BREAKING NEWS: Lampard to leave New York City

Alexia Putellas has backed the 15 players who are refusing to play for Spain women s national team boss Jorge Vilda, after the federation doubled down on its support for the coach.

Ballon d Or winner and Barcelona superstar Putellas effectively joined the rebellion on Friday, posting a statement from the disenchanted group.

Spain s football federation, the RFEF, was accused in the statement of using an infantilising tone when responding to what the players consider a serious matter.

The players said it was with regret that they had taken their extreme stance, but that it was decided upon with a view to be able to achieve maximum professional and personal success again .

Putellas is injured and not in contention for current Spain squads, with reports …

Russian newspaper that Zenit are lining up a January bid for Juventus forward Mirko Vucinic.

The Montenegrin looks set to quit Turin in the winter transfer window having lost his place in the starting line-up this season.

And despite his move to Inter falling through, Vucinic is set to be offered a new escape route from his club as Zenit are keen on adding him to their ranks.

It is no secret the Russian giants are on the lookout for a new striker and they have been alerted by the latest developments in Turin.

Zenit boss Luciano Spalletti knows the striker well having worked with him at AS Roma, and he is prepared to pull all the stops to lure him to St Petersburg.

Mirko Vucinic joined Juventus from AS Roma in the summer of 2011 and has since man…

Former England captain David Beckham has been chosen as the winner of the UEFA President s Award for 2018.

The 43-year-old has been recognised for his contribution to football and his tireless humanitarian efforts . He will receive the trophy in Monaco later in the year.

The President s Award recognises outstanding achievements, professional excellence and exemplary personal qualities, said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

I have chosen David Beckham as the recipient of this year s award because he has been a global ambassador for football, promoting the game and all its values in every corner of the planet.

His tireless humanitarian efforts, which have helped the lives of many children around the world, should also be celebrated. Beckham is a true f…

World Cup favourites Brazil clash with their former colonial masters Portugal in their final Group G match on Friday, with the five-time champions already qualified for the round of 16.

Brazil have racked up a 2-1 win over North Korea and a 3-1 victory over Ivory Coast to sit pretty on six points. A draw would see them top the group.

Portugal, on a run of 17 matches without defeat, drew 0-0 with the Ivorians before routing North Korea 7-0 to put them in second spot in the group and needing only a draw to advance to the next round.

Even if they were to lose against Brazil, Portugal s goal difference is such that Ivory Coast, with one point, would have to win handsomely, and then some, to be close to threatening them for second spot.

Brazil are going all …

Giuseppe Rossi is hoping to return from his knee injury in time to play for Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia final against Napoli next month.

Vincenzo Montella s side have been without the striker since he suffered ligament damage to his right knee in a Serie A clash with Livorno in January.

Rossi s career has been hampered by knee problems, as he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in 2011 during his time at Villarreal and only returned to action last May almost four months after his move to Fiorentina.

The Italy international, who scored 14 Serie A goals in 18 appearances before his latest injury, has spent time in the United States as part of his rehabilitation process, and is hopeful of making a return in time for the final on May 2.

I am working day afte…

Jack Wilshere believes he would still be at Arsenal if Arsene Wenger was still the club’s manager, according to the Daily Star.

The England international joined West Ham United on a free transfer in the summer following a seventeen-year association with the Gunners.

However, the midfielder has revealed that he would not have parted company with the North Londoners had Wenger not been replaced at the end of last season.

Wilshere has played just four times for the Hammers though he has been sidelined since the beginning of last month with yet another problem with his ankle.

Prior to his move to the London Stadium he racked up almost two hundred appearances for Arsenal, scoring fourteen goals while he spent the 2016/17 campaign on loan at Bournemout…

Josep Maria Bartomeu said Quique Setien is out as the Barcelona president confirmed the sacking of the under-fire head coach.

Barca have been tipped to sack Setien following Friday s humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich in Lisbon.

LaLiga giants Barca conceded eight goals in a game for the first time since 1946, with Setien – who replaced Ernesto Valverde in January – accepting his future was out of his hands at Camp Nou.

With Barca reportedly poised to officially announce the 61-year-old s departure on Monday, Bartomeu told COPE s Tiempo de Juego on Sunday: Setien is out .

It comes as former defender Ronald Koeman emerges as the frontrunner to become the next Barca coach.

Netherlands boss Koeman had been linke…

Turkey made a perfect start to life under Guus Hiddink by confidently beating Kazakhstan 3-0 in their opening 2012 European Championship qualifying match here on Friday.

Galatasaray winger Arda Turan, Bayern Munich midfielder Hamit Altintop and Besiktas striker Nihat Kahveci all scored for Turkey, who recorded their third win in as many competitive meetings with Kazakhstan.

Hiddink, the 63-year-old Dutchman who led Holland and South Korea to the World Cup semi-finals and guided Russia into the last four at Euro 2008, was taking the reins for his first competitive match at the Turkey helm.

The visitors started positively in their Group A opener, pinning Kazakhstan back inside their own half in the opening minutes and winning two corners that came to nothing.

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Ligue 2 side Dijon were dumped out of the Coupe de France in the eighth round as they lost to lower-league minnows Sarreguemines on Saturday.

Serreguemine fought back from a goal down at the Stade de la Bais to seal progression into the next stage with a 2-1 victory, setting up the possibility of a tie against a Ligue 1 outfit.

There were also surprise defeats for second-tier sides Brest, Nimes and Clermont, losing their respective away matches to Stade Briochin, Moulins AS and Trelissac who recorded a 10-0 win over Panazol in their previous Coupe de France outing.

Meanwhile, fellow second-tier side Valenciennes scraped through courtesy of a 2-1 extra-time victory over lower-league Beauvais, with youngster Gaetan Missi Mezu netting a 105th-minute winner.

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AC Milan have announced the return of goalkeeper Christian Abbiati, who has been appointed club manager at San Siro.

Abbiati spent 15 seasons as a Milan player before retiring at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, winning three Serie A titles and the Champions League in the 2002-03 campaign.

In a statement, Milan explained Abbiati will act as a link between Vincenzo Montella s team and the board, with Chinese group Sino-Europe Sports having completed a takeover in April.

He will report directly to the club s sporting and technical director Massimiliano Mirabelli and will be the liaison between the team and the club, Milan said.

Grande Abbia bentornato!!!

— Riccardo Montolivo (@OfficialMonto)

Preparations for the new season are well u…