Gareth Bale tells Spurs: I want to hold talks with Real

Gareth Bale’s future at Tottenham Hotspur appeared increasingly uncertain this week after it emerged he had told chairman Daniel Levy he would be keen to speak to Real Madrid.

Bale has been targeted by the Spanish giants for a world-record transfer potentially worth £85 million and has moved to force the issue by informing Spurs that he is ready to leave, despite Levy’s insistence that he will not be sold at any price.

Levy is believed to have returned to his apartment in Miami after briefly flying back to England last weekend and, although Spurs are set to smash their transfer record for the second time this summer by clinching a £26 million deal (Dh145 million) for Valencia forward Roberto Soldado, it seems even more likely that Bale is heading for the exit after six years at White Hart Lane.

Spurs have maintained consistent dialogue with Bale’s representatives, with more talks expected on Tuesday, and are even prepared to reopen contract negotiations. But it is understood the club have been told the winger will not sign an extension regardless of the salary on offer.

This is a purely footballing decision for Bale, who is determined to test himself at a higher level in the Champions League, and Levy must now weigh up whether to risk retaining a disillusioned player or to accept a bid from Madrid that would ensure the Wales international becomes the most expensive player in history.

While the 24-year-old has made it clear to Spurs that he wants to leave, he has no intention of submitting a transfer request and remains hopeful that Levy will allow him to move. He recognises that Spurs have been good for his career but regards a move to Madrid as the chance of a lifetime and at a price that is acceptable to a club who signed him from Southampton for an initial £5 million in 2007.

Manchester United continue to monitor developments, with manager David Moyes anxious to make one marquee signing this summer, but Bale has set his sights on Madrid and would favour the Bernabeu over Old Trafford.

Carlo Ancelotti, the new Real Madrid manager, is growing increasingly confident that a deal will be done and club president Florentino Perez is ready to pay whatever it takes to sign Bale, regardless of Levy’s resistance. A second bid is expected this week, even though Spurs claim to have a letter from Madrid insisting they would not make any offer for Bale this summer.

Andre Villas-Boas, the Spurs manager, knows that the club are facing a losing battle to retain their outstanding asset but still expects Bale to attend training on Wednesday ahead of the friendly against Monaco this weekend. Bale missed both of Tottenham’s games in the Asia Cup with a muscle injury.

Michael Owen, who moved to Madrid from Liverpool in 2004, has warned Bale that adjusting to life in Spain is not easy. He said: “The changes are huge. I underestimated that when I went to Real Madrid, certainly from a family point of view. From a football point of view, I think Bale would do particularly well.

But I think for any player going from these shores to Spain, it is a lot different to how you first imagine it.

“Off the pitch, it’s very difficult. The Spanish culture is a very easy way of life; there’s a slow pace to it.”

Although Villas-Boas’ attempts to persuade Bale to stay in London appear forlorn, the Spurs manager is moving closer to the signing of Soldado, finally ending his summer search for a proven international forward.

Spurs made an improved offer for Soldado to Valencia over the weekend, triggering a release clause, and could have him signed before the friendly against Claudio Ranieri’s team. Valencia had offered him to Spurs for considerably less in January, but Levy has paid almost £10 million more to take him to the capital.

The Spain international’s arrival will mean Spurs have broken their transfer record twice in less than two months, following the £17 million capture of Paulinho from Corinthians. Spurs have also signed Nacer Chadli from FC Twente for around £7 million.

However, it is the Bale saga that is seriously threatening to damage Spurs’ preparations ahead of the new Premier League season, with further developments expected in the next two days.

Gago returns to his roots at Boca

Argentina midfielder Fernando Gago completed his transfer back to Boca Juniors from Valencia by passing a medical and signing a three-year contract on Monday.

Gago had already spent the first six months of the year in Buenos Aires on loan from Valencia to Velez Sarsfield but Boca stepped into bring the player back to the club where he made his first division debut in 2004.

"It's a nice feeling coming back to the club where I grew up as a person ... and now I want to enjoy this stage at Boca," the 27-year-old told a news conference.

"Boca always want to be (title) candidates, that's the goal. We have the obligation to fight for the title."

Boca had a poor 'Final' championship last season finishing one from bottom and will be gunning for the 'Inicial', the first championship of the 2013/14 season starting this weekend.

Gago joined Real Madrid in 2007 and helped them win two La Liga crowns before moving to Valencia last year after a season's loan at AS Roma in 2011/12.

He is a key player in Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella's World Cup team creating play for Lionel Messi and sought regular first team play, which he was not guaranteed at Valencia.

U.S. beat Panama to win Gold Cup title even without manager Jurgen Klinsmann

The United States beat Panama 1-0 to win their fifth CONCACAF Gold Cup title, giving them their first trophy under manager Jurgen Klinsmann. Even though he was forced to watch from the executive suite as he served a touchline ban during the final. With usual rivals Mexico getting knocked out in the semifinals, the USA rolled through the tournament without much trouble — extending a team record 11-match winning streak in the process.

