Motty ends retirement to join talkSPORT

John Motson has ended his short-lived retirement by agreeing to return to work with talkSPORT.

The broadcaster built his reputation throughout a 50-year career as a commentator at the BBC that only concluded in May, but he will begin his new role with talkSPORT in August.

Motson is cherished as one of Britain’s finest football commentators and when he oversaw his final fixture with the BBC, when Crystal Palace defeated West Brom 2-0, it was his last of over 2,000 in the role.

Now he is beginning a new chapter, which will include further commentary for talkSPORT on live Premier League fixtures, contributing to the station’s chat shows and developing a nostalgia show known as “Motty’s Magnificent XI”.

“I’m looking forward to joining the team, commentating on this great game for sometime longer and speaking to a host of footballing legends for a series of shows for fans to re-live the best of football past and present,” the 73-year-old said.

“It didn’t take long to come out of retirement because talkSPORT is a great place to talk football.”

Jose: No distractions helped Pogba shine at World Cup

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho believes the World Cup provided the perfect environment for Paul Pogba to thrive.

United midfielder Pogba excelled as France triumphed in Russia this summer, the 25-year-old even capping a fine series of performances with a memorable goal against Croatia in the final.

That came after an inconsistent season with United which at times saw the Frenchman left out of Mourinho’s side and even led to speculation over his future.

Mourinho feels the closed-off nature of tournament football clearly suits Pogba but he hopes the player, an £89m signing from Juventus two years ago, can carry some of its intensity into the club season.

Mourinho told ESPN: “I don’t think it’s about us getting the best out of him, it’s about him giving the best he has to give.

“I think the World Cup is the perfect habitat for a player like him to give (their) best.

“Why? Because it’s closed for a month, where he can only think about football.”

“Where he’s with his team on the training camp, completely isolated from the external world, where they focus just on football, where the dimensions of the game can only motivate.

“During a season, you can have a big match then a smaller match, then one even smaller, then you can lose your focus, you can lose your concentration, then comes a big match again.”

Lopetegui begins Real tenure against Getafe

Julen Lopetegui’s first LaLiga game in charge of Real Madrid will be at home to Getafe after the fixture list for the new season was announced.

The 51-year-old was appointed as Zinedine Zidane’s successor last month, a day before his sacking as Spain coach on the eve of the World Cup, and has already lost the services of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus.

Lopetegui will start his reign in the league at the Bernabeu on the weekend of August 18/19.

His first taste of El Clasico will come on October 28 at the Nou Camp, with the return fixture against Barcelona on March 3, while the Madrid derbies take place on September 30 and February 10.

Following public comments from La Liga chief Javier Tebas, who said it was “not ideal” for the second El Clasico meeting between Real and Barca last season to be played with the latter having already won the league title, the two sides will face off earlier this campaign.

Champions Barcelona start the defence of their title with a home match versus Alaves, while Atletico begin with a tough trip to Valencia in the most intriguing fixture of the opening round.

Real will host Madrid rivals Atletico at the end of September in the seventh match of the season, travelling across the city for the second meeting of the season on the weekend of February 9/10.

Other notable opening weekend fixtures see Villarreal host Real Sociedad, top division debutants Huesca visit Eibar and Celta Vigo take on Espanyol.