Barcelona have confirmed midfielder Sergi Samper will remain at the club this season and be part of the first-team squad.

The 23-year-old has agreed to stay at Camp Nou and will wear the number 16 shirt for the rest of the 2018-19 campaign.

Samper, a graduate of Barca s academy, was loaned to Las Palmas last term but missed the majority of the second half of the season due to a serious leg and ankle injury.

He had previously spent 2016-17 with Granada, making 22 appearances in LaLiga.

Samper inherits the number 16 jersey from Gerard Deulofeu, who is now at Watford, while Sergio Busquets and former club captain Xavi have both worn the number in the past.

  to be included first team squad with  on the back of his shirt

— FC Barcelona …

Niko Kovac lauded hat-trick hero Robert Lewandowski but the Bayern Munich head coach thanked former boss Jupp Heynckes following Sunday s DFL-Supercup victory.

Kovac s tenure got off to a winning start thanks to star striker Lewandowski, who scored three goals in Bayern s 5-0 rout of Eintracht Frankfurt.

Former Eintracht coach Kovac – who masterminded a DFL-Pokal final win over Bayern in May – claimed his first piece of silverware since replacing Heynckes at the end of 2017-18.

Lewandowski was the catalyst at Commerzbank-Arena, where he scored twice in the first half before completing his three-goal haul in the 54th minute.

The Poland international earned praise from Kovac, who also singled out club great Heynckes as German champions Bayern celebrated…

Fabio Capello s decision to leave Theo Walcott out of his final 23-man squad for the World Cup has sent a clear message to England s stars as they head to South Africa.

Walcott is the latest high-profile victim of Capello s ruthless determination to stamp his authority on his teams and his absence should leave the squad in no doubt that their manager won t tolerate underachievement in the finals.

The Arsenal winger was widely expected to feature in Capello s plans for the World Cup in South Africa after playing a significant role in the qualifying campaign.

He appeared to underline his importance with a hat-trick in the vital 4-1 victory over Croatia in September 2008, but injuries and a series of erractic performances for Arsenal this season have changed Capell…

Pep Guardiola insisted Manchester City’s latest Premier League title success should not be demeaned by suggestions Arsenal ‘bottled it’ in the run-in.

Yet the City boss conceded his side would need to go on to win the Champions League to be regarded among the greats.

City were confirmed as English champions for a fifth time in six years and a third season in succession after Arsenal lost to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

And your champions… Manchester City!

— Manchester City (@ManCity)

The Gunners had led City by eight points as recently as last month but their form deserted them at a crucial stage.

Guardiola, however, paid tribute to his former assistant Mikel Arteta’s team after City celebrated their triumph with a 1-0 vic…

Jamaica defender Alvas Powell has apologised for walking out on his team-mates at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but refuted reports his reasoning was due to a lack of game time.

Powell, who plays for MLS club Portland Timbers, played just 20 minutes of Jamaica s three Group B fixtures at the continental event, coming on as a second-half substitute in their 1-0 win over El Salvador in Toronto.

It was reported the 20-year-old was frustrated with coach Winfried Schafer due to a lack of game time, but Powell claimed this was not his reason for walking out but did not reveal an alternative.

Firstly, I would like to sincerely apologise to the people of Jamaica, the JFF [Jamaica Football Federation] and my team-mates, Powell s statement read.

I am truly sorry this si…

Fenerbahce have called on supporters to be on their best behaviour ahead of a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Turkish giants host Shakhtar in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie on Tuesday.

However, with a poor track record when it comes to the conduct of their fans, Fener are well aware that UEFA will be quick to act should crowd trouble occur.

As it has been very well known, during the UEFA matches that we had played in the season 2012/2013, our club was exposed with sanctions and penalties due to significant discipline and security violation circumstances, read a statement on the club s website. 

Due to the violations mentioned, UEFA made the decision of excluding our club out of its competitions and th…

Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane insisted he was unfazed about who wins the Ballon d Or, although he labelled his last season exceptional .

Varane is among the contenders for the award after a fine campaign during which he won a third consecutive Champions League with Madrid and the World Cup with France.

But the 25-year-old said his focus was on team success, despite his own fine campaign in 2017-18.

I m glad you told me about it, but it s not a topic of debate within the group, Varane told a news conference ahead of France s Nations League meeting with Germany.

It s an individual reward. We play a collective sport. It showcases the work done, but it s a personal one.

It s not an objective and if I don t win it, it won t be a disappointment…

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has not suffered a serious injury despite being ruled out of Sunday s Premier League match against Sunderland, with Jose Mourinho expecting him to return to face Chelsea next weekend.

De Gea last missed a Premier League game in August 2015 and his run of 63 consecutive top-flight starts came to an end as Sergio Romero took his place at the Stadium of Light.

However, Mourinho does not expect his first-choice keeper to be out long term.

David has a little problem, Mourinho explained to Sky Sports.

Normally Sergio plays in the Europa League and the Europa League is next Thursday, so not bad for him at all to have a match before that.

Jose Mourinho has told that David De Gea misses today s game at Sunderlan…

Carlisle secured their return to Sky Bet League One for the first time in nine years after claiming a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout victory against Stockport in the League Two play-off final.

The two sides ended 120 minutes locked at 1-1 at a sun-drenched Wembley, before the Cumbrians prevailed thanks to perfect spot-kicks from Kristian Dennis, Jon Mellish, Ryan Edmondson, Owen Moxon and Taylor Charters.

Ryan Rydel’s sole missed attempt for Stockport prevented them from sealing back-to-back promotions, while Carlisle lapped up their triumph in what was their first-ever play-off final.

THE BLUES ARE GOING UP!

— Carlisle United FC (@officialcufc)

In perfect summery conditions and in front of a crowd of over 34,000, it was Stockport who threate…

Erik ten Hag has warned it will take months to consistently produce the intensity Manchester United need to become a force again.

There was an air of optimism at Old Trafford following four consecutive Premier League wins, but that came to a juddering halt when the Red Devils suffered a chastening 6-3 derby defeat at Manchester City last Sunday.

The champions tore United apart, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden scoring hat-tricks in a rout at the Etihad Stadium.

Ten Hag s side came from behind to win 3-2 at Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday and return to top-flight action with a trip to Everton on Sunday.

Dutchman Ten Hag, who left Ajax to take the United hot seat at the end of last season, says it will take time for his side to reach the sort o…