LONDON -- If Novak Djokovic wins the ATP Finals for the sixth time next weekend, he will equal a record held by Roger Federer. Depending on the performances of Rafael Nadal over the coming eight days, it could also secure the year-end world No. 1 ranking for the sixth time, which would equal the record held by Pete Sampras. When he won Wimbledon in the summer to claim his 16th Grand Slam title, Djokovic said his main goal is to chase down and overhaul Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (19) at the top of the list of all-time Grand Slam winners. To Djokovic, just like to all great champions, records matter. Given his record in London, where he has won four of his five ATP Finals titles, Djokovic looks hugely confident and is likely to take some stopping once again. The winner of the Paris Masters last weekend, he kicked off his title bid in London's O2 on Sunday with an ultra-confident 6-2, 6-1 victory over Matteo Berrettini of Italy in his first round-robin match. In an era when Federer and Nadal have achieved as much as they have, it is incredible to think that Djokovic could end up with more Grand Slam titles than them both. At 32, he is healthy and as fit as ever, and if he stays away from injuries, he will surely have many opportunities to add to his Grand Slam total and perhaps overtake the other two.

Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Email 14 Nov, 2019 Simon Cambers LONDON -- It is about half an hour by public transportation from London's O2, the venue for this week's ATP Finals, to Sloane Square in trendy central London. For many years, Andy Murray would have been at the O2 in mid-November, battling it out in the season-ending event, a title he won in 2016. On Tuesday, though, he was in the latter, launching a new range of clothing with one of his sponsors, and seemingly, just fine about it all. "I actually haven't watched a ball," he said with a smile. That might change as the week goes on, for Murray is as much a tennis addict as any of the top players. But while Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal scrap it out to be world No. 1 at the end of the year, the 32-year-old Murray has been focusing on family, fresh from the birth of his third child, and first son, Teddy. "It's been good," he told a small group of reporters. "It's just busy. We've got three [children] under 4 now, and two dogs, so you've got to keep an eye out all the time, but it's been good, sleeping fine. Everyone's healthy." Murray said his wife, Kim, chose the name Teddy, but the middle name is Barron just like Murray himself. "I don't actually love the name," he said. "[But] my Dad's middle name was Barron, his dad was Barron, my granddad's dad [was Barron] so I kept that. But Teddy, my wife liked that so she chose it."

Madrid is hosting the first revamped Davis Cup finals at La Caja Magica, the current venue for the Madrid Open. Francis Tsang/Cover/Getty Images Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Email 8:24 PM Peter BodoESPN.com Staff Writer The year in men's pro tennis will end on a compelling note, as the remade Davis Cup takes place next week in Madrid. We're about to see if the risky makeover will cure the ills of this historic, 119-year-old competition, or if the International Tennis Federation, which owns and promotes the Davis Cup, is throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Here are some FAQs for those who aren't sure why this drastic revision happened and those who wonder what to expect next week. Why did the ITF change the competition? Some top players, including John McEnroe, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick, were always prepared to drop everything when asked to play for their country -- especially when their home nation was potentially competitive. Others, who saw no path to winning, were less enamored. The defunct traditional format, which required the two finalist nations to be available for as many as four weeks of play staggered throughout the year on an already loaded calendar, alienated a growing number of elite players. Revenues from the overwhelming majority of ties we

In a recent chat with ESPNcricinfo, Mayank Agarwal said that, at some point a couple of years ago, he had grown tired of getting 20s and 30s. To get better at converting starts, he worked with his coach to break innings down into phases - the start, for instance, or the period once he's settled - and developed patterns for each of them. The transformation into a game suited for huge runs stemmed from that simplistic-sounding solution. But perhaps not even he could have imagined he could, once again, come close to batting as dominantly in Tests as he had during the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season, in which he famously made 1000 runs in a month. After just his fifth Test innings at home, Agarwal has three hundreds, two of them double-hundreds, and 583 runs at 116.60. After three fifties overseas without going past the 70s, he's made centuries each time he's reached 50 in this home season. The hardwired ability to convert starts has resurfaced. "I think it goes down for me at least, to understanding that there have been times where I've not got runs," Agarwal said at his press conference at the end of the second day's play in Indore. "So I must respect the game, that I am batting well. When I am doing that I need to make sure that I make it big and put the team in the driver's seat or put it in such a position that we cannot lose from there. "So I think that becomes key. Knowing that you are batting well, and you've got your hundred, you've got to make sure - it's on you to take the team ahead."

