Real Madrid fended off a late comeback from Deportivo Alaves to win 3-2 and ensure Carlo Ancelotti tasted victory in his 300th match.

Reigning LaLiga champions Madrid were cruising to victory at Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday as goals from Lucas Vazquez, Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo put them 3-0 up.

Carlos Benavidez and Kike Garcia scored in the 85th and 86th minutes for Alaves but Madrid held on to win a match they had mostly dominated.

Madrid opened the scoring under a minute after kick-off when Vinicius Junior took a long Federico Valverde pass in his stride and ran up the left channel before setting up full-back Vazquez, who fired home from close range.

Los Blancos extended their lead in the 40th minute when Mbappe played a neat one-two with Jude Bellingha…

Ronald Koeman said it was a fantastic achievement by Netherlands to secure a place at Euro 2020.

A goalless draw with Northern Ireland in Belfast clinched a top-two finish in Group C qualifying for Netherlands, no matter how unspectacular their performance was at Windsor Park on Saturday.

Koeman was a key player in the Netherlands team that won Euro 88 in West Germany, but now he is pulling the strings from the touchline as head coach.

On a testing night, the one-time stylish centre-back admitted he settled for a stalemate before the end, which is why he introduced substitute defender Nathan Ake late on in place of striker Ryan Babel.

It did the job, as Netherlands reached their first tournament since the 2014 World Cup, having failed to qualify for E…

Asian Football Federation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam on Saturday strongly denied reports that he had agreed to back the Spain-Portugal bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

The head of the Qatari football federation had been quoted in Spanish daily Marca as saying that he would vote for the Iberian bid to host the tournament when FIFA s executive committee convenes in Zurich on December 2.

However, he told AFP by telephone on Saturday that no interview with the paper had ever taken place.

I never spoke to any newspaper or media about the bidding for the 2018 World Cup, he said. What was published is totally false.

In a report on Friday, Marca quoted Bin Hammam as saying that Asia supports the Iberian bid but denying there was a pact between the two b…

Cristiano Ronaldo will lead Portugal into his 11th major international tournament after being named in Roberto Martinez s 26-man squad for Euro 2024.

Ronaldo opted against retiring from international football after Portugal suffered a surprise exit at the hands of Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, remaining an integral part of the Selecao setup under Martinez.

His 14 European Championship goals are an all-time tournament record, putting him five clear of Michel Platini, and he will look to widen that gap in Germany this year.

Portugal, who won all 10 of their qualifiers while scoring 36 goals, will open their Group F campaign against the Czech Republic before facing Turkey and Georgia.

There are few surprises in Martinez s squad overall, with Manchester Ci…

Declan Rice is confident that England can do something really special at Euro 2024 as the team set off for Germany on Monday.

The Arsenal midfielder was part of the side that fell short in the tournament three years ago against Italy at Wembley, and has since become a mainstay in the side under Gareth Southgate.

This will be Rice s third international tournament for the Three Lions, and he believes that the current squad have what it takes to lift the trophy in Berlin on July 14.

“We want to make history,” the 25-year-old said on England’s departure show on YouTube. “We say it all the time, but genuinely we have a group, a manager, that really believes.

“We have a confidence that we can go there and do something really special and, of course,…

Sir Jim Ratcliffe says Manchester United’s journey back to the top of world football starts now after completing his £1.3billion deal to become minority owner of the Premier League giants

A year and three months after the club announced a strategic review, and 58 days after a deal was struck, there is finally a new power structure in place at Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe has completed his purchase of 25 per cent of the shares owned by the Glazer family, who have been United’s majority owners since their controversial leveraged buyout in 2005.

The Ineos chairman paid 33 US dollars (£26) for each of those shares and the same price for 25 per cent of Class A shares, with 10 times fewer voting rights, following a tender process.

Ratcliffe takes control of fo…

Chelsea are interested in signing Joe Gomez from Premier League rivals Liverpool in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Gomez is exploring his options after being left out of Liverpool’s matchday squad against Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Times has claimed that Liverpool are actively looking to push Gomez out of the door, but the club and the player have held grown-up talks over his future. Virgil van Dijk, Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate are the three main centre-backs in new manager Arne Slot’s team, which has led to Gomez considering a move to a club where he would get regular playing time.

Gomez is a very versatile player who can play at centre-back, right-back and left-back, and even in a defensive mi…

Roberto Martinez has no doubt Cristiano Ronaldo can play a part for Portugal when they take on Scotland in their Nations League clash as he played down fears of fatigue.

Ronaldo was on the scoresheet in Portugal s 3-1 win over Poland in Warsaw and was substituted off with 63 minutes on the clock.

Martinez s men are top of Nations League Group A1 and there were suggestions Ronaldo may be rested for Tuesday s clash at Hampden Park.

However, the ex-Belgium boss has suggested that will not be the case, with the Al-Nassr forward likely to feature either as a starter or a substitute.

I think the age of a player doesn t come to play, he said at a press conference.

Ronaldo doesn t work as a 39-year-old player. He doesn t play certainly as a 39-year-ol…

Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus said his side can sleep in peace after they sealed a quarter-final spot at Rio 2016 with a 4-0 victory over Denmark.

The Palmeiras star, who will join Manchester City in January, scored the second goal as the host nation dispatched the visitors in Salvador to finish top of Group A.

Having received heavy criticism following 0-0 draws with South Africa and Iraq, Brazil turned on the style on Thursday, with Gabriel Barbosa and Luan also on the scoresheet in a stylish display at the packed Fonte Nova Arena.

And Gabriel, who was delighted with their performance, conceded that keeping their medal hopes alive was a huge weight off their shoulders.

I feel more than relief, he said, as quoted by Globoesporte. In all the interviews I v…

Prediction: Panathinaikos to win by a three-goal margin

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Panathinaikos and Botev Plovdiv will lock horns with each other in the UEFA Europa League Second Qualifying Round this week. The first leg of the tie between the Super League Greece club and the Bulgarian First Professional Football League side will be held at the Olympic Stadium in Athens and is scheduled to kick off at 7 pm UK time on Thursday.

Panathinaikos

Panathinaikos are one of the biggest clubs in Greece and one of the most successful as well. The Greens have won the Greek Super League as many as 20 times, although they last clinched the title back in 2009-10. They also have won the Green Super Cup on three occasions and reached the final of the European Cup in 1971.…