Carlo Ancelotti is back in charge of Real Madrid and has plenty on his plate after succeeding Zinedine Zidane.
The Italian called time on an 18-month stay at Everton in order to return to the club where he won the Champions League, Copa del Rey and Club World Cup in a spell between 2013 and 2015.
However, Ancelotti inherits a Real squad with plenty of question marks over it.
The Spanish giants have just endured their first trophyless season since 2009-10 and so there is plenty for the 61-year-old to consider as he starts his second stint.
Sergio Ramos' future
Ancelotti joins a Madrid side who are on the cusp of losing captain Sergio Ramos for nothing. The Spaniard has long been in talks over a new deal but, with his current contract days from expiry, no breakthrough seems imminent.
Although his last season was hampered by injury that has cost him a place at Euro 2020 with Spain, Ramos still proved his worth time and time again.
Looking at his performances in LaLiga, the 35-year-old posted better statistics in tackle success rate (80 per cent) and tackles won per 90 minutes (0.85) than any of his fellow Real centre-halves.
He was also dribbled past fewer times per 90 minutes (0.28) than Raphael Varane (0.3), Eder Militao (0.48) and Nacho (1.03).
These statistics could well be enough to convince Ancelotti to keep him around.
Does Hazard have a role?
With 21 appearances, four goals, and further injury issues all Eden Hazard has to show for last season, it has been suggested a departure could be the best outcome for all parties.
But Ancelotti will no doubt be tempted to try and get the best out of the Belgian as he looks to fix an attack that needs to offer a wider threat.
Karim Benzema remains from the Italian's first stint, but no other Madrid player got close to the French striker's 23 goals in LaLiga last term, with Casemiro (6), Marco Asensio and Luka Modric (both 5) next best.
Hazard could be key to bridging that gap if he can stay fit for long enough periods.
What next for returning loanees?
One man who could help on the goal front is Gareth Bale, who scored 11 times in 20 Premier League appearances for Tottenham during a season-long loan stay in 2020-21.
The Welshman first joined Real under Ancelotti in the summer of 2013 and could be more open to staying put with a manager who has faith in him after becoming frustrated under Zidane.
It remains to be seen what happens with Martin Odegaard, who will return from a loan spell at Arsenal where he impressed but perhaps not to the degree necessary to earn a starting place in Madrid.
The futures of Luka Jovic and Brahim Diaz are also uncertain as they return from Eintracht Frankfurt and Milan respectively.
One big sale?
With Real feeling the pinch of a season without supporters, it is likely that the new manager will have to generate his own funds in the transfer market.
And, with moving on fringe players likely to be tricky, the possibility of selling a more in-demand asset increases.
Raphael Varane is one possible contender as he heads into the final year of his contract amid reported interest from the likes of Manchester United.
The Frenchman established himself as a regular starter in Ancelotti's second season and has missed just 68 of the 266 league games played since that point.
Real conceded an average of 1.1 goal per game without Varane across the past seven seasons, and 0.9 in the fixtures in which he featured.
Interestingly, though, their win percentage rose to 73.5 per cent without him in the side from 66.2 per cent with - will these statistics inform the manager's decision?
One big signing?
Money may be tight at Real Madrid, but that won't stop them being linked to the biggest names in world football.
Kylian Mbappe is one of them, the Frenchman having enjoyed another remarkable season in which he scored more goals (21) and landed more shots on target (55) than anyone else in Ligue 1.
The 22-year-old also converted 60.5 per cent of his big chances - a rate that would help ease Real's problems with lack of goals outside of Benzema.
Still, it remains to be seen whether Ancelotti can pull together the funds to start off his reign with such a high-profile signing.
Rafael Nadal started his quest for a 14th French Open title with a straight-sets defeat of Alexei Popyrin on Tuesday.
The defending champion will face Richard Gasquet in the second round after a 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-3) victory over powerful Australian Popyrin on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Nadal, eyeing a record 21st grand slam title, saved two set points in the third set as Popyrin gave a demonstration of his promise, but the world number three finished off the job in in two hours and 23 minutes on a glorious day in Paris.
Popyrin held to love in his first service game and matched Nadal in the first set before he ballooned a forehand long and wide to go 5-3 down.
Nadal served out the set in typically composed fashion and maintained his momentum in the second, charging into a 4-0 lead.
