Golden Soccer 360

FIFA president Gianni Infantino says referees will have the power to abandon matches at the World Cup if there are incidents of racism. There are fears the tournament in Russia, starting next Thursday, could be dogged by discrimination after historic problems in the country. England defender Danny Rose has told his family not to travel to avoid being abused, with his manager Gareth Southgate backing the Tottenham player on Wednesday. Infantino says there are measures in place should anything occur during matches and has warned of "serious consequences" if there are such issues. He said: "I wouldn't say that we are concerned about discrimination, human rights and security but we take them very seriously, We have taken appropriate measure in the preparation process. "We will have clear procedures in place, including a three-step process for referees who can stop, suspend or even abandon a match in case of discrimination. "We have a monitoring ...

Roberto Firmino has described Sergio Ramos as "an idiot" for his comments following the Champions League final. The Real Madrid captain criticised Loris Karius, Mohamed Salah and Firmino himself in the days after the match which Real won 3-1 to secure a third successive Champions League crown. Ramos said Salah instigated the tussle between the players which led to the Egyptian forward being forced off with a shoulder injury during the first half and that he could have played on. He then said: "I am only missing Roberto Firmino saying he got a cold because a drop of my sweat landed on him." But speaking ahead of Brazil's game against Austria on Sunday, Firmino responded, saying: "I prefer not to make any comments. "I think he has a view because he was the champion but I thought he was an idiot for what he said but that's okay. via Sky Sports

Roberto Firmino says Brazil team-mate Alisson would be a welcome signing at Liverpool and admits the pair have joked with each other about playing together at Anfield. The Reds have been heavily linked with a summer move for the Roma goalkeeper, who came up against Firmino in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Sky Sports News understands Liverpool attempted to sign Alisson earlier in the season and Firmino believes the 25-year-old would be a good addition to Jurgen Klopp's squad. "Sometimes I talk to him about it and have a joke with him, saying 'you should come to Liverpool'," said Firmino. "His agent is sorting his future but it wouldn't be a bad thing to have him here at Liverpool." Firmino is likely to be playing against another Brazilian team-mate in Fred next season after the Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder agreed a deal to join Manchester United this week. "He's is in the next room to me, he is my next rival but I con...

England defender Danny Rose has opened up about battling depression that was triggered by a lengthy injury lay-off and personal tragedy in his family. Rose was sidelined for more than eight and a half months last year with a knee complaint, during which time his uncle committed suicide among a series of personal incidents. The 27-year-old sought medical treatment for his condition, which he has previously kept silent about, although he insists he is in a positive place ahead of this month's World Cup. He told several national newspapers: "It's no secret that I've been through a testing time at Tottenham this season, which led to me seeing a psychologist, and I was diagnosed with depression, which nobody knows about, and I had to get away from Tottenham. "I was on medication for a few months - again, nobody knows about that apart from my agent - but I'm off the medication now, I'm good now. "Nobody knows this either, but my uncle killed ...

Mesut Ozil is struggling to be fit for the start of Germany's World Cup campaign. The German Football Federation has confirmed the Arsenal playmaker is suffering from a bruised knee sustained in the warm-up game against Austria last Saturday. Ozil opened the scoring in the 2-1 defeat before being taken off after 76 minutes. He has been training alone and missed Germany's media day on Tuesday. Ozil is also still suffering with a lingering back problem that caused him to miss four of Arsenal's matches in May. The 29-year-old is expected to miss Germany's final warm-up match with Saudi Arabia in Leverkusen on Friday and he has less than a fortnight to prove his fitness to Joachim Low ahead of Germany's Group F opener against Mexico on June 17. The defending champions then face Sweden on June 23 followed by South Korea on June 27. Germany are second-favourites to win the tournament behind Brazil. via Sky Sports

The Premier League may be in its off-season break but there will be little rest this summer for the country's leading managers. With the challenges to come in the 2018/19 season already at the forefront of their minds, they will have a busy few weeks ahead, preparing and plotting how their team can improve on the previous campaign. All this week, we will be taking a look at what the top managers will be mulling over while their players are away on holiday or at the World Cup. Next up is Unai Emery, the new Arsenal head coach. After 21 pre-seasons to prepare for at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has passed on the baton, and now it is time for Emery to make his mark. New job, new surroundings Like any new workplace, Emery needs time to acclimatise. In the two weeks since the Spaniard was unveiled, he will have shaken hands with more people than he can remember, but as the new face of this transitionary period, he will be eager to hit the ground running. One matter which needs ...

