World Cup 2018: Samara signs off with Neymar´s acting, terrible predictions and a goalscoring Harry

Arsenal are really happy with Alexandre Lacazette and contract talks will take place soon, according to manager Mikel Arteta.

Lacazette has just over one year left on his contract and has been regularly tipped as a candidate to leave the Gunners at the end of the season.

Arsenal would need to sell Lacazette then if they were to recoup a meaningful transfer fee for him, but while Arteta refused to rule out that possibility, he was positive about the forward.

Lacazette netted from the penalty spot in the comeback win at Leicester City on Sunday. He has 11 goals in all competitions this season and 59 since he signed from Lyon in 2017.

He s got a contract with us, Arteta said about the 29-year-old striker.

He played really well the other week. It s …

The last derby was a rare off-day for Atletico Madrid – and for Luis Suarez.

On a run of seven wins in a row and two goals conceded, with no LaLiga defeats all season, Diego Simeone s men were second best in a 2-0 defeat last December. As for Suarez, his 73 minutes on the pitch yielded a single, wayward shot.

Still, that result turned out to be an aberration. Three months on, Atleti head into Sunday s game at the Wanda Metropolitano with a five-point lead over Real Madrid and Barca at the top of the table, and with a game in hand. Suarez, meanwhile, has scored 11 of his 16 LaLiga goals this term since that chastening day at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.

Suarez s form for Atleti has made a complete mockery of Barca s decision to cast him aside last year, the sugg…

Vincent Kompany has played his final game for Manchester City, with the Premier League champions confirming that their captain is leaving the club.

The 33-year-old played a pivotal role in City winning an unprecedented domestic treble this season, making 24 appearances across all competitions and scoring one goal a stunning long-range strike in the 1-0 win over Leicester City on May 6.

Kompany joined City in 2008, and went on to make 360 appearances for the club, winning the Premier League on four occasions, as well as lifting two FA Cups, four EFL Cups and two Community Shields.

But he has now called time on his City career, with the club announcing on Sunday in the wake of their 6-0 FA Cup final triumph over Watford that the Belgium international will not be si…

Mikel Arteta has told Arsenal it is time to evolve as he looks ahead to what could be a crucial transfer window for the club.

A 2-1 aggregate defeat to Villarreal in the Europa League semi-finals means the Gunners season looks set to end in hugely disappointing fashion.

They are ninth in the Premier League with three games to go and could well fail to qualify for European competition for the first time since they were absent in 1995-96, with their domestic cup challenges having ended in December and January.

Pressure has been mounting on the manager given their apparent lack of progress, and Arteta accepts they must now build on the institutional changes at Emirates Stadium by creating a team capable of competing with the best again.

We have already had …

Stephanie Labbe was the penalty shoot-out hero as Canada took gold in their maiden Olympic final appearance following a 1-1 draw with Sweden.

Stina Blackstenius first-half opener had the Scandinavians ahead but Jessie Fleming restored parity with a spot-kick after half-time when VAR intervened for a foul on Christine Sinclair.

Kadeisha Buchanan proved Canada s last-ditch hero with a clearance off the line to take the game to extra-time before Labbe s two saves secured a 3-2 triumph in the shoot-out.

Kosovare Asllani did the initial work for Sweden s opener, dispossessing Canada midfielder Quinn before rolling to Blackstenius, whose first-time attempt benefited from a slight deflection to find the back of the net.

Sinclair, whose 187 goals for Canada make…

Following the end of the FIFA international break, now it s time for the European leagues to resume its action. And with that in mind, this Saturday we will witness a thrilling La Liga encounter between two of the biggest title candidates: FC Barcelona and Valencia. Neither side has started the campaign on top form, and this could be a great chance to earn a statement win considering both will play in the UEFA Champions League next week. Kick-off for this match is slated for Saturday at 20:oo UK time.

FC Barcelona

It s safe to say Los Blaugranas have not started the season as brightly as they would have liked. Following a 2-2 away draw at Osasuna the last time out, Ernesto Valverde s men only have four points following their first three league matches (W1, D1, L1). They should …

Group F of the European Championship, branded at the start as the group of death , provided plenty of excitement on its final evening. Those supporting Portugal, Germany and Hungary experienced a proper roller coaster ride over the 90+ minutes as Germany hosted Hungary in Munich and Portugal faced France in Budapest. Throughout the course of the game the group table changed many times, with each team except France hanging off the cliff at least once. In the end, both contests ended winnerless and Hungary, who entered the round from the bottom, returned there and have been eliminated.

Facing the defending European champions, as well as the World Cup winners of 2018 and 2014, Hungary held out for 84 minutes before falling apart against Portugal, and managed to avoid defeat agains…

Monaco have completed the signing of Kevin Volland from Bayer Leverkusen.

Germany forward Volland, 28, has signed a four-year contract in a move reported to be worth €15million.

He is expected to be followed out of the BayArena by Kai Havertz, who is said to be closing in on a €100m transfer to Premier League side Chelsea.

Volland said: I thank the leaders of Monaco for the trust shown. I am delighted to join this club with a great history and strong ambitions.

I followed the first results of the team [in the Ligue 1 season]. I cannot wait to join the group and get to work to bring my qualities.

Deutsche Qualität in Monaco

— AS Monaco (@AS_Monaco)

Volland accumulated 77 goals and 62 assists in 247 Bundesliga games since …

Arjen Robben belatedly returned from a calf injury for Bayern Munich on Saturday and consequently made his 700th professional appearance.

The veteran winger is set to leave Bayern at the end of the season and had not featured since scoring twice against Benfica in the Champions League in November due to a number of fitness issues.

But after being left on the bench at Nurnberg last week, Robben appeared for a late cameo in Bayern s 3-1 win over Hannover as they edged towards another Bundesliga title.

The Dutch star arrived in place of Kingsley Coman four minutes from the end to play for the 700th time in his career, with 306 of those outings coming for Bayern.

700 ( ) makes his 700th for club and country. Legend.

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz)

…

Dani Olmo departed Barcelona s youth setup in 2014, moving to Croatian giants in Dinamo Zagreb.

Now playing for RB Leipzig, the 23-year-old continues to catch the eye.

Olmo is reportedly eyeing another chance at Barca.

TOP STORY – OLMO WANTS BARCA COMEBACK

RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo is hoping to return to Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Olmo came through Barca s famed La Masia before joining Dinamo Zagreb s youth team in 2014 and eventually Bundesliga outfit Leipzig in 2020.

The 23-year-old Spain international, however, wants a new chance at Barca and has reportedly set yes to a Camp Nou comeback without looking at contract terms.

ROUND-UP

 Everton are hopeful of launching a bid to sign …