Kaka is expecting Argentina to display an even greater desire to beat Brazil on Thursday given their poor start to World Cup qualifying.
Gerardo Martino s men have claimed just one point from games with Ecuador and Paraguay and require a win in Buenos Aires to kick-start their bid to reach Russia in three years.
The home side will be without talisman Lionel Messi, while Carlos Tevez is also unlikely to be passed fit.
But their troubles make them more dangerous opponents, according to Orlando City s Kaka.
He told Globoesporte: They have not won a match yet. It is one more motivation to beat Brazil. They will have that chance on Thursday. We come from a good game against Venezuela [a 3-1 win] and we need to keep that pace.
The former AC Milan and…
Lucas Digne has completed his move to Aston Villa from Everton.
Villa have secured a deal reportedly worth up to £25million for the France full-back, who moves to Villa Park on a long-term contract.
Digne becomes Villa s second signing of the January transfer window after Philippe Coutinho linked up with former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard – now manager at Villa Park – on loan from Barcelona.
Villa confirmed Digne s arrival on their official website on Thursday and Gerrard added: When Lucas became available we jumped at the opportunity to bring him to the club.
To sign a player of his pedigree and quality in the January window is a great addition to our squad and his arrival excites me and everyone associated with Aston Villa.
Welco…
Who will get the biggest Christmas present?
Proud of their unique football tradition English fans are every year treated to a proper festive feast which rest of the world are either envious or resentful of.
Christmas and New Year’s football is the tradition that separates the English from the rest of Europe, a distinguishable trait loved and hated by the participants themselves as well as the fans.
The Boxing Day fixture list dates way back to 1860 when the world’s two oldest domestic clubs of Sheffield FC and Hallam FC played their inaugural inter-club match. Two years later, the game was first mentioned in the papers, first ever published in December 1862.
Two decades later, the first Football League season was held with the Boxing Day fixture list…
Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel will not obsess over Bayern Munich s form as the Bundesliga returns from the mid-season break.
Champions Bayern hold an eight-point advantage over second-placed Dortmund at the halfway stage, with action resuming this weekend.
Bayern travel to Hamburg while Tuchel s men visit Borussia Monchengladbach, but the Dortmund boss is keen to dismiss the relevance of all pre-Christmas form to the battles ahead.
We played a very good first half term and we received a lot of praise for that, but we have to disregard that now, he told his pre-match news conference on Friday.
Bayern have a comfortable lead, it s not our concern whether they will keep their level.
I don t want my team to put itself too much under pre…
Manchester City have completed the signing of Savinho from Troyes on a five-year deal.
The Brazil international is Pep Guardiola s first arrival ahead of the 2024-25 season, in which City will look to extend their unprecedented four-year hold on the Premier League trophy.
Savinho played a key role during a loan spell with Girona last term, his 11 goals and 10 assists helping them to a third-place finish in LaLiga and qualification to the Champions League for the first time in their history.
The 20-year-old, who was part of Brazil s recent Copa America campaign, will wear the number 26 shirt at the Etihad Stadium, and could make his debut in the Community Shield clash with Manchester United on August 10.
Our new
— Manchester City (@ManCity)
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Arsene Wenger saluted Petr Cech s reaction to his poor display against Brighton and Hove Albion as the goalkeeper went from hell to heaven in a week by playing a vital role and reaching 200 Premier League clean sheets in Sunday s win over Watford.
Cech was at fault for both goals as Arsenal lost 2-1 at the Amex Stadium in their last top-flight outing, responding on social media after the game by taking full responsibility for the defeat.
But the day belonged to the 35-year-old this time around when Watford visited Emirates Stadium, as he saved a penalty from Troy Deeney – who has previously been open in his criticism of the Gunners – and ultimately secured a shutout in Arsenal s 3-0 victory.
That made him the first goalkeeper to reach 200 clean sheets in …
Denmark boss Age Hareide is confident his side can handle the pressure that comes with a World Cup ahead of their crucial Group C clash with Peru.
Hareide s side kick-off their campaign in Saransk on Saturday, with Australia and tournament favourites France also in the pool.
With France favourites to claim top spot, the fight is seemingly on for second place, and Hareide acknowledged that beating Peru taking part in their first World Cup since 1982 is vital to Denmark s chances of progression.
Of course, if we want a good opportunity for second place the three points are very important, he said.
We re going all in to win the match. At a World Cup there s always pressure because everybody is watching, but I would say there was more pressure on us in Dubl…
Arsenal needed penalties to overcome Bournemouth following a 1-1 draw in the first match of their pre-season tour of the United States.
Fabio Vieira s volley put Mikel Arteta s unfamiliar XI ahead after 18 minutes at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Portuguese powering Reiss Nelson s cross into the far corner.
Karl Hein denied Dominic Solanke one-on-one but Bournemouth would level 17 minutes from time, Antoine Semenyo s shot deflecting off Omar Rekik to wrong-foot the young Arsenal goalkeeper.
Both teams had agreed to a shoot-out should the game finish all square, and it was Ryan Christie s miss that proved decisive as Arsenal stayed perfect from 12 yards.
Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jorginho, Gabriel Jesus and Jakub Kiwior all converted from the…
Javier Pastore has signed a five-year deal at Roma in a €24.7million move from Paris Saint-Germain, the Serie A club confirmed.
The 29-year-old arrived on a busy Tuesday for Roma, with Radja Nainggolan having completed his €38m departure to Inter and Davide Santon and Nicolo Zaniolo moving in the opposite direction for a combined €14m.
Pastore won five Ligue 1 titles at PSG but fell out of favour under Unai Emery in 2017-18 and, due to his lack of playing time at club level, was overlooked for Argentina s World Cup squad.
The playmaker spent two productive seasons in Serie A with Palermo prior to his move to Paris, and he is delighted to be back in familiar surroundings.
I am very happy to be here at Roma. It is great to return to Italy and t…
West Ham United are interested in signing Denis Zakaria from Juventus in the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Italian journalist has reported on that West Ham have asked for information on a deal to bring the defensive midfielder to London Stadium this summer.
Romano has claimed that West Ham are not the only clubs who are showing interest in Zakaria. A number of other teams are also in the race for the 26-year-old. Juventus do not have any plans for the Switzerland for next season and are willing to offload him.
Zakaria spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Chelsea form Juventus. The 26-year-old struggled to make an impact whatsoever, and the former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners decided not to make his loan deal permanent. Zah…