Messi´s brother confirms birth of Barcelona star´s second child

La Liga club Sevilla have confirmed the signing of Lens midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia for an undisclosed fee.

The 19-year-old midfielder landed in Seville on Tuesday and underwent a medical before signing a five-year contract with the Spanish side.

Kondobgia, an Under-19 international for France, has caught the eye of a number of clubs across Europe since breaking into Lens first team in 2010.

Juventus, AC Milan, Napoli and Inter were all said to be interested in the midfielder, who made 39 appearances for the Ligue 2 side.

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The outcome of an anticipated titanic battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk is likely to have a huge say in whether Portugal or Netherlands win the inaugural Nations League.

A stunning hat-trick from Ronaldo saw hosts Portugal to a 3-1 semi-final win over Switzerland, while Van Dijk played with typical composure in a game otherwise laced with defensive errors in Guimaraes – the Netherlands coming from behind to beat England 3-1 in extra time.

Van Dijk was named the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Player of the Year on account of his imperious form for Liverpool and scooped man-of-the-match honours as Jurgen Klopp s side won the Champions League final against Tottenham last weekend.

As such there is an increasing clamour for the 27-year…

Jurgen Klopp acknowledged Liverpool have a tough Champions League draw against Atletico Madrid, but he pointed out opposite number Diego Simeone would be disappointed to face the holders.

Liverpool topped their group ahead of Napoli and their bid for a second consecutive European crown takes them back to the Wanda Metropolitano the scene of last season s final to face dangerous LaLiga giants Atleti.

Klopp suggested he anticipated a return to Madrid, while recognition of a testing fixture was tempered by the strength of a last-16 draw containing only clubs from Europe s top five leagues.

It s an interesting draw, Klopp told his club s official website. Before the draw, I actually thought it would be Madrid either one of the two clubs and that s the way it is.

Eden Hazard said he aimed to increase his Premier League scoring power this season, after being named the PFA Players Player of the Year.

The Belgium international, 24, was crowned the best player in the English top flight by his peers, and was one of six Chelsea players in the Premier League team of the year.

Hazard said his personal success he has scored 13 goals in 33 games  has helped contribute to putting Chelsea on the brink of re-claiming the league crown.

He remains one behind his 2013-14 tally of 14 league goals in 35 appearances.

We are almost champions, maybe this is the key, the midfielder said, according to the Daily Mail. 

Last season we finished third and this season we have an opportunity to win the league. This has changed fro…

Few subjects illuminate Jose Mourinho as much as his admiration for Alex Ferguson.

When the Scot called time on his hugely successful dynasty at Manchester United in 2013, it was widely accepted that the modern game would never again witness a manager with such an all-consuming influence at a football club.

This fact remains, but the clinical control with which Chelsea have dominated England s top flight on their way to a fourth Premier League title means it is hard to imagine a coach who commands the levels of authority and respect that Mourinho does at Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese spoke of owner Roman Abramovich hugging players in the Chelsea dressing room after they carried out their manager s arch-pragmatism to the letter in last weekend s much-discusse…

Group C of the UEFA Champions League appears wide open as Zenit St Petersburg and Malaga seek to capitalise on the decline of AC Milan.

Malaga have experienced two rollercoaster years following the arrival of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani as owner in 2010, spending their way to fourth place in La Liga last season, just three points behind European regulars Valencia.

After previously stating his intention to break the hegemony of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Al-Thani performed a bizarre U-turn in the close-season, apparently pulling the plug on his investment and leaving the club in limbo.

Financial uncertainty triggered a host of high-profile departures, chief among them the sale of playmaker Santi Cazorla to Arsenal for a reported fee of 19 million euros.

But …