Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has denied claims that he played a part in Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain.

Barca announced last week that their greatest ever player would not be staying on at Camp Nou, despite agreeing terms for a new contract.

Messi s 21-year association with the Catalan giants formally came to an end on Tuesday when putting pen to paper on an initial two-year deal with PSG.

Barca president Joan Laporta insists the club did all that they possibly could to keep hold of the Argentina captain, but financial and structural obstacles stood in the way.

However, ex-Espai Barca Commission member Juame Llopis claimed this week Laporta was convinced by CEO Ferran Reverter and Madrid chief Perez to let the forward l…

Serbia striker Marko Pantelic has criticised Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin for stalling on his contract negotiations after his recent bust-up with their Swiss coach Lucien Favre.

Hot-shot Pantelic was dropped for a Bundesliga game a fortnight ago after missing a training session without permission and says his deteriorating relationship with Favre is affecting the contract negotiations.

I am sick to the back teeth of this hide-and-seek game which goes on behind my back, the 30-year-old told German tabloid Bild.

Pantelic claims he has had no communication with Hertha s bosses and wants to know where he stands with his contract set to expire next summer.

If they don t want me, one of the club s bosses should come to me and say: your rate is too high fo…

Mid-table West Ham welcome high-flying Tottenham Hotspur to Upton Park on Monday, looking to turn around a form slump.

Mid-table West Ham welcome high-flying Tottenham Hotspur to Upton Park on Monday, looking to turn around a form slump.

Sam Allardyce s men have lost three of their past four conceding 10 goals across the three outs to fall to 11th in the table.

By contrast, Spurs have not lost a league match in 10, with their last defeat coming when they were denied by two very late goals away to Everton.

Andre Villas-Boas men have plenty to play for in their final 12 matches of the season, as they sit fourth on 48 points occupying a Champions League qualifying spot as it stands.

West Ham right-back Joey O Brien looks like he will be charged wi…

Tottenham have strengthened their goalkeeping options amid Hugo Lloris injury with the signing of Espanyol goalkeeper Pau Lopez on a season-long loan.

Lloris suffered a hamstring injury on the opening day of the Premier League season against Everton and has been sidelined since, leaving Michel Vorm as their only senior goalkeeper.

Vorm, who replaced Lloris at Goodison Park, has started both matches since, keeping a clean sheet in th 1-0 win over Crystal Palace and making crucial saves in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool.

He will have competition for the starting spot from Lopez, though, after he agreed a deal for the 2016-17 campaign.

Lopez rose through the ranks at Espanyol and made his LaLiga debut in 2014, the 21-year-old going on to make 48 first-team ap…

Barcelona and Brazil forward Neymar is being heavily linked with a move to Manchester United

Rather strange speculation began last week about a potential move to Manchester United for Brazilian superstar Neymar.

The forward missed Barcelona’s opening La Liga 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao, as former-Liverpool star Luis Suarez grabbed the only goal of the game.

His absence was not suspicious though, as he has only just returned to full training after recovering from mumps.

However rumours continue to do the rounds that Neymar could move on this summer, with United mooted as a possible destination.

Quiet

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique yesterday refused to talk about the speculation, telling press: It doesn t interest me to talk about rumours, no…

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang insists he loves Arsenal and is fully committed to the club amid speculation he wants to leave.

The striker has been linked to sides including Barcelona and Inter as he enters the final 18 months on his Gunners contract.

However, Aubameyang, who has scored 15 goals in all competitions this season, is adamant he wants to help Arsenal return to the top of English football under new head coach Mikel Arteta.

I really hope that you were proud of us after the [Manchester] United game,  Aubameyang wrote in the matchday programme for Monday s FA Cup clash with Leeds United, referring to last weekend s 2-0 Premier League victory over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s side.

I’m sure you can see what we re trying to do on the pitch, that you can …

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has had surgery on a meniscus injury, the club have confirmed.

Initial reports in Spain suggest the centre-back could be out of action for up to two months after the operation on his left knee.

That would mean Ramos is almost certain to miss both legs of the Champions League last-16 tie with Atalanta and the derby with LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid on March 7.

The 34-year-old has been out since playing the full 90 minutes of their 2-1 loss to Athletic Bilbao in the Supercopa de Espana on January 14.

In his absence, Zinedine Zidane s side suffered a humiliating Copa del Rey exit to Alcoyano and lost 2-1 to Levante in LaLiga after beating Deportivo Alaves 4-1.

In all competitions in 2020-21 prior to Saturday s meeti…

Maidstone manager George Elokobi says he has watched Sam Corne’s FA Cup third-round winner more times than he has seen clips of Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.

Elokobi is bidding to make further history with the National League South side this weekend after guiding them into the fourth round of the competition for the first time since the club reformed in 1992.

The sixth-tier Stones – the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition – travel to Sky Bet Championship high-fliers Ipswich on Saturday lunchtime after Corne’s decisive penalty set up a 1-0 success over League One Stevenage.

The road to the fourth round, style

Can they continue their magical cup run with a win at Ipswich on Saturday?

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) …

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has explained the reasoning behind the decision to sack Thomas Tuchel, which stemmed from the lack of a shared vision .

The Blues caused a stir last week with the dismissal of their Champions League winning coach, which followed defeats to Dinamo Zagreb, Southampton and Leeds United.

Tuchel s exit was particularly surprising given the plethora of transfer activity in the transfer window, which saw the likes of Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brought to Stamford Bridge.

Just a week after the close of the window, however, Tuchel was gone and swiftly replaced by Graham Potter, who has impressed in his time with Brighton and Hove Albion.

While the decision to sack Tuchel just a month into the season may b…

Uli Hoeness says Bayern Munich have experienced an insane season after defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 to win the Champions League.

Mario Mandzukic and Arjen Robben scored to end Bayern s wait for a first European Cup triumph since 2001, having lost to Inter Milan and Chelsea in 2010 and 2012 respectively.

And club president Hoeness was swift to pay tribute to the exploits of the club this season, given their opportunity to complete a treble of domestic honours by winning the DFB-Pokal next Saturday.

For Bayern Munich, it is an incredible story. We have now won this European title after 12 years, he told reporters after the match.

The championship was fantastic, but the pinnacle is still the Champions League. We have finally recovered. Thus, this season…