Arjen Robben has joined the queue of Bayern Munich players hoping coach Pep Guardiola commits to the Bundesliga champions and also ruled out a move from the Allianz Arena himself.
Guardiola s current deal runs out at the end of the season, although talks are planned with the Bayern board following their final game before the winter break against Hannover on December 19.
Robben is keen for the former Barcelona coach to remain in Bavaria for years to come.
He told reporters: We have one of the best coaches in the world. As many of our players have said, we all want him to stay. It is a lot of fun working with him.
Tactically he is maybe the best. And I don t say that just because he is our coach at the moment.
Robben has a little over 18 mont…
Kylian Mbappe tipped Barcelona s Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d Or and admitted that he has suffered from bouts of self-doubt during an injury-plagued year at Paris Saint-Germain.
France international Mbappe was fourth in the shortlist for the 2018 Ballon d Or and won the Kopa Trophy, presented to the best-performing player under the age of 21.
After scoring 33 goals in 29 Ligue 1 appearances for the French champions in 2018-19, Mbappe has been restricted to just five starts this term.
He has nevertheless scored five league goals but backed the legendary Messi to collect the gong for world s best player for a sixth time, telling Spiegel: In individual terms he [Messi] was the best this year.
Sometimes I m worried, Mbappe continued. I m scared, if you …
According to Manchester Evening News, Leon Bailey has revealed that he rejected Manchester City and Manchester United in favour of remaining at Bayer Leverkusen. The 21 year old made the jump over to German football from Genk back in 2017 and he hasn’t looked back since, with the winger turning himself into one of the most talked about youngsters in the game today.
That may sound like an overstatement but it couldn’t be any more accurate, which is likely why City and United were both invested in the idea of signing him. Bailey already feels like someone who has been playing at the top level for over a decade or so now which is what makes him such a fascinating star, and when you consider his actual age, it’s staggering to think about where he could be five years from now.…
Market: Both teams to score
Odds: 8/11 @
In a contest that could see chances come thick and fast at both ends of the pitch, AC Milan will welcome Verona to the San Siro on Saturday night.
Starting with the hosts, heading into the international break with that action-packed 3-2 win against Atalanta earlier in the month, AC Milan have impressed many across Italy so far this season. While the Italian giants would have been left hugely frustrated by that controversial 2-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid on Champions League duties last month, Stefano Pioli s side are enjoying a domestic romp. Marking their return to action sat just two points adrift of a high-flying Napoli, AC have mustered 19 points from just their opening seven Serie A matchups. With the only minor …
Carlo Ancelotti challenged Karim Benzema to launch his bid for back-to-back Ballon d Or awards when Real Madrid head to Elche in LaLiga on Wednesday.
French striker Benzema captured world football s most prestigious individual annual prize on Monday, finishing ahead of Sadio Mane and Kevin De Bruyne in the podium places.
He was the obviously outstanding candidate after starring – and often captaining – Madrid on their way to LaLiga and Champions League success last season.
The timeframe for the award has changed, shifting from a calendar year gong to one that celebrates achievement from August 1 to July 31.
The new system will continue, so early season efforts in 2022-23 will count towards next year s Ballon d Or.
Benzema has made a steady sta…
Norwich City captain Russell Martin is predicting a close-season of upheaval when relegation from the Premier League becomes official.
The Norfolk club require a mathematical miracle – a 17-goal swing – in beating Arsenal in the final day of the campaign on Sunday as well as West Brom to suffer a heavy home defeat against Stoke City in order to stay up.
Martin has offered no excuses for the side s slump back into the Championship and thinks wholesale changes are needed to address a return of just eight wins from 37 league games, while Chris Hughton s long-term successor also needs resolving.
There needs to be changes, said the defender, who was part of the side that clinched promotion to the top flight in 2010-11.
We ve lost too many games this season and tha…
England manager Roy Hodgson has been pleased with Wayne Rooney s application in training following his recent thigh injury.
The Manchester United striker missed the final three games of the Premier League season with the problem but has trained in Portugal over the past week.
He was not involved in shooting drills in Vale do Lobo on Wednesday, but Hodgson has been impressed with his commitment.
The former Liverpool boss backed the 28-year-old to produce a strong performance in Brazil, having suffered with fitness problems in the build-up to the FIFA World Cups in 2006 and 2010.
Wayne realises what a good player he is. He will do everything he can to bring out the best in himself, Hodgson said.
The eyes of England, if not the world, are on him and he ll do …
Liverpool have announced the signing of teenage striker Dominic Solanke from Chelsea.
Solanke, who is yet to make a s
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enior league appearance for the new Premier League champions, will join Liverpool at the end of his contract on July 1.
The 19-year-old made his Chelsea debut in a 6-0 Champions League thrashing of Maribor in 2014 and spent time on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in the Eredivisie in the 2015-16 season, scoring seven goals for the club.
Solanke is a two-time FA Youth Cup champion and a winner of both the UEFA Youth League and Under-17 European Championship and he will add to Jurgen Klopp s forward options after he led Liverpool to fourth place in the Premier League.
Dominic Solanke: A profile.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
T…
Real Madrid star James Rodriguez is being linked with a number of Premier League sides
Another summer has rolled around and once again, Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez is hot property.
Unlike the last couple of summers, it actually looks like the Colombian will be leaving Los Blancos this time around.
It seems every club top European club and their dog is interested in signing the former Monaco star this summer. The world is truly his oyster.
Not gone to plan for James in Madrid
James Rodriguez arrived in the Spanish capital in the summer of 2014 on the back of an outstanding World Cup with Colombia. The attacking midfielder was one of the stars of the tournament in Brazil.
An almost inevitable big move materialised. Regarded as a p…
Toulouse have confirmed the sacking of head coach Antoine Kombouare after the Ligue 1 club were dumped out of the Coupe de France by fourth-tier side Saint-Pryve Saint-Hilaire.
Kombouare s men crashed out in the competition s round of 64 on Saturday with Carnejy Antoine scoring in the sixth minute of added time to secure a 1-0 victory for the Championnat National 2 outfit.
It was a 10th defeat in a row for Toulouse in all competitions, the club having slipped to the bottom of the Ligue 1 table after winning two of Kombouare s first three games in charge.
Kombouare was only three months into his contract at Toulouse, which was due to run until 2021, with the ex-PSG coach having now left three clubs since November 2018.
The 56-year-old had short spells wit…