Barcelona president Joan Laporta believes a revamped version of the European Super League could launch as soon as 2025, without any Premier League clubs taking part.

Barca, along with Real Madrid and Juventus, remained committed to the Super League project in the aftermath of a failed launch in April 2021, though the other nine founding clubs quickly withdrew their support.

In October, it was revealed that plans were afoot to revive the competition, with A22 Sports Management chief executive Bernd Reichart promising an "open format" as he sought support for the proposal.

UEFA called the Super League's supporters "greedy" after meeting with Reichart the following month, while European Union Court of Justice [CJUE] advocate general Athanasios Rantos dealt a blow to the proposed competition by stating UEFA and FIFA could lawfully sanction participating clubs. 

However, Laporta remains optimistic regarding the Super League project, with the remaining clubs hopeful the CJUE will rule any UEFA sanctions are incompatible with EU competition law.

"In March or April we will have the CJUE ruling. It will be a very important sentence and I think it will benefit the clubs," Laporta told Cadena SER on Thursday.

"The Super League will be an open competition. I would not have entered this project if the competition was not open. 

"We want the governance to belong to the clubs. I hope that UEFA will occupy one more chair at the governance table. If the resolution is favourable, I think the Super League will be a reality in 2025."

All six of the Premier League clubs originally involved in the Super League – Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and Liverpool – withdrew their support following a fierce public and media backlash to the plans in 2021.

Laporta does not expect any English sides to participate in the first edition of any future Super League, though he believes they will eventually join the competition if it succeeds.

"We will have a European competition that competes with the Premier League," he said. "I believe that the English teams will not enter at first. 

"We'd love for them to come in, but my opinion is that initially, they won't. I believe that everything will end with a merger later."

One feature of Laporta's tenure as Barca president has been his poor relationship with LaLiga president Javier Tebas, who he believes is not doing enough to ensure Spanish clubs can compete with their English counterparts.

"Our personal relationship has never been bad, but it has been tense. Tebas is a complicated person," he said. "He should be more concerned with recovering subscribers to football on television, increasing the income of Spanish football.

"We are defenders of financial control, but if you make a comparison between the Premier and the Spanish league... it is up to us to make them look at it."

Massimiliano Allegri acknowledges Juventus have room for improvement despite securing a seventh consecutive Serie A victory.

Arkadiusz Milik's late free-kick saw off Cremonese to extend the Bianconeri's winning run in a 1-0 victory that also marked seven games in a row without conceding.

While Allegri's side have been strong defensively, they have fallen below expectations in the attacking third – scoring just five goals in eight away matches in Serie A this term – and the Juventus coach is aware of the need to improve.

"Juve has a very important squad. At this stage, important young players came out," he told a post-match press conference.

"There are reasons to be happy, there is work to be done and to think that there is only room for improvement. The market is there if needed. At the moment, the Juventus squad is fine like this."

Juventus' hard-fought victory over Cremonese saw Allegri shuffle his deck in the second half, which ultimately proved decisive for Milik's late winner, and he praised the displays of his substitutes.

"We had five difficult minutes, then the game came back into our hands and Milik scored a great goal," he added, "I had important players on the bench and they did well.

"Chiesa came in well, [Adrien] Rabiot the same, [Leandro] Paredes did better as a winger. [Samuel] Iling-Junior came in well, [Moise] Kean, too. These changes on the bench are very important."

Allegri has further reasons to be positive amid the winning run with the quality of players due to return from injury – one of which is World Cup winner Angel di Maria, who has returned to training.

"Today he trained, he looks better," Allegri said, "Angel is extraordinary, he has extraordinary qualities.

"Unfortunately, he has taken this blow and we hope to have him available soon. Like [Paul] Pogba, [Dusan] Vlahovic and [Juan] Cuadrado. Everyone is needed."

Juventus host Udinese on Saturday, before then turning attention to what could be a crucial game on the road against Serie A leaders Napoli the following week.

Juventus extended their winning run to seven successive Serie A matches after a dramatic 1-0 triumph at Cremonese.

Arkadiusz Milik hit a late winner for the Bianconeri at the end of a match in which winless Cremonese had created the better of the chances.

The Serie A strugglers were twice frustrated by the officials in the first half, while Cyriel Dessers then struck the post in the second period.

