Real Madrid have revealed Jude Bellingham sprained his ankle during his side’s 4-0 win against LaLiga title rivals Girona on Saturday.

Los Blancos, who moved five points clear of Girona in the table, have allayed fears the England midfielder sustained a serious injury after scoring twice in his side’s emphatic win.

A brief statement on the club’s official website read: “Following tests carried out today on Jude Bellingham by the Real Madrid medical services, he has been diagnosed with a sprain in his left ankle. His recovery will be monitored.”

Bellingham medical report.

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden)

Bellingham took his goals tally to 20 in 31 appearances in all competitions for Carlo Ancelotti’s side this season before being f…

(GSM) Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has revealed that his form was affected by last summer s transfer talks regarding a possible move from Liverpool to Barcelona.

And it now seems that the Argentina captain has left the door open again for Catalans by stating that it was a shame for himself and his family after failure to secure a move to Spain.

The former West Ham United midfielder was in talks over joining the Spanish champions but a switch did not materialise.

He then made a slow start to the season with Liverpool and although he finished the campaign strongly, it was an ultimately disappointing year for the Reds as they finished seventh.

Rafael Benitez signed him on a four-year deal in February 2008 after joining on loan from West Ham a year…

Romelu Lukaku has thanked Jose Mourinho for letting him swap Chelsea for Everton permanently in 2014.

The Belgian impressed during a loan spell at Goodison Park in 2013-14 and has scored 12 goals in 16 Premier League appearances this season.

Lukaku offered thanks to Mourinho, who parted ways with Chelsea on Thursday, for affording him the chance leave Stamford Bridge for regular first-team football.

I wanted to play and get minutes under my belt, Lukaku told BBC Sport.

I never got the chance to say it but I would say thank you to Jose Mourinho.

I had one conversation with him a few days before I left and I told him I wanted to go and I think he saw in my eyes that I really needed to play because it was the year of the World Cup.

He w…

West Brom midfielder Claudio Yacob has signed a new two-year deal with the club.

The Argentine moved to The Hawthorns from Racing Club in July 2012 and has gone on to make 85 first-team appearances.

Yacob featured in 20 Premier League games last term and formed a promising pairing in central midfield with Darren Fletcher following Tony Pulis appointment as head coach.

His new deal will keep him at the club until June 2017.

…

Best odds: 27/25

Bookmaker:

Having confirmed their 34th La Liga title with a win over Villarreal on Thursday, Real Madrid will travel to play Leganes in the final round of the 2019/20 season.

Leganes

This match is absolutely crucial for Leganes and on the whole, they won t be thankful that they re facing the new champions in it, although it might prove a blessing in disguise. Going into the last matchday of the season, they are in 18th place, which means in the relegation zone, and only a positive result can give them any hope of a last-ditch escape. They have 35 points, one less that Celta Vigo directly above who are the only team they can possibly hope to overtake. Meanwhile, it s all over for Espanyol and Mallorca.

For a side battling against a drop …

Best odds: 15/8

Bookmaker:

West Ham United will play host to Aston Villa at the London Stadium on the final matchday on Sunday in a contest the result of which is likely to have a big impact on the relegation battle still raging in the Premier League.

West Ham

Sitting in 15th place with 38 points, survival has been secured in what has been a difficult season for the Hammers as they finally find themselves out of the reach of those still in danger. Behind them, Brighton and Hove Albion have the same tally, while Aston Villa and Watford with 34 appear set to battle it out to avoid finishing 18th. Bournemouth s chances, with their own tally of 31, are very remote, while Norwich City at the bottom have been relegated for some time now. 

Having suffered…

Germany coach Joachim Loew said his team would be looking to neutralise Spain in Wednesday s World Cup semi-final here, but without losing their own attacking instincts.

Germany have been one of the most positive and attacking teams in this tournament, scoring four goals in three of their five matches.

Their total of 13 goals is more than double the number Spain have managed and Loew says they must continue to play the way that carried them to a 4-1 victory against England and a 4-0 demolition of Argentina if they are to reach Sunday s final in Johannesburg.

Spain are the team with the strongest organisation and the best fire-power, they re all very skillful and they function in perfect harmony with each other, said Loew at Tuesday s pre-match press conference.…

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders believes it is impossible to replace Jurgen Klopp and the club should not try to find a replica but someone who can develop their own dynasty.

Klopp’s shock decision to step down at the end of the season began an unenviable task for owners Fenway Sports Group of finding a successor for a manager who has won every club honour – bar the Europa League – during his time at Anfield.

The German has the chance to add to his tally of trophies this weekend in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday and the finale to the season could see them contend for another three in what would be a remarkable send-off.

But Lijnders, who with the rest of Klopp’s backroom staff is also leaving, insisted there was no point in tryin…

Stuttgart winger Ibrahima Traore is to join Borussia Monchengladbach at the end of the current Bundesliga season.

Monchengladbach confirmed the signing of the Guinea international on Monday, with the former Hertha Berlin and Augsburg man to be under contract at Borussia Park until 2018.

Traore has been a regular for Stuttgart in the top flight since arriving in 2011, with sixth-placed Monchengladbach looking to bolster their options ahead of a potential European campaign next term.

Augsburg s Andre Hahn has already agreed a close-season switch to Borussia Park, and Monchengladach s sporting director Max Eberl stated Traore s versatility made him an ideal signing.

Ibrahima Traore is an extremely fast winger with whom we are more flexible in attack, he told the cl…

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou is excited ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, despite being drawn with 2010 finalists Spain and Netherlands.

The Socceroos were dealt a tough draw in Bahia on Friday when grouped with the two major European nations and Chile.

Spain beat Netherlands in the 2010 final and Chile finished as the third ranked team in South American qualifying, making Australia s task of progressing from Group B extremely difficult.

But Postecoglou is confident that his side will relish the challenge to make history in Brazil next year.

(It s) obviously exciting. You re at a World Cup and we certainly wanted to play some of the big guns and we ve got them all in our group which is fantastic, Postecoglou said.

It ll be a great experience for us all …