BREAKING NEWS!!!! FIFA release three-man Ballon d'Or shortlist

From a 23 very talented footballers the list has been cut down to just 3 Names.

Cristiano Ronaldo :

He is the current holder for the past 2 years row

Lionel Messi :

He is the overwhelming favourite with the bookmakers to win his fifth Ballon d'Or after a year in which he fired Barcelona to the Treble of Champions League, La Liga and Copa Del Rey.

Neymar :  

Together with messi they won a treble .The Brazilian was also the joint-third top scorer in La Liga last season with 22 goals – and already has 14 this term – though his haul was put in the shade by those of Messi (43 goals) and topscorer Ronaldo (48).

ARSENAL INJURY CRISIS AS THEY DREW AT NORWICH

This was another one of those days for Arsenal. They are the ones when so much goes wrong for them and they make it difficult to predict with any certainty that they can end a 12-year wait for the Premier League title.

The previous weekend at West Bromwich Albion they had lost a lead and two players to serious injury in a 2-1 defeat. Arsène Wenger described it as a “nightmare”. Their fortunes improved here in that they took a point – but only slightly.

Once again they lost a lead – and it should not be overlooked that they had the chances to be home and hosed – and this time it was three players who were stricken by injury during the game.

Laurent Koscielny and Alexis Sánchez went off with serious-looking muscle problems while, according to Wenger, Santi Cazorla played the second half “on one leg” after a kick to the knee in the 46th minute from Gary O’Neil.

Cazorla’s problem got worse towards the end but, by then, Wenger had used his three substitutes. The midfielder finished as a virtual passenger.

FINALLY!! RONDA ROUSEY IS SEEN IN PUBLIC

Not since her defeat on Nov 14 to UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holmes, Ronda Rousey has been public shy.

The 28-year-old mixed martial artist and former UFC bantamweight champion was seen in Los Angeles in company of another unidentified Girl on thanksgiving with a smile on her face. The former UFC bantam weight champion needed plastic surgery to repair her busted lip.

Rousey was issued a medical suspension by the UFC for 180 days, unless she presents a head CT that reveals no damage. She can’t fight again for 60 days and must avoid fighting contact or training for 45 days.



Regardless, she intends to return to the ring in due time.

“I just wanted to thank everyone for the love and support,” Rousey wrote on Instagram last week. “I appreciate the concerns about my health, but I’m fine. As I had mentioned before, I’m going to take a little bit of time, but I’ll be back.”

We wait to see how she will recover.

KOBE TO RETIRE AT THE END OF 2015 – 2016 SEASON

Kobe Bryant — one of the most popular, most successful, and most divisive players in NBA history — has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2015-16 season. The Los Angeles Lakers icon broke the news via a letter-poem on The Players' Tribune late Sunday afternoon.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement, as well:

“With 17 NBA All-Star selections, an NBA MVP, five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals and a relentless work ethic, Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game.  Whether competing in the Finals or hoisting jump shots after midnight in an empty gym, Kobe has an unconditional love for the game.

“I join Kobe’s millions of fans around the world in congratulating him on an outstanding NBA career and thank him for so many thrilling memories.”

Those who have watched Bryant in his 20th season will likely agree with his decision. The five-time NBA champion and 17-time All-Star has struggled mightily to meet his usual high standards, shooting just 31.5 percent from the field for a 15.7 ppg average. Yet those poor stats don't even communicate the experience of watching an all-time great look so bad on the courts he once dominated.

The news will also allow the basketball world to focus on Kobe's legacy rather than his current form. He will retire as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, an elite scorer capable of setting up teammates when motivated and locking down opposing defenders in his best seasons. He holds the record for most season with one franchise, boasts many Lakers individual career marks, and figures to retire in his current position of third on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

Kobe Bryant' 2001-2002 NBA Season

It's tempting to say we will have plenty of time to suss out Kobe's legacy before he hangs up his jersey this spring, but he has meant so much to the NBA for so many years that it's difficult to imagine a time when we will stop talking about him. He is the defining player of the sport's post-Jordan era.

Talking Points on Man United's Draw away at Leicester City.

