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…
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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…
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois wants to remain on loan at Atletico Madrid for a third year next season.
The Belgian shot-stopper, who joined Chelsea from Genk in 2011, has made 95 appearances in La Liga for Atletico in the last two campaigns, recently winning the Copa del Rey in the process, and wants to remain at the Vicente Calderon next season.
With Petr Cech continuing as Chelsea s first-choice goalkeeper, Courtois best chance of playing regular football is likely to be a move away from Stamford Bridge and the Belgian asserted it is Atletico that he wants to play for.
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Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho has hinted that he would accept an offer from Tottenham by admitting that Andre Villas-Boas is one of Europe’s top coaches.
The 26-year-old was on the verge of joining Spurs on transfer deadline day, but the White Hart Lane outfit were unable to sort out the documentation before the transfer window closed.
They are, however, expected to return for the player in January and Moutinho admits a move to North London would appeal to him.
“Tottenham is not in my head now, although I was flattered by the interest, especially by the coach. Andre Villas-Boas is one of the best coaches in Europe today, the midfielder was by Daily Mirror.
The transfer window is closed but now I am focused on Porto and prefer not to talk abou…
Brennan Johnson is benefiting from the “extreme” demands placed on him by Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou and proving himself to be an elite player, says his Wales manager Rob Page.
Johnson has taken time to settle at Spurs following his £47.5million move from Nottingham Forest during the closing minutes of the summer transfer window.
The 22-year-old forward has yet to score and suffered a hamstring injury on his first Premier League start for Tottenham, ruling him out of action for a month.
Johnson’s second Premier League start against Chelsea on Monday also ended prematurely when he was sacrificed after Spurs were reduced to 10 men by defender Cristian Romero’s red card.
But Johnson has shown signs of promise in North London with a superb assis…
Wembley will remember Sir Bobby Charlton when Gareth Southgate’s England side play their first match since the 1966 World Cup winner’s death.
Heartfelt tributes have poured in since the jewel in the crown for club and country died at the age of 86 on October 21.
Charlton’s funeral was held at Manchester Cathedral on Monday and further tributes will be paid when England host Malta in a Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley on Friday evening.
There will be a crowd mosaic and video celebrating the Manchester United and England great’s life before a pre-match ceremony and period of applause.
Players will wear black armbands in tribute to a man who left an indelible mark on the sport.
England boss Southgate attended the funeral and last week said the …