Market: Hannover win
Odds:
With German football once again taking center stage in midweek, a high-flying Hannover will welcome an inconsistent Karlsruher SC to the HDI-Arena on Wednesday evening.
Starting with the hosts, appearing to have started off where they finished in March, the mood in Hannover s camp should be at a continued high. Putting in yet another eye-catching display and picking up a 4-2 win away at Osnabrück, Kenan Kocak s men also put in a thumping display after landing a 3-0 romp against Nurnburg on their return to action. Although Hannover might find themselves stuck in Bundesliga II limbo, the Reds have won their last three matchups on the bounce, their brightest run of the season so far. Losing just a sole matchup since the end of January a…
Lionel Messi appears on course to be fit for Barcelona s first LaLiga game back this week having returned to group training on Monday.
The Spanish top flight recommences on Thursday following a three-month break enforced by the coronavirus pandemic, with leaders Barca visiting Real Mallorca on Saturday.
However, there were concerns their key man may be missing for that fixture after Barca confirmed last week Messi had a quadriceps injury and was unable to train with the main group.
The Blaugrana captain was still training separately on Saturday when the team conducted a session at Camp Nou, yet on Monday the club s all-time leading scorer was back with the rest of the squad.
Barcelona uploaded photos of that session showing Messi smiling alongside Luis Su…
Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini, who has been heavily criticised for the 1-0 defeat away to Lyon in the Champions League this week, on Saturday defended his performance at the Spanish giants.
This project was phenomenal before we played in Lyon and because we lost a Champions League match you can t say that now everything is a disaster, the 56-year-old Chilean told a news conference.
The numbers we are earning support the club s project and the players, but there is still a lot we can do to improve. Nevertheless, I don t think losing 1-0 is reason enough to discredit the entire squad, he added.
Pellegrini has been under pressure since Real s Champions League last-16 first-leg loss to Lyon on Tuesday, with Spain s sports media criticising him for failing to…
Fabio Capello believes Wayne Rooney is ready to take the World Cup by storm.
The Italian, who revealed on Thursday that he has already selected his starting XI for England s World Cup opener with the United States in Rustenburg on Saturday evening, said the Manchester United striker had been banging in the goals and looking extremely sharp in training.
He is in a good moment, he trains very well and he scores goals during training, which is important for him, Capello said. I think he will play a fantastic World Cup.
Capello denied that the pressure of managing England and the huge expectations surrounding the squad were beginning to get to him, 24 hours after an angry outburst at photographers at England s training camp.
I m relaxed, he insisted. I ca…
Louis van Gaal has confirmed that he is unlikely to return to coaching, bringing the curtain down on a career that has seen him win major honours in four countries.
The Dutchman cited family issues as a reason for turning down lucrative overseas offers in favour of retirement, having coached European giants Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Ajax, as well as taking Netherlands to a third-place finish at the 2014 World Cup.
[After Manchester United], I thought I would stop, but then I later changed it to a sabbatical – but now I do not think I will return to coaching, he said in quotes reported by the Telegraaf after the 65-year-old received a lifetime achievement award from his home nation s government for his contribution to football.
Regardi…
Hull City have completed the signing of Liverpool midfielder Lazar Markovic on loan until the end of the season.
Markovic arrived at Anfield from Benfica in 2014 but has failed to make his mark at the club, scoring three goals in 34 appearances.
The Serbia international, who can play on the wing or centrally, started his career with Partizan Belgrade and spent the first half of this season with Sporting CP in Portugal.
But the 22-year-old will return to the Premier League to ease Hull s deepening injury crisis.
| We are delighted to confirm the signing of Lazar Marković on loan from until the end of the season
— Hull City (@HullCity)
Ryan Mason suffered a fractured skull and Curtis Davies limped off as the Tigers lost 2-0 at Chelsea…
Market: Over 2.5 goals
Odds: 7/10 @
With a golden opportunity to climb to the top of the Premier League standings, a free-scoring Shakhtyor will make the trip to the Stadyen Haradski on Friday afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, with it appearing that their much-needed 2-0 win against Isloch earlier in the month was a minor bounce, Slutsk have drastically struggled to match a similar level they opened the 2019/2020 campaign with. Completely outplayed last weekend and hit with a deserved 2-0 defeat away at Vitebsk, the Blues have managed to land just three points over their last six Premier League appearances and have continued freefalling down the table. Now in the midst of a woeful run of form that has seen them land just a single victory since May 2nd, Head C…
Paris Saint-Germain veteran Gianluigi Buffon has been shortlisted for the FIFPro World XI while France s World Cup winning captain Hugo Lloris missed out.
Keylor Navas, Thibaut Courtois, David de Gea and Marc-Andre ter Stegen were the other goalkeepers to make the cut for the world team, as voted for by 25,000 footballers in 65 countries around the world.
The inclusion of Buffon, 40, comes after he retired from international football and left Juventus to join the French champions, but he is currently behind Alphonse Areola in the pecking order at Parc des Princes.
In contrast, Lloris lifted the World Cup with France and helped Tottenham to third place in the Premier League last season, while there is also no place for Jordan Pickford, one of England s outstan…
(GSM) Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc has completed his move from Celtic to Italian Serie A side Fiorentina.
The transfer was made official after the 30-year-old completed a medical in Firenze, allowing Boruc to join Fiorentina on a two-year contract.
Boruc began his career at Pogon Siedlce in 1998 but moved to Legia Warsaw a year later. In 2005, the keeper left his home country to try his luck at Scottish giants Celtic, where he would guard the goal in 162 games.
The goalkeeper formed part of the Polish squads for the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008, and was first choice on both occasions.
The fee Fiorentina are paying for their new acquisition was not unveiled.
…
Aston Villa midfielder James Milner could end up staying at Aston Villa after peace talks with the club s manager Martin O Neill.
The clear the air meeting was held after the England international was reported to be angry that O Neill went public with his belief he wanted to quit Villa in favour of a switch to big-spending Manchester City.
City have already had a 20 million pounds (23.9 million euros) offer for Milner rejected by Villa, but O Neill claimed last week that he was willing to give in to the player s wish to leave if his asking price was met.
O Neill is waiting to see if City make a new bid that Villa deem as suitable.
Speaking after his side s 2-1 friendly win at Walsall late Tuesday O Neill said: There is no question that James Milner will …