Sen. Amy Klobuchar is kicking off a “blue wall” tour this week, making stops in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, according to a schedule shared with POLITICO.

The Minnesota Democrat has centered her presidential bid on her ability to win back those states — once considered part of a blue wall of Democratic strength in presidential elections — that Donald Trump flipped in 2016.

Klobuchar, a moderate, leaned into her pragmatism at last week’s Democratic National Committee debate in Houston, telling voters that “if you feel stuck in the middle of the extremes in our politics and you are tired of the noise and the nonsense, you’ve got a home with me.”

The tour starts on Tuesday in Philadelphia, where Klobuchar will participate in the 2020 Workers Presidential Summit. On Wednesday, Klobuchar will stop in Pittsburgh, followed by events in Detroit and Milwaukee on Thursday. Her campaign said the senator would focus on economic issues, particularly investing in infrastructure and strengthening rural and agricultural communities.

But Klobuchar, who launched her presidential bid in February, has struggled to break out of the sprawling Democratic primary field, averaging just 1.2 percent in national polling, according to RealClear Politics.

In Houston, Klobuchar drew a strong contrast between herself and the progressives on the debate stage, telling Sen. Bernie Sanders that she had “read” his Medicare for All bill and that on “Page 8 … it says that we will no longer have private insurance as we know it.”

“I don’t think that’s a bold idea,” Klobuchar said. “I think it’s a bad idea.”

The DFB kept faith in a man who oversaw global glory in 2014 despite a horror show in Russia, a decision which still surprises a former star

Michael Ballack was surprised to see Germany coach Joachim Low keep his job following Die Mannschaft’s World Cup debacle.

Germany’s defence of the trophy they won in Brazil four years ago ended with a whimper, with Low overseeing the nation’s first opening-round exit since 1938.

However, the German Football Association (DFB) opted to stick with Low, a decision that caught former captain Ballack – who won 98 caps for his country – off guard.

“I was surprised as well as many other people that he kept his job,” Ballack told Deutsche Welle. 

“For a long time he worked with the team and sometimes you should say that things don’t work anymore when you’re so long with a certain team.

“As an outsider, I wished for German football that Low had gone out on top, because when you have talented players you shouldn’t talk about other things, which was the case before the World Cup.”

Ballack feels that a more thorough review should have been undertaken of Low’s performance and called for reforms to be made within the DFB.

He added: “The World Cup was a huge disappointment and there were reasons for that. 

“You should analyse it, really, and not just say ‘we will analyse that’ when you have already made the decision to keep the coach. That’s not a real analysis.

“There should not just be one person who is making these decisions. There should be more people in the German federation and a better structure. 

“I think they can improve this for sure. But this has nothing to do with the performance on the pitch. That’s an excuse for players sometimes, but we shouldn’t forget these things.”

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Ballack also urged Germany to move on from the ongoing furore surrounding Mesut Ozil’s international career.

The Arsenal playmaker retired from Germany duty after the World Cup and accused the DFB of discrimination against his Turkish heritage in doing so.

“No one needs that before the World Cup and no one needs that in general, that discussion,” Ballack said. 

“He [Ozil] made the decision he did, we have to accept it and the German national team has to move forward.”

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The Selecao boss appears to be treating Tuesday’s Brasil Global Tour Superclasico de las Americas as serious as any competitive fixture

Following World Cup 2018, Brazil have embarked on a process of renovation.

Having split the next four years into three distinct phases, this year’s Brasil Global Tour dates in September, October and November formed the first phase in which a number of new players would be trialled ahead of next year’s Copa America.

Three games in to this six-game period, a host of debuts have been handed out, with no less than nine new faces having been given their international bows (Neto, Felipe, Eder Militao, Andreas Pereira, Arthur, Lucas Paqueta, Richarlison, Everton and Pablo).

And after relatively routine victories over USA, El Salvador and Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday Tite and his team face their first big test since Russia as they meet Argentina in the Brasil Global Tour Superclasico de las Americas.

