The Frenchman has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona, but his team-mate is hopeful his scoring exploits might convince him to stay Atletico Madrid captain Gabi hopes his team’s Europa League success convinces Antoine Griezmann to stay at the Primera Division club. Griezmann was the hero in Lyon on Wednesday, scoring a brace to guide Atletico to a 3-0 win over Marseille in the final. But the France international is linked with a move to Barcelona in the close-season despite being contracted until 2022. Article continues below Editors' Picks Juve on alert: Exiled Icardi may have already played his final game for Inter Sarri vindicated for dropping Kepa…

The Portuguese striker has been a success in La Liga following his temporary move, but admits he would still rather have remained at the San Siro AC Milan forward Andre Silva insists he would rather be playing in Serie A, despite scoring seven goals in 14 appearances across all competitions for Sevilla this season. The 23-year-old was sent out on loan to the Spanish outfit for a year during the last transfer window, after an unsuccessful first season in Italian football. The Portugal international signed for Milan from Porto in 2017, but only managed to score eight goals in 36 appearances during his debut campaign and failed to hold down a regular…

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is setting out on his first senior managerial role and he carries a burden of expectation in Glasgow Steven Gerrard will lead Rangers into competitive action for the first time when they take on Macedonian outfit Shkupi in the first leg of their Europa League first qualifying round tie on Thursday. The former Liverpool midfielder was appointed as manager of the Ibrox club in May and he will be expected to oversee a change in fortunes for a side that has struggled to reach former heights. Indeed, Gerrard will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last season’s Europa League disaster, which saw the Scottish…

The Armenia international picked up an ankle injury in the Gunners’ Europa League win against Vorskla and may sit out their next Premier League game Henrikh Mkhitaryan may miss out on Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Everton after the Armenia international sustained an ankle injury during the Gunners’ Europa League win against Vorskla on Thursday. The 29-year-old will face an assessment ahead of Sunday’s home game with the Toffees, according to a club statement. Arsenal also provide further updates on Sead Kolasinac (knee), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (broken leg) and Carl Jenkinson (ankle). with the trio expected to return to full training early next month.  Article continues below Editors' Picks Juve on alert:…

The former Gunners and Barcelona star is looking forward to reuniting with the Blues midfielder when they face off in Europe Alexander Hleb says he will “punch” Cesc Fabregas when BATE Borisov meet Chelsea in the Europa League on Thursday! The two were at Arsenal together between 2005 and 2008, though they failed to win a trophy in north London, losing in Champions League and League Cup finals. The pair have endured remarkably different careers since then, with Fabregas playing for Barcelona and Chelsea, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the FIFA Club World Cup, as well as two Premier League titles and the FA Cup. Article continues…

The Germany international could return on Thursday, with the Gunners in Europa League action Mesut Ozil has returned to full training and is in line to make his Arsenal return in Thursday’s Europa League clash with Qarabag at Emirates Stadium. Arsenal confirmed on Wednesday that the former Germany international is back in contention for Unai Emery’s side after recovering from a back injury which has kept him out since last month’s Premier League win over Bournemouth. Ozil missed matches against Vorskla, Tottenham, Manchester United and Huddersfield Town after sustaining the problem – Arsenal picking up three wins and a draw to extend their unbeaten run to 21 matches in all competitions.…

The Blues failed to break down their London rivals on Sunday and the new sole league leaders will have been licking their lips Liverpool are now the only remaining Premier League team with a 100 per cent record after Chelsea limped to a disappointing 0-0 draw with West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Blues have been used to seeing Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud squander chances this term, but Eden Hazard and Willian were uncharacteristically profligate against Manuel Pellegrini’s side. The absence of Pedro certainly didn’t help. The Spaniard has been a revelation this season, but an injury against PAOK in the Europa League on Thursday…

The Blues star has received backing from a legendary midfielder that he once looked up to while making his way through the Stamford Bridge academy Ruben Loftus-Cheek was told as a youngster to “watch Michael Ballack” in Chelsea’s academy at Cobham Training Ground and the legendary former midfielder believes the 22-year-old is into the final stages of proving “he can play a good role in a big team”. Ballack enjoyed a distinguished playing career in which he won a host of major honours in Germany, before doing the same in England after moving to Stamford Bridge from Bayern Munich in 2006. Loftus-Cheek was only 10 when Ballack joined his boyhood club,…

The Belgium star is being eased back into competitive action after suffering a back injury, but he is set to see game time on Thursday Eden Hazard will play at most 50 minutes of Chelsea’s Europa League match at BATE, but Alvaro Morata and Cesc Fabregas have not travelled with the squad. Belgium international Hazard returned from two weeks out with a back problem when he came on in the 64th minute of Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace. Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri will continue to restrict the 27-year-old’s game time in Belarus, though he insists it is not a gamble to include him in the squad. Article continues below Editors' Picks Juve…

The teenager has thrived in the Europa League for the Gunners this season but faces two weeks on the sidelines after picking up an injury in training Arsenal starlet Emile Smith Rowe will miss Thursday’s Europa League tie against Qarabag after suffering a minor groin strain in training. The 18-year-old has been one of the stars of the Gunners’ European campaign this season, having scored his first two senior goals away to Qarabag and Vorskla Poltova, with Unai Emery’s side already assured of top spot in Group E. But Goal understands Smith Rowe did not train with the Arsenal squad ahead of the Qarabag clash at the Emirates Stadium and is expected to be on…