which will detail their plans to host the tournament - ranging from stadiums, training venues, hotels, transport to the environmental impact.

Following the delivery of the bid books, a Task Force representing football's governing body will decide whether the bids are up to standard.

Should any bid fail on a certain aspect, the bid can be eliminated.

"We need to convince not only the congress, (but also) the technical team of Fifa," El Amrani said.

If both bids succeed in impressing the Task Force, the remaining 207 member associations of Fifa will cast their vote for who will host the 2026 finals in Russia on 13 June.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams after Fifa chose to expand the tournament last year.

"You cannot bid for such a tournament, especially one that's been increased to 48 teams, without careful consideration - it is not a light decision," El Amrani, the former secretary-general of African football's ruling body Caf, added.

"As you can imagine, in our kingdom, that's a decision supported by His Majesty the King so it makes sense to us to go for this World Cup."

"I don't think we need to highlight the passion that we have for the game so for us, (bidding) combines all the important factors and provides joy and pride to our country."

The sole previous occasion that Africa hosted the World Cup was when the tournament was staged in South Africa in 2010.

El Amrani believes both his country and continent are ready to host football's flagship event once again.

"We want to celebrate the world and receive people in our country, showcase the beauty of our country, its diversity and also boost the social, economic and human development of our country and the continent."

On Thursday the rival bid, from USA, Canada and Mexico, revealed that there are 23 potential host cities within their bid, including NewYork/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Toronto and Mexico City.

Seventeen of the cities are in the United States and three each are in Canada and Mexico.

Source: bbc.com

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho said the £300m he has spent on his squad so far is "not enough", after their 2-2 draw with Burnley on Tuesday.

Jesse Lingard scored a late equaliser but United are 12 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City.

"We are in the second year of trying to rebuild a football team that you know is not one of the best teams in the world," said Mourinho.

He added: "Manchester City buy full-backs for the price of strikers."

Mourinho was appointed United boss in May 2016 and broke the world record that summer to sign £89m midfielder Paul Pogba. He also recruited £30m defender Eric Bailly, and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan for £26.3m.

This year, United spent £75m on striker Romelu Lukaku, as well as £31m on defender Victor Lindelof and £40m for midfielder Nemanja Matic.

Title rivals City, meanwhile, bought three defenders - Kyle Walker from Tottenham for an initial £45m, Benjamin Mendy from Monaco for £52m and Danilo from Real Madrid for £26.5m - as part of a summer outlay that topped £200m.

"[Spending £300m] is not enough," said Mourinho. "The price for the big clubs is different than for the other clubs. The big historical clubs are normally punished in the market because of that history.

"The boys are doing what they can and they are doing fine."

Mourinho was asked if eight points from the past five games was good enough for a club like United.

In his response he cited Italian giants AC Milan, who sit 11th in Serie A, and European champions Real Madrid, fourth in La Liga and 14 points behind leaders Barcelona.

"When you tell a club like Man Utd, do you think Milan is not as big as us? You think Real Madrid are not as big as we are?" said Mourinho.

"I know what a big club is. One thing is a big club and another thing is a big football team. They are two different things.

"When you speak about responsibilities to win the Premier League, Tottenham doesn't have that responsibility because they are not a club with the same history as us.

"Arsenal don't have the responsibility to win it. Chelsea don't have the responsibility to win it. When you speak about big football clubs, you are speaking about the history of the club."

Source: bbc.com

Chelsea were crowned Premier League champions as Michy Batshuayi's late goal gave them the victory they required to secure the title at West Brom.

It looked as though Antonio Conte's side might be forced to delay their celebrations as they were frustrated for long periods by the resilience and organisation of their hosts.

But the mood changed and the title was won with eight minutes left as substitute Batshuayi, who had previously endured a season of struggle after his £33m move from Marseille, ended a scrappy passage of play by steering a finish high past Ben Foster.

The final whistle sparked wild celebrations among Chelsea's fans, and manager Conte was tossed high into the air by his squad.

The Italian can now set his sights on emulating compatriot Carlo Ancelotti's 2010 feat of winning the league and domestic Double as the Blues prepare for an FA Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley on 27 May.

