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• Owen gives Bellingham 'massive chance' of Ballon d'Or success

  Michael Owen believes Jude Bellingham has a "massive chance" of winning the Ballon d'Or after a stand-out debut season at Real Madrid.

  Los Blancos won their 36th LaLiga title, losing just one of their league games while finishing 10 points clear of second-place Barcelona.

  Bellingham ended the league campaign as Madrid’s top-scorer, netting 19 LaLiga goals and added another four in the Champions League to help them on their way to the final.

  The attacking-midfielder has also created more chances under pressure (19) than any other midfielder in the Champions League, with four of those resulting in an assist for a Madrid teammate.

  Bellingham is due to join up with England for Euro 2024 following the Champions League final as the Three Lions aim to win their first major trophy since 1966.

  Bellingham is among the favourites to get his hands on the Ballon d'Or and would be the first Englishman to win it since Owen himself in 2001.

  "The Ballon d'Or comes to players who have an exceptional season, not only personally, but who have had a season where they have won something or multiple titles," Owen told TNT Sports.

  "If Jude Bellingham goes and wins LaLiga, which he already has done, as well as the Champions League all while being one of the stars of the show in that team, then he has got to be in the conversation.

  "A lot will depend on Euro 2024 with England. If he has a good tournament and England go far, then you could rightly say that he has a massive chance."

  Bellingham will face former club Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Saturday as Madrid aim to lift a record-extending 15th title in the European Cup.

• FC Cincinnati v Nashville SC: Noonan praises hosts' adaptability

  Pat Noonan believes being able to win in different ways has been the key to FC Cincinnati's fine run of form, as the Orange and Blue look to make it eight straight victories against Nashville SC on Wednesday.

  Cincinnati have won their last seven league games to surge up the Eastern Conference standings, and they currently sit just one point adrift of leaders Inter Miami with a game in hand.

  They overcame fellow high-fliers Toronto FC by a 4-3 scoreline in a thriller last time out, and Noonan has praised his players for being adaptable in the face of different challenges. 

  "It's hard to win in this league and it's hard to win consecutively like we've done," Noonan said. 

  "I think what we're able to do is adapt in games and win in different ways. When we need to have the quality with the ball and score goals, we were able to do that. 

  "We've seen the one-goal wins, and finally being able to win a game by two goals last week against St. Louis City. So we can win in different ways, which is important."

  Nashville, meanwhile, are still awaiting their first win under interim coach Rumba Munthali, having played out back-to-back draws with Atlanta United (1-1) and CF Montreal (0-0) since they fired Gary Smith.

  "It's been good, it's been positive," Munthali said of the team's work on the training ground. 

  "The guys have done the work that was asked of them and have been really positive and receptive, especially at a tough time in this transition."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH 

  FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

  Acosta assisted Cincinnati's winner last Saturday, his ninth straight regular-season match with a goal contribution, equalling the longest run in MLS since the start of the 2023 season. 

  Since 2000, only six players have recorded a double-digit streak of regular-season games with a goal contribution.

  Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar 

  Mukhtar created five chances for team-mates in Nashville's draw with Montreal last time out, his most in a match this season. 

  Nine of the 19 chances Mukhtar has created this year have come in two games against Montreal, with just 10 in his other 10 matches. Will that performance be a turning point? 

  MATCH PREDICTION – FC CINCINNATI WIN

  Nashville have only won only one of their last 16 MLS away matches (six draws, nine defeats including playoffs), including going winless in their last eight (four draws, four losses). 

  Nashville's last road win over an Eastern Conference foe came over a year ago, a 2-1 victory at Charlotte FC on May 20, 2023.

  Cincinnati's 4-3 win at Toronto last time out was their 31st victory in their last 50 regular-season matches dating back to October 2022, the most wins in a span of 50 regular-season matches in MLS in the post-shootout era (since 2000).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  FC Cincinnati – 56.5%

  Nashville SC – 21.6%

  Draw – 21.9%

• Shaw hits back at critics questioning Man Utd loyalty

  Luke Shaw has hit back at those "questioning his loyalty" to Manchester United following an injury-hit campaign.

  The left-back made just 15 appearances for United in all competitions this season and has not played since February due to a muscle injury.

  Despite that, Shaw received a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, though the England manager said he is a "long shot" to make the final squad.

  Taking to Instagram, Shaw posted: "There’s nothing I want to do more than play and win with United.

  "I don’t normally react to things I see on social media but there’s a lot of people questioning my loyalty to this club and asking how I am fit for England but not United.

  "The reality is I am not 100% fit for either right now, but I am doing everything I can and constantly working to be [fit]. I have been at this club for 10 years through highs and lows and for anyone to question my loyalty is obviously frustrating.

  "My biggest focus right now is being fit and then whatever happens this summer I will be ready."

  England will play two friendlies before the Euros, and Southgate will announce his official 26-man squad following their game against Iceland on June 7.