Mauricio Pochettino believes Tottenham must add more quality to their squad if they are to challenge in both the Champions League and Premier League.

A third-placed finish under the Argentinian last season after a title bid ran out of steam secured a return to European football s top table for the first time since 2010-11, but Tuesday s 2-1 defeat to Monaco saw Spurs crash out with one group match still remaining.

Goals from Djibril Sidibe and Thomas Lemar either side of Harry Kane s penalty condemned Pochettino s side to a third loss in five Group E matches, with only a place in the Europa League left to play for.

And Pochettino felt his squad has lacked the strength in depth to be able to compete on both European and domestic fronts.

Maybe after five g…

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has rejected rumours linking him with a potential return to Milan.

Reports in the Italian media had indicated that Ancelotti could move back to San Siro should Real fail to win the UEFA Champions League final against city rivals Atletico Madrid a week on Saturday.

The 54-year-old won one Serie A title and two Champions League crowns in his first coaching stint with Milan from 2001 to 2009.

But, ahead of Real s final La Liga game of the campaign versus Espanyol on Saturday, Ancelotti insisted he will not be linking up the beleaguered 18-time Italian champions, who are in danger of missing out on European qualification for next season.

I ve read some stuff that s not true, Ancelotti said.

I have a very good relationship with …

Andre Onana atoned for an earlier mistake by making two superb late saves to help Ajax edge closer to the Champions League last 16 with a 1-1 draw at Benfica.

A victory would have been enough for the Eredivisie side to guarantee progression from Group E, but Erik ten Hag s men fell behind in the 29th minute when Jonas capitalised on Onana s calamitous error.

But with Jonas spurning a great opportunity to make it two, Benfica were punished midway through the second half when Dusan Tadic forced home from a tight angle.

The hosts rallied, but Onana went from villain to hero when he pulled off a pair of outstanding stoppage-time saves to deny Rafa Silva and Gabriel Pires and secure a point which puts Ajax on the verge of the knockout stages.

Benfica were…

Queens Park Rangers have announced the departure of Ian Holloway after 18 months in charge.

Holloway, whose side finished 16th in the Championship, was previously QPR s manager from 2001 to 2006, while he also played 170 times for the club.

Director of football Les Ferdinand said in a statement released on Thursday: We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Ian for all his efforts.

His enthusiasm and passion for the club can never be questioned and we are immensely grateful to him for helping us during his time here. He will always be welcomed back to Loftus Road with open arms.

Thank you, Ollie!

— QPR FC (@QPRFC)

Reports have indicated former England manager Steve McClaren may be in line for the newly created vacancy a…

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are thought to be looking for a new substitute goalkeeper and a replacement for Sven Ulreich, who will leave the Allianz Arena at the end of the current season.

And according to reports from Kicker, the Bavarians have set their sights on the Italian shot stopper Salvatore Sirigu.

The 30-year-old Paris Saint-Germain ‘keeper is currently loaned out to Osasuna, which is his second club this season following an unsuccessful loan spell at Sevilla at the beginning of the campaign.

The Italian international is not expected to return to Paris where he would be made the third choice behind Kevin Trapp and Alphonse Areola, which is why a move is on the cards.

Salvatore Sirigu is valued at €7 million, which is the amount Bayer…

The Football Association (FA) has apologised to survivors of historic child sexual abuse after an independent review found it did not do enough to keep children safe .

The Sheldon review examined the abuse of children within English football between 1970 and 2005 and criticised the FA for being too slow to implement protection measures between 1995 and May 2000.

Prior to the middle of 1995, the report said there was no evidence of the FA being aware of an abuse problem, but the period immediately afterwards came in for strong criticism.

“This was an institutional failing by the FA, for which there is no excuse,” the Sheldon review read.

It was also concluded that the FA did not act appropriately when serial sex offender Barry Bennell was released from…

Liverpool have announced the signing of Xherdan Shaqiri from Stoke City, the Switzerland international joining for a reported £13.75million.

Shaqiri has agreed a long-term contract at Anfield, although Liverpool have not confirmed the length of the deal.

The Switzerland international, who starred at the World Cup, reportedly had a release clause in his Stoke contract that allowed him to leave following their relegation from the Premier League.

Shaqiri completed his medical at Liverpool on Friday and the deal was confirmed by the club later in the day.

I m very happy to be here. It s a huge club with big history, big players and a fantastic coach. So I m really glad and happy to be here, Shaqiri told Liverpool s website.

As a player you always w…

Paul Konchesky s first Premier League goal since 2009 handed Leicester City a vital 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

The 33-year old was on hand to drive home a half-volley on the stroke of half-time to end a wait of over five years since his last top-flight strike and make it three league games unbeaten for the hosts.

Leicester enjoyed the better of the first-half exchanges with David Nugent at the centre of their best chances, the striker hitting the crossbar just before the opening goal.

Matty James saw red late on for a dangerous challenge on Jores Okore, an incident that also saw Villa s Ciaran Clark shown a second yellow for confronting the 23-year old.

Villa again struggled in front of goal, drawing a blank for the 12th time this season to leave Paul …

Real Madrid head coach Julen Lopetegui expects striker Borja Mayoral to leave following the signing of Mariano Diaz, but there will be no more arrivals.

Mariano rejoined Madrid after spending a single season at Lyon, where he scored 18 Ligue 1 goals, pushing Mayoral down Lopetegui s list of forward options.

Sevilla have been linked with a move for Mayoral after their deal with Lyon for Mariano collapsed when Madrid became interested in resigning the striker.

Mayoral, 21, started three LaLiga games last season and scored three times, hitting the net a further three times in the Copa del Rey.

Lopetegui, though, accepts Mayoral will want to move ahead of Friday s transfer deadline after seeing another striker arrive, which will limit his opportunities to pla…

Lille have completed the signing of Sao Paulo midfielder Thiago Mendes in a move said to be worth up to €9million, with Kevin Malcuit also arriving from Saint-Etienne.

Defensive midfielder Mendes has put pen to paper on a five-year contract with Lille and follows in the footsteps of Luiz Araujo, who left Sao Paulo for the Ligue 1 club in June.

Mendes won Brazil s Serie B with Goias in 2012 and, after two seasons in the top flight, moved to the Paulista giants and played a key role in their run to the 2016 Copa Libertadores semi-finals.

The 25-year-old expressed his delight at securing a European move and getting the chance to work under head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Since I was a child, playing in Europe has always been a dream for me, Mendes told Lille s…