Ozil refuses to rule out Real Madrid return

It s the longest running transfer saga of the summer and it finally looks as though will leave Liverpool.

The Spain midfielder has been the subject of interest from side Real Madrid for the last few months and despite Rafa Benitez s insistence that the midfield kingpin must stay it finally looks as though Alonso is on his way.

The midfield schemer is understood to have lodged a written transfer request after Benitez refused to allow Real to speak to the player they signed from Real Sociedad for £10.7million back in 2004.

Benitez s battle to keep the player looks to be in vain and the Liverpool boss must now simply allow the 27-year-old to leave Anfield.

His efforts to keep Alonso have been admirable after seeing the player s true potential afte…

Costa Rica will be hoping to atone for their blip at the CONCACAF Gold Cup when they face the Dominican Republic in a friendly on Wednesday.

Jorge Luis Pinto s side had enjoyed an excellent 2013 before bowing out of the Gold Cup at the quarter-final stage against Honduras.

Prior to that though, Costa Rica were in stunning form, winning 10 of their first 14 matches of the calendar year, and they will be confident of continuing that form on the road in Sabana Larga in this fixture.

They sit second in the fourth and final round of the CONCACAF federation’s FIFA World Cup qualifying – sandwiched in between the USA and Mexico – and are well placed to reach the 2014 event in Brazil as a result.

And although they dropped three places in the last edition of the FIF…

Verdict: Double chance Peru/Draw

Best Odds:

Bookmaker:

Peru might be one of the most in-form teams in the entire 2018 World Cup, and they are set to start their first World Cup campaign since 1982 as they will take on a tough Denmark side at Mordovia Arena on Saransk. Both teams look like candidates to advance into the Round of 16 alongside with France in Group C, so getting a win here seems key to get closer to that objective.

Few teams will arrive to the 2018 FIFA World Cup on such a good form as Peru. Ricardo Gareca s men have looked nearly unstoppable in the past few months, and are currently riding a 15-game undefeated streak (W10, D5) heading into this contest. Their friendly matches saw them defeat the likes of Croatia and Iceland, and they also…

Pep Guardiola felt exhausted Manchester City showed they are streetwise in the Champions League as they reached the semi-finals with a 4-1 aggregate win over Bayern Munich.

Eight days after winning the first leg 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium, the Premier League champions drew 1-1 at Allianz Arena to set up a tie against holders Real Madrid.

Erling Haaland missed a first-half penalty, but scored his 48th goal of the season after the break to put City ahead the night.

Joshua Kimmich denied City an 11th successive victory late on after a second harsh penalty award of the game – Manuel Akanji punished for what was adjudged to be handball.

City are in the hunt for a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble after advancing to a third successive European…

Inter Milan s hopes of Champions League football next season were dealt a severe blow after suffering a 2-0 defeat at Cagliari on Sunday.

Inter were the dominant force for much of the game but failed to take their chances in front of goal, with Mauricio Pinilla s second-half brace condemning Andrea Stramaccioni s men to their second successive loss after last week s 4-3 capitulation at home to Atalanta.

With Inter dictating the match, Cagliari were content to play on the counterattack and after having two penalty claims rejected, the referee pointed to the spot in the 63rd minute when Matias Silvestre fouled Pinilla, who stepped up and rifled the ball past goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

Cagliari could have doubled their lead six minutes later had it not been for a …

Toronto FC signing Sebastian Giovinco revealed he left Italy because his compatriots did not believe in his ability.

Toronto FC striker Sebastian Giovinco appeared to hit out at the Italian media, and current and former coaches Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri and Cesare Prandelli on Friday.

Speaking at his first media conference since arriving in Canada, Giovinco claimed he had left Italy and his former club Juventus because he was tired of having his ability questioned.

The 28-year-old s decision to leave the Serie A champions for the MLS caused a lot of consternation in Italy, with many claiming Giovinco will never play for his homeland again, but the tiny attacker indicated he will not miss his Italian critics.

In Italy I had many problems. They a…

Best odds: 7/5

Bookmaker:

The 2020-21 Champions League roller coaster continues this week with a number of interesting clashes in the round of 16. The one between Borussia Monchengladbach and Manchester City, set to take place on Wednesday evening at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, is certainly among them.

Interestingly enough, this will be the seventh time these clubs meet the most for either side when it comes to facing a certain opponent in a European competition.

Borussia Monchengladbach

Things haven t been going too well for Gladbach this term. They reached the Champions League by finishing fourth in the Bundesliga last term, and at the moment, it seems highly unlikely that they repeat that success. They are in eighth place with 33 points, nine less …

Reading have agreed personal terms with former Real Madrid and Everton winger Royston Drenthe, .

The 26 year old will become the Championship club’s second signing of the summer subject to him passing a medical, with the Royals having already secured the services of former Chelsea and Manchester City left back Wayne Bridge.

Drenthe began his career with Feyenord, before securing a big money move to the Bernabeu in 2007 where he won La Liga and the Super Cup in a three year spell.

Loan moves to Hercules and Everton came before he was transferred to Russian Premier League side Alaniya, where he scored three goals in six league appearances last season.

He won his only international cap coming on as a substitute in the Netherlands 1-0 friendly win ov…

Market: Dundalk to win both halves

Odds: 

Marching towards retaining their Premier Division title, a high-flying Dundalk will welcome Cork City to Oriel Park on Friday night.

Starting with the hosts, picking up another routine 2-0 win away at Sligo Rovers last weekend and extending their winning run to six matches on the bounce, Dundalk are marching towards retaining their Premier Division crown. Holding a seven-point buffer over Shamrock and also still dreaming of landing a famous domestic sweep, a huge part of their continued rise has been down to their form at Oriel Park. Vinny Perth s men have won each of their last six matches in Dundalk and have not tasted a domestic defeat on home soil since August 2018.

As for the visitors, while Dundalk might b…

Germany coach Joachim Loew will unveil a pre-World Cup squad on May 6, the German football federation (DFB) said Thursday.

FIFA rules stipulate that Loew will have to submit his definitive 23-man squad for the World Cup finals on June 11-July 11 no later than June 5.

However the German has been give a selection headache by the fact Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen, who both boast several German internationals, will contest the German Cup final on May 15.

It means Loew could have to do without around 10 players for the start of a scheduled training camp in Sicily on May 14-21, and for the first of three pre-tournament friendlies.

Germany will travel to South Africa as one of the favourites for this year s World Cup, having finished runner-up to Spain in th…