Tottenham eye Isco swoop

Zinedine Zidane is not expecting any more signings this summer, but some players may still exit the club before the end of the transfer window on August 31, and Isco is one of the players considering leaving, with a Tottenham bid expected within the next few days. The midfielder has not seen a lot of playing time ever since Zidane took over, and with James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio the ones getting the share of the minutes against Celta Vigo on Saturday, all eyes have now turned to the ex-Malaga man. According to the Daily Mirror, Tottenham are preparing an offer for the sidelined player, though Isco has continously insisted that he wants to fight for a place in the Real Madrid starting XI. Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino considers the player a good fit and wants to incorporate him into the squad on a loan deal, though Chelsea are also said to be interested in the Spaniard's services.

Paco Alcacer passes Barcelona medical

Barcelona are one step closer to finalising the transfer of Paco Alcacer from Valencia after the player passed his medical on Monday morning. Having completed the tests at the club's Ciudad Deportiva, the forward's move is expected to be made official in the coming hours. The price tag for the 22-year-old is believed to be around 30 million euros, although it remains to be seen if Munir El Haddadi - who has also been considering a move to Celta Vigo - will move in the opposite direction as part of the transfer. Having been included in Julen Lopetegui's Spain squad, Alcacer is due to link up with his international teammates at their Las Rozas training centre in Madrid at 13:00 local time, but he will have asked permission to delay his arrival and should instead join them at a training session at 18:30.

Lewandowski grabs treble as six-goal Bayern rout Werder Bremen

Robert Lewandowski's hat-trick helped give coach Carlo Ancelotti a flying start to his first Bundesliga campaign as Bayern Munich cruised to an easy 6-0 win over a lacklustre Werder Bremen at the Allianz Arena on Friday. The champions went ahead with a stunning ninth-minute volley from Xabi Alonso before Poland striker Lewandowski opened his account four minutes later from a Franck Ribery through ball. Xabi Alonso scores the first goal of the season for Bayern Munich. Lewandowski then effectively put the game beyond Werder's reach one minute into the second half. Captain Philipp Lahm and Ribery made it 5-0 before Lewandowski completed his treble with a 77th-minute penalty, his second hat-trick of the season after he also notched one in the German Cup last week. Italian Ancelotti, who replaced new Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola at Bayern in the close season, said before the game that the Bavarians were aiming to win every competition this term. Alonso opened the scoring against an outclassed Werder team when the Spanish midfielder was given time to control the ball before smashing it into the top corner of the net from 20 metres. Ribery then cut the Werder defence wide open to set up Lewandowski's first goal of the night. Better finishing could have given the Pole his hat-trick before halftime. He failed to convert on the rebound after a 25-metre shot by Thomas Mueller hit the post and in the 38th minute his close-range effort struck the crossbar. Bayern have won the Bundesliga for the past four seasons and they showed no signs of easing up in the second half. Lewandowski made it 3-0 when he met Mueller's cross to prod the ball in from waist height. Lahm struck after a one-two with Mueller before Ribery, who was excellent throughout, also found the net. Lewandowski rounded off the scoring after Thiago was fouled from behind in the box.

Cillessen: "I'm not Ter Stegen's enemy"

New Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen has pledged to fight fellow goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for his place in the team after joining the La Liga champions from Ajax. The Netherlands international was presented at the Nou Camp on Friday after sealing his move on a five-year deal for 13 million euros ($14 million). Claudio Bravo, who moved to Manchester City on Thursday, played the club's league fixtures and Ter Stegen featured in the King's Cup and Champions League games after the pair joined Barca in 2014. Ter Stegen is expected to be Luis Enrique's first choice in La Liga and the Champions League. "The coach will decide but I'm going to make things tough for him," Cillessen told a news conference on Friday. "Together me and Marc have to try and keep the coach guessing. It will be different to at Ajax but I'm sure that Barcelona will gain a lot. "Marc is a great goalkeeper with marvellous qualities and I would like to be at the same level as him," added Cillessen on his new team mate and rival for the number one spot. "I've come here to make things difficult for the coach but I'm not Ter Stegen's enemy, we're friends. I know that it's going to be difficult to play here because there's a lot of competition." Cillessen is the fifth player to join Barcelona this summer, following Denis Suarez, Andre Gomes, Samuel Umtiti and Lucas Digne to the Nou Camp. Barca sporting director Robert Fernandez revealed the club have one target remaining before the transfer window closes on Aug. 31, Valencia forward Paco Alcacer. "It's Alcacer or no-one," Fernandez said on Friday. "He's a player that interests us a lot and we are working towards it." Barcelona confirmed that Brazilian full back Douglas had joined Sporting Gijon on loan for the season and midfielder and academy graduate Sergi Samper has moved to Granada on loan.

