Algeria and Ivory Coast meet in the last of the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Sunday, with Herve Renard demanding progression.

Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard has reminded his players that anything other than Africa Cup of Nations success will be seen as failure ahead of their quarter-final clash with Algeria.

The Elephants have been widely regarded as one of Africa s best sides over the last decade, though they have failed to truly make the most of the talent at their disposal.

Final defeats to Egypt and Zambia – in 2006 and 2012 respectively – remain their best efforts since winning the title in 1992, with the country s so-called golden generation struggling to match expectations.

But, Renard still has the likes of Wilfried Bony, Yaya Tour…

Filipe Luis believes Brazil are rediscovering the confidence and swagger that can take them back to the top of the world game.

The five-time World Cup-winners have endured a fallow period at senior level since winning their last Copa America title in 2007 and parted company with head coach Dunga after a group-stage exit in the centenary edition of the latter tournament earlier this year.

But they claimed back-to-back wins over Ecuador and Colombia under new boss Tite last month to move up to second in the CONCACAF World Cup qualification standings for Russia 2018.

Brazil s Under-23 side – captained by Barcelona superstar Neymar – won a memorable Olympic gold at the Rio Games and, with qualifiers against Bolivia and Venezuela coming up over the next week, Atle…

Charly Musonda has returned to Chelsea prematurely after an unsuccessful second loan spell with Real Betis.

The Belgian youngster joined Betis in January last year and impressed in the second half of the 2015-16 campaign, prompting the LaLiga side to extend his stay for another season.

Musonda failed to build on last year s good form, though, making just eight top flight appearances and only once featuring in the starting line-up this term.

The two clubs have consequently agreed to end his loan six months early.

Real Betis and Chelsea have reached an agreement over the termination of Charly Musonda s loan spell with the Verdiblanco, a statement on the Betis website reads.

OFICIAL | El Real Betis y el Chelsea FC acuerdan la finalización de la…

Julian Alvarez insists every game is a final for Manchester City after his stunning winner against Fulham sent Pep Guardiola s side to the Premier League summit.

The Argentina forward secured a narrow 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage, sweeping a wonderful 25-yard strike into the top corner ensuring an eighth-straight league win.

City leapfrogged Arsenal to the top of the table – with a game in hand on the Gunners – while they remain well on course for a potential treble, with a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid and FA Cup final with Manchester United also on the horizon.

And the World Cup winner encouraged his team-mates to keep pushing in pursuit of their aspirations for the campaign.

It was a very important win for us today, he told BBC …

(GSM) Portsmouth are waiting to sell Younes Kaboul to Tottenham in order to use the generated cash to pay the wages of the players and staff at Fratton Park. The two clubs are still in negotiation over the transfer of the French defender.

Pompey are hopeful that the deal can go through soon so that the players will be paid by midnight on January 31 at the latest.

Kaboul, rated at £10 million, was taken to Fratton Park by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp in August 2008 having joined Tottenham the previous summer. It is now clear Redknapp wants to re-sign Kaboul.

We re not trying to buy him on the cheap, Redknapp said. We re paying whatever the going rate is for him. I would be keen to bring him back if the deal is right for everybody.

Spurs are also reportedl…

Louis van Gaal has hinted that he could extend his stay at Manchester United beyond his current contract after revealing he turned down the chance to join rivals Liverpool earlier in his career.

The Dutchman is less than 12 months into a three-year deal at Old Trafford and has previously revealed that the job would be his last in management.

However, the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona boss stated that does not necessarily mean that retirement is on the horizon.

Yes [this will be my last club] but there could be five years to go yet,  he said in quotes carried by the club s official website.

I can extend my contract. I ve signed for three years because in three years you can build something. When Manchester United ask me to extend, then I shall de…

Manchester City have made a huge impression on Ilkay Gundogan, who is confident he is at a bigger club than Bayern Munich.

Gundogan joined City for a fee reported to be in the region of £20million from Borussia Dortmund in June, though a knee injury delayed his first-team debut until September.

The Germany international has since firmly established himself in Pep Guardiola s midfield, the highlight of his time at the club being a double in the 3-1 Champions League victory over Barcelona last week.

Having settled in to his new surroundings, Gundogan feels the scale of ambition on show at the Etihad Stadium is unmatched in the Bundesliga.

When I come to the training centre by car, it s already very impressive. Not even Bayern can compare with this, it s …

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted Lionel Messi could not have remained at Camp Nou, even with Antoine Griezmann leaving and the club s captains reducing their wages amid mounting debt.

Barca s financial issues – the LaLiga giants debt has risen to €1.35billion – led to the shock departure of superstar Messi to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

Gerard Pique accepted a substantial pay cut and fellow captains Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto followed suit to ensure the likes of Sergio Aguero could be registered for the new season, while Griezmann completed a sensational return to Atletico Madrid on deadline day.

However, six-time Ballon d Or winner Messi remaining at Camp Nou was impossible, according to Laporta.

What h…

According to a recent report from Calciomercato, Juventus are considering a move to sign Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele next summer.

It s safe to say things haven t been going particularly smoothly for Barca over the course of the last twelve months with moles, big players departing and the board coming under fire for a string of different decisions. Now, as we look ahead to their immediate future, the term rebuilding has never felt more appropriate than it does in 2021.

Some would argue they can t really afford any other major exits and yet, this report suggests there may be another substantial one in the form of Ousmane Dembele.

The Barca sensation has been known as a bit of a controversial figure in the past and that s almost an understatement but in terms of…

United States boss Juergen Klinsmann has confirmed that Stuart Holden s latest knee injury appears to be very serious .

The midfielder was withdrawn in the 18th minute of his country s CONCACAF Gold Cup final clash with Panama on Sunday, which the US went on to win 1-0 courtesy of a Brek Shea goal.

Holden has started just four games in the past two seasons having first been sidelined by an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury before the discovery of cartilage damaged lengthened his recovery period.

And Klinsmann has now hinted that the 27-year-old could be set for more heartache.

We are very concerned about Stuart s situation. It looks like a very serious injury, but I m not a doctor and I can t confirm it, the German coach said.

We ll get an MRI and he l…