Spurs-bound Udogie believes he is destined to grow under Conte

Brazil are convinced they will come good at the Copa America, as they aim to get back on track after a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica, so says Dorival Junior.

The Selecao were frustrated in their opening Group D match, accumulating 1.71 expected goals and having 19 shots, though only three were on target.

With Colombia having started their campaign with a win over Paraguay, the pressure is on Brazil to deliver when they face the same opponent on Friday.

Coach Dorival, though, urged for calm heads and a touch of patience.

He told reporters: It s natural that we all expected a slightly different result in the last game, but we can t fail to appreciate how we performed. The way we put our opponents in their defence.

I am convinced of what we are doing a…

Sven Botman considered Newcastle United a little better than Milan as he weighed up his transfer options, settling on a dream Premier League move.

Lille defender Botman is expected to complete his move to Newcastle on Friday, with a deal in principle announced earlier this week.

That reported £31.8million (€37m) agreement brought to an end a long-running saga, with the centre-back the subject of interest from both Newcastle and Milan.

Botman discussed the merits of signing for both clubs following a January window in which neither could convince Lille to sell.

Milan initially seemed favourites to finally land their man following the 2021-22 season, but they could not match Newcastle s offer.

And Botman explained to De Telegraaf: Newcastle s gre…

Theo Hernandez has been cleared to return to action for Milan after recovering from coronavirus.

The 24-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 upon returning from international duty with France nearly two weeks ago.

He was subsequently forced to sit out the Serie A wins over Hellas Verona and Bologna, either side of Tuesday s 1-0 loss to Porto in the Champions League.

However, Milan announced on their official website on Sunday that Hernandez s latest coronavirus test came back negative and he is now available for selection.

Stefano Pioli s side face Torino and Roma in Serie A over the next week, before hosting Porto and bitter rivals Inter in crucial games ahead of the next international break.

Fode Ballo-Toure has filled in during Hernandez s abs…

The A-League title belongs to Melbourne Victory after a commanding 3-0 win over Sydney FC on Sunday.

Only two points separated the sides across 27 league matches and their three head-to-head meetings finished level, but Victory were dominant in the grand final at AAMI Park.

Besart Berisha fired the hosts ahead in the first half, but they left it late to extend their advantage, with Kosta Barbarouses netting in the 83rd minute.

Carl Valeri s dismissal for a second yellow with two minutes remaining never looked likely to cost Kevin Muscat s side and his achievement of becoming the first man to win the A-League as a player and a coach was sealed by Leigh Broxham s injury-time strike.

It is the third time Melbourne who finished with the Premiers Plate have…

Felix Nmecha’s goal on the stroke of half-time ultimately settled a pulsating encounter which Dortmund perhaps shaded, although they were indebted to both keeper Gregor Kobel, who made a vital second-half save from Callum Wilson, and the woodwork, which denied both Wilson and Anthony Gordon in a rousing conclusion.

Willock said: “We were just a bit disappointed that we couldn’t tuck away those chances. We’re competing at the highest level now. We’re going to analyse it, we’re going to look back at it and we’re not going to let it set us back too much.”

If dropped points were painful for Eddie Howe’s men, so too were injuries to striker Alexander Isak, who aggravated a groin problem he picked up on international duty with Sweden, and Jacob Murphy, who su…

Jude Bellingham scored twice as Real Madrid took El Clasico honours with a 2-1 win at Barcelona.

The England midfielder struck with a 30-yard drive to cancel out Ilkay Gundogan’s early goal for the hosts.

Bellingham then volleyed a stoppage-time winner to take his goal tally to 13 in 13 appearances since moving to Madrid from Borussia Dortmund.

Goals from Lucas Ocampos and Ivan Rakitic saw Sevilla come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in Cadiz, Las Palmas won 2-1 at Almeria and Mallorca were held 0-0 at home by Getafe.

: Me encantan las remontadas .

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid)

In the Bundesliga, Harry Kane scored a hat-trick – including a goal from inside his own half – as Bayern Munich thumped Darmstadt 8-0.

Joshua Kimmic…

Germany captain Manuel Neuer is adamant he will have recovered from injury in time for the World Cup in June.

The Bayern Munich goalkeeper underwent surgery in September after fracturing a metatarsal in his left foot for the second time this year.

While hopeful of regaining fitness soon after the winter break, Neuer remains on crutches and is hesitant to put an exact timeframe on his return.

However, the 31-year-old is confident he will be ready to help Die Mannschaft defend their title in Russia.

In my opinion, nothing stands in the way of my World Cup participation, Neuer told the DFB s official website.

An icon on and off the pitch

  receieved the Golden Heart award yesterday 

— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN)

…

Lewis Hall says Newcastle wanted to “make a statement” at Manchester United but admits the comprehensive Carabao Cup victory at Old Trafford surpassed expectations.

Wednesday’s fourth-round tie was a repeat of February’s final and Eddie Howe’s men exacted some revenge with a famous first win at Old Trafford in a decade.

Miguel Almiron and Joe Willock goals either side of teenage left-back Hall’s volley completed a 3-0 victory that secured progress and a quarter-final trip to Chelsea next month.

Put to the summer signing that he could not have expected the trip to Old Trafford to turn out like that, the 19-year-old said: “No, definitely not.

“I think when we had the meetings (Wednesday) morning and afternoon we obviously set out the way we …

Luis Suarez believes the future is very bright for Liverpool, though the Barcelona star has no plans to show his former club any mercy in the Champions League.

Barcelona and last season s runners-up Liverpool will go head-to-head in the semi-finals a reunion for veteran forward Suarez, starting at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Suarez spent three years at Liverpool, winning just the EFL Cup on Merseyside, before joining LaLiga giants Barca in 2014.

Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have emerged as a serious threat both in the Premier League and the Champions League as they vie for the domestic title this season, having lost to Real Madrid in the 2018 European decider.

Liverpool are a point adrift of Manchester City with two matches remaining in the league and Suarez …

It is easy to imagine how Manchester United landed on Casemiro s name in the week that followed their shambolic 4-0 defeat at Brentford.

United were preyed upon by the Brentford press, giving up three chances and two goals from high turnovers as Christian Eriksen – a false nine in their previous match – ended up as the deepest midfielder and struggled badly.

Through two games, no Premier League side allowed more shots following high turnovers than United (eight).

At the very least, Casemiro – a five-time Champions League winner anchoring one of the great modern midfields at Real Madrid – should make United harder to play against.

Yet the 30-year-old, whose arrival at Old Trafford was confirmed ahead of Monday s game against Liverpool, possesses a …