Similarly, Boult earned an extra INR 1 crore in an all-cash deal, since Mumbai Indians paid INR 3.2 crores for him compared to Capitals' original outlay of INR 2.2 crores for him in 2018. Markande, the least experienced of the three, got the biggest raise among them, of INR 1.8 crores. His new franchise Royals paid INR 2 crores for him, after the double-trade from Mumbai, who paid INR 20 lakhs for him in 2018. Mumbai first traded him to Capitals, who then passed him on to Royals. There were a total of 11 trades this time before the upcoming auction. The most high-profile one, apart from Rahane's, was of R Ashwin, who led Kings XI during the last two seasons and moved to the Capitals, who paid his 2018 hammer price of INR 7.6 crore. As part of the exchange, Capitals traded Karnataka spinner J Suchith to Kings XI for just INR 20 lakhs. As part of the Rahane trade, the Royals got a pair of legspinners for a total of INR 5 crores: Rahul Tewatia (3 crores) and Markande (2 crores). During the trade, Markande also became the first player in the IPL to be traded twice between two seasons. He was in fact the first trade after Capitals bought him from defending champions Mumbai. In return, Mumbai bought West Indies allrounder Sherfane Rutherford (INR 2 crore in the 2018 auction) from Capitals.

Opening batsman Shubman Gill talks about the best cricketer he has played against, the music he likes, and what Virat Kohli is like in the dressing room How do you stay cool mentally when preparing for international cricket? You can do that only by keeping those things aside that you cannot control. And try to focus on things that you can control. You look comfortable against fast bowling. How do you prepare for that? It's very important to play one ball at a time, and not think too far ahead. The fastest bowler you've faced so far? Billy Stanlake in the IPL. Who's the best non-Indian cricketer you've played with or against so far? AB de Villiers What is Virat Kohli like in the dressing room, compared to how competitive he is on the field? He is a very fun-loving and light-hearted guy. How will he react if you offer him the Punjabi food you've grown up eating, like chhole bhature? I'm not even going to try. What kind of music do you listen to? I like listening to hip-hop and rap. Bands like The Weeknd. Do you have a favourite sportsperson outside cricket? Yeah, many. I like Neymar Jr a lot. What will you ask him if you find yourself in an elevator with him? I'll just ask him how he trains. One thing you d

Mayank Agarwal is never in two minds. It shows whenever he charges at a bowler. His mind is set on getting a boundary and he will have it no matter what. It was Bangladesh's job to sow doubts into that line of thinking but by the end of the day they were left wondering if they were good enough. The India opener amassed 243 runs all by himself to power India into a commanding lead in Indore. Agarwal has other shots. His drives, for example, are vivid. But nothing showcases his high backlift and a happy-go-lucky approach as well as when he runs at the bowler. He chose to do that nine times through the course of his innings, and failed to find the boundary only once. So confident was he with this tactic that he used it to get to his double-century.

Ajinkya Rahane, Trent Boult and Mayank Markande have all got a raise in the IPL by being traded to other franchises before the 2020 auction next month. Rahane earned an extra INR 1.25 crores as he was picked for INR 5.25 crores by his new franchise Delhi Capitals, compared to the INR 4 crores Rajasthan Royals had paid for him in the 2018 auction. ESPNcricinfo Ltd Similarly, Boult earned an extra INR 1 crore in an all-cash deal, since Mumbai Indians paid INR 3.2 crores for him compared to Capitals' original outlay of INR 2.2 crores for him in 2018. Markande, the least experienced of the three, got the biggest raise among them, of INR 1.8 crores. His new franchise Royals paid INR 2 crores for him, after the double-trade from Mumbai, who paid INR 20 lakhs for him in 2018. Mumbai first traded him to Capitals, who then passed him on to Royals. There were a total of 11 trades this time before the upcoming auction. The most high-profile one, apart from Rahane's, was of R Ashwin, who led Kings XI during the last two seasons and moved to the Capitals, who paid his 2018 hammer price of INR 7.6 crore. As part of the exchange, Capitals traded Karnataka spinner J Suchith to Kings XI for just INR 20 lakhs. As part of the Rahane trade, the Royals got a pair of legspinners for a total of INR 5 crores: Rahul Tewatia (3 crores) and Markande (2 crores). During the trade, Markande also became the first player in the IPL to be traded twice between two seasons. He was in fact the first trade after Capitals bought him from defending champions Mumbai. In return, Mumbai bought West Indies allrounder Sherfane Rutherford (INR 2 crore in the 2018 auction) from Capitals.

