Napoli players pay tribute to ´special person´ Ancelotti after sacking

Juventus are willing to bid 14 million euros to land promising Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna, according to a report.

Juventus are willing to bid 14 million euros to land promising Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna, according to a report.

According to Goal.com, Juve are desperate to avoid the situation they found themselves in with Marco Verratti, when they stalled with the signing and Paris Saint-Germain swooped for the Italian starlet.

Ogbonna, on the other hand, is believed to have attracted interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, who will have a new coach in the form of Pep Guardiola in the off-season, with his top performances in Serie A over the past couple of seasons.

Goal.com understands that Ogbonna would not be untouchable in Antonio Cont…

Diego Simeone insists his Atletico Madrid side are capable of turning around their torrid form to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.

Atleti face Lokomotiv Moscow at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday knowing all three points will be enough to see them progress from Group D alongside Juventus, who have already booked their spot in the knockout stages.

Simeone s side go into the match on the back of a run of just one win in their last eight games across all competitions, but the Argentinian has full faith in his players ability to reverse their fortunes.

I believe in my team, he told a media conference. I believe in the players and in these difficult moments they are continuing behind the same philosophy. It makes me optimistic and positive.

…

Rudi Voller is more familiar than most with the devastating attacking talent of Wolfsburg s Andre Schurrle.

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller has highlighted the dangers which Wolfsburg s new signing Andre Schurrle could pose against his former side.

Leverkusen host Wolfsburg on Saturday knowing a win could propel them into a UEFA Champions League spot.

Voller, who has been at Leverkusen in his current role since 2005, finalised the paperwork to let Schurrle go to Chelsea in 2013.

However, after being deemed surplus to requirements by the London club, Schurrle is back in the Bundesliga with a vastly improved Wolfsburg side.

Schurrle has made an instant impact, but has rubbished reports that his partnerships with Bas Dost and Kevin De …

Toulouse defender Serge Aurier would be open to joining Paris Saint-Germain or Monaco if his dream move to England does not come off.

The Ivory Coast international has been a regular at the Stade Municipal in recent years and impressed at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

He has been linked with joining Arsenal and helping to fill the void left by Bacary Sagna now at Manchester City with the 21-year-old stating his desire to play in the English top flight.

While Aurier remains keen to move to the Emirates Stadium and ply his trade in the Premier League, the full-back would be open to joining either the Ligue 1 champions or last season s runners up.

It was said that I had agreed with Arsenal, [that] I had already signed, [but] this is not true, he explained…

Germany midfielder Torsten Frings on Thursday backed national team captain Michael Ballack in his war of words with coach Joachim Loew and has again criticised the team s trainer.

It is Ballack s right as captain to express himself freely, he only wants the best for the team, Frings, who was dropped by Loew for the World Cup qualifier wins over Russia and Wales, told German television channel Premiere.

One should think sometimes about the reasons why experienced players get so excited.

It wasn t right that I didn t play (against Russia and Wales) and Michael recognised that too.

If anyone is going to say something, then it has to be the captain.

And Werder Bremen s Frings a member of the German side that reached the 2002 World Cup final, th…

Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane fired England to a 3-1 victory against Scotland as Steve Clarke’s side were given the runaround by the Auld Enemy at Hampden Park.

The 116th edition of the world’s oldest international fixture came with both sides in the enviable position of knowing it was a case of when rather than if they qualified for Euro 2024.

Scotland have won all five of their group games and headed into Tuesday’s so-called friendly dreaming of a memorable victory against England and a Georgia draw with Norway.

That result would have seen them wrap up their place at next summer’s Euros, but the hosts’ win in Oslo was compounded by a disappointing loss to Gareth Southgate’s men in Glasgow.

This team

…

The 2016-17 Premier League campaign begins this week as Leicester City prepare to defend the most unlikely title in the division s history. 

The Foxes must adjust to life without midfield lynchpin N Golo Kante and Tottenham have to respond to the disappointment of their statistical dominance going unrewarded.

Liverpool will hope to improve considerably on an underwhelming finish following the promise of Jurgen Klopp s arrival, while Chelsea need to display more bite and Manchester United have to rediscover their attacking intent.

Here, we crunch some of the most telling 2015-16 Opta numbers to find out what to expect from all 20 teams this season.
 

84.2 per cent   Arsenal played the most passes (21,249) with the highest accuracy (84.2 per cent) l…

Thomas Tuchel believes he would probably still be Borussia Dortmund coach if not for the bomb attack on the team coach last April.

Dortmund were travelling to a Champions League quarter-final tie against Monaco at Signal Iduna Park when their vehicle was damaged by three explosions.

Defender Marc Bartra was injured during the incident and underwent surgery on a broken wrist.

The match against Monaco was rescheduled for the following day, with the visitors claiming a 3-2 victory that they would duly close out with a 3-1 win in the return leg.

After the rearranged game, Tuchel claimed neither he nor his players had been consulted over playing 24 hours on from ordeal – something Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke denied.

Although Tuchel l…

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova says he will definitely be in charge of the team next season despite calls for him to resign.

Barca legend Johan Cruyff had told the media that Vilanova should step down and focus on his health.

The 44-year-old had a tumour removed in 2011, but suffered a relapse in December 2012 and consequently missed several months of the 2012/13 campaign to undergo treatment.

But Vilanova said he had no intention of relinquishing his post.

Well, I don t have anything to say because I ve already told you. I can say it louder but not clearer. I will be here at Barcelona next season, Vilanova said.

It is true there have been people talking, like Johan Cruyff.

I appreciate the concern about my health and I appreciate his c…

Nigel Pearson sees Saturday s trip to Chelsea as a good chance for his Leicester City side to test their progress.

Leicester waltzed to the Championship title last term and made an encouraging start on their Premier League return last weekend.

The club s first top-flight match in more than 10 years saw them snatch a 2-2 home draw against Everton thanks to Chris Wood s late leveller.

Visiting title favourites Chelsea is another matter altogether, but Pearson – whose side realistically have little to lose – has urged his players to take the game to their opponents.

Pearson said on Thursday: We ve got to get our preparation right and it ll be a good opportunity to test ourselves.

We need to do as well as we can.

They have real pedigree …