Thiago Motta s first game in charge of Juventus ended in defeat as an unfamiliar Bianconeri side was thrashed 3-0 by 2. Bundesliga outfit Nurnberg on Friday.
The likes of Timothy Weah, Nicolo Fagioli and Dusan Vlahovic were limited to substitute roles as Motta selected a young side at Max-Morlock-Stadion, with the latter hitting the post with a second-half penalty at 1-0.
Caspar Jander had earlier given Nurnberg a 19th-minute lead, and they put some gloss on the scoreline with two late strikes after Vlahovic s missed spot-kick.
Substitutes Dustin Forkel and Tim Janisch both converted from inside the penalty area in the final four minutes as Motta s reign began in disappointing fashion.
The Bianconeri are next in action versus Brest on Saturday, with a fur…
Lionel Messi will be hoping to dethrone Cristiano Ronaldo at the Globe Soccer Awards after both were named among the nominees for the Best Men s Player for 2019.
Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool team-mates Alisson, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are also up for the annual honour, which is to be presented in Dubai on December 29.
Bernardo Silva, part of the Manchester City side largely snubbed at the FIFA Best awards, rounds out the seven-man field.
Juventus forward and five-time winner Ronaldo claimed the main prize for the third consecutive year in 2018.
Barcelona superstar Messi has won it once, in 2015.
The nominees for
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Sergio Ramos will appear at a news conference on Thursday amid rumours over his future, Real Madrid have confirmed.
Ramos, who is Madrid s captain, has been linked with a move to the Chinese Super League and will address the media at 17:30 local time.
Madrid president Florentino Perez confirmed to Spanish radio station Onda Cero this week that Ramos had indicated his desire to leave, but insisted a free transfer was out of the question.
They [Ramos advisors] mentioned that he might leave but without a transfer fee because transfer fees in China are very complicated, Perez said.
I told him that he can t leave and that we would be speaking to the Chinese club interested in signing him.
It s impossible to let your captain leave for free, that wo…
Liverpool s search for midfield reinforcements has reportedly led them to RB Leipzig s Konrad Laimer – and a move could come as soon as January.
Laimer, 25, enjoyed a career-best season in his last Bundesliga campaign, netting four goals and contributing four assists despite starting in just 15 of the 26 league games in which he featured.
This season, the man with 24 senior international appearances for Austria has started every Bundesliga and Champions League game he has been available for, although a high-ankle sprain has kept him out for six weeks now, and he may not return until January.
What a strike Konrad Laimer giving the keeper absolutely no chance with this thunderbolt
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN)
TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL …
Mauricio Pochettino explained he simply could not risk Neymar as he is not in a condition to compete against former club Barcelona on Wednesday.
The world s most expensive footballer suffered an adductor injury playing for Paris Saint-Germain against Caen in the Coupe de France on February 10.
Initial predictions suggested Neymar could return for the Champions League last-16 second leg this week.
PSG won the first match 4-1 at Camp Nou and Neymar has been progressing in training, with Pochettino repeatedly insisting he was on schedule.
But the head coach acknowledged last week he was not guaranteed to be back in the squad for the visit of the Blaugrana.
A medical update from the club on Tuesday subsequently confirmed Neymar would miss out, and Poc…
A terse training ground exchange on Wednesday gave little indication that the relationship between Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba will improve any time soon.
Mourinho has stripped Pogba of the club s vice-captaincy in the wake of some outspoken interviews from the France international midfielder – although he maintains there has been no fallout.
During the most successful phase of his career, Mourinho was viewed as a coach who defended his players to the hilt, fostering a close bond with and loyalty from his squads.
But since his appointment at Real Madrid in 2010, bust-ups with star names have increasingly been a part of his make-up. We look at how some of those played out as the Pogba row potentially edges towards its endgame.
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Gareth Bale has cleared the air with Thibaut Courtois after the goalkeeper let slip that Real Madrid team-mates nicknamed the Welsh star the golfer .
That revelation emerged earlier this year when Courtois, in an interview with a Belgian newspaper, also hinted at bemusement over Bale and Toni Kroos skipping a team evening meal because they wanted to avoid a late night.
Bale, who says his critics are misinformed and their verdicts on his Santiago Bernabeu career mean nothing , made sure he got to the bottom of Courtois comments.
And he believes the Belgian goalkeeper meant no offence.
I am a golfer! Bale said in a Wales news conference on Thursday. I spoke to him about it and he meant it as a joke.
People took it out of context, but I m very happ…
Germany coach Joachim Low feels Thomas Muller is going through a difficult phase as he backed the forward to return to his best.
Muller, 29, has struggled to find his best form for Bayern Munich, who are fifth in the Bundesliga, this season.
But he remains part of Low s plans and the coach said Muller – the Golden Boot winner at the 2010 World Cup – could still play a key role for Germany.
Although he hasn t stuck out lately at the national team or his club, Thomas Muller is a player who gives a lot of energy and can lead and animate the youngsters, he told a news conference.
He still has those qualities of a great finish, of backing up. I have seen him in good form against [Borussia] Dortmund. Bayern s players were in a good form for 60-70 minutes.…
Marcus Rashford was dropped from Manchester United s starting XI for Saturday s trip to Wolves due to internal disciplinary reasons.
The England forward has been in great form for United this season and looked particularly sharp since returning from the World Cup.
He scored in each of United s first two games after Qatar 2022, while he also got an assist in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Manager Erik ten Hag has managed to get the best out of the 25-year-old after a particularly disappointing 2021-22 campaign, but something behind the scenes has put an obstacle in Rashford s path.
Asked why he removed Rashford from the team after looking so lively in United s two previous games, Ten Hag told BT Sport: Internal disciplinary. No [details]. O…
Verdict: Marcus Rashford to score anytime
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Looking to make it six top-flight wins on the bounce, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s Manchester United side will welcome Brighton to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
Manchester United
Starting with the hosts, with their 1-0 win at Tottenham last weekend seeing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer equal Sir Matt Busby s winning start to life at Old Trafford, few would have expected Manchester United s resurge. Booking their spot in the fourth round of this year s FA Cup and now winning all five of their Premier League matches under the Norweigan legend, the Reds sit level on points with Arsenal and their top-four dreams might still be alive and well. With Solskjaer handing United a newfound attacking ide…