According to a recent report from Kicker, Thorgan Hazard is incredibly intent on joining Borussia Dortmund during the upcoming summer transfer window. Hazard wants to complete his rumoured move away from Borussia Monchengladbach once the season ends, although given that he will be out of a contract in 2020, there’s always a chance he could leave as a free agent. Premier League side Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the Belgian, but at the time being and for the foreseeable future, it certainly seems and feels like the Bundesliga will continue to be his home.
The youngster has been able to break out of Eden’s shadow in the last few years, and in the process, he’s been able to establish himself as one of the most exciting talents in European football today.
German Football League (DFL) president Reinhard Rauball will step down when his term expires at the end of the 2018-19 season.
The 71-year-old, who has headed German football s league association for 11 years, believes the time is right for a younger leader to take over next year.
Rauball will remain in his role as president of Borussia Dortmund, however.
After intensive consideration, I have decided not to be available again for the job with the DFL this coming summer, he said via a statement released on Monday.
It is only logical that, from this point on, younger people take over leadership and responsibility in a new DFL structure.
I informed my colleagues in the DFL presidium today. My decision relates exclusively to my work at the DFL and …
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola cooled speculation linking him with a move for Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and reiterated his stance that Sergio Aguero will not be allowed to leave the Premier League club.
Sanchez has been a purported target for City and Guardiola, who took the Chile star to Barcelona in 2011, throughout the close season.
The 28-year-old told reporters in his homeland over the weekend of his desire to play in the Champions League – a competition that will feature City but not Arsenal next term – but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger maintained this week that Sanchez would not be allowed to leave despite entering the final year of his contract.
Speaking ahead of City s International Champions Cup meeting with rivals Manchester United in Hou…
Best Odds: 19/20
Bookmaker:
Hoping to potentially climb their way back to the top of the La Liga table, Real Madrid will welcome Rayo Vallecano to the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night.
Real Madrid
Starting with the hosts, while Real Madrid might once again failed to find their best form in midweek, Los Blancos did overcome what could have been a real Champions League banana skin. Eventually claiming a hard-fought 2-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk on home soil, returning boss Carlo Ancelotti is calling on his side to find some stability. Opening this weekend s fixtures sat just a single point adrift of climbing back to the top of the table, the Spanish heavyweights have still managed to find an extended unbeaten run. Last seen on domestic duties hanging onto …
Best odds: 4/9
Bookmaker:
Denmark and Finland are set to begin their respective Euro 2020 campaigns when they face each other in Group B on Saturday afternoon at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. Belgium and Russia, the remaining two teams of the pack, play in the evening of the same day at the Krestovsky Stadium (Gazprom Arena) in Sankt Petersburg.
Denmark
Denmark s history at European Championships took an unexpected turn in 1992, when they failed to qualify for the tournament but were still given the chance to take part due to Yugoslavia being banned from all international sporting events while war blasted the Balkan country apart. They stunned the football world by going on to win the trophy, beating reigning world champions Germany in the final by 2-0. A…
RB Leipzig s Lukas Klostermann will make his international debut in a new-look Germany team against Serbia on Wednesday, while Manuel Neuer is preferred to Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Head coach Joachim Low shocked German football earlier this month when he announced Bayern Munich stars Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels were no long in consideration for international selection.
The experienced trio all played an important role in Germany s 2014 World Cup triumph, but following an embarrassing title defence in Russia last year which saw them dumped out in the group stage and a dismal Nations League campaign, Low has opted to make changes.
Many have come out in support of the ostracised trio, criticising Low for publicly ending their international careers i…
Lautaro Martinez claimed Lionel Messi previously attempted to convince the striker to leave Inter for Barcelona.
Messi has since ended a 21-year association with Barca as he joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, while Martinez recently renewed fresh terms with the Serie A side until the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
The pair enjoyed success at the Copa America last July, collecting Argentina s first major trophy in 28 years as Messi starred with four goals.
But Martinez revealed the Blaugrana legend wanted to partner up with him at club level as well as he attempted to tee up a deal for the Inter man to join him at Camp Nou in 2020.
We talked about it a lot in the national team, he asked me what the situation was like between me and Inter, but …
Jurgen Locadia scored his second goal in as many games to help Brighton and Hove Albion to a 1-0 home win over Everton as Chris Hughton s side claimed all three points in a Premier League game for the first time in five attempts.
Everton went into the game having thrashed Burnley 5-1 on Boxing Day, but struggled to break down a resolute Seagulls defence, despite having Richarlison back in their starting line-up.
The Brazilian forward missed the best chance of the first half after Brighton s second-choice goalkeeper David Button, playing in the absence of Mat Ryan, fumbled the ball in the box and the home side seemed to gain confidence from each failed Everton attack.
The visitors thought Locadia was offside when he stroked the ball in from close range, but refe…
Referee Felix Zwayer, who awarded England a highly controversial penalty against Netherlands in the Euro semifinals, was banned from officiating for six months for accepting a bribe to help cover up a match-fixing scandal in Germany in 2005.
It was a questionable call, to put it mildly, from UEFA to put this man in charge of a semifinal of a European Championship, and it obviously didn t turn out too well.
However, Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham was fined for questioning his integrity back in his Borussia Dortmund days, and Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk refused to answer a journalist question in his post-match interview.
Are you trying to get me in trouble?!
Virgil van Dijk furious with question regarding the integrity of the refere…
According to recent reports in England, Spanish champions Barcelona could be on the verge of making a surprising move for Real Madrid midfielder Isco. Barca are said to be very interested in signing the Spaniard, who has been on his way out of the Bernabeu for what feels like forever now. Alas, making the transition from one El Clasico club to the other is a tricky task in itself, and it’s something that nobody has done since back in 2007.
Isco clearly hasn’t been happy with Real for a long time now, but a move to Barca would likely serve as a big slap in the face to his current employers. Isco first joined Real back in 2013, when he made the switch over from Malaga.
At the age of 26, it seems like now is the time for him to make the next best move for his career �…