play Domingo: We need structural changes to become a strong Test team (4:47) Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Email 10:13 PM Mohammad Isam in Indore Abu Jayed is one wicket away from becoming the first Bangladeshi fast bowler to take a Test-match five-wicket haul more than six years. Should it arrive, that landmark might be the only solace for a team that was bowled out for 150 on the first day, and has conceded 407 runs in 88 overs on the second day. Jayed has already removed Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, and could have completed the five-for had Imrul Kayes held on to a simple catch in the slips off Mayank Agarwal's edge on the first evening. Jayed, though, is no stranger to catches being dropped off his bowling, having struggled with the same problem in New Zealand earlier this year. Slip catching off pace bowlers is just one of the minor issues Bangladesh have to grapple with. The bigger picture is the near-eradication of pace bowlers from their Test cricket. Pace bowling is on the wane in Bangladesh in recent years, especially thanks to former head coach Chandika Hathurusingha's insistence on crumbling, slow and turning pitches at home since the 2016 England series. It has meant that on more than one occasion, the Bangladesh team management has gone for an all-spin attack. Pace bowlers have been continually short-changed in domestic cricket too. Jayed, as a result, is one among a group of pace bowlers who are currently living an endangered life in Bangladesh cricket. They have to sit out long periods in the home season, before being asked to burst through experienced batting line-ups in overseas Tests. The fact that Jayed became only the second bowler to remove Rohit, Kohli and Pujara in the same innings is a testament to his effort and accuracy with the new and semi-new ball, which has come from years spent in the domestic circuit's longer format. In the last five years, he is one of only two pace bowlers to take more than 100 first-class wickets in Bangladesh, and has 140 at 30.89. Farhad Reza, with 137 wickets at 24.63, is the other. Jayed has also revived Sylhet Division's bowling attack, and they are probably the only domestic side in Bangladesh that relies more on pace bowlers than spinners, especially after the recent emergence of Ebadat Hossain and Khaled Ahmed. Jayed is still in his early days in international cricket, but given the dearth of long-format pace bowlers, he has already become a leading bowler in coach Russell Domingo's eyes. "We think he is a really good Test bowler," Domingo said. "He has consistent lines and lengths. He bowled really well in this game. I have read a few articles where it was written that he hasn't picked up wickets in the domestic system, but we think he is one of our leading Test bowlers, and he will have a big role. He is definitely a guy we need to back."

In a recent chat with ESPNcricinfo, Mayank Agarwal said that, at some point a couple of years ago, he had grown tired of getting 20s and 30s. To get better at converting starts, he worked with his coach to break innings down into phases - the start, for instance, or the period once he's settled - and developed patterns for each of them. The transformation into a game suited for huge runs stemmed from that simplistic-sounding solution. But perhaps not even he could have imagined he could, once again, come close to batting as dominantly in Tests as he had during the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season, in which he famously made 1000 runs in a month. After just his fifth Test innings at home, Agarwal has three hundreds, two of them double-hundreds, and 583 runs at 116.60. After three fifties overseas without going past the 70s, he's made centuries each time he's reached 50 in this home season. The hardwired ability to convert starts has resurfaced. "I think it goes down for me at least, to understanding that there have been times where I've not got runs," Agarwal said at his press conference at the end of the second day's play in Indore. "So I must respect the game, that I am batting well. When I am doing that I need to make sure that I make it big and put the team in the driver's seat or put it in such a position that we cannot lose from there. "So I think that becomes key. Knowing that you are batting well, and you've got your hundred, you've got to make sure - it's on you to take the team ahead."