Cavani off target but PSG still ease past Metz

Paris St Germain eased to a 3-0 win over Metz in Ligue 1 on Sunday despite a miserable evening for Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani who missed a host of chances. Cavani, now PSG's main striker after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's departure to Manchester United, wasted half a dozen clear cut chances and the crowd lost patience with him and jeered him off the pitch at the end. Instead, it was left to Brazilian Lucas Moura to open the scoring for the title holders with a thumping finish seven minutes into the second half. The hosts then endured some nervous moments with goalkeeper Kevin Trapp making good saves from Renaud Cohade and Mevlut Erding before Lavyin Kurzawa headed in from a corner to extend their lead in the 67th minute. An own goal in added time by Jonathan Rivierez, who deflected Marco Verratti's shot into the net, completed the win for Unai Emery's side, who have six points from their opening two games alongside Olympique Lyonnais and Nice.

Bravo misses training ahead of Manchester City switch

After thrashing Real Betis 6-2 in their opening LaLiga fixture, Barcelona's players trained on Sunday morning with one notable exception, Claudio Bravo. Sporting director, Robert Fernandez, had already confirmed on Saturday that the club has reached "an agreement in principle" with Manchester City for Bravo's transfer, and with an announcement expected by Sunday evening it was decided not to risk any injury to the keeper which would scupper the deal. Bravo did attend the Ciudad Deportiva centre to say goodbye to his teammates before traveling to his new club, and the regard in which he is held by his contemporaries was clear. Luis Enrique led the session with the players that were available which included Suarez, Marlon, Kaptoum, Camera, Mujica and Carbonell from the B team. The team now enjoys two days off and will return to training on Wednesday, in a session that will begin at 9.30 am and will be closed to the media and general public.

Bale and Asensio, a Real pleasure

Real Madrid kicked off their 2016-17 La Liga season with an impressive 3-0 triumph over Real Sociedad on Sunday night at Anoeta. Gareth Bale got things going early for Los Blancos with a goal in the second minute, while Marco Asensio doubled the lead in the 40th minute, an advantage Real would maintain the rest of the way. Bale would then tally his second of the contest in the waning seconds to cap an excellent display to start the season. The performances of 20-year-old Asensio and the 23-year-old Álvaro Morata in attack offered a glimpse into Real's future. The duo played superbly; the two years in Turin at Juventus have made Morata a far more composed and skillful player, while Asensio also proved a threat and took his goal extremely well. If the Asensio/Morata/Bale trio is the future of Real, then things are surely looking bright at the Bernabéu. Manager Zinedine Zidane was without a slew of starters to start the domestic season, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Pepe and Keylor Navas all missing either through injury or suspension. But Real still had a healthy and ready Bale and the scorching form he produced at the end of the 2015-16 La Liga campaign was on full display in the opening seconds. Sergio Ramos played a nice cross-field pass to Dani Carvajal, who picked out the Welshman with a cross and Bale rose up to smack in a header past home goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli. Soon thereafter Rulli was called into action to block a shot from Toni Kroos, and then nearly saw his teammates draw level on the half-hour mark, but inexplicably Asier Illarramendi failed to pull the trigger when bearing down on Kiko Casilla's goal. Two exquisite then plays helped Real double the lead before the break, as Casemiro expertly lofted a long ball into Asensio and the young pup from Mallorca left Rulli flat-footed with a beautifully struck chip that softly dropped into the back of the net to make it 2-0. It was a frenzied start to the second half, with both teams having chances, including a Kroos volley that rang off the crossbar. The Basques looked to get back into the game, but Real kept the home side from pressing to far forward and the fresh legs of Lucas Vázquez, Isco and James off the bench made things tougher still for Eusebio Sacristán's men. But there was still plenty of work for the Real defence to do in the game's latter stages, and Casilla and Marcelo had to be alert to deny Mikel Oyarzabal late on. Things also turned chippy between the two, with Ramos, Marcelo and Vázquez engagimng in some pushing and shoving with Oyarzabal and Yuri, all the while Bale was sprawled out on the turf grimacing in pain with an apparent ankle injury. Fortunately for Zidane, the Welshman was eventually able to continue and he sealed the three points for the visitors with a goal in the final seconds to close out the 3-0 scoreline. Next for Real is their home opener on Saturday against Celta.