But Milik's free-kick crept past Marco Carnesecchi for another victory that moved Juve to within seven points of leaders Napoli ahead of their clash with Inter.

Bayern Munich, Newcastle United and Chelsea are reportedly all interested in promising Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Meslier, 22, arrived at Elland Road on loan as a 19-year-old in 2019, forcing his way into the starting role as they won the Championship and earned promotion before the club made his deal permanent for £5million.

Since then, he has become the youngest goalkeeper to reach 50 Premier League appearances, and the youngest goalkeeper to tally 10 Premier League clean sheets, earning 11 caps for France's under-21 team in the process.

His exploits – including a season-high nine saves in a 2-1 win against Liverpool in October – have caught the eye of some of Europe's big spenders, and Leeds could be forced into a tough decision sooner rather than later.

TOP STORY – CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPEFULS QUEUE UP FOR LEEDS' MESLIER

According to RMC Sport, Bayern view Meslier as a potential long-term successor to Manuel Neuer, although they need the reinforcements as soon as possible due to Neuer's season-ending injury.

Leeds will be in the driver's seat in negotiations, however, with Meslier's contract tying him to the club until 2026.

Meanwhile, Chelsea and Newcastle have been impressed with his performances in the Premier League and would like to add him to their ranks.

It was reported two weeks ago by the Daily Mail that Eduoard Mendy had rejected a six-year contract extension from Chelsea, which would add fuel to this fire, while it is unclear how Newcastle view Nick Pope in their long-term plans.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano is reporting Bayern, Newcastle, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain will all make a run at signing 21-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone at the end of the season.

– According to The Times, Brentford are in the final stages of a £22m move for 21-year-old Freiburg forward Kevin Schade.

– Chelsea will make a late charge for 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger and Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk, per Fabrizio Romano.

– Calciomercato is reporting 24-year-old Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie has turned down transfers to Bournemouth and Aston Villa in the hope of landing at a bigger club.

– According to The Athletic, Manchester United could still sell right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka this month despite starting in all three of United's wins since the Premier League season resumed.

Paul Pogba has stepped up his recovery from a knee injury and could make his second Juventus debut later this month, Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed.

The France international has yet to make his first appearance for Juventus since returning on a free transfer from Manchester United ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

Pogba sustained a knee issue in pre-season and suffered another setback in October that subsequently ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar.

Speaking on December 18, Allegri said he was still unsure exactly when Pogba would return to action, with the 29-year-old yet to start running in training at that stage.

However, Allegri provided a more positive update at Tuesday's pre-match press conference ahead of Juve's Serie A clash with Cremonese.

"He's running. The most important thing is that at the moment is that the knee isn't bothering him and it hasn't swollen," Allegri told reporters. 

"If he proceeds like this, maybe within 15-20 days he will be able to be with the team, but it all depends on his evolution.

"When the pace picks up we'll see how much and if he can train with the team. If everything goes smoothly, we'll see step by step."

Juve have six matches to play before the end of January, starting with Wednesday's trip to Cremonese, who are still seeking a first league win of the season.

Leonardo Bonucci and Dusan Vlahovic are among Juve's other absentees, while Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes are doubtful and Federico Chiesa is not fully fit.

Chiesa is on the comeback from a long-term lay-off, while Di Maria and Paredes only returned to Turin on Monday following Argentina's prolonged World Cup celebrations.

Some have questioned whether the pair should have been asked to report back for duty sooner, but Allegri never considered that despite Juve's injury issues.

"No, absolutely not," he said. "We've never had any sort of emergency [with injuries]. The guys who stayed here during the World Cup have worked very well. 

"We have to look between now and June 5. Getting them back a day earlier wouldn't have changed anything. 

"Over there they followed a one-week programme of work and it was right that they enjoyed the week of winning the World Cup, which doesn't happen every year."

Allegri also confirmed he will make a late call on whether to select Wojciech Szczesny, but Brazil trio Danilo, Alex Sandro and Bremer are all available.

Third-place Juve enter the match with Cremonese on a six-game winning run in Serie A without conceding – their best-such run since March 2018 in Allegri's first spell in charge.

Juve, who have won 10 of their past 12 league games played after a break of more than 50 days, are 10 points adrift of leaders Napoli and still fighting on multiple fronts.

