Tottenham vs Sunderland July 24, 2013

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Tottenham Hotspur have played two preseason games already this summer, but their preparation for the new season really gets underway in earnest on Wednesday. Spurs play the first of two Barclays Asia Trophy games against Sunderland, then will play in either the final or third place game depending on the result.

All of the players who were given the first week of training off because of international commitments are back in the team, while Sandro and Younes Kaboul have recovered from their injuries to the point where they're back in full training. While they may not get to play on Wednesday, they're in the squad and very well could suit up.

Sunderland has had a busy transfer window and Roker Report's been all over it. If you have any passing interest in Sunderland, check them out. They don't have a post up on the game as of my posting, but it's worth noting that most of Sunderland's new signings are in their squad: Modibo Diakite, Valentin Roberge, El-Hadji Ba, David Moberg Karlsson, Cabral and Jozy Altidore. Emanuele Giaccherini wasn't in their initial squad, but he's training with them in Hong Kong, so he might play.

Squad

Goalkeepers
Hugo Lloris, Brad Friedel, Heurelho Gomes

Defenders
Kyle Walker, Kyle Naughton, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Jan Vertonghen, Michael Dawson, Steven Caulker, Younes Kaboul, Danny Rose

Midfielders
Aaron Lennon, Andros Townsend, Gareth Bale, Tom Huddlestone, Mousa Dembele, Sandro, Scott Parker, Jake Livermore, Tom Carroll, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lewis Holtby, Clint Dempsey

Forwards
Jermain Defoe, Emmanuel Adebayor

You may notice that Paulinho and Nacer Chadli aren't in this squad. I assume their debuts will come during the Espanyol friendly after the team returns from Asia in August. Then again, they might just end up suiting up if they're fit and Andre Villas-Boas feels like letting them play. I can't imagine this preseason tournament has strict squad rules. That's not exactly clear. They're with the team, but they weren't in the "announced squad". If Giaccherini is playing, why can't they?

Projected Tottenham Hotspur lineup (4-3-3): Hugo Lloris; Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Jan Vertonghen, Michael Dawson, Kyle Walker; Scott Parker, Mousa Dembele, Lewis Holtby; Clint Dempsey, Emmanuel Adebayor, Andros Townsend

Gareth Bale has already been confirmed as out for this game with an unspecified knock. Aaron Lennon sat out the Colchester game for the same reason, so I'm not picking him in the starting XI. I hope that Younes Kaboul and Sandro get short run-outs, but they're probably not fit to start, though that's pure speculation on my part. This represents what I guess the starting XI would be if there was a competitive match tomorrow. Given that this is preseason, all bets are off and there's a very good chance we could see younger players.

Match date/time: Wednesday, 11 a.m. UK, 6 a.m. ET

Venue: Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong

Ac Milan - Juventus July 23, 2013

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Stasera l’attesissimo Trofeo Tim che sarà conteso da Milan, Juventus e Sassuolo. Si parte subito molto forte: alle 20,30 comincia la diretta tv su Canale 5 e poi il big match Milan-Juventus. Le due squadre faranno a meno di molti loro campioni.

Massimiliano Allegri, ad esempio, dovrà rinunciare ad Abate, Balotelli, El Shaarawy e Saponara. In campo, tra gli altri, il neo acquisto Poli e il recuperato De Jong. Contro il Sassuolo ,invece, spazio a molti giocatori che difficilmente, nel corso della prossima stagione, saranno titolari: Zaccardo, Cristante, Petagna, Oduamadi, Traorè (nella foto Getty Images). Grande curiosità per i giovanissimi Cristante (centrocampista) e Petagna (attaccante), cresciuti nella Primavera.

Yokohama F-Marinos vs Manchester United July 23, 2013

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Manchester United are currently passing their offseason time with a little tour of Asia and Australia.

This jet-set group is in the transition between the two continents, as it heads to Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Japan, for a July 23 date against the Yokohama F-Marinos.

There is a good chance the Red Devils will be jet-lagged for this game. After all, if you'll notice the date from the club's tweet below, they aren't getting a lot of time off. 

I don't know if the Red Devils will be bringing their surfboards with them to Yokohama, but they better bring their cleats.

Check out the vitals for this match, and then I'll take a look at three players worth keeping an eye on during this friendly. 

