Barcelona bid for Dutch goalkeeper

Holders Atletico Madrid will look to gain a healthy advantage in their Copa del Rey last-16 first leg with Segunda B outfit Sant Andreu.

Diego Simone s charges who defeated city rivals Real Madrid 2-1 after extra time in last season s final head into the match as overwhelming favourites following a superb start to their Liga campaign.

Atletico have lost just once all season, and sit joint top with reigning champions Barcelona after 15 games.

Their latest success came in a 2-0 triumph at Elche last Saturday, a result that followed a 7-0 demolition of Getafe at Vicente Calderon.

If, as expected, Atletico come through the encounter against their third-tier opponents, a quarter-final tie with Gimnastic or Valencia will await.

La Liga leaders Barcelona have won…

that Bayern Munich and Arsenal are among the clubs keeping close tabs on Hoffenheim winger Kevin Volland.

The 21-year-old joined the Bundesliga side in the summer of 2011 from 1860 Munchen and has since impressed at the biggest stage.

After netting 6 league goals in his first season at the club, Volland has already registered 7 goals this term, and has in turn impressed the visiting scouts.

As a result, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are all believed to be keen, although they have yet to make their interest concrete.

Volland has a contract until June 2017 and is valued at £12 million, with the asking price unlikely to put off any of his suitors.

Hoffenheim did well to hold mighty Borussia Dortmund to a 2-2 draw…

EA Sports has revealed the 10 highest-rated players on FIFA 20 ahead of the game s release later this month, with Lionel Messi back on top after Cristiano Ronaldo ranked first last year.

Messi enjoyed another stellar campaign for Barcelona in 2018-19, scoring 36 goals in 34 LaLiga matches, inspiring the club s title defence and run to the Champions League semi-finals.

Ronaldo s first season at Juventus – who will be known as Piemonte Calcio on FIFA 20 – went as smoothly as might have been expected, with the forward finishing as the club s top-scorer as they claimed an eighth successive Scudetto, though that was not enough to retain his crown as FIFA s highest-rated player.

Neither Ronaldo nor Messi were able to win the Champions League, however, with that hon…

Manchester City want to tie Raheem Sterling down to a new long-term contract but manager Pep Guardiola concedes he is unsure over whether the England international will agree terms.

Gabriel Jesus became the latest of City s key players to commit his future to the Premier League champions on Friday, penning a renewed deal through until June 2023.

During their triumphant campaign last season, Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Fernandinho, Nicolas Otamendi and Ederson all signed fresh terms.

Sterling is yet to join that quintet despite scoring 23 goals in all competitions in 2017-18 for City, although talks have taken place with the 23-year-old s representatives as he enters the penultimate season of his current contract.

The 23-year-old will not feature against…

(GSM) Carlo Ancelotti believes Tottenham will be challenging for the Premier League title next season. Ancelotti is preparing his Chelsea team for a trip to White Hart Lane.

Spurs are looking for a top-four finish and Ancelotti realizes that Spurs motivation to reserve a Champions League spot could harm Chelsea s bid to increase their title chances.

And Ancelotti, realizing Spurs current position and their potential strength, has tipped them to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League crown next season.

Harry Redknapp is doing a very good job at Tottenham, said the Italian.

He did a very good job winning the FA Cup in 2008 at Portsmouth.

Tottenham haven t played with continuity, but have played football with very good quality.