Without a league win since November 2017, Bundesliga outfit Hamburger SV are facing a drop at the end of the season.
HSV are sitting rock bottom in Bundesliga standings with only four wins this entire season and the total of 18 points after 27 rounds.
Surviving the cut at the end of the campaign is looking like a mission impossible and it’s fair to say that Hamburger SV are facing an exodus of first-team players once the curtain drops on what is likely to become one of the most disappointing seasons in club’s history.
Namely, Hamburger SV are one of a few Europe’s clubs that have never been relegated from the top tier.
German media already speculate with names that are likely to be the first ones to hit the exit door at Volksparkstadion and Serbian…
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini conceded his team were off the pace as Arsenal stormed to a 3-0 Community Shield win on Sunday.
The Premier League champions endured relentless pressure from a vibrant Arsenal side during the first half at Wembley and Arsene Wenger s men were duly rewarded by goals from Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey.
David Silva s half-time introduction gave City fresh impetus as Stevan Jovetic headed against the post before Olivier Giroud s dipping strike from 25 yards settled matters
Pellegrini told BT Sport: During the first 45 minutes, Arsenal scored two goals. We improved in the second half, we had chances to score but they had a chance and scored from it.
These things happen before the season starts.
It was not th…
Holger Badstuber expressed his joy at making a competitive comeback for German champions Bayern Munich after his 20-month injury nightmare.
The 25-year-old centre-back sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury playing against Borussia Dortmund in December 2012, before suffering a relapse in May 2013.
Badstuber returned to action during Bayern s pre-season campaign, before featuring for 79 minutes in Sunday s comfortable 4-1 victory over German third-tier side Preussen Munster as his side started their DFB-Pokal defence.
And the Germany international reflected on a positive day all around.
I m delighted I got to play, I really enjoyed it and we won, so it s been a good day, he told the club s official website.
We always had it under control today…
France coach Raymond Domenech on Thursday left out-of-form captain Patrick Vieria out of his squad for the crucial World Cup double header against Lithuania.
Domenech awarded a first call-up to the French league s top scorer, Andre-Pierre Gignac, who looks to be promised some action in either Les Bleus match in Kaunas on March 28 or the Stade de France encounter on April 1.
While Gignac s inclusion has won the Toulouse forward wide plaudits, the pre-selection questions on whether Vieria would be called up are now answered.
Vieira only recently returned to action for Inter after a spell on the sidelines with an Achilles tendon problem.
But it appears the Frenchman s bitter Euro 2008 experience, which was said to prey heavily on the squad prior to their ea…
Less than 10 days after sacking its national football team coach, Iran on Monday named Mohammad Mayelikohan as its new coach to try and revive their faltering 2010 World Cup finals qualifying campaign, the ISNA news agency reported.
Iran s former coach Ali Daei was sacked following its defeat against Saudi Arabia in an Asian 2010 World Cup qualifier, seriously harming their chances of reaching a fourth successive World Cup finals.
Mohammad Mayelikohan has been appointed by the Iranian football federation s management, The chairman of the Iranian football federation Ali Kafashian was quoted by the agency.
Mayelikohan in the first step has to face North and South Korea in away matches and United Arab Emirates in Tehran in its qualifying campaign.
Group B …
Stefano Pioli warned transfer-linked Milan players to focus on improving the team s Serie A position or risk being excluded from his plans.
The Rossoneri have figured prominently in the rumour mill as they struggle to mount a credible bid for European qualification.
Pioli s men take a four-match unbeaten run into Sunday s trip to Atalanta but speculation continues to hang over several players.
Fabio Borini and Ricardo Rodriguez are reportedly looking for new opportunities after struggling for playing time, while Krzysztof Piatek s indifferent form has created doubt over his future.
Unfortunately, I think the market lasts a long time, Pioli told a news conference.
No Milan player must allow himself to think about the market. If I saw a player not…
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel hailed Raheem Sterling for his match-winning display against Leicester City that made sure the Blues bounced back after defeat to Leeds United last time out.
Tuchel, in the stands due to a touchline ban, saw his side endure a difficult first half at Stamford Bridge, in which Conor Gallagher was sent off after 28 minutes for two bookable offences.
But Chelsea responded following half-time, and Sterling s first goal for the club came shortly after the restart with the aid of a deflection off Daniel Amartey.
Sterling soon turned in Reece James low cross for his second, and goal proved decisive as Tuchel s men clung on despite a Harvey Barnes riposte.
It was necessary because we need him to score, Tuchel said after Chelse…
Jack Harper has sealed his move to Getafe from Malaga.
The 23-year-old has signed a five-year contract at the LaLiga outfit, completing a switch that was provisionally agreed in February.
Harper was born in Spain to Scottish parents and counts Real Madrid and Brighton and Hove Albion as former clubs.
He scored four goals in 26 Segunda Division appearances for Malaga in 2018-19.
OFICIAL | Jack Harper nuevo futbolista azulón. ¡Bienvenido !
— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF)
Harper thanked Malaga fans for their support on Instagram and said that the club would win promotion to LaLiga very soon .
I can only thank you for the support you gave me from the first day I arrived at the youth team until the last match with the first team, he …
Al-Duhail have confirmed the signing of Mario Mandzukic from Juventus.
The Croatia international won four Serie A titles and the Coppa Italia on three occasions during a hugely successful four-and-a-half-year spell in Turin.
However, Mandzukic was deemed surplus to requirements by Juve boss Maurizio Sarri this season, failing to make an appearance for the first team as he was left out of their squad for the Champions League.
Previously linked with Manchester United, the 33-year-old has decided to move to Qatar to continue his career.
While Juventus did not immediately announce his departure, Al-Duhail tweeted a picture of the player signing his contract. Details of his deal were not disclosed.
The Croatian Mandzukic Professional In AlDuhail Rank…
Rudi Voller believes international retirement can help Manchester United misfit Bastian Schweinsteiger continue playing club football at the highest level.
Schweinsteiger called time on his Germany career after the world champions Euro 2016 semi-final exit at the hands of hosts France.
The 32-year-old saw his first season at United interrupted by injury last term and he faces an uncertain future, with new manager Jose Mourinho not including him in first-team preparations for the new campaign.
However, Voller, who gave the former Bayern Munich stalwart his international debut in 2004, believes the midfielder should not be written off just yet.
It is a part of every career that you will become more vulnerable to injuries, he told Bild am Sonntag.
…