Fernando Santos suffered his first competitive defeat as Portugal coach, with the European champions beginning their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-0 loss to Group B rivals Switzerland, who ended the match with 10 men.

Since taking over from Paulo Bento in September 2014, Santos had navigated Portugal through 14 non-friendly matches without loss, winning Euro 2016 in the process, but that run came to an end at St Jakob-Park on Tuesday.

After a bright start the European champions fell behind in the 23rd minute when goalkeeper Rui Patricio pushed Ricardo Rodriguez s free-kick straight to Breel Embolo, who responded to being selected in place of the injured Xherdan Shaqiri by heading home his second international goal and first since October 2015.

It qu…

Lionel Messi was the topic of plenty of speculation in recent weeks before inking a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain.

The 34-year-old left Barcelona as a free agent after two decades with the Catalan club, unable to stay despite wanting to continue his career there.

But rumours are swirling already about Messi s next move after PSG, even though he has yet to even make his debut for the Ligue 1 side.

TOP STORY BECKHAM HOLDS MESSI TALKS

Inter Miami owner David Beckham has held talks with Messi about joining the MLS club after his PSG contract expires, reports The Mirror.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder has promised to bring a superstar player to the club, with links to Cristiano Ronaldo in the past.

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England striker Michael Owen hit a Champions League hat-trick on Tuesday to give national coach Fabio Capello a timely reminder of his talent as Manchester United finished top of their group.

Owen, who turns 30 on December 14, demonstrated his finishing class with a well-taken hat-trick to seal United s 3-1 victory at Wolfsburg to dump the Germans out of the Champions League and boost his World Cup chances.

It was Owen s first Champions League hat-trick since joining Manchester United last summer.

After his first-half header, Owen slid home his second on 83 minutes before producing a superb effort in extra-time to claim his third.

Michael Owen is one of the best strikers in the last third of the field in terms of his movement, his positional play and al…

Chelsea fell to a fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions after a 2-0 Premier League reverse against Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Cesar Azpilicueta s first-half own goal put Brentford ahead at the break, with the Blues unable to muster much of a threat thereafter.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang s half-time introduction did at least provide some energy to Chelsea s attack, though the hosts never truly looked like scoring.

Any hope of a late comeback was thwarted by Bryan Mbeumo, his deflected effort clinching a win to boost Brentford s European hopes.

West London is

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC)

A tepid opening saw few clear-cut opportunities, though Thiago Silva did head at David Raya, who made another comfortable save to…

Goalkeeper Petr Cech believes that Fernando Torres is in the form of his life after finally hitting the goal trail at Chelsea.

The Spain international striker has consistently come under fire since making a £50million switch to Stamford Bridge from Liverpool in 2011, in particular for his perceived below-par goal return.

His failure to regularly reproduce the scoring feats that made him such a hit at Anfield where he netted 65 Premier League goals in three and a half years with the club have seen him struggle to hold down a regular place in the Chelsea attack.

However, the return of Jose Mourinho to the Stamford Bridge dugout during the close-season appears to have given the 29-year-old a new lease of life.

And after creating one and scoring the winner in the 2-…

Jurgen Klopp s arrival at Liverpool is a godsend , according to the club s former winger Ray Houghton.

Klopp was named as Brendan Rodgers replacement on Thursday, less than a week after the Northern Irishman s sacking.

Rodgers was relieved of his duties, having failed to follow up a thrilling 2013-14 title charge last term, as well as beginning the current campaign in underwhelming form.

But former Republic of Ireland international Houghton, who won two league titles and two FA Cup medals as a Liverpool player, expects the charismatic German s arrival to blow the cobwebs away at the club.

Houghton told Omnisport: I think Jurgen Klopp, for Liverpool fans and particularly for the media, is going to be a godsend.

It s not something that fazes him. H…

Marcus Rashford was tasked with leading Manchester United s attack at Stamford Bridge, while Timo Werner dropped to the Chelsea bench.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer declared on Friday that he was unsure if Cavani, who has had a positive impact this season since arriving on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, would overcome a knock which has kept him out since mid-February.

Paul Pogba was a confirmed absentee, however, and neither player featured as Solskjaer made five changes to his United team.

Rashford, who has been involved in seven goals in all competitions against Chelsea (five goals, two assists) – more than against any other side in his career – was instead given the central role that Anthony Martial had started in against Real Sociedad on Thursday.

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Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has pledged his support to Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior ahead of the blockbuster derby at Wanda Metropolitano.

The Brazil international was subjected to comments with apparent racist connotations by Spanish football agent Pedro Bravo.

Commenting on Vinicius dancing goal celebrations, Bravo told El Chiringuito: You have to respect your opponents. When you score a goal, if you want to dance Samba, you should go to [the] Sambadrome in Brazil. You have to respect your mates and stop playing the monkey.

The remark subsequently drew widespread criticism, with compatriots Pele and Neymar leaping to Vinicius defence, while Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes suggested Bravo should be arrested.

Speaking …

Borussia Dortmund must win at managerless Marseille to be sure of reaching the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

Jurgen Klopp s men – runners-up to Bayern Munich last season – currently sit second in Group F courtesy of their superior head-to-head record against Napoli.

Yet any slip up at the Stade Velodrome would give the Italian side, who host Arsenal on matchday six, an opportunity to qualify.

Victory will guarantee Dortmund s progression as they also have the edge over Arsenal, who currently hold a three-point cushion at the top of the group, when it comes to meetings between the two.

Striker Robert Lewandowski is confident his side have what it takes to perform under pressure in France.

He told Dortmund s official website: I am sure that we wil…