Football Mag

Gianluigi Buffon has admitted to snubbing “a very big offer from Manchester City”, having previously turned down their arch-rivals Manchester United during the reign of Sir Alex Ferguson. The iconic Italian has long held a standing as the finest goalkeeper in world football. That reputation once made him the costliest custodian of all-time, with Juventusbreaking the bank to lure him away from Serie A rivals Parma in 2001. The 41-year-old finally left Italy last summer after 17 years with Juve, but has told BT Sport of the interest he has attracted from Manchester: “When I was a boy playing for Parma, Ferguson tracked me closely for two or three years, and he'd always send scouts to watch me. “At the time, Parma was my world and I didn't feel like leaving. “I later had a very big offer from Manchester City, when they started to build the team and become the most important side in Europe. “They wanted me to be the first signing, but I stayed at Juve.”

Jose Mourinho would have "no problem" returning to Real Madrid as coach, stoking the rumours linking him as a potential successor to Santiago Solari. It has been a turbulent season for both Mourinho and Madrid, as the Portuguese manager lost his job at Manchester United in December, while Los Blancos have underwhelmed under two coaches. Solari took charge of Madrid in October last year, and although he has overseen a moderate improvement from the end of Julen Lopetegui's brief spell, in no way have they caught the imagination of supporters. When asked if he would go back to a former club, Mourinho told beIN SPORTS: "To a club that I have been before? If I think the right club, the right structure, the right ambitions, I will have no problem at all. "I think it's really a reason of pride when a club where you worked before wanting you back. They [Madrid] are the iconic club, I think so, you know, [they have won] 13 Champions Leagues [titles]."

Gareth Bale’s agent has blasted the treatment of the Wales international from Real Madrid supporters as “nothing short of a disgrace”. Despite having formed part of a trophy-laden era for the Blancos, a 29-year-old forward continues to have his critics in the Spanish capital. Jonathan Barnett believes Madrid fans would be wise to remember as much, with Bale having contributed significantly to the success of the club in recent seasons. Barnett told Sky Sports: "This generation of Real fans will be talking about Gareth's goals for years to come. Frankly, they should be ashamed of themselves. "Gareth deserves the greatest of respect. The way Real fans have treated him is nothing short of a disgrace. "In the six years he has been in Spain, he has won everything. He's one of the best players in the world. Those fans should be kissing his feet."

Alexis Sanchez faces up to two months on the sidelines according to Chile national team doctor Pedro Onate, who analysed the knee injury the forward sustained in Manchester United's win over Southampton. Sanchez was replaced after 52 minutes of the 3-2 victory at Old Trafford following a challenge from Saints defender Jan Bednarek and United's own medical staff have yet to provide a prognosis. But Onate said that exams of Sanchez's condition showed he had suffered distention of the medial ligament, which would take a number of weeks to heal. Onate told El Mercurio: "There won't be any problems for him to be at the Copa [America], because he'll be out for between six and eight weeks. "Alexis may even play again before that time. Plus, there's a long way to go until the Copa America."

Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side are "much, much better" than last season, despite being in a much tighter title race. City romped to the title with 100 points last time out but are now involved in a nip-and-tuck fight with Liverpool, who are one point behind having drawn with Everton on Sunday. The Blues have already lost four games this season compared to just two in the entirety of the previous campaign, but Guardiola insists that his side have improved when you consider they are still fighting in three competitions, having already won the Carabao Cup. "In the way we play, we play much, much better," Guardiola told reporters after Saturday's 1-0 win at Bournemouth. He was then asked if that would be the case even if City do not win the title this season, to which he replied: "Yeah. We want the league and we will be disappointed if that does not happen but we cannot forget the contender we face with Liverpool."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes his players can still win the Premier League despite surrendering their advantage at the division’s summit. It was a disappointing weekend for Liverpool, who suffered a frustrating afternoon against Everton on Sunday, when they played out a goalless draw at Goodison Park. Just the day before Manchester City had moved two points clear of Klopp’s men at the top of the table with a 1-0 win against Bournemouth, meaning with nine games left, the reigning champions are in the driving seat to win the Premier League. Klopp has not lost faith in his players or the club’s hopes of ending their 29-year wait to win England’s top division. “I don’t think I have to give my players advice, because they know it already,” the German said after Sunday’s game. “We are not little boys any more. It’s not like we were completely surprised that we can play good football, that we are in the very, very top part of the table. But if you are there, you have to...

Atletico Madrid closed back to within seven points of Barcelona thanks to Alvaro Morata's quickfire brace in a 2-0 win at Real Socieded on Sunday. Spain striker Morata opened his Atletico account in last weekend's victory over Villarreal and boosted his tally to three goals in two games with a pair of headers in the space of three first-half minutes. Diego Simeone's side needed three points to stay in touch with LaLiga leaders Barca, who edged Real Madrid 1-0 in El Clasico on Saturday, and had to complete the job with 10 men after Koke received a second yellow in the 62nd minute. But the home side, unbeaten in their 10 previous outings across all competitions, failed to make the advantage count and could not keep the Rojiblancos from moving five points clear of their city rivals.

Lorenzo Insigne's penalty cannoned agonisingly back off the post as Napoli lost 2-1 to runaway leaders Juventus in a Serie A thriller that saw both teams finish with 10 men. Miralem Pjanic converted the 28th-minute free-kick after Napoli's young goalkeeper Alex Meret was sent off for a professional foul on Cristiano Ronaldo and Emre Can made it 2-0 before half-time. Despite operating with reduced numbers, Napoli hit the post through Piotr Zielinski between the Juve goals and Pjanic's second yellow card for deliberate handball gave them hope – as did Jose Callejon's 61st-minute goal. Insigne provided a superb assist but could not complete the comeback after Alex Sandro fell foul of a VAR review for handball having blocked Fabian Ruiz's goalbound shot. Napoli's relentless pressure then dropped off and Massimiliano Allegri's undefeated Juve now boast a mammoth 16-point lead over Carlo Ancelotti's men at the summit.

Liverpool could not break down a stubborn Everton in Sunday's Merseyside derby, with Jurgen Klopp's side denied the chance to reclaim top spot in the Premier League. Manchester City's 1-0 win at Bournemouth a day earlier moved the defending champions back to the summit, meaning Liverpool had to win at Goodison Park on Sunday to go top once more. But with Mohamed Salah wasting the clearest chance of the game for Liverpool, Everton prevented their rivals from taking another step towards the club's first title of the Premier League era. Salah should have given Liverpool the lead when played through by Fabinho, but the Egypt star could not find the right angle to beat Pickford as the Everton goalkeeper made himself big.