Diego Simeone could finally savour a league victory over Barcelona on Saturday in 10 seasons in charge of Atletico Madrid but refused to discuss whether the 1-0 win proved his side were capable of winning La Liga. The Argentine had enjoyed success over Barca in the Champions League in 2014 and 2016 and this year’s Spanish Super Cup but had never before taken three points off the Catalans since taking charge of Atleti in 2011. “We have come very close to beating Barca before, we beat them in Saudi Arabia, we had drawn at their ground and lost by very little here before. Today it was our turn to win, but it won’t change our objectives one bit,” Simeone told reporters. The coach dismissed comparisons between his current side and the squad which pipped Barca to the Spanish title in 2014 but he did praise his players for how they have kicked on since undergoing deep changes in the summer of 2019. “The thing we value the most is how the players have grown from last season, they are much more capable of offering what the team needs,” he said. “The group is in very good shape, I’ve been saying that for a long time and it gives us the belief to keep working hard on what we are doing. Now we must maintain this energy and keep on competing.” Match winner Yannick Carrasco also shunned a question about Atletico’s title credentials, saying his side were only focusing on Wednesday’s Champions League game against Lokomotiv Moscow. But captain Koke, the only surviving member of that title winning side, did not rule out the prospect entirely, pointing to the early season problems Barca and champions Real Madrid were having. “The teams at the top are slipping up right now, so why shouldn’t we dream about winning La Liga?” he said. “But we’re staying calm, because we haven’t achieved anything yet.”

A frustrated Lionel Messi said he is tired of being blamed for problems at Barcelona after he was accused by Antoine Griezmann s former agent of making life difficult for the French striker at the La Liga club. Eric Olhats had accused Messi of having too much control at the club, saying his "reign of terror" had made life difficult for Griezmann to adapt since his arrival last year. Messi returned to Barcelona from international duty with Argentina on Wednesday when he was accosted by reporters at the airport. "The truth is that I m a little tired of always being the problem for everything at the club," Messi was quoted as saying by Spanish media. "On top of that, after a 15-hour flight, I had the tax authorities waiting for me. It s madness." With one year left on his contract, Messi tried to activate a disputed clause to leave Barcelona for free in the off-season, but eventually decided to stay as he did not want to face a legal battle with the club. Barcelona have been in turmoil since Bayern Munich humiliated the Spanish side 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-finals last season. Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned last month ahead of a vote of no confidence. Messi has also had his run-ins with the Spanish tax authorities in recent years. He was handed a 21-month prison sentence in 2016 and ordered to pay a fine of two million euros ($2.37 million) for defrauding the Spanish government of 4.2 million euros over income earned from image rights. However, the 33-year-old did not serve any jail time after exchanging his sentence for a 250,000 euros fine, as in Spain defendants without a previous conviction are permitted to serve any sentence of under two years on probation.

Ahly were relieved on Wednesday after defensive midfielder Aliou Dieng and defender Ayman Ashraf were cleared to join the team’s trainings despite their recent injuries. Ahly are preparing for the anticipated match against archrivals Zamalek in the African Champions League final in Cairo on 27 November. Dieng and Ashraf were stretched off while being on international duty. Dieng left Mali’s game against Namibia in the African qualifiers on Tuesday after feeling pain, while Ashraf departed Egypt’s game with Togo earlier on the same day. The injury of both players came as a blow for Ahly s South African coach Pitso Mosimane as the team have experienced multiple injuries. “I suffered from a knock and strain, but it is not a serious injury. I will join the team after arriving in Cairo,” Ashraf told On Time Sports TV channel on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Ahly’s official website reported that Dieng told the team’s football director Sayed Abdel-Hafiz that he is ready to join the trainings after suffering a minor knock. The Reds are still waiting for the recovery of right-back Mohamed Hani who suffered a knee injury in the match against Togo on Saturday.

