The 2016 Deadspin Awards Are Live!

Frank Lampard is philosophical about the evolution of his relationship with his former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and insists the pair remain cordial .

Once upon a time, Lampard was the lynchpin of Mourinho s Blues side that won two Premier League titles, as many EFL Cups and an FA Cup during the Portuguese s first stint in charge at Stamford Bridge.

In the here and now, Lampard is in the Chelsea dugout while Mourinho is in charge of Premier League leaders Tottenham, with the London rivals set to square off on Sunday with just two points and two places separating the teams.

From the outside there has been a certain frostiness between the two parties, including a tense touchline exchange as Spurs defeated Chelsea on penalties in an EFL Cup tie back in September.

Roberto Martinez praised the incredible personality of his Belgium players after a 3-1 win over Wales on Wednesday.

Belgium fell behind in the World Cup qualifier in Leuven after Harry Wilson s 10th-minute opener in Group E.

But they responded and were ahead at the break thanks to Kevin De Bruyne and Thorgan Hazard, before Romelu Lukaku s 73rd-minute penalty.

Belgium coach Martinez was pleased with the character his side showed after falling behind as the nation picked up their first victory against Wales since September 2012.

We knew that it was going to be a tough game. That s nothing different, but I think it became even harder than we expected, he told a news conference.

The moment that we conceded the first goal I thought Wales adapted to t…

Jurgen Klopp rejected an outlandish attempt to lure him back to Borussia Dortmund in 2018 but the Liverpool boss has admitted he would consider returning in future. 

The German left Signal Iduna Park after seven seasons during which time he won two Bundesliga titles shortly before moving to the Premier League in October 2015.

Last season s Champions League triumph cemented his rich reputation at Liverpool but just a year earlier he had been offered a route back to Dortmund.

The audacious effort to persuade Klopp to leave behind his work on Merseyside has come to light in Hans-Joachim Watzke s new book, Real Love: A life with BVB .

Dortmund were searching for a permanent successor to the sacked Peter Bosz in May of last year when chief executive Watzk…

Antonio Conte warned Tottenham cannot expect Champions League football to be sealed with just a couple of months of work and one transfer window.

Spurs have been revitalised since Conte s arrival as the former Inter head coach became the first manager in the club s history to remain unbeaten through his first seven league games in charge.

That unbeaten streak leaves Spurs in seventh, just five points behind fourth-placed north London rivals Arsenal, though Conte s side boast two games in hand over the Gunners.

However, Conte attempted to quash the expectations on his team as he warned that Spurs recent form, or possible transfer activity in January, does not guarantee Champions League qualification.

Honestly, and I have been in football for many years, y…

Leicester boss Dean Smith has challenged his players to carry the psychological burden of their relegation battle.

The Foxes host Liverpool on Monday desperate for victory as they sit two points from safety with three games left.

Leeds’ 2-2 draw with Newcastle added extra pressure on the 2016 champions and dropped them to second bottom in the Premier League.

Smith, who replaced Brendan Rodgers until the end of the season last month, knows the importance of the Foxes keeping their heads.

“My approach has always been to challenge the players in terms of their performances because that’s the only thing they can control,” he said.

“When they go into the game their decision-making has to be good and they’ve made good decisions because other…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has proven to be a godsend for Milan, says Stefano Pio
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The Milan boss added the Rossoneri squad have already been helped on and off the pitch by the forward s arrival.

Ibrahimovic signed for Milan as a free agent after leaving Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy, returning to the club where he spent two seasons between 2010 and 2012 before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain.

It did not take long for the 38-year-old to make an impact, with Ibrahimovic scoring on his first start in a 2-0 win over Cagliari last time out in Serie A.

Milan, now unbeaten in three matches in all competitions following their 3-0 win over SPAL in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday, sit 10th in Serie A, and Pioli has hailed Ibrahimovic s immediate impact…

Much has changed in European football in the past five years – and few clubs illustrate that greater than fallen giants Barcelona.

On this day in 2017, Barca were thrashing Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 in the most remarkable Champions League turnaround ever, becoming the only side in the competition s history to overturn a four-goal first-leg deficit.

Now, Neymar and Lionel Messi – the two stars of that Blaugrana side – are preparing to play Real Madrid as PSG players.

Meanwhile, Barca are not even in the Champions League knockout stages, instead facing Galatasaray in the Europa League last 16 while battling to return to UEFA s flagship competition next season.

Indeed, Barca s recent European past has found them on the wrong end of epic Champions League …

Manchester City great Francis Lee said a move for Harry Kane would be very difficult as he questioned whether the England captain would be a long-term option.

Kane has given his strongest indication yet that he wants to leave Tottenham at the end of the season, stating his desire to play for a trophy-winning side.

Premier League champions City would fit that bill, while Kane has also been linked with the likes of Chelsea and neighbours Manchester United.

Kane, who will turn 28 in July, is level with Mohamed Salah at the top of the Premier League scoring charts heading into the final weekend of the season.

That suggests he remains in the very top bracket of Europe s top strikers, but Lee needs convincing that Kane would be capable of being a force for Cit…

Philippe Coutinho thanked Lionel Messi for allowing him to take a confidence-boosting penalty as Barcelona hammered Sevilla to reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Coutinho has endured a difficult season with Ousmane Dembele seemingly preferred by Ernesto Valverde, but the France winger s hamstring injury has opened a spot in Barca s attack.

And Coutinho grabbed his chance with both hands in Wednesday s second leg, scoring twice as Barca heaped more Copa del Rey misery on Sevilla, who they battered 5-0 in last year s final.

Barca s 6-1 victory overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg, when Messi was rested by Valverde, but the captain was in inspirational form at Camp Nou.

Not bad going, eh?

2019 Semifinalists (for now)
2018 Champions
2017 Ch…

Leyton Orient have paid tribute to supporter Derek Reynolds, who died after being taken unwell towards the end of the League One match against Lincoln on Tuesday night.

After fans had gone on to the pitch to alert the referee to the medical emergency in the East Stand, the match was halted in the 82nd minute and eventually abandoned.

The London Ambulance Service confirmed on Wednesday morning that despite extensive treatment and the combined efforts at the scene – which included an incident response officer, two medics in fast-response cars and an ambulance crew – the 74-year-old man had later been pronounced dead.

Leyton Orient Football Club is devastated to confirm that the supporter who was taken ill at Tuesday s game against Lincoln City has sadly passed …