France bans 'big screen' zones for World Cup over terror fears

Didier Deschamps proclaimed France’s second World Cup triumph was “just as beautiful” as their first after leading them to glory again 20 years on, but Croatia defender Dejan Lovren said that Deschamps' team "did not play football."

"I'm disappointed because we lost the game, we played much, much better football than them, but on the other hand I'm proud of this team and what we have achieved," Lovren said.

"We played beautiful football again. France were one of the favourites to win the World Cup and they did it. I think we were better. They did it another way. They didn't play football, they waited for their chances and they scored. They had their own tactic and you need to respect that. They played the tournament like that, every game, but when you look at all the countries behind us, we're second.” he added.

"There's nothing to talk about now. It's difficult to describe. Maybe after a week or two, a couple of months... right now, it's difficult. Some moments I feel sad, some moments I'm happy. Overall, I'm proud."

Ivan Perisic conceded the first-half penalty after referee Nestor Pitana penalised him for handball following a VAR review.

"I was sure he would not give the pen," said the Liverpool centre-back. "From my point of view, he [Perisic] could not react.

"It was a critical moment, we came back at 1-1, and then this penalty and then 3-1, 4-1, but even then we didn't stop playing football, we still believed, we gave everything, and this is why people are proud now in Croatia."

Didier Deschamps' side had claimed a 1-0 over Belgium in the semifinals with a defensive masterclass which left Belgium star Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois deeply unimpressed with what he felt were overly cagey tactics by France in the semi-final, and now Lovren also felt the frustration of coming up against Deschamps's style. Not always the most entertaining, however, in the end, French squad just had too much talent at its disposal to get the job done.

National discard forward Nabib Newaj Jibon scored in his third successive match in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) to help Rahmatganj MFS register an emphatic 3-1 win over Brothers Union at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Flight Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Mymensingh today.

Jibon, who joined the Old-Dhaka outfit this season following a long stint at Abahani, struck in the second half in between a brace from Ghanaian forward Boetang.

Jibon's strike restored Rahmatganj's lead after Brothers' Senegalese recruit Cheikh Sene had cancelled out Samuel Boateng's second-minute goal by converting a penalty in the 70th minute. Boetang scored his second in the stoppage time of the second half.

"I was a victim of bias in Abahani and did not get many matches last season," Jibon told The Daily Star about his goal-less run for Abahani in the BPL last season.

"This season the coach has given me more minutes by drafting me in the starting eleven. I am also more focused on helping my club by scoring goals. That's why I am getting goals regularly," he added.

Jibon came off the bench in their league opener against Fortis FC but could not find the back of the net. He struck twice in the following match against Chittagong Abahani and netted one against Bashundhara Kings before scoring once against Brothers today.

With four goals, he is now second in the goal-scorer's list this season, one goal behind joint top-scorers Al Amin of Police FC and Souleymane Diabate of Mohammedan SC.

"My target is to return to the national football team," said 34-year-old Jibon, adding that age is just a number and only fitness and performance matters.

Meanwhile, Fakirerpool YMC tasted their maiden victory in the professional football league with a 2-0 win over winless Chittagong Abahani in Mymensingh while promoted Dhaka Wanderers Club also secured their first point by playing a 1-1 draw with Fortis FC at Kings arena.

La Liga leaders Barcelona stumbled 1-0 at home against Leganes on Sunday as they suffered another blow in the Spanish title race.

Atletico Madrid pulled level on points with the Catalans with a 1-0 victory of their own against Getafe earlier on, their 11th straight win across all competitions.

Leganes defender Sergio Gonzalez headed home from a corner after four minutes for the visiting minnows and Barcelona missed a host of presentable chances as they failed to mount a comeback.

After a superb start to the season, Barcelona have lost three of their last six league games and won just one of those, seeing their lead whittled away.

Hansi Flick's side lead third-place Real Madrid by a single point, after the champions drew at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, having played one extra game than both their closest title rivals.

"It was a messed-up game, it's impossible to be happy. I think we started the game half asleep," Pedri told DAZN.

"We woke up, we created chances but we didn't have the spark we needed to get the goal...

"We have to be better in front of goal if we want to win points, we're in a bad run in the league and we have to turn it around."

Barcelona started in the worst possible way as their former youth player Munir El Haddadi broke in down the right and forced a fine save from Inaki Pena at his near post.

From the resulting corner Leganes took the lead, with Sergio Gonzalez powering a header home to stun the Olympic stadium into silence.

From there Barcelona dominated against the visitors, 15th, and created several chances but found an inspired Marko Dmitrovic in their way.

The Serbian goalkeeper twice denied La Liga's top goalscorer Robert Lewandowski in the first half and produced a stunning save to thwart Raphinha, tipping his powerful effort against the crossbar.

Barcelona's teenage wing wizard Lamine Yamal hurt his ankle in a challenge in the first half but despite the pain, continued to play and was his team's most potent threat as usual.

Neither Lewandowski nor Dani Olmo were on song and Barca replaced the pair with Torres and Fermin Lopez for the final 25 minutes, but Leganes held firm.