As perfunctory as it may have seemed for the USA, it feels like the start of a positive new era for the team. Since they last won the Gold Cup in 2007, they suffered excruciating losses in three straight cup finals: succumbing to Brazil in the 2009 Confederations Cup final after taking a two-goal lead, then losing the 2009 Gold Cup final 5-0 to Mexico and the 2011 Gold Cup final again to Mexico, that by a slightly better score of 4-2.

Though Mexico's inner turmoil kept them from giving the U.S. a chance at another rematch, Panama proved to be a worthy adversary. They kept the match scoreless until Brek Shea tapped in his second career international goal (and second of the tournament) in the 68th minute and that proved to be the difference as the home side failed to finish any of their other chances.

As joyous as overcoming their cup final demons in spite of CONCACAF's controversial decision to ban Klinsmann was for the USA, the day was not without a sad note. In the 23rd minute, eminently likable midfielder and wellspring of positivity Stu Holden, who just returned to the team before the tournament after three knee surgeries that have eaten up the majority of the last two years of his burgeoning career, sprained his other knee and had to be subbed out. When he sat on the bench before heading back to the dressing room to get examined, his show of crushing disappointment was instantly shared by all of the team's fans.

One of the most encouraging aspects of this tournament for the U.S. has been the depth they've displayed, though. Even on a roster without many of the team's top players, the fringe guys and young prospects proved they can come through when called upon. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando had an outstanding tournament, Eddie Johnson and Chris Wondolowski scored goals (which, not too long ago, was a rarity for any of the team's strikers), Alejandro Bedoya and Holden's replacement, Mix Diskerud played well in the midfield. And, of course, Landon Donovan tied it all together by coming off of his sabbatical from the sport and playing perhaps better than ever before in his career.

Yes, it's only the Gold Cup — CONCACAF's off-brand equivalent to UEFA's European Championship and CONMEBOL's Copa America — and there's still a year's worth of work to be done, filled with ever changing, overscrutinized peaks and valleys in form, before the World Cup. But for once it's hard to complain about the state of the U.S. national team. And that's just about the highest praise a fan of any team can offer.

Now if Jurgen Klinsmann can just magically heal Stu Holden's knee, he might truly be a wizard.

Official: Roma signs De Sanctis

Roma has signed goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis from Napoli for a fee of 500,000 euros.

The Italy international, 36, has joined the Giallorossi on a two-year deal having seen his chances of retaining a first-team position at the Stadio San Paolo plummet this summer.

Rafael Benitez's arrival as head coach in place of Walter Mazzarri, who joined Inter in May, saw Santos shot-stopper Rafael sign for the Partenopei for 5.5 million euros, while Pepe Reina is set to arrive on loan from Liverpool having passed a medical on Wednesday.

A statement on De Sanctis' new club's website read: "AS Roma can announce we have agreed with Napoli for the definitive acquisition of the rights to the player Morgan De Sanctis for 0.5 million euros.

"The footballer signed a contract of employment lasting two years, with effect from the date hereof [July 25] and expiring on 30 June 2015."

De Sanctis joined the Naples-based club in 2009 from Sevilla and made over 100 appearances in a Partenopei shirt.

The ex-Juventus and Udinese man follows the likes of Kevin Strootman, Mehdi Benatia and Maicon as new signings for the Stadio Olimpico side this summer.

Manchester United count on Wayne Rooney

MANCHESTER UNITED have underlined their determination to keep Wayne Rooney by hyping up the England striker’s comeback from injury.

United have displayed Rooney’s image on the club’s official Twitter page in a forceful demonstration to their fans and Chelsea they have no intention of selling.

Against a bold red backdrop of his No10 squad number, the image states: “BACK: STOCKHOLM 6.8.2013” to confirm United’s insistence that Rooney will return for the friendly against AIK Stockholm in Sweden early next month.

Rooney’s future has been uncertain since the end of last season when Sir Alex Ferguson claimed he had asked for a transfer.

Speculation intensified when he admitted he had been left “angry and confused” by remarks made by new boss David Moyes and chief executive Ed Woodward in Thailand earlier this month, some 24 hours before Chelsea made a £23m offer for him.

Rooney had already flown home from United’s Far East tour with a hamstring injury but is making good progress according to Moyes, who has pencilled him in for his first pre-season run-out in Stockholm on August 6.

He said: “So far as I know, he is coming back, he is jogging. We are not going to lose him.”

Juventus tops Champions League earnings table

Juventus earned more from the Champions League than any other club last season.

The Serie A champion was beaten by eventual winners Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, but still made 65.3 million euros from the competition - around 10m euros more than the German side. 

This is mostly due to the Italian side gaining much of the TV money in their own country, with FIFA explaining that "monies from the market pool were divided according to the proportional value of the national TV market each individual club represented."

According to the organization, "the amounts given varied from country (or national association) to country."

Bayern - which also won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in 2012-13 - took home 55m euros after it beat fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley.

Jurgen Klopp's side earned 54.16m euros, thanks partly to the reward for winning four of its six group stage games, which brought in 1m euros per match.