India 493 for 6 (Agarwal 243, Rahane 86, Jadeja 60*, Pujara 54, Jayed 4-108)lead Bangladesh 150 by 343 runs Mayank Agarwal is never in two minds. It shows whenever he charges at a bowler. His mind is set on getting a boundary and he will have it no matter what. It was Bangladesh's job to sow doubts into that line of thinking but by the end of the day they were left wondering if they were good enough. The India opener amassed 243 runs all by himself to power India into a commanding lead in Indore. Agarwal has other shots. His drives, for example, are vivid. But nothing showcases his high backlift and a happy-go-lucky approach as well as when he runs at the bowler. He chose to do that nine times through the course of his innings, and failed to find the boundary only once. So confident was he with this tactic that he used it to get to his double-century.

Chris Lynn (Kolkata Knight Riders), Jaydev Unadkat (Rajasthan Royals) and Varun Chakravarthy (Kings XI Punjab), the three-most expensive buys at the last two IPL auctions, have been released by their respective franchises. Also back on the auction block is South Africa allrounder Chris Morris, who had been retained by Delhi Capitals before the 2018 auction but was released as the IPL trading window closed on Friday evening India time. Royal Challengers Bangalore released the most number of players (12) followed by the Knight Riders and the Royals (11 each), Mumbai Indians (10), the Capitals (nine), Kings XI (seven), Chennai Super Kings (six) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (five). Overall, Kings XI will have the fattest purse walking into the December 19 auction, to be held in Kolkata, with a kitty of INR 42.70 crore which they accumulated by shedding expensive buys from the last auction. This included Chakravarthy, the Tamil Nadu mystery spinner, who was the joint-most expensive pick along with Unadkat, at INR 8.4 cr, in the 2019 auction. Chakravarthy, who played just one game last IPL, was sidelined with an injury for the majority of this year, making it an easy decision for Kings XI to let him go. The Mohali-based franchise also released Australia quick Andre Tye, who recently picked an injury. Tye, one of the best death bowlers a few years ago, had struggled last IPL and had been bought by Kings XI in 2018 for INR 7.2 cr. The other expensive buys offloaded by Kings XI included England allrounder Sam Curran (7.2 cr in 2019) and young Punjab wicketkeeper-batsman Prabh Simran Singh (4.8 cr in 2019). Another significant release by Kings XI was South Africa batsman David Miller (3 cr in 2018), who had spent eight seasons at the franchise since 2012. However, diminishing returns from Miller are likely to have gone against him eventually.

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The adoption of the amendments proposed by the BCCI to its constitution would, if unchallenged, be tantamount to "ridiculing" of the Supreme Court and its endeavour over the past several years to introduce reforms in the richest and most powerful cricket board in the world. That's the opinion of Gopal Sankaranarayanan, secretary of the RM Lodha Committee, whose recommended reforms were approved by the Supreme Court on July 18, 2016. The Lodha Committee, appointed by the court in 2015, was headed by Lodha, a former Chief Justice of India, along with former Supreme Court Justices RV Raveendran and Ashok Bhan. ALSO READ: BCCI plans sweeping changes, Lodha reforms under threat Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Sankaranarayanan said he believed the highest court in the country still "had a role to play" in the issue and that the BCCI's proposed changes, if adopted, could be challenged by any member of the public. He did, however, concede that the court itself was partly to blame for gradually "diluting" the reforms it had first approved three years ago. Sankaranarayanan is the first person closely involved with the drafting of the reforms to react to the BCCI's proposals. Lodha, when contacted by this reporter on Monday, said he had stopped commenting on BCCI matters. The proposals to change the constitution came to light on Saturday, when the BCCI's new secretary, Jay Shah, circulated the agenda for the board's annual general meeting, to be held on December 1. The constitution, which had been registered in August 2018, had been drafted by the Committee of Administrators (CoA). "I would have of course wished the Supreme Court had not just kept changing its views and diluting the reforms more and more every time a new bench came to look at the matter because that is precisely what has happened"Gopal Sankaranarayanan The most radical amendments include altering the rules concerning the cooling-off period for office-bearers, relaxing various disqualification criteria and removing the need for any changes to the constitution to be approved by the Supreme Court. Adopting of the proposals, Sankaranarayanan said, would mean the reforms had ceased to exist. "If this is permitted to be done and if it remains unchallenged in court and the Supreme Court does not either have a challenge before it or it does not take up suo motu, it will mean ridiculing of the Supreme Court and everything that it did over the years," he said. "It will completely mean going back to square one as far as cricket administration and reforms are concerned. Most of the significant changes would have ceased to exist." তিনি উল্লেখ করেছিলেন যে বিসিসিআই তৎকালীন প্রধান বিচারপতি টি এস ঠাকুরের দেওয়া জুলাই মাসে প্রধান বিচারপতির পরে শীর্ষ আদালতের বিভিন্ন বেঞ্চ দ্বারা পুনর্গঠিত সংস্কারগুলিকে আরও ooিলা করার চেষ্টা করছে। "এটি সুপারিশ করে যে সুপ্রিম কোর্ট পদক্ষেপ নেওয়ার পরে তারা সংস্কারের বাকি অংশগুলি প্রায় পুরোপুরি কার্যকর করছে। তারা মনে করে যে সুপ্রিম কোর্ট বেশ কয়েক বছর ধরে স্টাফ দেখছে তার পরে কোনও প্রকার লাকুনা পিছনে থাকতে পারে। "তারা সম্ভবত চেষ্টা করতে পারে এবং তর্ক করতে পারে, 'দেখুন, সুপ্রিম কোর্ট আমাদের নিজস্ব সংবিধান সংশোধন করতে বাধা দেয় নি তাই আমরা এর সংশোধন করতে এবং এতে সব ধরণের পরিবর্তন আনতে সক্ষম হয়েছি।' এটি দেখার সরু পথ তারা এটিকে নিশ্চিত করবে যে সুপ্রিম কোর্ট নিজেই [মূল সংস্কার] অনেকটাই উল্টে দিয়েছে, যাতে পুরানো চক্রগুলি বৃহত্তরভাবে কাজ চালিয়ে যেতে পারে। "

