Champions League team of the week: Ronaldo and one Chelsea player make our XI
Right-back: Alessandro Florenzi (Roma) – He nullified Neymar and bagged an outrageous 60-yard equaliser to boot – not a bad evening for the Italian. 11 11 Central Midfield: Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich) – Brilliant in possession and eye-catching in a multitude of roles, the ex-Barcelona man is key to Bayern’s dynamism. Centre-back: David Alaba (Bayern Munich) – The ultimate utility man, Pep Guardiola will know he can rely on Alaba to perform wherever he is selected. Excelled in the centre of defence as Bayern completed a routine win over Olympiakos. 11 Striker: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – Another day, another hat-trick. Shakhtar Donetsk aren’t a bad side but were put to the sword by the most clinical finisher in world football. That’s eight goals in the space of five days and four trebles in his last six games. Ludicrous. 11 11 Left-back: Jordi Alba (Barcelona) – On a comparatively fruitless evening for the European champions, Alba provided their main outlet with his incisive runs from left-back. 11 11 Central midfield: Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea) – Shades of his best, Fabregas scored one and set up another for Diego Costa as Chelsea got back to winning ways against a desperately poor Maccabi Tel-Aviv side. Goalkeeper: Johan Wiland (Malmo) – PSG amassed a massive 22 shots on Tuesday night and would have scored a lot more than two if it wasn’t for the 34-year-old’s brilliant reflexes. The Champions League is back and, well, the Premier League just isn’t the force it used to be, is it?With three of our four teams suffering defeats – two of those against PSV and Dinamo Zagreb, the tournament has offered a bit of a reality check to those still claiming it’s the best league in the world.Still, Chelsea got back to winning ways after their dreadful start to the season, while we saw the rest of Europe’s best showcase why they are just that.Here’s your team of the week from Matchday 1. 11 11 11 Centre-back: Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid) – Fast turning into one of Europe’s meanest defenders, he was in brilliant form to repel Galatasaray on Tuesday. 11 Right Wing: Angel di Maria (PSG) – Surprise surprise, Di Maria looked back to his electric best against Malmo on his European debut for PSG. Took his goal brilliantly – penny for your thoughts, Manchester United fans? Striker: Alvaro Morata (Juventus) – The scourge of Manchester City, Morata showcased exceptional hold up play before capping his fine performance with a brilliant winning goal. Left Wing: Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg) – Just occasionally, Hulk displays why there is so much fuss about him. Against Valencia on Wednesday was one of those nights, registering two stupendous finishes as Zenit ran out 3-2 winners in Spain. 
*DISCLAIMER: Like Liverpool’s ‘moneyball’ transfer policy, don’t take this at all seriously!The latest of talkSPORT’s funny fake interviews tells the story of how Liverpool’s new manager, Jurgen Klopp, ended up joining the club, as well as how Sam Allardyce got his new job in charge of Sunderland.Check out the video above and for regular funny football content, check out YouTube.com/talkSPORT
1 Chelsea hero Didier Drogba Chelsea legend Didier Drogba is set to stay at Montreal Impact over the MLS off-season, amid links with a short-term move to Italian side Bologna on loan.The striker has been in stunning form since joining Canadian outfit Montreal in September, scoring 12 goals in 13 games.It had led to claims the 37-year-old would join Bologna on loan in January but now talk of leaving the MLS has been rubbished by the Ivorian’s club.“Rumours coming from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean suggested that Didier Drogba would play in Italy, more precisely on loan with Italian club Bologna F.C. after the MLS playoffs,” a statement on the Montreal Impact website read.“The Impact denied those rumours on Tuesday, originally reported by Italian media and newspapers who cover soccer almost exclusively, and on a daily basis.“The Italian club, the Impact, nor Drogba have ever discussed this possibility.”