The third seed lost only three points behind his first serve in the second set, saving the only break point he faced as Popyrin was unable to live with his power and precision.
Popyrin would not go down without a fight, though, and although Nadal levelled at 2-2 after fending off a break point, he was unable to deny the world number 63 a first break for a 4-2 lead.
The 21-year-old failed to win two set points when he tried to serve it out at 5-4 up as Nadal got himself out of trouble and went on to dominate the tie-break, ending the match with a rasping forehand that his opponent returned well wide.
Data Slam: King of Clay Nadal up to 101-2
Nadal's latest victory in Paris took his record at his favourite grand slam to a staggering 101 victories and two defeats.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Nadal – 28/23
Popyrin – 34/43
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Nadal– 7/5
Popyrin – 8/5
BREAK POINTS WON
Nadal – 4/11
Popyrin – 1/4
Carlo Ancelotti is the new head coach of Real Madrid after Florentino Perez attracted the Italian from Everton.
Ancelotti dramatically jumped to the front of the queue for the job when it had looked as though Raul and Mauricio Pochettino were the main contenders.
His appointment means a return to the club that sacked him six years ago, with Perez having been head of the board that reached that decision at the end of the 2014-15 season.
Perez said at the time he had a good personal relationship with Ancelotti, and that will have been a factor in bringing the veteran coach back to the Spanish capital.
Carlo Ancelotti is the new head coach of Real Madrid after Florentino Perez attracted the Italian from Everton.
Ancelotti dramatically jumped to the front of the queue for the job when it had looked as though Raul and Mauricio Pochettino were the main contenders.
His appointment means a return to the club that sacked him six years ago, with Perez having been head of the board that reached that decision at the end of the 2014-15 season.
Perez said at the time he had a good personal relationship with Ancelotti, and that will have been a factor in bringing the veteran coach back to the Spanish capital.
Ancelotti could not deliver a LaLiga title during his previous two-year stint, but he helped Madrid win the Champions League in 2014 - the 10th time in their history they had become European club champions, famously recognised as 'La Decima'.
Madrid also landed the Copa del Rey in the same season and the Club World Cup in December 2014.
Since leaving the Santiago Bernabeu, Ancelotti has coached Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton, joining the latter in December 2019.
Madrid confirmed his appointment on their official website, stating: "Carlo Ancelotti is Real Madrid's new manager. The 61-year-old Italian coach comes from Everton and returns to our club after making history in his first spell.
"He managed Real Madrid for two seasons, between 2013 and 2015, and became the coach of La Decima. With him at the helm, the team reigned again in Europe 12 years later after the unforgettable Lisbon final against Atletico."
Madrid relinquished the league title in the 2020-21 season as Atletico Madrid were crowned champions in Spain.
Under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane, they finished the campaign without a trophy, after an early Copa del Rey exit to minnows Alcoyano and a Champions League semi-final loss to Chelsea.
Zidane resigned last week, bringing an end to his second stint in charge, and now another coach gets a second opportunity at one of the most demanding jobs in football, where winning trophies is everything.
Ancelotti's Everton finished 10th in the 2020-21 Premier League season.
That position has been viewed as a failure in some quarters, given the investment in a world-renowned coach. Yet of all managers to have taken charge of at least 10 Premier League games with Everton, Ancelotti's average of 1.53 points per game is unsurpassed.
LaLiga is the only one of Europe's top five leagues that Ancelotti has not yet won, having triumphed in Serie A with Milan, in the Premier League with Chelsea, in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain and in Germany's Bundesliga with Bayern.
He has also won the Champions League three times in his coaching career – twice with Milan and once with Madrid – which is a record he shares with former Liverpool boss Bob Paisley and Zidane.
Trent Alexander-Arnold survived the cull of England's extended Euro 2020 squad as Gareth Southgate named his final 26-man list on Tuesday.
The Liverpool defender, arguably the standout full-back in world football in the 2019-20 season, was expected by many to pay the price for a dip in form over the previous nine months.
England have riches at the position, and Southgate has also selected further specialist right-backs in Atletico Madrid's Kieran Trippier, Manchester City's Kyle Walker and Chelsea's Reece James.
