Jurgen Klinsmann has stepped down as Hertha Berlin’s interim head coach after just 10 weeks in charge. In November, the former Tottenham, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich striker, 55, was named as the club’s boss until the end of the season. Hertha won just three of Klinsmann’s nine league matches in charge and are 14th in the Bundesliga. But Klinsmann says he cannot live up to his “potential” without the “trust” of those involved with the club.
Ferrari have launched the car they hope will finally bring Formula 1’s world titles back to Italy. In a grand and dramatic reveal of their car at the 1,000-seat Romolo Valli theatre in Reggio Emilia – a theatrical show which featured a classical concert orchestra with DJ, and several dance routines – the new SF1000 became the first 2020 challenger to be unveiled in the flesh. And Ferrari have insisted the new challenger features some “very extreme” concepts compared to last year’s SF90 as they bid to catch world champions Mercedes.
German club Wolfsburg have terminated the contract of Cameroon international Paul-Georges Ntep by mutual consent. The winger, 27, struggled for regular first-team football in Germany, making 19 appearances for Wolfsburg since he joined them in January 2017 from French club Rennes. Ntep spent the second-half of the 2018/2019 season on loan at another French outfit, Saint-Etienne. He then had another spell in Turkey this season, on loan with Super Lig side Kayserispor.
Manchester United forward Odion Ighalo will be in the squad for Monday’s Premier League game at Chelsea, says manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Ighalo missed the club’s training camp in Spain due to fears the coronavirus outbreak may have led to him being refused entry back into the UK.
Manchester United have applied for permission to install rail seating for up to 1,500 fans at Old Trafford. United, one of the major supporters of safe standing, made the request to their local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) in December 2019. The club proposes to replace some existing seats in the north-east corner of the stadium. Season ticket holders in that area have been told a safe standing trial is likely to take place later this season. In minutes published from a recent fans’ forum meeting, United said it believed the introduction of rail seating will “enhance spectator safety” in areas of “persistent standing”. It added that the SAG is still reviewing the request.
Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele will be sidelined for six months following surgery on a serious hamstring tear. The France international, 22, was on his way back to full fitness following another thigh injury when he pulled out of training last week. Dembele has suffered several injuries – in both legs – since joining the La Liga champions from Dortmund in 2017. He has played only three full games this season, missing 63 games in all competitions at Barca through injury. Dembele, a member of France’s World Cup-winning squad, is expected to miss Euro 2020.
Brazil football great Pele is reluctant to leave his house because he cannot walk unaided due to his poor health, his son has said. The three-time World Cup winner, who will be 80 in October, received treatment in Paris last April for a urinary infection. Pele, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history, has had hip trouble for some time and now needs a frame to walk, with many of his recent public appearances in a wheelchair.
Former Arsenal boss Unai Emery has accused some of his ex-players of not having “a good attitude” in a stout defence of his 18-month reign at the Emirates Stadium. The Spaniard was relieved of his duties in November last year after a run of seven games in all competitions without a win, with the Gunners eight points adrift of the Premier League’s top four. He departed amid claims that he had struggled to motivate the club’s biggest names, although he has hit back at those suggestions and insisted he was turning things around.
Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe has been found guilty of failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic accident. The 24-year-old had already pleaded guilty to a charge of driving without due care and attention. The former Liverpool player had been accused of driving off after crashing into ‘The Pantry’ on Plaistow Lane in Bromley, south London, in the early hours of July 30. As well as damage caused to the shop in south London, a Mercedes car parked in front of it also suffered minor damage.
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