Defending

In all the noise surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to Juventus, much was lost regarding the return of prodigal son Leonardo Bonucci. For many, AC Milan had gotten the better of a transfer that saw promising 24-year-old defender Mattia Caldara and Gonzalo Higuain land at the San Siro while the 31-year-old Bonucci — hot off his worst season as a professional — performed a sort of walk of shame back to Allianz Stadium.

It’s the headline you did not expect today: Patrice Evra once defecated in Gerard Pique’s shoes at Manchester United. The reason for it, however, is totally understandable. 

According to Spanish daily sports paper Diario AS, Evra once waited months for a pair of boots from Nike that had the names of his kids and other details on them. When Evra finally received them, Pique went to the showers, made a small bonfire and burned them. Nice one, Pique.

Neymar’s return to the Seleção for a pair of September friendlies against the USMNT and El Salvador brought forth the requisite questions concerning his World Cup antics, and the Paris Saint-Germain star was measured in his response to being labelled a diver before meeting the U.S. in New Jersey on Friday.