CR7 Rescues Point Juventus at Atalanta

Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to score a late equaliser as 10-man Juventus salvaged a 2-2 draw at Atalanta on Wednesday to move nine points clear of Napoli at the top of Serie A.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli visit third-placed Inter Milan later in the day, though, with the chance to cut the gap to the reigning champions.

SEE THIS: Top 10 Premier League Stars of 2018

 Skysports reviews the performances of the English Premier League’s top 10 performers in this report.

10. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)

Crystal Palace would have surely been relegated without the brilliant performances of the talismanic Zaha in the second half of last season. The Ivorian is arguably the best player outside of the Premier League’s top six.

JUST IN : Nigeria wins African Women Champion for 9th time

The match ended goalless at regulation time and had to be stretched into 30-minutes of extra time.

Still goalless after added time, the game had to be dragged into penalty shoot out.

L.Messi unsure of possible World Cup outcome.

Lionel Messi has conceded that Argentina cannot be considered among the World Cup favourites, but has predicted that this summer’s tournament will be a very even competition.

The 30-year-old is the undoubted star player in La Albiceleste’s 23-man squad for Russia 2018, as they look to go one better than four years ago when losing in the final.

Jim Ratcliffe offers Roman Abramovich £2bn for Chelsea.

Jim Ratcliffe, Britain's richest man, has approached Roman Abramovich to discuss buying Chelsea Football Club after the Russian billionaire’s future in Britain was thrown into doubt.

Ratcliffe, 65, boss of petrochemicals giant Ineos, who is knighted today in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to business and investment, is understood to have offered about £2bn for the club.

Neymar Jnr due to start Brazil’s final World Cup warm-up

Neymar’s Brazil put the finishing touches to their World Cup preparations against Austria on Sunday in a game coach Tite described as the “most difficult” of all their warm-ups on the road to Russia.

Neyamr proved his fitness with an explosive return after injury, his stunning strike inspiring a 2-0 win over

Messi signs new contract with Barca until 2021

Lionel Messi has signed a new contract with Spanish clubside FC Barcelona until 2021, the Liga leaders confirmed on Saturday.

This ended speculation that the five-times World Player of the Year could leave the club he has spent his entire career for free next June.

BOXING: Deontay Wilder willing to fight Anthony Joshua in UK

Deontay Wilder has accused Anthony Joshua’s management of “ducking” him and says he is prepared to come to the United Kingdom to make the heavyweight mega-fight happen.

American Wilder, 32, defended his WBC title with a first-round knockout of Bermane Stiverne last weekend and has

Victor Moses: I won’t force myself to play for Nigeria

Chelsea star Victor Moses has dismissed suggestions he picks and chooses the games he plays for Nigeria, insisting he always wants to be fit before appearing for his country, AFP reports.

Moses, 26, made his Nigeria debut in 2012 when he changed his international allegiance after representing England at various age-grade levels.

European 2018 World Cup qualifying results

World Cup 2018 qualifying results in the European zone on Saturday:

Group D

At Tbilisi

Georgia 1 (Kazaishvili 34) Republic of Ireland 1 (Duffy 4)

At Belgrade

Serbia 3 (Gacinovic 20, Kolarov 30, Mitrovic 81) Moldova 0

Playing later

At Cardiff

Wales v Austria (1845 GMT)

Group G

At Elbasan, Albania

Albania 2 (Roshi 54, Agolli 78) Liechtenstein 0

Playing later

At Madrid

Spain v Italy (1845 GMT)

At Haifa, Israel

Israel v Macedonia (1845 GMT)

Group I

At Tampere, Finland

Finland 1 (Ring 8) Iceland 0

Playing later

At Zagreb

Croatia v Kosovo (1845 GMT)

At Kharkiv, Ukraine

Ukraine v Turkey (1845 GMT)

Played Friday

Group C

At Serravalle, San Marino

San Marino 0 Northern Ireland 3 (Magennis 70, 75, Davis 77-pen)

At Oslo

Norway 2 (King 32-pen, Sadygov 60-og) Azerbaijan 0

At Prague

Czech Republic 1 (Darida 78) Germany 2 (Werner 4, Hummels 88)

Group E

At Astana

Kazakhstan 0 Montenegro 3 (Vesovic 31, Beciraj 53, Simic 63)

At Copenhagen

Denmark 4 (Delaney 15, Cornelius 42, Jorgensen 59, Eriksen 80) Poland 0

At Bucharest

Romania 1 (Maxim 90+1) Armenia 0

Group F

At Trnava, Slovakia

Slovakia 1 (Nemec 81) Slovenia 0

At Vilnius

Lithuania 0 Scotland 3 (Armstrong 25, Robertson 30, McArthur 73)

At Ta’Qali, Malta

Malta 0 England 4 (Kane 52, 90+2, Bertrand 86, Welbeck 90+1)

Played Thursday

Group A

At Paris

France 4 (Griezmann 14, Lemar 73, 88, Mbappe 90+1) Netherlands 0

At Luxembourg

Luxembourg 1 (Da Mota 60) Belarus 0

At Sofia

Bulgaria 3 (Manolev 12, Kostadinov 33, Chochev 79) Sweden 2 (Lustig 29, Berg 44)

Group B

At Budapest

Hungary 3 (Kadar 6, Szalai 26, Dzsudzsak 68) Latvia 1 (Freimanis 40)

At St Gallen, Switzerland

Switzerland 3 (Seferovic 43, 63, Lichtsteiner 67) Andorra 0

At Porto, Portugal

Portugal 5 (Ronaldo 3, 29-pen, 64, William Carvalho 58, Nelson Oliveira 84) Faroe Islands 1 (Baldvinsson 38)

Group H

At Piraeus, Greece

Greece 0 Estonia 0

At Nicosia

Cyprus 3 (Christofi 65, Laban 67, Sotiriou 76) Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 (Sunjic 33, Visca 44)

At Liege, Belgium

Belgium 9 (Mertens 15, Meunier 18, 60, 67, Lukaku 21, 38, 84-pen, Witsel 27, Hazard 45) Gibraltar 0

Napoli, Sevilla, Celtic into Champions League Group Stage.