The players to miss out as Southgate trimmed the 33-man group he named last week were Jesse Lingard, Ben Godfrey, Aaron Ramsdale, Ollie Watkins, James Ward-Prowse and Ben White, with Mason Greenwood withdrawing from contention due to what his club, Manchester United, described as an "underlying injury".
England squad for Euro 2020:
Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton); Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City); Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund); Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).
Trent Alexander-Arnold survived the cull of England's extended Euro 2020 squad as Gareth Southgate named his final 26-man list on Tuesday.
The Liverpool defender, arguably the standout full-back in world football in the 2019-20 season, was expected by many to pay the price for a dip in form over the previous nine months.
England have riches at the position, and Southgate has also selected further specialist right-backs in Atletico Madrid's Kieran Trippier, Manchester City's Kyle Walker and Chelsea's Reece James.
The players to miss out as Southgate trimmed the 33-man group he named last week were Jesse Lingard, Ben Godfrey, Aaron Ramsdale, Ollie Watkins, James Ward-Prowse and Ben White, with Mason Greenwood withdrawing from contention due to what his club, Manchester United, described as an "underlying injury".
Lingard had a highly productive second half of the season on loan at West Ham, but it was not enough to persuade the Three Lions boss.
Southgate said that decision proved "very difficult".
The players who were excluded will remain with the squad over the coming days and could feature in friendlies against Austria on Wednesday and Romania on Sunday, both of which will be played at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium.
Southgate said Lingard was likely to start the game against Austria.
The inclusion of defender Harry Maguire follows concern over the Manchester United player's ankle injury, which ruled him out of the Europa League final.
Southgate said he had "a lot more clarity" over who would be available for his squad after United's clash with Villarreal and the Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City.
Of those who missed out on his tournament selection, he said: "I know what a disappointment that is for them, not to be going to a major championship.
"With Jordan [Henderson] and Harry Maguire we have a couple of players who are not where they'd be ideally in terms of their physical prep. But we feel the experience they have, the fact we think we can get them to a point where they can have an involvement in the tournament, it's worth taking them, especially as we've got an extended squad of 26."
England squad for Euro 2020:
Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton); Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City); Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund); Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).
Petra Kvitova has withdrawn from the French Open after damaging her ankle in a fall during a press conference on Sunday.
Kvitova was due to face Elena Vesnina in the second round at Roland Garros, having already beaten qualifier Greet Minnen in straight sets.
The 11th seed's participation in the second grand slam of the year is over, though, due to a freak injury suffered as she was carrying out media duties after her opening match.
Kvitova - a two-time Wimbledon champion - is hoping to recover in time for the grass-court season following such an unfortunate setback.
"It is with great disappointment that I announce my withdrawal from Roland Garros," she tweeted on Tuesday.
"During my post-match press conference on Sunday I fell and hurt my ankle. Unfortunately, after an MRI and much discussion with my team, I have made the tough decision that it would be unwise to play on it.
"It's incredibly bad luck, but I will stay strong and do my best to recover for the grass court season."
World number one Ash Barty battled through injury and a stubborn opponent in Bernarda Pera on Tuesday to advance to round two of the French open in three sets.
Barty, who missed out on the chance of defending her title at Roland Garros last year due to coronavirus restrictions, struggled with a back issue but still prevailed 6-4 3-6 6-2.
The top seed had 18 winners to 25 unforced errors as she made it eight wins in Paris, where either Magda Linette or Chloe Paquet await in the next round.
She had little trouble in seeing out the first set, hitting 80 per cent of her first serves, but she became passive from that point on and her opponent took advantage in the second set.
World number 70 Pera earned the only break in the second game and took her second set point to level up the contest.
Barty then had a scare as she called a medical time out at the beginning of the deciding set, but she looked a lot more focused from that point on.
The Australian saved the two break points she faced and broke Pera in the sixth and eighth games to pick up the victory in exactly two hours.
"This court is very close to my heart," Barty said in her on-court interview. "It's so nice to play here in front of fans, you make it enjoyable for players.
"Thank you very much. I just keep fighting. I was able to build more pressure in the third set which was important but Bernarda played an incredible match."
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has declared Lionel Messi wants to stay at Camp Nou as talks over a new contract continue.
The Argentine forward wanted to leave last August before agreeing to stay and reconsider at the end of his existing deal, which expires on June 30.