Gareth Southgate has admitted Jordan Henderson and Eric Dier could be fighting over one place in England's World Cup side. Both midfielders have captained the side during his reign and, of Southgate's 16 games in charge, Dier has started 12 and Henderson has started nine. But Southgate's desire to play with two attacking options in central midfield - roles filled by Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli in the weekend win over Nigeria - means either Henderson or Dier may miss out on a starting berth. Dier played the anchoring role at Wembley, while Henderson is expected to start in Thursday's farewell friendly against Costa Rica at Elland Road, but decision time is looming for the Group G opener against Tunisia. "I'd be amazed if the two of them aren't important figures for us during the tournament, but there is clearly the possibility they might not both play in every match," said Southgate. "It is a key decision, but that's management, is...

Rangers will complete the season-long loan signing of Liverpool youngster Ovie Ejaria later today, Sky Sports News understands. The 20-year-old is also understood to have signed a new contract with the Reds ahead of joining Liverpool legend Steve Gerrard in his new role as Gers manager. Ejaria is a product of the Liverpool youth academy, where Gerrard was a coach before moving to Ibrox, and he made eight first-team appearances during the 2016-17 season, including five starts in the FA and League Cups. The midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at Sunderland, who were relegated from the Championship, making 11 appearances for the Black Cats and scoring against Wolves on May 6. Ejaria is an England U21 international, earning his first cap earlier this year, and was part of last year's U20 World Cup-winning side. via Sky Sports

Aston Villa owner Tony Xia has broken his silence after the club's future was plunged into doubt following a missed tax payment. Sky Sports News  understands Villa have reached an agreement with HMRC to pay £1.2million by the end of the week, which is around half of the money it owes in unpaid tax. But the club needs to find £40m to comply with Financial Fair Play rules after failing to win promotion back to the Premier League. Chief executive Keith Wyness has been suspended amid reports he fell out with Xia and the Villa owner, who is battling to keep the club out of the hands of administrators, took to social media on Thursday. He tweeted: "It has been very difficult 2 weeks as I hinted earlier I was almost heartbroken by something. Tried my best to keep beloved AV move forward. Thanks for all ppl standing together going through the difficult time. It was all supporters' encouraging words to keep me/us stronger." SSN were officially told Aston Villa i...

Argentina have cancelled their planned friendly against Israel in Jerusalem, the Israeli embassy confirmed on Tuesday. Jorge Sampaoli's side were due to face Israel at the Teddy Stadium on Saturday in their final warm-up match for the World Cup in Russia. However, the Israeli embassy has confirmed that the match has been called off, citing threats to Argentina captain Lionel Messi. "The Israeli embassy laments to announce the suspension of the match between Israel and Argentina planned for next Saturday June 9, as a prelude to the game for the World Cup in Russia," read a statement. "Argentina and the state of Israel, close for 70 years, are not in a football match." The Argentine FA has faced pressure to cancel the match in the wake of the recent violence which followed the opening of the new United States embassy in Jerusalem. Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain, who has won 70 caps for Argentina, confirmed the cancellation on Tuesday. "They...

Willian admits he found it difficult not starting games for Chelsea, but says he respects the manager Antonio Conte. The Brazil midfielder was voted the club's players' player of the season, however, he was left out of the starting line-up for last month's 1-0 FA Cup final win over Manchester United. It was the fourth time in Chelsea's last five games that he had been on the bench. Speaking at Tottenham's training ground, where Brazil are preparing for the World Cup, he said: "I was happy with my performance during the season, I played very well I always try to do my best and work hard." "Sometimes to stay on the bench is difficult but I respect the decision of the manager. I think it was that I don't have nothing more to say about my club because now I want to have focus here on the national team and the World Cup." In May,  Sky Sports News  reported that Willian wanted to leave Stamford Bridge if Conte remained as head coach. ...