Here’s three things we learned from the King Power Stadium

VARDY MAKES HISTORY

He did it. Heading into this game all the talk was about Vardy and if the 28-year-old could set a new PL record of scoring in 11 consecutive games. Well, he did.

Vardy after scoring last night to break the record. images by the Guardian

From Stocksbridge Park Steels, Halifax Town, Fleetwood Town and now Leicester City, Vardy has always scored goals but the one he scored against Manchester United on Saturday has placed him in the record books. Reacting to the feat live on Sky Sports after the game, Vardy rolled out the cliches but showed a little bit of emotion.

“I am obviously delighted but the main thing was the performance,” Vardy said. “I think we put a really good shift in today and a point was a fair result. We have a lot of pace in the team and counter attacking is a big advantage for us. We have come straight from a corner. It was unbelievable. I think I got a bit carried away with myself!”

When asked afterwards what he was shouting when wheeling away in celebration, Vardy said “I can’t repeat it to be honest with you” and then elaborated on what it has been like this week with the pressure on his shoulders.
“Obviously if I let it get to me then it will effect my performance so I’ve just been keeping my head down and not let it sink in my head and just concentrate on it and that it was just another game we wanted to get three points in,” Vardy added.
The next record for Vardy to break is from the 1931-32 English top-flight season. Before the PL was formed Sheffield United’s Jimmy Dunne scored in 12-straight games. Let’s see if Vardy can continue this incredible run when Leicester face Swansea City next Saturday, but all that matters right now is that he holds the record in the PL and has come from absolutely nowhere to do something no other player has done in PL history. Remarkable. Memorable. Magnificent.    
                                                                             
FIGHTING UNITED

Bastian Schweinsteiger after after heading in the leveler. image by Getty Images

Right on the stroke of half time the atmosphere fell a little flat at the KP as Bastian Schweinsteiger headed home to make it 1-1. After the euphoria of Vardy giving United the lead, the away side battled back against the home crowd and were able to dig deep to get on level terms. For the second week running in the PL they went on the road and ground out a result. Of course Louis Van Gaal‘s side would’ve preferred a win but as the game wore on they looked the more likely to win as Memphis flashed a shot over and Matteo Darmian smashed an effort inches over in stoppage time.
At the back Chris Smalling marshaled a three-man central defensive unit impressively — apart from Vardy’s goal where Ashley Young and Darmian let him get ghost in-behind too easily — but David De Gea was still forced into a great save from Leonardo Ulloa in the 66th minute when the Leicester forward should’ve scored. Once again United flattered to deceive in the final third and that will be a worry for LVG, but they showed grit and determination to gain a point on the road at high-flying Leicester. It is tough to break down United and they say all championships are won with a great defense but the lack of creative flair up front is concerning.

ROONEY’S REGRESSION

Wayne Rooney shakes his manager's hand after being substituted. images by Reuters

One of the main reasons why that flair wasn’t there, once again, was that Wayne Rooney had another game to forget. United’s captain and talisman started off in a central striking role with Anthony Martial but often in the first half he was dropping deep on the left to pick up the ball and although he sprayed a few nice passes out wide there was no swagger, verve or conviction in his actions. This is a player who captains his country, has been in the PL for over a decade and will break many records by the time his career comes to an end. Right now though, it’s hard to see how Rooney keeps being selected for club and country.

Rooney, 30, is in a slump. He’s scored just twice in 12 Premier League outings this season and when he was substituted in the 68th minute on Saturday, it backed up the recent quotes from LVG stating that his skipper is not a guaranteed starter. It’s not just Rooney that is lacking flair but United in general look lackluster when they have possession and make it too easy for opponents to get back into their shape and defend with 10-men behind the ball.

Playing Rooney as a striker or in the hole hasn’t worked for LVG this season. Is it time he stopped playing him altogether?

 My own Verdict God Help United

Could a Mc Lareen Driver be headed for a Sabbatial in 2016

courtesy of F1.com

                                                                                                                                                                                     F1 Driver Fernando Alonso could be headed for a sabbatical break next with just a year remaining on his current contract with Mclaren which end on 2017.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   According to the Team's Chairman Ron Dennis, the driver could take a sabbatical on 2016 fro Formula  1 if the team's performance doesn't improve. Mclaren has struggled this year with engine partner Honda.

