Kaka motivated to reach Russia

Being a global superstar like Neymar means you are never far from the headlines and Paris Saint-Germain s audacious move for the Brazil star has thrust him even more into the limelight.

It was a training-ground bust-up with new Barcelona team-mate Nelson Semedo that set the internet and social media abuzz on Friday, though, and has only exacerbated rumours that the silky forward is France bound.

But, in fairness, Neymar is not the first player to engage in a scuffle with a team-mate and below we assess six other instances of skirmishes on the training ground.

Robinho Thomas Gravesen

Remember when Gravesen played for Real Madrid? That was bizarre…but Robinho felt the full force of the great Dane during a pre-season training camp in Austria leading to an …

Manchester United have finalised the appointment of Dan Ashworth as their new sporting director, having reached an agreement with his former club Newcastle United.

Ashworth told Newcastle he wished to move to Old Trafford in February and was placed on gardening leave as the two clubs sought to do a deal.

Ashworth – who has formerly held roles with the Football Association and Brighton and Hove Albion – was reportedly willing to take Newcastle to court to force a move, but a deal has now been struck for him to join United s revamped setup.

United are entering their first pre-season under the Jim Ratcliffe regime, after the INEOS founder was given full control of football operations upon purchasing a 25% stake from the deeply unpopular Glazer family last year.<…

In a recent interview over in Denmark, Andreas Christensen s father revealed that if his son isn t given more playing time between now and Christmas, they could look into the possibility of him leaving the club. He also stated that they aren t interested in going out on loan again, which happened when he went off to Germany in order to play for Borussia Monchengladbach.

The 22 year old has been with the Blues since 2012, but has fallen into the trap of being given enough consistent time in the first team. He featured much more regularly last season for the Blues, but after having a taste of the good life so to speak, he has fallen back down the ranks once again under Maurizio Sarri.

The competition for places at Stamford Bridge is as intense as it has been in quite some…

He is a PGA Tour winner, but it could have been a lot different had American rookie Xander Schauffele followed a different path.

Born into a family of athletes, Schauffele was surrounded by footballers and had a ball at his feet growing up.

His father, Stefan – a German-French immigrant – was a talented player, whose grandfathers also played football in Europe.

Stefan brought his son s talents to the United States, where a young Xander s passion for football developed.

That was until Schauffele was absorbed by a little white ball and the nature of golf.

It was simply the team aspect to an individual sport, the 23-year-old told Omnisport.  I loved playing soccer as a kid. 

We lost a tournament and I played a perfect game to my stand…

Newcastle United captain Fabricio Collocini has penned a new one-year deal with the club, according .

The centre-back, who has been at St James’ Park since 2008, had been linked with a move to Crystal Palace in recent weeks and has not featured for Steve McClaren’s side at all during preseason.

However, he has now committed himself to the North East club until the end of the 2016/17 campaign.

In seven years, the Argentina international has racked up almost two hundred and fifty appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals.

He was part of the squads that were relegated to the Championship in 2009, and then promoted straight back to the top flight twelve months later.

He has been capped thirty-nine times for his country, scoring his …

So, the Jose Mourinho era at Manchester United has come to an end and perhaps too has the Portuguese s association with the Premier League.

The Red Devils opted on Tuesday to part ways with Mourinho, with United 19 points adrift of leaders Liverpool following a 3-1 defeat at their fierce rivals on Sunday, which left them sixth.

Mourinho s tenure at Old Trafford has been teetering on a cliff edge pretty much all season, a situation not helped by United s dismal Premier League performances.

But off-the-field issues have not helped his cause either amid reports of clashes with key players, most notably star midfielder Paul Pogba.

Pogba is not the first player to get on the wrong side of Mourinho and we have reviewed some of the former Real Madrid and Inter…

Mexico began their World Cup 2018 qualification campaign with a routine 3-0 victory over El Salvador at the Estadio Azteca on Friday.

Andres Guardado opened the scoring after seven minutes with a perfectly executed free-kick before Hector Herrera doubled the hosts advantage moments before the interval.

The creative midfielder s lofted pass towards Javier Hernandez was missed by striker and El Salvador goalkeeper Henry Hernandez and ended up nestling in the bottom corner.

Carlos Vela wrapped up all three points on the hour-mark as he collected Jesus Corona s slipped pass to chip in his 15th international goal.

Mexico took the game to their opponents from the first whistle as captain Guardado opened the scoring with a superb set-piece strike, curling his ef…

Eden Hazard was Real Madrid s unlikely Copa del Rey matchwinner as the 10-man LaLiga leaders rallied to a 2-1 win at Elche in extra time.

Madrid have lifted the Copa only twice this century and looked highly unlikely to improve that record when Marcelo was sent off and Gonzalo Verdu capitalised from the subsequent free-kick in the 103rd minute.

Carlo Ancelotti s men had been awful to that point but staged a stunning recovery courtesy of goals from two substitutes.

Isco levelled with 12 minutes to play, teeing up Hazard – much maligned at the Santiago Bernabeu – to race away and net a decisive second, stunning poor Elche, who were contentiously denied their own equaliser and then had Pere Milla dismissed.

Elche must have feared they would be made to p…

Quique Sanchez Flores believes Watford are laying the foundations for a strong Premier League future as they prepare to host Tottenham on Monday.
 
The Spaniard s team have impressed upon their return to the top flight and occupy seventh place, just three points adrift of Mauricio Pochettino s side in fourth.
 
Saturday s 2-2 draw against Chelsea ended Watford s four-match winning streak, but Tottenham will travel to Vicarage Road to face the Premier League s form side, who have taken 13 points from their last 15 available.
 
Key to Watford s strong form this term has been a series of resilient showings on home turf, where they have conceded just six goals in nine games.
 
Odion Ighalo – who set a new club record by netting in a fifth straight Premier League match at Chels…

Messi happy to stay at home until the end / Image via cbssports.com

Arguing that tax fraud charges may urge Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona is simply poor judgment.

The 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or winner is synonymous with Barcelona, with the club’s philosophy and values that are embedded in their mutual DNA to ever think about leaving.

It has nothing to do with whether he may do it somewhere else, on a cold winter’s night in Stoke in example, it has to do with the fact that the Argentine star thinks of Barcelona as his home and leaving home has never been an option for him.

Several European giant have been hoping for some time that they would be able to convince Messi to join them, placing their trust in the tax evasion scandal to ruin Messi’s desire …