On This Day in 2008 – Nicolas Anelka joins Chelsea from Bolton

The relentless brilliance of Robert Lewandowski could see Bayern Munich enjoy a very successful season, according to former striker Luca Toni.

A double in the 4-0 Bundesliga win over Cologne on Saturday took Lewandowski to nine goals in just five league appearances in 2019-20.

The 31-year-old, who signed a new contract through to 2023 in August, had reached 200 in all competitions for Bayern when he struck in the 3-0 Champions League win over Red Star Belgrade last week.

Lewandowski s future had been unclear prior to the announcement of his new deal, but Toni now hopes to see the Poland star bring trophies to the Allianz Arena this season.

He is one of the best. I like him so much because he lives in the box and scores a lot of goals, Toni told Omnisport…

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone could not hide the enthusiasm brought on by Saturday s 1-0 win over Barcelona, though he dismissed the idea that he can see similarities with his 2013-14 title-winning team.

Los Colchoneros produced a solid display at the Wanda Metropolitano to defeat Ronald Koeman s misfiring Barca and go up to second in LaLiga, only behind Real Sociedad – who have played a game more – by virtue of scoring two goals fewer.

That victory extended Atletico s unbeaten run to 24 games in LaLiga and opened up a nine-point gap between themselves and Barca.

With defending champions Real Madrid also failing to inspire much confidence, having rarely impressed this season and been held by Villarreal earlier on Saturday, Atletico look like many people…

Antonio Conte praised the attacking display of his Inter side in their 5-2 win over Benevento but conceded they must find the right balance after conceding two more goals.

Inter followed up their dramatic 4-3 victory over Fiorentina on the opening weekend of the Serie A season with another high-scoring win in Wednesday s clash at Stadio Ciro Vigorito.

Romelu Lukaku got the ball rolling inside 28 seconds and doubled his tally after Roberto Gagliardini had put the visitors 2-0 up.

Achraf Hakimi enjoyed an impressive debut and was also on the scoresheet, as was Barcelona-linked striker Lautaro Martinez, with Gianluca Caprari netting twice for Benevento.

Inter s return of nine goals from their opening two top-flight matches is the most they have managed si…

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has insisted there will be no losers when the Ballon d Or winner is announced in Paris on Monday.

The Premier League star ranks among the leading contenders to take home the most coveted individual honour in European club football.

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi looks most likely to claim the award, but the five-time winner faces stiff competition from Van Dijk.

The bedrock on which Liverpool built their Champions League triumph, the 28-year-old also captained his country to the Nations League final and was named UEFA Men s Player of the Year in August.

I am going to be there for a reason and there are no losers on the evening, Van Dijk said.

I am very proud to be in that bracket, to be in there for the way …

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed Jadon Sancho to come good after a slow start with the club.

The 21-year-old has made five appearances for Untied since signing from Borussia Dortmund for around £73million after a high-profile transfer pursuit that lasted over a year.

England international Sancho arrived to huge fanfare, though he is yet to register a goal or assist going into Sunday s Premier League trip to West Ham.

A frustrating start for Sancho continued when he was sacrificed in the first half of Tuesday s Champions League loss to Young Boys, the winger taken off as part of a reshuffle when Aaron Wan-Bissaka was sent off.

Solskjaer, though, insists nothing has changed in his evaluation of Sancho, who he feels can be a top forwar…

Bayern Munich s preparations for their Club World Cup campaign may not have been ideal but head coach Hansi Flick will not use a seven-hour travel delay as an excuse against Al Ahly. 

Bayern boarded a plane for Doha immediately after Friday s 1-0 victory over Hertha Berlin but did not depart until the following morning after their clearance for take-off was denied. 

The European champions eventually left for the Middle East on Saturday morning and were unable to train when arriving at their destination. 

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge hit out at the local authorities in Berlin for mucking about  ahead of Monday s semi-final against Al Ahly. 

However, Flick s squad were able to train on the eve of the game and the Bayern boss is ready for�…

As football fans in the United Kingdom awoke bleary eyed to take in the Premier League story of the season, one word stood out in the statement announcing Jose Mourinho s appointment as Tottenham s head coach – a ghost of hubris past.

I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters, Mourinho said.

Heritage. Football heritage.

This was the subject of Mourinho s self-pitying soliloquy in the aftermath of Manchester United s limp Champions League last-16 exit at the hands of Sevilla in March 2018.

A much-trumpeted union that returned two trophies in its first season was going south and Mourinho tried to circle the wagons.

During a 12-minute address where heritage was mentioned 10 times, his general point…

Joao Felix is heading back to Atletico Madrid with Chelsea choosing not to retain the Portugal winger following his loan deal, according to the Spanish club’s president Enrique Cerezo.

Felix, 23, joined Chelsea on loan in January for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign and went on to score four goals in 20 appearances for the Blues.

On Monday, after a difficult campaign in which they finished a lowly 12th in the Premier League, Chelsea announced the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach.

And, as reported by Marca, Cerezo said of Felix: “The truth is that I can’t tell you the plan with Joao.

“It’s the news we had yesterday, that the new coach doesn’t have him for Chelsea. We don’t have anything planned yet, Joao is an A…

Wesley Fofana was left out of the Leicester City squad for Saturday s game against Southampton amid ongoing transfer interest from Chelsea.

The Blues have reportedly seen several advances for the Frenchman rebuffed, with Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers insistent the club do not want to sell the defender.

Speaking in Friday s press conference, Rodgers reiterated the club s stance has not changed and Fofana is not for sale.

The idea is that he is very much a Leicester player. He s not for sale. Unless anything changes, I would expect him to be here, Rodgers said.

The 21-year-old Fofana is reportedly keen to secure a move to Stamford Bridge though. With that distraction a factor, he was not included for the visit of Saints on Saturday.

Fofana play…

Speaking to the press ahead of his team s trip to Burnley on Sunday, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that the club are in talks with James Milner over extending the experienced midfielder s contract.

Year after year, many expect Milner to start slowing down, but the 36-year-old remains among the fittest players in the league. Having joined Liverpool in the summer of 2015 from Manchester City as a free agent, he s made a total of 273 appearances for the Merseysiders in all competitions so far, scoring 26 goals and producing 44 assists. His contribution to everything Klopp s team have achieved in the last couple of years can hardly be exaggerated, especially in 2016-17 when he admirably filled the role of left-back for the whole season.

Even though his contra…