Alonso admitted he discussed the idea with Dennis some time ago but it was now his "intention" to race in 2016.
"I discussed many ideas but not at this part of the year," Alonso said. "We feel so much more positive than before with the recent pace of the car. It is something we didn't discuss for four or five months already.
"My intention is to race and I think I will race."  
Former F1 driver Mark Webber, who is close to Alonso, said he believed the 34-year-old would make a final decision after trying the 2016 McLaren in pre-season testing next February.
"I think he is a ticking bomb," Webber said. "I think give him two or three days in the car and if the car is noncompetitive I think he'll have a year off."

Alonso qualified 17th in Abu Dhabi yesterday

But Alonso said that it would be "impossible to know how the season will go" after one test, adding: "If we are second or ninth, it will not change my approach or my intention to keep winning that season."
The Spaniard said after the Japanese Grand Prix in September that he "didn't know" whether he would race at McLaren next year.                                                                                          

Klitschko vs Fury: Tyson Fury wins unanimous decision against Wladimir Klitschko.

Tyson Fury (left) defeated Wladimir Klitschko

Tyson Fury became the heavyweight champion of the world after producing an inspired display to out-point Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday night.

The Lancashire puncher ended the reign of boxing's most dominant heavyweight of the 21st century to capture the WBA Super, WBO and IBF titles in the ESPRIT arena in Dusseldorf.
Fury was light on his toes for the duration and although he did not land any particularly brutal shots and had one point deducted, he was awarded a unanimous 115-112, 115-112, 116-111 scoreline after forcing Klitschko to unsuccessfully chase him for the majority of the proceedings.
The night had begun with threats from Team Fury to cancel the bout altogether after it emerged that Klitschko had illegally wrapped his hands without supervision. Added to rows about gloves and soft ring canvas, Fury had appeared comfortable in the chaos all week. Crucially, he appeared totally at home when it truly mattered.
Fury pelted the champion with verbals before, during and immediately after the national anthems - then continued the insults as he gained comfort in the opening round. He dashed out of his corner, orthodox, circling away from Klitschko's powerful right glove and peppering him from the outside. The champion remained steely throughout.
The challenger's swagger continued and he landed the first meaningful blow with a left hook as Klitschko backed up, midway through the second. While there was little between them, Fury had visibly settled into his surroundings quicker.

Tyson Fury took Wladimir Klitschko's titles

He switched to southpaw, performed an Ali shuffle and even showboated with his hands behind his back - Klitschko never flinched, stalked his foe, yet never found a moment to even attempt a meaningful right hand.
Fury spent the fifth dancing between stances and, while the Ukrainian was slowly finding his range, a head clash opened a wound underneath Klitschko's left eye. Smelling blood, Fury connected with a right that drew a wry smile.
A second cut emerged, this time above the same eye, and the sight of the bloodied Klitschko struggling to locate his fleet-footed challenger seemed almost alien. Unfazed, Fury strolled with his hands beneath his waist - meanwhile, the champion's bludgeoning right remained an unused, neglected cannon.
The eighth round briefly descended to the pre-Queensbury Rules days as Fury, swatting an errant wasp out of his eyeline, had to be reminded to re-apply his mouth-guard. Almost as if he did not have a nine-year champion in front of him, Fury found time to gaze around ringside at familiar faces.
Klitschko finally landed a stiff right in the ninth but Fury shook it off and called for more. As they became embroiled in close quarters, Klitschko briefly and bizarrely turned his back, drawing an eye-catching left hook.
There were very few clean punches as the clock ticked away but Klitschko's lack of firepower was particularly alarming. Finally, he appeared like a 39-year-old and a third cut emerged in the 11th. As they clinched, Fury was deducted a point for hitting the back of the head.
In the final stages, it was still the challenger who waded through deep waters, lunging with determination and hunger rather than technique. Klitschko suddenly appeared like the pre-Emanuel Steward fighter and threw two powerful left hooks and wobbled his opponent - as the final bell sounded, Fury's celebrations were more believable than the champion's.
He was rewarded for his superior work-rate by the three judges and erupted into celebrations.                                                                                                                                         

Klitschko vs Fury:Live Updates

Klitschko vs Fury: Tyson Fury unhappy with 'spongy' ring

Tyson Fury is unhappy with the surface of the boxing ring ahead of his showdown with Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf tonight.
Fury and his team visited the Esprit Arena this morning as part of the Briton's last-minute preparations for his challenge against WBA Super, WBO and IBF world heavyweight champion Klitschko, which is exclusively live on Sky Sports Box Office.

