Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender has reiterated his hope that the club can tie down their key performers to new contracts, a week after he agreed fresh terms.
Bender extended his contract until 2021 last week but Dortmund are yet to secure the long-term futures of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gundogan and Marcel Schmelzer.
The quartet all see their contracts expire next year, with Bender stating after signing his new deal that he would be glad if some of my other team-mates would follow in the coming weeks .
And speaking to Kicker on Monday, he added: We didn t really discuss [my statement] in the dressing room.
I just wanted to say that we are a totally committed bunch of guys, and it s a whole lot of fun. I hope that it was food for …
Robert Snodgrass completed an impressive seven days as his stunning last-gasp free-kick earned Hull City a 1-1 Premier League draw at Burnley.
The winger netted a hat-trick for Scotland against Malta last Sunday in a 5-1 World Cup qualifying rout, and he showed his set-piece prowess with the final kick of the game at Turf Moor.
Hull will feel the point is the least they deserve, having hit the woodwork twice while Adama Diomande missed a gilt-edged opportunity at 0-0.
But Mike Phelan s side found themselves behind in the 72nd minute when Steven Defour netted his first Burnley goal with a swerving 30-yard drive into the bottom-right corner.
Hull had already seen David Meyler strike the post and Diomande err from six yards, and Curtis Davies header again…
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Real Mallorca and Barcelona will face each other in La Liga this weekend. The match will be held at Visit Mallorca Estadi and is scheduled to kick off at 8pm UK time on Saturday.
Real Mallorca
Real Mallorca were involved in a relegation battle in La Liga for much of last season, but things are looking better for them so far this campaign. Much much better. Mallorca finished 16h in the standings last season, but they are 10th in the La Liga table at the moment with eight points from six matches.
Javier Aguirre’s side are five points behind fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao and four points above the bottom three. Mallorca will head into the match against former La Liga and UEFA Champions Leag…
Marc-Andre ter Stegen can emulate Victor Valdes distinguished career at Barcelona, says Gianluca Zambrotta.
Ter Stegen made the switch to Camp Nou in 2014, but largely played second fiddle to Claudio Bravo in LaLiga during his first two seasons at the club – although he was first choice in the Champions League.
Bravo s departure for Manchester City has seen Ter Stegen become the regular number one, though, and he has faced criticism for a series of high-profile errors during a season in which Barca have struggled to hit top form.
But Zambrotta, who spent two years at Barca between 2006 and 2008, says the Germany international has time to become as influential as Valdes, who won six LaLiga titles, two Copas del Rey and three Champions League medals before depar…
Robert Lewandowski s attitude towards his work at Bayern Munich gives the impression he is staying at the club, coach Julian Nagelsmann believes.
Lewandowski is the leading scorer among players in Europe s top five leagues for a third consecutive season, netting 47 goals in all competitions in 2021-22 after 48 in 2020-21 and 55 2019-20.
He is the only player in Europe to have scored at least 40 goals in each of the past seven seasons.
But the 33-year-old s contract has only a year to run, and he has been linked with a move away from Bayern – most prominently to Barcelona.
Bayern have insisted Lewandowski will not be sold, yet he will be able to leave on a free transfer in 2023 if a new contract is not agreed, denying the Bundesliga giants a huge fee.
Manchester United s FA Cup win over West Ham wasn t the easiest watch for the neutral, but the average armchair fan likely had a better time than Donny van de Beek.
The Netherlands midfielder was granted the chance to impress in the number 10 role in just his 12th start for the Red Devils. With Bruno Fernandes resting on the bench and Paul Pogba out injured, this was Van de Beek s latest opportunity to show his creative mettle.
After 73 lacklustre minutes, he headed ruefully back to the bench. He had completed 28 passes and touched the ball 46 times, the lowest numbers of any starting outfield player for United. Fernandes, on as his replacement, surpassed both those figures in normal and extra time, with fellow sub Scott McTominay scoring the winning goal.
This…
Elif Elmas’ goal got Walter Mazzarri’s return to Napoli off to a winning start after his side beat Atalanta 2-1 in Serie A
Napoli took the lead through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia just before half-time and a frenetic period followed as both sides had a flurry of chances before the break.
Ademola Lookman levelled for Atalanta in a dominant second half for the hosts, but a mistake at the back allowed Elmas to score a winner in the 79th minute.
Three points moved Napoli third in Serie A ahead of AC Milan’s match later on Saturday, while Atalanta dropped to sixth.
Full time! 1-2
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli)
Mario Pasalic had the first real chance 20 minutes with a great header from a free-kick, but Pierluigi Gollini ma…
Liverpool returned from their trip to North London on Sunday with the three points in the bag, after beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 to book their first away triumph in the Premier League this season.
Mohamed Salah found the back of the Spurs net twice in the 11th and the 40th minute, and it was Harry Kane who brought a bit of hope for the home side in the 70th, but ultimately to no avail.
The game
Spurs boss Antonio Conte went with his usual back three system, with Clement Lenglet playing between Eric Dier and Ben Davies. Yves Bissouma provided protection for the back line, helped by Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentacur, and flanked by Emerson Royal and Ryan Sessegnon as the wing-backs. In the absence of Son Heung-min, Kane was joined by Ivan Perisic upfront.
Liv…
Kylian Mbappe scored a second-half hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 5-0 win over Club Brugge in Tuesday s Champions League Group A clash.
The France forward was introduced from the bench seven minutes into the second half and helped put the game out of Brugge s reach with a devastating display that also included an assist.
Mauro Icardi opened the scoring for PSG at Jan Breydel Stadium and made it five goals in four matches after being set up by Mbappe in the second half.
Thomas Tuchel s men have now won all three European matches without conceding and are five points better off than second-placed Real Madrid, who beat Galatasaray 1-0 in the other Group A fixture.
3 Angel Di Maria is the first player of Paris to deliver 3+ assists in a Champio…
Benfica have completed the €20million signing of Julian Weigl from Borussia Dortmund on a four-and-a-half-year contract.
The two clubs confirmed a fee had been agreed on December 31, with the deal now complete following Benfica s announcement to Portugal s Securities Market Commission.
Weigl, 24, joined Dortmund from 1860 Munich in 2015 and initially settled well, spending most of his first three seasons in the starting XI.
During that time he was reported to have become a target for many of Europe s biggest clubs, with Barcelona, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain said to have been enamoured of his eye-catching style of play and passing ability.
Liebe BVB-Familie,
Ich danke euch für die tolle Zeit!
Ich habe hier Freunde fürs Leben gefunden, me…