England midfielder Frank Lampard believes Chelsea s Champions League success can have a positive effect on the nation s Euro 2012 hopes.
Lampard is joined by Chelsea team-mates Ashley Cole, John Terry and Gary Cahill in the England squad and said he is still on a high after the London club s Champions League triumph in Munich.
I hope it can help greatly, Lampard said.
You have to try to bring the positives all together.
We will try and bring out a spring in our step into the squad, and we want to try and bring the fact that we ve won something this year, potentially against the odds at some times.
Maybe England will be at odds, and there is nothing wrong with that feeling, and as long as we can bring something as Chelsea boys we will.
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Uruguay reached the Copa America knockout stages with a 1-1 draw against Group B rivals Paraguay in La Serena on Saturday.
Oscar Tabarez s defending champions gained the point needed to ensure progression by virtue of being one of the top two third-placed teams in the competition.
And, despite missing suspended skipper Diego Godin, Uruguay did enough to claim a share of the spoils in a rematch of the 2011 final, taking the lead against the run of play having been on the back foot for much of the opening half-hour.
Jose Gimenez powered a header beat a helpless Justo Villar to give Tabarez s men hope of progressing alongside Argentina in the top two spots.
However, Paraguay guaranteed a quarter-final place prior to kick-off scored from a corner of …
Inter saw off Spezia 2-0 at San Siro to make it three Serie A wins in a row under Simone Inzaghi for the first time.
The in-form hosts defeated leaders Napoli and lowly Venezia in their previous two league outings and were good value for their latest victory at home to Spezia.
Roberto Gagliardini rounded off a nice team move to give Inzaghi s men a half-time lead and Lautaro Martinez, who created the opener, doubled his side s tally from the penalty spot to seal the victory.
Inter climb two points above Milan in second and within a point of Napoli, but those two teams are in action later on Wednesday against Genoa and Sassuolo respectively.
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— Inter (@Inter_en)
Spezia had lost each of their last four away games, conce…
Phil Foden hailed Manchester City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne as the Premier League s best player after the pair both netted in the 4-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
De Bruyne opened the scoring in Thursday s contest at Amex Stadium before Foden took over with a couple of goals of his own before half-time.
Julian Alvarez rounded off the scoring just after the hour in a one-sided contest as an Erling Haaland-less City moved to within a point of leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.
Belgium international De Bruyne now has four goals and six assists in just 13 league appearances for City this season.
Speaking to Sky Sports News after the win over Brighton, Foden said: I think when he is at it, he is the best player in the Premier League.
Foden s f…
Saudi Arabia coach Frank Rijkaard has voiced his admiration for Spain in the wake of his side s 5-0 loss to the world champions on Friday.
Goals from Santi Cazorla and Pedro put the hosts two goals up at half-time, before Xavi, David Villa and a second fine finish from Pedro made it five after the break.
Rijkaard, who was in charge at Barcelona from 2003 to 2008, had nothing but praise for Spain s performance.
This Spanish team has been impressing the entire footballing world. I have never seen a national team play as well as Spain, the Dutchman told reporters.
Xavi and (Andres) Iniesta are among the best players in the world. They can be decisive in any team they play for.
Spain deservedly beat us. They created so many chances. We already kne…
Ronaldinho is set to continue his career with Fluminense, with the 35-year-old signing a contract until the end of 2016.
Having been linked with Angolan club Kabuscorp and Antalyaspor of Turkey, plus the MLS, this year, since it became clear his time at Queretaro in Liga MX was coming to an end, Ronaldinho has instead chosen to go home to Brazil.
Fluminense announced the deal on Saturday, with Ronaldinho hoping to help the Rio de Janeiro-based club win their third Campeonato Brasileiro title in six years.
It was one of the things that motivated me to return to Brazil, going after a title that still do not have, and also because it is a club that has great players, the attacking midfielder said in a statement.
It s a very cool project and I am very happy…
Neymar insists his intention is still to extend his contract with Barcelona, despite having failed to reach an agreement over a renewal to date.
The Brazil international s father and agent claimed earlier this month that, although talks over a new deal were progressing, Neymar could be forced to leave Spain should a satisfactory resolution not be reached over alleged tax evasion.
A Brazilian court has frozen £31.3million worth of assets belonging to the Barca attacker, his family and related businesses, with the 23-year-old alleged to have evaded £10.5m worth of taxes in Brazil from 2011 to 2013.
Neymar, however, insists he hopes to secure a new deal at Camp Nou, telling the media on Saturday: I ve still got years on my contract. My father has already spoke…
West Brom staged an unexpected late comeback to snatch a 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool that offers Darren Moore s side slim hope of escaping relegation.
Danny Ings struck for the first time in 930 days and Mohamed Salah equalled the record for goals scored in a 38-match Premier League season as Liverpool appeared on course to warm up for their Champions League semi-final against Roma with a routine if laboured victory.
The beleaguered Baggies had other ideas, though, Jake Livermore getting one back in the 79th minute and Salomon Rondon heading home the equaliser from a free-kick with two remaining in normal time.
The result may not prove enough to save West Brom, as they are still eight points adrift of the safety of 17th-placed Swansea, who visit newly crowned c…
Kylian Mbappe and Rivaldo sent messages of support to Brazil legend Pele as the health of the World Cup legend reportedly took a turn for the worse.
Reports in Brazil said the 82-year-old has been moved to palliative care after a cancer battle.
The three-time World Cup winner ranks highly among the greatest players of all time, and he underwent surgery to remove a tumour from his colon last year.
There have been frequent hospital visits since, but reports have now claimed Pele is not responding to chemotherapy treatment and is instead receiving pain-relieving measures in an end-of-life care ward.
France striker Mbappe, immersed in a World Cup campaign with Les Bleus in Qatar, wrote on Twitter: Pray for the king.
Pray for the King
— Kyl…
UEFA are set to implement a blood testing programme across both the Champions League and Europa League from the start of the 2013-14 season.
European football s governing body conducted blood testing at both the 2012 and 2008 editions of the European Championships, but are now set to roll out the anti-doping measures across club competitions.
Players were previously required to provide only urine samples, but could now be asked to also give blood by UEFA testers.
In a statement announcing the changes, UEFA also revealed that they carried out 1,374 doping controls over the course of the 2012-13 season, with none providing a positive result.
The announcement also explained that 2013 Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich were both tested fiv…