Higuain makes immediate impact in Juventus debut

Having only been on the pitch for nine minutes of his debut, Gonzalo Higuain struck Juventus' second in a 2-1 win over Fiorentina. After being dogged with criticism over his weight throughout pre-season, last year's Serie A topscorer took just three touches to silence his critics with a relatively simple tap in in a dominant display by the Scudetto holders. That goal came just five minutes after Nikola Kalinic had brought Fiorentina level completely against the run of play, following Sami Khedira's first half header. However, the win was no more than Juventus deserved given Paulo Sousa's men could only muster a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes. Things started on the wrong foot for Fiorentina as goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu passed the ball directly to Khedira, but the German put the ball over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area. Struggling to get out of their own half, Fiorentina were set upon by wave after wave of Juventus attack. Kwadwo Asamoah was next to have a go, but as with Juve's earlier opportunity his strike was off target. The breakthrough came just before the half-time, as Khedira got on the end of a Alex Sandro cross, and his powerful header was too much for Tatarusanu, who did manage to get a hand to it. Moments later Paulo Dybala's venomous effort from the 18-yard line flew just over the bar, before Alex Sandro fired wide from a tight angle. Fiorentina went in at half-time without having had a single shot on goal, and after the break it was more of the same with Mario Mandzukic having a header well saved by Tatarusanu. However, completely against the run of play, Kalinic got on the end of a Josip Ilicic corner to rise above Alex Sandro and head home. Parity didn't last long though, as Higuain bagged his first for Juventus. The Argentinian pounced just a yard from goal after Khedira's initial shot was blocked. Tatarusanu was back in action soon after with Mario Lemina's low drive being tipped round the post by the Romanian. The victory earned Juventus four consecutive wins over Fiorentina, the first time that has happened since 1997. Next up for Juventus is a trip to the Italian capital to take on Lazio, while Fiorentina face Chievo in Florence.

Fabregas on Juventus' radar

Signing N'Golo Kante has given Chelsea another option in midfield this season, but it has also called into question the future of Cesc Fabregas, who is now interesting Juventus. After only making the bench in the Blues' first Premier League game of the season against West Ham on Monday, the British media began to speculate over whether the Spain midfielder has a long-term future under new boss Antonio Conte. According to the former Italy coach, however, Fabregas has not kicked up a fuss about the situation, while claiming everything could change. "I'm happy with his attitude," the coach said. "I know I am at a big club with many good players, but I have to choose eleven for each game. "This time I made the decision to leave him out, but that could change next time." Other clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have been credited with an interest in the 29-year-old, but following the sale of Paul Pogba to Manchester United, another midfielder could be needed in Turin

Mourinho meets with Mario Balotelli but Man Utd move not on the cards

The Red Devils boss has been in contact with the want-away Reds striker to offer advice and open doors for a possible move away from Anfield Mario Balotelli has met with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho in his quest to find a move away from Liverpool, but a move to Old Trafford was not proposed as part of the encounter. Balotelli is on the lookout for a move after the expiry of an unsuccessful season-long loan move to former club AC Milan in 2015-16, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp keen to offload the striker. And the 26-year-old has now called upon his former Inter boss Mourinho to offer guidance and use his vast array of contacts to widen his net as he looks to cut ties with the Merseyside club two years on from his £16 million transfer. The Italy international’s career has hit a sticky patch since his arrival at Anfield, with a difficult first season in 2014-15 seeing him net just four goals in 28 appearances as Liverpool struggled to back up their impressive form of the previous campaign. Balotelli was then loaned to Milan for the following season but groin surgery kept him out of action for three months and he managed only three goals in 23 games back at San Siro. The former Mancheter City has been linked with a number of clubs in his native Italy as well as Turkish outfit Besiktas, with Chievo president Luca Campedelli recently backing the controversial front man amid transfer rumours: “Dreaming does not cost anything. I like Balotelli, the player can hardly be questioned. Yet, I also like the guy. I think too many times he has ended up at gunpoint.” But Klopp insists he will not let the likes of Balotelli and Crystal Palace target Christian Benteke leave on the cheap. “Having six strikers is a little bit too comfortable I would say, but if anyone thinks that because we have more than one striker we will make presents for other clubs, that’s the biggest misunderstanding in world football,” said the German.

