Juventus knew exactly what they were getting when hiring Andrea Pirlo and would be wrong twice if they decided to make a change now, according to Fabio Cannavaro.
Despite winning Serie A for a ninth successive season, Juve reacted to the team s shock Champions League exit to Lyon last year by sacking head coach Maurizio Sarri.
Pirlo was promoted from within to the top job, the former Italy international who had only just been appointed as the club s new under-23 boss signing a two-year deal to take charge of the first team.
His debut campaign has been tough, both at home and abroad. Juve s dominance in the league looks set to come to an end, while their hopes of European glory were dashed again at the last-16 stage, this time unexpectedly losing over two legs t…
Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen battled past second-tier Kaiserslautern 1-0 on Saturday to win the DFB-Pokal and secure the club s first domestic double.
Leverkusen missed out on a treble after losing 3-0 to Atalanta in the Europa League final on Wednesday, in what was astonishingly their first defeat of the season in all competitions, after a European record 51-game unbeaten run.
But at Berlin s Olympic stadium, which will host the Euro 2024 final in July, Xabi Alonso s side ensured they capped off a remarkable campaign with another piece of silverware thanks to Granit Xhaka s stunning 16th-minute strike.
The ball rolled out to the former Arsenal man around 25 yards out, and he planted an unstoppable first-time effort into the left-hand side of the net.
Brendan Rodgers described Wesley Fofana as a genuinely top player as the defender returned to training with Leicester City.
The centre-back has not played since fracturing his fibula in a pre-season friendly against Villarreal last August.
Fofana s absence has felt particularly significant in a Leicester season blighted by injuries. Rodgers side have won just seven Premier League games in 2021-22 and conceded 43 goals, with only three sides letting in more in England s top flight.
Leicester also shipped 11 in their Europa League group games as they finished third behind Spartak Moscow and Napoli, dropping into a Europa Conference League play-off against Randers, the second leg of which is on Thursday.
Fofana will certainly not be involved in that game an…
Inter can take a huge step to securing UEFA Europa League football for next season by taking three points from Saturday s trip to Parma.
With neither side boasting particularly impressive records in Serie A of late, they go into the fixture at the Stadio Ennio Tardini separated by just two points.
The hosts are on course to secure European football through a sixth-place finish, thanks to Napoli and Fiorentina contesting the Coppa Italia final.
However, while they may look to reel in Inter, Roberto Donadoni will also be wary of a trio of teams beneath Parma who all have 48 points and could sneak into Europe at the expense of his side.
If Inter can build on their 4-0 victory at Sampdoria last time out, they could move five points clear of sixth place going into t…
Borussia Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl has stepped down from the role after becoming drained and tired .
Eberl has served in the post for 13 years but confirmed on Friday at an emotional news conference that he was calling it quits.
The former Gladbach defender, who signed as a player in 1999, revealed that he was no longer enjoying the job.
This is by far the hardest press conference I have had to hold in my time as sporting director at Borussia, said Eberl.
I am drained. I am tired. I just no longer have the energy to carry on fulfilling this role in the way the club deserves.
After 23 years [with Gladbach], I m calling time on what has become my life. My work here has always been a joy, but there are things in and around th…
Brendan Rodgers has admitted his discontent with Celtic’s summer transfer business in the same week the club announced record profits.
The Celtic boss claimed every manager would want more signings, but he made it clear he was not satisfied with what transpired.
Celtic announced a record annual profit of £40.7million on Monday and revealed they had had £72.3m “net of bank borrowings” on June 30 this year, although they have since invested £15million on transfer fees.
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The Scottish champions signed nine players this summer, but when asked if he was content with the business, Rodgers said: “No. No, I think if you ask any manager they will always be wanting more, of course.
…
Chelsea laboured to a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid which has serious ramifications for their Champions League last-16 fixture.
The Blues needed a win to guarantee top spot in Group C but found Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak in inspired form before Saul Niguez nodded in with an effort that looked like it might seal a win for Diego Simeone s side, themselves needing maximum points to have any chance of going through.
Roma beat Qarabag 1-0 in the Eternal City, however, to deny both teams here, eliminating Atletico and giving Antonio Conte cause for concern after his side could not add to Stefan Savic s own goal.
With English clubs topping four of the other seven groups, as it stands Conte s men would face Besiktas, Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain in the next round…
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has hailed Antonio Conte as Turin s very own Pep Guardiola ahead of his side s meeting with Chelsea on Friday.
Conte secured three consecutive Serie A titles with Juventus as a coach from 2011 to 2014, having won five Scudetti and the Champions League among a number of trophies as a player with the club.
The former Juve captain has set about moulding Chelsea back into title challengers following their dismal performance last season, and has already claimed three wins and a draw from his first four Premier League matches in charge.
And Klopp has praised both the passion and the tactical nous of his opposite number ahead of their showdown at Stamford Bridge.
I don t know why Antonio does it. He looks quite emotional, even when …
Stoke City defender Robert Huth has undergone further surgery on his troublesome knee, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.
Huth, an integral member of Stoke s squad, initially went under the knife after limping out of a home win against Sunderland on November 23.
The 29-year-old German had stepped up his recovery in recent weeks, playing in a behind-closed-doors friendly as he neared full fitness.
However, Stoke chairman Peter Coates revealed on Tuesday that Huth was unlikely to feature again this term and details of his setback have now been announced by manager Mark Hughes.
Unfortunately Robert had an operation last night and he will now miss the remainder of the season, Hughes said on Friday.
The knee was reacting adversely to the work we wer…
Atletico Madrid defender Miranda warned Sevilla to expect a bombardment of set pieces when the two sides clash on Saturday.
Miranda – who has already weighed in with three La Liga strikes in five appearances this season – headed in a corner for the only goal in Atletico s 1-0 win at Almeria on Wednesday.
The result lifted defending champions Atletico to third in the table, two points behind both Sevilla and leaders Barcelona.
Atleti s last three goals have come from set pieces – Miranda and Diego Godin both scored from them in the club s 2-2 home draw against Celta Vigo last week – and Diego Simeone s side are not likely to stop.
The aerial presence of Miranda, Godin, Raul Garcia and Mario Mandzukic will put fear into any defence, particularly wit…