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne believes Raheem Sterling has been subjected to unfair criticism and insists his club team-mate is a "very good guy". Sterling courted controversy earlier this month when he was pictured with a tattoo of a gun on his leg after arriving late to England's World Cup training camp at St George's Park. The 23-year-old apologised to his England team-mates for his late arrival and was backed by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate over his tattoo, after explaining its "deeper meaning". Sterling insists his preparation for the World Cup has been unaffected by the incidents and De Bruyne believes his club team-mate is placed under unfair scrutiny while away on international duty. "Raheem is an unbelievable player," said De Bruyne. "When he plays for England I don't know what happens but there is always criticism about Raheem and I don't know why. "He's a very good guy, he's one of...

England's Danny Rose has revealed his family will not be travelling to Russia for the World cup over fears they will be racially abused. FIFA fined Russia's football union £22,000 for racist chanting aimed at France players during a game in March. France's 3-1 friendly win was played at one of the World Cup venues - the Krestovsky Stadium in St Petersburg. Tottenham defender Rose told the Evening Standard: "I'm not worried for myself, but I've told my family I don't want them going out there because of racism and anything else that may happen. "I don't want to be worrying when I'm trying to prepare for games for my family's safety. If anything ­happens to me, it wouldn't affect me like it would if my family had been abused. "I'm fine with whatever may or may not happen, and I like to think I'll be able to deal with it in the right way. "My dad's really upset. I could hear it in his voice. He said he ...

Usain Bolt played 20 minutes for Norwegian team Stromsgodset in a friendly against Norway U19s on Tuesday. The world's fastest man, who retired from athletics last year, has openly discussed a desire to play professional football, stating in 2016 that his dream was to play for Manchester United. The Jamaican will play at Old Trafford at Soccer Aid this weekend. Bolt wore the number 9.58 for Stromsgodset - the time of his 100-metre world record set in 2009 - as the team lost 1-0. The 31-year-old was a late substitute and, reportedly, was given the best chance of the game to equalise. Former Borussia Dortmund head coach Peter Stoger said earlier this year that Bolt has "a lot of work to do" to become a top-level footballer, after he trained with the Bundesliga side. "The physique he needs for his other sport is completely different from what he needs for football, but it was really fun for us. It was a pleasure for us to meet a guy like him and to work...

Aston Villa are facing the most important week in their 144-year history as owner Dr Tony Xia fights to keep the club out of the hands of administrators. Huge investment in player wages and more than £70million in transfers in just two seasons has left the club facing an HMRC winding-up order, with the prospect of administration a real possibility. Officially,  Sky Sports News  has been told the club is not for sale and that Dr Xia's financial problems are the result of cash-flow issues in China. However,  SSN  understands the owner, who has been in China since the play-off final defeat, is attempting to attract new investors to share the burden, and would be prepared to cut his losses and sell the club for the right price. Members of the executive board will meet on Wednesday to consider how to solve the club's financial crisis and discuss how to raise the funds needed to pay the £2m outstanding tax bill, which could prompt a winding-up order with...

FIFA has been criticised for prioritising commercial gain over eliminating racism from football by the chair of anti-discrimination group Kick It Out. The world governing body fined England £16,000 after a young England player used an energy drink which was not that of the official sponsor at last year's Under-20 World Cup. The sanction was £6,000 less than Russia's fine for the racist abuse of France's black players during a friendly in March. Kick It Out chair Lord Herman Ouseley said: "This incident is just another example of why there is little confidence in FIFA to respond robustly to incidents of discrimination at the World Cup this summer. "Pitiful fines have no lasting effect on discriminatory behaviour in football, and the fact that for racist abuse the Russian Football Union were fined just £6,000 less than England were for drinking the wrong energy drink, merely demonstrates where the priorities of FIFA lie - in commercial gain rather than el...

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been given a two-match ban, one of which is suspended for one season, for improper conduct following his dismissal in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool in April. UEFA has also fined Liverpool €20,000 (£17,500) following incidents in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in April, including an attack on the Manchester City team bus as it arrived at Anfield. Liverpool were fined a total of £7,900 for setting off fireworks in the second leg with City and the second leg of the semi-final at Roma. Their main punishment was for the setting off of fireworks, throwing of objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances, UEFA said. The Reds, runners-up in the tournament as Real Madrid won a 13th title in Kiev last month, condemned the "completely unacceptable" behaviour of supporters who damaged the City bus prior to the tie at Anfield. European football's governing body h...

Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius suffered concussion during the Champions League final, doctors in the United States have confirmed. Karius underwent scans at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and medical staff believe the concussion sustained during the final affected his performance in Kiev. A statement on the hospital's website read: "After carefully reviewing game film and integrating a detailed history - including his reported present and immediate post-contact subjective symptoms - physical examination and objective metrics, we have concluded that Mr. Karius sustained a concussion during the match May 26, 2018. "At the time of our evaluation, Mr. Karius's principal residual symptoms and objective signs suggested that visual spatial dysfunction existed and likely occurred immediately following the event. "Additional symptomatic and objectively noted areas of dysfunction also persisted. It could be possible that such deficits would affe...

Jordan Pickford has been given the England No 1 shirt for this summer’s World Cup in Russia after England officially submitted their 23-man squad to FIFA. The Everton goalkeeper looks set to be Gareth Southgate's first choice in Russia rather than Jack Butland and Nick Pope, who have been given the No 13 and 23 jerseys respectively. Pickford played the full 90 minutes in England's 2-1 win over Nigeria at Wembley on Saturday in what was just his third England senior cap. England captain Harry Kane will wear the No 9 shirt having worn No 10 for Tottenham this season. Raheem Sterling has been given the number 10 jersey while Dele Alli sticks with his Spurs squad number of 20. Uncapped Trent-Alexander Arnold has been handed the number 22 shirt and will be hoping to make his England debut in their final warm-up match against Costa Rica at Elland Road on Thursday. England's World Cup opener is against Tunisia on June 18 in Volgograd. England World Cup squad n...

Diogo Dalot will have a medical at Manchester United this week ahead of move from FC Porto, according to Sky sources. Jose Mourinho has been in the market for a right-back and looks set to land Dalot after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee for the 19-year-old. Dalot, who is understood to have a €20m (£17.4m) release clause in his contract, made his first-team Porto debut in February, and is now set to leave the Estadio Dragao to link up with compatriot and former Porto boss Mourinho. The defender played out of position for Porto at left-back in the Champions League knockout stages against Liverpool earlier this season. He is a product of Porto's academy and won the U17 Euros with Portugal in 2016. Manchester United are also closing in on the signing of Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred who had his medical in Manchester on Monday, ahead of the completion of a £50m transfer. via Sky Sports

Stephan Lichtsteiner has admitted talks over a potential move to Arsenal are still ongoing with his deal at Juventus expiring this month. Sky Sports News  understands Arsenal are in talks with right-back Lichtsteiner over a contract with the 34-year-old expected to become a free agent when he ends his seven-year spell with the Serie A champions. But reports a deal is done for the Swiss to join the Gunners has been dismissed by Lichtsteiner. He told reporters: "Nothing is finished yet. "I cannot comment on the negotiations. "As long as nothing is completed, that is always interesting in football. I think we all know that." New Gunners boss Unai Emery is understood to be a long-term admirer of the player, who could become his first signing since succeeding Arsene Wenger. Lichtsteiner is set to captain Switzerland at the World Cup and take his international caps to over 100. He has won seven Serie A titles, four Coppa Italias and three Italian Super ...

Manchester City winger Leroy Sane has been surprisingly omitted from Germany's final 23-man World Cup squad. Sane was a key member of a City side who won the Premier League title with a record 100 points and was named the PFA Young Player of the Year. But Joachim Low left out the 22-year-old when he named his final 23-man squad for Russia 2018 on Monday morning. There were places for Sane's City team-mate Ilkay Gundogan, Arsenal's Mesut Ozil and Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger. Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been given the No 1 jersey and will also captain the side. Neuer had been sidelined since September with a metatarsal injury but made his return in the 2-1 defeat by Austria at the weekend. Sane, who scored 10 goals and provided 15 assists in 28 games for City during the season, was one of four players who failed to make the final cut, along with Bernd Leno, Jonathan Tah and Nils Petersen. Asked about Sane's omission, Low said: "It was...