However, the Manchester fighter found the ring to be too spongy in certain areas with his feet sinking into the surface. He felt the thick layer of spongy material restricted his movement and wants it changed before the fight.

There are also health and safety issues that need to be addressed as a result, but Fury's camp expect these to be resolved when they return to the venue this afternoon.

Fury's promoter Mick Hennessy told Sky Sports News HQ: "We are being told it's not completely finished yet so hopefully they will get their act together and make it so that it is up to health and safety conditions, because as it is the canvas is too soft and Tyson's feet were sinking into it and that really is a health and safety issue.  

"So we have addressed that. We have spoken to [Klitschko's promoter] Tom Loeffler, we have told him our concerns after seeing the preliminary canvas and he said that he is going to get it finished and then we can all meet over there and make sure it is right
"And us as a team, we are going to ask that John Rees, the chairman of the [British] board, is going to come over there as well, so that we can get it sorted there and then and make sure there are no further problems.

Tyson Fury and his camp want the surface of the Esprit Arena ring changed

"We just need some common sense, because it is in both fighters' interest and the public's interest that the surface is right. Otherwise you won't get the performance that we are all looking to see.

"Let's make it a level playing field and let's get this on."
Tyson's uncle and trainer Peter Fury said: "You have got guys [who weigh] 112 kilograms sinking in the canvas. These are super-heavyweights so the canvas needs to be a hard surface for that reason. When they are moving quick anything can happen.

"I am just very thankful that we have gone over this morning and highlighted the problem so they have got plenty of time to remedy it and fix it. It has to be changed.

"We are just after a standard ring. The ring we have seen is super soft, it would be ridiculous. It would affect Tyson and ultimately Wladimir as well. Both sides have to be happy with it.
"Hopefully they will have ripped that soft sponge out, put the correct stuff on it and squeezed it over."
Coutesy of SKY SPORTS

The heavyweight showdown between Wladimir Klitschko and Tyson Fury is here

Wladimir Klitschko defends his world titles against Tyson Fury

It's finally here. After three eliminators and one postponement, Tyson Fury finally has his shot at WBA Super, WBO and IBF world champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Fury has provided relentless entertainment in the build-up to this fight but as fight week progressed, the Mancunian challenger's demeanour was at times uncharacteristically stern. Klitschko, needless to say, retained his customary cool throughout.

Who will it be....??

Venue: Esprit Arena, Dusseldorf Date: 28 November 

Ronda Rousey medical suspension by UFC will last up to six months.

Ronda Rousey medical suspension by UFC will last up to six months.

Ronda Rousey won’t be fighting Holly Holm or anyone else anytime soon because the former UFC bantamweight champion received a six-month medical suspension together with other Fourteen fighters from UFC 193 were given suspensions of up to 180 days, including three of four title fighters (Rousey among them). The UFC reported its official list of suspensions to MMA records site MixedMartialArts.com.

Rousey’s suspension is for 180 days, unless she is cleared by a head CT scan. She is not to fight again for 60 days and not to have contact for 45, Fox Sports reports.

Add caption

Very little is known of Rousey’s condition since her second-round knockout against Holly Holm. She did not meet with reporters and was taken to a Melbourne, Australia, hospital to have plastic surgery for a split lip. She did not suffer a head injury, UFC President Dana White said.

Weekends Football Fixtures.