"When there are 50 days without playing, only the results will tell if we worked well, if we rested well or not," Allegri said. 

"I think it will be a very good second part of the season. Napoli are the clear favourites for the championship, but there are many points to play for. 

"We have the goal of getting into the top four and then going there to play in the finals of the Coppa Italia and the Europa League."

The Bianconeri have won 1-0 in each of their past three matches on the road in Serie A, against Torino, Lecce and Verona.

Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr looks likely to bring the curtain down on one of the greatest careers in the history of European football.

While writing off Ronaldo is always unwise, a combination of the striker's age and the unsavoury nature of his second spell at Manchester United make a return to elite European football seem improbable.

As a five-time Champions League winner and the top scorer in the history of European football's premier club competition, Ronaldo's legacy as one of the all-time greats is secure.

However, with seven top-flight league titles and a plethora of other trophies to his name, Ronaldo's impact on the continental game went beyond his goals on the grandest club stage.

With the five-time Ballon d'Or winner heading to Riyadh after penning a reported two-and-a-half-year deal with Al Nassr, Stats Perform looks back on his seismic impact in European club football.

Ronaldo's Premier League emergence

Ronaldo's return to the Premier League may not have gone to plan – the 37-year-old only scored once in the competition this term before an explosive interview with Piers Morgan led to his Old Trafford exit.

However, the three-time Premier League winner certainly made his mark in England, scoring 103 goals in 236 top-flight games for United.

Having burst onto the scene as a tricky winger, Ronaldo recorded 37 assists in the competition for the Red Devils, who he also helped to their third European title in 2008.

He also claimed his first Ballon d'Or while in Manchester in 2008 after scoring 31 goals in their title-winning 2007-08 campaign – that single-season tally has only been bettered by three players in the competition's history.

Making history with Madrid in LaLiga

Ronaldo may be treated as a legend at United, but it was at Real Madrid where he really made his name as one of football's greatest, becoming Los Blancos' top scorer with 450 goals in all competitions.

Incredibly, the Portugal forward averaged over a goal per game throughout his trophy-laden spell in Spain, hitting the net 311 times in 292 appearances in LaLiga.

Ronaldo scored with 16 per cent of his shots for Madrid, a higher percentage than he managed in the Premier League, Serie A or the Champions League. 

Madrid may be famed for their Champions League accomplishments, but Ronaldo also helped them to two domestic title triumphs in 2011-12 and 2016-17, netting 46 times as Jose Mourinho's side earned 100 points in the first of those campaigns.

Serie A success with the Bianconeri

Given Juventus' failure to win the Champions League, few consider Ronaldo's time in Turin to be an unmitigated success. The raw numbers, however, suggest otherwise.

Managing 81 goals in 98 league appearances for a club in perpetual crisis – with a conversion rate of 15 per cent – tells the story of how Ronaldo evolved in Serie A, honing his game as the ultimate penalty-box forward in his advancing years.

Despite a tumultuous period which saw Maurizio Sarri replace Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus stretched their incredible run of Scudetto success to nine consecutive seasons.

That stint ended in Ronaldo's final full campaign at the Allianz Stadium, though he still finished as Serie A's top scorer with 29 goals. 

The Champions League master

For those who believe Ronaldo to be the greatest to have played the game, the Portugal forward's exploits in the Champions League are always the crucial factor, the trump card.

Ronaldo's record of 140 goals in the competition is unmatched, though his great rival Lionel Messi (129) may have something to say about that if he declines to follow his fellow forward's lead in exiting Europe.

Averaging almost a goal contribution per game (180 in 183 appearances), Ronaldo won an astonishing 115 games in the Champions League, lifting the trophy five times – a joint-high tally.

As Madrid cemented their status as European masters by winning three consecutive titles between the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons, Ronaldo top-scored in the competition every season, cementing his legacy as the ultimate big-game player.

Massimiliano Allegri is not worried about Dusan Vlahovic's absence and revealed the striker was back running in training on Friday.

Vlahovic has been struggling with a groin injury as Juve prepare to resume the Serie A season against Cremonese next Wednesday following a break for the World Cup.

The Serbia international scored in his only World Cup start in Qatar, finding the back of the net in a 3-2 defeat to Switzerland.

Vlahovic is the Bianconeri's leading scorer this season with seven goals and head coach Allegri is not concerned over his injury issues.

