Ballon d´Or: Pedri credits Messi for improvement after winning Kopa Trophy

Sampdoria played host to AC Milan at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa in the round before last of the 2019/20 season in the Serie A.

Sitting in 15th place and completely safe from relegation, the contest bore no competitive importance for them, but the sixth-place visitors needed the points desperately as they sought to secure their involvement in the Europa League next season. City rivals Inter did them a huge favour by beating seventh-place Napoli the previous day, which meant a win here would be enough to get the job done.

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Sampdoria boss Claudio Ranieri couldn t call upon winger Felice D’Amico and midfielder Albin Ekdal, both out with injuries, but defender Omar Colley and midfielder Ronaldo Vieira were again at his disposal after missing the previ…

Arkadiusz Milik could finally get the reward he deserves. The Polish striker has had some turbulent seasons over the years, but after a strong 2018-19 campaign, he is close to signing a new deal with Partenopei. That is what Corriere dello Sport are writing today, as they claim that Napoli have finally prepared the contract extension.

The Polish international will sign a new deal that should keep him at the club until 2024, which would mean that for another five years he would be commited to Napoli. The club from the San Paolo Stadium have been wondering whether to offer Milik a new deal because of his poor injury record, with the striker getting long-term injuries on two occasions since joining the club.

But now they decided to actually offer him a new deal, after Mili…

Australian international striker Nikita Rukavytsya has signed a three-year contract with Hertha Berlin, the German second division side announced on Wednesday.

Nikita is very quick and very adaptable up front, said Hertha s sporting director Michael Preetz.

The 23-year-old, who was born in Ukraine but moved to Australia aged 14, was out of contract at Dutch side FC Twente. He spent last season on loan at Belgian side KSV Roulers who were relegated from the top flight.

Rukavytsya played for Australia at the 2008 Olympics an under 23 side and has since played six times for the Socceroos. He was a member of the World Cup squad in South Africa, making two appearances off the bench.

Hertha finished bottom of the Bundesliga last season, winning just five time…

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) on Tuesday elected not to renew Diego Maradona s contract as national team coach, a spokesman said.

Doubts had surrounded the 49-year-old s future ever since a tense meeting with AFA head Julio Grondona on Monday and newspapers had spent the day speculating on who would succeed the man who led the team to victory as star player at the 1986 World Cup.

As an inexperienced coach, Maradona s record over 18 months was less than stellar and the team only qualified for the World Cup finals by the skin of their teeth.

Although several players had spoken up for him after a run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, where Germany proved toostrong, the AFA decided it was time to give the job to someone else.

One name in the…

Italy international midfielder Andrea Pirlo intends to continue his career at the Juventus Stadium, insisting he plans to stay in Turin for a few more years.

Pirlo, 34, joined Juventus via free transfer from Italian rivals AC Milan in the summer of 2011 and has lead the Bianconeri to three straight Serie A titles.

Recent reports have suggested the 34-year-old, whose current contract is due to expire at the end of the season, will be offered a new deal by Juventus and the player has confirmed his desire to stay at the club.

I am training every day as well as any other player, . I need that.

My motivation to go on is very strong, simply because I love playing football and having fun on the pitch.

I have always had fun every day on the …

Nicolas Burdisso has stated his desire to leave Roma this month in order to boost his FIFA World Cup ambitions.

The 32-year-old defender has fallen down the pecking order at the Stadio Olimpico this season, with Mehdi Benatia and Leandro Castan preferred in the centre of defence.

Burdisso has made just six appearances for Rudi Garcia s side so far in 2013-14 and the Argentina international is keen to exit the club as he seeks first-team football ahead of the World Cup in June.

Genoa have been linked with a move for the former Inter man, who joined Roma permanently in 2010 following a successful loan spell with the capital club.

And Burdisso confirmed that he will remain at a European club, rather than returning to South America.

I have decided to leave Roma…

Germany coach Joachim Low believes Bastian Schweinteiger could have been more effectively used at Manchester United.

Schweinsteiger ended an underwhelming stay at Old Trafford on Tuesday by confirming a switch to Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire.

Having struggled for form and fitness after joining United from Bayern Munich in July 2015, the 32-year-old found himself frozen out of the first-team when Jose Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal as manager for this season.

The 2014 World Cup winner battled back to a place on the fringes of Mourinho s squad, making four appearances across all competitions from November onwards before long-time admirers Chicago made their move.

He told me that he did all he could to get into the Man United team. He could have…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has boasted his performances for Paris Saint-Germain in the past three-and-a-half seasons have helped put France on the world map .

The Sweden international arrived in the French capital in 2012 from AC Milan and has been a revelation for the club, scoring 115 goals in 142 appearances in all competitions, taking him to the top of PSG s all-time charts.

Three Ligue 1 titles, two Coupes de la Ligue and one Coupe de France have followed, while progress has also been made in the Champions League.

Ibrahimovic has also become Sweden s all-time record goalscorer in that time and he is hoping to fire his home country to Euro 2016 which will be hosted by France in their qualifier with Denmark.

I would love to play at the European Championship i…

Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne was forced off in the second half of the Champions League final with a head injury after a worrying collision with Antonio Rudiger.

De Bruyne collided with Chelsea defender Rudiger in the 56th minute as the Blues led 1-0 through Kai Havertz s goal, resulting in an elongated break in play on Saturday.

City playmaker De Bruyne received lengthy treatment from the team s medical staff but was deemed unable to continue.

Visibly upset as he was helped from the field, De Bruyne endured a frustrating evening as his influence was limited by Chelsea s defence.

De Bruyne played one key pass but completed only half of his passes in the Chelsea half.

The scenes that brought about the end of his involvement will be of concer…

Tottenham Hotspur are in pole position to sign Joachim Andersen from Lyon in the summer transfer window, according to . It has been reported that Spurs are in the driving seat to secure the services of the central defender, who spent the 2020-21 campaign on loan at Fulham from Lyon.

Andersen played well for Fulham this past season despite the Cottagers getting relegated to the Championship. The 25-year-old Denmark international central defender made 30 starts and one substitute appearance in the Premier League for the Cottagers, scoring one goal and providing one assist in the process, according to .

Tottenham could do with a couple of central defenders who would be able to make an immediate impact on the team. Spurs failed to qualify for the Champions League or the Eur…