Guirassy joins Dortmund after sensational season with Stuttgart

Maurizio Sarri believes Ross Barkley has transformed into the complete  midfielder after his starring role in Chelsea s thumping 4-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday.

Barkley created Alvaro Morata s opener with a deft pass before scoring in his third consecutive Premier League game after 52 minutes to double Chelsea s advantage.

Willian and Ruben Loftus-Cheek added gloss to the scoreline as the Blues extended their unbeaten start to the season to 10 games and move up to second, two points behind leaders Liverpool.

Alongside Eden Hazard – who missed the victory over the Clarets with a back problem – former Everton man Barkley has been instrumental in the Blues  fine start to the season, much to the delight of Sarri.

He s doing very well in t…

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has confirmed he is retiring from football at the age of 40.

The former Ivory Coast striker featured for Phoenix Rising in the 2018 United Soccer League (USL) season but will not play on.

Rising, for whom Drogba is a co-owner, lost to Louisville City in the USL Cup final earlier this month, which proved his final match.

Drogba earlier indicated this would be his final year as a professional and the two-time African Footballer of the Year announced his decision on Wednesday.

After 20 years, I have decided to put an end to my playing career, he told BBC World Service s Sportshour.

It s the best way to end, helping some young talent to develop.

To give something back to the game was the best way to finish as …

Javier Mascherano has accepted that his time at Barcelona is drawing to a close and he is eager to learn from his Liverpool exit in order to depart Camp Nou on good terms.

The Argentinian joined Barca from Liverpool in 2010 and has gone on to enjoy immense success in Spain, winning the Champions League twice, LaLiga four times and four Copa del Rey titles.

He also successfully adapted to a new role at centre-back after originally being signed as a defensive midfielder.

But at 33 years of age and featuring less frequently under Ernesto Valverde this season even when fit, Mascherano – whose contract expires in 2019 – is aware that his time in Catalonia is running out.

200 Javier Mascherano is the 4th Non-Spanish player to reach 200 apps for Barcelona i…

Lionel Messi sparkled as Barcelona saw off Levante 5-0 on Sunday to restore their three-point lead at the top of LaLiga.

Messi set up Luis Suarez for the opening goal before scoring a hat-trick as Ernesto Valverde s side made amends for their shock 5-4 defeat at Ciutat de Valencia last May.

The 31-year-old has now scored 50 goals for club and country eight times over the last nine calendar years and he helped round off the rout by setting up Gerard Pique for the fifth two minutes from time.

Barca s third straight LaLiga win put daylight between them, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid after 16 matches.

Levante were 2-1 up at half-time of this fixture last season and they caused Barca problems from the off once again, with Emmanuel Boateng, scorer of a hat-trick …

AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe will coach England in the future, according to Newcastle United counterpart Steve McClaren.

Howe, 37, is one of the game s brightest young talents after remarkably guiding minnows Bournemouth to the Premier League last season.

Bournemouth were languishing in League Two in 2009 when Howe 31 at the time took over at Dean Court and the former defender has since gone on to steer the club into England s top flight.

As expected, his work has not gone unnoticed, with former England manager McClaren backing his countryman to follow in his footsteps and lead the national team.

How he has got Bournemouth up, he has done a fantastic job, and he has got the potential to be a future England manager if he keeps going the way he is, M…

Xavi has told Barcelona to treat the Clasico against Real Madrid on Wednesday as a potential turning point as he prepares to hand Ferran Torres a debut.

The semi-final of the Supercopa de Espana takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and comes in a season when Madrid have been lording it over their great rivals.

Madrid sit top of LaLiga, a distant 17 points clear of sixth-placed Barcelona, and Carlo Ancelotti s team are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Barcelona must survive a nightmarishly difficult play-off against Napoli just to reach the last 16 of the Europa League, having flopped in the Champions League group stages.

Any trophy would be welcome at Camp Nou just now, and Barcelona could yet return from Saudi Arabia with silverwar…

Guus Hiddink has urged the Chelsea squad to look in the mirror as they attempt to transform their faltering season.

Dutchman Hiddink was speaking in his first media conference since being appointed until the end of the season following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea beat fellow strugglers Sunderland on Saturday to move up to 15th in the Premier League table but remain just three points above the relegation zone.

Their appalling title defence led to Mourinho s departure and Hiddink, who led Chelsea to FA Cup success during an interim spell in 2009, believes the players should be analysing where it has gone wrong.

He said: On Tuesday I talked fully to the squad and of course we talked a little bit about the past and the reasons why I am here and why …

The latest edition of the Deloitte Football Money League has confirmed the Premier League s status as the cash cow of the game, with 17 of the 20 clubs from the English top flight making the top 30. 

Manchester United had to settle for third spot behind Real Madrid (first, €577 million/£439m) and Barcelona (second, €560.8m/£426.6m), but they remain the highest revenue-generating club from the Premier League, earning €519.5m (£395.2m) over 2014-15 and seemingly destined to catch their Spanish rivals in the not too distant future.

Despite a reduction in revenue year-on-year, the fact that Manchester United remain in the top three of the Money League demonstrates the underlying strength of the club’s business model,  Tim Bridge, senior manager at Deloitte, sai…

Arsenal arrested a run of three consecutive Premier League defeats as Arsene Wenger racked up his 700th win as manager in a 3-0 victory over Watford.

Losses against Tottenham, Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion had formed part of a run of five defeats in six matches in all competitions, before a 2-0 Europa League win at AC Milan on Thursday lifted spirits.

Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny were rested ahead of this week s return leg against the Rossoneri but Shkodran Mustafi s eighth-minute opener had Arsenal swiftly on the front foot.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doubled the Gunners’ advantage in the second half, before Troy Deeney – who accused Arsenal lacking cojones  after scoring a penalty in a 2-1 win for Watford in the reverse fixture in Octob…

Switzerland are prepared to spring a surprise on Neymar and Brazil in Sunday s World Cup clash in Rostov, according to Philippe Senderos.

The 2018 favourites begin their campaign against Vladimir Petkovic s side, who have only suffered one defeat since exiting Euro 2016 at the last-16 stage after a penalty shoot-out loss to Poland.

Tite s men are still expected to claim all three points, having won 12 and lost only one of their 18 World Cup qualifying matches, while also claiming four victories from four in 2018 without conceding a goal.

Senderos, though, says Switzerland could repeat their 2010 exploits, where he was part of the side that beat eventual winners Spain 1-0 in their opening fixture.

E Based on our World Cup predictor, Opta give Brazil (79.8%…