Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso has announced his retirement from international football.

The 32-year-old was a member of the Spain squads which won the World Cup in 2010 and European Championships in 2008 and 2012 during a sustained period of dominance – but that run came to an end with a miserable World Cup in Brazil this summer as they were dumped out before the group stages had even concluded.

Alonso announced on Twitter: “I announce my retirement from international football. It’s been an enormous honour for 11 great years. Sincere thanks to everyone involved.”

According to Foxsports

Arsenal scraped into the group stage of the Champions League on a night of high anxiety at the Emirates Stadium that saw Alexis Sanchez open his Gunners account.

Arsene Wenger’s team missed a succession of chances to put the qualifier beyond the reach of Besiktas following a goalless draw in the first leg in Istanbul, with a 1-0 win putting Arsenal through.

Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain failed to score when it was harder to miss amid the mayhem of a roller-coaster second half in which Mathieu Debuchy was sent off for collecting a second yellow card.

Frantic Arsenal almost paid the ultimate price as they were over-run time and again by Besiktas who sought the away goal that would secure a prized European scalp.

The Turks’ coach Slaven Bilic, sat in the stands due to his touchline ban for arguing with referee Milorad Mazic in the first leg, watched as Demba Ba crashed a great chance into the side netting.

It was the best of Besiktas’ opportunities, although Bilic was furious that a penalty was not awarded when Ramon Motta appeared to be clipped from behind by Jack Wilshere.

Sanchez’s goal on the stroke off half time enabled Arsenal to progress into the Champions League proper for a 17th successive season, but they rode their luck against spirited opposition to subject their fans to a nail-biting night.

The £35million summer signing from Barcelona operated as the lone striker in the absence of Olivier Giroud, who is thought to have been ruled out until the New Year with a tibia injury.

And while Sanchez struck the all-important winner that guarantees Arsenal’s presence in the draw for the group stage, he was also wasteful.

The Gunners should have taken an early lead after he was nudged over and referee Pedro Proenca played advantage, but Wilshere sent a fine chance wide of the right post.

The early onslaught continued with Cazorla failing with an audacious lob and Sanchez proving unable to reach the ball after Oxlade-Chamberlain had sped free down the right.

Ba threatened to collect a long ball at the other end with only Wojciech Szczesny to beat, but the Poland keeper arrived at the critical moment.

Sanchez sent a free-kick into the arms of Tolga Zengin before Mathieu Debuchy and Ersan Gullum collided in mid air with a thud.

The Turks were defending resolutely, crowding Sanchez out as the Chile winger attempted to capitalise on a floating pass by Oxlade-Chamberlain.

And they threatened in attack too as Motta teed up a shot after gathering a cut back only to crash to the ground following a challenge by Wilshere in the area.

Replays proved inconclusive over the extent of any content, but Proenca was satisfied there was no penalty, drawing howls of protest from the noisy contingent of Besiktas fans

A poor first touch from Sanchez prevented him from making the most of Wilshere’s deft pass, but on the stroke of half-time the South American opened his Arsenal account.

Besiktas failed to clear the ball properly and Mesut Ozil combined with Wilshere, who left the German’s final ball for Sanchez to guide into the net.

Having just ridden their luck in their own area, the goal came as an enormous relief and Sanchez was mobbed by his jubilant team-mates.

Sanchez was a metre away from making it 2-0 five minutes after the interval but he was beaten by the speed of Cazorla’s pass and he should have done better moments later when set up by Wilshere.

Still Arsenal’s defence could not rest, however, as successive raids into their area were met with scrambling responses.

And the point was emphasised when Ba smashed a brilliant opportunity into the side netting knowing he should have done much better.

Cazorla hit the right post and with Besiktas caught on the counter, somehow Sanchez and Cazorla failed to put the match beyond the visitors’ reach.

Debuchy received his marching orders, if a little unfairly as he won the ball in the tackle, and from then on Arsenal defended for their lives in a hair-raising finish.

According to Foxsports

Samuel Eto’o has drawn a line under his dispute with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as he begins the latest chapter of his career with Everton.

The three-time Champions League winner, who was released by Chelsea at the end of last season, this week joined Everton on a two-year contract after being linked with several other clubs.

The 33-year-old’s single campaign at Stamford Bridge was best remembered for unguarded and unflattering comments by Mourinho about his age.

The veteran striker later made known his frustration about those remarks, labelling Mourinho a “fool”, but he now seems keen to consign the controversy to history.

Eto’o said on Wednesday: “The only thing I have to say vis-a-vis Jose Mourinho is to thank him.

“It is down to Jose Mourinho that I had the opportunity to be accepted and integrated into the Premier League, to play some great matches. That is the end of the discussion.”

Eto’o’s signing this week raises the possibility of a potential Everton debut against his old club, with Chelsea visiting Goodison Park in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

The former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward said: “I am not concerned about that aspect of it – that it is against my ex-team.

“The important thing is to integrate myself into my team-mates’ way of working and get myself ready during the training and preparation, potentially, for that match.

“If that is not the case, should I not feature, it is important for me to get my head into the training for each match.”