Chelsea worthy champions

Chelsea's celebrations were fully deserved - the culmination of a superb season's work by Conte and his squad.

They had to work hard for victory against a West Brom side that demonstrated all the qualities that have made this such a satisfactory season for them but, as so often, Chelsea got the job done.

The Blues' main attacking threats struggled to find a spark, with Eden Hazard's frustration summed up with one long-range shot that went out for a corner, but Conte's side found a way to win, illustrating once again why they are worthy champions.

The losses at home to Liverpool and at Arsenal in September that hinted at early struggles seemed an age away, as did the surprise defeat by struggling Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, and the setback at Manchester United.

Chelsea, even when not at their best, proved themselves the strongest and most complete side in the Premier League - and they proved it again on a night they were tested.

Conte's magic touch does it again

Conte's fingerprints are all over this title triumph - and his sure touch was on show again to fashion the victory they needed to get over the line with two games to spare.

The Italian knew his side needed a catalyst to break down West Brom, and it came with the introduction of Batshuayi and Willian for Hazard and Pedro with 15 minutes left.

Conte's masterstroke should have come as no surprise given the manner in which he has marshalled his forces, particularly the crucial switch to a three-man defence in September that turned Chelsea's season around and started a run of 13 straight league wins that led to the title.

No praise is too high for the 47-year-old, who took over a squad that looked broken after ending last season in 10th place and with the shadow of Jose Mourinho's sacking still hanging over the club.

This was his ultimate reward.

Batshuayi comes out of the shadows

Batshuayi has been a misfit for much of this season, but whatever the future holds for the 23-year-old Belgian, he will always have a goal that won the title to his name.

Before this game, he had only figured only 24 times, played for 579 minutes and scored five goals - his sixth makes its mark in Chelsea history.

The stats behind Chelsea's title win

• Chelsea won their sixth top-flight title and fifth in the Premier League era. Only Manchester United (13) have won more Premier League titles.
• Chelsea are the first club to win the English top-flight title on a Friday since Arsenal at Anfield in 1989.
• Conte is the fourth Italian manager to win the English top-flight title after Ancelotti, Roberto Mancini and Claudio Ranieri.
• Chelsea scored with their 23rd shot of the match at West Brom.
• A Belgian player has scored the title-deciding goal in each of the past three Premier League seasons (Batshuayi v West Brom in 2016-17, Eden Hazard v Tottenham in 2015-16 and v Crystal Palace in 2014-15).

What next?

Chelsea still have two games to play in their title-winning season. They host Watford on Monday (20:00 BST) before receiving the trophy in their final game against relegated Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, 21 May (15:00 BST). They then have the FA Cup final on 27 May.

West Brom travel to Manchester City on Tuesday, 16 May before finishing their season at Swansea the following Sunday (15:00 BST).

Source: bbc.com

Ghana's Andre Ayew surpassed his father's record by scoring the goal that beat Uganda 1-0 in their Group D match at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The West Ham winger slotted in a penalty on 32 minutes after captain Asamoah Gyan had been pulled back.

Ghana also threatened through two Gyan headers, while Ayew and Christian Atsu tested Uganda goalkeeper Denis Onyango.

Uganda came close when Faruku Miya hit the outside of a post but they could not force their way back into the game.

It was a disappointing return for Uganda, who are playing at their first Nations Cup since 1978 when they lost in the final to then-hosts Ghana.

The Cranes created few opportunities of note and struggled against the Black Stars, who were happy to defend their lead.

Ghana were far more positive in the first half, with Andre Ayew, his brother Jordan and Atsu posing a huge problem for the Uganda defence.

Andre Ayew should have scored from a great cut-back by Jordan, while Atsu relentlessly tormented defender Isaac Isinde, whose conceded a penalty by tugging back Gyan after losing control of the ball.

The spot-kick gave Andre Ayew his seventh Nations Cup finals goal - one more than the number scored by his father and legendary former Ghana captain, Abedi Pele. But he remains one African title behind his father, who lifted the trophy in 1982.

Ghana had a good chance to add a second late on when Atsu was clean through but his 12-yard drive was superbly saved by Onyango.

