England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce has been rewarded for his efforts with a new two-year contract.
The 49-year-old has led the England Under-21 national side to three successive European Championships, including a runner-up finish in 2009 and a semi-final appearance in 2007.
But their 2011 campaign ended in disappointment, with England unable to make it past the group stages in Denmark last month.
Regardless, Pearce has been slated for another two years in the job, where he works alongside England manager Fabio Capello to bring the nation s best young talent to the fore.
He has already mentored the likes of Joe Hart, James Milner, Ashley Young, Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott during his time with the national set-up.
Football Association chairm…
Manchester City have announced the signing of keeper Costel Pantilimon from Poli Timisoara on their official website.
The 24-year-old will join the Eastlands outfit subject to a successful work permit application.
Pantilimon arrives to Manchester City as a back-up for keeper Joe Hart, following Shay Given’s transfer to Aston Villa.
The Romania international spent last five years at Poli Timisoara and played against Manchester City twice last season as the two teams met in the Europa League qualifying rounds.
Pantilimon is currently considered number one keeper in Romania national team and has amassed 13 appearances for the national side since making his debut in 2009.
…
Liverpool are under more pressure than Borussia Dortmund in their Europa League quarter-final tie because the German side have already qualified for next season s Champions League, says Hans-Joachim Watzke.
Dortmund have guaranteed themselves at least a second-placed finish in the Bundesliga this season, ensuring automatic qualification to next season s Champions League, while Liverpool are nine points adrift of the fourth position they need in order to qualify.
Winning the Europa League offers them another route into Europe s premier club competition, and the Dortmund chief executive believes that puts great pressure on the English team ahead of the second leg at Anfield on Thursday.
When I hear that we re now under greater pressure than Liverpool I laugh, beca…
Real Madrid legend Raul has hailed the way Gareth Bale has become a key figure at the Santiago Bernabeu over the past three seasons and feels the Wales international perfectly understands the club s values .
Bale joined Madrid from Tottenham in September 2013 and has since won the Champions League twice, the Club World Cup, Copa del Rey and UEFA Supercup.
Raul is particularly impressed with how the 26-year-old has adapted to life at the Bernabeu, though, and believes he has a bright future ahead of him in Madrid.
He has scored big goals for Madrid and you can see that he is more and more integrated in the club and really understands the club s values, Raul told AS.
He looks more comfortable when he is playing and in everything he does.
Indivi…
Marko Grujic is eager to stay at Hertha Berlin. The Liverpool midfielder currently on loan at the Bundesliga side was open in his interview with Bild regarding his time in Germany.
I feel very comfortable in Berlin. Hertha gave me a great opportunity to play in the Bundesliga, Grujic told Bild.
I m still pretty young, for me this time at Hertha with the exception of injuries has been brilliant so far to show my qualities.
But, ultimately, I cannot decide. But, if I could choose myself, I would stay with Hertha for another year, or maybe even two years, to make a very good name for myself by improving all my qualities. And that s only possible if you play every game.
Grujic was signed from Red Star in January 2016 but found it hard to earn playing tim…
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been added to Liverpool s Champions League squad for the knockout phase.
The England midfielder has not played this season since sustaining serious knee ligament damage in the semi-finals of the 2017-18 competition.
He has been added to the final 25-man group for the last-16 onwards, though, along with 17-year-old Ki-Jana Hoever and Ben Woodburn, who is on the B list.
Juventus have chosen to drop Juan Cuadrado, meanwhile, with the winger recovering from an operation on his left knee in December.
Barcelona have added B-team forward Moussa Wague to their squad, along with new signings Jeison Murillo and Kevin-Prince Boateng.
Alvaro Morata is in the Atletico Madrid squad as expected, while Real Madrid have added Brahim Di…
Edinson Cavani is set to miss Valencia s match against Real Sociedad on Sunday as he battles an ankle injury just two weeks out from the World Cup.
The Uruguay forward joined Valencia at the start of this season after his Manchester United contract expired and has scored four goals in seven LaLiga games.
However, the 35-year-old s hopes of having an impact at his fourth and likely final World Cup have been hit by a recurring ankle problem.
Valencia have tried to protect Cavani, who has completed 90 minutes only once this season.
But that full shift against Mallorca last month was followed by an early withdrawal against Barcelona, with the striker replaced after just 18 minutes.
Cavani missed training on Saturday, and Valencia coach Gennaro Gattuso…
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is willing to renew his contract and stay at the club.
The Gabonese has been Arsenal s best player since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018. He has so far scored 63 goals and assisted further 14 in a total of 101 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, and has often looked like a rare bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming team. His contract has now entered its final 12 months, and the general belief has been that Arsenal would likely allow him to leave this summer for a suitable fee, rather than lose him for free in 2021.
The negotiations over a new contract have been stalled by the forward s indecision when it comes to committing his future to the club again, but speaking t…
Best odds: 8/13
Bookmaker:
Three weeks after a captivating FA Cup quarter-final clash, perennial rivals Manchester United and Liverpool meet again on Sunday at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
In the previous encounter, Erik ten Hag s side emerged victorious with a 4-3 win after extra time as the two giants clashed in a knockout setting. However, in a surprising turn of events, the Red Devils found themselves on the losing side of a seven-goal thriller in their recent midweek fixture against Chelsea, while Liverpool racked up a 3-1 win over Sheffield United.
Manchester United
It was March 17th when Amad Diallo, rarely seen on the pitch, ignited pandemonium at Old Trafford with a last-minute winner, propelling Manchester United into the FA Cup semifin…
Fenerbahce walked off the pitch and forfeited their Super Cup final with Galatasaray in protest against the Turkish Football Federation.
The club fielded a starting line-up entirely of youth team players for the final against their arch rivals, with their first-team stars training back in Istanbul ahead of Thursday’s Europa Conference League tie at Olympiacos.
However, only one minute and 41 seconds was played at the Sanliurfa GAP Stadium when the Fenerbahce players left the field shortly after Mauro Icardi’s strike with 50 seconds on the clock.
3 – Fenerbahce withdraws from the field after we scored. They are going to the locker room.
1-0 |
— Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray)
Galatasaray celebrated wildly with their fans after vict…