There was huge adversity in the early stages of Yeferson Soteldo s career.

He grew up in the underprivileged neighbourhood of El Muertico in the city of Acarigua, where he claims an early grave was the likely alternative to a career in professional football, and although he gained a spot in the academy of Caracas – Venezuela s most successful club – he was thrown out aged 14 for indiscipline .

Furthermore, there were huge question marks over his physical capability to make it as a pro – now 23, he only stands at five feet and two inches tall.

But Venezuela s most-decorated coach Noel Sanvicente gave him a second chance at Zamora and put him on the path to Saturday s Copa Libertadores final between Santos and Palmeiras at the iconic Maracana in Rio de Janeir…

Granit Xhaka says Arsenal are bound for glory under Mikel Arteta and can even achieve something significant this season.

Arteta replaced Unai Emery in December 2019 and finished the season as an FA Cup winner, though the Gunners only finished eighth in the Premier League.

Prior to a 2-1 loss to Wolves on Tuesday, which they finished with nine men after red cards for David Luiz and Bernd Leno, Arsenal had gone seven Premier League games unbeaten.

That came after a run of seven top-flight matches without a win, but Xhaka is confident Arteta has them on the path to success.

We had the run without wins but even during that time, I think we have played without any self-doubt, Xhaka told The Guardian.

Our mistakes, like the red cards – my own includ…

Barcelona s Gerard Pique hopes Manchester United will reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Real Madrid.

The Spain international played for United from 2004 until 2008, and he is hopeful his former team can beat Barca s arch-rivals in the round of 16, with the first leg of the tie scheduled to take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.

I would like Manchester United to make it to the next round, Pique told reporters.

I would like them to progress because of my time at the club. However, Madrid have been in good form in recent weeks. It promises to be an interesting tie.

The centre-back then went on to discuss Barcelona s 6-1 Liga win over Getafe on Sunday, and hailed his side s strength in depth.

We have a …

Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has announced his departure from the club in a video on social media.

Laporte has reportedly agreed to join Al-Nassr after five-and-a-half-years in England.

The Spain international will become the latest high-profile player to sign for a Saudi Pro League club, with ex-City team-mate Riyad Mahrez among them after making the move to Al-Ahli last month.

Dear Cityzens, today I wanted to share a story with you…

It has lasted for five and a half unforgettable years. Plenty of memories that I will keep forever close to my heart.

— Aymeric Laporte (@Laporte)

“Dear Cityzens, today I wanted to share a story with you,” Laporte said in a video on Twitter that went on to show a highlights reel of his t…

Goals from Peter Crouch and Jon Walters helped Stoke City into the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday as Mark Hughes men ran out 2-1 winners against Doncaster Rovers.

Hughes made nine changes from Stoke s League Cup defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday and Crouch and Walters made the most of their opportunities to score either side of Nathan Tyson s equaliser for the League One side.

Crouch making just his fourth start of the season at the Keepmoat Stadium  opened the scoring early on with a smart finish from close range only for journeyman striker Tyson to level before the half-hour.

Darren Ferguson a former Manchester United team-mate of Hughes saw his side gain confidence and go close through Conor Grant after the break. 

The hosts were giv…

Play-offs for major competitions have often brought heartache for Ukraine but Mykhailo Fomenko says past results count for little going into the first leg of their Euro 2016 qualifiier against Slovenia on Saturday.

The nations meet at the Arena Lviv this weekend after finishing third in their respective pools, with Fomenko seeking to end Ukraine s usual difficulties in play-off ties.

Ukraine have failed to negotiate two-legged knock-out fixtures ahead the World Cups in 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2014, while Saturday s opponents added to that unwanted record in qualifying for Euro 2000.

 A 3-2 play-off success secured Srekco Kanatec s Slovenia side a spot at the competition in Belgium and the Netherlands, with next week s second leg faling exactly 16 years a…

Lionel Messi s inevitable retirement is a worrying thought but the record-breaker deserves to determine his own fate, according to Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Messi, 32, suggested the end of his career was approaching after winning an unprecedented sixth Ballon d Or on Monday.

Ernesto Valverde insisted it was a natural line of thinking and nothing to be concerned about but Bartomeu told Catalunya Radio: I worry about the day Messi goes.

He does not expect that day to come soon and outlined plans to agree a contract extension with Messi before his own term as president ends in 2021, which coincides with the expiry of the Argentine s deal.

I would like to sign one more contract with Messi, Bartomeu said.

He has a lot left. We have …

In-demand Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri said he will stay in Turin if he is not sacked by the Italian champions.

Linked with Premier League duo Arsenal and Chelsea as well as Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, Allegri guided Juve to a seventh successive Scudetto on Sunday.

A goalless draw against Roma sealed a fourth consecutive Serie A title for Allegri, whose future has been a talking point during the closing stages of the season amid Arsene Wenger s departure from Arsenal, Unai Emery s PSG exit and uncertainty over Antonio Conte at Chelsea.

However, Allegri told reporters: If they don t sack me, I ll stay at Juventus next year too.

2014/15 
2015/16 
2016/17 
2017/18 

The first manager to win four consecutive doubles in Eu…

As CVs go, Carlo Ancelotti s stacks up against the very best.

A league-winning coach in England, Italy, France and Germany, the former Milan centre-half will go down as one of the best leaders of his generation.

And yet not everyone is convinced he is the right man to replace Marco Silva at Everton.

Here, two Omnisport writers argue it out. Who do you think makes the more compelling argument?

SUCCEED by Pat Ridge

In November 2016, on the back of a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Chelsea, Everton s majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri pledged to back Ronald Koeman. The Iranian businessman had identified Koeman as the big-name manager needed for the Toffees to be able to compete with their north-west rivals and labelled Everton  the new Hollywood of foo…

Leroy Sane is set to undergo surgery on his torn anterior cruciate ligament injury in Austria.

Manchester City winger Sane – strongly linked with a move to Bayern Munich before the Premier League s transfer window closed – sustained the injury during the Community Shield defeat of Liverpool on August 4.

The 23-year-old is expected to be out for up to seven months, leaving City without the Germany international for the majority of the 2019-20 campaign.

Sane was expected to have undergone surgery already, though Pep Guardiola told reporters ahead of City s clash with Tottenham: I think [the operation] is this weekend.

Omnisport understands Sane s operation will take place in Austria, with Professor Christian Fink performing the surgery.

Cit…