Milan and Barcelona were the next biggest earners, gaining 51.3m and 45.5m euros, respectively, even though the latter beat the former in the last eight stage.  

In total, 904.6m euros was handed out to 32 clubs. In the Europa League the overall fund was 209m euros.

Semifinalist Fenerbahce was the biggest earners from the competition with 11.18m euros, and winner Chelsea made 10.7m euros.

Transfer news LIVE: Chelsea to return for Rooney

Chelsea are ready to make a second £30 million offer to lure Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney to Stamford Bridge. According to the Daily Mail, Blues manager Jose Mourinho remains determined to capture the 27-year-old England international, and despite having an initial offer rejected by the Red Devils, will return with the improved bid. Rooney was left "angry and confused" by recent comments from United manager David Moyes, and with Chelsea willing to match Rooney's £240,000-a-week salary, could be tempted to join Mourinho in London. However, United remain stern in their stance that Rooney is going nowhere. 

Another striker edging towards the exit door at his club is Luis Suarez, with the Mirror reporting that Arsenal will make an increased £40 million bid for the Liverpool striker. Currently in Australia for the club's pre-season tour, Suarez is expected to hold final crunch talks with manager Brendan Rodgers over his future with the club. But Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is not waiting for the outcome of those coversations and will come back to the Reds with the improved bid after having an initial bid turned down by Liverpool. But waiting in the wings is Real Madrid, Suarez's club of choice, however they only value Suarez at £25 million. However, Liverpool, like rivals United, are unwilling to let their crown jewel leave the club. 

Finally, Tottenham are targeting Lyon striker Lisandro Lopez. The Mirror claims that Spurs will return for the 30-year-old this summer after having a deadline day bid turned down in January. And with only 12 months left on his contract, Lopez's French club know they will need to sell now or risk losing the versatile player for nothing. 

Honduras beats Costa Rica 1-0 in Gold Cup quarters

Andy Najar interrupted a defensive struggle with a goal in the 49th minute, and Honduras squeezed past Costa Rica 1-0 on Sunday night to earn a matchup against the United States in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

After Najar scored on a header off a fine crossing pass from Alexander Lopez, Honduras goalkeeper Donis Escober made the advantage stand up.

Honduras and the U.S. will vie for a berth in the Gold Cup finals on Wednesday night in Arlington, Texas. The U.S. advanced with a 5-1 win over El Salvador in the opener of a doubleheader before a sellout crowd 70,540 at the home of the Baltimore Ravens.

''They have complete respect,'' Honduras coach Luis Suarez said through a translator. ''The way they played in the beginning to now, it's been a great revolution.''

Following Najar's goal, Costa Rica had two decent chances to pull even. Escober blocked a solid shot by Alvaro Saborio in the 61st minute, and a short time later Michael Barrantes was stymied by Escober on a straight-on shot from around 20 yards.

The tight affair was not surprising. Defensive-oriented Costa Rica scored one goal or fewer in five of its previous six Gold Cup games, and permitted no more than one goal in eight of the previous nine.

Honduras blunted its attack after taking the lead and went on the defensive.

''After the goal, I think the team thought about defending,'' Suarez said. ''We had to defend because they were beating us on the back line.''

This was the fourth time the teams have played in the knockout stage of the Gold Cup. Honduras has won each time.

''We didn't win, but I can't call this a failure,'' coach Jorge Pinto said through a translator. ''We might have to consider some variations. We are lacking on the attack, and I am going to do my best to find a solution.''

A scoreless first half was marked by the yellow card received by Osman Chavez of Honduras, who slammed into goalkeeper Patrick Pemberton. After the collision, Pemberton grabbed his knee and remained on the ground for several minutes before returning to his position.

Costa Rica took only four shots on goal during the whole game, none before halftime. Honduras took only one shot on goal during the first 45 minutes.

Mourinho sends Rooney message

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has again sent a thinly veiled message to Wayne Rooney about sitting on the bench at Old Trafford, insisting all World Cup hopefuls must get first-team football ahead of next summer's finals.

Mourinho was repeating comments he made earlier in the week, which surely have links to Rooney's situation at Manchester United where David Moyes has suggested that Robin van Persie will be his lead striker this season.

When asked about Brazil 2014, Mourinho did not refer to Rooney - his sole transfer target - but his message was clear after on Wednesday saying the England international was his main transfer target for the summer.

Chelsea confirmed they have lodged an official bid with United for the striker.

"Any player that wants to go to the World Cup, if they are a second choice at their club, then they're in trouble, they're in trouble," Mourinho said at a press conference on Thursday on Chelsea's pre-season tour. "This is a crucial year for that and many national team coaches are worried because they want players to play regularly for their teams."

But he reiterated that Juan Mata and David Luiz, on extended leave due to their Confederations Cup exertions, would not be sold. He said: "No chance. No chance."

Mourinho also added to comments he made during his first media day back at Chelsea, when he said the club needed stability, by saying he intends to be at Stamford Bridge for years to come.

