Milito thanks fans after Ballon d’Or snub

Inter s recent revival continued as Danilo D Ambrosio s late goal secured a 2-1 win over Fiorentina at the San Siro on Tuesday.

Last-gasp wins against Tottenham in the Champions League and Sampdoria in Serie A in the past week had injected life into the Nerazzurri s stuttering start to the season and another three points will further ease the pressure on Luciano Spalletti.

Inter s cause was aided significantly on the stroke of half-time when referee Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni punished Vitor Hugo for handball inside the penalty area after a VAR review, Mauro Icardi opening his league account for the season from the resulting spot-kick.

The Viola thought they had secured a share of the spoils after 52 minutes when Federico Chiesa s long-range drive took a huge deflecti…

Spartak Moscow have appointed Oleg Kononov as their new head coach following the dismissal of Massimo Carrera.

Carrera was sacked a day after a 3-2 loss to Arsenal Tula on October 21, with Spartak languishing in seventh in the Russian Premier League after a run of one win in six games.

The 2016-17 champions have now turned to 52-year-old Kononov, who joins from Tula despite only taking charge in June.

He takes over from Raul Riancho, who was put in temporary charge and won two of his six games at the helm.

The offer from Spartak was unexpected for Arsenal, but they wished me success with a new team. The fans also reacted warmly and I thank them for that, Kononov told Spartak s official website.

 Олег Кононов — главный тре�…

Harry Kane says Manchester City attacker Erling Haaland is a fantastic player but the Tottenham forward is not getting caught up in comparisons or speculation over his own future amid links with Bayern Munich.

The England captain was linked to Pep Guardiola s side last year in a high-profile transfer saga, with a move from north London ultimately failing to materialise after Spurs refused to let him go.

Since then, former Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland has arrived at the Etihad Stadium, ripping up the record books in the Premier League and making his presence felt in Europe too.

Ahead of Wednesday s home Champions League encounter with Eintracht Frankfurt, Kane did not wish to focus on his rivals or what might have been for his own career.

Instead, he …

Gavi has fast become the talk of Spanish football.

The 17-year-old is a regular for Barcelona and now an international for Luis Enrique s Spain.

His exploits have reportedly attracted interest from Europe s elite.

TOP STORY – TRIO CHASING GAVI

Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Manchester United are interested in Barcelona and Spain sensation Gavi, according to El Nacional.

Gavi has enjoyed a rapid rise at Camp Nou this season, while he earned his first international cap in Spain s Nations League semi-final success against Italy on Wednesday.

PSG, Liverpool and United are eyeing Gavi as Barca try to extend the 17-year-old s contract, claims Mundo Deportivo.

 Junto a Pedri y Ansu son los últimos de una larga relaci�…

Parma s Antonio Cassano says he is doing all he can to give Italy coach Cesare Prandelli selection headaches ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

The 31-year-old striker scored twice in Sunday s 4-2 win at Milan, a result that extended the club s record unbeaten run to 16 Serie A matches.

Parma have won their last five league road trips extending another record and Cassano has now scored 11 Serie A goals this season for the club, who are right among the battle for European football.

Cassano last appeared for Italy at UEFA Euro 2012 but is considered an outside chance of featuring in Prandelli s 23-man squad for this year s Brazil showpiece, having missed the 2010 edition after falling out of favour under Marcello Lippi.

I swear I d love to go, as I ve never been to a Wor…

Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli said it is his dream to take the reins of Argentina. 

Sampaoli, 55, has been at the helm of Chile since 2012 and guided the South American nation to their first major trophy at the 2015 Copa America in July.

However, the Argentinean revealed his future is uncertain, at least until the elections of the Chilean Football Federation (AFNP) next month.

I will wait for the elections on January 4 and see what are the plans of the new president of the ANFP, he said on Puro Concepto.

I negotiated with other people, but I need to know what the plan of the new president is and whether he approves or rejects my project. 

If I can contribute, I will continue.

But if things do not work out, then Sampaoli who has been l…

Man City to offer £40m for Leroy Sane

Manchester City plan to make Schalke starlet Leroy Sane the most expensive German footballer in history, .

The Citizens have set their sights on the 19-year-old winger, and they appear to be readying an official proposal for his services.

Bild has learned that the Premier League giants plan to offer £40 million for the highly rated youngster, which would be the highest fee anyone ever paid for a German player if it goes through.

And while Schalke boss Horst Heldt was adamant that Sane would not be sold midway through the season, there is every chance the Miners would be forced to consider said proposal.

Leroy Sane exploded onto the biggest stage last season and he continued with impressive showings in the n…

Luis Enrique demanded plaudits for David de Gea after the Spain goalkeeper s brilliant display during Thursday s 1-1 Nations League draw against Germany in Stuttgart.

Jose Gaya pounced deep into stoppage time to snatch a point at the Mercedes-Benz Arena after an excellent Timo Werner goal gave the hosts a 51st-minute lead.

But Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea was arguably the key to Luis Enrique s men taking a share of the spoils.

De Gea made sharp first-half saves to thwart Thilo Kehrer, Julian Draxler and Leroy Sane, while he also denied Niklas Sule at close quarters as the game moved towards its conclusion.

A string of errors for United saw the 29-year-old end the 2019-20 season at a low ebb, but Luis Enrique believes De Gea and Spain understudy Kep…

Hansi Flick has reinvigorated Bayern Munich and rejuvenated the players, according to club legend Franz Beckenbauer.

Flick took charge of Bayern, initially on an interim basis, last November when Niko Kovac was sacked following a 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

At that point, the club were four points adrift in the Bundesliga title race, but Flick led them to a remarkable treble as his side won each of their final 21 games of the season in all competitions.

Former Germany and Bayern defender Beckenbauer admitted he thought certain players in the squad Flick inherited had lost interest, and he lauded the boss ability to deliver success with that group.

Hansi Flick has reinvigorated the team again, he said in an interview with Bayern s website.

…

Preston North End have turned to former Hull City manager Phil Brown to save their season from relegation.

The Championship club sacked Darren Ferguson on December 29 after a 3-1 home loss to Middlesbrough, with the club now rock bottom of the league and seven points adrift of safety.

Brown, who guided Hull to the England s top-flight for the first time in the club s history in 2008/09, has signed an 18-month contract at Deepdale and took his first training session at his new club on Thursday.

The 51-year-old s main priority is to guide Preston out of the relegation zone a point not lost on the manager in his first interview as club boss.

Preston North End are a big club with great history and tradition and I am really looking forward to the challenge …