Playing late, and close to the body, is the key to counter the pink ball - that's the early learning India's Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane is taking back with him after training against the pink ball for the first time over the past few days. Rahane was part of a small bunch of players from the Indian Test squad, who practised with the pink ball at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru in the lead up to the Bangladesh Test series, which includes a day-night Test, the first for either team, in Kolkata from November 22. Not many top-drawer Indian players have actually played competitive cricket with the pink ball, which Rahane said was a "different ball game" from the red ball. "We had two good practice sessions, actually three or four but two in pink ball, one during the day and one under lights," Rahane said at a press conference in the lead up to the first Test in Indore. "It was actually exciting. It was the first time I played with pink ball, and definitely it's a different ball game as compared to red ball." ALSO READ: SG pink ball to be used for maiden day-night Test in India Along with Rahane, the others who were present at NCA were Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara among the batsmen, and Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja. The training sessions took place under the stewardship of NCA director of cricket, Rahul Dravid. "Our focus during the practice session was to look into the swing and seam, and also play close to our body," Rahane said. "What we found out after the practice session that the pink ball does a lot (more) than the red ball. We have to play slightly late and close to your body. We had word with Rahul bhai also as he was there. We had a very good practice session. Right now the focus is on the first Test match, the red SG ball." The Kolkata Test will also be the first time SG pink balls will be used at the highest level, making it a trial for the balls as well. Incidentally, the BCCI had preferred the Kookaburra in the Duleep Trophy, which has been played under lights in the last three seasons. Irrespective of the make, it will take some adjusting for the players to do, but Rahane was confident it wouldn't be a problem. "The lateral movement is big, actually a lot than the red ball," he said. "Adjustment-wise, I'm sure everyone will adjust very quickly. We are used to playing different formats - after T20s we play Tests. It's just the mindset, technical skills will play a role. Mentally if you can adjust to the pink ball, then it'll be good." Speaking to ESPNcricinfo in September, more than one prominent Indian domestic player had given the thumbs-down to the pink ball, with Faiz Fazal saying, "There was nothing for bowlers (with the pink ball)."

