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.
Our new arrivals!
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC)
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…
Amid growing calls for his sacking, under-fire United States head coach Jurgen Klinsmann remains defiant, insisting his critics don t understand soccer or the team .
Klinsmann s job is under extreme pressure after USA suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Costa Rica in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
It was the nation s worst defeat in a World Cup qualifier since 1957 as USA dropped to the bottom of the Hexagonal phase, having lost 2-1 to rivals Mexico four days earlier.
But Klinsmann, who has been at the helm since 2011, said he does not fear losing his job, warning US Soccer president Sunil Gulati not to make an emotional decision.
I m not afraid, Klinsmann told the New York Times. What you need to do is stick to the facts.
Soccer is emotional …
Vincenzo Montella explained that Marco Storari s experience was the reason AC Milan signed the 40-year-old goalkeeper until the end of the season.
Storari, who previously spent time at Milan from 2007 to 2010, re-joined the club from Cagliari on Tuesday, with shot-stopper Gabriel going the other way on loan until the end of June.
Veteran Storari left Juventus for Cagliari in July 2015 having won four Serie A titles playing as second choice to Gianluigi Buffon in Turin.
And he will now serve as deputy to Milan s teenage keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
I have known Storari for a long time, we wanted to send Gabriel out on loan to play and then we learned of this possibility, coach Montella said at a media conference.
Marco knows the environment a…