New season, but Wenger & Arsenal return with the same old problems

From their makeshift centre-back pairing to Arsene Wenger's tactical shortcomings, Gunners fans at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday had seen it all before Brand new season, same old problems for Arsenal. When Granit Xhaka was signed for £35 million at the start of the summer transfer window, Gunners fans were rightly excited by what was expected to follow. Instead, Arsene Wenger’s side came into their opening game of the season relying on an inexperienced, unproven centre-back pairing they had never fielded in the Premier League before. While transfers will be the main talking point in the aftermath of Arsenal’s dismal defeat to Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp's tactical victory over the league’s longest-serving manager should not be overlooked. Klopp and his assistant Zeljko Buvac spent much of the match pacing up and down the technical area, screaming instructions at their players and encouraging them to challenge Arsenal’s young defenders. Shkodran Mustafi is expected to sign for the Gunners in the coming days as a reaction to the injuries suffered by Per Mertesacker and Gabriel, but the 24-year-old's arrival might not be enough. Several first-team players, including Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny, were absent for the visit of Klopp’s men and that is the excuse Wenger will undoubtedly look to when he is asked to explain the defeat. Arsenal once again showed character and spirit to bring the score back to 4-3 with 13 minutes to go, but it was typical of them in that the improvement only arrived after they had made life much harder for themselves than they needed to. Liverpool are the first team to score four goals at the Emirates Stadium since Chelsea in 2009 and Philippe Coutinho orchestrated most of the scintillating football Klopp’s men played, scoring two goals. The 19 passes leading up to his second goal plus Sadio Mane’s unchallenged run into the Arsenal box for Liverpool's fourth were lessons in sharp, purposeful football. Both teams came into the game off the back of impressive pre-season results, but Liverpool's 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona now looks much more significant than Arsenal's victory over Manchester City. Chants of "spend some f****** money" directed at Wenger by a large section of the home supporters are nothing new. Arsenal's failure to buy an outfield player in last summer's transfer window arguably cost them the Premier League title and it must be put right in what remains of the current transfer window if they are to compete with their improved domestic rivals. This season's title race is set to be more competitive than ever, with at least six teams in with a legitimate chance, and unless Wenger invests in at least two top-class players in the coming weeks the Gunners will be left behind. Beyond the transfer problem, several other questions will be asked by Arsenal fans after this match. Why did Theo Walcott step up to take the penalty when the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey were on the pitch? How is Joel Campbell not even deserving of a place on the bench despite having such a fantastic pre-season? Was it the correct decision to start 20-year-old Rob Holding, a youngster who has never played a Premier League game, when Nacho Monreal is able to fill in at centre-back? There are a few positives for Wenger to take, of course; Walcott's goal may be the tonic he needed to kick-start his season and return to scoring form, while the introduction of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the second half showed exactly why he should be given a place in the starting XI. They will be overshadowed, though, by a full-time score which many fans will see as another damning indictment of the club's current regime. Not for the first time, boos were heard at the final whistle. It was an almost predictable performance from an Arsenal side who should have been ambitious enough to have already secured the reinforcements needed to mount a genuine challenge to win the Premier League this season. Wenger still has time to buy, and the hope will be that this result is enough of a wake-up call to spur him into action. For now, Arsenal have returned with the same old problems.

