Carlo Ancelotti is optimistic about Bayern Munich s chances of seeing off Arsenal in the Champions League round of 16.
It will the third time in the past five years Bayern face Arsenal in the round of 16, with the Bundesliga champions progressing both in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
Ancelotti believes a difficult tie awaits his side again, but he is confident they will progress to the quarter-finals.
They will be two interesting games and I am really looking forward to them, said Ancelotti.
I trust my team and hope that we can reach the quarter-finals. It will be tough, but I am confident.
We have to give ourselves a good chance for the second leg in London with a top performance at the Allianz Arena in the first leg.
Arsenal have a very good …
Wilfried Zaha scored his first Ivory Coast goal as the Africa Cup of Nations holders hammered Uganda 3-0 in the final pre-tournament friendly ahead of their 2017 defence.
The Crystal Palace winger ditched his two-cap England career to link up with the country of his birth ahead of the tournament in Gabon and appears set to be a key figure in Michel Dussuyer s plans.
Wearing the number nine shirt, Zaha looked every inch an international striker as he burst clear of Uganda s offside trap and finished calmly, his side s second of three goals after the interval.
Jonathan Kodjia had put the Elephants ahead with a close-range header from a deep Serge Aurier cross and the Paris Saint-Germain defender wrapped up the win with a headed goal of his own.
The victory fo…
Philippe Coutinho has lauded compatriot Roberto Firmino as integral to the way Liverpool play under Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds are firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification after the Brazilian duo scored a goal apiece to secure a 2-1 come-from-behind win at Stoke City on Saturday.
Having both started on the bench, the pair underlined their importance to the team with second-half strikes and Coutinho heaped praise on his team-mate.
Roberto is a clever player. He makes those diagonal runs that are so important to our play at Liverpool, Coutinho told the official Liverpool FC magazine.
He s always available to receive the ball on his own up there and, even if he doesn t get a chance on goal for himself, he helps to create opportunities for us. …
Trent Sainsbury insists Champions League qualification is the goal for Inter as the Italian giants look to re-join Europe s elite.
It has been a whirlwind fortnight for Sainsbury and the Australia international defender has arrived in Milan with Inter vying for a spot in the Champions League, having not featured in the competition since 2012.
Inter s struggles were evident under former boss Frank de Boer, but with Stefano Pioli at the helm, the 18-time Italian champions find themselves fifth in Serie A, eight points adrift of third-placed Roma, who occupy the Champions League play-off berth.
Speaking exclusively to Omnisport, Sainsbury said: A massive club like Inter are always looking for silverware and Champions League spots.
It s always on the agenda…
Alberto Aquilani, who played for Italy as well as clubs including Roma, Liverpool, Juventus and Fiorentina, has retired.
The 34-year-old midfielder is hanging up his boots after leaving Las Palmas at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Aquilani, who flopped in an ill-fated Premier League spell at Anfield, played 38 times for Italy and will not seek another club after a year out of the game.
After a period of reflection, I think the time has come to hang the shoes on that nail that we all hate, he wrote on Instagram. But there is a time for everything.
And now the time has come to take new paths, different for everyday aspects, but at the same time attractive as new challenges.
I took some time to understand what was the best choice. But de…
Frank Lampard is officially back at Chelsea and the new head coach could bring about a culture change.
The prevailing belief is that Lampard s return will see the Blues numerous academy talents belatedly get an opportunity in the first team in the 2018-19 season.
Chelsea are facing a transfer ban and the arrival of Jody Morris their former youth coach as Lampard s assistant means there is in-depth knowledge on several previously unheralded youngsters.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi had to stay patient before enjoying breakout campaigns under Maurizio Sarri, but who will Lampard and Morris turn to?
We take a look at the young men most likely to be in the mix for a Chelsea chance.
REECE JAMES
Right-back James is just 19…
Tottenham are set to have James Maddison fit for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, but head coach Ange Postecoglou has fired a warning to the players on the fringes of his bloated squad.
Maddison trained for the first time this week on Friday after he sat out a number of sessions with a sore ankle sustained during last weekend’s impressive 2-0 win over Manchester United.
Spurs have handed minutes to 18 members of their squad during the opening two Premier League games of the season but face a busy final week of the summer transfer window, with outgoings a priority for the club.
Offers will be listened to for former captain Hugo Lloris, Djed Spence, Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga, Sergio Reguilon and Tanguy Ndombele while Davinson Sanchez, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and …
Rodri’s late winner clinched Manchester City a hard-fought 2-1 win at Sheffield United and lifted them top of the Premier League.
The City midfielder crashed home a shot from inside the area less than three minutes after Blades substitute Jayden Bogle had cancelled out Erling Haaland’s second-half header with an 85th-minute equaliser.
It was a breathless finish to a game City had dominated – Haaland missed a first-half penalty – but Rodri’s strike finally ended the Blades’ brave resistance and sealed absent manager Pep Guardiola’s 200th win in the English top flight.
1-2
— Manchester City (@ManCity)
With City assistant coach Juanma Lillo in charge of the visitors’ dugout as Guardiola recovers from back surgery in Barcelona, i…
Troyes have parted company with head coach Jean-Marc Furlan by mutual consent.
Following promotion back to Ligue 1 last season, Troyes, who are 10 points adrift at the foot of the table, have taken just five points from 16 games and were beaten 3-0 by second-bottom Toulouse on Wednesday.
The decision ends Furlan s second spell in charge of the club. He took over in 2010 having previously been at the helm from 2004 to 2007.
Troyes visit local rivals Reims in the Derby de Champagne on Saturday.
…
Darren Ferguson will not be leaving Peterborough United following their relegation to League One, club owner Darragh MacAnthony has said.
Peterborough were sent down from the Championship on the final day of the season by Mile Jedinak s 89th-minute goal for Crystal Palace, condemning them to a 3-2 defeat, when a point would have secured their safety.
Reports had suggested that Ferguson could move to Wolves, who have also dropped out of the Championship this season, costing Dean Saunders his job at Molineux.
But despite the rumoured interest from elsewhere, Irishman MacAnthony remains confident that the Scot will look to remain at London Road and guide the club to promotion out of League One next season, a feat he has twice managed in 2009 and 2011.
MacAnthony tweeted…