Jeremy Menez signed a 3-year deal with Bordeaux.

         This Monday France football international player Jeremy Menez signed a 3-year deal with Bordeaux, the former Sochaux, Monaco and Paris forward making goog his return to France after three seasons with AC Milan.

         Jeremy Menez, 29, left Paris Saint-Germain two years ago to sign with AC Milan, but after an injury-hit spell across the Alps, the France forward has opted to bounce back in his home country, putting pen to paper on a three-year deal that will see him linked to Les Girondins until 2019.

         "The project in place here convinced me," Menez said after signing on with Bordeaux, whose new coach Jocelyn Gourvennec has already been active in the transfer market. "I think I needed that in order to start enjoying my football again and to be out on the pitch. I had a chance to talk to the coach and what he had to say made me want to come here. This club suits me. It's a family-style club and you see that right away."

          After a difficult last season - he missed the first 26 matches when struck by infection following back surgery - the mercurial Ménez is keen to turn the page.

           "I had a long injury absence last year. It wasn't easy. But I stayed patient and hung in there, so there you go," he explained. 

"Right now, I really just want to show what I'm capable of. It was my longest time out of the game, but it's behind me now."

The club recently signed Ménez's erstwhile France teammate Jérémy Toulalan, but it turns out that there are quite few familiar faces in the Girondins dressing room.

           "Sometimes fate has some funny surprises for you," he smiled. "I know some of these players well, like (Jaroslav) Plasil, (Nicolas) Maurice-Belay. But also (Cédric) Carrasso and Toulalan. It will make my integration that much easier, even though I have not had any misgivings. It's great; I'm happy to be hooking up with old teammates. There is a good squad here who get along well, which is also super-important."

And how high has Ménez allowed his ambitions to go for the season to come?

"Above all I want to start enjoying myself again," he admitted. "But really, things tend to take care of themselves. The ambition is to get Bordeaux back into Europe. It's a club that deserves to be playing in Europe."

Jeremy Menez has undergone surgery after losing part of his right ear on his Bordeaux debut.

              Menez, who joined from AC Milan on Monday, was accidentally stepped on by Lorient's Didier Ndong during a pre-season friendly after falling to the ground under a challenge.

              The forward was subsequently taken to hospital where he underwent a procedure under local anaesthetic to "sew up" the affected ear.

              Ndong was remorseful following the gruesome incident, apologising to Menez via a Lorient statement.

PSG won 4-0 against Leicester City,third in a row after Inter and Real Madrid

   

     Paris Saint-Germain created yet another noteworthy pre-season show as they facilitated to a 4-0 win over Premier League champions Leicester City.

         The Ligue 1 champions had officially beaten both Inter and Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup before impacting their way past Leicester in style at the StubHub Center.

         Edinson Cavani struck from the punishment spot and Jonathan Ikone was additionally on the scoresheet in the main half, before Lucas Moura and Odsonne Edouard hit on complete the win.

         New marking Grzegorz Krychowiak, a mid year marking from Sevilla, went ahead for the last half-hour for PSG as they traveled past a Leicester side who were completely clobbered in California.

         PSG rolled out no under seven improvements to the group that beat Real Madrid on Wednesday, with two-objective saint Thomas Meunier, Angel Di Maria, David Luiz, Maxwell, Thiago Motta, Benjamin Stambouli and Alphonse Areola every gave begin.

         Kasper Schmeichel, Robert Huth, Shinji Okazaki and Jeffrey Schlupp all came in for Leicester City as Ron-Robert Zieler, Demarai Gray, Marc Albrighton and Danny Drinkwater cleared a path.

         PSG began well, directing ownership and holding Leicester on the back foot without truly making anything obvious.

         Schmeichel was stranded in a dead zone taking after Di Maria's corner yet Leicester made due as Motta's header at the far post was cleared by a plunging Daniel Amartey.

         In any case, PSG at long last made the most of their prevalence in the 26th moment after Ikone was brought down inside the container, and Cavani changed over the subsequent punishment earnestly, sending Schmeichel the wrong way.

         That started Leicester enthusiastically, with the Foxes verging on adjusting five minutes after the fact taking after a deafening free-kick from Riyad Mahrez, however Areola was equivalent to the assignment, pushing it away for a corner.

         Leicester practically reestablished equality from the subsequent corner as Amartey's header flashed only wide of an open objective after Areola was gotten out of position.

         Be that as it may, pretty much as Leicester were apparently surrounding an equalizer, Ikone multiplied PSG's lead against the keep running of play on the stroke of half-time, topping off a quick counter-assaulting move.

