Gignac signs five-year Marseille deal

Roy Hodgson believes England s friendly with Germany will give him a chance to see how far his side have developed since 2010.

The sides will meet at Wembley on Tuesday for the first time since their FIFA World Cup second-round clash in South Africa that saw Joachim Low s charges romp to a 4-1 win.

Hodgson acknowledges that Germany are one of the best teams in the world and one of the favourites for Brazil 2014 but believes England have the ability to match them.

We know that there has been a transition period and we are working towards improving our game, and Germany are one of the teams you look at, he told The Daily Telegraph.

A lot of things they do are very praiseworthy

We have players who are capable of doing it and hopefully we will be working on our…

Two years ago when Spain lifted the European title in Vienna, a Brazilian-born defensive midfielder was widely regarded as the team s unsung star.

With all the focus on the goalscoring feats of David Villa and Fernando Torres or the silky skills of Andres Iniesta and Xavi, Marcos Senna still managed to attract as many plaudits for his vital role in helping the rest of the team tick.

He was also named in UEFA s squad of the tournament.

But after a poor and injury-plagued season in Spain, the 33-year-old was left out of coach Vicente Del Bosque s World Cup squad.

Instead, Del Bosque turned to 21-year-old Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets and neither player nor coach have looked back since.

I feel good, I m very young but I m feeling better all …

Erling Haaland s stunning form for Manchester City makes it appear as if he is playing against children, so says Kaka.

Haaland netted twice in the first half of City s Champions League 5-0 rout of Copenhagen on Wednesday, before he was taken off at the interval by Pep Guardiola.

It takes Haaland to 19 goals across all competitions in just 12 appearances this season, with the 22-year-old displaying a thoroughly ruthless intent up front.

Kaka, a Ballon d Or winner in 2007, believes Haaland is playing at a different level to most players, like a proverbial big kid in the playground.

It is incredible what this guy is doing, Kaka said in his capacity as a pundit on beIN SPORTS. It seems like he s playing against kids!

I think he can break all the rec…

Arsenal manager Unai Emery wants more consistency and competitiveness from his side away from home after claiming a 2-1 win at Newcastle United.

The Gunners overcame a shaky start in which they spent most of the first half on the back foot to record back-to-back Premier League away wins for the first time since May 2017.

A stunning Granit Xhaka free-kick and a goal for Mesut Ozil on his 200th Arsenal appearance ensured the points for the visitors at St James Park despite Ciaran Clark s late header.

Much was made of Arsenal s struggles on the road last season as they won just one away game in the league after the turn of the year.

Wins at Cardiff City and Newcastle may suggest Arsenal have found a formula for success on their travels, but Emery is not yet …

Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi recently issued a warning to clubs about trying to negotiate a transfer with their players behind their backs.

However, the French champions of hypocrisy. According to them, PSG have done that very thing in several cases this summer, namely with Barcelona s Ivan Rakitić, Atletico Madrid s Filipe Luis, Manchester United s Paul Pogba and Chelsea s N Golo Kante. Marca also recall the transfer of Neymar from Barcelona to the French capital in 2017 as an example, the one that still has the Brazilian branded as the world s most expensive player.

Al-Khelaifi revealed his displeasure with things going on behind the club s back in an with the Spanish outlet, and his stance came out in reply to questions about the way the club is…

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…

Our focuses on tips, advice, and strategies that can help you get the most out of sports betting. Today, however, we’ll focus on the flip side of the coin. If you’re diving headfirst into the world of sports wagering, you’re likely to run into some hiccups.

Common mistakes while betting include rushing into things and not understanding the true goals and tools of a punter. There are others, of course, but they can all be avoided with a little foresight and planning. Let’s take a look at some rookie betting mistakes and myths and how to avoid falling for them.

Mistakes to Avoid While Betting

1. Not Betting on Value

2. Not Managing Your Money

3. Relying on Anything Except Stats and Facts

4. Not Changing Strategies when Necessary

5…

Real Madrid s salary cap spending limits for the 2021-22 season is seven times greater than financially stricken Barcelona s, LaLiga has announced.

Los Blancos have seen their limit boosted by €270million, with Barca s reduced by €280m.

Carlo Ancelotti s side will be capped at just over €739m, but Barca can spend only €97m – with six clubs able to splash more than them.

Reigning champions Atletico Madrid have also been hit, with their limit reduced by €81m from last term, resulting in Diego Simeone s men allowed to spend €171m for the next campaign – the third-highest ceiling in the division.

LaLiga corporate director Jose Guerra suggested to ESPN that Madrid s limit, which is over €500m more than any other LaLiga team, would have left r…

Sweden have extended the contract of coach Erik Hamren, despite their failure to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Hamren s side were eliminated from the World Cup as they slipped to a 4-2 aggregate defeat against a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Portugal in their play-off showdown last month.

There had been speculation that the 56-year-old who took charge in September 2010 would leave his post as a result of their exit from the tournament, although the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) had mooted the possibility of extending his deal.

And the governing body have shown faith in Hamren, with the two parties agreeing to an extension that will see him retain his position until 2016.

I m really charged up and eager to make it to the UEFA (European) Championship in 2…

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott admits he was reduced to tears by Fabio Capello s decision to drop him from England s World Cup squad.

Walcott had been confident he would go to South Africa with England after being named in the provisional 30-man group, but he was surprisingly axed from Capello s final party.

The 21-year-old was playing golf with a friend and his cousin when Capello called to give him the news which left him crying tears of frustration.

I had the day off so I was on the golf course and I got the phone call, Walcott told The Sun.

He just said, I m sorry. I m not going to bring you to South Africa, but I ll see you in 2012 for the Euros.

I didn t know what to say at all. He said, have a good break and good luck. I ll see you soon. …