Arsenal prospect Emile Smith Rowe scored a superb solo goal to earn his team a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in the International Champions Cup as Unai Emery was treated to a showcase of the potential in his squad.
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder impressed throughout the first of Arsenal s three pre-season friendlies in Singapore and showed just why he is one of the club s most talked-about young players when he scored from outside the box early in the second half.
The goal cancelled out Luciano Vietto s opener for Atletico, who were without the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez but nevertheless exposed Arsenal s defensive frailties on occasion and looked the better organised of the two teams.
Arsenal s young guns failed to fire in …
Schalke manager Felix Magath revealed Sunday Germany boss Joachim Loew is back in contact with rebel striker Kevin Kuranyi, sparking speculation the hot-shot forward could earn a World Cup reprieve.
Kuranyi scored both goals in the 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday which put them top of the Bundesliga ahead of Bayern Munich and made the ex-Germany striker the league s joint top-scorer.
The 28-year-old has been exiled from the Germany squad since walking out in frustration 18 months ago, but Magath says Loew and Kuranyi are now back on speaking terms.
They spoke last week after, I believe, meeting each other by chance, Magath told German television channel DSF.
As a trainer, one must constantly reconsider your decisions and sometimes change them…
Germany coach Joachim Loew admitted Thursday he is considering ending Kevin Kuranyi s exile from the national side and taking the striker to the World Cup.
Kuranyi, 28, turned his back on the Germany team in October 2008 out of frustration at being omitted from the matchday squad and although he later apologised, Loew later vowed never to select him again.
But with first-choice strikers Miroslav Klose of Bayern Munich and Cologne s Lukas Podolski both struggling for form, Kuranyi s 18 goals for Schalke 04 so far this season have put Loew under pressure to reconsider his opinion.
I am aware of my responsibility as the coach of the national team, but we cannot be influenced by the public pressure, said Loew on the German Football Federation (DFB) website.
Southampton will seek to bounce back from League Cup humiliation when they host struggling Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
Ronald Koeman s side suffered the indignity of exiting the League Cup quarter-finals with a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool in front of their own fans on Wednesday.
The Saints took the lead in the first minute at St Mary s Stadium through Sadio Mane, but were overwhelmed by the visitors response, as a Daniel Sturridge brace, Jordan Ibe s goal and Divock Origi s hat-trick saw Jurgen Klopp s in-form Reds cruise into the last four.
Southampton have a good opportunity to make amends at the first opportunity this weekend, against the Premier League s bottom club.
Villa have not won in the league since they were last …
British police say the number of potential suspects in the investigation into child abuse in football now stands at 155.
The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) announced on Thursday that the number of clubs referenced in the UK-wide probe now stands at 148 an increase of 60 since figures were last published on December 9.
The indicative number of victims has reached 429, ranging in age from four to 20 at the time of the alleged offence, with the vast majority relating to football. Ninety-eight per cent of the victims are male.
Chief constable Simon Bailey, the NPCC lead on child abuse investigations, said in a statement: We are ensuring an efficient and effective service-wide approach to investigating allegations, removing the potential for duplication and…
Borussia Dortmund do not have an alternative plan should Erling Haaland leave the club, but they would listen to an exceptional offer for Jadon Sancho, according to managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke.
Norway international Haaland is in high demand after netting 49 goals in 50 appearances for Dortmund, attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Manchester United.
He has scored 21 goals in 22 Bundesliga games this term, adding another 10 from six games in the Champions League, a competition in which he tops the scoring charts.
Haaland s agent, Mino Raiola, is reported to have been in contact with a number of clubs as speculation over the 20-year-old s future grows.
But, according to Watzke…
Bayern Munich and Manchester City have agreed a deal for the transfer of Leroy Sane, according to multiple sources.
The 24-year-old winger spent a large part of the 2019/20 season on the sidelines having suffered and ACL injury in Community Shield clash against Liverpool last summer. He had reportedly been on the verge of joining the Bundesliga champions back then, but the injury prompted Bayern to withdraw from the negotiations for the time being.
City sought to take advantage of the situation and convince the Germany international to sign a new contract, but their hopes proved in vain. It seems Sane has long had his heart set on returning to his homeland, unhappy with the amount of game-time he was getting under Pep Guardiola even before the injury.
The transf…
Real Madrid s French striker Karim Benzema said he has not yet been summoned for questioning by French police investigating an under-age sex scandal, but said he is not worried about the case.
A judicial source said last month that Benzema would be questioned over allegations he had sex with a 16-year-old call-girl in 2008.
I m not worried about this affair, Benzema, 22, said Monday. They haven t summoned me. I feel very at ease, I am thinking only of football.
The call-girl also said she had relations with Benzema s France team mate Franck Ribery in 2009, when she was 17 but told him she was over 18, the source said.
Sources close to the investigation said police had also questioned a third France international, Lyon winger Sidney Govou, 30.
I…
(GSM) Sevilla midfielder Renato has committed himself to the Andalusian club by extending his contract up to 2012.
The Brazilian, who has penned a 12-month extension to his current deal, has now a €36million (£30.7m) buy-out clause inserted in his contract.
The 31-year-old, who joined Sevilla from Santos in 2004, will have the option of two further years on top of that should certain criteria be met.
For now Renato and Sevilla are readying themselves for another crack at the UEFA Champions League, with a fourth-placed finish in 2009/10 sending them into the qualification stages of Europe s premier club competition.
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Inter Milan will seek to preserve their position as Serie A leaders when they entertain Sassuolo on Sunday and their lofty status comes as a surprise to forward Rodrigo Palacio.
Roberto Mancini s men are a point clear of Fiorentina and Napoli after a 1-0 midweek win over Empoli, with champions Juventus poised a further two points behind in what is shaping up to be a devilishly tight title race.
Palacio put an end to immediate speculation over his Inter future by penning a contract extension through until the end of next season on Friday.
The 33-year-old forward concedes that he did not expect to be in prime position to enter the 2016-17 campaign as a defending champion when Inter began their first full season of Mancini s second spell in charge back in August.