England s Premier League must reconsider its position on limiting clubs to making only three substitutions per match as injuries mount amid a congested schedule, national team boss Gareth Southgate has said. Soccer s rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), gave leagues the option of continuing to use five substitutes per match in the 2020-21 campaign after introducing the system earlier this year, with games coming thick and fast after the COVID-19 pandemic truncated the length of the season. While other top European leagues have taken up that option, Premier League clubs voted against it, though Southgate s call echoed complaints from a chorus of club managers asking for a change following injuries to England internationals Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell. "We were able to make five changes against Belgium, we made four in the end and clubs don t have that option," Southgate told reporters. "What will it take for that to change? There were a couple of less serious injuries against Belgium but what do we do? Wait until we get a load of really nasty ones?" Southgate said England had been forced to give players extra days recovery and also tapered their training schedules as the country s hopes of qualifying for the Nations League finals were dashed after Sunday s 2-0 defeat by Belgium. "I have to be fair to the club managers. They are their players firstly and they have the right to play them as they see fit," he added. "(Injuries are) a worry in the longer term because with no winter break, something has to give." Liverpool s Juergen Klopp and Manchester City s Pep Guardiola have been critical of the Premier League this season for not looking after the players following the switch back to a maximum of three substitutes. England host Iceland on Wednesday in their final Nations League group stage game.

England midfielder Jordan Henderson was withdrawn at halftime against Belgium due to tightness in his leg, manager Gareth Southgate said, casting doubt on his availability for injury-hit Liverpool this weekend. Harry Winks replaced Henderson in the second half of England’s 2-0 loss in their Nations League group stage match on Sunday which ended the visitors’ hopes of reaching the finals. “Jordan had a bit of tightness at halftime and felt he couldn’t carry on,” Southgate told reporters, adding that he was not sure if it was a hamstring issue. Southgate said the Liverpool skipper will be assessed when they return to England. Liverpool have had a number of regulars in their starting lineup sidelined with injury, losing defenders Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez after both underwent surgeries while Trent Alexander-Arnold withdrew from the England squad with injury. The defence is threadbare with left back Andy Robertson also a doubt with a hamstring issue while Liverpool’s midfield is without Thiago Alcantara and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as both players recover from knee injuries. Meanwhile, forward Mohamed Salah is set to miss Sunday’s match against Leicester City as he isolates after testing positive for COVID-19. Southgate said Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling would miss their final group stage match against Iceland with a calf injury but would be available for the weekend. The England boss, 50, also confirmed he had tested positive for COVID-19 last month. “I did have the virus but I was fortunate,” he said. “It was not as serious as so many people in our country. It was not pleasant but it is all fine now.”

Manchester United may not have the resources that some of their Premier League rivals do but the fallen giants of English soccer still possess the mentality to end their title drought in the competition, midfielder Bruno Fernandes said. United last claimed the league title in the 2012-13 season under Alex Ferguson and have endured a frustrating period since, with rivals like Manchester City and Liverpool building teams capable of dominating the league. United finished third in the league last season and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and Europa League with Fernandes, who arrived at the club in January, playing a key role. “For me, it doesn’t matter about the other teams. People may say they’re better than us, they have a better first eleven than us, guys who come from the bench are better. People can say what they think, I don’t care,” Fernandes said on the UTD podcast. “For a club like United, it’s a long time since we won the Premier League. It’s too long, I think. So you have to have in your mind - all the players, all the staff - we’re here to win. And I think we have that mentality. “I came to Manchester to win trophies. You’re playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world. This club has made history in the past, an amazing history.” United have made a disappointing start to the current season and sit 14th after three victories, three defeats and a draw from their opening seven games. They take on promoted West Bromwich Albion next Saturday as action resumes following the international break.

Ahly have completed the signing of Raja s Moroccan defender Badr Benoun on a four-year deal for their second close-season acquisition, the Egyptian champions announced on Wednesday. "The club has finalised the deal and received the player s international clearance," Ahly said in a brief statement on their official website without disclosing the transfer fee they had paid to Casablanca-based club Raja. Although Ahly boasted the best defensive record in their triumphant Egyptian Premier League campaign, having only conceded eight goals, their regular central defenders were still criticised for some shaky displays. The team s backline was also hit with a string of injuries, prompting Ahly to explore the market for a new center back. Benoun would fit into Ahly s new-found strategy under South African coach Pitso Mosimane, who usually prefers ball-playing defenders who can keep possession and contribute to build-up play further upfield. The towering 27-year-old has been a key member of Raja s squad in the past few years. This season, he helped them win the domestic league on the final day of the season and reach the African Champions League semi-final, where they lost to Ahly s perennial Cairo rivals Zamalek 4-1 on aggregate. He was partly to blame for one of Zamalek s goals in the return leg in Cairo when he allowed striker Mostafa Mohamed to rise unchallenged and send a bullet header home to kill off Raja s hopes. But he looked otherwise solid and composed, and is expected to face little competition to occupy a regular spot in Ahly s defence. Benoun s arrival means Ahly would have to offload one of their foreign players, with Angolan winger Geraldo and Senegalese striker Aliou Badji tipped to leave. The Red Devils also signed Arab Contractors winger Taher Mohamed Taher in July. Ahly are still in with treble chance this season, having won the league, reached the Egypt Cup quarters and the Champions League final, where they will face Zamalek in a mouthwatering clash on 27 November.

