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Hazard joined Madrid in pre-season in a deal that could reportedly cost up to €140million but a thigh injury suffered last month has proven an early disruption. Coach Zinedine Zidane stressed the need to be patient with Hazard as they were desperate to avoid aggravating the injury before handing him a first against Paris Saint-Germain on September 18. But the Belgium international mustered just a single off-target shot and one key pass as Madrid were swept aside with ease at the Parc des Princes, PSG winning 3-0....

Wenger shocked the football world on Friday morning as he announced that he will be leaving the Gunners at the end of the season. As Conte’s own future is in major doubt, having clashed with the club’s board over transfers this season, the Italian says that he always wanted to find himself at a club for the long term but admits that he needs to find the “right situation.”...

Even though I am a nobody, a taxi driver from Karachi, I am a “forever prisoner” down here in this awful Cuban prison, 17 years into my detention without trial. If they appear in person, I hope they will stop by my cell in Camp Six. I am still waiting for an apology. Jessen and Mitchell helped to bring torture into the Twenty-First Century. They formed a company that was paid $81 million to operate the interrogation program that was used on me and others....

The winger joined AC Milan on loan from Everton until the end of the season in January and has made an impressive start to his Serie A career to earn a recall to Spain’s squad for the matches against Israel and France. Deulofeu, 23, has immediately settled with Vincenzo Montella’s side, but it is Barca - who maintain a €12million option to buy the player from Everton as part of his 2015 Camp Nou exit - who will determine his long-term future....

Spanish club Tenerife improved to 6-0 in Group B and surpassed 500 points for the season in a match where Thaddeus McFadden contributed 19 points. Tenerife’s lead was as large as 30 at one point in the second half and they were indebted to Sebastian Saiz’s double-double as he poured in 15 points alongside 10 rebounds. Bologna were tied with Strasbourg entering the final five minutes of their match, but Kevin Punter stepped up with 26 points in 27 minutes to keep the Group D leaders’ perfect start intact....

The Manchester United striker has won 33 trophies, but is yet to get his hands on Europe’s premier club prize. The Swede left Inter the season before his current manager Jose Mourinho guided them to a memorable treble, which culminated in a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ibrahimovic still has the chance to win the title this season with the Red Devils, but he is adamant that his career would be much the same today had he already won it....

Midfielder Marouane Fellaini will face a late fitness test but could also be involved, while Nemanja Matic is also available despite struggling with a knock. However, Eric Bailly and captain Michael Carrick remain sidelined and will miss the game with Pep Guardiola’s side, along with the suspended Paul Pogba. “Zlatan is available, Jones is available, Fellaini I have to wait until tomorrow [Saturday],” Mourinho told a news conference. “Carrick is not available, Bailly is not available....

“The selectors have not announced the name of the vice-captain. However, among themselves, they have already chosen one, but will be announced only if required in an emergency,” the source was quoted saying. In case you didn’t know… After much deliberation, the board had named the squad for the ICC tournament, well past the deadline, with Kohli as the captain. However, no one was named as the vice-captain and the general consensus was that one of Ajinkya Rahane or Ravichandran Ashwin would fulfil the role....

Veterans Misbah, 42, and Younis, 39, farewelled cricket as Pakistan sealed a dramatic 101-run Test win against West Indies on Sunday. It was a fitting goodbye after touring Pakistan celebrated their first Test series triumph in the Caribbean. Misbah scored 5,222 runs in 75 Tests, including 10 tons and 39 half-centuries, while he amassed 5,122 runs in 162 one-day internationals with 42 fifties. Younis – who scored 313 against Sri Lanka in 2009 – tallied 10,099 Test runs in 118 matches, highlighted by 34 hundreds and 33 half-centuries....

In that match, the Windies captain led from the front by scoring a scintillating double century while Kemar Roach led the bowling attack and the spirited unit eventually bowled England out for 77 in the first innings of the the Test. The Caribbean side carried the momentum into the second Test as well. They bowled out England under 200 in both the innings of the 2nd Test. Roach was among the highest wicket-takers once again as his team went on to win the Test by 10 wickets and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3-match Test series....

“I got the news after Afghanistan game. The chairman called and told if I was fit to go and play the match and said yes, I was and to play the match. I was about to get ready on Friday and come to Mumbai for the IPL. I saw an opportunity to get ready for IPL as well. This is my home ground, I read the conditions well and think I read it well....

The Indian eves started the tournament with a bang, defeating New Zealand by 34 runs. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and decided to bat first. India were struggling at 41 for 3 at the end of 6 overs, then came Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues superb partnership of 134 runs for 4th wicket which set the foundation for a big total. Kaur played with lots of aggression and smashed the New Zealand bowlers to all parts of the ground....

However, there are still few areas of concern that might just haunt them at the biggest cricketing event this summer. Seeing India’s top 3 – ‘Hit-Man’ Rohit Sharma, ‘flamboyant’ hiker Dhawan and ‘King’ Virat Kohli - dominating world cricket has undoubtedly been an incredible sight to watch. However, almost every time the ball has swung, it has created inroads quite easily. Although England has been producing flat decks lately, there could possibly be a few pitches where the ball moves around a bit....

This ground has hosted only three ODI matches so far. All three matches were World Cup matches - one league match in 1983 and two league matches in 1999. On that note, let us now take a look at some of the key stats of all ODIs played at the County Ground, Taunton. Batting performances 373/6 by India against Sri Lanka in 1999 is the highest team total at this ground....

Speaking after the game, the 21-year-old attributed the team’s success to their hard work on and off the field. “We won the game because we played a team game. it is not about one game and it is not about me. Hardwork paid off today.” Up next for current table-toppers Minerva Punjab is an away match against Indian Arrows on Tuesday. The side which consists of U-19 players including the U-17 boys who were part of the recently concluded World Cup defeated Chennai City 3-0 in their opening game and Chencho believes they are not to be taken lightly....

The hosts Shillong Lajong opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation with Aser Dipanda operating as the lone striker upfront. Thangboi Singto named an unchanged starting XI while Alberto Roca made four changes to the team that dented Aizawl FC’s title ambitions last week. The tie kick started with the home side putting early pressure on The Blues. First, Bipin Singh pulled back the ball for Aser Dipanda from the left wing but Bengaluru’s John Johnson did well to cut the danger....

Alen Deory and Redeem Tlang were poor in front of goal in the first half with the former missing only with the keeper to beat. The Lajong fullbacks did no harm to their reputation but were failed by the wingers who appeared a tad lazy on the final third. Right after the break, Gokulam’s Lelo Mbele cut past his marker but took a touch too many as Phurba Lachenpa latched onto his shot from close range....

Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia was vocal about his displeasure over the timings and replied to a tweet saying," What a shame. I League deserves much better. Both leagues should agree and do well but not by killing each other (sic)." Sanjoy Sen, head coach of Mohun Bagan, is also surprised to find a 2 p.m. kick off. Sen was quoted saying by Bengali daily Bartaman Patrika- “Supporters of both clubs come from far away districts to watch the derby....

The defending champions had been without a head coach for several months, with the club having earlier parted company with Khalid Jamil, who later signed for Kolkata giants East Bengal. Speaking about the move, Menezes said that he felt the defending champions to be the right choice for him. “I have learnt about Indian football since 4 years ago and I have spoken to many people about it and how much it has grown over the years....