Reina slams press over Barcelona links

Following rumours of a move to Barcelona this summer, Pepe Reina has reacted angrily, insisting he has never thought about anything other than the season ahead at Napoli. The goalkeeping situation at the Camp Nou is complicated, with Claudio Bravo seemingly all set to join Pep Guardiola's Manchester City after demanding to leave if not guaranteed the No. 1 spot this term. As a result, the club are in the market for someone to create competition for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and while Reina and Valencia's Diego Alves have been linked, the former La Masia product has denied anything is in the offing. "I have not asked to go anywhere, enough with the lies," he said on Twitter. "I'm preparing for Sunday, is that clear? Forza Napoli!" New City boss Guardiola may have sparked a goalkeeping merry-go-round by telling Joe Hart has no future in his plans at the Etihad Stadium.

Kaka: AC Milan will return to the top of world football

The Brazilian star won the Ballon d'Or during his stint at San Siro but says the club have to go step by step back to the summit - just like Juventus once did It has been a difficult period for AC Milan but club icon Kaka is confident the struggling Italian giants will return to the top of world football. Kaka enjoyed his best football in Milan, leading the way as the club won Serie A, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup glory in his first spell at San Siro from 2003 to 2009. The World Cup winner - who returned to Milan in 2013-14 after a four-year stint with Real Madrid - also claimed the 2007 Ballon d'Or thanks to his exploits with the 18-time Italian champions. However, Milan have declined badly since winning the Scudetto in 2011, having gone from runners-up in 2012, to third, eighth, 10th and seventh last season. It is a situation that hurts Kaka but the 34-year-old - now captain of MLS outfit Orlando City - has backed Milan to work their way back into contention under Vincenzo Montella. "I had very good moments there, I saw Milan at the top of the world, and to see the team like this now, it's sad," Kaka told Omnisport. "They're still a big club with a great history. Of course the history doesn't go on the field but when you have history like this, it is just a period, so they can come back and be the best in the world. "I think in a few years we will see Milan fighting for the Champions League again and winning Serie A. I'm sure Milan can do this again." Kaka played his second spell at Milan under Clarence Seedorf, but turmoil has never been far away in the intervening period, with Filippo Inzaghi, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Cristian Brocchi all taking the reins since. With reported long-term coaching target Montella now in place, as well as potential investment from a Chinese consortium, Kaka believes it could be a winning combination. "I think he [Montella] is the man. It's not easy. I don't know how the Chinese will handle it but I think they will make some changes," Kaka continued. "I hope these changes will take Milan to the top again." Montella arrived in Milan after a forgettable 2015-16 season, which saw the club finish seventh, ending the campaign 34 points adrift of five-time defending champions Juventus. And if Milan want to return to the summit of Italian and world football, Kaka believes his former team must take a leaf out of Juve's book. The Turin powerhouse bounced back from second-tier football in 2007, rebuilding from the ground up to eventually dominate Serie A. "In my opinion, Milan have to understand that in this moment they have to go step by step," he added as Milan prepare to open their league campaign at home to Torino on Sunday. "The first step will be qualifying for Europe again and playing Europa League and Champions League, because the favourites again are Juventus. They are doing very well and have a very good team. "We saw Juve playing Serie B a few years ago and they took advantage of that to build the team again and build a new stadium. After that, they made the Champions League final and they have continued to win Serie A. It's a good example for Italian teams to follow."

Real Madrid lose Benzema for LaLiga opener

Injury will keep Karim Benzema out of first-team action for Real Madrid's LaLiga curtain-raiser against Real Sociedad, despite the Frenchman making positive steps towards recovery. The Frenchman is targeting a gradual comeback, after missing out on Zinedine Zidane's squad for the Trofeo Bernabeu match, as Los Blancos look to avoid the ex-Lyon forward aggravating a hip injury. Given how close it is to the match against Real Sociedad is, Benzema will miss out on even being chosen in the travelling squad. Hip problems are a continuing issue for the player, who is slowly going through his treatment at the club with time running against him, with Real Madrid not wanting to risk one of their star men. Benzema is preferring to take his time over his recovery, rather than rushing back to aggravate the problem once again as he did at the tail end of last season. Similarly, Zidane is aware of the importance of the Frenchman for his forward line, but is prepared to wait in order to be able to unleash him at his very best.