Raphinha whipped a stoppage time free-kick over the crossbar to end a thoroughly frustrating night as Leganes earned a first away win at Barca.

Barcelona host Atletico in their final match of the year next weekend.

Atletico hot streak

Diego Simeone's Atletico have been in fine form and continued their winning run across all competitions with a deserved home triumph thanks to Alexander Sorloth's goal.

The Norwegian target man came off the bench to head home the winner in the second half for his seventh league goal this season.

"I'll repeat it, I'm boring, I won't change -- until the last day, we'll go game by game," Simeone told reporters when asked if his team could challenge for the title.

"I always say the best result is 1-0 because you work hard in defence and you're effective in attack, if you win 4-3 there are things you have to improve."

Atletico Madrid controlled the first half but could not put away the chances they created.

Two of the most inviting fell to winger Samuel Lino, but he failed to convert on both occasions.

After 69 minutes substitute Sorloth peeled off his marker at the far post and placed a header back across goal and into the net from Nahuel Molina's cross.

Molina was another reinforcement brought on by Simeone, with Atletico's impressive squad depth telling.

"Before the game I spoke with the players about thanking and recognising those who weren't going to start the game," said Simeone.

"There are very important players who are competing in an extraordinary way... it's our biggest strength."

Atalanta surged back to the top of the Serie A standings with a Charles De Ketelaere-inspired 3-2 win at home to Empoli on Sunday, while inconsistent Roma thrashed Parma 5-0.

De Ketelaere was twice on target for Atalanta in the topsy-turvy encounter -- his second goal proving to be the winner with just four minutes left on the clock.

Ademola Lookman was also on the scoresheet to ensure Gian Piero Gasperini's side won their 11th consecutive match in the league and leapfrogged Napoli back into top spot for the Christmas period.

"It's been a wonderful year, we're sorry it's ending, let's hope that 2025 will be just as good," Gasperini told DAZN.

"It won't be easy, but beyond the results I'm very happy with the spirit that there is in this team."

The reigning Europa League champions restored their two-point buffer over Napoli, who had moved a point ahead of them following their 2-1 win at Genoa on Saturday.

Lorenzo Colombo gave 11th-placed Empoli the lead at the Gewiss Stadium on 13 minutes.

Things got worse for Atalanta when Mateo Retegui, the top scorer in the league, was forced off with a muscular injury in the 21st minute -- casting a doubt over his availability for coming matches.

But De Ketelaere hit back to level for the Bergamo-based outfit four minutes after the half-hour.

Recently crowned African player of the year, Lookman got his 12th goal of the season in all competitions to put Atalanta in front in first-half added time.

Sebastiano Esposito pegged back Atalanta on 57 minutes, converting from the penalty spot.

As the game crept towards a disappointing draw that would have still sent Atalanta back top on goal difference, Belgian midfielder De Ketelaere popped up with his fifth league goal this term in the 86th minute.

The 23-year-old showed skill and composure to glide along the edge of the box until a chance presented itself, and he then fired off a disguised left-footed shot which flashed past the goalkeeper.

"Today we suffered a bit, but always after goals we reacted and tried to win," said De Ketelaere.

"It's December and it's not even over yet, we are happy where we are but every game is difficult and we continue."

- 'Real Roma' -
Roma bounced back from last weekend's surprise 2-0 loss at Como, which had left Claudio Ranieri's side within two points of the drop zone, to thump Parma in the Italian capital.

Paulo Dybala hit a brace, with goals also coming from Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Paredes and Artem Dovbyk as Roma moved to 10th place.

"The most important thing was the points. We had to show that the team seen against Como was not the real Roma, we had to do more," Saelemaekers told DAZN.

Parma remain one point above the drop zone in 16th spot.

Dybala converted a penalty and Saelemaekers slammed home a volley to give the home side a 2-0 lead inside the opening quarter of an hour.

The Argentinian netted his second six minutes after the break. Paredes then scored from 12 yards in the 74th minute and Ukrainian striker Dovbyk put the cherry on top for the Romans with seven minutes remaining.

Venezia climbed off the bottom of the table with a vital 2-1 home win over fellow strugglers Cagliari.

The result leaves Cagliari 18th on 14 points, one ahead of Venezia, with Monza propping up the standings with 10 points after defeat at home to Juventus.

Juventus maintained their unbeaten status in Serie A by seeing off the bottom side 2-1 thanks to first-half strikes from Weston McKennie and Nicolas Gonzalez.

The Old Lady remain sixth on 31 points as they won for the first time in the league since early November following four consecutive draws.

They are level on points with fifth-placed Fiorentina, but the Tuscans can go clear again when they take on Udinese on Monday.

Champions Inter Milan, in third on 34 points, host Como later that day.

Russia was the target of almost 25 million cyber-attacks during the World Cup, President Vladimir Putin said, though he did not indicate who may have been behind the attacks.

"During the period of the World Cup, almost 25 million cyber-attacks and other criminal acts on the information structures in Russia, linked in one way or another to the World Cup, were neutralised," Putin said during a meeting on Sunday with security services. The comments were reported by the Kremlin on Monday.