Best odds: 8/9

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Scotland will end their preparations for Euro 2024 by hosting Finland in an international friendly on Friday night at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

While the home side are gearing up for their trip to Germany, this match serves as Finland s final fixture before the UEFA Nations League begins in September.

Scotland

After taking nearly an hour to break the deadlock against Gibraltar, Scotland inevitably faced criticism.

On a seven-match winless streak, the Tartan Army entered the match not in their best form but hoping for a convincing performance ahead of this game and the upcoming tournament.

From Steve Clarke s perspective, he quickly defended his players, suggesting they were spooked by the injury to Lyndon Dykes, …

Chelsea s shirt sponsor has suspended its deal with the Premier League giants after club owner Roman Abramovich was hit with UK government sanctions.

Three said it had asked Chelsea to remove its logos from team shirts and from the club s Stamford Bridge stadium.

The telecommunications company said the suspension was the right thing to do . The deal is reportedly worth around £40million per year.

Russian oligarch Abramovich, who also has Israeli and Portuguese citizenship, has previously been photographed with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Putin last month ordered an invasion of Ukraine, which has led to death and destruction in that country.

Abramovich was one of seven oligarchs to face sanctions on Thursday, with his assets frozen, a move t…

Massimo Moratti has resigned from his position as honorary president of Inter following a 19-year association with the Serie A club.

The 69-year-old was formerly president of the club before selling his majority share to Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir in October last year.

Under Moratti, Inter won five Serie A titles as well as one UEFA Champions League crown, with the Italian overseeing the signings of players including Ronaldo and Luis Figo.

However, he will now step down from his honorary role with son Angelomario also leaving his post as a director.

Internazionale Holding Srl, a company headed by Massimo Moratti and his sons Angelomario Moratti and Giovanni Moratti, and holds 29.5 per cent of FC Internazionale Milano Spa communicates that today …

Market: Sunderland win

Odds: 1/1 @

Looking to claim back-to-back Championship victories on Wednesday night, Sunderland will welcome Watford to the Stadium of Light.

Starting with the hosts, making an immediate return to winning ways over the weekend as they stormed their way to a routine 3-0 romp away at Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland have only continued to gain a string of praise. With their sights firmly set on claiming another play-off ticket this season, Tony Mowbray’s men have won four of their previous five Championship appearances a run that stems back to a 0-0 stalemate against Coventry on August 26th. Likewise, heading into September’s international break with a famous performance at the Stadium of Light as they claimed a 5-0 romp against Southampt…

A number of clubs are monitoring Ross Barkley’s situation as the midfielder has stalled on contract negotiations at Everton, .

Aside from the Toffee’s city rivals Liverpool, all of the sides currently battling in the top six have been mentioned as potential suitors for the England international, who has faced criticism from his manager Ronald Koeman one more than one occasion this term.

Barkley broke into the Everton first team in the 2011-12 campaign and has since racked one hundred and sixty-five appearances in all competitions, scoring twenty-six goals.

He has also been capped twenty-two times by country, scoring twice and was part of the squads that attended the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil and the European Championships in France two years later.<…

Pablo Zabaleta believes David Silva is the greatest player in the history of Manchester City.

Silva joined City from Valencia in 2010 and has become a key figure at the Etihad Stadium, with two Premier League titles, a pair of EFL Cups and an FA Cup triumph among his accomplishments.

The 31-year-old made his 300th appearance for the club in the 3-1 win over Hull City on Saturday and Zabaleta emphasised his importance.

I could keep talking about David all day because I love him so much. For me he s the greatest City player ever, Zabaleta told the club s official website.

I must say he is my favourite player at City, for sure. I love him. I am so lucky to have been playing in the same side as great players but especially David because he is so good.

…

New Roma sporting director Monchi has expressed his desire to transform the Serie A club into one Europe s elite sides.

Monchi spent his entire playing career at Sevilla before taking over as the club s sporting director in 2000, but the 48-year-old left his post in April.

Sevilla enjoyed a period of great success during Monchi s tenure, including five Europa League titles and two Copa del Rey triumphs, and although Monchi was strongly linked to several high-profile clubs across the continent, he decided on a move to the Italian capital.

I believe Roma have already built a lot, Monchi told Roma s official website. All we have to do is add to that and I believe that with good planning, the right personnel and infrastructure, we can achieve great things.

…

​Carlo Ancelotti has revealed discussions over a new contract at Real Madrid are under way.

The Italian arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu ahead of last season and ended Real s long wait for a 10th UEFA Champions League title by overcoming city rivals Atletico in Lisbon in May.

Former Milan, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Ancelotti also won the Copa del Rey in his first season in the Spanish capital.

Real are currently in a scintillating run of form having won 14 games in a row in all competitions, and sit top of La Liga while also being through to the last 16 of the Champions League.

And although Ancelotti s existing Real contract runs until 2016, he has already begun talks over extending his stay.

I hope not to [just] be remembered becau…

Italian giants AS Roma have announced on their official website that they have signed Argentine defender Nicolas Spolli from Catania.

The Giallorossi have agreed to pay €1.5m for a six-month loan, while they have the option to make the deal permanent for additional €1.5m.

Roma officials turned to Spolli after they failed in their attempts to sign Younes Kaboul and Vlad Chiriches.

The 31-year-old had only represented two clubs in his career ahead of the switch to Stadio Olimpico, having begun his career at Newell s Old Boys and joined Catania in 2009.

Spoli has since made 132 Serie A appearances for the Elephants, while featuring in 16 Serie B fixtures this season.

The experienced stopper is expected to provide cover for Kostas Manolas, Davide…

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman thinks opponents Manchester City are used to coping with criticism as they go into Saturday s Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium under pressure.

Manuel Pellegrini s men are on a poor run having drawn with bottom-of-the-table Aston Villa before suffering consecutive defeats at the hands of Liverpool and Juventus.

Southampton lost to Stoke City last week, but that negative result came after an impressive eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

Koeman, though, does not feel his side have any major advantage going into the game, despite the scrutiny over City s form, and sympathised with Pellegrini s long injury list.

Teams like City are used to having that pressure about winning games and if you don t win …