"If Chelsea can become a really special club for me, it's because Chelsea can be a special club for everybody," Mourinho said. "I left the club in 2007. I went to two fantastic football countries like Italy and Spain, I went to two fantastic football clubs like Inter Milan and Real Madrid and I was always wishing to be back.

"This club is so special that I'm back and I hope to stay for a long time. That's the only thing I can say, to every other professional in the world. This is my own experience. I'm back and I'm so happy I'm back.

"The most important thing in football, either for players or for managers, is the passion, the happiness and the feelings we have for a club. We all are professionals, but at the same time we all are in love with our job.

"If you can execute your mission, your job - either as a player or a manager - not just because you are paid for it, not just because it's your job, it's your work, but because you can do it with happiness and passion and feeling, that's the most important thing.

"The most important thing for me is the deep feeling I'm at a really special football club."

"Not many clubs are like that, where people remember you and the fans sing your name, not just at Stamford Bridge but all over the world, you can't have a better feeling."

Rooney: Will Chelsea and United do business?

After several weeks of posturing, some carefully crafted wooing and media leaks aplenty, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has played his hand in an attempt to sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. 

While Mourinho did not want to publicly announce his desire to sign Rooney when those of us in the written press were ushered into a behind-closed-doors briefing following his media unveiling as returning Chelsea boss on June 10, it seemed clear the striker was the jewel he had set his heart on. 

Yes, there were flirtations with Napoli's Edinson Cavani, and there continue to be rumours that Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk was on his radar - but Rooney’s suggested availability meant that, if the Chelsea hierarchy wanted to give Mourinho a welcome-home gift, it would be a 27-year-old forward who no longer appears to be wanted at Old Trafford. 

With earlier reports suggesting Juan Mata or David Luiz were being offered as bait for United in a potential deal having been firmly denied by Chelsea, we are about to discover whether the eagerness of the Premier League champions to offload their No. 10 is strong enough to encourage them to do business with one of their main rivals. 

Any such move would represent a huge gamble for United. If a revived, re-energised and chastened Rooney was to explode back into life and inspire Chelsea to the Premier League title next season, the haste of his former employers to sell him to a domestic challenger would be exposed as a major mistake. 

On the other hand, if - as many have hinted - United officials believe Rooney’s best days are behind him and the moment is right to cash in on a man who will only be a second-choice striker in the coming season, a bold and brave move to sell him to Chelsea could be imminent. 

As Andriy Shevchenko and Fernando Torres have proved in recent years, big-money moves to Stamford Bridge towards the back end of a celebrated career are not always successful. The question remains, does Rooney fall into the same category as those two Chelsea disappointments? 

Mourinho evidently views him as the forward who can offer flexibility in a three-man attack, with two of Hazard, Mata and Oscar providing his ammunition and a stable midfield base offered by a couple of holding players in a fluid attacking formation. 

While Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich may crave fantasy football, we should not be surprised that Mourinho is following this path, as his record of success has not been built around nullifying players of impish brilliance.

His successful Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid teams have primarily been built around well-organised, rigid formations, with two or three game-changers employed to win tight matches when the opposition has been worn down. There is no reason to believe he will change his tune at this stage in his career, and he may view Rooney as a "new Didier Drogba" in his second Chelsea team. 

David Moyes has publicly insisted that Rooney is not for sale, but reports Tuesday evening that Rooney was "angry and confused" by the suggestion that he would play second fiddle to Robin van Persie suggested his will has been broken. 

With options limited when it comes to finding a new club, a move to Chelsea looks the most probable choice for the England striker, and the ripples of this deal will be felt across Europe if it is to be completed. 

Where would Rooney’s arrival at Chelsea leave Torres as he looks to hold onto his place in the Spain side in a World Cup year? Do Chelsea look to bring in an additional forward and allow Torres to make an exit? Who do United have in mind to replace the possibly outgoing "backup" striker? 

What is increasingly evident is that Rooney’s position at United is now untenable. When he was demoted to second-choice striker or makeshift midfielder by Sir Alex Ferguson last season, the then-United manager looked to be paving the way for a summer sale. Now, that plotline could be being followed to a natural conclusion. 

One of Ferguson's final acts as manager was to alert the world to Rooney's latest bout of discontent at Old Trafford. Ferguson may no longer be manager of Manchester United but, as Rooney might confirm, his influence over the club he ruled with an iron fist for more than a quarter of a century still resonates. 

All-time Manchester United top scorers 

1. Bobby Charlton (249) 

2. Denis Law (237) 

3. Jack Rowley (211) 

4. Wayne Rooney (197)

Roma signs Maicon from Man City

Roma has announced that it has signed Brazilian defender Maicon from Manchester City.

The Serie A side posted a picture of the defender training with the club on its official Twitter account, alongside the message: "Welcome aboard, Maicon!"

The 31-year-old joined City from Inter Milan in August 2012 for a fee of around 3.5 million euros and made his debut in a 1-1 draw away to Stoke City. He struggled with injuries throughout the season and only made 11 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, though.

New Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini revealed that he had no plans to include the right back in his team for the upcoming season, and reports in Italy suggest that City paid the Brazilian 2 million euros to leave.