         PSG rolled out six improvements on the hour, with any semblance of Adrien Rabiot, Lucas and Krychowiak presented.

         Lucas required minutes to have an effect, heading in a Maxwell cross from the left to make it 3-0.

         Both groups had their odds late on, with Edouard completing flawlessly in a one-on-one as PSG proceeded with their fine shape under new manager Unai Emery.

France-Italy U19 4-0 win the UEFA Under 19 European Championship 2016.

   

    Subsequent to falling 2-1 in their opener against England, France's U19 side went from quality to quality in UEFA Euro Under 19 European Championship 2016 in Germany, topping their intense keep running with a 4-0 pounding of Italy in Sunday's last to wind up the third French side in the U19 period to claim European gold.

       There was little astonish that it was rising Paris Saint-Germain star Jean-Kévin Augustin who drew first blood, the competition top scorer demonstrated all the levelheadedness on the planet as he moved through the Italian barrier before adjusting the 'attendant and stroking home splendidly at the close post (6').

     With an opposition topping six objectives - three of which were packed away in the 5-1 bunch stage drubbing of the Netherlands - Augustin has been the disclosure of the competition and is tipped for a tremendously expanded part for his club under new mentor Unai Emery this season.

       Soon after the opener, it was EA Guingamp midfielder Ludovic Blas who ventured up to the plate, gesturing a pin-point header home at the close post (20') to make it 2-0. Blas, 18, showed up (one objective) in all rivalries for Guingamp's first group last season, however is prone to see significantly more diversion time in the coming effort.

        Italy figured out how to hold out a decent extended period of time before surrendering once more, however there was nothing they could do to keep France down when Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Lucas Tousart scored his first chief's objective of the competition with a diverted shot from outside the zone (83').

      Tousart's lone Ligue 1 appearance to date came in the 2-0 home misfortune to Anger SCO as the club was battling in November a year ago before hitting their straps in the second 50% of the season, yet OL's expanded calendar this season - because of their capability for Champions League football - ought to see the youth find the opportunity to demonstrate his courage on the household - or European stage.

       While Tousart's objective successfully executed the match off, Les Bleuets clearly felt that their point had not been sufficiently made and Toulouse shield Issa Diop took it upon himself to lose his man in the zone before smashing a projectile header in off the underside of the bar.

     France captain Lucas Tousart will long remember this summer evening in a France national shirt. The Olympic Lion midfielder was on hand as France taught their Italian counterparts a lesson in Sinsheim, Germany, scoring four unanswered goals to score a big win over Italy in the UEFA European Under 19 Championship 2016. The scorer of France's third goal gave his first impressions just few hours after lifting the trophy.

Real Madrid plays agains Paris Saint Germain

  Real Madrid will take to the field surprisingly since Cristiano Ronaldo's punishment secured an eleventh European Cup while going up against individual mainland goliaths Paris Saint-Germain in Ohio on Wednesday. Triumph over Atletico Madrid gave a fantasy peak to the season for Zinedine Zidane under six months after the previous Los Blancos midfield awesome assumed responsibility.

           He will require no reminding, however, that the happy night in Milan will be immediately overlooked is comparative achievement does not proceed. Zidane, all things considered, was associate to Carlo Ancelotti, who was chopped out in 2015, only a year in the wake of winning the Champions League.

         What's more, the players seem to get the message that everything now begins over again as arrangements for the new season get in progress.“We won the last European Cup, but we have to forget that,” left-back Marcelo said while in Montreal for a week of training before heading to Ohio.

        “We're making our preparations in Canada with our minds focused on working hard. It's no good to keep thinking about the fact we're champions. The only thing in our minds is working to win more titles.”So far, however, little has changed in terms of the makeup of Zidane’s squad. In contrast to how Real Madrid usually goes about its business in the transfer market, the club has been quiet thus far.

          Only Alvaro Morata has arrived after the club activated its clause to re-sign him from Juventus.And the Spain international is one of the players with most to prove on a three-game tour of the United States, which also sees Real Madrid take on Chelsea and Bayern Munich. It was initially widely believed that Morata was only being signed so that he could be then sold on at a profit.

          But Zidane appears keen to keep him around, although with the famed forward trio of Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema well established, Morata will know that he is up against it to earn a starting role.He is set to be given an early chance to impress on Wednesday. 

          Both Bale and Ronaldo have yet to rejoin the squad after their exploits at Euro 2016, meaning Zidane could start with Benzema and Morata up front against PSG.Another player with plenty of reason to want to put in strong showings in the U.S. is James Rodriguez. It appeared likely that the Colombian playmaker would already have been moved on after a season in which he found himself out of favor, first with Rafael Benitez and then with Zidane.