It was all rather sombre at the BCB's packed reception area on the evening of October 29. Shakib Al Hasan read out his statement. And minutes after he was done, BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan announced that Bangladesh would have a new Test captain - such was the atmosphere that there was no space for appreciation or celebration when Mominul Haque's name was read out. "It was unexpected," Mominul, now Bangladesh's 11th Test captain, told ESPNcricinfo. "I never thought about it. I never even dreamt that I'd one day become Bangladesh's captain. But it was a great feeling after the announcement." Mominul's reaction was understandable. The Shakib bombshell had hit all the players, and the cricket community in the country, hard. Mominul's elevation came after that, effectively replacing Bangladesh's greatest cricketer in the longest format and chosen ahead of Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, both senior cricketers and former captains. The BCB hadn't even thought of anyone else in a position of leadership while Shakib was around - they hadn't even named a vice-captain. From a cricketing point of view, it is a fair decision, and well timed. Mominul is an established Test cricketer. Since making his Test debut in 2013, he has scored eight centuries in the format - only behind Tamim Iqbal's tally for Bangladesh - and he's the only batsman from his country to have a 40-plus average after scoring 2500 runs. "I want to be an aggressive captain, which I feel brings more success. I think, according to the situation, I will be defensive within my aggressive mindset."Mominul Haque As a result, he has earned the respect of his peers. People often describe Mominul as one who has a clean image, and a quiet but strong presence. He has only played 36 Tests, but that number is also a reflection of how few Tests Bangladesh play. He was dropped as a limited-overs option four years ago, and while there were concerns that not being in the thick of international cricket regularly would hurt his quality, he has continued to score runs. Mominul's plan now is to lead aggressively in India, with the first Test in Indore first and the second, under lights, in Kolkata. "I like to play aggressively. I want to be an aggressive captain, which I feel brings more success. I think, according to the situation, I will be defensive within my aggressive mindset," he said. "It is not an extra pressure as a captain. It is a good feeling, an opportunity. I haven't brought anything into my thinking. I like to be optimistic. "I am just thinking of representing the country, and doing something good for the team." Having played under five captains in his international career so far, he hopes to take the best from each of Mashrafe Mortaza, Shakib, Tamim, Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah. "We have had different types of captains, and I will try to take different things from each of them," he said. "I have seen how each of them react to different situations, and I have certainly learned from it. How they handled those situations, whether they were aggressive or defensive. I can take a lot of good things from them." But there's no doubt the task ahead of Mominul is extremely difficult. Bangladesh have Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam, both spinners, as their only major attacking options. Mustafizur Rahman is in the Test side, but his current form doesn't inspire confidence. The likes of Abu Jayed, Al-Amin Hossain, Ebadot Hossain and others also might find it tough, if picked in the XI, against India.

ROME -- On the day before the Rome Derby, in which AS Roma beat Lazio 3-1 on a viciously hot afternoon, I met Luciano Rossi and his son at a restaurant near the Roma training facility. A lot of people from the club come here for lunch, including Francesco Totti, now retired but still the most beloved living Roman. Both Rossi men are Roma official team photographers, and their roots in this city stretch back at least seven generations. Luciano's family comes from Trastevere, the old neighborhood south of the Vatican, and he feels, in his heart, more connected to his city than his country. Luciano often gets asked whether he's Italian when traveling overseas with the team and someone hears his accent. "No," he will reply. "We are from Rome!" That's what was on display Saturday, and why Italian football so easily finds its way into your blood. Italy is a very young country and a relatively new idea. Its cities, however, are very old, many of them former city-states with their own history and mythology -- their own food and wars won and lost and a unique way of defining what it means to be a citizen. When their football teams play, ancient things get ripped out of the past and put on public display. In Rome, that's only heightened. This sounds silly, but it's always startling to be driving around the city to meet someone for something as modern as a meeting or a cocktail and just pass the spot where Julius Caesar was stabbed, or make a right at the Coliseum. No big deal. It's just the f---ing Coliseum! Rome conquered the world, rose and fell, and nearly everything that has happened in the city since flows from that identity. Especially the football culture.

Buffon first joined Juve from Parma in 2001 and remained until 2018, winning 12 Serie A titles -- though two were later taken away following the Calciopoli scandal -- and the Coppa Italia on four occasions. But Champions League glory eluded him, as he was a losing finalist on three occasions. The 2006 World Cup winner will bring experience to the dressing room. Last summer, he left alongside Claudio Marchisio, who had been at the club since 2005, while Andrea Barzagli also retired in the summer and there were fears the number of players who understood the club was decreasing. Under new boss Maurizio Sarri, Juve will look to win a first Champions League trophy since 1996 and add a ninth consecutive Serie A title.

