Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba said he was “sad, shocked and heartbroken” after being banned from football for a doping offence.

The former Manchester United player was on Thursday handed a four-year ban, according to reports in Italy.

The 30-year-old was provisionally suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal in September after testing positive for testosterone following Juve’s Serie A match with Udinese on August 20, where he was an unused substitute.

And, after the failed test was confirmed by Italian anti-doping body Nado in a second sample in October, the four-year suspension requested by the prosecutor’s office has now reportedly been granted.

Pogba has responded by issuing a statement on social media saying he has “n…

Milan boss Stefano Pioli has called on the Rossoneri to show they are the best side in Serie A when they attempt to return to the top of the table against Hellas Verona on Sunday.

The Rossoneri are unbeaten in 13 league games, winning eight and drawing five, with only Liverpool on a longer unbeaten run than Pioli s team in the top-five European leagues, ahead of the Reds Premier League clash with Tottenham on Saturday.

However, Milan dropped to second in Serie A after rivals Inter beat Empoli 4-2 in a thrilling contest on Friday, as the local rivals remain locked in a tense battle for the title.

Milan have more points at this stage of a Serie A season (77 from 35 matches) than they have taken since picking up the same amount in 2010-11, when they went on to wi…

In this world, nothing is certain except death, taxes, Manchester United coming from behind and West Brom getting relegated from the Premier League.

It was not remotely surprising to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s United bounce back from an early setback at Aston Villa, while West Brom s relegation confirmation was similarly expected.

On a day without a single draw, there were also wins for Wolves and Everton, who got one over former manager – and rival for European football – David Moyes.

Take a look at the key stats from Sunday s action.
 

Wolves 2-1 Brighton and Hove Albion: Seagulls rue reds as Traore ends drought

It was a day to forget for Brighton, who became the latest club to fall victim to Wolves impressive bounce-back powers.

N…

Arjen Robben s playing days are officially over (again), with the Bayern Munich and Netherlands great confirming on Thursday that he is hanging up his boots.

Of course, this is not the first time Robben has made such a decision – he initially retired in 2019 after a decade with Bayern before returning to his first club Groningen.

Although the fairy-tale conclusion he may have hoped for never quite materialised, ending his career where it all began has seen his playing days come full circle.

In honour of Robben s retirement, Stats Perform takes a look at greats who have gone back to their spiritual home in the twilight stages, starting with an overview of the king of inverted wingers…

Arjen Robben Groningen

Robben s first retirement lasted ju…

A consortium that includes Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani has completed its takeover of Italian club Sampdoria.

Leeds’ majority shareholder Radrizzani’s company Aser Group and finance company Gestio Capital announced they had concluded a deal to save financially-stricken Sampdoria late on Tuesday night.

In a statement released on Sky Sports Italian reporter Gianluca Di Marzio’s social media sites, Radrizzani said: “We are nothing short of thrilled to be able to announce that we have completed the acquisition of this extraordinary club.

., il comunicato di e

— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio)

“The history and coat of arms of Sampdoria are safe and I think my happiness is (for) of all the people who were suffering for these colours.<…

Best odds: 4/7

Bookmaker:

Motivated by a perceived sense of injustice from the previous weekend, Real Madrid will be determined to finish the task against RB Leipzig in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Carlo Ancelotti s squad enters their home ground with a narrow 1-0 lead from the first leg three weeks ago, a lead that is hardly insurmountable for their Bundesliga counterparts to overcome.

Real Madrid

In the absence of Jude Bellingham due to an ankle injury, Brahim Diaz emerged as a standout performer at the Red Bull Arena, sealing the first leg of their last-16 showdown with a remarkable solo effort. Diaz skillfully maneuvered through Leipzig defence, elegantly finding the top corner with his …

Barcelona have expressed an interest in signing Thomas Partey from Arsenal next summer, according to Spanish outlet Relevo (via ).

The Catalans are believed to be looking for cut-price solutions to strengthen their squad as they battle various financial issues. The Ghana international runs out of contract at the Emirates at the end of this season, and Barcelona obviously see him as a suitable, high-quality option in the transfer market.

Partey has frequently struggled with injuries since joining Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020, and at the age of 31, he has seen his role in Mikel Arteta s squad diminish in importance as that of Declan Rice grows. It has been reported that he s looking for a way to leave North London as a result.

That said, Partey started all…

Liverpool are among the clubs interested in signing Alex Baena from Villarreal, according to . The report has claimed that Liverpool are preparing an offer to secure the services of the 21-year-old Spanish winger, who has a release clause of €35 million in his contract. 

Baena has been on the books of Villarreal since 2011 and has established himself in the first team now. The Spain Under-21 international turned out for Villarreal C and Villarreal B in recent years and spent the 2021-22 season on loan at Ginora.

The winger has made six substitute appearances in La Liga for Villarreal so far the season, scoring three goals in the process. Baena has also scored three goals in two UEFA Conference League for the Yellow Submarine so far this campaign.

…

While Manchester United might have been minutes away from claiming a crucial Europa League first-leg advantage on Thursday night, Erik ten Hag’s side eventually had to settle for a stunning 2-2 draw against Sevilla.

Although United might have breezed their way to an early 2-0 lead as Marcel Sabitzer bagged a quickfire brace in the opening 17 minutes, the Premier League giants will be ruing what was a missed golden opportunity at Old Trafford.

Despite Brazilian international Antony going close on either side of the half-time break, United suffered major Europa League heartbreak on home soil as both Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire turned into their own net in the final 10 minutes.

With the Old Trafford supporters visibly stunned by an almighty collapse in Manch…

Verdict: Roma over 1.75 goals

Best odds:

Bookmaker: 

Following a slow start with a disappointing stalemate at Cagliari in the opening round of Serie A, Roma is keen to recover the points dropped with a home win against Empoli. The game will be played at Stadio Olimpico where the hosts disappointed its fans recently with results below expectations.

While a summer with uncertainty in the Capital continues, Roma is keen to put all the problems behind it and secure the first win in Serie A. Despite the rumours regarding several key players departing before the closing of the current transfer window, the board is still negotiating with Argentinian ace, Paolo Dybala to extend his contract.

Although his future is not settled yet, the excitement in the…