Jordi Alba has agreed a new contract with Barcelona, keeping him at Camp Nou until 2020.

The Spanish full-back arrived at Barca from Valencia in 2012 and has made 71 top-flight appearances for the Catalan giants.

Alba s new deal, which will include a €150million release clause, will be signed in the coming days.

News of Alba s commitment to the club will come as a timely boost ahead of Saturday s UEFA Champions League final against Juventus.

Alba will be looking to add a Champions League winners medal to his collection of silverware, having already triumphed in La Liga (twice), Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana, as well as Euro 2012 with Spain.

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Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi are fit to play for Paris Saint-Germain against Bordeaux in Ligue 1 this weekend, Thomas Tuchel has confirmed.

PSG s attacking options have been stretched of late with record goalscorer Edinson Cavani having also been sidelined.

Mbappe and Cavani have been out since they were both hurt in a 4-0 home win over Toulouse a month ago, while PSG lost their last league match at home to Reims without the pair.

But ahead of Wednesday s Champions League trip to Galatasaray, which Neymar will miss due to suspension, Tuchel s squad has received a boost.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Tuchel confirmed Mbappe and loanee Icardi are both available.

Asked about the combination between Neymar and Mbappe, Tuchel said: The r…

Russia on Monday named Dutchman Dick Advocaat as its new football coach, handing him the mission of overcoming the bitter disappointment of failing to reach the World Cup finals.

Advocaat replaces fellow Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who became a national hero in Russia for the team s stellar performance in the 2008 European Championships but then could not guide the team towards the South Africa World Cup.

Dick Advocaat will be appointed as the head coach of the Russian national side, the federation head Sergei Fursenko said in comments broadcast on state television.

He is flying to Moscow and on Tuesday will present his proposals for working with the Russian football team, Fursenko said at a news conference in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.

Ex-Rangers …

Fabio Borini is expected to leave Liverpool before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, .

The 24 year old has been strongly linked with a move away from Anfield this summer, with the Merseyside club keen to agree a permanent deal with any potential suitor.

Sunderland, Queens Park Rangers and Fiorentina are all considering a move for the one time Italy international who spent the 2013/14 campaign on loan at the Stadium of Light.

Borini has racked up thirty-eight appearances in all competitions for Liverpool since signing from Roma in the summer of 2012, though he has started just eight games for them in the Premier League and scored just three times.

Fellow Italy international Mario Balotelli completed his loan move from Liverpool to AC Milan earlier in th…

Maurizio Sarri s decision to rest Cristiano Ronaldo backfired as Juventus were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at promoted Lecce.

Matthijs de Ligt s handball enabled Marco Mancosu to score from the spot in the 56th minute and earn the hosts their first home point of the Serie A season at Stadio Via del Mare.

Paulo Dybala, the hero of Juve s midweek Champions League win over Lokomotiv Moscow, had not long earlier opened the scoring with a spot kick of his own.

But there was no late saviour for Sarri s men on this occasion, the loss of Miralem Pjanic to a muscle problem compounding a result that will force them back into second place if Inter beat Parma later on Saturday.

Juve felt aggrieved not to be awarded an early penalty for Panagiotis Tachtsidis trip …

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp likened players and people refusing the coronavirus vaccine to drink-drivers amid a reluctance to receive the COVID-19 jab.

Klopp discussed the COVID-19 vaccination ahead of Liverpool s blockbuster showdown with Premier League champions Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.

While Klopp said 99 per cent of his squad are fully vaccinated, many Premier League clubs are reportedly yet to reach half of their players receiving both jabs.

I didn t have to convince the players, it was more a natural decision from the team, Klopp told reporters. I cannot remember really talking to a player in a one-on-one situation and explaining to him.

It sounds like we are not allowed to give people advice, Klopp added. Where did I get the know…

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta and his management team are to be called before the courts to explain why they approved accounts last year which saw a loss of nearly 80 million euros for the club.

A vote by club members saw 486 agree to take legal action with 439 voting against and 113 invalid papers, the club said in a statement on Saturday.

The management team that Joan Laporta oversaw until June 30 should answer for their actions before the courts, the statement read.

Among those pushing that action be taken is Laporta s former right hand man Sandro Rosell, who was elected club president in July, and has become one of his predecessor s most outspoken critics.

Rosell termed the matter the most important social decision in the history of the cl…

Francesco Guidolin has labelled the visit of the Premier League s bottom side Aston Villa as Swansea City s most important fixture this term.

Guidolin will return to the dugout after missing Swansea s previous three matches through illness and hopes to see his team return to winning ways.

Swansea were unable to make it three wins from as many matches as a pair of equalisers could not prevent a 3-2 loss at AFC Bournemouth last weekend.

That setback came on the back of wins against Arsenal and Norwich City, and Guidolin hopes a further three-point haul against a beleaguered Villa can make the Swans own fears of relegation increasingly remote.

“We have an important game on Saturday, and it the most important game of the season for us, said Guidolin, whose …

Eric Bailly has thanked former boss Jose Mourinho for giving him the opportunity to join Manchester United, despite seemingly falling out of favour in recent months. 

United signed Bailly from Villarreal in June 2016 and the defender made 25 Premier League appearances in Mourinho s first season at Old Trafford. 

But injuries hampered the Ivory Coast international in his second year, including missing three months with an ankle issue, and he no longer appeared to be assured of a first-team place upon his return. 

Mourinho made public pleas to the United board for a centre-back ahead of the 2018-19 season and, even with no reinforcements arriving during the transfer window, Bailly still struggled to establish himself in the XI. 

The 24-year-old was …

Giorgos Masouras left the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualification hopes hanging by a thread as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat in Greece.

Olympiakos midfielder Masouras scored the decisive goal in a victory for Gus Poyet’s side which leaves them with maximum points from their opening two Group B fixtures and Ireland with none heading into Monday’s home clash with Gibraltar.

Defender Nathan Collins had earlier cancelled out Tasos Bakasetas’ 15th-minute penalty to give the visitors hope, but in truth Stephen Kenny’s men, who had defender Matt Doherty dismissed in the dying seconds, were out-played for long periods at the OPAP Arena in Athens.

It ends in Athens. |

— Ireland Football (@IrelandFootball)

Trabzonspor’s Bakasetas, Maso…