Guangzhou tempt J-League defector

Bayern Munich will travel to Werder Bremen on April 24 for their DFB-Pokal semi-final, with Hamburg hosting RB Leipzig a day earlier.

Head coach Niko Kovac is aiming for back-to-back successes in the competition after his Eintracht Frankfurt side overcame Bayern 3-1 in the 2018 final.

The Bundesliga champions suffered a scare in this season s quarter-finals, eventually overcoming 2.Bundesliga side Heidenheim 5-4 in a remarkable contest despite Niklas Sule s first-half red card.

Germany s second tier still has representation in the form of Hamburg, who beat Paderborn 2-0 in the previous round.

Leipzig are expected to be Bayern s main obstacle to a 19th Pokal triumph, although they needed Marcel Halstenberg s goal in stoppage time of extra time to edge a…

AC Milan claimed a crucial 1-0 victory over top-four rivals Lazio as Franck Kessie kept his cool amid penalty drama at San Siro.

Gennaro Gattuso s men won for the first time in five Serie A matches to finish Saturday in the Champions League qualification places after Kessie slotted in from 12 yards 11 minutes from time.

Milan had only just had a spot-kick award overturned via a VAR review after referee Gianluca Rocchi decided Francesco Acerbi could do little when Hakan Calhanoglu drove the ball at his elbow.

But Lazio substitute Riza Durmisi wasted that reprieve by barging into Mateo Musacchio, showing a level of composure in stark contrast to that of Ivory Coast midfielder Kessie.

Tempers were frayed at full-time as players from both sides were involve…

New Sheffield Wednesday boss Jos Luhukay says the prospect of managing in the Premier League is what tempted him to take over the out-of-form Championship club.

The Dutchman was the surprise choice to replace Carlos Carvalhal, who was sacked after two-and-a-half years at Hillsborough last month following a poor run of form.

Wednesday made the play-offs in the past two seasons, and were beaten finalists against Hull City in 2016, but Luhukay takes over a side that are 16th in the table and just six points off the drop zone, and 13 off the top six.

However, Luhukay is harbouring big ambitions at his new club.

England as a championship, the Premier League is, I think, for every manager there is a high motivation to work here, he told Omnisport.

It …

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With the chance to briefly reclaim their spot at the top of the table, Liverpool will host an already relegated Huddersfield at Anfield on Friday night.

Liverpool

Starting with the hosts, after watching Manchester City pick up a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in midweek, Jurgen Klopp will know that his side must make a statement on Friday night. With the chance to ever so briefly reclaim top spot in the Premier League, the former Borussia Dortmund boss has seen his side continue to shine at the end of the season. With a Champions League semi-final showdown with Barcelona to look forward to later this month, a huge part of the Reds success this year has come down to their continued perfo…

Roberto Soldado says he is ashamed at being unable to repay the faith put in him by Tottenham supporters.

The Spaniard moved to White Hart Lane from Valencia ahead of the 2013-14 campaign, but has failed to recapture his prolific form he showed in his time at the Mestalla Stadium.

In 38 Premier League appearances for Spurs, Soldado has netted seven goals, four of which have come from the penalty spot.

Despite his lack of goals, Soldado continues to receive the unwavering support of the Tottenham faithful, which the 29-year-old admits embarrasses him.

From the first minute I m involved, even before I ve done anything, the fans show they believe in me, and I feel ashamed at not being able to satisfy them,  he said.

It s hard when they sing. I …

Fabio Capello revealed Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger turned down the Italian s advice to sign Spanish goalkeeper Diego Lopez.

Capello, speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, said Lopez now with Milan could have been playing in north London had Wenger taken his tip when the Italian was in charge of the England national team his first role after being in charge of Real Madrid.

Two of Capello s ex-clubs Real and Milan play a friendly in the UAE on Tuesday.

And two goalkeepers who Capello had at his disposal at the Santiago Bernabeu, Iker Casillas and Lopez, are set to be in goal in Dubai.

Both goalkeepers were good. But I chose Casillas because his confidence with the team was better than Diego Lopez, the Russia coach recalled. 

Lopez neede…

Scotland midfielder John McGinn believes they have learned from past mistakes as they prepare for this summer’s Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Steve Clarke’s men are looking to build on a flying start to their qualifying campaign after beating Cyprus and Spain in their opening fixtures. Scotland play Norway in Oslo on June 17 before hosting Georgia at Hampden three days later.

Last June Scotland missed out on a World Cup place when they lost at home to Ukraine in the play-offs, before suffering a 3-0 Nations League defeat by the Republic of Ireland.

They did comfortably beat Armenia twice in the same camp and ultimately won their Nations League group but they are looking to improve their preparations for the latest post-season schedule.

Aston Villa captain McG…

Goalkeeper Richard Kingson turned goal scorer to salvage a late 1-1 draw for Ghana against Tanzania Wednesday in a friendly international.

Kingson, unattached since his mid-year release by Birmingham City after their relegation from the English Premiership, raced forward to head home a free kick taken by brother Laryea with seven minutes left in Arusha.

Henry Joseph had given the Taifa Stars a 34th-minute lead over opponents lacking many Europe-based professionals by heading a Juma Jabu cross past Kingson.

It was the first chance for new coach Milovan Rajevac to see 2008 African Nations Cup bronze medallists Ghana in action ahead of a crucial 2010 World Cup-African Nations Cup qualifier in Libya next month.

I m satisfied with the result and felt my p…

Sevilla president Jose Castro has confirmed the Spanish club have received a big offer from Paris Saint-Germain for midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak.

The Poland international could link up again with former Sevilla boss Unai Emery, who was confirmed as PSG s new head coach on Tuesday, in the French capital.

Krychowiak only signed a new contract with his current employers in November 2015, with the deal including an increased release clause increase of €45million.

While Castro revealed PSG had not triggered the clause during negotiations, the fee involved would be enough to stop any further departures from the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

It s true. We re talking with PSG about Krychowiak, he said.

It won t be necessary that PSG pay the clause, but…

Silvio Berlusconi has been hailed as a revolutionary by Arrigo Sacchi, as the 79-year-old appears to move closer to relinquishing ownership of AC Milan.

It has been reported that a takeover of the San Siro club by Chinese investors is on the brink of being completed, which would end Berlusconi s 30-year spell at the helm.

Former Italy coach Sacchi
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 had two spells at Milan under Berlusconi s reign and he has lauded the former Italian prime minister s influence on football.

His introduction into the world of football was like an avalanche hitting a pond, Sacchi, who led Italy to the 1994 World Cup final, told Gazzetta World. 

Things were calm at the end of the 1980s, but Silvio was ahead of everyone. I recently ate with Frank Rijkaard and…