Wayne can play up on his own, he can play dropped in. Overall my thought on Wayne is, if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie, we'll need him," Moyes stated during United's pre-season tour of Asia and Australia."I want to be able to play the two of them, I want to use Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez as well. I want to give myself as many options as possible."
This had led to offers from English club Chelsea and its attempts to purchase the striker.

The other player dominating Manchester's agenda is Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas. Moyes has repeatedly stated that he wants to improve the midfield and recently confirmed that the team has made a second offer to purchase Fabregas.

"As I understand it, Ed [Woodward, executive vice-chairman] had a response [to the first offer]," said Moyes. "We have made a second offer, but Ed is dealing with it rather than me.''

"When you are interested in good players, you want to give it every opportunity to materialize," he added. "I will hope things will continue to move forward. At this moment in time, I can only tell you that Ed Woodward is working hard to try and make the deals happen."

When: July 23 at 6:15 a.m. ET, 11:15 a.m. BST

Where: Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

WWE Monday Night RAW July 22, 2013

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Last week, five-time world champion CM Punk confronted his former friend and associate Paul Heyman following "the Mad Scientist" betraying Punk at the All-Stars Money in the Bank match. What resulted was a vicious collision with former UFC star and Heyman client Brock Lesnar, where the two stars brawled all over ringside before Punk took an F-5 through the announcer's table. Has this assault weakened Punk, or have Lesnar and Heyman ignited a fire within the man dubbed "The Best in the World?"

Fans rejoiced at the end of raw last week when Daniel Bryan, the wildly popular indy veteran and former world champion, was chosen by WWE Champion John Cena to face off against him at SummerSlam for the WWE title. Bryan is riding a wave of momentum heading for the Biggest Party of the Summer at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif. But can the bearded submission specialist defy the odds and take down one of the most decorated champions in WWE history in Cena?

The World's Largest Athlete, the 7-foot-2, 441-pound Big Show, returns after a two-month hiatus since May due to nagging injuries. The last time the dominating big man returned from absence, he ended up taking the World Heavyweight Championship from Sheamus last year. What will the decorated giant target next when he returns to action on Monday?

The Shield may have bitten off more than they could chew when they assaulted former world champion Mark Henry last week on Raw. After being attacked by "The World's Strongest Man" on Smackdown in retaliation, it looks as though a full-scale war is brewing between the Hounds of Justice and the massive Henry.

New RAW General Manager Brad Maddox finds himself drawn into the McMahon family's struggle for power now that his first Raw is over. That situation did not bode well for former Raw GM Vickie Guerrero, who was fired over the power struggle between Triple H, Vince and Stephanie McMahon. Will the new GM be able to avoid the wrath of the McMahons?

Divas Champion AJ Lee got a measure of revenge against Dolph Ziggler after the former world champion broke it off with her last week when she cost him his match against World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio and had Big E Langston assault "The Showoff." Will the devious diva have more payback on her mind tonight?

And the Wyatt Family's reign of terror has only started after unleashing vicious beatings against R-Truth and Kane in the last two weeks. Is there anyone on the horizon that can stop Bray Wyatt's twisted kin?
We'll find out the answers to these questions and more when WWE Raw kicks off tonight from Austin, Texas.

TV Schedule

WWE Raw starts at 8 p.m. EST Monday, July 22, 2013 on the USA Network.

Royal Baby July 22, 2013

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The former Kate Middleton gave birth to the couple's first child, a son, on Monday afternoon at a London hospital.

The birth was announced via a formal press release issued by Kensington Palace, which stated that the duchess "was safely delivered of a son" at 4:24 p.m., local time, weighing 8 lbs., 6 oz.

"The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth," the statement added. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news."

"Right across the country and indeed right across the Commonwealth people will be celebrating and wishing the royal couple well," Prime Minister David Cameron told waiting reporters in front of 10 Downing Street. "It is an important moment in the life of our nation but I suppose above all it's a wonderful moment for a warm and loving couple who got a brand new baby boy. It's been a remarkable few years for our royal family -- a royal wedding that captured people's hearts, that extraordinary and magnificent Jubilee and now this royal birth, all from a family that have given this nation so much incredible service, and they can know that a proud nation is celebrating with a very proud and happy couple tonight."