´Welcome back home´ – Barcelona confirm appointment of Marquez as B team coach

Tiago Fernandes praised Sporting CP s discipline as they claimed a rare Europa League clean sheet away from home against Arsenal to put them within touching distance of the knockout stage.

For the first time since September 2011, Sporting managed not to concede in a Europa League away clash, ending a run of 18 games with Thursday s 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium.

While the Group E clash was far from a classic, for Sporting it represented a job well done in London and Fernandes was pleased with his side s display.

The players did exactly what I asked them to do, he told UEFA.com.

In our gameplan we know we had to be rigorous and they were almost perfect on that.

We were aware of the opponent s quality, but we, knowing our capacity and being cr…

Robert Lewandowski etched his name into Poland s record books by becoming his country s all-time leading goalscorer in a World Cup qualifier against Armenia.

The Bayern Munich striker headed into the Group E contest one goal shy of Wlodzimierz Lubanski s tally of 48.

After Kamil Grosicki had fired Poland ahead in Yerevan, Lewandowski matched the haul of his now 70-year-old compatriot with a sublime 18th-minute free-kick.

Lewandowski, who scored his first international goal on debut against San Marino in 2008, then claimed the landmark for his own after lashing home from an in-direct free-kick inside the area 10 minutes later.

Number !

Robert Lewandowski is now Poland s leading goalscorer with one more than Włodzimierz Lubański.

— UE…

Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta has grudgingly accepted Real Madrid and Juventus are deserving Champions League finalists.

Serie A leaders Juve dispatched Monaco 4-1 on aggregate in their semi-final to reach the showpiece in Cardiff, having overcome Barca in the previous round.

Madrid, meanwhile, will take the defence of the trophy right to the final game after beating Atletico Madrid 4-2 across the two legs of their last-four encounter.

Iniesta, a four-time winner of the trophy, says his interest is minimal given that he will not be involved but accepts Juve and Madrid deserve their shot at glory.

Madrid and Juve are just finalists for the Champions League, but you lose interest when you re not playing the final, he told a media event in Barcelona.

…

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has undergone successful surgery on his back, the LaLiga champions have announced.

The 31-year-old had the operation after sitting out Germany’s matches against Turkey and Austria last month and three subsequent Barca fixtures.

A statement on the club’s official website read: “First team player Marc ter Stegen has successfully undergone surgery for his lower back issues.

MEDICAL UPDATE

First team player Marc ter Stegen has successfully undergone surgery for his lower back issues. The procedure was performed by Dr. Amélie Léglise under the supervision of the Club s Medical Services, at Sports Clinic Bordeux Merignac. He is out and his recovery…

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)

“The pr…

Harry Kane is open to signing a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur, as reported by David Ornstein in his Monday column for .

The 29-year-old striker was reportedly keen on leaving North London to join Manchester City in 2021, but with three years left on his contract at the time, Spurs were in a very strong position and rejected bid after bid, the last one believed to have stood well over £100 million. That ship has now sailed City have solved their striker issue by signing the sensational Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, and there s obviously no need for Kane in their ranks anymore.

More recently, there have been reports about alleged interest in the England captain from Bayern Munich as they seek to finally sign No. 9 to replace Robert Lewandowski. However, Or…

Monaco equalled the record for consecutive wins in Ligue 1 with their 4-1 victory away to Dijon on Sunday.

Radamel Falcao s hat-trick and a goal from Jemerson secured the champions 14th win in a row in the French top flight.

The run matches that achieved by Bordeaux between March and August in 2009.

Leonardo Jardim s side join Lyon, Marseille and Saint-Etienne in winning their first two games of 2017-18. Paris Saint-Germain or Guingamp can do the same with a victory when they meet later on Sunday.

14 Monaco have won their last 14 games in Ligue 1, the joint-best run in the French top-flight alongside Bordeaux in 2009. Invincible.

— OptaJean (@OptaJean)

…

Jonny Evans was left to reflect on what might have been for Erik ten Hag’s stumbling Manchester United at the end of a miserable European campaign, with a “massive day” against rivals Liverpool now looming large.

Boos echoed around Old Trafford for a second straight match as Saturday’s 3-0 Premier League humbling at the hands of Bournemouth was followed by a meek 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich.

Tuesday’s lifeless defeat confirmed United’s place at the bottom of a Champions League group many expected them to progress from, meaning they also missed out on a Europa League spot.

The manner of the Red Devils’ European exit increases the spotlight on underfire boss Ten Hag and leaves the side kicking themselves over the mistakes that cost them dearly in Group …

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola bemoaned his side s wastefulness in front of goal as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The champions looked set to return to the Premier League summit thanks to Bernardo Silva s wonderful first-half strike after being usurped by Arsenal earlier on Saturday.

Chris Wood popped up late on, though, to deny them all three points as Forest avoided defeat against the reigning champions for the first time since December 1994, when they beat Manchester United.

City squandered a host of glorious opportunities to extend their lead before Wood s intervention, with Erling Haaland guilty of one particularly glaring miss, and Guardiola was disappointed with his side s profligacy.

Congratulations to Notting…

Neymar gave Brazil cause for concern by hobbling out of a training session less than three weeks before the Copa America starts.

Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar clutched at his left knee after attempting a routine shot and limped away from the session in discomfort.

The injury worry comes less than 24 hours after Brazil boss Tite stripped Neymar of the captaincy and installed Dani Alves as skipper for the Copa America on home soil.

Neymar, 27, spent three months on the sidelines with a foot injury earlier this year.

He returned for PSG towards the end of April and linked up with Tite s squad over the weekend as Brazil aim to reclaim the continental crown they last won in 2007.

The Selecao meet Qatar and Honduras in friendlies next week ahead …

Alvaro Morata found himself in the familiar position of being indebted to a Cesar Azpilicueta assist in Chelsea s 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

When Spain striker Morata powered home a header inside the first minutes of the second half at Stamford Bridge, it was his 10th Premier League goal of the season and the sixth time his international colleague Azpilicueta had supplied the ammunition.

There is no more prolific combination when it comes to assists for the same goalscorer in England s top flight this term.

Tottenham s record-breaking star Harry Kane has been set up four times apiece by Dele Alli and Kieran Trippier, while there are four three-goal combinations.

David Silva has assisted Gabriel Jesus three times for Manchester City, while Lero…