Paul Pogba reveals new Manchester United inspired hairstyle

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has taken to social media to showcase his latest outlandish hairstyle, as he prepares to make his second debut for the Red Devils this weekend. The France international, who re-joined United in a record-breaking deal from Juventus earlier this summer, has become well known for unusual choice of hairstyles and regularly updates his fans on any changes. The 23-year-old, who has had poke balls, minions and musical notes styled into his hair in recent seasons, has now had his hair dyed in the colours of the Old Trafford club. Paul Pogba's new hairstyle features a lightning bolt along the side of his head Paul Pogba's new hairstyle features a lightning bolt along the side of his head Pogba has also had a lightning bolt etched onto the side of his head as he continues to prepare for his first match back in the Premier League against Southampton on Friday. The former Juventus man also posted this message to his fans: "New hair, new jersey, new season." Pogba has revealed a new Manchester United-inspired hairstyle ahead of his second debut at the club Pogba has revealed a new Manchester United-inspired hairstyle ahead of his second debut at the club The midfielder was suspended for United's 3-1 victory against Bournemouth last weekend but is expected to start against the Saints at Old Trafford. Pogba is the latest in a number of Manchester United players to renowned for their hairstyles, following the likes of David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, who both made hair-related headlines for various reasons in the past.

Real Madrid showing James Rodriguez the exit

James Rodriguez's future at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu is on a knife-edge, with coach Zinedine Zidane and other members of the Real Madrid hierarchy telling the player to try his luck elsewhere, as the current situation is unsustainable. Though the Colombian playmaker wants to remain at the club, few have confidence that the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner can turn things around, an unconvincing pre-season not improving his case for more playing time. It may be a bitter end to his Madridista spell for Rodriguez who arrived amidst so much promise, leaving Monaco and enjoying a first season in which flashes of brilliance seemed to leave encouraging signs of what was to come. Instead, a second season saw him fall out of favour with Rafa Benitez and then Zinedine Zidane, unable to build on the glimpses he had shown initially. Competition for playing time will only increase if Rodriguez does decide to stay, with a budding Marco Asensio seriously contending for the few minutes the Colombian would be given. It is more and more clear Zidane trusts Lucas Vazquez, Asensio, and even Isco far more, leaving Rodriguez far lower in the pecking order than a player of his talent and creativity deserves. Los Blancos are looking to recover the 75 million euros paid for the attacking midfielder in July of 2014, and have already told the player's agent Jorge Mendes to start considering other options for the player.

Teen arrested after goalkeeper attacked on pitch in Sweden

A masked fan ran onto the pitch, attacked a goalkeeper and said he had left a bomb in the stands of a top flight Swedish soccer match on Monday, forcing the game to be abandoned in the final minute. Police arrested a 17-year-old after the incident at the clash between Jonkoping Sodra and Ostersund, whose keeper Aly Keita was chased and knocked down before a security guard wrestled his attacker to the ground. "I am shocked and angry. It is awful that something like this could happen," the 29-year-old goalkeeper told reporters, adding he had been struck on the temple. The youth told police he had left a bomb in the stands, but a search yielded nothing suspicious. "He is under arrest, we have informed the prosecutor of the arrest and interviews will be conducted with him about the suspected breaches of the law," Jonkoping police commander Peter Nordengard told reporters. Referee Jonas Eriksson abandoned the match in the 90th minute with the score tied at 1-1. A statement from the Swedish FA said the match would not be restarted and that its disciplinary committee would decide if result should stand, or if away side Ostersund should be awarded a 3-0 victory if Jonkoping are found to have failed in their duty of care as match arrangers to ensure security.

Bolt: Real Madrid is my team because of Cristiano Ronaldo

Sealing a seventh gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games on Sunday night, Usain Bolt confessed afterwards that his love for Real Madrid originates with superstar winger Cristiano Ronaldo. Many comparisons can be drawn between the two iconic athletes, but not even the Los Blancos attacker is able to call upon the universal acclaim that sprinter Bolt has received over the years. "Real Madrid [is my team], of course," the Jamaican told Cadena COPE, "I like them because of Cristiano Ronaldo." A time of 9.80 seconds won Bolt his third-straight Olympic 100m sprint final, and the 29-year-old was grateful for another incredible moment in his career. "It is very important to me," he added, "I feel very proud and very happy. "It is an honour and I would like to thank everyone for their support, and with your help I can continue to do well." In targeting the triple-triple, Bolt will compete in the 200m and 4x100m relay events to look for his eighth and ninth gold medals in Rio de Janeiro.

