McClaren deserves Newcastle chance, says Koeman

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman says Newcastle United counterpart Steve McClaren deserves the chance to turn things around at St James Park.

McClaren looks increasingly likely to be relieved of his duties at Newcastle following Saturday s damaging 3-1 loss to AFC Bournemouth, with former Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez favourite to succeed him.

Koeman faced McClaren s Twente side during the 2009-10 season, when he was in charge of AZ, and the former Netherlands international says he should be given time at the club to prove he is the right man to lead them forward.

Initially reluctant to discuss McClaren s future, he said:  No, I don t like that. They re talking so much.

He then added: I hope he can stay because he deserves to stay to show what he …

City confirm Kompany´s groin injury – no date for return

Manchester City have confirmed captain Vincent Kompany suffered a groin injury at Swansea City in midweek, with no date set for the Belgian s return.

Kompany limped off in the closing stages of the 2-1 EFL Cup win in Wales, his first appearance in four months after sustaining a similar problem in the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid on May 4.

His 2015-16 season was disrupted by a nagging calf injury that restricted him to just 25 appearances for club and country.

The latest setback is another blow for Kompany, who has suffered 33 injuries since moving to England from Hamburg in 2008.

The 30-year-old has remained with the squad in Wales ahead of City s Premier League clash with Swansea, but is not being considered for the clash at the L…

Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid: How Los Blancos helped shape their local rivals

Who doesn t love seeing an exciting youth product coming through to the first team?

In Spain, they seem to produce them en masse, with technically proficient youngsters emerging regularly.

The most famous production line is surely La Masia, with Barcelona cultivating the likes of Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and, more recently, Gavi.

It understandably therefore gets overlooked just how many players come through the academy of Real Madrid, their fierce rivals.

La Fabrica – The Factory – has produced some fine players down the years, including Emilio Butragueno, Raul and Iker Casillas.

Perhaps one of the reasons Madrid do not get the same credit as Barca for bringing through youngsters is because, quite often, their best graduates go on to …

RB Leipzig close to permanent Xavi Simons transfer

RB Leipzig are very close to winning the race to sign Xavi Simons from Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent transfer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

PSG paid a reported fee of €4 million for the Netherlands international last summer, but they sent him straight away to Leipzig on a season-long loan. Simons obviously impressed at the Red Bull Arena, with 10 goals and 15 assists in 43 matches across all competitions, and capped off an excellent season with fine performances for his country at the recently completed Euros.

The transfer isn t done yet and Bayern Munich remain interested in the 21-year-old attacking midfielder too, but Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull s CEO of Corporate Projects and New Investments, is committed to getting it over the line as quickly as possible.

Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City (Real Madrid win 6-5 agg): Main Talking Points As Los Blancos Book A Champions League Final Showdown Against Liverpool

With all eyes from across Europe falling on the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday night, Real Madrid produced another stunning comeback in the Spanish capital as they grabbed a 3-1 win against Manchester City.

Appearing to have been crashing out of this season s Champions League after watching Pep Guardiola s side hold a two-goal buffer in the final moments, second-half substitute Rodrygo then produced a famous late flurry.

Writing off Riyad Mahrez s opening strike in the 73rd-minute, the Brazilian youngster bagged an injury-time brace with both goals being separated by under 90 seconds.

Pulling off another historic rally and backed by a lively Bernabéu support, there was still time for attacking talisman Karim Benzema to drag his side into another Champions Leag…

Salzburg 1-1 Bayern Munich: Coman strikes late to salvage first-leg draw for Nagelsmann´s men

Kingsley Coman scored a 90th-minute equaliser at Salzburg to salvage a 1-1 draw for a below-par Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Julian Nagelsmann s side received a wave of criticism after a sensational 4-2 Bundesliga defeat to Bochum at the weekend, and they were almost on the wrong end of another upset in Austria on Wednesday.

Junior Adamu looked to have scored the decisive goal after 21 minutes in what was the hosts  first ever game in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Salzburg were denied a famous win late on, though, as Coman stole in at the back post to put Bayern in control ahead of the return leg next month.

Make way for the King

1-1  

— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN)

Tributes flood in after former England manager Terry Venables dies aged 80

Tributes have been paid to “the inspiration of a generation” after former England, Barcelona and Tottenham manager Terry Venables died at the age of 80.

As a player he made over 500 appearances for Chelsea, Tottenham, QPR and Crystal Palace but made his real mark as a coach, also managing Palace and QPR.

England as a country rallied behind Venables’ national team in Euro 96 in the summer football came home as the team brilliantly blew away Netherlands 4-1 – a performance Venables himself described as “perfection: my most thrilling experience in football” – only to lose to Germany on penalties in the semi-final at Wembley.

The Football Association marked the passing of “a true football icon” and said “Our modern game mourns the loss of not only…

Conte: Arteta complains a lot – he should focus on Arsenal

Mikel Arteta should concentrate on Arsenal and not complain so much, according to Tottenham boss Antonio Conte. 

Spurs claimed a 3-0 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League on Thursday to stop the Gunners from getting the three points they needed to clinch a top-four finish, with the difference between the sides now down to one point with two games remaining. 

Son won the penalty that Harry Kane converted for the opening goal and a foul on the South Korea international saw Rob Holding receive his second yellow card in the 33rd minute. It was Arsenal s 13th Premier League red card since Arteta took over in December 2019, five more than any other side in that timeframe.

Kane doubled his tally and Son put Spurs 3-0 up early in the second half, with Arteta sayi…

Rangers 3 Rapid Vienna 1: Late show gets Gerrard up and running in Europe

Alfredo Morelos scored twice as Steven Gerrard s Rangers moved top of Europa League Group G with a 3-1 victory over Rapid Vienna.

In a first European group-stage fixture at Ibrox since 2010, Vienna under new boss Dietmar Kuhbauer kicked the contest into life 42 minutes in through Veton Berisha s controversial opener.

Although Andrei Ivan had blatantly strayed offside down the right, the officials failed to spot it, and Rangers were made to pay when the winger s cross was deflected to Berisha for a simple finish.

Rangers twice fought back against Villarreal in their opening game, though, and Gerrard s side were level inside one minute when Morelos nudged home James Tavernier s delivery.

ALFREDO, ALFREDO, ALFREDO

— Rangers Football Club (@…

Tottenham sack Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino has been sacked as manager of Tottenham, the Premier League club have confirmed.

Pochettino lifted to new heights after taking charge in 2014, leading them to a second-place finish in the Premier League in 2016-17.

That was the second of four consecutive top-four finishes, meaning Spurs became a regular Champions League fixture on his watch and were beaten finalists in Europe s top competition last season, losing 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid.

However, a run that featured incredibly dramatic quarter-final and semi-final triumphs over Manchester City and Ajax respectively served to distract from dwindling domestic form that has not picked up this term.

A laboured 1-1 draw against Sheffield United before the international break left Spurs 1…