Maicon established himself as one of the world's leading defenders during his time at Inter, where he scored 16 goals in 176 league appearances.

Maicon and Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman are the newest signings for Rudi Garcia's Roma, and the newest teammates for USA midfielder Michael Bradley, and could be available to play in the MLS All-Star Game on July 31 at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.

Moyes reveals Manchester United has money to spend on 'the best players'

David Moyes has revealed Manchester United has transfer funds available to sign the "best players" this summer.

The former Everton boss was named Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor in May, and a host of big names have since been linked with moves to Old Trafford, even though some of those targets have signed elsewhere. After seeing his first game at the United helm end in a 1-0 defeat to the Singha All-Stars in Thailand on Saturday, Moyes revealed he is looking to bring in some new faces.

"Isn't it great that the club says, 'There's no budget here, you go get who you want to get, just go and do it,'" Moyes said to reporters. "We are looking at the best players. I do think it's important that we show people we are carrying on the traditions and trying to take the club forward."

And when asked if those "best players" include Tottenham’s Gareth Bale and former Red Devils star Cristiano Ronaldo, Moyes was tight-lipped on his targets.

"I will not name anybody, but certainly we are always looking at the best players," Moyes said. "I think we are trying to strengthen in a couple of areas. We are short in midfield.

"We are also a club which tends to invest in the youth side, so you can expect us to go for players in that age group.

"We are working hard to make sure the first signing is the right one. I have been left a really good team and I want to add to it sensibly."

The 50-year-old Moyes also admitted that while taking over the Old Trafford reins from Ferguson is no easy task, he sees no reason why the club should alter their targets for the season.

"Our objectives for the season ahead are no different from what any Manchester United objectives would be - to win as many trophies as possible," Moyes said. "It's my first season as manager of Manchester United. I'm following probably the finest football manager that's ever lived. If I could even win a quarter of what he won I've done very well.

"The first thing I've got to do is settle in to the job, get to know everybody and find my own way around. Everyone at the club has been making that as easier as possible for me, the players especially have been terrific."

Transfer news: Southampton sign Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama

Southampton have completed the signing of Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reported to be a club-record £12.5million.

Kenya international Wanyama leaves the SPL champions after two seasons in which he made a big impression and won two titles.

The 22-year-old, who had been linked with other Premier League teams, scored 10 goals in his 61 league outings for Celtic, who spent £900,000 to sign him from Belgian side Beerschot.

"It feels great and I am happy to be here, Finally it has happened and we've come to the end [of negotiations], so I am delighted. There were other options, but Southampton is a club with ambitions so I chose to came here," said Wanyama, who was the SPL Young Player of the Year for 2012-13.

"Southampton is a good club and it has good players, so I just want to train hard and work hard to be a part of the starting XI. We'll see where that will take me.

"I'm very grateful to be here and I'm looking forward to playing in the Premier League.

"I've seen that the stadium is great and the dressing room is looking good, and I know some of the players. I hope they will help me and I think I will get along with the others, so it will be good.

"I am happy to be a part of Southampton's squad. It means a lot because because it has been my dream to play in the Premier League and now I am here."

Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino said: "I am very pleased to have secured the signing of Victor because we are a big admirer of his talents and he will fit in well to the team here at Southampton.

"I want to stress that the deal could have been done sooner, but this shows that we do business on our terms. The most important thing that ourselves, Celtic and the player are all happy with the way it has all gone.

"The fact that a lot of top European clubs were also keen to sign him shows what an attractive prospect Southampton Football Club is to a player who had his pick of the teams in England and abroad."

New kits for the 2013-14 season: Check out next season's new Premier League shirts

With the fixture list out and new signings popping up all over the place, the big guns of the Premier League are continuing to release details of their new kits ahead of the 2013-14 campaign.

Chelsea have gone for classic lines and retro stylings in their new adidas strip, with the solid royal blue home kit supplemented by their smart white away kit.

Unfortunately for Liverpool fans, "smart" doesn't really describe the change strips for the Anfield club this coming season.  Garish design and some strange colour choices from their Warrior away kits will surely guarantee even more sales of their classic all-red home strip.

Manchester United's new kit features buttons and a collar, giving it an "intrinsically Mancunian" feel.  They're the press release's words, not ours.  We think it looks more like a polo shirt.  But will United gallop away from the field to score another title victory next season?

Manchester City will wear the Nike swoosh this season after the sportswear giants phased out Umbro this summer.  The City strip, much like Chelsea's, looks sharp and classic, with a minimalist design.  Another winner, we reckon.

Newcastle United's new all-black away kit has been described by the Toon faithful as both "awesome" and "bland", so it's fair to say it's had a mixed reception.

Aston Villa's new away kit features blackcurrant and white quarters, while Italian kit-maker Macron has made both designs slim-fit. No excess eating this summer, then.

West Ham have gone back to adidas this season and have unsurprisingly opted for a claret and blue number for their home kit.

Everton have unveiled their new home kit and will hoping that the classic blue design will make their fans forget about all that hoo-hah over their new badge.