The captain and record scorer's public show of discontent at Barcelona's leadership led to links with the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, who hoped to sign him on a free transfer.
However, the election of a new president in Laporta appears to have salvaged the 33-year-old's relationship with the club where he has spent the entirety of his professional career.
Amid reports a two-year contract extension is close to being agreed, Laporta has offered his most optimistic update yet.
He said: "Our talks with the agents of Leo Messi are going well. We hope they continue to progress. It's not done... but we know Leo wants to stay."
Barcelona's summer business has begun with two free transfer signings in the form of Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia, both of whom have arrived from Manchester City.
They are expected to be joined by Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay, whose respective contracts at Liverpool and Lyon are also up this summer.
This approach owes much to the club's latest financial results, which showed overall debt of almost €1.2billion.
However, Laporta insists Barca will still be able to renew Messi's deal, even as they look to make savings elsewhere.
He said: "The renewal of Messi does not depend on the audit. We are in talks with the agents of Leo and they are going well.
"We hope they continue to progress. What happens with Leo is not a matter of money, but a matter of the future and sports.
"He wants to continue with this idea because he wants a team that can help him win leagues, Champions [League] and titles in the short-term."
Netherlands goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen will miss Euro 2020 after testing positive for coronavirus.
The 32-year-old was forced to sit out the Netherlands' pre-tournament training camp in Portugal after returning a positive result last week.
Cillessen has 60 caps for his country and was expected to be first choice at the European Championship finals, but boss Frank de Boer has omitted the Valencia stopper from his squad.
AZ keeper Marco Bizot, who has been part of the Netherlands' warm-up preparations, has now been included in the final 26-man group.
The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) confirmed the news in a statement on Tuesday, a day before facing Scotland in their penultimate friendly in the Algarve ahead of the tournament.
Explaining his decision to leave out experienced keeper Cillessen, De Boer said at a news conference: "Let me start by saying this is incredibly sour for Jasper.
"I informed him of my decision this morning. I had to take the plunge. He tested positive for coronavirus and as a result missed an important part of our preparations.
"We don't know how long it will take until he is 100 per cent fit again. I don't want to taken any chances. We are on the eve of a European Championship and I want certainty."
Tim Krul and Maarten Stekelenburg, of Norwich City and Ajax respectively, will now battle it out to be first choice for the Netherlands, with late call-up Bizot acting as a back-up.
De Boer's side kick off their Group D campaign against Ukraine in Amsterdam on June 13 before facing Austria and North Macedonia.
Serge Gnabry believes he could be the answer to Germany's goalscoring problem at Euro 2020.
The Bayern Munich forward has spent most of his career in wide roles, but coach Joachim Low – who will step down after the tournament – has selected just two strikers in his squad.
That suggests the coach is looking for others to make themselves available for central attacking duties, and the likes of Gnabry and Kai Havertz could be made for the job.
Havertz's Chelsea team-mate Timo Werner and Monaco forward Kevin Volland are the two frontline strikers at Low's disposal.
Germany were thrashed 6-0 by Spain last November in the Nations League, and although they began their World Cup qualifying campaign in March with wins over Iceland and Romania, a subsequent defeat to North Macedonia pointed to shortcomings.
On Wednesday they will tackle Denmark in a friendly in Innsbruck, a penultimate game before Germany launch their Euro 2020 campaign with a June 15 clash against France in Munich.
"I don't know yet whether I'll play on the wing or in the middle," Gnabry said in a pre-game news conference. "I haven't had a concrete conversation with the national coach.
"I'll do my best when I play in the centre and imitate the striker. But we have so much potential on the offensive that it doesn't really matter who is up front."
Gnabry suggested he enjoyed the central role because it inflated his chances of personal glory.
"Because you're closer to the goal, that's the only reason," Gnabry said. "I just love to score goals."
The former Arsenal player warned, however: "I'm not a [Robert] Lewandowski or [Erling] Haaland."
Gnabry scored just 11 goals for Bayern in the season just ended, after a 23-goal campaign in 2019-20, while Werner netted 12 for Chelsea and Volland hit the back of the net 18 times.
Gnabry's goals came at a healthy rate of one every 216.55 minutes, behind Volland (one every 177.11 minutes) but well ahead of Werner (one every 318.83 minutes).
