Football Mag

                                                                                                                           - GOAL.com The Premier League has revealed that it reached a cumulative global audience of 3.2 billion for all programming watched during the 2018-19 season, a six per cent increase on the previous campaign. Working in partnership with industry analyst Nielsen, the league also found that the cumulative audience for live Premier League programming rose 11% to 1.35bn. The figures only account for standard in-home broadcast viewing and exclude out-of-home and mobile consumption. The Premier League credited a significant portion of its audience growth to n...

                                                                                                                         -  The Guardian The Wales international Ethan Ampadu is close to continuing his development at RB Leipzig next season with Chelsea negotiating his departure on a season-long loan to the Bundesliga club. Ampadu, who has eight senior caps, underwent a medical in Germany on Friday having been omitted from the Chelsea senior squad who are currently in Japan on a two-game pre-season tour. Frank Lampard, who had attempted to secure the youngster while Derby manager, had made clear his intention to loan out the 18-year-old in search of regular first-team football...

Real Madrid have refused to rule out selling Isco and Marco Asensio if the money could be reinvested in signing Manchester United's Paul Pogba or another marquee midfielder, as per reports. Madrid have already spent over €300 million shaking up a squad which failed in 2018-19, with Eden Hazard the headline addition to their forward line, and centre-forward Luka Jovic and winger Rodrygo also arriving. That puts the futures of Isco, Asensio, Mariano and Gareth Bale in doubt as coach Zinedine Zidane remains keen to add a new central midfielder. They would be open to selling Isco if a "big offer" is received and that Borussia Dortmund had made an initial enquiry, but the 27-year-old himself decided the Bundesliga club were not "important enough." The club are still looking to sell at least one big name this summer, although at this point even Zidane is accepting that it will be difficult to sell Bale at their €80-100m asking price. Zidane remains hopeful...

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain provided the sharpness and dynamism Jurgen Klopp will have been delighted to see despite Liverpool suffering a 3-2 preseason defeat to Borussia Dortmund. The England international, who was involved in just four matchday squads last season as he recovered from multiple ligament damage, was the standout star for the European champions at Notre Dame Stadium. His explosive runs from midfield were on show and he provided the impetus in attack for the Reds during the first outing of their US tour. Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross from the right, which Ryan Kent connected with nearly had Liverpool level after Paco Alcacer converted from close range following poor defending three minutes in, but Marwin Hitz pulled off a superb save. Klopp's side did equalise after Fabinho supplied a lovely pass, which was met by a clever Kent dummy before Harry Wilson applied the finish to a well-worked goal. Dortmund responded with a quick double in the second half after...

Algeria became Africa Cup of Nations champions for a second time as they edged Senegal 1-0 in a scrappy final on Friday. Djamel Belmadi's side needed a sensational last-gasp Riyad Mahrez winner to beat Nigeria in the last four, but it was a scrappy early strike that decided this clash as Baghdad Bounedjah benefited from a huge deflection. Further chances were few and far between in an ill-tempered affair as Algeria withstood almost constant pressure and also saw a Senegal penalty award overturned with VAR. The single goal ultimately proved enough to hold on, Algeria triumphing on foreign soil for the first time to add to their 1990 success as hosts.

Victor Valdes has been appointed as Barcelona's new U19A head coach, returning to Camp Nou five years after ending his time at the club as a player. The 37-year-old racked up 539 appearances for Barca across all competitions over the course of 12 seasons between 2002 and 2014, winning 21 major titles in total. Valdes picked up three Champions Leagues, six La Liga titles and won the Copa del Rey twice, earning legendary status at the club while also establishing himself as one of the finest shot-stoppers in Europe. The ex-Spain international was released by Barca in 2014 and returned to the highest level the following year, signing an 18-month deal with Manchester United. Valdes was sent out for a loan spell at Standard Liege before being sold to Middlesbrough and decided to hang up his gloves permanently in 2018 after leaving the Riverside the previous summer. The former Blaugrana star signed a one-year contract at Camp Nou on Friday morning with the option of an exten...