The only downside for Avram Grant's side was an injury to defender Baba Rahman, who was taken off with what looked like a hamstring injury after 39 minutes.

Ghana will next take on Mali on Saturday while Uganda will face record seven-time champions Egypt on the same day.

Source: bbc.com

Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world's best player at the inaugural Best Fifa Football Awards in Zurich.

Real Madrid and Portugal forward Ronaldo, 31, beat Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann to the prize.

Ronaldo also won the Ballon d'Or in December, with both honours recognition for success in the Champions League with Real and Euro 2016 with Portugal.

Carli Lloyd of the United States was named the world's best female player.

Leicester's Claudio Ranieri was named best men's coach, ex-Germany boss Silvia Neid won the female coach award, while Penang's Mohd Faiz Subri received the Puskas award for the best goal of 2016.

Hold on... haven't we already had the Ballon d'Or?

We have - but this is different.

For the past six years, the world's best player has received the Fifa Ballon d'Or award.

A version of that prize has been awarded by France Football magazine since 1956, but last year world football's governing body ended its association with that honour.

Instead, it introduced the Best Fifa Football Awards, with Ronaldo the first recipient of its main prize.

Voting for the player and coach categories was by national team captains and managers, selected journalists and, for the first time, an online poll of fans.

Each counted for 25% of the points.

2016 was quite the year for Ronaldo.

As well as scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout to win the Champions League, rescuing Real with a hat-trick in the final of the Club World Cup, captaining Portugal to Euro 2016 glory and being recognised with a fourth Ballon d'Or, he now has something Messi does not - the honour of being named best Fifa men's player.

The former Manchester United forward had been the favourite for the award, following a year in which he continued to deliver remarkable statistics. These included:

• 44 games, 42 goals, 14 assists.
• The third best minutes-per-goal rate (83.68) of anyone scoring a minimum of 10 goals across Europe's top five leagues during 2016, behind Luis Suarez (82.57) and Radamel Falcao (59.6)
• Finishing top scorer in the Champions League in 2015-16 with 16 goals, seven more than second-placed Robert Lewandowski.

Fifpro World XI

Despite being on the shortlist for best individual player, Griezmann did not make the best XI.

The line-up features five players from Real Madrid, four from Barcelona, one from Juventus (Dani Alves, who was at Barca for the first half of 2016) and one, Manuel Neuer, from Bayern Munich.

That means no Premier League players were included.

Source: bbc.com

Arsenal will face Bayern Munich once again while EPL defending champions, Leicester City, will play Sevilla. Manchester City, on the other hand, are up against Monaco in the Champions League last 16.

The Gunners have played the German champions four times in the previous five campaigns and finished behind them in the group stage last season.

The Foxes, in their debut campaign, will have a tougher test when they come against Europa League champions, Sevilla. Manchester City's opponents, Monaco, beat Tottenham twice in Group E this year.

One of the other standout ties of the round pits Barcelona against Paris St-Germain. En route to winning the Champions League title during the 2014-15 season, Barca beat PSG in the quarter-finals.

Current holders, Real Madrid, will face Italian side, Napoli.

(First legs will played on 14 & 15 and 21 & 22 February 2017; second legs to be played on 7 & 8 and 14 & 15 March)

Ronaldo of Real Madrid has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award for the fourth time.

Ronaldo, 31, helped Real Madrid win last season's Champions League also scored three goals for his country, Portugal to win Euro 2016.

This win adds to the titles he won in 2008, 2013 and 2014.

Ronaldo is now one behind Barcelona forward Messi, who received the honor in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.

The former Manchester United forward has scored 19 goals in 20 games for club and country this season to add to the 54 he got last season.x

Real Madrid Captain, Ramos, scored a stoppage-time equalizer to extend the team’s unbeaten start to the season and deny Barcelona victory in a bad-tempered El Clasico at Nou Camp.
Suarez's glancing header from Neymar's left-wing free-kick had put Barcelona ahead. However, in a wild ending, Ronaldo went close before Ramos headed home Modric's free-kick to earn a valuable point for Zinedine Zidane's La Liga leaders.
Real Madrid remains six points clear of defending champions Barca after 14 round of matches.

