Kosovo have been authorised by FIFA to play international friendly matches, a ruling that also extends to club sides in the nation.
World football s governing body have considered the Balkan state s status since 2012 and, following the latest proposal from the Kosovan Football Association, have granted the country permission to play friendly fixtures.
Kosovo declared itself an independent state from Serbia in 2008, although the government of Serbia do still not recognise it as its own sovereign.
FIFA s ruling represents a breakthrough for Kosovo, but they will have adhere to certain conditions for fixtures to go ahead.
Any side representing the Kosovan FA will not be allowed to display national symbols such as flags or play national anthems, but will be permitted…
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…
Monaco will aim to keep their unbeaten run alive when they travel to face a Reims side that has lost just one of their last 10 home games.
Claudio Ranieri s men stormed to a 3-0 victory over Bastia in their last outing, Radamel Falcao taking his tally for the season to seven with a double against the Corsicans, while Emmanuel Riviere also got his name on the scoresheet.
The newly-promoted club have quickly adapted to life in Ligue 1 their sternest test coming in a 1-1 draw with champions PSG last Sunday but they will have to be at their best if they are to overcome a Reims team that is notoriously difficult to beat at the Stade Auguste Delaune.
Hubert Fournier s side secured home wins against PSG and Lyon last term, and will be confident of adding Monaco to their list …
Former Southampton and Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert has announced his retirement from playing professional football, according to the Mail Online.
The thirty-five most recently played for Cardiff City, racking up nineteen appearances for them last season and scoring four goals though he has been without a club since and decided to call time on a career that has spanned almost twenty years.
Having spent the majority of his career in the lower leagues, Lambert achieved promotion to the Premier League with Southampton in 2012 when he was also named the Championship’s Player of the Year.
He continued to impress in the top flight for the Saints with his form earning him full international recognition and a move to the team he supported as a child, Liverpool.…
Japan will be out to inflict further misery on Belgium when the sides meet in Brussels on Tuesday.
Marc Wilmots side were defeated for the first time in 2013 on Thursday, slipping to a 2-0 loss to Colombia courtesy of Radamel Falcao and Victor Ibarbo goals.
A stunning turnaround for the Belgians in recent years has seen them romp to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, leaping from 40th to fifth in the world rankings in the process.
But they will meet a Japan side in confident mood, having come from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in Genk on Friday.
Goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Arjen Robben looked to have condemned the Asian nation to a third consecutive defeat, but an experimental Japan side pulled level through Yuya Osako and Keisuke Honda. …
Vicente del Bosque has backed new Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui to get the team on track to challenge at the 2018 World Cup and beyond.
The former Porto boss was named as Del Bosque s successor on Tuesday, beating reported favourite Joaquin Caparros to the role, despite having been linked with the manager job at Wolves.
Del Bosque stepped down following Spain s defeat to Italy at Euro 2016, a result that compounded a disappointing final two years of his spell in charge following their dismal showing at the 2014 World Cup.
But the 65-year-old says Lopetegui, who claimed European Championship titles with the Spain Under-19 and U-20 sides, is a good choice to develop the senior side as they aim to reach the finals in Russia in two years time.
I m sure Ju…
Former-Holland international Ronald Koeman looks set to be the next Southampton boss
According to, Dutch brothers Erwin and Ronald Koeman are set to become the new managerial team at Southampton.
Ronald looks set to become Saints boss, while Erwin is set to take up the role as assistant boss.
Close
The deal is reportedly close to being completed and Sky claim that it could be done in the next couple of days.
The brother’s agents have confirmed that a deal is close for the pair.
Ronald Koeman’s agent Guido Albers told Voetbal International: “He wants to make a next step in his career at an ambitious club with possibilities. Southampton fits in that profile.
Pochettino made a solid base and Ronald is the ideal candidate to bu…
Ronald Koeman vowed he would not let Barcelona s club elections distract him from the challenge of winning trophies at Camp Nou.
The Dutchman walked into a club in crisis in August when he left the Netherlands job to return to Barcelona, with whom he had already enjoyed a highly successful six-year playing spell.
It means the head coach can hardly raise any protest amid the turmoil that continues to encircle the Catalan giants, whose president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned this week.
Bartomeu s leadership was facing heavy criticism, with star man Lionel Messi so disenchanted that he attempted to leave the club during the close season.
Now several months of electioneering are firmly under way, and Koeman will be doing well if he can keep his mind away from…
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…