Bartomeu: Treble the objective for Barca after LaLiga title

Competition: Premier League

Market: Newcastle to beat Brighton

Odds:

The final match week of 2017 is upon us and every team in the division is looking to take all three points to end the year in style. The hectic festive period has been one that has allowed teams to pick up a lot of points, while it has proved to be a nightmare month for many other sides, and with this in mind, Newcastle host Brighton on Saturday.

Newcastle have been struggling massively recently and they are in need of a number of wins to drag themselves away from the relegation zone. After 20 matches they have won five times, drawn three and lost 12, while they have scored 19 goals and conceded 30 times. Their paltry collection of 18 points means they are a point above Bourne…

Bordeaux s Ligue 1 match against Nimes on Tuesday was halted for more than 25 minutes after a group of home fans stormed the field at the Matmut Atlantique stadium.

Bordeaux s ultras stepped up their protests against the club s American-based ownership group King Street by entering the pitch after 10 minutes.

The delay continued after the supporters left the playing area and waited behind the goal, insisting on the return of their confiscated banners calling out the owners, president Frederic Longuepee and director of commercial strategy Antony Thiodet.

A group of fans brought back a banner to cheers and strung it up along one end of the ground. It read: Against King Street and their two puppets Longuepee and Thiodet.

The match then resumed and Borde…

After runs to the semi-finals in the last two editions of the Copa America, Peru begin their latest quest for a third title against minnows Haiti on Saturday.

Ricardo Gareca s side impressed 12 months ago as they reached the last four once again, but eventual champions Chile were too strong in the semis.

Peru had to settle for third for the second successive tournament and, although their form has been sketchy in 2016, they come into the competition having recorded back-to-back wins in warm-ups.

A 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago was followed by a 3-1 triumph over El Salvador last weekend, bringing renewed confidence to Gareca s squad.

Having finished the 2015 event as the tournament s joint top-scorer with four goals, Peru s success this year will …

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone expects to extend his contract with both parties eager to agree a deal.

The Argentine coach has led Atletico to second place in La Liga, and they are well clear of their major rivals Real Madrid in third, with Jose Mourinho s team dropping more points in a 0-0 draw at Osasuna on Saturday.

Simeone has enjoyed plenty of success since joining the capital-based club in December 2011, leading his side to fifth in La Liga, winning the Europa League and beating Chelsea in the Super Cup in 2012.

He told reporters: I prefer not to comment on the issue of renewal because discussions are healthy right now.

We are talking, and there is willingness on both sides to renew.

Simeone hopes Atletico can continue their recent f…

Australia coach Holger Osieck has selected a strong squad for their friendly against Romania, electing to leave A-League players at home.

Osieck has handed recalls to several players for the match in Malaga, Spain, on February 6, most notably to Middlesbrough captain Rhys Williams, full-backs Michael Zullo and Jason Davidson, as well as Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici.

The friendly against Romania ranked three spots above Australia in 33rd place is in preparation for the 2014 AFC World Cup qualifier against Oman in Sydney on March 26, with Osieck keen to get a largely European-based squad together.

I had a good look at the Australian-based and Asian-based players (in November s friendly against South) Korea and Hong Kong (at the EAFF East Asian Cup qualifiers …

Benjamin Pavard helped himself to a first-half double and Joao Cancelo scored his first Bayern Munich goal as the Bundesliga leaders beat Augsburg 5-3 in a thriller.

Mergim Berisha s early goal stirred Bayern into life at the Allianz Arena, where they were out of sight at half-time.

Cancelo equalised before Pavard struck twice in his 150th competitive game for the club and Leroy Sane made it 4-1 at the interval.

Berisha pulled one back with a penalty, but Alphonso Davies restored Bayern s three-goal advantage.

Irvin Cardona then struck in stoppage time for Augsburg, but Bayern had already done enough to move three points clear of Borussia Dortmund ahead of their rivals Revierderby against Schalke later on Saturday.

Defenders win you games

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Carney Chukwuemeka was hailed as one of Europe s hottest young guns after Chelsea raided Aston Villa to sign up the talented teenager.

The 18-year-old has moved for a reported £20million fee, signing a six-year contract after switching his Premier League allegiance.

Already an England Under-19 international, Chukwuemeka will face a battle to earn first-team favour at Chelsea, given the resources available to head coach Thomas Tuchel.

However, he is already relishing that challenge, saying Chelsea s interest had become an all-encompassing obsession this week.

It s been quite hectic but I couldn t get Chelsea out of my head the last few days, so I m just happy and relieved that it s all done, Chukwuemeka said.

I m so excited and just can t wait…

Paul Put found it tough to explain Burkina Faso s early exit from the Africa Cup of Nations, two years after they were runners-up.

Paul Put bemoaned Burkina Faso s misfortune after they crashed out of the Africa Cup of Nations following a 2-1 defeat to Congo on Sunday.

Burkina Faso were beaten finalists in the 2013 AFCON, but bow out after picking up only one point from three games to finish bottom of Group A two years later.

Thievy Bifouma put Congo in front and substitute Fabrice N Guessi Ondama grabbed a late winner soon after Aristide Bance had equalised.

Congo progress to the quarter-finals as group winners and hosts Equatorial Guinea also advance after beating Gabon 2-0.

A downbeat Burkina Faso coach Put was left to reflect on what m…

Javier Gracia has left Malaga after two seasons as coach amid interest from Russian club Rubin Kazan.

Malaga confirmed Gracia s departure on Tuesday after the 46-year-old guided the Spanish team to an eighth-place finish in La Liga.

Gracia, who replaced Bernd Schuster in 2014, is now reportedly set for the Russian Premier League via Rubin.

Rubin are on the hunt for a new coach after Rinat Bilyaletdinov s contract was terminated by mutual consent in September, with assistant Valery Chaliy appointed until the end of the season.  

Javier Gracia Carlos and Malaga CF have developed a method of work over the last two seasons in La Liga, consolidating him as one of the most sought-after coaches of the moment, the club said in a statement, with Gracia to hold a…

Terry Venables was Thursday contemplating an offer to step into the hotseat at troubled Newcastle, who have been managerless since Kevin Keegan s abrupt departure earlier this month.

With the club up for sale by owner Mike Ashley, Venables is reported to have been offered the chance to come in as a caretaker manager.

Venables confirmed to The Sun newspaper, for whom he writes a column, that he had been in talks with the St James hierarchy and said he would make a decision on Thursday about whether to get involved.

I can confirm I met Newcastle representatives, Venables said. Those talks will continue in the morning when, hopefully, I can give them a final decision.

Former England, Tottenham and Barcelona boss Venables was one of the leading candidat…