England defender Tyrone Mings has said it would be a big step forward in the fight for equality if the Football Association appoints a candidate from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities as its chair to replace Greg Clarke. Clarke resigned as chairman of English soccer’s governing body on Tuesday, hours after referring to “coloured footballers” during questions from members of parliament. “Of course, it would be a huge step,” Aston Villa defender Mings told reporters when asked if he would like to see a black man or woman at the helm. “It would be everything that a lot of people have worked for... people more senior than myself.” “But ultimately that isn’t what we’re asking for. We’re not necessarily asking for the next chief to be black. What we’re asking for is equal opportunities for both black and white people, or ethnic minorities.” Mings, who was involved in formulating the FA Football Leadership Diversity Code that was launched last month, said he hoped to see more BAME representation at managerial and coaching levels. “That’s what we’re trying to create with the code and I think that’s what will give us real lasting change,” he added. “There’s no point placing someone there, them failing and then saying, ‘Oh, we tried’. It’s about how can we improve the process.”

Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona is recovering well from a brain operation and post-surgery complications and should be discharged over the next couple of days, his personal physician said on Monday. “Diego wants to go home and we are evaluating his discharge,” Leopoldo Luque told reporters outside the hospital where the 60-year old Maradona was operated on last week for a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain. “We’ll talk about where he goes later but for now we know that Diego is doing very well.” The former Barcelona, Napoli and Boca Juniors player was kept in over the weekend suffering from withdrawal symptoms caused by alcohol dependency but Luque said he would likely be discharged either “tomorrow or the next day.” The hospital stay was the latest in a string of health scares for the current coach of first division club Gimnasia y Esgrima. Maradona, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and is considered one of the greatest players of all time, has suffered frequent periods in hospital over the years, often due to his extravagant lifestyle.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said his side could not hide behind the referee’s decisions or their injury and illness woes after they stumbled to a 4-1 defeat at Valencia on Sunday. Real conceded three penalties for the first time in their history, all of which were scored by Valencia’s Carlos Soler, while Raphael Varane also scored an own goal, after Karim Benzema had given the champions the lead. Zidane had to make do without a total of six players for Sunday’s match after midfield anchor Casemiro and record signing Eden Hazard tested positive for COVID-19, but the coach said nothing excused their performance. “We can look for one thousand excuses and everyone can find any reason they want to explain this,” Zidane said. “But we should not be looking for excuses, everyone in this squad is a Real Madrid player.” The coach criticised his side for reacting so badly to Soler cancelling out Benzema’s opener. “We played well in the first half an hour but the game changed completely after they equalised. This has happened to us a number of times and I don’t like it,” he said. “We need to really analyse what is going wrong because any little thing can cause us lots of difficulties. Once we conceded the first goal we couldn’t get back into the game. A lot of things went against us today.” Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, however, felt his side were unlucky. “We were very motivated to turn the game around at halftime but I had to make a save as soon as the second half started and then we conceded two penalties,” he said. “I think (Valencia striker) Maxi Gomez fouled Marcelo but Maxi shouted louder and they gave a penalty. There was also a foul on Asensio, we were talking about that in the dressing room but you can’t change anything in the dressing room. “I don’t know how to explain it, they didn’t create too many chances but we had three penalties go against us and their second goal was very bad luck.”