Manchester City reach agreement with Bravo

Claudio Bravo looks set to join coach Pep Guardiola at Manchester City after Barcelona finally agreed to a deal worth 16 million euros for the 33-year-old goalkeeper. An injury to Barcelona's new No. 1 Marc-Andre ter Stegen looked as though it may halt a potential move initially, with Luis Enrique less inclined to sell Bravo in those circumstances, but the Premier League club's persistence has prevailed. The Chilean international joins City for 16 million with a potential four million euros in add-ons. With Joe Hart already losing his place in Guardiola's starting eleven for the league opener at the weekend, the England goalkeeper may now go on loan to Everton.

Early bird Bolt coasts into 200m semis

Usain Bolt roused a quiet morning at the Olympic stadium as only he can on Tuesday, remaining firmly on course for his historic 'triple triple' by coasting through the 200 metres heats in 20.28 seconds. Racing in the ninth heat and cheered every step of the way by the sparse but vocal crowd, the Jamaican led coming off the bend and was able to take his foot off the gas to progress comfortably to Wednesday's semi-finals. Bolt secured the 100 metres title on Sunday to take another step on the path to an unprecedented third successive sweep of all three Olympic sprint titles -- 100, 200 and 4x100 metres. The Jamaican considers the 200 his specialist event and has promised to mount a Rio assault on his 1999 world record of 19.19, but that will have to wait for the final. "I've recovered but I'm a bit tired," Bolt told reporters. "I'm not really a morning person, I just came out here to qualify and that's what I did. I get nervous because it's my favourite event and I don't want to lose. I'll be much better tomorrow." The man most likely to beat him, Justin Gatlin, also had no problems getting through, even if he coasted through the final 20 metres to win his heat in a relatively pedestrian 20.42. The American said he had already moved on from the disappointment of being beaten once again at a major championship by Bolt after winning silver in the 100. "I'm been motivated since the day I got here and I'll be motivated until that last shot across the line," said the 34-year-old. "I'm in a whole different event now, I have to take my 100 metres hat off and concentrate on the 200. It's not even about time at this stage, it's about execution." His compatriot LaShawn Merritt is the fastest man this year over the half-lap and he showed no signs of fatigue from winning a bronze medal in the 400 metres on Sunday, a strong finish carrying him to victory in heat eight in 20.15. Canada's Andre de Gasse, bronze medallist in the 100, ran the quickest time of the session, clocking 20.09 to cross first in the final heat. Bolt's compatriot Yohan Blake, who finished fourth in the 100 on Sunday, was third on the timesheets, easing up over the last 10 metres to finish in 20.13. "I'm really feeling comfortable," said Blake. "My chances are really good, I been training really hard and I'm feeling more speed and strength." American Ameer Webb had to sweat it out to qualify on time after finishing third in the same heat, which was won by Bruno Hortelano in a Spanish record time of 20.12, but his 20.31 ultimately proved quick enough to keep him in the competition.

Cesc Fabregas could move to Real Madrid

Rumours are flying about Cesc Fabregas's future at Chelsea after he was left on the bench against West Ham, with Real Madrid being a hot favourite to snap him up for between 20 and 25 million euros. The Spain international, who played 49 games last season with the Blues and scored six goals, does not appear to have impressed new coach Antonio Conte, which could lead to a move back to Spain. Los Blancos' interest in the 29-year-old is not new although last time he chose to join their fierce rivals Barcelona for 34m euros in 2011 before being sold for 33m euros in 2014 to the London club then led by Jose Mourinho. If they finally get their man, Cesc will become the 29th player to have signed for both Real and the Catalans, joining a formidable list including Michael Laudrup, Luis Enrique, Gheorghe Hagi and Javier Saviola, who was the last.

