By Tim Stannard

1) Ronaldo boasts of mastery over Messi in Ballon d’Or battle

Start with Cristiano Ronaldo winning another Ballon d’Or and then a throw question about Leo Messi into the mix and there was always going to be headline-making trouble.

The Real Madrid man was asked to ponder what would have happen if himself and the Loki to his Thor had been playing in the same team for all these years. The response from Ronaldo was that he would have won more France Football trinkets than his current four – certainly more than Messi, it seems. “If we were in the same team,” mused CR7, “I think I would have more than him, but he wouldn't be far off.” Ronaldo is currently away with Madrid in Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup and was presented by a cake that he almost certainly didn’t allow to go past his lips, lest they end up on his hips. Get all the latest news from Japan on the XTRA at 7PM ET / 4PM PT.

2) Atletico left without Oblak for four months

An already tough week for Atletico Madrid just became a heck of a lot worse with the club confirming that goalkeeper, Jan Oblak, will be ruled out for four months with a dislocated shoulder. The Slovenian picked up the injury during Monday’s defeat to Villarreal and will have to go undergo surgery.

3) Argentina shirt viral star meets Messi

A genuinely heart-warming story from another part of the planet with Leo Messi meeting the young Afghan boy, Murtaza Ahmadi, who became famous for wearing the improvised Argentina shirt, out of a shopping bag. Messi are currently in Doha for a friendly match and 2022 Qatar World Cup organizing committee are claiming that the pair came together with the viral star receiving a signed shirt from his idol.

4) Arsenal in another test of Premier League prowess

The midweek football landscape as a whiff of tea, crumpets, scones and snobbery with both the Championship and Premier League in action on Tuesday and Wednesday. A tasty promotion battle between Norwich City and Aston Villa is being served up live on beIN SPORTS from 2:40PM ET / 11:40PM PT. Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Leicester City are hoping to build on the weekend’s trouncing of Manchester City with an away win at Bournemouth, while Arsenal continue their eternal quest to proof that they are the real title-winning deal this season with a trip to Goodison Park to take on Everton. Catch all the best action and analysis on the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT where Ray Hudson will be brewing up a cuppa.

5) Accidental alcohol consumption for Yaya Toure

The bizarre life of Yaya Toure continues. After past issues over a lack of birthday cake, his weight, his agent and subsequent riff with Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City midfielder has admitted to being over the legal limit for alcohol in a drunk-driving case despite having “not intentionally consumed alcohol.” That’s the story posted on the footballer’s website, anyway. “Anyone who knows me or follows football will have seen me refuse champagne for man-of-the-match performances because of my commitment to my religion,” wrote the Ivorian.

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