Chelsea's eighth consecutive Premier League win cemented their place at the top of the EPL table. However, the victory at Etihad Stadium ended in confusion as Manchester City's saw two of their players, Aguero and Fernandinho sent off in injury time.

Antonio Conte's side sent an impressive statement of intent as they cut City apart after halftime. Chelse went into the break a goal down as a result of Cahill's own goal on the stroke of half-time when he diverted Navas' simple cross beyond keeper Courtois.

The game turned on De Bruyne's 56th-minute miss when City were in control, crashing Navas' cross against the crossbar from inside the six-yard box.

Chelsea were level on the hour when Diego Costa outmuscled Otamendi to score. Chelsea went ahead 10 minutes later when substitute Willian raced clear to beat City keeper Bravo with ease.

Eden Hazard completed the magnificent performance and victory for Chelsea with another classic goal on the counter attack, showing too much pace for Kolarov to wrap up three valuable points for the team.

Chelsea remain top of the EPL table after coming from behind to inflict the first Premier League defeat of the season on Tottenham.

The Blues who were second best in the first half fell behind to Christian Eriksen's superb strike.

However, Pedro matched Eriksen goal with a timely curled equaliser just before halftime.

Victor Moses continued his brilliant recent by scoring the winner from close range after Costa played the ball across the face of the Tottenham’s goal. This goal which happens to be the winning goal leaves Chelsea a point above both Liverpool and Manchester City.

Spurs' miserable record at Stamford Bridge has therefore been extended to 30 games without a win since February 1990.

Former Germany player and soccer coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, has been fired as the coach of the United States men soccer team.

The 52-year-old, Klinsmann, who won the World Cup as a player with Germany in 1990, took over as US coach in the year 2011.

"We remain confident we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018," stated by Sunil Gulati, the US Soccer president.

The form and growth of the team have us convinced that we need to go in a different direction.

Klinsmann led the United States to the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after finishing above Portugal and Ghana in their group and just behind Germany.

But, USA has lost 2-1 at home to Mexico and 4-0 away to Costa Rica in their opening two world qualifying matches for the 2018 tournament which might be the reason behind his sacking.

The USA men soccer team remain pointless and bottom of the six-country qualifying group, below Panama, Honduras and Trinidad and Tobago, even though they are only a fifth of the way through the qualifying process.

Gulati also added that with the next qualifying matches coming in late March,  there are several months to redeploy and prepare.

There is, therefore, the need to decide the best way forward to guarantee a successful journey to qualify for our eighth successive World Cup," said by Gulati.

Klinsmann has previously been linked with the England job after big Sam Allardyce left his post in September.

Source: bbc.com

Diego Costa's tenth goal of the season moved Chelsea back to the top of the Premier League as their 6th straight win saw off Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium today.

After an even start of the game, Chelsea increased the heat and deservedly scored before the break when Costa responded fastest to score from a free ball inside the Boro box.

The Blues kept on making shots, Pedro going nearest when he smacked a rising drive against the crossbar.

Boro's most obvious opportunity came when Alvaro Negredo's 78th-minute volley was spared by the Chelsea goal keeper.

It was the only time the home side forced Blues keeper Thibaut Courtois into a great stop.

Chelsea soared Liverpool and Manchester City to go a point clear, while Boro stay one-point clear of the relegation zone in fifteenth place.

Conte masterstroke moves Chelsea back on top

After the arrival of previous Juventus and Italy coach Conte, many anticipated that would see a defensive approach by the Blues.

They were permeable in the opening two months of the season, losing 3-0 at Arsenal on 24 September.

From that point forward, the Blues have been invulnerable in the Premier League.

Conte made a strategic change to a 3-4-3 development for their next match at Hull - and they have won every one of the six matches since without conceding.

Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso have been impactful in their embraced wing-back roles, while Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta have looked stronged in a back three.

It has turned out to be a masterstroke by Conte. Also, it has helped the Blues move top of the table surprisingly since they were champions in May 2015.

The back-to-back games against Tottenham and Manchester City will be another measure of their late change.