Jupp Heynckes has encouraged Bayern Munich to show consistency as they eye a place in the UEFA Champions League final.
The newly crowned Bundesliga champions eased to a 4-0 win over Barcelona in the first-leg at the Allianz Arena and, although many believe Bayern have a big enough advantage to be confident of their place in the Wembley showpiece, Heynckes is keen for his side to ensure that do not fall victim to a dramatic comeback in Wednesday s second-leg at the Camp Nou.
We can t think too much about the first-leg result, Heynckes said.
After the match we can evaluate things, but I cannot say which team is the better one. Barcelona have played at such a high level for so many years. Bayern want to prove that the match in Munich wasn t a one-off.
We have to take into…
Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has leapt to the defence of Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers, claiming the under-fire Ulsterman could be Real Madrid boss.
A failure to replicate the title challenge mounted by Liverpool in a thrilling 2013-14 campaign last term and a stumbling start to this season has seen pressure heaped on Rodgers shoulders, with high-profile coaching duo Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp each linked with replacing him.
Rodgers welcomes Sherwood s Villa to Anfield on Saturday, having failed to beat the Birmingham club on home soil as Liverpool boss.
Although Sherwood is plotting Rodgers downfall this weekend, the former Tottenham boss believes Liverpool s hierarchy would do well to keep the faith with their current manager.
Sherwood…
Jamie Carragher says Everton will start as favourites to win this weekend s Merseyside derby following the lacklustre form of his old club Liverpool.
Brendan Rodgers side came in for further criticism after being held to a disappointing 1-1 Europa League draw with Sion at Anfield on Thursday.
Liverpool are now preparing to make the short trip to Goodison Park for the Premier League clash on Sunday, bidding to improve on their current position of ninth.
Everton have only won one of the last 17 league derby clashes, but Carragher who played at Anfield between 1996 and 2013 thinks that run is likely to come to an end.
I see Everton as favourites for this one it does not happen often I must say, the 37-year-old told Sky Sports.
Liverpool are se…
Ainsley Maitland-Niles has made clear his desire to leave Arsenal to get regular first-team action elsewhere amid rumours of interest from Everton.
Maitland-Niles has made two substitute appearances so far this season, coming on during the 6-0 EFL Cup win over West Brom before a late cameo in the 5-0 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday.
The 24-year-old spent the second half of the previous campaign on loan at West Brom, starting in 14 games as the Baggies were relegated to the Championship.
Another move away from Emirates Stadium may offer him a chance to play more regularly, though time is running out with the transfer window closing at the end of August.
Everton have reportedly made an offer to take the England international on loan with an option t…
The 2019-20 Ligue 1 season is in full swing already, as teams have already played three matches and we can notice some tendencies with regards to which side might look like a contender. PSG are heavy favourites to win the title once again, but fans shouldn t sleep on other sides with enough quality to pose a threat. Two of them will meet here, as Nice will host Marseille on Wednesday. Kick-off for this match will be at 20:00 hrs BST.
Nice have started their season on a strong note, winning their first two Ligue 1 outings while also leading at half-time on both. In fact, Nice have seen that outcome (HT lead + scoring first) in their last five home wins, but they hadn t conceded a single goal in nine of their last 10 wins at Allianz Riviera. It remains to be seen just how long can…
Six people have been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged football match-fixing, police in the UK have confirmed.
The country s National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed on Wednesday that the individuals had been taken into custody as part of an operation centring on possible illegal betting activity on matches.
While the individuals have not been named, national media reports allege that the men being held include footballers.
A statement from the NCA confirmed: Six men have been arrested across the country as part of an NCA investigation into alleged football match-fixing.
The focus of the operation is a suspected international illegal betting syndicate.
The NCA is working closely with the Gambling Commission and the Football Association.
Th…
Bundesliga high-flyers Wolfsburg are stepping up their efforts to sign defender Antonio Rudiger from Stuttgart, .
Having all but secured Champions League qualification, the Wolves plan to reinforce the squad over the summer and the Germany starlet is one of the first names on their hit-list.
Wolfsburg have reportedly already contacted the youngster s agent Uli Ferber as they hope to lure Rudiger to Volkswagen Arena at the end of the season.
And with Stuttgart currently sitting at Bundesliga rock bottom, chances are the 22-year-old will be tempted by the prospect of joining the Wolves.
Antonio Rudiger has come a long way since making his debut in January 2012, having developed into a first team regular for the Swabians and also earned five Germany caps.
Football will eventually return following the coronavirus pandemic, but it could look a little different.
The sport s leading competitions have been suspended amid the global crisis, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino this week suggested the pause represented an opportunity to reform football .
Perhaps we can reform football by taking a step backwards, Infantino told Gazzetta dello Sport. [There would be] fewer but more interesting competitions, maybe fewer teams but for a better balance, fewer but more competitive matches to preserve players health.
But what could post-coronavirus football look like? What must remain? What should disappear?
Five Stats Perform writers have put forward their suggestions for how the sport can move forward.
NO MORE …
Lionel Messi is the best player in history and should stay at Barcelona, claims LaLiga president Javier Tebas, who laughed off the suggestion of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland joining a Spanish club.
On Sunday, Messi overtook Xavi as the player with the most appearances for Barca, six days after the 33-year-old scored a 20th LaLiga player for the 13th successive season – another record.
The Argentina forward has been involved in more goals in 2021 than any other player across Europe s top five leagues, but he still has not tied his future to the Catalan club, who he wished to leave in 2020.
Messi elected to stay and see out the last year of his contract, but his future remains up in the air with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain interested.
…
Juventus s Brazilian international defensive midfielder Felipe Melo was on Monday named Flop of the Year 2009 in a vote parodying the annual Ballon d Or award given to Europe s top player.
The award was decided via a vote by listeners of the Rai 2 radio programme Catersport .
Melo, who is likely to be first-choice for Brazil at next summer s World Cup, joined Juventus from Fiorentina in the close season for a fee of 25 million euros.
After a strong start to the current campaign, his form has faded in recent weeks to the point where he has been jeered by supporters of his own club.
Melo received 22.87 percent of the votes, enabling him to see of challenges from Inter Milan s reigning Flop of the Year Ricardo Quaresma (20.63 percent) and his own Juventus t…