He said after a 1-1 friendly draw with Standard Liege on Friday: "No. I'm never worried, think what philosophy of life I have. I see all things as an opportunity.

"If we had had [Paul] Pogba and all the great players we have, perhaps [Fabio] Miretti, [Nicolo] Fagioli would not have played.

"They are all good to say: 'Don't let young players play'. Young players, unless they are extraordinary players, play if certain situations arise."

Pogba is working his way back to full fitness after missing the World Cup due to a knee injury.

The 29-year-old is waiting on his first appearance of the season after rejoining the Turin giants following his Manchester United exit.

Allegri said of the France midfielder: "Pogba has been running for four to five days, he's been doing work and his knee is responding well.

"Then there's [Mattia] De Sciglio who's working, [Juan] Cuadrado ran and his knee doesn't bother him, [Leonardo] Bonucci's inflammation is slowly improving. We need to be confident and concentrate on what we have."

Allegri was also able to provide an encouraging update on Federico Chiesa's fitness, too.

"Today he had personalised and therefore differentiated work planned, yesterday he was part of the team and I saw him very well, even too much and I stopped him," he said of the Italy forward.

Manchester United are set to be busy in the January transfer window following Cristiano Ronaldo's exit in November.

Erik ten Hag's side are in the market to bolster their forward options, having already been linked to a host of players.

But United look set to settle for short-term loan deals with little money available for a transfer fee, limiting their options.

TOP STORY – MAN UTD INTERESTED IN EX-CHELSEA FLOP MORATA

Manchester United have turned their attention to signing Spain international forward Alvaro Morata on loan, according to ESPN.

United missed out on signing Cody Gakpo, who has joined Liverpool, while they face stiff competition to land Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix along with a reported total package worth €22million for six months.

The report claims the Red Devils are hoping Atletico are willing to listen to loan offers, with the 30-year-old having been loaned to Juventus this season.

ROUND-UP

– Media Foot claims Manchester United and Tottenham have both commenced talks with Rennes on £34m-valued striker Martin Terrier.

– Chelsea are rapidly closing in on a deal for 21-year-old Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, according to CBS' Ben Jacobs, with personal terms agreed.

– The Athletic reports that Chelsea have taken positive steps in talks with N'Golo Kante on re-committing to the club on a new deal. Kante's contract expires in June and he has been linked with several clubs in the January transfer window, including Barcelona .

– Manchester City will offer Milan forward Rafael Leao a contract worth €12m per season as they bid to lure him to England in January, claims TuttoMercatoWeb.

– Borussia Dortmund have joined the race to sign Juventus' United States international midfielder Weston McKennie, according to Tuttosport, with the German club viewing him as a suitable replacement for Jude Bellingham.

– PSG defender Sergio Ramos is being pursued by Saudi Arabian outfit Al Nassr, claims Marca. Al Nassr are trying to convince Cristiano Ronaldo to join the club, which is their priority move.

Alexis Mac Allister's father and representative Carlos has labelled Juventus "one of the most prestigious clubs in the world" amid growing speculation over the midfielder's future.

Brighton and Hove Albion star Mac Allister is a player in demand after starting six of Argentina's seven games in their triumphant World Cup 2022 campaign.

The 24-year-old signed a new three-year deal in October, with the option for Brighton to extend it by a further year, yet that has done little to quell interest from elsewhere.

Premier League trio Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have been linked, but Juventus are reportedly the frontrunners to sign Mac Allister next year.

And Mac Alister's agent spoke highly of the Serie A giants when providing an update on the former Boca Juniors loanee's future on Thursday. 

"Juventus is a huge club, one of the most prestigious in the world," Carlos Mac Allister told Tuttomercato. 

"I can only say that together with [Brighton] we will analyse the offers we receive, then we will decide what will happen to Alexis' future. 

"He is doing very well in England and he is grateful to Brighton because they gave him the possibility to play in Europe. 

"However, we cannot provide a price, nor do we say who has called us. We don't want to give information that could prejudice imminent negotiations, if any."

Mac Allister scored a crucial goal for Argentina in their group-stage win against Poland and assisted Angel Di Maria's goal in a thrilling final with France.