Tite was keen to point out on Friday that this would be “no friendly”. In Washington last month prior to their 5-0 win over El Salvador, Tite let it slip that he would be fielding his strongest possible team. 

The coach invariably presents his first XI to the media during a training session two days before the match, before officially confirming his line-up on the eve of the contest.

That he took the decision not to display his first XI during Sunday’s training session in Jeddah is another example of the seriousness with which he is preparing for Argentina on Tueday.

The core of the team, however, appears to be set. In all three matches since the World Cup, Brazil have lined up with the spine of the team that will lead them to Qatar, with Marquinhos, Casemiro, Coutinho and Neymar all ever-presents.

Alisson, too, appears one only five guaranteed first-team players right now – though the Liverpool goalkeeper made way against Saudi Arabia in order to give Ederson just his second cap.

On Sunday, veteran defender Miranda and right-back Danilo were selected to speak to the media in the day’s official press conference, leaving them strong candidates to start. 

In addition, Roberto Firmino and Filipe Luis are also tipped to make the XI. 

Tite has tasted defeat just twice as Brazil coach. One arrived at the hands of Belgium during the World Cup; his only other loss came one year ago on the Brasil Global Tour of June 2017 – against Argentina.

The “hermanos” are missing Lionel Messi and have a temporary coach in charge as they look to initiate an almost complete overhaul of their aging World Cup squad.

Brazil meet Argentina at King Abdullah Sports City in Jedah on Tuesday.

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The Brazilian star and Kylian Mbappe have both been tipped to win the big prize but the coach insists he is focusing on his team, not individuals

Thomas Tuchel dismissed the notion of the Ballon d’Or being a distraction for a Paris Saint-Germain side that is set to be without Neymar this weekend.

Brazil star Neymar will be rested for the Ligue 1 match against Amiens following a taxing international window spent representing his country in Saudi Arabia.

Reports in Spain this week have linked the 26-year-old with a return to Barcelona, which the Catalan side’s vice-president denied, but Tuchel was in no mood to indulge the speculation beyond insisting it was not necessary to hold talks with the attacker.

The German was more forthcoming with his views on whether Ballon d’Or dreams warped his team’s motivations.

PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is the latest big name to have endorsed Kylian Mbappe’s claims for an award that Neymar has long coveted, his departure from Barca in 2017 said to have been partly fuelled by a desire to end Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s duopoly.

Tuchel denied suggestions the intense debate over which player merits the accolade had a negative impact on his team’s morale.

“For me there’s no problem because it’s an individual prize and I coach a team,” he said.

“When both Neymar and Mbappe play exceptionally against Lyon we talk about it as if it’s a problem for Edinson [Cavani]. If Edi plays an exceptional match, we’ll say it’s a problem for the other two.

“It’s always like that, but it’s not a problem. All players want to win the Ballon d’Or and for that they have to be at a top level all year round. That means playing with the team.

“We have some of the best players in Europe, players that can win the Ballon d’Or every year, that’s the way it is.”

Defenders Marquinhos and Thomas Meunier will join Neymar in sitting out Saturday’s fixture at Parc des Princes, while Alphonse Areola has been given the nod to start ahead of Buffon.

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The Argentina legend has no cartilage left in his knees and will need to undergo surgery to relieve the discomfort

A surgeon has called for Diego Maradona to go under the knife to ease the discomfort in his knees, with the Argentine legend having no cartilage left in that area of his body.

The Napoli icon is struggling with severe osteoarthritis, and a video has captured him walking with great difficulty due to the pain he is in.

And his surgeon German Ochoa has now revealed that the legendary former striker must make a decision on whether he wants to undergo surgery to ease the discomfort.

“I know Diego going back to 2004 when I operated on his right knee, 27 days after he said goodbye to football at the Bombonera,” Ochoa told TYC Sports .

“Then in June before the World Cup we did a basic treatment so that he could carry out his activities in Russia in the best way possible.

