| IN OTHER NEWS  Messi wears a shirt to commemorate Brazil legend Pele (Source: AFP) Messi strikes: Lionel Messi scored in his first game since leading Argentina to the World Cup title as French league leaders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) beat Angers 2-0 on Wednesday. Nearly four weeks after the final against France in Qatar, Messi started the move that led to his 72nd-minute goal with Hugo Ekitiké and Nordi Mukiele combining quickly to put him through. Ronaldo v Messi?: Cristiano Ronaldo's first game in Saudi Arabia is likely to be against PSG. PSG have announced they will play a friendly on January 19 (Thursday) in Riyadh against a composite team of players from Ronaldo’s new club Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, the current Asian Champions League title holders. Ronaldo will have to wait until January 22 to make his formal debut for Al-Nassr in a league game against Al-Ettifaq because he is serving a two-match ban incurred as a Manchester United player for slapping a mobile phone out of a fan’s hand. This was last April against Everton. Martinez Portugal coach: On taking charge of Portugal, former Belgium coach Roberto Martínez said he would speak to Ronaldo. “I want to talk to everyone. The list of 26 players from the last World Cup will be my starting point, and Cristiano was part of that list,” said Martínez, 49, reports AP. City stunned: Southampton stunned Manchester City to book a place in the semi-finals of the English League Cup. The bottom team in the Premier League produced a major upset by beating eight-time League Cup winners City 2-0 and will face Newcastle in the double-leg semi-final. First-half goals from Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo allowed Southampton to set aside worries about their relegation battle. City didn’t have a shot on target and manager Pep Guardiola said the better team won. Nottingham Forest beat Wolves 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw and will meet Manchester United in the other semi-final. Beckham Jr joins Brentford B: With his father in the audience, Romeo Beckham debuted for Brentford B in their London FA Senior Cup match against Erith & Belvedere. The 20-year-old midfielder is on loan from Inter Miami. Romeo played 20 games for Inter Miami II last term in MLS Next Pro, scoring twice and registering 10 assists. Infantino quizzed: FIFA president Gianni Infantino met with special prosecutors in Switzerland as part of their criminal investigation into his undisclosed meetings with the country’s attorney general during a wider probe of soccer officials, says AP. Criminal proceedings against Infantino were recommended in 2020 by a previous special prosecutor — who was later removed from the case by a Swiss federal court – for possible incitements to commit abuse of public office and breach of official secrecy. Deschamps to stay: Didier Deschamps has signed a new deal as France coach till June 2026. The former France captain has won the World Cup as player and coach and took France to the final in Doha where they lost to Argentina on penalties after coming back twice to level scores at 3-3. Under Deschamps, who has been in charge since 2012, France also reached the 2016 European Championships final where they lost to Portugal. “In Qatar, we were very close to obtaining what we wanted, the title of world champion. There were a lot of positives….You can count on me to maintain the France team at the highest international level,” said Deschamps.  In this file photo taken on July 15, 2018 France's goalkeeper Hugo Lloris holds the trophy as he celebrates with teammates (Source: Reuters) Lloris retires France shirt: World Cup winner Hugo Lloris has retired from playing for France after a record 145 appearances. Lloris won the 2018 World Cup and was captain of the team that lost to Argentina in the final in Qatar last month. The 36-year-old goalkeeper told L'Equipe newspaper he would focus on his Tottenham career, according to AP. France coach Deschamps said Lloris was “a great servant of the French team” and a “remarkable human being” who decided to retire “at the top of his game.” “He was captain when I became coach in 2012, I kept the armband for him and I have never regretted it,” Deschamps said. Lloris made his national debut in 2008 in a friendly against Uruguay. Bale ends journey: At 33, Gareth Bale retired from soccer after setting a Wales record with 41 international goals, says AP. His last match was a 0-3 loss to England at the World Cup on November 29, his 111th international appearance. Bale scored 53 Premier Leagues goals and 81 in La Liga, finishing last season by helping Los Angeles win the Major League Soccer title. He won five Champions League titles, three Spanish league titles, one Copa del Rey and one League Cup.  Sampdoria fans pay tribute to the late Gianluca Vialli before their Serie A game against Napoli (Source: EPA) Sampdoria remember Vialli: At Sampdoria, the chant is Luca Vialli is better than Pele. It has been that way since Gianluca Vialli played for them and it was chanted on Sunday when Sampdoria played for the first time since his death on Friday aged 58. Milan exit: Defending Serie A champions AC Milan were eliminated from the Italian Cup after a surprise 0-1 loss at home to 10-man Torino after extra-time. Ndary Adopo scored the winner following a counter-attack. Record fine on Victory: Australian club Melbourne Victory have been hit with an A-League record $380,000 fine and the threat of a 10-point deduction over a violent pitch invasion that left a goalkeeper injured, per AFP. The punishment stems from a derby match between Victory and Melbourne City last month that was abandoned after shocking scenes when fans stormed the field. One Victory supporter grabbed a metal bucket full of sand and threw it into the face of City goalkeeper Tom Glover, who sustained a bad gash and concussion. The referee and a television cameraman were also hurt. Life ban on four: Four football coaches, Paul Riley, Christy Holly, Rory Dames and Richie Burke, named in a National Women's Soccer League investigation into abuse and malpractice have been banned for life, the NWSL has said, reports AFP. The punishments were part of a wide-ranging package of suspensions and fines against multiple individuals and organisations which followed publication of the NWSL's findings last month in its Joint Investigative Report. The NWSL said its own league office would be fined at least $1 million and be required to undergo a sweeping overhaul. Sexual assault charge on Alves: Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves is under investigation over an allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in a nightclub in Spain last month, Catalonia’s Supreme Court said, according to Reuters. Alves denies any wrongdoing. Spanish media had reported that a woman had accused Alves of touching her beneath her underwear without her consent at a nightclub in late December 2022. Alves is currently in Mexico playing for Pumas UNAM. Mueller available: Thomas Mueller has ruled out international retirement after having hinted at it following Germany’s early elimination from the World Cup. Back in Qatar for a winter training camp with Bayern, the 2014 World Cup winner said he had spoken with Germany coach Hansi Flick, says AP. “For as long as I am a professional soccer player, I will always be available for the national team,” said Müller, 33.  Stevenage's Jamie Reid and teammates celebrates after the match (Source: Reuters) Stevenage surprise: Stevenage boss Steve Evans said their 2-1 FA Cup upset of Aston Villa is a tale he will tell his grandchildren for years after his fourth-tier club knocked out the Premier League side in the third round, reports AFP. Villa were leading 1-0 at home until the 88th minute when Jamie Reid converted a penalty to equalise before Dean Campbell grabbed a 90th-minute winner to pull off the shock of the weekend. Alcaraz for Southampton: Premier League club Southampton have signed Argentine midfielder Carlos Alcaraz from Racing Club for $14.68m, the Argentines announced on social media. The 20-year-old midfielder is the second most expensive sale in Racing's history, after the 25 million euros Inter Milan paid for Lautaro Martinez in 2018. He has signed a four-and-a-half year contract. Pogba back: French midfielder Paul Pogba, who missed the World Cup in Qatar after knee surgery in early September, is back in training for the first time since October, his club announced, says Reuters. The Bianconeri posted photos and video of the session on their website, with the 29-year-old seen with a ball in the middle of his teammates. Pogba has not yet played for Juve since re-signing for them from Manchester United in the summer, hurting the meniscus in his right knee in July. Felix for Chelsea: Joao Felix joined Chelsea on loan from Atletico Madrid. The deal will cost $10.68m. Felix had a good World Cup and started seven of Atletico Madrid’s 16 league games. He joined Atletico from Benfica in 2019 and the Spanish club has extended his contract by one more season to 2027. Torres, Savic banned: Barcelona forward Ferran Torres and Atletico Madrid defender Stefan Savic have been suspended for two games each after their brawl during Sunday's La Liga match at the Metropolitano. The pair fought with each other off the ball, with Torres pulling Savic's hair while the Atletico defender had his arm tightly wrapped around the Spaniard's neck. | 