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said several teams could win the Premier League this season, dismissing suggestions of a two-horse race between his side and Manchester City for the title. City and Liverpool have dominated the Premier League the past few seasons, with Pep Guardiola s City claiming the title in 2018-19 with 98 points to Liverpool s 97. Klopp s side coasted to the title last season, finishing 18 points ahead of second-place City, and the two teams are once again billed as the favourites to compete for the crown in this campaign. "Yes, it always was (more than a two-horse race)," Klopp told Sky Sports, echoing the sentiments of Guardiola, who is also expecting a wide open race. "Until a specific point, it was last year for a very long time at least a three-horse race... Nothing is guaranteed. I don t think about us as one of the two teams, I think about us as a team that has to do a lot of things right to be successful. "If we look back at the previous two years, they were impressive for both teams... but that doesn t mean this year we have the ticket to do it again, everybody has a chance." Liverpool, who trail league-leaders Southampton on goal difference, will have the opportunity to return to the top of the table when they face City, who are in 12th, later on Sunday.

Zamalek are determined to realise their dream of winning the African Champions League after they reached the final with a 3-1 comeback victory over Morocco s Raja on Wednesday, two-goal hero Mostafa Mohamed said. The in-form striker ended the match as a contest with two late goals after Ferjani Sassi had cancelled out Ben Malango s opener for Raja. In the 85th minute, Mohamed rose unmarked to send a bullet header past keeper Mohamed Bouamira before adding a second three minutes later, chesting down a diagonal cross from Sassi to break clear and fire home. The 22-year-old took his tally to eight goals in the Champions League this season. "I am very happy with the victory," Mohamed told beIN sports after the game. "It is an important step in our mission to win the title. Winning the Champions League is our dream and we are determined to make this dream come true." Zamalek meet Cairo rivals Ahly in an all-Egyptian final at Alexandria s Borg El-Arab Stadium on 27 November.

Zamalek will be favourites to join Cairo rivals Ahly in the African Champions League final when they host Raja on Wednesday, with the Moroccan side having had little time to prepare after their squad was hit by more than a dozen coronavirus infections. Although most of Raja players have recovered from the highly-contagious virus after the semifinal second leg was postponed twice, a fully-fit squad could hardly assemble before the match. Raja will still miss three players who have yet to recover, including first-choice goalkeeper Anas Zniti. The others are left-back Abdeljalil Jbira and defensive midfielder Mohamed Douik, who did not play in the first leg. A solid Zamalek side hold a clear advantage heading into the second leg at Cairo International Stadium, having snatched a 1-0 first-leg victory in Casablanca last month, thanks to a first-half header from in-form Moroccan winger Achraf Bencharki. They will miss deep-lying forward Youssef Ibrahim, a key member of their starting line-up, due to injury but should welcome back influential defensive duo Mahmoud Alaa and Mahmoud Hamdi, both of whom shook off injuries in time. But Raja coach Jamal Sellami is adamant his side can overturn the deficit and beat the five-time African champions at their own venue. "Zamalek is a tough opponent but we will score in Egypt and we will beat them," Sellami told a Moroccan radio station on Sunday. "My team is not fit physically fit in comparison with Zamalek but I have many experienced players who are capable of making the difference in any moment during the game." Zamalek s Portuguese coach Jaime Pacheco, appointed in a rescue mission following the shock resignation of French boss Patrice Carteron, is likely to adopt a trademark cautious approach. Under Carteron and Pacheco, the White Knights usually close down spaces at the back and mainly rely on Bencharki and fellow winger Ahmed Zizo to finish off their pacy counter attacks at the other end. Zamalek are also buoyed by fulfilling one of their remaining targets of the season, having finished second in the Egyptian Premier League to seal a spot in next season s Champions League regardless of how they fare in this year s competition. They are eyeing their first Champions League crown since 2002.