“Maradona has severe osteoarthritis in his two knees and has no cartilage left, the bones rub together and it is a serious problem as it causes a lot of pain, inflammation and difficulty to move.

“The solution is to operate and put in prostheses.

“It would not get to the point that Diego could not walk, it would not get that bad. Advances in technology offer a solution and the most prudent and intelligent option is to operate.”

Maradona is the current manager of Mexican side Dorados de Sinaloa , with the video above showing the difficulty he had in walking during a recent training session with the club.

Earlier in 2018 he  had been announced as the new chairman of Belarusian side Dynamo Brest, in which he made a somewhat elaborate entrance on board a huge-wheeled hummer, but, given the 57-year-old’s new position as Dorados coach, it would appear he is no longer in that role.

In his first game in charge of Dorados back in September, his side claimed a 4-1 win over rival second-division side Cafetaleros, with the Sinaloa club having gone on to claim two more wins and suffer two defeats since then.

Maradona won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, and is regarded by many as the greatest footballer who ever lived.

There were concerns over his health and conduct at the World Cup in Russia over the summer, however, where he was seen giving middle-finger salutes during Argentina’s victory over Nigeria .

Arsenal were denied a 12th straight win after Granit Xhaka brought down Wilfried Zaha and Crystal Palace captain Luka Milivojevic equalised.

Granit Xhaka had no complaints over being penalised for the foul that allowed Crystal Palace to peg Arsenal back for a 2-2 draw.

Luka Milivojevic put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time at Selhurst Park but Xhaka levelled with a venomous free-kick and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave Arsenal the lead amid strong handball claims against Alexandre Lacazette.

But there was a sting in the tail as Xhaka – playing in the unfamiliar position of left-back – brought down Wilfried Zaha and gave Milivojevic the chance to make it two out of two from 12 yards.

The Switzerland international initially protested to referee Martin Atkinson but accepted he was in the wrong afterwards.

“It’s difficult. I think it’s a clear penalty,” Xhaka told Sky Sports. “I touched him in the knee.

“The referee gave a penalty. That’s football.”

After his goal, Xhaka ran off to celebrate with Unai Emery – his head coach having enquired why he was not on dead-ball duties during the first half.

“I heard something from the coach in the first half. He asked me why I wasn’t taking the corners and the free-kicks,” said Xhaka.

“It was the first free-kick of the second half, I took it and I scored.

“I wanted to say thank you. I heard [Emery] enough in the first half. He told me I must take the free-kicks and the corners.”

The result meant Arsenal’s winning streak in all competitions was halted at 11 but, on balance, Xhaka was happy to accept the point.

“We know we can’t win all the games. We try,” he added.

“It was not our best performance but one point here… alright. We take the positive things from this game and move forward.”

Arsenal host Blackpool in the Carabao Cup in midweek before welcoming Premier League leaders Liverpool to Emirates Stadium.

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The Everton goalkeeper kept out the Man Utd midfielder’s 27th-minute spot-kick before the Frenchman redeemed himself by converting the rebound.

Jordan Pickford says he knew where Paul Pogba would place his penalty during Everton’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The England goalkeeper saved from Pogba after the Frenchman gave a stuttering run-up to his 27th-minute spot-kick, but was unable to keep out the rebound as United opened the scoring.

Pogba has embarked on an interrupted run-up for penalties earlier in the season, successfully converting from 12 yards against Leicester on the opening day, but Pickford used his knowledge of the midfielder’s technique to out-think the United man and repel the penalty, albeit to no avail.

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“When he did his run-up I knew where he was going to go and I saved it, but unfortunately it went back out,” Pickford told Everton’s club website.

“I did my research and made the save. Even if it even goes three yards out to his left or right, I’ve got enough time to get up and make the save from the rebound but it wasn’t to be.”