The Premier League window closed on Aug. 8 but most of Europe is still ongoing until Sept. 2. Here, we are grading the most notable signings from the top teams during the summer transfer window. The most recent grades and write-ups are at the top; each day is in order of highest price. If you don't see a grade for a deal that has been completed, check back later. All fees are reported unless confirmed with *. - Transfer Tracker: All the major deals - Marcotti: Anatomy of a transfer story Sept. 2 KEYLOR NAVAS, €15m ($16.4m), plus Alphonse Areola on loan Real Madrid grade: C PSG grade: B- It's quite hard to see who comes out of this one better. Real have just replaced their backup to Thibaut Courtois with a younger goalkeeper who will grow frustrated at his lack of game time during his one-year loan spell. PSG have moved on a future France No. 1 and replaced him with the more experienced Navas, which will benefit them in the short-term. However, neither the 32-year-old or Areola (when he returns from his loan spell) are going to be considered first-choice should a move for David De Gea or Gianluigi Donnarumma come off in January or next summer. Navas will be happy because he will get guaranteed games for at least six months, with Sergio Rico signed as his backup in Paris. Areola probably won't and we'll be back where we started this time next year. JAVIER HERNANDEZ, €8m ($8.75m) West Ham grade: B Sevilla grade: A- As soon as West Ham spent £40m on Sebastien Haller this summer, it was clear that Hernandez's place in the side was under threat. The France U21 international has hit the ground running so it makes sense for "Chicharito" to depart and La Liga should be perfect for him. For just €8m, the 31-year-old Mexico striker is a bargain and Sevilla have done well to land a player of his class and experience. He should repay their faith

PSG sporting director Leonardo is growing increasingly concerned that his side will be unable to keep prized assets Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who have been linked with moves to Barcelona and Real, respectively, and he is now looking at contingencies should the pair leave the Parc des Princes. Vinicius Jr. is now reportedly at the top of the list of backup options, with the report saying the former Flamengo man could be tempted to move after being ousted from the Real side by fellow Brazilian Rodrygo. Dialogue between the two clubs is already open as Real continue with talks regarding the possibility of turning goalkeeper Alphonse Areola's loan move into a permanent switch. LIVE BLOG 13.01 GMT: It's amazing what a difference a 3-1 defeat to your title rivals can make. Man City are looking to sign players to replace Vincent Kompany (who left in the summer), David Silva and Sergio Aguero, says the Daily Mail. There are actually no names on the list in the report, but expect £100m to be spent in the pursuit of greatness. 12.03 GMT: TyC Sports reports that former Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano is in line to join Argentinian side Estudiantes in January 2020. Mascherano, 35, is tied to Chinese Super League side Hebei Fortune until the end of year but the former Argentina international will reportedly break the preliminary agreement he reportedly had with Inter Miami CF to join them in the new year and instead return to play in Argentina. A youth product of River Plate, Mascherano left Argentina in 2005 and played for Corinthians, West Ham, Liverpool and Barcelona before moving to China in 2018. 11.31 GMT: Real Betis have done well in the transfer window of late and they are ready to send Mexico star Diego Lainez on loan during January transfer window, sources have told ESPN Deportes. Meanwhile Emerson, who is on loan at Betis from Barcelona, has told Sport that his dream is to make history at Camp Nou. Which is no major surprise given that he's already a player at the club. 10.40 GMT: Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany says the club do not need to sign another defender in January to get their Premier League title defence back on track. Aymeric Laporte suffered a long-term injury, while midfielder Fernandinho has been played as a makeshift central defender alongside John Stones in recent games as City sit fourth. "I don't think they need to sign another defender," Kompany told Sky Sports. "The best way for City to defend in the past has been to attack. They have no reason to change that. As soon as they start reconnecting with the best performances, I'm convinced that we can see a sustainable amount of wins." 09.47 GMT: Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic is unhappy with life at the club now he's barely playing, claims Serbian newspaper Sata24. Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus are all keen on the Serbia midfielder and he could be available in January. 09.12 GMT: Manchester United are not in the running to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the January transfer window, Sky Sports reports. Ibrahimovic has spent the past year-and-a-half with the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer where, despite recently turning 38, he boasts a goal-scoring record of 52 goals in 55 MLS appearances. The Swedish striker's contract is up at the end of the year and, following the Galaxy's disappointing exit in the Western Conference semifinals to local rivals LAFC last month, there has been speculation that could return to Old Trafford. However, Sky reports that United are not pursuing their former player, despite forwards Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez both joining Inter Milan in the summer on permanent and loan deals respectively.

