Juventus have appointed Andrea Pirlo as manager to replace the sacked Maurizio Sarri, a week after hiring the former midfielder as Under-23 boss. The Italian giants sacked Sarri after just one season despite winning Serie A following the club’s Champions League last-16 defeat by Lyon on Friday.
Premier League clubs have voted against continuing to allow five substitutions in a match for the 2020-21 season. The rule was brought in when the 2019-20 top-flight season restarted in June, having been halted for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lyon survived a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired comeback from Juventus to hang on and book a Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City.
Cameroon’s famous side that reached the quarter-finals of the 1990 World Cup in Italy will finally get the houses promised to them by President Paul Biya 30 years ago.
Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has returned to boyhood club Feyenoord as a coach. Van Persie, 37, had a final season as a player with the Dutch side in 2018-19 and will now work under manager Dick Advocaat to help the forwards.
World number five Elina Svitolina and world number seven Kiki Bertens have become the latest players to pull out of the US Open. In a statement, Ukraine’s Svitolina, a semi-finalist last year, said she did not feel comfortable travelling to the US “without putting her team and herself at high risk”.
Manchester City finished off the job they started back in February by deservedly overcoming Real Madrid to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. City won the game 2-1 (aggregate 4-2) at Etihad Stadium.
Wolves survived a nervous night at Molineux to reach their first European quarter-final in 48 years as Raul Jimenez’s early penalty earned them a 2-1 aggregate win against Olympiakos in the Europa League. The Mexican’s precise eighth-minute effort, after Daniel Podence had been fouled by Olympiakos’ stand-in keeper Bobby Allain, was his 27th goal of the season and the earliest Wolves had scored in any game during a marathon season that began on 25 July last year and will now extend to a 59th game.
Inter Milan have completed the permanent signing of Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez on a three-year deal. The Chile international, 31, joined the Serie A side on a season-long loan in August 2019. He scored four goals in 29 appearances in all competitions. Inter expect to have him available for the Europa League ‘final eight’ in Germany after beating Getafe on Wednesday.
Chelsea are willing to listen to offers for up to 10 first-team players, including goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, Jorginho and centre-back trio Antonio Rudiger, Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christiansen.
Arsenal have made a formal three-year contract offer to Willian, edging them to the front of the race to sign the Brazilian forward.
Wales forward Gareth Bale has been left out of Real Madrid’s 24-man squad for the Champions League last-16 second-leg tie against Manchester City on Friday. City won 2-1 in the first leg in Spain in February before the coronavirus pandemic caused the competition to be halted for almost five months. Bale, 31, has played twice, with only one start, in 11 Real games since football in Spain restarted in June.
Dutch rider Fabio Jakobsen is in a coma in hospital after a high-speed crash on stage one of the Tour of Poland. Dylan Groenewegen drifted across the road in the downhill sprint and he and compatriot Jakobsen collided just before the finish line in Katowice.
Arsenal plan to make 55 staff redundant because of the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The Gunners’ first-team players and head coach Mikel Arteta agreed a 12.5% pay cut in April. Arsenal’s executive team also agreed to waive more than a third of their salaries over the next 12 months. However, the club say they now face “more significant and longer-lasting reductions in our revenue than we all hoped”.
Inter Milan are set to complete the permanent signing of Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez in the next 24 hours. The Chile international, 31, joined the Serie A side on a season-long loan in August 2019. He scored four goals in 29 appearances in all competitions.
Manchester City have signed Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake for £40m. The Netherlands international, who has agreed a five-year contract at Etihad Stadium, described joining Pep Guardiola’s side as a “dream”.
Manchester United came from behind to beat Austrian side LASK 2-1 at Old Trafford, advancing to the quarter-finals of the Europa League 7-1 on aggregate. Anthony Martial came off the bench to score the winner four minutes from time, collecting Juan Mata’s precise through ball before finishing off his 23rd goal of the season from 10 yards. Earlier, Mata also provided the assist for Jesse Lingard to score for the second consecutive game.
Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, which will hold Qatar 2022 games up to the last 16, will be the first ever World Cup arena to be dismantled after the tournament. Behind it all is the architect Mark Fenwick, who is awaiting the stadium’s inauguration with great anticipation and is excited to see his design come to life when the ground hosts World Cup 2022 games up to the last-16 stage.
Paulo Dybala has been named Serie A MVP for the 2019-20 season after playing a crucial role in Juventus’ successful title campaign. His team mate Cristiano Ronaldo however missed out in the list of individual honours. Dybala scored 11 goals and provided six assists in the league as the Bianconeri were crowned champions in Italy for a ninth successive year.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal has decided not to play the US Open later this month because the coronavirus pandemic is “not under control”. Spanish world number two Nadal, 34, has not entered the tournament, which takes place in New York from 31 August. “The health situation is very complicated around the world with cases increasing and flare-ups,” said Nadal.
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