Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk has warned his rivals that his side intend to play attacking football at Euro 2012.

The Dutch were heavily criticised for a circumspect approach at the 2010 World Cup, but Van Marwijk has made it clear that Oranje always look to go on the offensive against their opponents.

We want to attack, but it has to be done in a responsible way. And sometimes you do it in a more attacking way than other times, Van Marwijk said.

We could put a little accent on attack, or play in a more defensive way.

At the World Cup, we played large parts of games in our opponents half. That means you need to be very patient, because if you force yourself too much – and we know the level of football at the Euros – then you know you will fac…

Netherlands great Johan Cruyff believes Spain s Euro 2012 campaign could be derailed by the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Since Jose Mourinho became coach at the Santiago Bernabeu in May 2010, the two clubs Clasico clashes have produced a number of vicious spats between the players and coaching staff.

And Cruyff, who spent five years at Camp Nou as a player and eight years as head coach, believes the bitterness between the two camps could be detrimental to Spain s chances of retaining their Euro crown.

Spain have a very good team, but coach Vicente del Bosque has his hands full with the large wedge that Jose Mourinho drove between the Real Madrid and Barcelona players, he told De Telegraaf.

There is no favourite, there are many strong team…

Antoine Griezmann will leave Atletico Madrid this summer and Barcelona are prime favourites to get him. A release clause of 125 million euros needs to be activated for that to happen and Blaugrana seem eager to do so. But Xavi Hernandez, the club legend, has a different point of view. Former Barcelona player says that he could see this potential transfer doing more harm than good for his old club.

“I understand it hurt what he did last summer [not joining Barcelona]. If the reason for the rejection [from Barca players] was only a footballing issue, I’d speak with the dressing room to make them see he’s a player who can bring something. We have to see, however, who is signing him? The sporting director? [Ernesto] Valverde? The president?

Xavi continued ab…

Everton really want to keep Richarlison at the club. After another good season from the Brazilian under Marco Silva, the Toffees want to do everything in their powers to keep the player at the club and the latest reports about his price-tag are telling exactly the same story.

According to The Sun, Everton have put an eye-watering £100m price-tag on the Brazilian forward amid links to Manchester United and Barcelona. The former Watford winger is 22 years old and he hit 13 Premier League goals in 35 appearances this season. As a result of that, he has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park, but it looks like Silva and director of football Marcel Brands both want to prevent that from happening.

The Toffees are therefore not keen to let him leave for che…

Stevan Jovetic has been left out of Manchester City s UEFA Champions League squad, but Manuel Pellegrini says he has a future.

Manuel Pellegrini insists Stevan Jovetic s days at Manchester City are not necessarily numbered, despite his UEFA Champions League omission.

The Montenegro striker was dropped from City s squad for the latter stages of Europe s premier club competition on Thursday, with January signing Wilfried Bony taking his place.

Jovetic s City career has never really taken off following his move from Fiorentina in July 2013, but Pellegrini says the 25-year-old can still have a future with the Premier League champions.

He said: I don t think that one thing is linked with the other,

It s very important for Stevan to try to play n…

Former Inter midfielder Dejan Stankovic has been appointed as assistant to Udinese coach Andrea Stramaccioni.

The duo previously worked together at San Siro, where Stramaccioni coached Inter from 2012 to 2013.

And Stankovic declared his pride at being given the opportunity to start his coaching career at Stadio Friuli.

I am very proud to be here starting this new adventure, he told Udinese Channel. First of all I want to thank the club for giving me this opportunity to learn and pass on my hunger, grit and experience to a pretty young squad that really wants to prove itself.

I also thank coach Stramaccioni for his faith in me. Our rapport at Inter was already strong from the first day, we really understood each other straight away.

I like his i…

Manchester United s impressive Champions League and Premier League triumph last season has earned four players nominations for the European Footballer of the Year award, organisers announced Sunday.

Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, Cristiano Ronaldo and keeper Edwin Van Der Sar all made the shortlist for the Ballon d Or, with United s Champions League final rivals Chelsea earning three nominations in Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba.

The Ballon d Or shortlist is compiled by France Football magazine and is based on nominations from football writers around the globe.

Spain, who won Euro 2008, is the best represented country with seven players, including Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.

Torres, who scored Spain s winner in the final agains…

Best odds: 1/2

Bookmaker:

Having been held to a rather underwhelming draw against North Macedonia in their first game with Luciano Spaletti in charge, Italy will seek to book their first victory under the former Napoli boss when they face Ukraine in Milan on Tuesday.

Ukraine enter this clash from the second place in Group C of the Euro 2024 qualifications, with a five-point deficit behind leaders England, and Italy are one place further down, having played a game less.

Italy

After a four-month sabbatical, Spalletti s first game back in management ended in disappointment as North Macedonia captain Enis Bardhi hit a fine free-kick to cancel out Ciro Immobile s opener for the Azzurri. His men were hoping to avenge themselves on the Macedonians, who were re…

Leicester City might have made history last time out when they claimed their maiden Premier League title in the most spectacular of seasons, but Claudio Ranieri said last season is just that. History.

Ranieri and Co. finished 10 points clear of Arsenal to complete one of the greatest achievements in sporting history.

And having now tasted Premier League glory, Ranieri is hungry for more.

I was satisfied,  he said ahead of Sunday s Community Shield clash with Manchester United. But now I am hungry. I want to eat something.

I said: I know you very well now. Forget what we have achieved; I want more,’  he said.

You can t tell me: This is my maximum.  I want more than the maximum of last season.

But Ranieri knows he is not the only one…

On that sultry night in Rio two years ago, Germany and Mario Gotze seemed set for the footballing stratosphere.

After a decade of chastening near misses, Joachim Low s sublimely talented generation had a major prize in their possession thanks to Gotze s extra-time winner against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final.

Spain s era of dominance was over and there would be plenty more where the 7-1 hiding of Brazil in the semi-final came from. Bayern Munich superstar Gotze, having lived out every boy s dream before partying into the night with pop star Rihanna, was going to be their jewel, their superstar.

As with many of the best-laid plans, things did not quite pan out that way. In Saint-Denis on Thursday, Germany faced Poland the opponent that punctured their b…