1 Real Madrid are determined to bring back Alvaro Morata next summer, which is likely to rule out a bid from Arsenal.The Spanish forward has proven his worth at Juventus since leaving the Bernabeu in July 2014 and scored the crucial goal to knock out his former club in the Champions League semi-finals last season.With Karim Benzema currently going through off-field problems, Real are keen to persuade Morata to return next summer and reports in Spain suggest a verbal agreement is already in place.According to AS, Morata will sign a five-year contract with Real once the La Liga giants trigger the £21million buyback clause.Arsenal were interested in taking Morata on loan before he joined Juventus and remain on the market for a striker as a result of their mounting injury problems this season. Juventus striker Alvaro Morata 
1 Real Madrid’s La Liga title hopes were dealt a huge blow by a former Tottenham striker.Roberto Soldado endured a miserable spell at White Hart Lane, but has been a virtual ever-present since joining Villarreal in the summer.And he enjoyed a night to remember on Sunday as he fired home the only goal of the game against the mighty Real – the club where he began his career.See the strike below… Roberto Soldado 
Roma star Juan Iturbe Hellas Verona are hopeful of re-signing former favourite and Watford target Juan Iturbe on loan when the transfer window opens.The 22-year-old forward left Verona for Roma in a £16m deal and signed a five-year contract in July 2014.But the Argentinean has struggled to recreate his best form in the Italian capital and scored just two goals in his first 27 league games at his new club last season.And it has not got much better for him this term, having found the net only once in 12 Serie A appearances.Now reports in Italy have revealed that Roma are ready to let him leave on loan in the new year and Watford are understood to be keen on luring him to the Premier League.However, Gazzetta dello Sport has suggested that his old club Hellas Verona are in the driving seat to land him.Like Iturbe, Verona have also endured a miserable start to the season and sit rock bottom of the table with just seven points from their first 16 games having failed to register a win.And they are hoping that Iturbe will be able to fire them to safety in the second half of the season should their loan bid be successful. 1
Ray Wilkins believes Manchester United COULD make a change of manager after Louis van Gaal’s aura of calm cracked in a remarkable press conference walk out.The under-fire boss was irked at reports last week which claimed he was on the brink of the sack following a run of six games without a win.Speaking ahead of the Boxing Day clash against Stoke, Van Gaal answered just three questions before abruptly leaving, telling attending press: “I wish you a merry Christmas and also maybe a happy new year when I see you. Enjoy the wine and mince pies. Goodbye.”And former midfielder Wilkins – an FA Cup winner with United – claims the manager was unprepared for the media pressure when he took the job in the Old Trafford hotseat.“The media in this country are very intense,” he told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast. “I don’t think Van Gaal was quite prepared for what has been said and written about him over the last couple of weeks.“You have to be extremely mentally tough to go into a place like Old Trafford. You are expected to win and expected to play in a certain style and when that’s not happening the supporters will let you know.“It’s not good enough for Man United just to be in the top four or even at the top of the league, they have to perform how the fans want them to perform – with a bit of a cavalier style.”Jose Mourinho boss has been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford amid the Van Gaal exit talk, and Wilkins claims the Dutchman’s reign could be coming to an end.“I could see a change,” he added. “I didn’t think there would be a change with David Moyes, to be honest. I thought they’d give him more time, so the same would apply to Van Gaal.“They’re such a massive club and they have to keep that profile up; they can’t afford to be slipping down the league.”
Andy Carroll celebrates his goal, if not his hair Andy Carroll came on to score a late winner for West Ham against Southampton yesterday, but that wasn’t the only talking point surrounding the big Geordie.His header sealed three points for the Hammers, while his hairdo was mostly hammered on social media.Check out a selection of the reaction to Carroll’s Barnet… 1
Barcelona thrashed Athletic Bilbao 6-0 to keep their Liga title hopes on course.Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick and Lionel Messi and Neymar both scored along with Ivan Rakitic.And what about this for a bit of control from Neymar?As well as the trio known as ‘MSN’, Real Madrid’s own threesome of Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo also scored, but which trio of players are better?Football’s greatest ever trios Watch a video of Neymar’s superb touch 1
Coral’s Nicol McGeady joins the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast to round up the latest sporting odds.Manchester City booked their spot in the League Cup final by beating Everton on Wednesday night and they are 4/7 favourites to lift the trophy, with Wembley opponents Liverpool 13/10.McGeady also looks at the contenders for FA Cup glory, ahead of this weekend’s fourth round action, revealing Arsenal, Chelsea and City head the betting at 5/1.Coral is the official betting partner of the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast