Butragueno backs under-fire Lopetegui

Liverpool called on Champions League rookie Caoimhin Kelleher to replace the injured Alisson against Ajax at Anfield on Tuesday. 

First-choice goalkeeper Alisson missed out because of a hamstring setback that could mean a two-week lay-off, so Kelleher was handed his big chance with Adrian named as a substitute. 

The 22-year-old goalkeeper had made four previous first-team appearances for Liverpool, all in domestic cup competitions, and he conceded five goals twice in those outings in a 5-5 draw with Arsenal and a 5-0 defeat to Aston Villa. 

Manager Jurgen Klopp reported Alisson was also expected to miss the weekend clash with Wolves in the Premier League, having felt a niggle during Saturday s 1-1 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion. 

Asked about…

Silvio Berlusconi is confident AC Milan will be in safe hands after doing plenty of research on their potential Chinese investors.

The former Italian prime minister is set to relinquish control at San Siro for the first time since 1986 after acknowledging he needs financial support to help restore the Serie A giants back among Europe s elite.

Investment from China has long been in the pipeline but appears closer to a resolution following the end of a disappointing 2015-16 campaign, and Berlusconi believes the new owners can be trusted.

We have found out the names of those people who were responsible for dealing with us and we have collected good information on these people, he told Teleregione Molise.

I hope we can get them to sign a commitment that wou…

Best odds: 13/10

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Villarreal will take on Atletico Madrid at the Estadio de la Ceramica, more commonly known by its old name of El Madrigal, on Friday in the 16th round of the 2019/20 La Liga season in what should be a very interesting contest.

Villarreal

Having always fought for the European places in the Spanish top flight in recent years, Villarreal will have been thoroughly disappointed with last season s 14th-place finish. To make matters worse, they haven t done much to improve on that this term, despite signing the likes of midfielder Andre Zambo Anguissa from Fulham, and defenders Raul Albiol from Napoli and Alberto Moreno from Liverpool.

They enter this clash against Atletico from the 13th place, with no more than 18 points to their n…

Ross Barkley would benefit from staying at Everton rather than seeking a move, according to former Goodison Park favourite Lee Carsley.

The England midfielder, who has been included in Roy Hodgson s squad for the FIFA World Cup, has been in sparkling form for Roberto Martinez s side this season.

His displays for Everton have earned him not only international recognition, but also a host of admirers at other clubs who may be tempted to launch a bid for his services.

But Carsley, who played for Everton between 2002 and 2006, believes Barkley would be better off staying at the club echoing the sentiments of manager Martinez.

Roberto Martinez is spot-on to suggest that Goodison Park is the perfect place for Ross Barkley, the 40-year-old wrote in The Liverpool Echo.

Everton have announced on their official website that they are set to sign Twente midfielder Leroy Fer.

After the two clubs agreed on a transfer fee, the 23-year-old will fly to Liverpool to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical at Goodison Park.

Everton boss David Moyes suggested earlier today that he planned to reinforce his squad before the January transfer window closed, and he has wasted no time in securing the first signing of the transfer window.

Fer, 23, is a cultured central midfielder who is already a full Netherlands international.

Leroy Fer came through the youth ranks at Feyenoord and made a total of 105 Eredivisie apearances for the club before joining Twente in a 5.5 million move in the summer of 2011.

He immediately develop…

Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland could adapt his game to play in any country after a hugely impressive first season in the Premier League.

City signed Haaland from Germany s Borussia Dortmund, while he previously played in Austria for Salzburg and his native Norway for Molde.

Although his link-up play has occasionally been criticised, Haaland s goalscoring talent has endured across every league.

He has 27 goals already in the Premier League, closing on the single-season record of 34, but Guardiola expects it would be a similar story in any division.

Asked if Haaland was particularly well suited to playing in England, Guardiola replied: And I would say in Germany, in Spain, in Italy, in Norway, in Congo, everywhere.

These types of players ada…

Chelsea forward Kai Havertz is enjoying some strong form once again, but he revealed the mental toll this season has taken on himself and those around him.

The Germany international has made 22 starts from Chelsea s 26 Premier League fixtures this campaign, having only scored 27 goals as a team.

It has resulted in a pressure-packed season as boss Graham Potter fights for his job, and while Havertz s own production has not taken too much of a hit, the weight of a disappointing season has taken its toll.

After eight goals and four assists in 29 league appearances last season, Havertz has tallied six goals and one assist this time around, but had only one goal in his past 10 prior to finding the back of the net against Leicester City in Saturday s 3-1 win.

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Luis Suarez never expected to replace Lionel Messi as Barcelona s number nine when he moved to the Spanish giants from Liverpool in 2014.

Suarez has made remarkable improvements on already good form since swapping Anfield for Camp Nou and capped off a second successive La Liga-winning campaign with the Pichichi Trophy, awarded to the top goalscorer.

Suarez scored 40 goals from 35 appearances in the league this season, pipping Real Madrid s Cristiano Ronaldo to the award with a hat-trick on the final day of the league season and, more remarkably, usurped Messi as Barca s preferred central striker in the process.

Five-time Ballon d Or winner Messi has moved back out to a role on the left side of attack to get the best out of Suarez, much to the Uruguayan s shock.<…

Pepe believes victory in Saturday s Champions League final will see the current Real Madrid squad write their name into club history.

Real face city rivals Atletico Madrid in the showdown at San Siro, the second time the two clubs have met in the final in three seasons.

Under Carlo Ancelotti, Real triumphed 4-1 after extra-time in Lisbon in 2014 as they sealed La Decima a 10th European Cup crown and an 11th on Saturday would see them move four clear of AC Milan on the all-time list.

I think in a final it s 50-50, they want to win, we want to win, we can continue with an amazing history that this club has, Pepe said in Tuesday s media conference.

Atletico Madrid we have to respect, they re a good team, but we always have to think about ourselves as a un…

Bologna is not willing to part company with attacking midfielder Gaston Ramirez for anything less than 20 million euros.

The Uruguay international played a key role in the club s ninth-placed finish in Serie A last season and is widely expected to leave the Renato Dall Ara this summer, with a plethora of Premier League clubs said to be chasing the 21-year-old.

Sporting director Roberto Zanzi explained, though, that there is an Italian team currently at the head of the queue for the youngster s services, but even they have yet to meet Bologna s valuation of the player.

To take him, one must begin (the bidding) at 20 million euros, the Bologna official told Radio Kiss Kiss.

At the moment there are two open negotiations for the player that, however, did …