Top referee and former movie star Howard Webb admits he will be happy to let the world s top players steal the limelight when he officiates the Spain versus Switzerland clash at the World Cup.
The 38-year-old from Rotherham, south Yorkshire, has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2005 and the former policeman regularly keeps law and order amongst the top stars of England s Premier League.
Webb will referee Euro 2008 winners Spain in the Group H match against the Swiss in Durban on June 16 and he admits there is some relief that there will be no cameras watching his every move, as there were two years ago.
For Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, Belgian documentary makers recorded the referees every move in the film The Referees , which highlighted the often than…
Juventus continued to lose ground in their pursuit of Serie A leaders Inter Milan after a 2-2 draw with struggling Verona registered a fourth match without a win.
They had to come from behind twice to take a point that leaves them nine points adrift of their rivals and they should have done better with several late chances.
Verona made the brighter start and they were rewarded with a stunning strike by Michael Folorunsho in the 12th minute.
FT | | It ends in a draw at the Bentegodi.
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen)
Tomas Suslov’s corner was headed clear by Adrien Rabiot but the ball only reached Folorunsho just outside the area and the Italian midfielder let rip with a screaming volley off his left foot.
The shot flew into the top left c…
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.
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that Manchester United have ruled out a January move for Romelu Lukaku but could pursue the Everton forward in the summer.
No player has scored more Premier League goals than the Belgium international this season while he has twelve in his last twelve games in all competitions.
He has made no secret of his desire to play Champions League football and despite United’s lack of consistency this season they would provide him with a better chance of playing at that level than the Toffees.
The twenty-two-year-old moved to Goodison Park, initially on loan in the summer of 2013 before signing for the Merseyside outfit on a permanent basis a year later.
In total, he has made one hundred and five appearances in all competitions for Roberto Martinez’s sid…
Flamengo director of sport Carlos Noval denied AC Milan have reached a deal to sign star Lucas Paqueta, though he believes a transfer could be finalised in two weeks .
According to reports, Serie A side Milan have agreed a €35million deal to sign Brazilian attacking midfielder Paqueta in January.
The 21-year-old – with two Brazil caps to his name after making his Flamengo debut in 2016 – has also been linked with Liverpool, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Noval, however, said Paqueta s proposed switch to Milan was not completed yet.
It s not a done deal with Milan yet and we prefer to talk only when things are done and dusted, Noval told Tuttomercatoweb.
We are talking. Negotiations are on-going, but as far as we are concerned, they are…
Market: Spain win
Odds:
Enjoying a brilliant start to life under Luis Enrique, Spain will look to carry on their impressive run of form when they host Gareth Southgate s England side on Monday night.
Starting with Luis Enrique s side, while the former World Champions may have struggled out in Russia over the summer, Spain appear to be enjoying a new lease of life under the former Barcelona boss. Putting four past Wales over the weekend, Spain have now won their last three on the bounce and have scored 12 in that winning run. Also picking up a 2-1 win over England at Wembley last month, one man to watch will be forward Paco Alcaer. The Borussia Dortmund forward scored twice against Ryan Giggs side last time out and now has nine in his last six for club and cou…
Juventus registered a first win in five Serie A games as Daniele Rugani’s stoppage-time finish secured a 3-2 victory over strugglers Frosinone at the Allianz Stadium.
In an eventful first half, Juve took an early lead through Dusan Vlahovic before the visitors made a stunning reply, going in front themselves via Walid Cheddira’s header and a Marco Brescianini strike.
Vlahovic then brought things back level in the 32nd minute to take him to nine Serie A goals in seven appearances since the turn of the year, and 15 for the season.
FT | | Victory at home!
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen)
It subsequently looked set to be another frustrating outing for Massimiliano Allegri’s men as they failed to add to that through the second half until Rugani …
Declan Rice and Said Benrahma were both on target as West Ham won their second successive Europa League fixture, beating Rapid Vienna 2-0 at the London Stadium.
Andriy Yarmolenko and Michail Antonio combined well to set Rice up for a simple, close-range finish in the 29th minute and Benrahma added gloss to the scoreline deep into stoppage time, though the Hammers could have won by an even greater margin.
West Ham manager David Moyes, who made seven changes to the team that snatched a late 2-1 win against Leeds United in the Premier League, saw his men dominate an out-of-sorts Rapid.
The victory sees the London club sit on top of Group H, three points clear of Dinamo Zagreb and Genk.
West Ham started brightly and struck the woodwork twice inside the ope…
Great player, difficult person
Manchester City’s Craig Bellamy is certainly a very strange character. He seems to have fallen out with just about everyone he has ever met yet he is captain of his country, has fifty-eight international caps and has been transferred for a combined total of around £40 million.
Poppins
He once made Alan Shearer, nicknamed Mary Poppins because of his squeaky clean image, say that he wanted to “Knock Bellamy’s block off!”
He had a public argument with first team coach at Newcastle, John Carver, that led to him throwing a chair at him. He then had a very public argument with manager Graeme Souness when he went on television to say that Souness was a liar.
Attacked
When at Liverpool it was alleged that Bel…
The English Football Association (FA) have contacted the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) over the row between Portsmouth and Genoa concerning the transfer of Kevin-Prince Boateng.
The Ghana international joined the Italians from Portsmouth in August and was promptly loaned out to AC Milan, but Pompey claim they are yet to receive any of the agreed five million pounds (5.87 million euros) transfer fee.
Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou said Genoa missed the transfer s first instalment, which was due two weeks ago.
We ve been listening to excuses. We ve had enough, said Andronikou, whose club have debts of over 120 million pounds.
We complained last week on the 15th and got a response saying: Sorry, we mistook your bank details . A week later…