Sven-Goran Eriksson paid an affectionate tribute to Sinisa Mihajlovic as Italian football mourned an adopted son, saying his former Lazio star was a fabulous player who it was impossible to dislike.
Mihajlovic was part of Eriksson s Lazio team that won the 1999-2000 Serie A title, with his set-piece prowess, fierce tackling and combative attitude making Mihajlovic a standout figure in that era.
His death was announced by his family on Friday, with Mihajlovic succumbing to leukaemia at the age of 53.
As well as playing spells in Italy with Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter, Mihajlovic was a European Cup winner in 1991 with Red Star Belgrade and a long-time Yugoslavia international.
His free-kicks were among the best in the game, and he later took to coachin…
Gianluigi Buffon has hailed Juventus supporters for the infinite affection they have shown him as the goalkeeper prepares for the curtain to come down on his career with the Turin club.
Buffon re-joined Juve two years ago having spent 2018-19 at Paris Saint-Germain, but over the course of his second spell he has been second choice to Wojciech Szczesny.
The 43-year-old, who won 176 caps for Italy between 1997 and 2018, recently announced he will leave the Bianconeri at the end of the season but has not yet decided if he will continue playing or retire.
The veteran keeper could make his final appearance for Juventus in Sunday s Serie A clash with Bologna, with Andrea Pirlo s side battling to finish in the top four and secure Champions League football next season…
Simone Inzaghi bemoaned Inter s 2-1 loss to fierce rivals Milan and admitted his players learned a tough lesson as the Scudetto title race was blown wide open.
Inter were heading seven points clear at the top of Serie A with a game in hand after Ivan Perisic s first-half volley put them in control of Saturday s Derby della Madonnina.
The Nerazzurri continued to dominate for large parts of the match and would have been further ahead if not for Mike Maignan, who pulled off four big saves in the first half.
However, Inter were punished for failing to kill off the contest when Olivier Giroud scored a quickfire double at San Siro in his first taste of this famous fixture.
Giroud slid in at the back post to level up the game on 75 minutes and added a second thr…
Mesut Ozil captaining Arsenal is a miracle , according to Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness.
With Laurent Koscielny out through injury, Ozil was named in a group of co-captains by new Arsenal head coach Unai Emery, though he was substituted in Saturday s Premier League loss at Chelsea.
The midfielder quit international football in the wake of Germany s shock World Cup exit at the group stage, suggesting he faced discrimination over his Turkish heritage.
Ozil, along with Germany team-mate Ilkay Gundogan, was strongly criticised before the World Cup after being photographed with Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Feeling proud to be captain today. Good win and another fantastic support here in Singapore
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil10…
Barcelona keen on Rakitic
that Barcelona are keeping close tabs on Sevilla captain Ivan Rakitic.
The Catalans are hoping to sign a long-term replacement for veteran midfielder Xavi Hernandez and the Croatian is reportedly one of the first names on their hit-list.
Barcelona scouts have watched the 25-year-old in action on several occasions this season and they are convinced he would be a great signing for the club.
Rakitic is currently in the process of negotiating a new deal with Sevilla as his current contract is due to expire in June 2015, but his wage demands are proving to be obstacle to any agreement.
The Croatia international also want his release clause to be lowered from €40m to €25m, which is enough to suggest he is hoping for a big…
Neil Warnock is relishing the chance to start his second stint as Crystal Palace manager at Newcastle United on Saturday.
The sides meet at St James Park just three days after Warnock was confirmed as the man to succeed Tony Pulis.
Pulis left Palace on the eve of the new Premier League season amid a reported disagreement over transfer policy, before the club s hunt for a new manager encountered numerous stumbling blocks and controversies.
But Warnock was eventually settled upon to take Palace forward, having guided the club to the Championship play-offs in 2008 before leaving for QPR in 2010 as administration gripped Selhurst Park.
And the 65-year-old believes that Palace s team spirit will prove to be a key factor in their battle for top-flight survival …
Stefan Bajcetic netted a fine goal to secure his team s Premier League win away to Aston Villa on Monday, after Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk gave the Merseysiders a two-goal lead and Ollie Watkins brought back some hope for the home side.
Fantastic composure from the 18-year-old defensive midfielder for his first goal in the English top flight.
Composure level
Just two minutes after his introduction, a moment Stefan Bajcetic will never forget
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
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Gerard Pique was absolutely right when he said that this Clasico means more to Barcelona, given the six-point deficit they must make up to Real Madrid at the top of the table.
In the personal head-to-head between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, a defeat for the former would not mean a great deal, either.
That s because, with two weeks to go until the winner is crowned, Ronaldo’s name is already on the Ballon d Or trophy. Even worse for Messi aficionados – and for those who wrote off Ronaldo as a spent force just weeks ago the 2017 prize is within his grasp, too.
Speaking after his hat-trick dispatched Atletico Madrid and made him the leading goalscorer in the history of the Madrid derby, Ronaldo was in bullish mood over his chances of winning football s t…
Borussia Monchengladbach s sporting director Max Eberl has paid tribute to former winger Juan Arango following his return to Mexico.
The 34-year-old confirmed his long-expected departure from Borussia this week and the Venezuelan will now ply his trade with Liga MX outfit Club Tijuana.
Arango s first club abroad was Monterrey and the Venezuela international will link up with Tijuana s general manager Ignacio Palou, whom he worked under at Puebla.
Cesar Faris, Arango s former national team manager, will be another familiar face for the attacking midfielder as he coaches at the Estadio Caliente.
Eberl said it had been a pleasure to have Arango at the club since arriving from Real Mallorca in 2009.
We re very proud and happy that Juan spent five years here w…
Edinson Cavani is in no rush to leave Paris Saint-Germain and expects to stay for the foreseeable future.
The Uruguayan has enjoyed a brilliant career in France having left Napoli in 2013, becoming the club s all-time leading scorer both in Ligue 1 and all competitions in the process.
Individually, last season was the best of Cavani s career, as he scored 35 times in 36 Ligue 1 games, but PSG were unable to win the title ahead of Monaco.
He could yet get close to that figure this term, as he has 27 with three games to go, and this year his goals have indeed guided PSG to top spot.
While team-mate Neymar continues to be linked with moves away despite only being in Paris for a season, Cavani is eager to stay at the club and continue winning titles.
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