Every great tournament has its rising stars. Here are ten who could really shine

There were three veterans of Italy’s 2006 World Cup triumph missing when the team met up at the Coverciano training centre in Florence yesterday to prepare for matches against Spain and Germany.

Leicester 3 Stoke 0

As many expected,

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Bosnia has been here before, and so has Miralem Pjanic.

Zlatan! Ronaldo! Messi!

In light of yesterday’s Champions League draw, there might be good reason for optimism English clubs will survive the marathon of the group stage but rather less grounds for confidence in the notion they will still be in the race for Milan when the sprint section turns into the final straight.

Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo is relishing the challenge ahead after leaving Juventus for MLS side New York City FC.

Never mind these bandwagon-jumping Johnny-come-latelys at Red Bull and New York City, true Big Apple sawker fans get behind the revived New York Cosmos and Pele’s old club have made this week’s box-office signing.

Tottenham midfielder Paulinho has joined Guangzhou Evergrande on a four-year deal, the Chinese Super League side have announced.

Xavi’s brief consoling of Pirlo at the end of the Champions League final was a much-needed reminder, in the wake of the FIFA scandal, that the game can still be beautiful, writes Ciarán O’Connor.

Amid all the scandals assailing the sport, Liam Brady is hoping Barcelona and Juventus can provide football with a night to remember in Berlin.

Tonight’s Champions League final is a stage for extravagant attacking talents — but for this netminder, the real storyline is between the posts for the Old Lady of Turin, writes Dónal Óg Cusack.

Tennis, hurling, rugby and the small matter of a Champions League final - we hope you didn’t have big plans for the weekend because they will be hard to fit in around all the sport.

Downtrodden, red-faced, a tormented laughing stock — that about covers it.

Real Madrid 1 Juventus 1 (Agg 2-3): Alvaro Morata was again the hero as a 1-1 draw at Real Madrid in last night’s Champions League semi-final second leg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu sent Juventus through to the competition’s final.

The Old Lady of Italian football — not to mention one or two of its old men — is long overdue a European trophy; and after Carlos Tevez inspired Juventus to a 2-1 Champions League semi-final first leg victory over Real Madrid there is a growing feeling that this could finally be their year.

There is enough intrigue as well as quality in the Champions League semi-finals this week to have any football fan salivating, writes David Shonfield.

Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo has described Champions League semi-final opponents Real Madrid as the “most important club side in the world”, but insists his team will face the holders without fear.

Monaco 0 Juventus 0: Juventus moved into the last four of the Champions League for the first time in 12 years after playing out a goalless draw with Monaco in the second leg of their quarter-final tie.

What's on telly? This stuff.

Benfica youngster Romario Baldé produced perhaps the worst ‘Panenka’ of all time in the Uefa Youth League.

Paris Saint-Germain believe they can beat Chelsea in the Champions League tomorrow night, writes David Shonfield.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed speculation linking him with a move for Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling.

Andrea Pirlo continued his campaign to be considered football’s coolest man with this beauty of a free-kick at the weekend.

Italy’s early elimination from the World Cup has strengthened the belief that football in the country desperately needs a new direction.

What is the point in denying it? There is very little that energises us more than preposterous humiliation. Someone else’s anyway.

Italy 0 Uruguay 1

IT HASN’T been easy but I have had to face reality. This will probably be my last World Cup.

Italy 0 Costa Rica 1

Italy 0 Costa Rica 1

Roy Hodgson thinks Luis Suarez has a lot to prove before he can be considered a truly world-class player.

England 1 Italy 2

Roy Hodgson thinks Luis Suarez has a lot to prove before he can be considered a truly world class player.

England put on a good display of attacking football, but they emerged from their trek into the jungle with a 2-1 defeat in their World Cup opener thanks to Mario Balotelli's winner in the draining heat of Manaus.

England 1 Italy 2

Slamming, body-rocking heat greeted the traveller in Manaus yesterday. When even the local taxi driver wipes his forehead and declares it’s "mucho calde" you know this isn’t a climate for the faint-hearted.

Much of Italy’s success for the past decade owes to the creativity and determination of Andrea Pirlo.

Andrea Pirlo has signed a two-year contract extension with Juventus, the Serie A club have announced.

Republic of Ireland 0 Italy 0

Tomorrow against Turkey at the Aviva Stadium, Ireland play the first of four games in three weeks in three different countries.

Andrea Pirlo would have “crawled to Barcelona on all fours” to join Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side in 2010.

West Ham United 0 Chelsea 3