Angel Di Maria revealed he is in talks with Juventus over a new contract after his header saw off Freiburg in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.
The Argentina international settled the opening leg at the Allianz Stadium when he powered home Filip Kostic s 53rd-minute cross for his fourth goal in this season s competition.
Di Maria, who also netted a hat-trick against Nantes in the previous round, has now been directly involved in seven goals in his last six European appearances.
The 35-year-old endured an injury-hit start to life in Turin after signing a 12-month deal last July, but has already registered 10 goal involvements in 2023 (seven goals, three assists).
Bruno Fernandes and Toulouse s Branco van den Boomen are the only other midfie…
Leroy Sane s star quality offered a timely weekend boost to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as Alexis Sanchez prepares to take up residence on the other side of town.
Back in action for the first time since their first top-flight defeat of the season at Liverpool, the Premier League leaders were 2-1 up but enduring a nervy spell in Saturday s home match against Newcastle United.
It fell to Sane to offer a demonstration of his game-breaking qualities. The Germany international took possession and embarked upon a dizzying dribble past a succession of challenges before squaring for Sergio Aguero to complete his hat-trick and seal the points.
The 22-year-old has racked up 10 goals and 13 assists from the left-hand side of City s attack this season – a position…
Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra scored late goals as Watford piled the pressure Antonio Conte with a scintillating 4-1 win at home to 10-man Chelsea on Monday.
Eden Hazard s fine finish appeared to have saved a point for the Premier League champions, who were again awful after a 3-0 home thumping at the hands of Bournemouth last time out.
However, it only served the sting the Hornets into a late flurry, which handed Javi Gracia a massive win on his home bow as Watford boss.
Tiemoue Bakayoko was booked twice inside five first-half minutes, although the Blues were already in the midst of a sloppy performance, in which they failed to test Watford s back line sufficiently.
And Watford led before half-time when Troy Deeney slammed home a pen…
Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has insisted the reigning world and European champions have not lost their desire to win titles.
Vicente del Bosque s men are widely regarded as favourites to win Euro 2012, but have shown in Poland and Ukraine only glimpses of the form which saw them crowned European champions four years ago.
It is wrong to think that there is less hunger than in previous times, you never lose it, Iniesta told Deportes Cuatro.
We are very eager to win another Euro title and make history.
Spain were at times on the back foot in Monday s 1-0 victory against Croatia, but Iniesta does not think his team performed below expectations.
I do not think that Spain played poorly, the Barcelona midfielder said. Other teams have also had m…
PSV Eindhoven midfielder Kevin Strootman has dropped the biggest hint yet that he wants to leave the club in the summer.
The Netherlands international is one of the most sought-after players in European football, but interested clubs have so far failed to make an official bid for the player’s services.
Strootman admits he is hoping that a club will finally contact him over a summer move away from Philips Stadium.
Every transfer window there are clubs that are interested, but a club must speak to me, the 23-year-old .
Strootman has been in scintillating form ever since he joined PSV Eindhoven from Utrech in the summer of 2011 and has seen his name linked with a number of high-profile sides such as AC Milan and Manchester United.
The player, who…
Mark Uth is in a stable condition but will remain in hospital overnight after suffering concussion during a clash of heads on Sunday, Schalke have confirmed.
Uth sustained a blow around his upper neck and head area following an aerial challenge with Augsburg s Felix Uduokhai in the 10th minute of the 2-2 Bundesliga draw.
The Schalke forward received treatment on the pitch for around 10 minutes, with captain Omar Mascarell helping to administer an IV drip before the 29-year-old was taken off the field on a stretcher while in a neck brace.
Schalke subsequently announced Uth was responsive and stable and after the game, the club offered a further update on Uth, who will hopefully be discharged from hospital on Monday.
Evening everyone. …
Besart Berisha piled the pain on former club Brisbane Roar as Western United earned a clinical 2-0 win at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.
The A-League s all-time leading goalscorer scored twice in last weekend s 3-1 triumph over Melbourne Victory and came back to haunt another of his old teams in Queensland.
Left unmarked, Berisha skilfully turned Aaron Calver s cross past Jamie Young to double United s advantage on the stroke of half-time.
The visitors had gone ahead in the 11th minute when the excellent Alessandro Diamanti picked out Connor Pain s run to the back post.
Brisbane dominated possession but created next to nothing going forward, with Filip Kurto only forced to make one real save from Roy O Donovan.
Robbie Fowler s side, hammered 5-1 at Sy…
Wolfsburg have completed the signing of Jakub Blaszczykowski from Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund on a three-year contract.
Blaszczykowski, who arrived at Signal Iduna Park in 2007, fell out of favour following a cruciate knee ligament injury and spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Fiorentina, making 20 appearances in all competitions.
The 30-year-old represented Poland at Euro 2016 and moves to the Volkswagen Arena for an undisclosed fee in a deal which ties him to the club until 2019.
With him, our versatility and effectiveness on the right increases once again, said head coach Dieter Hecking in a statement.
VfL have secured the services of Jakub Blaszczykowski from . Kuba has signed a deal with VfL until 2019.
— VfL Wolfsburg EN (@Vf…
Pep Guardiola says Bayern Munich will have to be wary of Porto s pace and power when they meet in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Bayern, champions in 2013, were paired against Porto winners in 2004 under Jose Mourinho in Friday s draw in Nyon.
It is a repeat of the 1987 European Cup final, which the Portuguese outfit won 2-1.
All teams have a special quality, said Guardiola, who has won this competition three times with Barcelona once as a player and twice as coach. Porto and Shakhtar [Donetsk, Bayern s last-16 opponents] were in the same group, so we have already watched a few of their matches.
Porto have a great team and a beautiful stadium. They are very strong physically and attack with a lot of pace, but in the quarter-fina…
Ben Davies has taken over the Wales captaincy hoping his club Tottenham’s rise to the top of the Premier League can benefit the Dragons’ Euro 2024 ambitions.
Davies replaces the injured Aaron Ramsey as skipper for Wednesday’s friendly with Gibraltar and the vital European Championship qualifier against Croatia in Cardiff on Sunday.
The long-serving Tottenham full-back has been used by new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou as a substitute so far this season but the 30-year-old says he has arrived for international duty in good spirits.
Davies said: “Players want to be in winning teams and right now I’m lucky enough that I’m in a squad where we are picking up good results and doing well.
“It’s about bringing that intensity and enthusiasm and the s…