Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Sandro will be out for three months after undergoing surgery on a knee injury picked up on Brazil duty.
The 22-year-old withdrew from the Copa America on Tuesday after scans revealed a torn lateral meniscus in the left knee.
Tottenham have confirmed Sandro will be out until October at the earliest following an operation on Friday.
Sandro signed for Spurs from Internacional in March 2010, remaining with the Brazilian club and helping them to Copa Libertadores success last year.
He made 26 appearances for the English Premier League club in all competitions last season, impressing against AC Milan in the Champions League round of 16.
A six-cap Brazil international who made his debut in 2009, Sandro has not featured for …
Erik ten Hag has done a marvellous job since taking charge at Manchester United, says former Netherlands midfielder Ronald de Boer.
But the Dutchman says his compatriot will need time to fully implement his ideas and secure a full turnaround in fortunes for the Red Devils.
Ten Hag succeeded interim boss Ralf Rangnick at the end of last season, and has weathered a slow start – plus the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo – to emerge with an enhanced reputation.
With United fifth in the Premier League amid its mid-season break for the World Cup, De Boer believes the former Ajax boss has shown his mettle under the microscope to impress so far.
I think he has been marvellous, he told Sky Sports. We re talking about the biggest league in the world.
Everybo…
Roberto Mancini s training ground bust-up with Mario Balotelli could lose him respect at Manchester City, QPR boss Harry Redknapp warned.
A late challenge on fellow City player Scott Sinclair during a practice session sparked an aggressive reaction from the Italian coach, who was seen shouting and pushing his mercurial striker.
Mancini has since played down the incident, maintaining that Balotelli is still a City player and that the two have moved on.
But while Redknapp sympathises with the former Inter boss, he believes shouting and screaming at players will ultimately lose him respect as a manager.
You shouldn t get in those situations. he told Sky Sports.
What can you win? It can t happen with players now. Shouting and screaming at players …
Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore believes he is now a better player than when he was last in the Premier League.
The American forward spent the 2009-10 season on loan at Hull City from Villarreal before eventually moving to AZ in Holland.
As Hull struggled in the English top flight, Altidore replicated those woes, netting only one Premier League goal in 28 appearances as the side were relegated.
His fortunes soon changed though as the 23-year-old made 63 appearances in all competitions for AZ, scoring 45 times, and Altidore feels he returns to England an improved player.
I think I just became a better player in Holland, than the one when I was at Hull, he told The Sunderland Echo.
On and off-the-ball and linking up with the players around me, I just got bet…
Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana scored crucial second-half goals as Liverpool moved into the Europa League final with a 3-1 aggregate victory over Villarreal.
Trailing from the first leg, Bruno s early own goal gave Jurgen Klopp s men an excellent start before Sturridge – who had been controversially left out in Spain – and Lallana netted the decisive strikes to seal a 3-0 win on the night at Anfield.
Villarreal produced very little as an attacking force throughout Thursday s second leg and then had defender Victor Ruiz sent off for a second yellow card.
Liverpool, who have won the competition three times, now go on to face record four-time champions and holders Sevilla in Basel on May 18 after Unai Emery s men defeated Shakhtar Donetsk in the other last…
Manchester City are the favourites to land Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred, according to Mircea Lucescu.
The 24-year-old joined the Pitmen back in 2013 as a replacement for Fernandinho and he could now follow his compatriot to Etihad Stadium.
According to former Shakhtar Donestk boss Mircea Lucescu, Fred is almost certain to join Manchester City at the end of the season.
“Shakhtar Donetsk s best player is Fred in the centre of midfield,” said Lucescu. “He was a bit anarchic on the left. I moved him in front of the defence. He will go to City like Fernandinho before him.”
It is believed that the cost of the transfer would be close to £50 million as Fred has a deal until June 2023 at Shakhtar Donetsk.
The highly rated midfielder, who has …
Patrice Evra has seemingly moved to bury the hatchet with Luis Suarez after congratulating the Barcelona striker on winning the Golden Shoe award.
Suarez was given an eight-match ban by the Football Association after he was found guilty of racially abusing Evra during Manchester United s 1-1 draw with Liverpool in October 2011.
The Uruguay international, who had always maintained that the language he used towards Evra was misinterpreted, caused further controversy when he refused to shake the full-back s hand in a later match.
But Evra appears to have put the dispute behind them after hailing Suarez as the best number nine in a post on his official Instagram page.
Alongside a photograph of Suarez holding the Golden Shoe trophy, Evra wrote: In my Instagra…
Enzo Maresca insisted Chelsea were equal to the masterful Manchester City in the aftermath of Sunday s 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian started his Blues tenure with a loss as Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic scored in either half for the Premier League champions in their 2024-25 opener.
Chelsea mustered 1.23 expected goals (xG), however, to City s 0.82 and almost drew level when Nicolas Jackson had a strike ruled out for offside on the stroke of half-time.
Jackson was again denied by Ederson after the interval, while Enzo Fernandez s cross would have found debutant Pedro Neto for a tap-in if not for Rico Lewis late intervention.
Former Leicester City boss Maresca believes his side matched City s efforts, yet the game was decided by the quality of…
Inter star Lautaro Martinez said he was truly very close to joining Lionel Messi s Barcelona before opting to remain at San Siro.
Martinez was heavily linked with a big-money transfer to LaLiga giants Barca prior to the 2020-21 season after starring for Inter in Serie A.
A switch to Camp Nou did not eventuate and Argentina international Martinez celebrated Inter s first Scudetto since 2009-10 last week.
Amid growing speculation over a contract extension in Milan, Martinez revealed the coronavirus pandemic derailed a move to Barca following discussions with countryman Messi.
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— Inter (@Inter)
I was truly very close to joining Barcelona and I even talked it over with Messi, Martinez told ESPN Argentina.
However, the Blaug…
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On Saturday afternoon, AC Milan will welcome Juventus to the San Siro, the stadium that has seen many historic matches over the course of its history. The rivalry between these clubs is arguably unmatched in Italian football, though fans of Inter Milan would probably have a word or two to say on the subject.
The match on Saturday is a part of the ninth round in this season s Serie A roller coaster.
AC Milan
Having finally won the Scudetto last season, their first since 2011 and 19th overall, the Rossoneri are finding it hard to defend their title this term, mostly due to the rise of Napoli as a formidable force both on the Italian and the European scene, but also the resilience which keeps Atalanta close to the top of the tab…