         But after showing flashes at this summer’s Copa America Centenario of the quality that persuaded Real Madrid to spend big on him two years ago, he may have earned a second chance.James even revealed last week that a bid had come in for his services.

         And, while he didn’t name the club in question, it may well have been from Real Madrid’s first opponents of preseason, with PSG known to be admirers of the 25-year-old.Even without James’ arrival, there has been significant change at PSG this summer.

         Both the club’s talisman and coach departed, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaving at the end of his contract to join Manchester United and Laurent Blanc being replaced by Unai Emery.While Blanc dominated domestically, he failed to give the club’s owners the success they craved in Europe, losing in the Champions League quarterfinals for three successive seasons.

         And it will be in the Champions League where his successor is judged. Having won the Europa League an unprecedented three seasons in a row, it is not hard to see why Emery was chosen.The Spaniard has already made his mark, bringing with him from Sevilla defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak. The Poland international didn’t feature as PSG beat Inter Milan 3-1 in its opening game in the U.S. on Sunday.

           But along with, Thiago Motta, David Luiz and Marco Verratti, who also didn’t travel to Oregon to take on Inter, could feature on Wednesday at the 105,000 capacity Ohio Stadium. 

Real Madrid Squad For PSG-Match-Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Kike Casilla, Ruben Yanex, Alex Craninx, Luca Zidane

Defenders: Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Danilo, Dabi Carvajal, Marcelo, Nacho, Philipp Lienhart, Alvaro Tejero, Achraf Hakimi

Midfielders: Casemiro, Luka Modric, Isco, Mateo Kovacic, Marco Asensio, Martin Odegaard, Enzo Zidane, Diego Llorente, Aleix Febas

Forwards: Karim Benzema, Alvaro Morata, Jese Rodriguez, Lucas Vazquez, Mariano, Sergio Diaz

PSG Squad-Goalkeepers: Kevin Trapp, Alphonse Areola, Remy Deschamps

Defenders: Serge Aurier, Alec Georgen David Luiz, Presnel Kimpembe, Layvin Kurzawa, Maxwell, Thomas Meunier, Thiago Silva

Midfielders: Lorenzo Callegari, Angel di Maria, Grzrgorz Krychowiak, Jonathan Ikone, Christopher Nkunku, Javer Pastore, Adrien Rabiot, Benjamin Stambouli, Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti

Forwards: Hatem Ben Arfa, Edinson Cavani, Odsonne Edouard, Lucas Moura

Antoine Griezmann turned down PSG to stay at Atletico Madrid - agent

  Antoine Griezmann's agent has revealed that the France forward considered offers from Paris Saint-Germain and other clubs before deciding to stay at Atletico Madrid for at least another season.

Griezmann, 25, signed a new contract with Atletico last month after helping them reach the Champions League final for the second time in three years.

The former Real Sociedad player will have won even more admirers after being named player of the tournament at Euro 2016 and winning the Golden Boot with six goals for beaten finalists France.

Sources told ESPN FC last month that Manchester United were also monitoring the player.

Speaking on RMC on Tuesday, Griezmann's advisor Eric Olhats confirmed that he had been in contact with PSG sporting director Olivier Letang in recent months.

The France star's sporting advisor, Eric Olhats, has revealed the forward entered negotiations with the Ligue 1 giants but opted to extend his stay in La Liga instead.

Antoine Griezmann held talks with Paris Saint-Germain before eventually signing a new deal with Atletico Madrid, the forward's sporting advisor Eric Olhats has claimed.

The France star was heavily linked with a move away from Atletico ahead of Euro 2016, with Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG believed to be among his admirers.

 Griezmann instead opted to stay at Atletico, but PSG apparently did make a move for the 25-year-old before he made a final decision on his future, according to one of his representatives.

"There were talks with [PSG sporting director] Olivier Letang," Olhats told RMC .

"Paris Saint-Germain were interested in signing him. We listened to what they had to say because PSG are a club with an interesting project.

"We eventually opted for continuity with Atletico after those talks and weighing up the various offers. But you never know what happens in the future."

Griezmann has also been linked with Barcelona and Real Madrid, but Olhats believes switching from one La Liga club to another was never an option.

"Would it have been a wise decision to move to a club where he could potentially win more titles? Barcelona and Real Madrid don't need anyone in attack at the moment..," Olhats added.