The 14-cap midfielder has started 14 of Brighton's 15 matches this season, missing only Monday's 3-1 win at Southampton as he enjoys a post-World Cup break.

Discussing the speculation surrounding Mac Allister earlier this month, Brighton chief executive Paul Barber said he is confident the club can keep hold of their prized asset.

"As we've always said, when players do well, when their profile increases, there's always going to be interest in them," Barber said. 

"This will be no different; Alexis is no different. There was interest in him before the World Cup and I'm sure there will be more interest in him afterwards.

"All we can do in situations where you've got a great asset is to try and protect yourself as best as possible. We've done that with several of our players and staff.

"That's all you can do in these situations. We hope Alexis will continue to be playing for us for some time to come."

The power dynamic at Paris Saint-Germain is a curious watch, with Lionel Messi set to formalise an agreement to remain for another season.

Kylian Mbappe re-signed with the French champions in May until 2025 but has still been linked with moves away from the club.

Messi came out on top over Mbappe in the World Cup final earlier this month, and Barcelona believe an opportunity might arise. 

TOP STORY – BARCELONA SET TO SWOOP FOR FRUSTRATED MBAPPE

Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona are set for a shock move to sign Mbappe.

Speculation over Mbappe's future is growing amid reports he was further frustrated at Parc des Princes after Messi committed to extending his PSG stay.

The 24-year-old was close to joining Real Madrid in the past but he has been turned off by Los Blancos, since copping heavy criticism after opting to renew with PSG, and could now move to their fierce LaLiga rivals instead.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Barca have identified 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko as a potential target and want to sign him as a free agent next year.

– Liverpool want to sign Brighton and Hove Albion's World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, reports La Repubblica. The Reds have joined Juventus, Dortmund, Inter and Benfica in pursuing the Argentina midfielder.

– Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is set to choose Real Madrid over Liverpool, with the Spanish champions to prioritise a deal in 2023, claims Goal. The Liverpool Echo reports Bellingham and Dortmund will sit down in January to discuss his future.

– Liverpool are interested in Inter defender Milan Skriniar , according to Fichajes. The Reds are looking at defensive reinforcements, with Skriniar out of contract at the end of this season.

– Chelsea are interested in signing Celtic's Croatia international Josip Juranovic as cover for the injured Reece James, according to Sky Sports.

– Il Tempo claims that Roma have sounded out PSG about terminating Georginio Wijnaldum's season-long loan. The Dutchman suffered a serious injury in August.

Dusan Vlahovic "should have done more" at Juventus, according to former Fiorentina team-mate Borja Valero.

The Serbia striker joined the Bianconeri for €70million in January, having scored 41 goals in 64 appearances for La Viola since the start of the 2020-21 season.

But the 22-year-old has subsequently struggled to kick on, despite finishing as the second-highest scorer in Serie A last term with 24 goals - a tally only bettered by Lazio's Ciro Immobile (27).

Vlahovic has only netted 16 times in 36 games for Juve with a groin injury hampering his progress this season, while also limiting his participation for Serbia at the World Cup in Qatar. 

Valero played alongside Vlahovic at Fiorentina during the 2020-21 campaign, and the ex-midfielder is disappointed with his former team-mate's spell in Turin.

"The Bianconeri fans had very high expectations of Vlahovic, especially for everything he had done in Florence," he told DAZN.

"Considering the amount that Juve paid to get him, it's true to say that I expected more from him. He should have done more."

Paul Pogba's brother Mathias has been released from prison.

Lawyer Yassine Bouzrou confirmed to BFMTV his client left Maison d'arret de Villepinte on Friday after his request for bail was accepted by the authorities.

Mathias was detained for three months after being charged over the alleged extortion of the Juventus and France midfielder.

An investigation was opened in August into allegations Paul was the target of an extortion plot by his brother and childhood friends demanding a sum of €13million.

Mathias, who was denied bail 12 days after his initial sentencing, threatened to share "explosive revelations" in a video posted on social media.

The 32-year-old denied taking part in extortion attempts against his brother.

BFMTV said Mathias was placed under judicial supervision and was prohibited from contacting Paul, his mother and others involved in the case.

Former France international and World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi has announced his retirement at the age of 35.

The midfielder, who has not played this year after he was omitted from Inter Miami's 2022 roster, has officially called time on his career.

