PATRICK COLLINS, CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: One balmy evening in Cape Town, in the summer of 2010, a television camera followed Wayne Rooney from a football pitch.

PATRICK COLLINS, CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Football managers won't ever voice contemptuous sentiments about their fans, but sometimes their faces reveal their private thoughts.

PATRICK COLLINS: Blackpool's chairman revealed his true nature for all to see in the text messages he sent to a fan, yet he still retains his place at Blackpool and the Football League.

The most depressing words of this young sporting year were spoken by Jimmy Anderson. One of the more discordant sounds of an English summer is the distant drone of him sledging.

PATRICK COLLINS: Sport at its cleanest and brightest generates a sense of wonder, a feeling that peaks are being scaled and limits are being breached.

JAMIE REDKNAPP: To think Jordan Henderson's first official season as Liverpool captain ended with the club finishing eighth in the Premier League is quite remarkable.

JAMIE REDKNAPP: With Carlo Ancelotti as a manager and Duncan Ferguson as a mentor, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is getting the best of both worlds. He can become a true No 9.

I say get rid of this shoulder and armpit nonsense and judge offside by the players' feet. Draw the line and see whether the attacker's foot is closer to the goal then that of the last defender.

JAMIE REDKNAPP - INSIGHT: Late October 2017, Liverpool went to Tottenham. Harry Kane destroyed Dejan Lovren, who was hooked after 31 minutes, and Jurgen Klopp's side lost 4-1.

JAMIE REDKNAPP: If Mourinho needs a striker, then he could do worse than look at Troy Parrott. He's been training with the first team, learning from the master Kane and has been capped by Ireland.

JAMIE REDKNAPP - Word is Jordan Henderson could be fit to face Atletico Madrid in Wednesday's second leg at Anfield and do not underestimate the impact that would have for this team. 

Erling Haaland has scored an astonishing 11 goals in just seven games for Borussia Dortmund after sealing his £17million switch from Red Bull Salzburg in January.

Ahead of facing Watford this weekend, Fernandes opened up on the impact Cristiano Ronaldo, who he plays alongside for the Portuguese national team, has had on his career to date.

Maurizio Sarri launched into a bizarre outburst at the expense of his Juventus side, following their abject 1-0 defeat to Lyon in the Champions League last 16 first-leg. No punches were pulled.

ALVISE CAGNAZZO IN ITALY: Juventus produced their worst performance of the season as they lost 1-0 to Lyon. But their struggles in France are indicative of deeper problems with Sarri and the squad.

Juventus host Inter Milan in the standout fixture of this weekend's Serie A schedule but, as things stand, the top of the table clash will be played out in front of empty stands.

The Turin giants' duo were caught on camera at half-time, and could be overheard bemoaning a lack of support during another underwhelming display.

Jorge Mendes' house in Portugal has been searched by Portuguese tax authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.

ALVISE CAGNAZZO IN ITALY: It hasn't been easy for Aaron Ramsey since he swapped Arsenal for Juventus but the midfielder finally appears to have understood the mechanisms of Serie A.

Tottenham were dumped out of the Champions League by Leipzig and qualification through the league is looking unlikely. The Italian giants hope that will be a factor in luring Kane to Turin.

Cristiano Ronaldo is remaining in quarantine in his Madeira home after Juventus team-mate Daniele Rugani tested positive for coronavirus. 

His energy and creativity has brought new life to the United midfield - he was named Premier League Player of the Month for Feburary on Monday and has now spoken about his relationship with Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo obtained permission from Juventus to go to Madeira, the Portuguese island where he was born, to assist his mother and complete the quarantine from coronavirus at home.

AS report that Cristiano Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes has spent a significant amount of money buying 200,000 gowns and three ventilators for the hospital in Porto.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes will finance three intensive care units for patients suffering from coronavirus at hospitals in Lisbon and Porto - with the donation worth £1million.

The experienced defender has been forced to settle for reduced game time this campaign after the arrival of Ferland Mendy from Lyon, and has long since been linked with a potential switch to Turin.

Pele this week said that he believes Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Lionel Messi, a view that goes a long way in strengthening the Portuguese's case. But what have other legends made of the rivalry?

Cristiano Ronaldo is doing his bit to help Juventus cut costs in the coronavirus outbreak but due to the astronomical success of his business away from the pitch, he's unlikely to notice the financial hit.

Cristiano Ronaldo isn't particularly impressed at Bruno Fernandes' reaction to his ab workout challenge on Instagram, and took the time to troll his Portugal team-mate on Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez took part in a couple's workout during a lockdown exercise session on Wednesday.

After a month in Madeira, the Juventus forward has decided to leave his £7m seven-storey home and relocate as he looks for more privacy for him, partner Georgina Rodriguez and his kids.

Madeira's regional secretary of health Pedro Ramos said the Portugal international did not have 'special authorisation' to work at the stadium. Ronaldo was allowed by to return home by Juve.

Cristiano Ronaldo has had a storied career and gone on to become one of the best in the history of the sport. Aaron Ramsey has seen this first-hand since joining Juventus last summer.

Ronaldo has rented the villa for him, his partner Georgina Rodriguez and his children, and comes with a swimming pool, top-floor games room and six bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.

ALVISE CAGNAZZO IN ITALY: Despite a difficult adaptation on the pitch in Italy, De Ligt has insisted he and girlfriend Annekee Molenaar are happy in Turin and have no desire to leave the club.

The Juventus talisman is spending time with girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez at the residence with football suspended, and has been attempting to remain fit by using a local stadium to train.

The Brazilian has faced the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during an illustrious career but says the notoriously tricky former Chelsea striker was the toughest to get the better of.

Real Madrid had publicly courted Ronaldo throughout the 2008-09 season and shattered the transfer record that summer by paying £80m to bring the Portuguese star to the Bernabeu.

The Manchester City star believes Cristiano Ronaldo would be the dream team-mate because of the Portuguese forward's freak athleticism and incredible ability to score goals.

Sadio Mane had an ally in Lionel Messi after being 'left with a bitter taste' by Jurgen Klopp's decision to back Virgil van Dijk for last year's Ballon d'Or.

Phelan took part in a Q&A on Twitter on Friday night on the official account of the Manchester Football Association. Fans asked a host of questions to Sir Alex Ferguson's old No 2.

Cristiano Ronaldo is spending a relaxing final few days in Madeira with his son, as he is expected to head back to Italy next week. The pair posed for a cute Instagram photo.

Jose Mourinho has revealed how losing a Champions League semi-final to Bayern Munich with Real Madrid in 2012 left him crying in his car.

The Juventus star, 35, cosied up to his girlfriend of three years, 26, as they strolled through the rocky terrain with his oldest son Cristiano Jnr, nine, in snaps from the outing on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Juventus training from Madeira has been delayed until Monday afternoon due to travel restrictions in Spain.

The Portuguese midfielder has settled in well to life at Old Trafford and already has pundits, fans and former United players fawning over his early performances after his £68m move from Lisbon.

Cristiano Ronaldo was left frustrated after plans to return to Juventus were delayed by restrictions on his private jet flying out from his Madeira home. But he before he then relaxed with a beverage.

Cristiano Ronaldo has finally arrived back in Turin after having his private jet refused permission for takeoff in Spain on Sunday. The Juve forward has suffered a logistical headache in getting back.

The Portuguese star is close with mother Maria Dolores, who has had a huge influence on the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's career, and the 65-year-old has shown off her latest gift.

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque has admitted that if he doesn't know if goalkeeper David de Gea will be mentally ready to face the Czech Republic in Toulouse on Monday in their Euro 2016 opener.