After two heartbreaking losses in the last three years, former Real Madrid great Raul believes it will not be long before city rivals Atletico taste Champions League success. 

Atletico suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat to Madrid in the Champions League final in Milan last month, two years after their extra-time loss against the same opponents in Lisbon. 

However, Raul who made over 700 appearances for Madrid between 1994 and 2010 believes Atletico are not far away from winning their maiden Champions League trophy.

You have to expect in the next few years that Atletico will win that European Cup, the 38-year-old said. 

With the work they are doing at the moment, for sure that prize will come very soon.

Raul was also full of praise for Madr…

Inverness Caledonian Thistle have granted Terry Butcher permission to speak to Hibernian about their vacant managerial position.

Butcher has guided Inverness to seven wins in the Scottish Premiership this season, and is seen by Hibs as the right man to replace Pat Fenlon.

Fenlon left the Easter Road outfit earlier this month following their Scottish Cup exit to Hearts, the 44-year-old declaring he had taken the club as far as he could.

Butcher was linked with the job on Monday but Inverness insisted they had not received an official approach for the 54-year-old.

However, they have now confirmed the former England captain is free to talk to Hibs about becoming their new boss.

Terry has been informed of the situation and has expressed an interest in meeting w…

Manchester United manager David Moyes would welcome the opportunity to work with Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Real Madrid and Portugal forward left Old Trafford in 2009 for a then world-record fee of £80million having spent six years with the Premier League champions.

Ronaldo who has scored 31 goals in 21 games for club and country this season was linked with a return to United in the close season, and Moyes has revealed he hopes to work with him in the future.

Everyone at Manchester United would tell you he is the best in the business, he told MUTV.

I have not been fortunate enough to work with him but there is still hope some day it might be possible.

In terms of current personnel, Moyes wants to get more out of midfielder Marouane Fellaini.

Despite…

Memphis Depay has confirmed he is leaving Atletico Madrid after 18 months at the Civitas Metropolitano.

Depay joined Atleti in a €4million deal last January after struggling to make an impression at Barcelona, initially signing a two-and-a-half-year contract.

However, the Netherlands international – who has been named in Ronald Koeman s squad for Euro 2024 – has now agreed to part ways with the club 12 months early.

Depay scored nine goals in 31 league appearances throughout his time with Atleti, though the form of Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann limited him to just 12 starts.

Not easy to say how I feel about writing this message because I feel that things could’ve been very different.
Maybe it’s better to keep that conversation for another…

Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico has joined Fulham on a season-long loan.

The deal continues a busy transfer window for the Premier League newcomers, who are reportedly set to conclude deadline day by making Marseille midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa their record signing after adding Bristol City left-back Joe Bryan.

Sergio Rico won the Europa League with Sevilla in 2014-15 and 2015-16 but he lost form and his place in the first team last season.

The 24-year-old did feature in both legs of the Champions League last-16 victory over Manchester United.

I’m very happy, really pleased to have signed for the oldest club in the Premier League. I’m excited to start training, to meet all my teammates and, above all, to enjoy the season that starts this Sat…

The January transfer window has only just opened and already there is talk of stunning swap deals afoot. According to , Spanish super club are readying an insane £150m deal that would see Gareth Bale return to Premier League giants , with Harry Kane going the other way.

It is little secret that Los Blancos have long been keen on Kane, but it would take a massive bid to take the world class striker away from North London. Kane has already bagged 18 goals in 19 Premier League appearances this season, and is chasing a third consecutive Premier League Golden Boot award.

Real meanwhile are having a difficult season, and currently find themselves 14 points behind their eternal rivals Barcelona. The Madrid giants are not used to occupying fourth spot in La Liga table, and th…

John Obi Mikel has pledged not to give up on his Chelsea career without a fight after being frozen out by new coach Antonio Conte.

The Nigerian made 19 starts in the Premier League last season, the joint-highest number he had managed in a single campaign since 2010-11.

That apparent resurgence has not continued under Conte, Mikel not playing a single minute of football in any competition so far this season.

He is hopeful, though, of making an appearance in the EFL Cup against West Ham on Wednesday after overcoming a knock.

I hope I will get some playing time against West Ham, but it is down to the manager, the 29-year-old told the London Evening Standard. 

He has been open and honest with me. I respect him for that. He has explained the situati…

AC Milan have received no contact from Chelsea over Gonzalo Higuain amid speculation he could leave the club, according to sporting director Leonardo.

Higuain is in the midst of a dismal run of form, having failed to score in his last nine games.

Milan signed Higuain on a season-long loan from Juventus in August, the Rossoneri can make the deal permanent by exercising a €36million option.

However, reports in Italy have claimed Higuain has agreed to move to Chelsea and renew acquaintances with Maurizio Sarri, for whom he scored a Serie A record 36 goals during their time together at Napoli in 2015-16.

Dismissing those claims, Leonardo told Sky Sport Italia:  It s difficult for a striker when he doesn t score, and he also needs to find himself because he…

Wigan Athletic are a club that have a special relationship with the FA Cup. Since their historic win over Manchester City in 2013, the Latics have reached the semi-finals and now the quarter-finals this season. For a side that have been yo-yoing between League One and the Championship in recent seasons, their cup form has been an impressive constant. During this campaign they knocked out three Premier League teams, so let’s take a closer look at their run in the historic competition.

1st Round – Wigan 2-1 Crawley Town

Considering how far they got, it is perhaps surprising how close Wigan came to getting knocked out in the first round. Their opponents Crawley took the lead in the 20th minute of this game through Jordan Roberts, whose volley threatened to knock the League On…

Mick McCarthy will step down as Ipswich Town manager when his contract expires at the end of this season.

The 59-year-old former Republic of Ireland boss is the longest-serving manager in the Championship, having taken charge of Ipswich in November 2012.

Ipswich lie 12th in English football s second tier and, following discussions with owners Marcus Evans, McCarthy has decided it is time for all concerned to turn over a new leaf.

I had a good discussion with Marcus and we feel this is the right thing to do for me and for Ipswich Town, he told the club s official website.

I have loved my time here and I am proud of what I have achieved over the last six years and the relationship I have enjoyed with the players and all the staff at the club in that time.…