Morocco s Raja Casablanca mission arrived in Cairo on Monday night ahead of their game against Zamalek in the second leg of the African Champions League semifinal scheduled for Wednesday. The second leg was initially scheduled for 24 October, but the Confederation of African Football (CAF) postponed the game to 1 November after more than a dozen Raja players tested positive for COVID-19, before delaying the game for a second time to 4 November upon the request of Egyptian authorities. The Moroccan club will be missing their regular goalkeeper Anas Zniti, who has not yet recovered from the virus, as well as left back Abdeljalil Jbira and midfielder Mohamed Douik. However, Raja manager Jamal Sellami assured that the game s second postponement gave the team a chance to welcome back a large number of players who recovered from COVID-19 and returned to training. "We also had the chance to recover the players who were absent from the first leg match due to muscular injuries, although the lack of team trainings will affect the players fitness. "But in such games, it is the team spirit that controls the team. Raja’s players have shown many examples of strong cohesion," Sellami told Moroccan newspaper Al-Mountakhab. "We will be ready for the game on all levels. It will be a tense encounter and will witness many surprises," he added. Raja have not played any games since losing the first leg on 18 October, when Zamalek s Moroccan winger Achraf Bencharki headed the winner in the first half in an empty Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca. The winner of Wednesday s clash will face Ahly in the final at Alexandria s Borg El-Arab Stadium on 27 November.

Gareth Bale came off the bench to head the winner for Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday, his first goal since returning to the club from Real Madrid. The Welshman was brought on in the 70th minute and three minutes later he met a Sergio Reguilon cross with a firm and well-directed header to restore Tottenham’s lead. Harry Kane had put Spurs ahead in the 13th minute from the penalty spot after Adam Lallana was ruled to have fouled him as he climbed for a header. Brighton responded with a long spell of good possession football as Spurs failed to drive home their advantage and Graham Potter’s side drew level in the 56th minute. Tariq Lamptey drove into the far, bottom corner after being set up by Pascal Gross at the end of a clever move from Brighton but the VAR official asked referee Graham Scott to look at a challenge on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg by Solly March. Spurs felt that Marsh had fouled the Dane but Scott ruled the challenge was fair and the goal stood. Tottenham then struck the post twice, firstly a drive from the edge of the box from Erik Lamela and then a close-range effort from a tight angle by Kane. Then came Bale’s winner as Spurs moved above Everton in the standings into second place on 14 points, two behind leaders Liverpool. Bale has yet to start in the Premier League for Spurs as he works his way back to full match fitness and was delighted to have got off the mark. “It’s a great feeling. You just want to come on and do a job for the team. I worked for the team and was lucky enough to get the goal,” he said. But Bale was wary of the suggestion that Spurs could be in a position to compete for the title this season. “(We are) very competitive, we know not to get too carried away. There are some great teams, we are just going to keep working as hard as we can,” he said. Everton lost 2-1 to Newcastle United earlier on Sunday.

Veteran right-back Ahmed Fathi played his last game for Ahly as the Egyptian champions crushed Talae El-Geish 3-0 in their final league game of the season on Saturday. Fathi played in the center of defence due to shortage of options at the back and was as solid as ever, producing a typical spirited display in his swansong. He was given a standing ovation by his teammates and the few attendees in the stands after being substituted in stoppage time. The 35-year-old has been one of Ahly s key players since joining in 2007, winning a host of titles including 10 league trophies and three African Champions League crowns. He is set to join the big-spending Pyramids FC in the close season after his contract with Ahly expired. Ahly, who won the title for a fifth consecutive season with six rounds to spare last month, were presented with the league trophy following the victory over El-Geish Former player Moemen Zakareya, who is suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a rare neurological disease, was among the high-profile footballers who were invited to attend the league celebration. Ahly players have been mimicking his trademark goal celebration in recent games, lending their support to the 32-year-old as he fights the disease, which causes loss of muscle control. Experienced winger Walid Soliman needed 45 seconds to open the scoring against El-Geish, latching onto a through pass from Mahmoud Kahraba to score on the second attempt after his initial effort was saved by the keeper. Angolan winger Geraldo added the second in the 18th minute, chipping the ball over the keeper after being released by a pass from Senegalese striker Aliou Badji. Kahraba completed the rout on 36 minutes with an angled low shot that found the bottom corner of the net from inside the area. The Red Devils are gearing up for the African Champions League final, which will take place in Alexandria on 27 November, as they chase their first crown since winning the last of their record eight titles in 2013. They will face the winners of Wednesday s semi-final clash between Cairo rivals Zamalek and Morocco s Raja.