Southampton fans weren't thoroughly impressed with their club's new line-up.

And Liverpool's new third kit didn't get a five-star rating from supporters either.

While Fulham surprised few with a new home shirt in... white.

As did Tottenham, but Spurs fans will be pleased to see that Gareth Bale features front and centre of their advertising campaign as those pesky Real Madrid rumours refuse to go away.

Colorado Rapids 0 : 0 DC United Preview

Probable Lineups

Missing Players 

Team News

Colorado Rapids

• The Rapids are the only MLS side not affected by the upcoming Gold Cup campaign, with no players called up to their respective national teams.

DC United

• Bill Hamid joins up with the USA national team for the upcoming Gold Cup campaign, meaning Joe Willis will start for DC United in his place for the second successive game.
• Dwayne De Rosario and Nick DeLeon are doubtful for the game against the Colorado Rapids and will face fitness tests ahead of Sunday's clash.

Prediction

• Last week's comeback win against the Montreal Impact snapped a four game winless streak for the Colorado Rapids and coach Oscar Pareja will be hoping to build on that momentum against struggling DC United.
• DC United have been unable to follow up the win over San Jose a couple weeks ago, losing successive games to the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Seattle Sounders. Their season has been dismal compared to last year's performance.
• Colorado could not have asked for a better game to build momentum on last week's 4-3 win over Montreal and are expected to take all three points against Ben Olsen's DC United.

Chivas USA, FC Dallas play to 0-0 draw

Dan Kennedy earned his first shutout of the season helping Chivas USA to a scoreless draw with FC Dallas on Thursday night.

Chivas (3-10-4) got its second straight draw while extended its winless streak to 12 in the opener of a three-game road trip.

''I think they are starting to play more as a team and less as individuals,'' Chivas coach Jose Luis Real said through a translator.

Real took over at the end of May for Jose Luis Sanchez Sola. Although he is still searching for his first win as Chivas' coachr, the team is showing improvement,

The Goats tend to show up more against Dallas than against other opponents, and Thursday night was no different. Dallas has not defeated Chivas in six straight matches.

''I don't know what it is,'' Real said. ''I think it's motivation. Obviously the players come in the game with the motivation (to take down a top team).''

Dallas (8-3-7) is winless in its last five matches and sits two points behind Real Salt Lake atop the Western Conference.

There were plenty of chances for both teams, though neither could take advantage. Chivas outshot Dallas 17-6, holding a 6-1 advantage on shots on goal.

''I think we're trying to get in the right path,'' Chivas midfielder Jorge Villafana said. ''The thing is looking better each game. Last game we had the opportunity to get three points, we let ourselves tie it, and this time I think we did a good job coming here and getting a point in a difficult place (against) a good team.''

Dallas sent its first 10 shots off target, missing the goal by inches on several occasions. Chivas kept rifling shots that were blocked by Dallas defenders, including four shots in one sequence in the 54th minute.

Jackson nearly put Dallas on the board in the 85th minute when he headed a cross just wide of the post. One minute later, Kennedy made a toe save on Blas Perez's header.

Both teams squandered stoppage-time free-kick opportunities to saddle them with a point each.

Dallas had three strong scoring opportunities in the opening 10 minutes of the game, including a strong showing on early set pieces.

Defender Stephen Keel, making his first start for Dallas, just missed a header six minutes in on a corner, which would have been the 30-year-old's first career MLS goal. Four minutes later, Michel's left-footed free kick from about 30 yards didn't quite curl back far enough, caroming off the far post.

From there, Chivas' backline tightened in the middle as the visitors starting pressing up and limiting the Dallas chances to ones created on the wings.

''The beginning of the first half, we were playing really well and we kind of faded in the middle of the game,'' Dallas defender Matt Hedges said, ''and we were giving the ball away, I think, too much and not keeping enough possession. It started to be kind of a track meet back and forth.''

Chivas found its footing in the final 15 minutes of the first half. Eric Avila, who played for Dallas from 2008-11, had a ground shot from about 25 yards stopped by a diving Raul Fernandez in the 30th minute.

Avila's attempt triggered a string of shots to end the half, including Jose Correa's about-face shot from six yards out that just went wide when he found the ball off a neat back heel from Walter Vilchez following a corner.

FC Dallas vs CD Chivas USA Preview

Probable Lineups

Missing Players

Team News

FC Dallas

• Rookie defender Walker Zimmerman should keep his place in the FC Dallas line-up after returning from a hamstring injury to start against Philadelphia on Saturday.
• Blas Perez is the only FC Dallas player involved in the upcoming Gold Cup campaign, joining up with the Panama national team this week.

CD Chivas USA

• Interim head coach Sacha van der Most is expected to stick with the 4-1-4-1 formation that he has used on the road in MLS, using Julio Correa as the lone front man.
• Steve Purdy is the only Chivas USA player unavailable for selection due to the Gold Cup having been called up to the El Salvador national team.