Pogba’s penalty run-up took longer to complete than sprinter Usain Bolt’s 100m world record, and the midfielder explained his rationale after the game , telling Sky Sports: “I always try and destabilise the keeper. Maybe they know how I take penalties.”

After Pogba had given United the lead, Anthony Martial scored a second with a spectacular curling effort from 18 yards, before Gylfi Sigurdsson scored from the spot to set up a nervous finish for Jose Mourinho’s side.

“We showed character and plenty of spirit and we fought right until the end,” said Pickford.

“We dug in as a group and we almost got something out of the game.”

Everton boss Marco Silva accused Martial of having dived to win the penalty from which United took the lead, after the Frenchman went down under contact from Idrissa Gueye who appeared to have played the ball.

“That moment, it was no penalty,” said Silva. “It was difficult for us. That moment makes it easy for our opponents. You are more exposed then because you have to take more risks. They scored a fantastic goal but we had a good chance to score at 2-1.”

The Tottenham manager once again hailed the midfielder for his tackle against Spain

Eric Dier’s crunching tackle on Sergio Ramos showcased the spirit and attitude of Tottenham, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Dier was booked for the aggressive slide tackle, which was largely unnecessary, on Ramos during England’s 3-2 Nations League win over Spain.

Pochettino said the challenge showed the attitude that had been developed at Spurs, and the manager was proud.

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“The tackle was nice, eh? The tackle was good. He touched the ball. He was aggressive,” he said.

“In England, it’s never a foul. Of course, in Europe it’s different but in England it’s never a foul.

“But to be brave like this… look, Dier, a holding midfielder, was pressing Sergio Ramos in the penalty area and that is the mentality that – from day one – we tried to translate to the players.

“Of course, I feel proud about that. It’s a fantastic attitude, that always we need to keep pushing.”

Dier’s tackle came four minutes before Raheem Sterling opened the scoring in an incredible first half by England, who led 3-0 at the break.

Pochettino, whose team face West Ham on Saturday, said challenges like Dier’s early in games could set the tone.

“The signal that you send to your opponents is important,” he said.

“To say, ‘We are not scared of you. We come here and we want to beat you’. We can play good or bad but always it’s about the attitude. With different attitudes, sure, the game would be completely different and have different results.

“With only talent you cannot beat any team. But talent with attitude is everything.”

The Portuguese superstar completed a move to Juventus over the summer and has made an immediate impression on those around him in Turin

Joao Cancelo claims “everybody” at Juventus wants to be like Cristiano Ronaldo, with even Giorgio Chiellini swept up by the hype surrounding the Portuguese superstar.

A stunning €100 million (£87m/$114m) transfer took the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to Turin over the summer, with a new challenge sought after nine trophy-laden seasons at Real Madrid.

Ronaldo made a slow start to his time in Serie A, but has rediscovered his spark to net seven times across his last 10 appearances.

At 33 years of age he continues to set the standard for individual excellence, with his efforts in training and competitive action making others aware of what is required to reach the very top.

Those around him at Juve have been inspired by his presence, with fellow summer signing Cancelo conceding that it is impossible not to be caught up in the Ronaldo buzz.

The 24-year-old defender told Tuttosport of a fellow countryman: “Everybody at Juventus looks at Cristiano Ronaldo as a great example. 

“Everybody wants to be like him, even the more experienced players like Chiellini.

“He is an incredible player, he works a lot and he is an example for us all. He is humble and a hard worker.”

While Cancelo is delighted to be working with Ronaldo in the present, he has suggested that his future may lie back home.

The Portugal international is a product of the famed academy system at Benfica and, having only spent one season as a first-team regular at the club before heading to Valencia, admits that the Lisbon giants retain a special place in his heart.

He added: “Benfica? I am at one of the best clubs in the world but I miss the 60,000 fans of the Estadio Da Luz.”

Cancelo penned a five-year contract with Juve upon his arrival, with the club having invested €40m (£35m/$46m) of faith in his talent, so there is no chance of him returning to his roots any time soon.

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