Ismaily announced on Thursday the club signed Angolan forward Ary Papel shortly after his transfer to Saudi club Al-Taawon. The coastal club s website said Papel arrived at Ismaily on Thursday morning to sign the contract, adding that club officials are looking forward to attract high caliber players to be able to clinch titles and please the fans. The 26-year-old Angolan national team left winger had earlier signed with Zamalek a contract reportedly worth $2.2 million before he terminated his contract with the Whites due to not receiving his salary for three months after inking his contract with the Cairo-based club. Zamalek, who didn t announce the deal officially, reportedly signed a three-year contract with Primeiro de Agosto’s Papel starting from the new season. After terminating the contract with the White Knights, Saudi side Al-Taawon, led by former Zamalek coach Patrice Carteron, announced on 7 October the signing of Papel and after less than a month the player left the team reportedly because there was no place for foreigners on the squad s list. Papel, who spent 18 months in Portugal at Sporting Lisbona between January 2017 and July 2018 before returning to his homeboy club, left a good impression in the African Champions League, scoring twice in 11 games.

Argentina soccer great Diego Maradona is self-isolating after one of his bodyguards displayed symptoms of COVID-19, the country’s state-run news agency Telam reported on Tuesday. Maradona, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, began isolating at his home in Argentina on Tuesday after last coming in contact with the guard on the weekend. The 59-year-old is not displaying symptoms and will do a COVID-19 screening on Thursday, local media reported. Earlier this month, Maradona had tested negative for COVID-19 after coming in contact with one of his players who had contracted the virus. Maradona is currently the coach of Argentine top division side Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, who are scheduled to play Patronato on Friday. He has suffered a string of health issues in recent years and remains at high risk of the coronavirus complications should he be infected.

Andrea Pirlo sees positives despite preparing for his biggest match since taking over as Juventus coach with Covid-19 -stricken Cristiano Ronaldo in doubt against Lionel Messi s Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday. Pirlo took over after Maurizio Sarri was sacked immediately after Juventus last 16 exit to Lyon in August, the veteran coach lamenting another failure in a "competition cursed for Juve". The Turin side have won the tournament twice, but not since 1996. They have been runners-up seven times, including twice in the last five years. In fact, 41-year-old Pirlo s last Juventus game as a player came in the 3-1 loss to Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final. Juventus signed Portuguese star Ronaldo in 2018 with the aim of lifting the coveted European trophy, and his absence against Messi s Barcelona could weigh heavy. The 35-year-old will need to test negative 24 hours before being allowed to feature in Turin. The return at the Camp Nou is on December 8. "We miss him right now, of course," said Colombian teammate Juan Cuadrado. "He s a champion. In these very difficult matches, his strength, his mentality and his desire shine through." Ronaldo scored three goals for Juventus in their first two league games, before contracting the virus while on international duty. Even if Pirlo has yet to record a loss this season, Juventus are fifth in Serie A, with three draws in five games. "Barcelona? It doesn t worry me, they are two different matches," said Pirlo after Sunday s 1-1 stalemate against Hellas Verona. "Verona play differently than Barcelona, against teams that play like this you have to prepare a certain type of match. "We re in the construction phase," continued the novice coach. "We re sorry to leave points on the road, but we are on the right path. We are building a long-term project. I only see positive things." - Kulusevski, Morata spark - Pirlo s main weapons in Ronaldo s absence have been Spanish forward Alvaro Morata, who scored both goals against Dynamo Kiev, and Swedish striker Dejan Kulusevski, who rescued the point against Verona. Former Chelsea and Real Madrid player Morata returned to Juventus this season with Kulusevski signed from Atalanta in January before being loaned back immediately to Parma. The 20-year-old Swede was up and running immediately, scoring on his club debut in September and came off the bench to give Juventus the edge against Verona. Pirlo has also been impressed with how Paulo Dybala performed "well above expectations," in his seasonal debut against Verona after over three months out. Captain Giorgio Chiellini s presence is in doubt, with fellow defender Leonardo Bonucci s thigh strain being monitored, although Gianluca Frabotta, 21, has stepped into the breach, with Alex Sandro also out. "Seeing how we started the other championships, this start has been a bit slow," said Cuadrado of the nine-time reigning Italian champions. "But we haven t lost yet." Both teams won their Group G openers with Barcelona beating Hungarians Ferencvaros 5-1 and Juventus 2-0 at Dynamo Kiev. - Ronaldo v Messi - If Ronaldo misses his chance to line out on Wednesday he will have to wait until December to renew his rivalry with Argentine Messi. They are the two greatest players of their generation with 11 Ballons d Or between them, and the two highest scorers in Champions League history. They have not faced off since the Portuguese superstar left Real Madrid for Juventus, and both are running out of time to win the Champions League again. Messi, now 33, has featured in four victorious campaigns, all with Barcelona, while Ronaldo has won it five times, four with Real Madrid and once with Manchester United. Ronaldo has 130 Champions league goals, of which ten have been for Juventus, to Messi s 116. Messi has won 16 of their 35 encounters to Ronaldo s 10, with the remaining nine ending in draws. Messi has also scored 22 goals in those games to Ronaldo s 19. The pair have only met five times in Champions League games, most recently in the semi-final in 2011. Barcelona got the better of Real Madrid with a 3-1 aggregate win with Messi scoring twice in the first leg. Their most memorable clash was the 2009 Champions League final when Messi scored as Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0.

