Jurgen Klopp has hailed Xherdan Shaqiri s unbelievable physique and revealed Liverpool are still seeking a solution to the midfielder s persistent injury problems.
Switzerland international Shaqiri has made just three starts in all competitions for Liverpool this season due to calf and hamstring issues.
The 28-year-old has been linked with a January move to Serie A side Roma and LaLiga club Sevilla, but Klopp last week ruled out the prospect of a mid-season exit.
And the Reds boss is working hard to ensure Shaqiri can still play a big part in the remaining months of the 2019-20 campaign.
S H A Q
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
It is not cool, absolutely not cool but maybe there are different reasons, he said of Shaqiri s injury record this seas…
Fiorentina lead chase for Falcao
that Serie A high-flyers Fiorentina are weighing up January move for Monaco striker Falcao.
Following an unsuccessful spell with Manchester United, the Colombian joined Chelsea on a season-long loan in the summer, but has since continued to struggle.
After scoring just one goal in nine appearances for the Blues, Falcao is again being linked with a move away from the club.
Namely, Fiorentina have taken a keen interest in his services and will attempt to recruit the forward on a short-term deal in January.
Chelsea will probably be happy to let Falcao leave provided they can sign a replacement, but Monaco would need to give the green light as well.
The 29-year-old is also wanted by former club FC Porto and S…
The LA Galaxy s Sebastian Lletget may get a chance to play for the USMNT (Wikipedia / Egghead06)
After the US Soccer men’s national team’s 4-0 shellacking by Costa Rica in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying the federation fired coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Replacing him is Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, who also led the USMNT from 1998 through the 2006 World Cup.
To say Klinsmann’s tenure as head coach and technical director for US Soccer was rocky is an understatement. He had success, leading the team to the knockout stages of the 2014 World Cup and the semifinals of this past summer’s Copa America Centenario, but also abject failures. They include the youth teams not qualifying for the previous two Olympics, and not making the 2017 Confederations Cup…
Modern day football game has been best described through its dynamism.
It’s not necessarily the best attribute to use in a sport where everything can be so short-lived and last no longer than a blink of an eye. For young players coming through a demanding world of professional football – such as Bayern Munich talent Renato Sanches – patience truly is a virtue.
Portuguese international’s name has been echoing around since 2016 and it is easy to forget the former Benfica teenager is still only 21 years of age.
And in the week he went back to his boyhood club with the Bavarian giants, Renato Sanches will have gone a full circle from a rapid rise, devastating fall and a triumphant ascend all over again.
It was at the Stadium of Light – Est…
Martin Demichelis is adamant Manchester City can still win the Premier League title despite their 3-2 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.
A 78th-minute winner from Philippe Coutinho gave Liverpool the points from an enthralling clash at Anfield after a David Silva strike and a Glen Johnson own goal had dragged City level following early goals from Raheem Sterling and Martin Skrtel.
The loss leaves third-placed City seven points adrift of leaders Liverpool, although they do have the advantage of two games in hand the first of which takes place on Wednesday against bottom club Sunderland.
Demichelis remains defiant in spite of his side s setback on Merseyside, and insists Manuel Pellegrini s team can overcome the deficit and regain the title they won in 2011-12.
We didn…
World football s governing body FIFA on Tuesday gave Iraqi football chiefs a one year deadline to settle their differences after July s elections to the Iraqi Football Association fell into disarray.
FIFA lifted its suspension on the IFA on March 19 after a solution was reportedly found to a spat over alleged government interference.
But about a week before a new IFA election was due to take place, soldiers sought to arrest contested association chief Hussein Said and three other senior officials on corruption charges.
Two rival general assemblies were then held in the Iraqi capital Baghdad and in the northern city of Erbil on July 24, prompting the IFA to postpone elections of a new executive committee.
Under these circumstances, the case was referred …
Pep Guardiola praised fantastic Phil Foden and said the Manchester City midfielder is developing into a world-class player after his wonderful, derby-winning display against Manchester United.
Nobody expected anything other than embarrassment at the Etihad Stadium for Erik ten Hag’s stumbling Red Devils, yet Marcus Rashford’s scorcher gave them a shock half-time lead.
United were under the cosh for large periods before and after the break, finally buckling as 23-year-old Foden scored a superb leveller in the 56th minute before then firing City ahead 10 minutes from time.
Erling Haaland added gloss in stoppage time but there was no doubt who the star of the show was in Sunday’s important 3-1 victory for Guardiola’s title-chasing team.
Derby day del…
Rob Page has hit back after Cardiff manager Erol Bulut complained over the lack of communication from Wales about including Aaron Ramsey in their Euro 2024 play-off squad.
Wales captain Ramsey has not started a game for six months and had played only 72 minutes in that time when Page named him in his squad for Thursday’s semi-final against Finland.
Bulut was unhappy Wales did not contact Cardiff before recalling Ramsey, saying he had expected to speak to Page or a member of his management team.
Ramsey returned from a calf strain to play 18 minutes at Swansea last Saturday, and the 33-year-old midfielder is expected to be on the bench against Finland.
Asked about Bulut’s comments, Page said: “I don’t know what all the fuss is about to be honest.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is confident Kobbie Mainoo can deal with the hype following his impressive full England debut.
Just four months on from making his first Premier League start, the 18-year-old put in a man-of-the-match performance in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw against Belgium at Wembley.
Mainoo had not even been included in the initial England squad but followed a promising debut off the bench against Brazil by potentially earning a spot at Euro 2024 with his display against Belgium.
That performance has taken the midfielder’s stock to new heights but Ten Hag is confident the success will not go to his head.
“I thought it was very good, but we are not surprised,” the United boss said. “We have seen what he is capable of, that he can ve…
Best Odds: 7/10
Bookmaker:
Two sides who find themselves battling it out at opposite ends of the Serie A table, Juventus will make the trip to a struggling Verona on Thursday night.
Verona
Starting with the hosts, while Verona might have shocked many across Italy last season as they claimed a top-half finish last season, the Gialloblu have rather drastically failed to keep up that momentum this time around. Last seen putting in another worrying display as they were hit with a deserved 2-0 loss away at Monza, Salvatore Bocchetti s men find themselves at the heart of a Serie A nightmare. Managing to muster just five points from their opening 13 top-flight contests, the Veneto-based outfit sit rock-bottom of the table and tipped as a leading relegation pick as we …