A Jose Callejon goal helped Napoli ease into the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, while Sevilla also went through and Celtic suffered a scare in Kazakhstan before winning their play-off tie.

Third in Serie A last season, Napoli were too strong for Nice, winning 2-0 in France with Callejon and Lorenzo Insigne both scoring as they progressed 4-0 on aggregate.

READ: 6 easons Antonio Conte Should be Scared for his Job

Barely two weeks to the start of the new season, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte came out to say that he had to be careful to avoid a ‘Mourinho season’ in reference to the Portuguese tactician’s dismal third season in his second stint as Chelsea boss. Well, the season kicked off for the champions last Saturday and they started worse than the fabled ‘Mourinho season’ losing 2-3 at home to a Burnley team that only managed a single away win last season, and finished the game with nine men. This start was unprecedented and has already put the proverbial cat among the pigeons at Stamford Bridge.

Chinese Businessman Gao Buys Southampton Stake

Southampton have entered into a partnership with Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng, the Premier League club’s owner Katharina Liebherr announced on Monday.

“I am pleased to confirm that talks to bring in a new partner to our club have been concluded,” said Liebherr in an open letter to supporters on the club website.

“Following extensive and fruitful work, we are entering into a partnership with the Gao family and I am excited about what we will achieve together.”

C.Ronaldo Bags 5-match Ban For Pushing Referee

Cristiano Ronaldo was hit with a five-match ban by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Monday for pushing the referee after being sent-off in Real Madrid’s 3-1 Spanish Super Cup, first leg win over Barcelona.

The World Player of the Year received an automatic one-match ban for his dismissal on Sunday and an extra four games for his reaction towards referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.

HURRAY!!: Happy Birthday To The Legendary Jay Jay Okocha

The talented former professional footballer made an unforgettable impression in the hearts of many during the course of his career. He was born on August 14, 1973 and turns 44 today. For all the times he kept us entertained and put smiles on our faces, we say a very happy birthday and many happy returns to him. 
Wish happy birthday here via your comments...

CHINA: The New ‘Mecca’ for Nigerian Players.

                                           

Back in the ‘80s, when the big stars of Nigerian football moved in droves to the Belgium league with the Late Stephen Okechukwu Keshi leading the train with his move to Anderlecht in 1987, little did anyone think that it would open the flood gate for others.

NEWS: Mourinho happy with Wayne Rooney’s decision to stay.

                                     


Jose Mourinho confirmed Wayne Rooney will be in Manchester United’s League Cup Final squad against Southampton after the club’s record goal scorer declared he will remain at Old Trafford for the rest of the season.

BREAKING NEWS: Riyad Mahrez Wins The 2016 CAF African Footballer of the Year.

Leicester City and Algeria midfielder Riyad Mahrez has been awarded the 2016 CAF African footballer of the year ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Saido Mane.
Mahrez was named Africa's best at the 2016 Glo/CAF awards gala that was held in Abuja on Thursday, January 5.

SEE THIS: No Club Has Contacted Chelsea Over Mikel, Conte Affirms.

The future still looks uncertain for Super Eagles team captain, John Obi Mikel, if a declaration yesterday by Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte that there is no news to report concerning his transfer this January are anything to go by.

NEWS: Lampard Open to Chelsea Return As Player.

Frank Lampard admitted on Saturday he would relish a return to Chelsea as a player and is keen to rejoin the Premier League leaders in some capacity even if he is not offered a deal.

The former England midfielder is Chelsea’s all-time leading goalscorer and is keeping his options open after leaving New York City FC following a two-year spell with the MLS side.

Appearing alongside Blues captain John Terry on Sky Sports, Lampard said: “Myself and John are Chelsea through and through so whatever happens, in some capacity I will be at Chelsea.

“Whether it’s with my season ticket, watching them, I don’t know yet, I’ll have very close contact. Whether I’ll have the role (as a player), it’s not all in my hands so I can’t go any further on that.

“I’m very relaxed about it, which is a nice place to be. If the right thing comes, I’ll take it. Obviously Chelsea, I’d love that, but it doesn’t work that way always.”

The 38-year-old left Stamford Bridge in 2014 after scoring 211 goals in a 13-year spell at Chelsea, briefly playing for Manchester City before heading to the United States.

He scored 15 times in 31 appearances for New York City and has yet to decide whether he will retire or not.

“I feel fit, I’m fresh in the mind,” Lampard added. “I understand when you get even past 30, you start to understand things are different.

“What I would say is, if I was to carry on playing, it would have to be perfect. I’m not being snobby and hand-picking what I want to do but perfect for my family, for me and all those things.”