Germany's Champions League finalists are not available for the Denmark game, meaning Low must get by without Havertz, Werner, Antonio Rudiger and Ilkay Gundogan.
Toni Kroos, Jamal Musiala and Leon Goretzka are also expected to be absent, the coach seeing his 26-man squad depleted.
Thomas Muller and Mats Hummels should win their first caps since November 2018, having been frozen out over the last two and a half years as Low attempted to give his team a younger look.
The coach went cap in hand to both recently, beckoning them back into his squad, and the experienced pair accepted the invitation.
Asked about Bayern team-mate Muller, Gnabry said: "He absolutely deserves it. He is incredibly effective and particularly valuable in terms of motivation. It's good to have him here."
Muller was one of only five players from Europe's top five leagues to score at least 15 goals and have at least 15 assists across all competitions in the 2020-21 season.
He scored 15 times and set up 19 goals, with the others in that exclusive club being Tottenham's Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes and Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.
Hummels also had a stellar season in defence for Dortmund. He is 32 and Muller is 31, and Gnabry sees their experience and leadership qualities as being a major boon for Die Mannschaft.
"It's always good to have leaders on your team," Gnabry said. "If we all pull together, we will be successful."
John Fleck has tested positive for coronavirus at Scotland's pre-Euro 2020 training camp in Alicante.
The Sheffield United midfielder will self-isolate in La Finca, where the Scotland squad have spent the last four days, and will not travel with the rest of his team-mates for Wednesday's friendly against the Netherlands in Portugal.
Scotland also face Luxembourg in a friendly on Sunday before their Euro 2020 opener against the Czech Republic in Glasgow on June 14.
The rest of the squad were tested on Tuesday following five-cap Fleck's positive result and all returned negative tests.
Scotland boss Steve Clarke said: "He has no symptoms. Obviously, he's got to isolate for a few days so we'll keep an eye on him and look after him like we do everybody. So hopefully it stops there.
"We're looking at the information we’ve got and relying on the doctors and the medical opinions and we’re 90 per cent sure that John brought it into the camp.
"It's one of those things. We know the state of the world at the moment with the pandemic. We just have to deal with it, as other countries might have to deal with it as well."
Scotland, who are preparing for their first major tournament in 23 years, also face England and Croatia in Group D.
Stuart Broad will be England's vice-captain for the Test series against New Zealand.
Joe Root confirmed on the eve of England's first game of the summer at Lord's that paceman Broad will be his deputy.
Broad steps in with Ben Stokes still recovering from a fractured finger and Jos Buttler rested after completing a quarantine period following the cancellation of the Indian Premier League.
England face the Black Caps at Edgbaston after starting the two-match series at Lord's this week.
Broad revealed he considered retiring after he was left "frustrated, angry and gutted" over his omission from the side for the first Test against West Indies in July before responding with some outstanding performances.
James Anderson will match Alastair Cook's record of 161 Test appearances if he is named in the team to face on Kane Williamson's side in London on Wednesday.
Boris Becker fears Naomi Osaka's career could be "in danger" after she withdrew from the French Open to prioritise improving her mental health.
Osaka had hit the headlines by revealing she would not face the media at Roland Garros because "people have no regard for athletes' mental health" during news conferences.
The four-time grand slam champion was fined for not fulfilling her media duties after beating Maria Tig and warned she could face more severe sanctions.
Osaka on Monday revealed she had pulled out of the second major of the year to take time away from the court, having struggled with "long bouts of depression" since winning the US Open in 2018.
The 23-year-old also spoke of her struggles with social anxiety and Becker is concerned for her tennis future.
Becker, a winner of six grand slam titles in his illustrious career, told Eurosport: "I heard her first response a couple of days ago about this media boycott and that is something to be always taken seriously, especially from such a young woman.
"She couldn't cope with the pressures of facing the media after she loses a match, but that happens frequently and you have to deal with it.
"I always believed the media was part of the job. Without the media, there is no prize money, no contracts, you don't get half the cake. I hated the media and I didn't like talking to journalists, but you had to do it.
"Now she is pulling out of the tournament altogether because she can't cope with it and that raises much bigger questions for me.
"If she can't cope with the media in Paris, she can't cope with the media in Wimbledon or the US Open. So I almost feel like her career is in danger due to mental health issues."
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