Cruzeiro have not renewed the contracts of former Brazil international forwards Leandro Damiao and Julio Baptista, the club announced on Wednesday. Damiao, 26, was a reported target of Tottenham in 2011-12 after featuring for the Selecao in its 2012 Olympics campaign. Julio Baptista, 34, made 48 appearances for the national team and spent time at Real Madrid, Arsenal, Sevilla and Sao Paulo among others. In addition, the club announced the departure of midfielder Charles and right-back Ceara. Cruzeiro comunica a saída de 4 jogadores do atual elenco. Obrigado por honrarem nosso manto. https://t.co/8kdmmIrFOI pic.twitter.com/Q4JKJ3Q8n0 - Cruzeiro E. Clube (@Cruzeiro) December 1, 2015 Damiao has disappointed since moving from Internacional to Santos following Neymar's departure from the Sao Paulo club in 2013. He was loaned to Cruzeiro in January of 2015 after failing to impress at the Vila Belmiro, and scored just four goals in 23 Serie A games for the Belo Horizonte giants this season. The decision to part ways with the players comes with one game still remaining in the Brazilian championship. "The board notified, on Wednesday afternoon, that it will not renew the contract of four athletes for next season," The club's statement read. "In this manner, Leandro Damiao, Charles, Julio Baptista and Ceara will leave the club this week and will not take part in the final round of the Brasileirao, against Internacional, on Sunday." Champions in 2013 and 2014, Cruzeiro, who sacked two coaches this campaign before settling on former Brazil boss Mano Menezes, currently sit in eighth place with 55 points.

Reported Chelsea, Barcelona and Juventus target Gabriel Barbosa has hinted he could be set to leave Santos by saying "soon you will know something." Barbosa, 19, scored on Saturday as Santos beat Ponte Preta to take his tally in the current Brazilian season to five goals in 10 appearances. He told a postmatch news conference: "I played as if it was my last game here. Soon you will know something." To add to speculation about his future the Brazil international posted an Instagram picture of himself kissing the Santos badge, alongside the message: "My heart is Alvinegro and it will always beat for you. Santos are my life. I will love you until death." " Meu coração é alvinegro , e bate forte por você .. Santos você é minha vida , eu te amarei até morrer " A photo posted by Gabriel Barbosa (@gabigol) on Jul 16, 2016 at 4:55pm PDT Santos recently announced Barbosa had agreed a contract extension till 2021, a move that teenager refuted. "No, there is still no agreement. The president ended up talking, but there is nothing confirmed," Barbosa told Globe Esporte. "We are just talking. My parents and my representatives are talking. They have some things to discuss. I have proposals, too, but there's nothing confirmed yet. "I need to talk with my parents and my representatives. We are talking and we are going to resolve it slowly."

Brazil's Supreme Court finally named Sport Recife the winner of the 1987 league title on Tuesday. Sport -- a team that more often fights against relegation than for titles -- beat Rio de Janeiro giants Flamengo 3-1 in the ruling by a five-member panel. One member of the panel abstained because his son had worked as a Flamengo attorney in the case. The long-running dispute began when Flamengo won the title in a league created by the clubs involved. However, Brazil's football confederation decided to organise a separate competition, which was won by Sport. The confederation then tried to get Flamengo to play Sport in a final, an offer that the Rio giants rejected. Had the panel failed to decide, the case would have gone to the full 11-member Supreme Court. "Football is passion, but the ideal is that sporting decisions do not come to court," Justice Rosa Maria Weber said. Supremo Tribunal Federal considera Sport único campeão brasileiro de 1987. Mais uma vez. #87ÉDoSport pic.twitter.com/OmTcgtjkX8 - Sport Club do Recife (@sportrecife) April 18, 2017 Brazil's Supreme Court is currently clogged with dozens of investigations into public officials in a sprawling corruption scandal involving state-run oil company Petrobras and major conglomerate Odebrecht, among others. Justice Marco Aurelio Mello, a Flamengo fan that ruled against his club, said there will be no more appeals in the affair. "This will be the final score," Mello said during the session. Also a Flamengo fan, Justice Luis Roberto Barroso said: "There is no place worse than the judicial system to discuss sports." He voted to split the title between the two clubs. After the decision, Barroso said "40 million fans have their hearts shattered." Justice Mello added: "And that includes me."

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