What the papers say
Bayern Munich are looking likely to join Liverpool in the hunt for Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso as pressure mounts on coach Thomas Tuchel, the Times reports. Alonso is the favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield after he decided he will step down at the end of the season.
The Daily Mail reports that Barcelona have put three Premier League players on their summer transfer wishlist, including Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, Everton’s Amadou Onana and Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma.
Brighton could face a battle to keep hold of manager Roberto de Zerbi at the end of the season’s, with the Daily Mail saying Manchester United and Liverpool are considering a move for the Italian.
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Looking to extend on their Champions League charge in midweek, Real Sociedad will welcome Almeria to the Anoeta Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Real Sociedad
Starting with the hosts, last seen putting in another stellar display as they claimed a 2-1 victory away at newly-crowned champions Barcelona, Real Sociedad are riding what has been a stellar wave of momentum. Sat firmly in pole position to claim a famous top-four buffer and opening up the midweek fixtures holding a commanding five-point buffer from dropping out of the Champions league spots, La Real will be desperate to lay down anther marker on Tuesday evening. Opening May with another rampant display as they secured a 2-0 victory at home against Real Madrid, Imanol Alguacil’s sid…
Oman secured top spot in AFC Asian Cup qualifying Group A with a straightforward 3-1 triumph over Singapore on Wednesday.
Paul Le Guen s side topped the pool by two points from Jordan heading into the fixture at the Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex and goals from Amad Al Hosni, Qasim Said and Sami Al Hasani ensured Oman remained unbeaten during qualifying.
The hosts made the brighter start and Al Hosni fired the first warning shot on 13 minutes when he beat Shakir Hamzah in the air and headed narrowly wide.
There was no reprieve for Singapore four minutes later, however, as Al Hosni capitalised on a mistake from Safuwan Baharudin and, although his initial shot was saved, he blasted the rebound into the top corner.
Oman twice almost went into half-time with a two-goal …
Milan CEO Adriano Galliani said the club s deal to sign Roma defender Alessio Romagnoli is virtually done.
Sinisa Mihajlovic s Milan have been linked to the Italy under-21 international throughout the transfer window, but the Serie A club have been unable to agree a fee with Roma.
Milan, however, appear set to finally sign the 20-year-old in a deal reportedly worth €30million.
The deal for Romagnoli is done at 99.8 per cent, a periodic number, Galliani said. I won t say 99.9 because that s not periodic.
Everyone is satisfied with the terms. We are very, very, very close. The player has to undergo his medical and Roma are floated on the stock exchange, so they will dictate the timing of announcements.
Roma director Walter Sabatini said via Sky…
Luke Shaw was the unlikely hero for Jose Mourinho as Manchester United salvaged a last-gasp 1-1 Premier League draw against Everton.
Four days on from being labelled United s fourth-choice at left-back and having his professionalism questioned by Mourinho, Shaw s was introduced as a second-half substitute with Everton 1-0 up thanks to Phil Jagielka s improvised 22nd-minute finish.
And the England left-back drilled goalwards in stoppage time, with Ashley Williams sent off for handling the shot on the goalline before Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted from the penalty spot.
It prevented Everton from leapfrogging United into fifth place in the table, with Manchester City four points better off in fourth before they visit leaders Chelsea on Wednesday.
Ibrahimovic w…
Mauricio Pochettino s Tottenham are second in the Premier League table.
Tottenham Hotspur host AFC Bournemouth at White Hart Lane in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, in a game that could see them cut the deficit to leaders Chelsea to four points with a win.
The Blues have a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United so there’s a real chance Spurs could make up ground in the title-race, something that should motivate them to see past a travel-sick Cherries side.
Spurs in the driving seat
Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur side are currently second in the Premier League table with 68 points from 31 games this season, coming off the back of six consecutive wins. The Londoners are doing everything to maintain the pressure on leaders Che…
Jude Bellingham has been named the Bundesliga’s player of the season.
The England midfielder won the award just two days after his club Borussia Dortmund missed out on the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich on goal difference.
Bellingham has made more than 130 appearances since joining Dortmund from Birmingham for just over £20million three years ago.
ist der -Spieler des Saison! | | |
— BUNDESLIGA (@Bundesliga_DE)
“Every year or half year that I’ve played at the club, my responsibility in the team has increased,” Bellingham was quoted as saying on the official Bundesliga website.
“I have to continue to be everywhere on the pitch and try my best to contribute going forwards and backwards and try and control games, try t…
Thomas Tuchel backed Mauro Icardi to deliver for Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League quarter-final against Atalanta.
Icardi failed to score in the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue finals as PSG returned to competitive action last month.
The 27-year-old has netted 20 goals in 33 games in 2019-20, and will need to step up amid doubts over Kylian Mbappe, who is dealing with an ankle injury.
PSG coach Tuchel said Icardi would play an important role in Lisbon on Wednesday.
Mauro is very important, especially with Kylian s injury and Edi Cavani absent, he told a news conference.
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English)
It will be very important that he play a great game, showing his personality, showing that he can fig…
BERLIN (AFP) – Werder Bremen on Monday insisted their German World Cup sensation Mesut Ozil was going nowhere despite Spanish giants Real Madrid saying they plan to make a new offer to prise him away.
Spanish sports newspaper Marca said Jose Mourinho s side planned to offer 14 million euros for the 21-year-old midfielder, five million more than previously, but Werder sports director Klaus Allofs insisted that the player was staying put.
Allofs had derided a first offer from Real as unacceptable and said Monday: There is nothing new. I have already said the offer is unacceptable, I might say risible. Mesut is under contract with Werder and I believe he will remain so.
We have not received a new offer and we rejected the first, he added.
German media ea…
Nantes midfielder Djamel Abdoun has joined Greek outfit Kavala FC for an undisclosed fee. The 24 year old has signed a three year contract with the Greek Super League side.
Abdoun, an Algerian international who has been capped by France at youth levels, started his career with PSG and then moved to Ajaccio. He had short loan spells at Manchester City and Sedan before transferring permanently to Nantes in 2008. He made 50 appearances for Nantes including one in the 10/11 season.
Abdoun was part of Algeria s World Cup 2010 squad. He made his debut for the Desert Foxes earlier this year against Angola.
[Source:- Nantes]
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