Aimar blushing at Messi praise

James Maddison is available for Tottenham’s FA Cup tie with Manchester City but boss Ange Postecoglou has yet to make a decision on whether he will start Friday’s clash.

Maddison has not played for Spurs since he sustained ankle ligament damage in a 4-1 defeat to Chelsea on November 6.

England international Maddison flourished after he moved to the club in a £40million deal from Leicester last June, scoring three goals and providing six assists in 12 appearances, and he will return to action against FA Cup holders Man City.

The latest team news from Ange ahead of

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Postecoglou revealed: “He’s trained all week and he is fine.

“He is available and ready to start… when someone is available …

Barcelona sporting director Jordi Cruyff insisted the side s host of new additions joined in order to follow their dream  as he hit out at criticism of the Blaugrana s transfer policy.

Despite concerns regarding the club s finances, Barcelona acquired Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso during a busy transfer window.

Xavi s new-look team have impressed this season, taking 13 points from their first five matches in LaLiga, but many onlookers were surprised by their ability to outmanoeuvre their rivals in the market.

Raphinha and Kounde, for instance, were both strongly linked with Chelsea before arriving at Camp Nou. Cruyff, however, insists Barca retain a unique draw.

Barcelon…

Asier Illarramendi has welcomed Xabi Alonso s return to action even though it could cost the former a place in Real Madrid s side.

Alonso made his first appearance of the season as a substitute in Wednesday s 7-3 triumph over Sevilla, following a five-month lay-off with groin and foot injuries, and could return to the starting line-up when Madrid face Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

Illarramendi has deputised in the absence of the Spain international, but acknowledges Real are a better team with Alonso fit.

He is important for us; he has been here for a long time and has always been important, said Illarramendi.

There will be more competition and that is good for the team and helps us all to improve. We have a match every three days and we will have to rotate to get …

Jose Mourinho believes Sunday s League Cup triumph over Tottenham represents the first trophy for a new Chelsea.

Chelsea lifted the League Cup after victory over Tottenham on Sunday, and Jose Mourinho sees it as the first silverware of many for a new crop of players.

In his initial spell at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho won two Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup.

Sunday s win at Wembley secured the first trophy of his second stint in charge, and Mourinho s first major silverware since winning La Liga with Real Madrid in 2012.

It s difficult for me to live without titles, he said. I need to feed myself with titles.

This is important for me and the boys. For the club it s one more cup, but it s the first one of a new team.

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Putting in what was a season-best display and picking up an empathic 4-0 win over Oxford on Saturday, Peterborough are enjoying what has been a scintillating purple patch, particularly in the final third. Now sat just a single point adrift of the automatic positions and with their sights set on securing a Championship return this year, fans around the Weston Homes Stadium find their side in the midst of a five-match winning run in England s third-tier. Bagging a quartet of strikes in back-to-back League One appearances, one man to keep an eye out for in midweek will certainly be leading marksman and attacking MVP, Ivan Toney. Scoring another brace against Oxford over the weekend, the 23-year-old picked up the League One Player of the Month award for January and has already collected 23 …

Mauricio Pochettino could not confirm Neymar would make his return from injury against former club Barcelona but remains very happy with his recovery.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar suffered an adductor injury against Caen in the Coupe de France on February 10.

A predicted four-week lay-off would accommodate a comeback against Barca in the Champions League, having missed the first-leg trip to Camp Nou where Kylian Mbappe inspired a 4-1 away win.

Pochettino has since repeatedly insisted Neymar is on schedule, although PSG s win rate has improved from 66.7 per cent to 73.7 per cent when he has been missing this season.

With the last-16 second leg now just five days away, the PSG coach was asked explicitly about the potential involvement of the world s mo…

Marco Davide Faraoni s agent Giovanni Bia has revealed that Watford are in talks to sign the defender.

The Udinese right-back is on the lookout for regular first-team football after starting just six games last season.

And his agent has suggested that a move to the Championship could be on the cards.

We are talking about and evaluating the prospect of him going to Watford, he told tuttomercatoweb.com.

If the guy leaves Udinese he will almost certainly go there because it is a club with links to Udinese and we believe it would be the best solution for everyone.

We would like to make a decision soon. Faraoni is in a hurry to know his future.

The 21-year-old began his career at Lazio before moving to Inter in 2010.

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Norwich City have agreed a fee of £6.9million with Ajax for highly rated defender Toby Alderweireld, .

However, the Belgium international has been constantly linked with a move away from Amsterdam this summer, is adamant that he will not sign for a mid-table club.

Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have previously been linked with a move for the 24 year old, though they are yet to make an offer.

He has made 180 appearances for the Eredivise Champions since signing his first professional contract in 2007, and was named the clubs Talent of the Year in 2010.

He has also won twenty-five caps for the Belgian National side, and is currently part of a back line that includes Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich’s Daniel Van Buy…

Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul has joined AZ Alkmaar on loan until the end of the season after his stint at Ajax was cut short.

The Netherlands international missed a large part of the 2015-16 season through injury, slipping down the pecking order at St James Park, and so made a temporary switch to Ajax at the start of this campaign in a bid to regain form and fitness.

However, having failed to feature for the club s first team, Krul has now left the Amsterdam Arena to join fellow Dutch side AZ and the 28-year-old is hoping to impress in the coming months.

AZ is a fantastic club, he told the club s website. They compete for prizes in the league, the cup and in Europe, and  they are doing just fine.

When they called, I could hardly say no. They ha…

Massimiliano Allegri says he will not deny or confirm anything as speculation mounts the Juventus head coach is set to replace Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager at the end of the season.

Frenchman Wenger has once again faced intense scrutiny over his tenure at Emirates Stadium as another bid for the Premier League title has faltered in recent weeks.

Wenger is out of contract at the end of the season and reports have suggested that the Gunners are in advanced talks with Allegri to take over from the 67-year-old.

However, Allegri speaking after Serie A leaders Juve defeated Crotone 2-0 on Wednesday insists that the rumours are mere paper talk.

I won t deny or confirm anything, he told Mediaset Premium. I am in sync with the club, now we have to focus on win…