English Premier League

DATE	TIME	TEAMS			FT
28.11.	18:00	Aston Villa	Vs.	Watford
28.11.	18:00	Bournemouth	Vs.	Everton
28.11.	18:00	Crystal Palace	Vs.	Newcastle Utd
28.11.	18:00	Manchester City	Vs.	Southampton
28.11.	18:00	Sunderland	Vs.	Stoke City
28.11.	20:30	Leicester	Vs.	Manchester United
29.11.	15:00	Tottenham	Vs.	Chelsea
29.11.	17:05	West Ham	Vs.	West Brom
29.11.	19:15	Liverpool	Vs.	Swansea
29.11.	19:15	Norwich	Vs.	Arsenal

La Liga

27.11.	22:30	Levante	Vs.	Betis	0 : 1
28.11.	18:00	Barcelona	Vs.	Real Sociedad
28.11.	20:15	Atl. Madrid	Vs.	Espanyol
28.11.	22:30	Malaga	Vs.	Granada CF
29.11.	00:00	Las Palmas	Vs.	Dep. La Coruna
29.11.	00:05	Celta Vigo	Vs.	Gijon
29.11.	14:00	Getafe	Vs.	Villarreal
29.11.	18:00	Eibar	Vs.	Real Madrid
29.11.	20:15	Rayo Vallecano	Vs.	Ath Bilbao
29.11.	22:30	Sevilla	Vs.	Valencia

Serie A

28.11.	20:00	Torino	Vs.	Bologna
28.11.	22:45	AC Milan	Vs.	Sampdoria
29.11.	17:00	AS Roma	Vs.	Atalanta
29.11.	17:00	Chievo	Vs.	Udinese
29.11.	17:00	Frosinone	Vs.	Verona
29.11.	17:00	Genoa	Vs.	Carpi
29.11.	20:00	Empoli	Vs.	Lazio
29.11.	22:45	Palermo	Vs.	Juventus
30.11.	21:00	Sassuolo	Vs.	Fiorentina
30.11.	23:00	Napoli	Vs.	Inter

Bundesliga

27.11.	22:30	Darmstadt	Vs.	Köln	0 : 0
28.11.	17:30	Bayern Munich	Vs.	Hertha Berlin
28.11.	17:30	Hannover	Vs.	Ingolstadt
28.11.	17:30	Hoffenheim	Vs.	B. Monchengladbach
28.11.	17:30	Mainz	Vs.	Eintracht Frankfurt
28.11.	17:30	Werder Bremen	Vs.	Hamburger SV
29.11.	17:30	Dortmund	Vs.	VfB Stuttgart
29.11.	19:30	Augsburg	Vs.	Wolfsburg
29.11.	19:30	Bayer Leverkusen	Vs.	Schalke

Ligue 1

27.11.	22:30	Lyon	Vs.	Montpellier	2 : 4
28.11.	19:00	Paris SG	Vs.	Troyes
28.11.	22:00	Angers	Vs.	Lille
28.11.	22:00	GFC Ajaccio	Vs.	Lorient
28.11.	22:00	Nantes	Vs.	Bastia
28.11.	22:00	Reims	Vs.	Rennes
28.11.	22:00	Toulouse	Vs.	Nice
29.11.	16:00	St Etienne	Vs.	Guingamp
29.11.	19:00	Bordeaux	Vs.	Caen
29.11.	23:00	Marseille	Vs.	Monaco

Eredivisie

27.11.	22:00	Cambuur	Vs.	Graafschap	2 : 3
28.11.	20:30	Heerenveen	Vs.	Roda
28.11.	21:45	Excelsior	Vs.	Feyenoord
28.11.	22:45	Twente	Vs.	Willem II
29.11.	14:30	Vitesse	Vs.	Nijmegen
29.11.	16:30	Groningen	Vs.	Den Haag
29.11.	16:30	Utrecht	Vs.	Heracles
29.11.	16:30	Zwolle	Vs.	Ajax
29.11.	18:45	PSV	Vs.	AZ Alkmaar

RUSSIAN Premier League

27.11.	17:00	Ural	Vs.	M. Saransk	3 : 1
28.11.	12:30	Ufa	Vs.	Kuban	2 : 2
28.11.	15:00	Krylya Sovetov Samara	Vs.	Amkar
28.11.	17:30	Terek Grozni	Vs.	Zenit Petersburg
29.11.	15:00	Anzhi	Vs.	CSKA Moscow
30.11.	19:00	Dynamo Moscow	Vs.	Lokomotiv Moscow
30.11.	19:00	Krasnodar	Vs.	FK Rostov
30.11.	19:15	Rubin Kazan	Vs.	Spartak Moscow