Griezmann enjoyed a sublime Euro 2016 campaign, scoring six goals in seven appearances to lead France to the final, where they eventually lost 2-0 against Portugal

Is this how France will line up against Portugal in the UEFA EURO 2016 final?

  Didier Deschamps is set to stick with the same XI which downed Germany in the Euro 2016 semi-final when his France side take on Portugal in Saint-Denis on Sunday.

Moussa Sissoko and Samuel Umtiti were added to the line up through the knockout stages as replacements for N’Golo Kante and Adil Rami – who missed out through suspension – and have performed well enough to keep their places for the final.

Elsewhere, it’s as expected. Six-goal Antoine Griezmann has been the star of the European Championship and will play up front with Olivier Giroud and Dimitri Payet.A strong, determined performance from France was enough to beat a Germany side who enjoyed plenty of possession, but created little. The hosts will play Portugal in the final.

France began the game well, lovely interplay between Blaise Matuidi and Antoine Griezmann taking them across the pitch and into the box before the ball caught under the latter's feet, allowing Manuel Neuer to push his shot away. Subsequently, Germany took over, the clever angles of passing and movement taken by Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos too much for France, who simply sat deep, hoping to survive and then break.

In that period, Germany could not create much, lacking ideas around the box and a serious centre-forward, though Samuel Umtiti was outstanding in the French defence and in front of him, Moussa Sissoko chased and tracked diligently.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, Patrice Evra, a growing offensive influence, rose to attack a header and Schweinsteiger rose with him, throwing up an arm that made contact with the ball. The referee pointed to the spot, and Griezmann slammed it left-footed into the net.

Germany could not muster the same dominance in the second half as France improved - Laurent Koscielny grew into the game as did Paul Pogba, and it was he who created the decisive second after 72 minutes. Catching Joshua Kimmich in possession, he refused the opportunity to go down under the consequent challenge, instead backing away, waggling his foot over the ball and diddling Shkodran Mustafi, before lifting a cross that Neuer could only palm out to Griezmann; he stabbed home with chilling competence.

And that, more or less was that. The Marseille crowd enjoyed 20 minutes of collective bliss, and France will fancy themselves hard in the final.

Antoine Griezmann fires France into final with Portugal.

   Hosts France advanced to the Euro 2016 final with their first victory over Germany in a major tournament since 1958 on a night of high emotion in Marseille.

Antoine Griezmann, the tournament's top scorer, made the decisive contributions in each half to set up a final against Portugal at the Stade de France on Sunday.

Griezmann scored from the penalty spot right on half-time when Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger was penalised for handball by Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli in an aerial challenge with Patrice Evra.

France held out against German pressure before Griezmann settled the destination of a pulsating semi-final with 18 minutes left when he turned in from close range after keeper Manuel Neuer could only half-clear Paul Pogba's cross.

Joshua Kimmich then hit the woodwork for Germany and also saw a header brilliantly saved by France keeper Hugo Lloris - but there was no way back for the World Cup holders.

France made a slow start to Euro 2016 but there was a real sense inside Marseille's vast Stade Velodrome that Didier Deschamps' team are now being carried towards the finishing line in Paris on Sunday by a national tide of emotion.

It was, of course, during a friendly between France and Germany at the Stade de France, which will stage Sunday's Euro 2016 final, that the first explosions were heard on the night of the Paris attacks in November in which 130 people died and hundreds of others were wounded. Fourteen players who started that night were in the line-ups that took to the field here in Marseille.

The atmosphere inside the Stade Velodrome was electric after a day of searing temperatures and the togetherness now felt between France's players and their supporters was summed up in one moment in the second half.

Germany were applying pressure in an attempt to claw back a 1-0 deficit when the whole ground erupted into a rousing chorus of national anthem La Marseillaise to urge their team on.

One more task remains against Portugal on Sunday - the whole of France expects.

Iceland’s fairytale came to an end as France.

       

      Iceland’s fairytale came to an end as France cruised into a semi-final against Germany with a blistering first-half performance.France make short work of Iceland to coast into the Euro 2016 semi final.

        Peep peep! For a meaningless second half, that was pretty enjoyable. France go through to meet Germany; Iceland have done themselves proud even in a 5-2 defeat. 

          The XI who started all five games are already legends of Icelandic football. France will hope to achieve the same status in their own country in the next seven days.

         Thanks to Iceland for making football fun in the last few weeks. And thanks to whichever higher power decreed that France will face Germany in the semi-final, because that will be an epic even before a ball is kicked. Thanks for your emails and company; I’ll leave you with this from Niall Mullen.