Prediction

• A relatively poor run of form has seen FC Dallas slip down the Western Conference, and they are without a win in their last four MLS outings, drawing three and losing one. The Texans will be looking to rack up the points against the West's bottom side.
• Despite a change of manager Chivas USA are still slumped at the foot of the Western Conference, without a win in their last 11 league fixtures. Their backline has conceded 20 goals in their last eight games, although having let in just two goals in their last two outings their defensive record has improved slightly.
• Despite an improved defensive record Chivas USA are still struggling to find any sort of form in front of goal, making FC Dallas firm favourites to end their winless streak.

How Brazil Cracked Spain's Unbreakable Code with Felipe Scolari's Tactics

Those who didn't catch the final of the 2013 Confederations Cup will have been shocked when checking the score the following morning.

Spain—the unstoppable, tiki-taka footballing machine—weren't just beaten. They were slaughtered.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazil continued the fantastic work Italy started in the semifinal, scoring inside two minutes and going on to win comfortably 3-0—a scoreline that was generous to la Roja in the end.

Let's take an all-encompassing look at how the Selecao stopped Vicente Del Bosque's men.

Formations

Brazil took their usual 4-2-3-1 formation with Paulinho and Luiz Gustavo as a holding midfield pivot. Oscar lined up in the No. 10 role, while Neymar was deployed on the left.

Spain fielded Fernando Torres as a No. 9 and continued with just the single holding midfielder they've utilised throughout the tournament.

Brazil Pressing

Right from the off, Scolari's men hounded and pressed.

Neymar lost the ball inside 30 seconds but his teammates won it straight back. From there, they moved forward at pace and with intensity, shifting the ball between the lines quickly and taking the lead inside two minutes.

The Selecao defended from the front all game long, exerting immense pressure in the final third and halting the buildup play as early as possible.

All four forwards were disciplined enough to do their part, while Gustavo and Paulinho put in a few superb tackles in the deeper areas.

Oscar on Sergio Busquets

A big part of Brazil's pressing game centred on a theory Bayern Munich used to conquer Juventus.

Oscar spent much of his first half following Sergio Busquets around in the deeper areas of midfield, rarely straying more than five yards away.

When Busquets did receive the ball, Oscar would pounce, creating turnovers in ridiculously dangerous positions and starting attacks close to goal. He totaled three tackles and two interceptions, according to WhoScored.

Heynckes cancels Pirlo

This is a system Jupp Heynckes also used to nullify Barca, sticking Mario Gomez—and later Thomas Mueller—on duty to stick to Busquets to remove him as an option to pass to and stifling his darting movements forward.

Many would focus on Andres Iniesta or Juan Mata, but this makes two coaches who have gone directly to the source in an attempt to starve the playmakers of the ball.

The David Luiz Shift

Spain's pressing game has been lacking in the latter stages of the tournament.

Against Uruguay, they were like midges to a lamp, but the heat and humidity has taken its toll and left la Roja's all-energy style severely lacking.

Rather than press Italy in the semifinal, they simply backed away, put 11 men behind the ball and waited for Italy to try to instigate things.

The final was no different, and the entire midfield struggled to cover the ground they usually do. They lost the ball earlier and more frequently than usual, too, giving them limited chances to rest in possession and recover stamina.

The strikers attempted to instigate pressing from the front, but much how Bayern found a way around this by using Manuel Neuer to dominate the numbers, Brazil tried something interesting too.

The back line switched to a back three temporarily, with David Luiz on the ball shifting into the left-back position. He'd fire it up the line to Marcelo, who was now in a wide midfield position, who in turn would distribute it up the field.

Pedro, the right winger, wasn't sure who to press. If he followed Marcelo, Luiz could hit a long ball (the first goal was created by Luiz's raking pass to Hulk). If he pressed Luiz, Marcelo would be unattended.

They worked it several times down the left side and Neymar saw plenty of the ball while circumventing the pressing game.

Physical Brazil

Coming into the game, concerns were signaled over the competency levels of Brazil's holding midfield duo.

They struggled to create all tournament long from a central position, and the Selecao's game had relied upon longer balls or working it down the sidelines.

Gustavo and Paulinho are no passmasters, and given Spain's high intensity pressing, would they collapse?

Not even a little.

he pressing game was sub-par, granted, but the two holding midfielders simply shrugged la Roja's challenges off if they came too close. They are both big, physical players who are capable of holding their own. Little Xavi, Iniesta and Pedro came nowhere close to troubling them.

Again, we look at Bayern's victory over tiki-taka football: Physically imposing yet technically excellent midfielders, in conjunction with a high defensive line, can overcome technical, smaller players with a limited space to work in.

Alvaro Arbeloa

At the risk of sounding like an acceptance speech, this resounding Brazil victory could not have been possible without Alvaro Arbeloa.

Truly a tournament to forget for the Spaniard, fans will not be eager to see him don la Roja's famous shirt again any time soon.

A liability in possession and positionally very suspect, the Real Madrid right-back was withdrawn at halftime in favour of Cesar Azpilicueta. The Chelsea man then immediately drew heat for letting Fred score the third down his side, but really he was flummoxed by incredible movement from Neymar.

