Karim Benzema suggests Real Madrid must find earlier goals in games if they do not wish to suffer after their 3-1 Copa del Rey comeback against Atletico Madrid.

Los Blancos failed to find the net until the final quarter-hour of regular time at the Santiago Bernabeu, when Rodrygo cancelled out Alvaro Morata s opener.

His superb solo finish forced extra-time in Thursday s quarter-final tie, with further goals for Benzema and Vinicius Junior cementing the turnaround for the hosts.

The reigning winner of the Ballon d Or acknowledged his side made themselves work for their spot in the last four with their performance at points, but stresses they always had the quality to respond.

It was a very difficult and complicated game, the France international reflected…

According to a recent report from AS, Inter Milan forward Mauro Icardi is set to turn down a brand new contract offer from the Italian club in order to facilitate a move away from the San Siro. The main objective behind Icardi’s move away is to go to a club that is capable of winning the Champions League, which Inter haven’t really come close to doing since they actually lifted the trophy in Madrid back in 2010.

Icardi’s attitude and behaviour behind the scenes hasn’t exactly helped his cause when it comes to getting in Inter’s good books, but if these latest reports are true, then it seems as if he’d have no real reason to do so. Mauro is considered to be one of the most prolific goalscorers in Italian football’s recent history, which is likely one of the primary…

Cristiano Ronaldo believes Liverpool sensation Mohamed Salah is a genuine contender to break his and Lionel Messi s decade-long dominance of the Ballon d Or.

Salah enjoyed a stunning debut season at Anfield, scooping the Premier League Golden Boot en route to netting 44 goals in all competitions.

His sparkling form underpinned the Reds surge to a surprise Champions League final appearance against Ronaldo s Real Madrid, but the fairytale ended in tears as a shoulder injury forced him out in the early stages of the 3-1 defeat in Kiev.

Ronaldo, who has shared five Ballons d Or apiece with Messi since 2008, hopes the Egypt international will be fit to prove his class at the World Cup.

Salah has been one of the revelations of the year, Ronaldo told repor…

Market: Both teams to score

Odds: 10/11 @

In what could prove to be an enjoyable Ligue 1 showdown from the Stade du Moustoir on Sunday afternoon, Lorient will welcome Strasbourg to town.

Starting with the hosts, although Lorient might have shocked many across Ligue 1 last season as they punched a top-half finish, Les Merlus have come crashing back down to earth this time around. Last seen putting in another worrying performance as they slumped to an action-packed 4-2 loss at home against Marseille, Regis Le Bris finds his squad at the heart of a relegation scrap. Marking their return from November’s international break with a woeful 3-2 loss at the hands of Metz, the Brittany-based outfit have secured just a single victory from any of their previous 12 straigh…

Manuel Pellegrini has been sacked by West Ham with the club hovering just above the Premier League relegation zone.

A 2-1 defeat at home to high-flying Leicester City on Saturday proved to be the final straw.

West Ham are just a point above the bottom three and co-chairman David Sullivan said the board had to act.

It is with great disappointment that we ve had to make this decision. Manuel is a gentleman and it has been a real pleasure to work with someone of his calibre, Sullivan said.

However, it has become clear that that a change is required to get the club back on track in line with our ambitions this season. 

We felt it was necessary to act now in order to give the new manager as much time as possible to try and achieve that goal.

…

LA Galaxy returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over lowly FC Cincinnati, while Portland Timbers star Brian Fernandez equalled an MLS record.

The Galaxy lost 2-1 to New England Revolution prior to the international break, which also saw Guillermo Barros Schelotto s side beaten by Timbers 4-0 in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday.

However, the Galaxy bounced back in Cincinnati, where quick-fire goals from Emmanuel Boateng and Fabio Alvarez ensured victory on Saturday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was kept quiet by bottom side Cincinnati but Boateng and Alvarez scored in the 12th and 15th minute respectively to see the second-placed Galaxy within six points of Western Conference and Supporters Shield leaders Los Angeles FC.

Our th win of the season is a shutout in …

Didier Deschamps has backed Paul Pogba to come through his difficult spell at Manchester United after naming him in the France squad to face Colombia and Russia.

Pogba started from the bench in both legs as United were knocked out of the Champions League by Sevilla, having struggled to rediscover his best form with his performances for United under heavy scrutiny.

But the former Juventus midfielder has not lost his place for France, with Deschamps acknowledging that even top players struggle at one time or another.

I do not know what undroppable means, Deschamps said of Pogba s inclusion. In September or October, we questioned Antoine Griezmann why not? It was said that [Kylian] Mbappe was struggling. Today he s at top form. 

Players can not have a s…

Jurgen Klopp took a swipe at former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg and promised he has not been playing mind games ahead of Liverpool s clash with Manchester United.

The Liverpool manager said he has unfortunately not got the skills for the sort of calculated trickery in which former United boss Alex Ferguson was once such a master.

Klopp observed after Liverpool s 1-0 defeat at Southampton in early January that United had been winning far more penalties than his team.

During Klopp s tenure, Liverpool have been awarded 46 penalties in all competitions, including 30 in the Premier League, whereas United have been given 67 spot-kicks in that time.

In Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s tenure as United boss, the Red Devils have had 42 penalties, compared to ju…

Even taking into account this rather unusual Premier League season, West Brom were not expected to get anything from their trip to Chelsea.

Beyond just their respective positions at opposites ends of the table, the visitors went into the fixture having managed just one away win all season in the league.

Stamford Bridge had certainly not been a happy hunting ground either – the Baggies had not triumphed there since September 1978 prior to Saturday s trip. They went on to finish third that season, as well as reaching the last eight of the UEFA Cup. Now, they just hope to stay in the top flight.

Chelsea, meanwhile, were unbeaten under Thomas Tuchel. Not only that, they had not conceded in their five Premier League home games since the German was appointed as Fr…

Gareth Bale says the key to his improved form is down to playing more regularly since Ryan Mason replaced Jose Mourinho as Tottenham boss.

The Wales international scored his second Premier League hat-trick, and first since December 2012, in Tottenham s routine 4-0 win over Sheffield United on Sunday.

He was a second-half substitute in last week s EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester City, but the forward has started both league games under Mason, scoring four times in total.

That compares to five goals in 14 appearances under Mourinho in the Premier League this season, just six of those being starts.

And Bale, who is due to return to parent club Real Madrid at the end of the season for the final year of his contract, is glad to be enjoying his football aga…