An 84-cap veteran for Les Bleus, Matuidi was a member of Didier Deschamps' Russia 2018-winning squad, starting four of their matches including the 4-2 final success against Croatia.

In a statement to social media, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus man spoke of realising his ambitions, and thanked fans for their support over the years.

"Football, I loved you so much," he wrote. "Football, you gave me so much, but the time has come to say stop.

"I accomplished my dreams as a child, my dreams as a man. It is with a tight throat but with pride that I turn this page today."

Matuidi, who made his senior debut with Troyes in 2004, spent over the first decade of his career in his home country, moving to Saint-Etienne, and then PSG in 2011.

There, he was one of several players who formed the bedrock of their emergence as the dominant force in French domestic football.

A switch to Juventus in 2017 brought three Serie A titles with the Bianconeri, before he joined Miami in 2020.

With seven domestic top-flight titles across his career, Matuidi was also a member of the France squad that came second at Euro 2016, and was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour for his international success.

Benfica will reportedly hold out for Enzo Fernandez's full €120million release clause just six months after signing him for €10million from River Plate.

Fernandez, 21, has become one of the hottest names in football since arriving at Benfica, helping his side to an undefeated group stage in the Champions League before earning his place in Argentina's World Cup squad.

After starting the group stage on the bench, Fernandez worked his way into the starting XI for the final group match against Poland, before playing every minute of Argentina's run through the knockout stages.

His rapid rise saw Fernandez become a target of both Real Madrid and Liverpool, and despite earlier reports that he would be available for €100m, the Portuguese club will now seemingly not settle for anything less than his release clause.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL, MADRID TOLD TO MEET €120M RELEASE CLAUSE FOR FERNANDEZ

Portuguese publication Record is reporting the €100million bid Benfica rejected came from Liverpool, with an earlier Daily Mirror story claiming the Reds had reached a pre-agreement with Fernandez on personal terms.

Liverpool have made no secret of their desire for a new midfielder, but it remains to be seen if the extra €20million to meet the release clause will be a deal-breaker.

Meanwhile, Madrid appear to be looking elsewhere, with a fresh report from AS stating they are in the driver's seat in the chase for Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, and that they view 24-year-old Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli as a reliable back-up plan if they land neither Fernandez or Bellingham.

ROUND-UP

– Chelsea have agreed to a £10.5million signing of 20-year-old forward David Datro Fofana from Norwegian club Molde, per Fabrizio Romano.

– According to Repubblica, Arsenal are interested in signing 27-year-old Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer at the end of the season.

– The Evening Standard is reporting Fulham, Villarreal and Bayer Leverkusen are considering January moves for Arsenal full-back Cedric Soares.

– The Evening Standard is also reporting Crystal Palace would like to bring right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka back to the club, three years after selling him to Manchester United.

– According to Sport, Barcelona will look to move on from Raphinha at the end of the season if he does not make himself a key part of Xavi's plans.

Angel Di Maria has been "galvanised" by Argentina's World Cup success, which Massimiliano Allegri sees as good news for Juventus.

Di Maria played a starring role in his country's epic final triumph against France on Sunday.

The winger won the penalty for Lionel Messi's opener, then added a sublime second himself before being substituted with Argentina seemingly in control.

France rallied to reach a shoot-out following a 3-3 draw, but Messi and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez led Lionel Scaloni's side to a long-awaited victory.

Di Maria had returned to the Argentina line-up for the Lusail Stadium showpiece having lost his place in the XI following an injury in the group stage.

It has been a similar story for the 34-year-old at club level this season, joining Juve as a free agent but seeing only 246 minutes of Serie A action prior to Qatar 2022.

Bianconeri coach Allegri is optimistic now, however, with Di Maria joined in the Argentina squad by club-mate Leandro Paredes.

"For sure they are galvanised by this World Cup victory," Allegri said on Thursday.

"And they are well physically, which is the most important thing, especially for Di Maria, who had some problems in the first part of the season anyway."

Di Maria's fitness has been far from Juve's only problem, with Allegri's men eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage and 10 points off the pace in Serie A.

But the coach said: "We need to prepare well and get back into the championship atmosphere straight away, because then from January 4 until June 5, we're never going to stop.

"We need to be very good at trying to play 36 games, which would mean getting to the Europa League final and getting to the Coppa Italia final."