Victor Osimhen commits long-term future to Napoli

A goalless draw with Dijon means Lyon are enduring their worst Ligue 1 run of form in terms of wins since 1977.

Les Gones have drawn four and lost four of their past eight league games, marking the first time in 42 years they have gone such a stretch without a win in the same season.

Lyon managed 24 shots to Dijon s six on Saturday but could not find a breakthrough, meaning they are just a point above the bottom three after 10 matches this term.

Since a 6-0 thrashing of Angers on August 16, their only victory in any competition was the surprise 2-0 away defeat of RB Leipzig in the Champions League on October 2.

A 1-0 loss to rivals Saint-Etienne led to the departure of head coach Sylvinho, with Rudi Garcia named as his replacement on Monday.

Garci…

Liverpool head to their second Carabao Cup final in three seasons this weekend looking to extend their own competition record of nine victories.

Here, the PA news agency details how they got there.

Fourth round: v Leicester (h) 3-1, September 27

WHAT. A. HIT.

— Liverpool FC (@LFC)

Dominik Szoboszlai’s brilliant strike from the edge of the penalty area was the highlight of a second-half comeback after falling behind to Kasey McAteer’s third-minute goal. Cody Gakpo’s shot on the turn levelled things up just after the break, Szoboszlai smashed home and Diogo Jota’s cheeky backheel clinched victory.

Fifth round: v Bournemouth (a) 2-1, November 1

Darwin Nunez | |

— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup)

Darwin Nunez’s goal wa…

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta claimed he is the man best placed to persuade Lionel Messi to stay at Camp Nou.

Messi is out of contract at the end of the season and the Argentine s long-term future with Barca remains unclear.

The 33-year-old sent shockwaves through the world of football when he expressed a desire to end his near two-decade association with the Blaugrana ahead of the 2020-21 season, but after a lengthy transfer saga he opted to stay put.

An end to the tenure of Josep Maria Bartomeu – with whom Messi has had a tense relationship – as president in October has prompted the club to bring forward their elections to January 24.

Laporta, who served as Barca president between 2003 and 2010, is considered the leading candidate to…

The president of the Italian Referees Association (AIA) has called for stadiums to be shut and individuals jailed to combat racism, but said it should not be down to match officials to deal with the issue.

Marcello Nicchi waded into the debate around racism in Italian football that reared its head again when Romelu Lukaku was abused by Cagliari fans during Inter s 2-1 victory on September 1.

The incident followed a similar one at Cagliari last season, when then-Juventus striker Moise Kean was targeted by some home fans, and Nicchi called for the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) to implement existing procedures and restrict attendance at grounds where abuse occurs.

Nicchi, a former referee who has been president of the AIA since 2009, told Corriere dello Sport: …

Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing Jules Kounde from Barcelona in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that PSG, who have won the Ligue 1 title last season, view Kounde as a key addition to strengthen their defence for next season and beyond.

Kounde is one of the best defenders in La Liga and has been superb for Barcelona since his move from Sevilla in 2022. The 25-year-old France international is a versatile defender who can operate as a centre-back or as a right-back and has his best years ahead of him.

The defender has made 28 starts and three substitute appearances in La Liga for Barcelona this season. He has scored one goal and given two assists in those games. Kounde made 28 starts and one substitute appearance in the league…

Jose Mourinho slammed the attitude of his Tottenham players after their spectacular Europa League collapse against Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday.

Spurs travelled to Croatia with a two-goal advantage after Harry Kane s brace in the first leg last week, but a stunning Mislav Orsic hat-trick helped the hosts to a remarkable 3-0 win on the night and a 3-2 aggregate victory.

The result meant Spurs became the first English side to take a two-goal lead into the second leg of a European knockout tie and fail to progress since Manchester City against Monaco in the last 16 of the 2016-17 Champions League.

It was also only the third time Mourinho has lost a match in European competition by a three-goal margin, with two of those coming with Spurs (also vs RB Leipzig in March 202…

New Juventus signing Paul Pogba has suffered a knee injury and will not be part of the team that travels to Dallas to take on Barcelona in a friendly on Tuesday.

The France international recently returned to the club where he previously spent four years between 2012 and 2016, winning four Serie A titles in that period.

But it now appears that Pogba will be spending time on the sidelines, after Juventus released a statement updating fans on the status of the 29-year-old.

The statement on the club s official website said: Following complaining of pain in his right knee, Paul Pogba underwent radiological examinations that revealed a lesion of the lateral meniscus.

In the next few hours he will undergo a specialist orthopedic consultation.

Therefor…

Romelu Lukaku is Chelsea s back-up plan if they cannot land Erling Haaland.

Haaland is being circled by several top clubs including Chelsea, along with Manchester City and Real Madrid.

The Borussia Dortmund talent will demand a significant transfer fee which the Blues may be able to afford.

TOP STORY – LUKAKU FIRMS AS CHELSEA S PLAN B

Chelsea have turned their attention to their former striker Romelu Lukaku as they look to bolster their forward options.

The Telegraph reports that Haaland still remains top priority but Inter forward Lukaku is being heavily considered.

The Manchester Evening News are also reporting City are interested in Lukaku as both clubs prepare to miss out on Haaland.

Inter have indicated that Luk…

Michail Antonio was bullish on West Ham s chances of winning the Europa League after the Premier League side progressed past Sevilla to the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Trailing the six-time Europa League winners 1-0 on aggregate after the first leg, Andriy Yarmolenko won the tie in the 22nd minute of extra time following Antonio s assist for Tomas Soucek in the first half of normal time.

This will be West Ham s first European quarter-finals appearance since the 1980-81 Cup Winners  Cup, where they lost to Dinamo Tbilisi.

Nevertheless, Antonio feels the Hammers can go on and take the silverware.

We fear nobody. We play in the Premier League and it doesn’t matter who we play, we try to get the three points,  he told BT Sport post-match. We re in thi…

Julen Lopetegui says Manchester United are the biggest team in the world but is confident Sevilla will come out on top in Sunday s Europa League semi-final tie.

The LaLiga side set up a showdown with 2017 winners United in Cologne with a late 1-0 victory over another English opponent in Wolves on Wednesday.

Yassine Bounou saved Raul Jimenez s early penalty and that proved a key moment, with Sevilla s pressure telling two minutes from time when Lucas Ocampos headed in.

United beat Copenhagen 1-0 after extra-time on Tuesday and now await Lopetegui s men, who are seeking a record-extending fourth triumph in the competition since its rebranding in 2009.
 
We are going to play against Manchester United in the next match they re the biggest team in the world but we…