Dynamo Kyiv boss Mircea Lucescu expressed outrage after fans of opponents Fenerbahce sang the name of Vladimir Putin in Wednesday s Champions League qualifier.
Lucescu boycotted the post-match news conference in protest, with the chants beginning after Oleksandr Karavayev gave the Ukrainian visitors a decisive 2-1 lead in the second leg in Istanbul.
The goal came in the 114th minute, after the teams were level at 1-1 at the end of normal time, and it proved to be a match-winner. It was enough to give Dynamo a 2-1 aggregate victory, carrying them through to the third qualifying round, where they will face Sturm Graz of Austria.
According to Ukrainian news outlet Expres, Lucescu told broadcasters: We cannot accept the behaviour of the fans. I did not expect s…
Juventus striker Simone Zaza has stressed his desire to remain at the club next season, despite seeing first-team opportunities limited in 2015-16.
Zaza is currently with Italy at Euro 2016, coming off the bench in Friday s 1-0 victory over Sweden in Toulouse, and is expected to start as Antonio Conte s men round off Group E against Republic of Ireland on Wednesday.
And the former Sassuolo man, who made just five league starts last term, insists his focus remains on helping his country for the time being.
I hope to play more next year, but I m aware that this was my first year with a big team, he said. I ll assess my future after the Euros, but I hope to remain in Turin.
I feel happy on a personal level, but not 100 per cent because I think I can g…
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang says it has been his dream since he was a kid to play in Spain as his Borussia Dortmund future remains up in the air.
Aubameyang has been linked with a move away from Dortmund, with several European powerhouses reportedly interested in the Gabon international.
The 27-year-old scored 39 goals in all competitions in 2015-16, helping Dortmund qualify for the Champions League after missing out the previous year under Jurgen Klopp.
While he has stated his intentions of playing in Spain in the past, Manchester City are reported to be heavily interested in the star forward.
But after visiting the small town of El Barraco from where his mother and her family originated Aubameyang reiterated his desire to play in the country in th…
Spain midfielder Xavi is determined to do well at Euro 2012 for his injured Barcelona team-mates David Villa and Carles Puyol.
Both Puyol and Villa formed an important part of the Spain squad which won the 2010 World Cup but have missed the tournament in Poland and Ukraine due to injury.
However, Xavi is hopeful of bringing the injured pair happiness with Spanish success at the continental event.
Puyi is a leader, a winner. And Villa is our historic goalscorer. But they are not here. We ll try and give them some joy, Xavi told TVE.
They are two champions, but injuries are part of football, too. Their replacements are giving their all for the team.
The influential midfielder also insisted he enjoys a good relationship with Real Madrid goalkeep…
Scotland manager George Burley says his team are united in their quest to make a positive start to World Cup qualification in their match against Macedonia.
The Scots travel to Skopje for their opening Group Nine match on Saturday with several key players missing due to injury.
Burley was already missing captain Barry Ferguson and Alan Hutton with long-term injuries.
But over the past few days Garry O Connor, David Weir, David Marshall, Callum Davidson, Kevin McNaughton and Kevin Thomson have also all pulled out with a variety of ailments.
The manager has drafted in Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot, Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart and Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield to replenish the squad, which is placed 16th in the latest world rankings one pl…
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain were on target for Juventus as Bayer Leverkusen s Champions League campaign ended with a 2-0 loss at the BayArena on Wednesday.
Juve star Ronaldo scored his 28th goal in 26 Champions League appearances against German clubs in the 75th minute, before Higuain picked out the bottom-right corner in stoppage time.
Maurizio Sarri s side had already wrapped up top spot in Group D and the fact the hosts were the only team with something to play for was evidenced by them having the best chances of the opening period.
But Leverkusen – who would have exited the competition even if they had won due to Atletico Madrid s 2-0 victory over Lokomotiv Moscow – succumbed to Ronaldo and Higuain after the restart and dropped into the Europ…
Clement Lenglet is part of the French national team for the first time in his career after a good season with Barcelona and there he will play with Antoine Griezmann. One of the 23 world champions from Russia last summer is heavily rumoured to be Barcelona s new signing in a deal worth 125 million euros. Lenglet is definitely excited about such prospect.
Griezmann is one of the three or four best players in La Liga, he told in a news conference. He is a star and he has been in the competition for several years. He has scored many goals every season. He is the star of Atletico and also one of the great figures of the league.
Griezmann has said that he is leaving Atletico, but not where. We still do not know what team he will play with, he said. We will have…
Bayern Munich must not underestimate Eintracht Braunschweig in Wednesday s DFB-Pokal clash, says Pep Guardiola.
Pep Guardiola has warned against complacency within his Bayern Munich squad as they prepare to face second-tier Eintracht Braunschweig in the DFB-Pokal.
Runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern have only lost twice in all competitions this season as they fight for trophies on three fronts, but Guardiola is taking nothing for granted.
The next step in the cup defence sees Braunschweig travel to the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, with a place in the last eight at stake.
The cup is always dangerous, anything can happen, said the Spaniard. [It] is a knockout game.
We are focused and want to progress to the quarter-finals.
Anything i…
Simone Padoin sees Juventus meeting with Sassuolo on Monday as the perfect opportunity to recover from their Coppa Italia defeat to Fiorentina.
On Thursday, Massimiliano Allegri s men went down 2-1 at home as two goals from Mohamed Salah gave Fiorentina the advantage in the first leg of their semi-final.
It was the reigning Serie A champions first loss at Juventus Stadium in any competition since April 2013 a remarkable run of 47 games.
As Juve turn their attentions back to the league, Padoin is in confident mood ahead of the visit of Sassuolo.
We need to bounce back from this defeat and I m sure we ll do so at the first time of asking on Monday, he told the club s official website.
We know we ll be up against a decent team and a very young o…
Thomas Tuchel was appointed head coach of Bayern Munich on Friday as the club ruthlessly sacked Julian Nagelsmann.
Reports of Nagelsmann s demise as Bayern boss first emerged on Thursday, and confirmation of the 35-year-old s dismissal meant he lasted less than two full seasons at the helm.
The former RB Leipzig chief guided Bayern to the Bundesliga title last season and led them into the quarter-finals of the Champions League this term, with Manchester City awaiting them in that competition.
Bayern went into the international window second in the Bundesliga, a point behind bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund ahead of their meeting in Der Klassiker on April 1.
The club have opted to act now, during the international break, and Tuchel is the man they have chos…