One of the clubs most strongly linked with Eto’o, particularly in the last week, were Merseyside rivals Liverpool, before they eventually completed a deal for Mario Balotelli.

Eto’o, unveiled by Everton at a press conference at their Finch Farm training complex, refused to name which other clubs he had been approached by.

He said: “During my meetings with (Everton manager) Roberto Martinez I had a very good feeling. We had so much in common.

“Everton correspond with my philosophy on football and how the game is.

“In the last 10 days I have travelled quite a lot and spoken to quite a few managers.

“Over the course of those travels the person who I felt the most inspiring and would allow my contribution to best correspond was Roberto Martinez.”

Eto’o was this week replaced as Cameroon captain following his country’s poor World Cup campaign but he was also unwilling to discuss international matters.

“I am an Everton player now and that is the only thing that concerns me,” he said. “That is my new challenge.”

Martinez will assess the player’s fitness before deciding whether he can throw him straight into action against Chelsea, but he admits stopping Eto’o could be difficult.

Martinez said: “We had a conversation. Being realistic I would have loved him to have 10-11 sessions before putting him in a competitive environment but I very quickly learned I was wasting my time.

“He wants to be helpful to the team straight away, he wants to be involved.

“It will come down to what sort of condition he has over the next two or three days.”

Martinez is impressed by Eto’o’s desire to help Everton push on to the next level having snubbed better financial offers from elsewhere.

The Everton manager said: “It was an instant feeling. Once I met him and we spoke about football, I was so impressed where he was mentally – a real desire and hunger to achieve.

“In every aspect he is perfect for the team and the squad. It is the perfect timing to start an exciting relationship.

“He had many options abroad. It could be a financial decision or a footballing decision, but he wanted to make a footballing decision and he chose us. That is a compliment.”

Martinez added that Eto’o’s arrival was likely to signal the end of his summer transfer activity.

He also ruled midfielder Steven Pienaar out of Saturday’s game with a groin injury but said another former Chelsea striker, Romelu Lukaku, who has a toe problem, was still being assessed.

Source Foxsports

AC Milan are hoping to acquire Chelsea pair Fernando Torres and Marco van Ginkel before the end of the summer transfer window.

The Rossoneri want to bring Torres on a season-long loan following the departure of Mario Balotelli to Liverpool.

AC Milan club administrator Adriano Galliani has confirmed the outfit has made an official offer to Chelsea for 21-year-old Dutch midfielder Van Ginkel.

Galliani said on AC Milan’s official website, www.acmilan.com: “We are in the last stages of the (transfer) market and we will see if we are able to acquire an important forward.

“This is our main aim.

“Torres is certainly an important forward and we will see if we can sign him or another player.

“Van Ginkel? It’s possible.

“We have written to Chelsea and are awaiting a response. We are optimistic.”

Source Foxsports

The Blaugrana have announced that the right-back will arrive in Catalunya before the end of the week to undergo a medical and then sign a five-year contract with the club.

Barcelona have agreed a transfer fee with Sao Paulo for Douglas that could rise to €5.5 million.

The Brazilian club announced last week that the right-back was bound for Camp Nou and the Blaugrana have now confirmed the 24-year-old’s imminent arrival in Catalunya.

“FC Barcelona and Sao Paulo FC have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of the player Douglas Pereira,” read a statement on the Liga side’s official website.

“The cost of operation is €4 million plus €1.5m in variables that are dependent upon games played.

“Douglas will travel to Barcelona later this week to undergo a medical. He will sign a contract with FC Barcelona for the next five seasons.”

Sao Paulo president Carlos Migue Aidar admitted that he was sad to be losing Douglas and that the deal had been complicated by third-party ownership.

“This is not a moment of joy, as we are losing one of our starters, but now he will be able to play at the Champions League,” he stated.

“We wish the player all the happiness, and that he may have a great spell in Spain. And who knows, maybe Sao Paulo can count on him again in a couple of years.

“It was a complicated deal, as the club had a third party involved, but, ultimately, Sao Paulo managed to get €3.6m for its 60 per cent share on the player’s rights, as it should.”

Douglas, who has never been capped at senior level by Brazil, becomes Barca’s fifth high-profile defensive acquisition of the summer, with Claudio Bravo, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Thomas Vermaelen and Jeremy Mathieu already having arrived at Camp Nou.

Source Goal

The 30-year-old defender has moved to the KC Stadium for an undisclosed fee, having spent just under a decade at White Hart Lane.

Hull City have completed the signing of Tottenham centre-back Michael Dawson on a three-year deal.

The defender leaves Spurs on an undisclosed fee, with the north Londoners keen to stress that he will “always be welcome” at White Hart Lane.

“I have been here for almost a decade and have loved every minute of it,” Dawson told Tottenham’s official website.

“I would like to say thank you to everyone at the club, including the supporters.

“We have enjoyed some incredible moments together and I hope the club continues to move forward in the future.”

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy added: “Michael has been an outstanding club representative both on and off the field.

“He has always given everything for the Spurs shirt – just one of the reasons he is so deservedly popular throughout the club.”

Dawson, now 30, made 236 Premier League appearances for Tottenham after joining the club from Nottingham Forest in January 2005.

Source Goal