Mustafi finally trains amid Arsenal speculation

Both Nani and Shkodran Mustafi are being put through their pre-season paces for Valencia, despite the media touting that the latter is close to a move to Arsenal. The duo took to the field on Tuesday morning, after suffering from their own respective knocks which required a precautionary break from training, having worked indoors to try and get back up to full strength. The German international is already back using a ball, after being given a few exercises to work on, with time on his side in terms of recovering for Los Che's opening LaLiga fixture against Las Palmas - if he hasn't been sold by then. Nani is suspended for the opening day of the league season, but is working to be fit for their second game, against Eibar at Estadio Municipal de Ipurua on August 26. Valencia have also employed a psychologist to help their first-team squad, with Jose Carrascosa having top-level experience in his field, who checked into the training ground for the first time on Tuesday.

Guardiola gets off to storming start in Europe

In completely outclassing Steaua Bucharest in Romania to virtually seal their place in this year's group stage, Pep Guardiola could not have hoped for an easier Champions League debut with Manchester City. Prior to kick off all the talk was surrounding Guardiola's decision to drop Joe Hart to the bench and Yaya Toure missing out on the squad again but by full time attention had shifted to the manner in which City ruthlessly took apart their Eastern European opponents. The margin of victory could have been greater had Sergio Aguero not missed twice from the penalty spot either side of David Silva's goal but the Argentinian striker more than made amends with a hat-trick, scoring once before half-time and twice after Nolito had opened his account for the club. REUTERS City had found going difficult in their opening Premier League fixture against Sunderland but were quickly out of the blocks in Romania. A rejuvenated Raheem Sterling earned the first penalty which Aguero saw saved and then played a part in David Silva's opener as City ran circles around their inferior opponents. AFP Aguero blazed over a second penalty before finally finding the net from the edge of the penalty area, and soon after the break, summer signing Nolito added a third when he latched onto Kevin de Bruyne's perfectly weighted pass to round the goalkeeper. In the closing stages, the Argentine completed his eighth Manchester City hat-trick with two smart finishes and effectively ended the contest a week before the second leg in Manchester. There will certainly be tougher tests ahead for Guardiola's City but the early signs of their attacking prowess will send a warning shot to the rest of the competition.

Real Madrid handle Reims in Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu

Real Madrid emerged victorious in their final tune-up before the start of the La Liga season with a 5-3 victory over Stade de Reims in the Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night in Madrid. While Real did show at times that they are prepped and ready for the season's start, manager Zinedine Zidane will have been left concerned by some of the defensive lapses suffered by his club, notably in the second half. Nevertheless, there were positives for Zidane to take home, especially the play of youngsters Mariano and son Enzo Zidane. Much to the surprise of everyone, it was Reims who struck first as Pablo Chavarria opened the scoring in the seventh minute on the French side's first chance of the match. However, three minutes later Real were back on level terms 1-1 through a Nacho header off a Toni Kroos corner kick. The chances continued to pour down for Real, with Bale, Alvaro Morata, Nacho and James all with good looks at goal. Finally the second goal came, and again via a corner but instead it was Ramos who breached the Reims defence. Like so many times before in his career, The Andalusian centre-back rose above everyone and spun in a header to hand Real a 2-1 lead. It was then only fitting that the first half ended with Morata heading in a Marcelo cross to increase the lead to 3-1: Three goals, all coming via headers for Los Blancos in the first 45 minutes. Much like last season's Trofeo Santiago Bernabeu, a narrow 2-1 win over Turkish side Galatasaray, Reims were intent on keeping things close, and a Real side clearly with their heads back in the half-time dressing room were caught by surprise when Remi Oudin cut the lead to 3-2 just three minutes into the second stanza. If not for Casilla, Reims could well have tied it up shortly after the Oudin score. Real were lacking in intensity and the Frenchmen were more than happy to take advantage of the time and space they were afforded. The two-goal lead would be restored though, as Danilo found James with a cross from the right, and the Colombian's second effort at goal found the back of the net to make it a 4-2 affair on the hour. Real had a number of chances to stretch it to a three-goal advantage, but back Reims came and once again exposed the Real defence when Grejohn Kyei slipped in to score with 20 minutes left. But minutes after having a goal disallowed by being inches offside, Mariano struck for Real's fifth in the 80th minute after a spectacular chipped pass in from Mateo Kovacic to wrap up the scoring at 5-3. Next up for Real is their La Liga season opener on Sunday in San Sebastian versus Real Sociedad.