Spain's Fragility With 1 Defensive Midfielder

Throughout the group stage, la Roja looked fluid and purposeful—a revamped side in comparison to the one that stumbled over the line at Euro 2012.

But that came at a cost, and that cost was defensive fragility: Del Bosque has switched tactics, using just one holding midfielder in light of Xabi Alonso's injury before the tournament.

Should Martinez have featured more prominently?

The usual solid pivot is gone, leaving Busquets to fend away a multitude of attackers on his own. He's been swamped by markers and midfield runners, and the lack of a pressing game has only worsened this.

He has had little time to recover, had few passing options and was up against experienced shackling from Oscar. Spain might have been delightful going forward in the early stages, but boy were they wide open at the back.

Conclusions

Spain did not play well in the final two games, but as much as heat and humidity played a part, Cesare Prandelli and Luiz Felipe Scolari did too.

Prandelli's three-man defensive line and focus on attacking Jordi Alba nearly worked, and Scolari finished the job by avoiding pressing, marking Busquets and shrugging off challenges with a bigger, stronger side.

The two games will be recorded and studied by any tactician worth the title, and Spain are now officially under the microscope.

What must Del Bosque do to freshen things up? Can Spain rely on Xavi and Iniesta next year in Brazil, or are the likes of Isco and Thiago Alcantara required?

Scolari will be delighted, and needs to build on this performance ahead of the World Cup. He's proven his worth, but more critically he's proven la Roja are beatable.

Brazil dominates Spain to win the Confederations Cup

Brazilian boss Luiz Felipe Scolari said he wanted to send a message. We got it, loud and clear: Brazil are back. 

Fred scored for Brazil in the second minute
before fans even had a chance to settle in.

It didn't take the emphatic and historic 3-0 win over Spain to realize things were finally coming together for the Selecao, but for the crowd at the Maracana and the tens of millions more green-and-gold devotees, it was a nice exclamation mark. 

The antidote to La Roja was neither sophisticated nor unexpected. But sometimes it's not about coming up with a brilliant plan; it's about executing a simple plan well. And ensuring the breaks go your way. 

Brazil were fresher. They had an extra day to prepare and were not coming off the brutal 120 minutes-plus penalty that Spain had to deal with Thursday against Italy in Salvador. So Scolari amped up the tempo, instilling a frenetic pace -- by Brazil standards -- in the first 20 minutes that seemed to stun Spain. The Selecao went as physical as referee Bjorn Kuipers would allow, and they did it intelligently. 

Sure, Fred's early goal made things a heck of a lot easier. It brought the crowd into the match straight away, it gave them a spring in their step. But even without that score after just two minutes, you could tell Spain were rattled. 

Of course, nobody can play at that pace for the entire game. Not without taking huge risks on the counterattack. And this is where Brazil got the rub of the green. Four minutes from halftime David Luiz's dramatic goal-line clearance avoided the equalizer. And shortly thereafter, Neymar, gambling on being offside, made it 2-0. 

Needless to say, the sequence changed the game. The hill Spain needed to climb became a whole mountain range. And Scolari was able to reset Brazil's tempo, bringing it back in line with a pace at which they felt comfortable. 

The death of Tiki-taka? 

You'll read plenty now about the demise of Spain and the death of Tiki-taka. Take it with a grain of salt. 

Brazil played well and had few breaks go against them. On the day, they were the better team. And Vicente Del Bosque made some choices that were questionable at best. 

You may recall that in my preview I made the point that too many options can be a bad thing. For Del Bosque, evidently, they were. This was not a game for Juan Mata's skill set -- not in the way it panned out in the early going anyway. (Maybe one day we'll figure out what was really up with Cesc Fabregas, who remained on the bench.) Picking on Fernando Torres is a national sport in some places. The best you can say is that, against Brazil, apart from one gorgeous reverse pass that led to David Luiz's goal-line clearance, he contributed very little. 

Would Roberto Soldado or David Villa have done better? It's the benefit of hindsight. And the price you pay for having too many options. 

But it's worth remembering that, despite the conditions, despite the hostile crowd, despite Del Bosque's backfiring choices, despite Brazil's performance, Spain still missed a penalty and were denied by a superhuman Luiz. These guys might not win back-to-back World Cups when they return here next summer, but they'll come close. 

Neymar living up to the hype 

This was supposed to be Neymar's coming out party against top European opposition and he lived up to the hype. Any Eurosnobs harboring doubts ahead of his huge move to Barcelona may want to think again. 

Critics will point out aspects of his game that need to change. He goes down too easily even when it's unnecessary. He could muscle up a bit. But watching him in person, in full flight, you can see just why some put him in the same conversation as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. 

Compared to the other two, Neymar lacks their finishing (for now... he's genuinely two-footed and it's an area where he can improve) and their presence (yes, Messi might be small, but he has plenty of presence). But in terms of vision and unselfishness, he might be ahead of them. The ease with which he sees and executes passes to teammates with an array of deft, creative touches -- often delivered in full flight -- is, frankly, terrifying.