Italy earned a record 10th consecutive victory with a convincing 3-0 win at Bosnia-Herzegovina in Friday s Euro 2020 qualifier.
The Azzurri were already assured of top spot in Group J and were in control at the break in Zenica thanks to Francesco Acerbi s first Italy goal and Lorenzo Insigne s effort.
Andrea Belotti s fine strike early in the second half ensured Italy retained their 100 per cent record, while Bosnia-Herzegovina already knew they were destined for the play-offs.
It means Roberto Mancini breaks new ground as the first Italy coach to oversee 10 straight wins, while it also marks the first time they have won six away games in a row.
Gianluigi Donnarumma was sharp to keep out Ermin Bicakcic s close-range header and defender Zoran Kvrzic made a…
Columbus Crew SC goalkeeper Zack Steffen is said to be nearing a move to the Premier League leaders Manchester City.
Multiple sources from across the pond have reported that the 23-year-old custodian is the subject of a $10 million bid from the Citizens.
Steffen enjoyed a highly successful season in the MLS which saw him earn a 2018 Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award earlier this month.
Zack Steffen established himself as the US nation team first-choice goalkeeper this year. He joined Columbus Crew in 2016 following a two-year stint with Freiburg in Germany. The Coatesville-born custodian made 29 appearances in the league this year.
The Columbus Crew goalkeeper has already been linked with a move to England earlier this year when his team rejected…
Free-scoring Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland feels he is giving himself “a good opportunity” of going to this summer’s European Championships with Scotland.
The Jambos captain netted his 27th goal of the season to secure a 2-0 home win over Celtic on Sunday, with national team manager Steve Clarke and his assistant John Carver watching on from the Tynecastle stand.
Shankland was left out of the Scotland squad for the October double-header against Spain and France, and he was initially omitted for the most recent gathering in November before being given a belated call-up for the matches against Georgia and Norway after Che Adams withdrew.
Shankland did his cause no harm by stepping off the bench to score a stoppage-time equaliser in the 2-2 draw away to Ge…
Mohamed Salah will begin his build-up to Sunday’s clash with title rivals Manchester City with minutes in the Europa League against Sparta Prague after recovering from injury.
Klopp admits the Egypt international would not normally be in the squad after only returning to training on Tuesday but the current injury situation – there are at least nine first-team players absent – and the context of the season means he travelled with the squad.
And with the weekend’s Premier League encounter against City looming large, the 31-year-old – who has played just 46 minutes in one substitute appearance against Brentford since leaving the Africa Cup of Nations early with a hamstring injury on January 18 – will get a chance to shake off the rust.
“He is with us a…
Former Leeds United and Liverpool winger Harry Kewell announced his retirement on Wednesday after almost two decades in professional football.
The 35-year-old Australian returned to his homeland this season to play with Melbourne Heart in the A-League in a last-ditch attempt to go to this year s World Cup finals in Brazil.
But, as it has regularly done throughout his career, Kewell s body failed him with the veteran missing nine games of the 2013/14 campaign so far with a combination of injuries, while Heart s dreadful season (just six wins in 24 matches) did not aid his cause.
Kewell, who was voted Australia s greatest player ever in 2012, made his professional debut with Leeds United in 1996 at the age of 17.
The scintillating winger was named the English PFA s…
Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira has returned to training with the first team following a knee injury.
The Germany international has been out of action since suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a friendly against Italy in November.
Khedira, who moved to the Bernabeu in 2010 from Stuttgart, handed Carlo Ancelotti a boost ahead of Real s run-in as he returned to group training on Monday.
While no timescale has been set on a potential return to first-team duties, Khedira s comeback will no doubt buoy a Real squad competing for a treble of the Liga, UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey titles.
The big news of the day is the return of Khedira to the group following his injury, read a statement on Real s official website.
(It was) a session …
Free-spending AC Milan are stepping up their efforts to recruit Schalke winger Yevhen Konoplyanka, Estadio Deportivo can reveal.
The highly rated footballer has failed to impress during spells with Sevilla and Schalke, and he is set to leave Veltins Arena after openly criticising head coach Markus Weinzierl.
AC Milan look set to take advantage of the opportunity and they have already established the initial contact with the player’s agents.
Konoplyanka had long resisted temptation to leave Dnipro for greener pastures before finally opting to join Sevilla on a free transfer in 2015.
However, the attacking midfielder has struggled to make an impact at the biggest stage, and he desperately need to get his career back on track.
…
Claudio Ranieri wants to forget Leicester City and move on from guiding them to the Premier League title after being appointed the new coach of Ligue 1 side Nantes.
The Italian was fired in February having led Leicester to a shock top-flight triumph in 2015-16 and had been out of work until being confirmed as Nantes coach this month.
Ranieri led Monaco to promotion to Ligue 1 in his previous spell in French football and the 65-year-old is now hoping to put his time at Leicester behind him.
It was a fantastic experience, Ranieri told reporters at his presentation on Monday. The love that the people of Leicester gave me at my departure was even more incredible than at the time of the title.
Now I want to forget Leicester. It was something unique. But I a…
Wilfried Zaha is arguably the best player at Crystal Palace at the moment, with 88 goals and 74 assists in 439 matches in all competitions for the club. He is, of course, best known for the obvious football skills he packs in abundance, but manager Patrick Vieira says the Ivorian winger has a lot of leadership qualities as well.
He s always been a leader.
Patrick Vieira on Wilfried Zaha developing the role as a leader at Crystal Palace
— Football Daily (@footballdaily)
…
Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta said star duo Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez will extend their contracts with the Serie A champions, while he hit out at former striker Romelu Lukaku.
Barella is contracted to Inter until 2024 amid links with Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, and the Nerazzurri have been determined to tie the Italy international down to a new long-term deal.
Martinez – long linked with LaLiga giants Barcelona – and his current deal does not expire until 2023.
Marotta addressed the futures of Barella and Martinez ahead of Sunday s Derby d Italia against rivals Juventus, while highlighting the time needed to re-sign midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, who is reportedly wanted by Manchester United and Barca.
Barella and Lautaro…