Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich lauded Julian Nagelsmann as easily being among his top three coaches ahead of the 35-year-old s expected dismissal by the Bundesliga giants.

Strong reports began to circulate on Thursday suggesting Bayern would remove Nagelsmann from his post despite club officials recently describing him as a long-term project .

It was stated Bayern had made their decision and communicated it internally, with the news expected to be made official on Friday as the club apparently prepared to appoint Thomas Tuchel.

Many of Bayern s players are away on international duty this week, and Kimmich – among their most senior stars – appeared in Germany s pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of a friendly against Peru.

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Market: Vasco draw no bet

Odds: 19/20 @

Two sides who find themselves battling it out at opposite ends of Brazil s second-tier, Vasco will make the trip to CSA in the early hours of Friday.

Starting with the hosts, while CSA might have only just missed out on clinching a Serie A return last season, Alberto Valentim s men have really failed to build off of that success. In the midst of what has become a second-tier nightmare since opening the 2022 campaign, the Alagoas-based outfit are now at the heart of a relegation scrap. Opening the midweek fixtures sat two points adrift of safety, they were also last seen putting in another nightmare display. Making an immediate return to winning ways last weekend, CSA were blown away thanks to a 4-0 drumming away at Sport R…

Arsenal will be without striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in Tuesday s EFL Cup quarter-final with Manchester City.

The Gabon international missed the 2-1 Premier League loss at Everton, a match that extended the Gunners winless domestic run to seven games.

Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed Aubameyang is improving but will not be ready to face Pep Guardiola s side at Emirates Stadium.

Auba is feeling much better and he was more positive yesterday [Sunday] than in the previous two days, Arteta told reporters on Monday.  He will have another scan in the next few days and we will see how quickly we can get him back in the team.

We know how important he is for us and he feels that responsibility and he is trying his best to be back fit as quickly as possible. …

Eden Hazard insists he does not view himself as a Galactico just yet, but the Belgium international hopes he can make a lasting impression at Real Madrid.

After several transfer windows in which Los Blancos were linked with a move for Hazard, the 28-year-old finally made the switch from Chelsea last week, signing a five-year deal with the 13-time European champions.

Madrid have overhauled their squad following a disappointing 2018-19 and Hazard is the biggest name to arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu so far.

The club have a history of acquiring the best players in the world having brought in Luis Figo, current boss Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham during the Galactico era of the early 2000s, yet Hazard refrained from putting himself in that company …

Cristiano Ronaldo s last-gasp double denied Mohamed Salah and Egypt victory as Portugal instead snatched a dramatic 2-1 friendly win in Zurich.

The Real Madrid star had been frustrated for long periods in a largely drab contest as Egypt s own leading light Salah looked to have taken the scalp of the European champions.

But a pair of stoppage-time headers from Ronaldo – the second allowed only after conference with VAR – turned the game on its head and showed just why Portugal cannot be written off ahead of the World Cup.

Fernando Santos men looked to be down and out, running out of ideas after the in-form Salah – enjoying a stunning 36-goal season with Liverpool – struck early in the second half.

Chances just were not falling for Ronaldo, but…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has again suggested he wants to come out of international retirement and play for Sweden at the World Cup.

Ibrahimovic retired from international duty following Sweden s group stage exit at Euro 2016, walking away as his country s record goalscorer.

But the 36-year-old has regularly indicated he would be keen to be part of Sweden s World Cup squad, despite playing no part in their qualification and making zero appearances in 2018 due to injury.

At his LA Galaxy unveiling on Friday after moving to MLS from Manchester United, Ibrahimovic suggested once more he wants to go to Russia.

Let me first enjoy it here, Ibrahimovic told reporters at a news conference. What happens here, we take it further, but my focus is on Galaxy.

[I wa…

US Soccer has suspended long-serving United States women s national team goalkeeper Hope Solo for six months due to conduct that is counter to the organization s principles .

In a statement released on Wednesday, US Soccer said the suspension was handed down because of Solo s controversial comments following a penalty shoot-out loss to Sweden in the quarter-finals of the women s football tournament at the Olympic Games in Rio.

Solo a 202-cap veteran claimed Sweden played like a bunch of cowards with an extremely defensive style that kept USA off the board until the deciding spot-kicks.

The 35-year-old was also suspended for 30 days in 2015 for misconduct. Her latest ban is effective immediately.

The comments by Hope Solo after the match against Sweden du…

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli rates his form in recent seasons as no more than five out of 10 but the enigmatic star still harbours ambitions to win the prestigious Ballon d Or award.

Balotelli was tipped for stardom after impressing as a youngster at Inter, but the Italy international has seen his progress stagnate.

He scored just one Premier League goal after moving to Anfield ahead of the 2014-15 campaign and only found the back of the net once in Serie A after rejoining AC Milan on a season-long loan last term.

Now 25, Balotelli recognises that he must start living up to his potential but the former Manchester City star is confident of doing so.

I have not done enough in recent years. I can do much better. But it takes time. On a scale of one to …

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa said he is disappointed with his personal output in 2014-15.

The former Manchester United man has scored just five times in 30 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund, who have battled back to a position of relative strength after a shocking start to the Bundesliga season.

The Japan international, who suffered head and groin injuries this term, said it was a negative campaign.  

It was a very difficult season because I wasn t able to play well consistently, neither was the team, the 26-year-old said. 

I have struggled through the season but towards the end of the season we have been able to get some wins. 

So as a team, it s clear we are getting better. Personally, I can t be happy with my perf…

Granada avoided relegation from La Liga and Atletico Madrid secured third place courtesy of a drab goalless draw at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.

Granada were destined for the drop at various times on Saturday with other results going against them, but a point was enough to extend their stay in the top flight to five seasons as Almeria and Eibar went down with Cordoba.

Diego Simeone s side only needed a point to secure third spot – as well as a place in next season s UEFA Champions League group stage and they got the job done in unspectacular fashion.

Neither side fashioned a clear-cut chance in a tense encounter which will not live long in the memory, but Granada will not care about that as they celebrate a great escape which looked so unlikely before they strun…