Andres Iniesta, the hero of Spain s 2010 World Cup final win over the Netherlands, was dropped for Sunday s last-16 clash with Russia in Moscow.

Iniesta has failed to shine thus far and is replaced by Real Madrid s Marco Asensio as one of three changes made by Fernando Hierro.

Thiago and Dani Carvajal were also named on the bench with Nacho and Koke handed places in the starting XI.

Arguably more surprising was the decision taken by Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov to leave out Denis Cheryshev.

Cheryshev has scored three goals in the tournament but is named among the substitutes.

Yuri Zhirkov, Mario Fernandes, Aleksandr Golovin and Daler Kuziaev come in.

TEAM NEWS!

Here s how and will begin in Moscow

— FIFA World Cup…

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has signed a new five-year deal with Premier League champions Leciester City, the club have announced.

Schmeichel was one of the Foxes key performers in their remarkable title success last season, playing every minute of every game.

The 29-year-old has made more than 200 appearances since signing from Leeds United in 2011 and is now contracted to the club until 2021.

He told LCFC TV: I m just buzzing and I can t wait for the season to get started. It was a very easy decision.

Absolutely delighted to have signed a new five-year contract with

— Kasper schmeichel (@kschmeichel1)

It was a case of coming back after winning the Premier League and making sure that the hunger was the same within myself and the …

Prediction: Correct Score 2-2

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Manchester United have the chance to notch back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since March as they face West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday.

The Red Devils now sit fourth in the league table and could rise all the way to second. Elsewhere, Manuel Pellegrini s troops have enjoyed a positive start to the campaign and will be hoping to continue that in what looks to be a potentially tough test on home soil.

West Ham United

Despite having got their season underway in the worst possible way with a 5-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester City on the opening day, Manuel Pellegrini’s Hammers come into this match in very good form. Sitting eighth in the Premier League table, th…

Mauricio Pochettino feels Tottenham s unsettled squad is contributing to a below-par start to the 2019-20 season.

Spurs crashed out of the EFL Cup at the first hurdle on Tuesday, exiting 4-3 on penalties at League Two side Colchester United.

They have not won away from home in the Premier League since January and sit seventh in the table, level on points with Burnley and Sheffield United, after a 2-1 loss at Leicester City last time out.

Spurs also threw away a two-goal lead to draw at Olympiacos in the Champions League this month, with Pochettino appearing increasingly frustrated.

Star midfielder Christian Eriksen s contract expires in 2020 and the Denmark international, who missed a penalty in the shoot-out, has been open about his desire to move on fr…

Georgia Stanway’s retaken first-half penalty was enough to earn England a nervy 1-0 victory over World Cup debutants Haiti in their Group D opener at Brisbane Stadium.

This was not the decisive victory most had predicted for the European champions and world’s number-four side against a team 49 places below them in the FIFA rankings.

Haiti came close to levelling more than once, including a late second-half chance denied at the last by Mary Earps’ outstretched foot.

Job done

Three points from our first fixture!

— Lionesses (@Lionesses)

While the Lionesses ultimately walked away with all three points, it was an underwhelming performance that will leave boss Sarina Wiegman with plenty of questions ahead of Friday’s meeting with …

Pep Guardiola has paid tribute to the victims of the Barcelona attacks and says he is very affected by the events in his home city on Thursday.

Thirteen people died and more than 100 were injured when a van drove into pedestrians on the crowded Las Ramblas street, in an incident that local police are treating as an act of terrorism.

Five terror suspects were later killed in a police operation in Cambrils, a resort town roughly 100 kilometres from Barcelona, in a second vehicle attack in which one woman died.

Guardiola came through Barcelona s youth system to star in Johan Cruyff s feted Dream Team before returning as head coach to lead an unprecedented spell of success at home and abroad between 2008 and 2012.

Now in charge of Manchester City, the 46-yea…

England midfielder Katie Zelem admits it was bittersweet to make her World Cup debut knowing close friend Keira Walsh’s injury was the reason why.

Manchester United captain Zelem started in England’s 6-1 victory over China, while Walsh has stepped up her recovery from the knee problem she sustained in the 1-0 victory over Denmark.

Zelem, 27, was not part of boss Sarina Wiegman’s squad to face Brazil and Australia in April and confessed there was a time she did not think she would be on the plane to the World Cup.

She said: “I think it’s a tough situation, to be honest, especially when Keira is one of my closest friends in the team.

“I think you never want to be playing on someone else’s misfortune, but luckily we found out that Keira’s inj…

Zinedine Zidane has always been a man focused on Real Madrid and France and therefore would not take the Paris Saint-Germain role should it become available.

That is the message from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who briefly discussed the potential vacancy at PSG should reports prove to be true that Mauricio Pochettino will depart.

Pochettino lifted the Ligue 1 title with PSG in the 2021-22 season, his first trophy as a coach, but failed to deliver in the Champions League, falling to a last-16 exit against Madrid.

European glory remains the main goal for PSG s QSI ownership, with the understanding that Pochettino and the Ligue 1 giants have held discussions and agreed to part ways.

Zidane emerged as a frontrunner for the PSG job before Pochettin…

Lesley Ugochukwu has completed a season-long loan move to Southampton from Chelsea.

Ugochukwu, who made 15 appearances in all competitions for the Blues last season, was not registered in time for the Saints Premier League opener against Newcastle.

The 20-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge last year in a reported £23.2m deal from Rennes but missed 20 Premier League games as he struggled with a hamstring issue.

He was welcomed to St. Mary s on the same day Cameron Archer sealed a £15m permanent switch from Aston Villa, with the pair adding to Russell Martin s ranks.

The duo join 12 new faces on the South Coast, with the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes, Ben Brereton Diaz and Ronnie Edwards all signing in the window.

“It was a ve…

Kylian Mbappe fluffed a golden chance on his 200th Ligue 1 appearance as leaders Paris Saint-Germain stumbled to a 1-0 defeat against bogey team Rennes.

Hamari Traore stunned the capital city giants by breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute with a clinical left-footed strike, his first league goal of the season.

Substitute Mbappe squandered a clear opportunity for a leveller after being played in behind the Rennes defence soon afterwards, sweeping a powerful shot over the bar when he only had Steve Mandanda to beat.

PSG pushed for a leveller, but Rennes had their number once again at Roazhon Park, which has been the way of things in recent seasons.

End of the match, the Parisians lose to Rennes. I 1-0

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English)

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