Juventus should not require a slap to wake up even if the atmosphere at grounds is soporific, coach Andrea Pirlo said after the Serie A champions stumbled to a 1-1 draw against Verona on Sunday. Pirlo said he could understand players might be influenced by appearing in near-empty stadiums during the COVID-19 pandemic but added that it was something they would have to adapt to. “We played a wait-and-see game in the first half, we were not aggressive in midfield although we had the best chances,” said Pirlo, whose side fell behind after an hour. “There was a good reaction after their goal but we shouldn’t need a slap to wake us up.” “It’s one thing to play in the Champions League with a crowd that raises your levels of attention,” said Pirlo whose side host Barcelona in Europe’s elite competition on Wednesday. “Tonight there was a more soporific atmosphere but you need more determination -- these things win matches as well.” Games against teams such as Verona and Atalanta were always difficult, he added. “They get you involved in one-on-one battles all over the pitch,” he said. “We worked to avoid their high press and that worked better in the second half. It tough against them but we could have done better.” Verona coach Ivan Juric was disappointed at his team’s performance in the closing stages. “We did really well for an hour but then we fell away, we didn’t have the right energy,” said the Croatian who got into an angry altercation with the Juve bench at the final whistle. “There were some insults and when I am insulted, I react,” he said. “But it stops there.”

Liverpool were far from their best as they laboured to a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday but Juergen Klopp praised his side’s resilience as they again showed a knack for overcoming adversity at Anfield. Diogo Jota’s second-half header sealed the points after Roberto Firmino had cancelled out Sander Berge’s penalty as Liverpool extended their unbeaten league run at home to 62 matches. Liverpool are undefeated in their last 13 home league games in which they have conceded the first goal, winning the last nine. They had to do it this time without injured defensive talisman Virgil van Dijk and at the end of a demanding week in which they drew 2-2 at Everton and ground out a 1-0 win over Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League. “A tough week obviously -- a lot of games, a lot of minutes, tough opponents, hard-fighting opponents,” Klopp said. “(We) won the two matches after the Merseyside derby, so really pleased with that, obviously. “We didn’t score (the third goal) so the game stayed open and they had their moments, but we defended well with a big heart. And so I liked it.” Jota has now scored in his first two home league games since joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Incredibly, since netting against Arsenal on Sept. 28, the Portuguese has played in eight games for club and country. Klopp said there was more to come from the 23-year-old. “He is still adapting. In the moment, a lot of things we do are not natural to him but that’s only because Wolves play different -- but a lot of things he did for Wolves are exactly what we want him to do,” Klopp said. “That he is that close already is just a sign of how good a player he is. As I said, if he stays fit, he’s 23 and the future is bright. We will need his quality and I am really happy that he’s settled nicely so far.” While Liverpool moved joint top with Everton, Sheffield United have managed only one point from six games. Yet they pushed the champions all the way and manager Chris Wilder saw many positives. “There are a lot of disappointed people in the changing room,” Wilder said. “It was a tight game and it wasn’t one-way traffic. A lot of good things tonight but it feels a bit Groundhog Day but we will get better and learn a lot from today’s game.”