Manchester United will exercise their option to extend veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic's contract for a second season at Old Trafford, manager Jose Mourinho said on Wednesday. The 35-year-old Ibrahimovic, who joined on a free transfer in July, has had a mixed start to his United career despite scoring eight goals in 17 games in all competitions. "Zlatan's situation is simple: he has a one-plus-one contract with the club and we will execute the option of a second season," Mourinho told reporters.
Despite striking a brace to help Atletico win Europa League title against Marseille, the French player has been heavily linked with a switch to Barcelona.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique will miss this week's European Super Cup clash with Porto due to a calf injury, the Champions League holders said on Tuesday.
Andre Schuerrle unleashed an unstoppable drive with three minutes left to give Mainz 05 a 1-0 victory that piled on the relegation misery for bottom club Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday.
Portuguese trio Porto, Benfica and Braga reached the Europa League semi-finals in contrasting styles as Europe's second-string club competition produced another goal feast on Thursday.
Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said it would be 'strange' if he is not in charge at Old Trafford next season after being part of their promotional campaign to sell season tickets.
A fixture that once enjoyed the cachet of a heavyweight title fight -- and often resembled one on the pitch as England's preeminent teams slugged it out -- has been relegated in status with United fifth and Arsenal sixth in the Premier League.
Images from Sunday's action in the English Premier League.
Goal-line technology would be used in the Champions League from the final qualifying round but not in the first three preliminary rounds. It could also be introduced in the Europa League from 2017-18.
Premier League leaders Liverpool are helping feed vulnerable and elderly people within the community during the novel coronavirus outbreak with the help of local church members. While, Chelsea will provide 78,000 free meals to Britain's National Health Service and charities that support the elderly and vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis.
Liverpool are reportedly considering a summer move for Real Madrid and Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart.
Chelsea confirmed the appointment of Portugal's Andre Villas-Boas as their new manager on Wednesday as the 33-year-old, who resigned from Porto on Tuesday, agreed to a three-year contract. A fact file on the manager.
Chelsea confirmed the appointment of Portugal's Andre Villas-Boas as their new manager on Wednesday as the 33-year-old, who resigned from Porto on Tuesday, agreed to a three-year contract. Villas-Boas, who led Porto to a domestic double as well as winning the Europa League last season, replaces Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked in May after failing to win a trophy in his second season.
Spanish playmaker Mata, 31, joined United in 2014 for a then club record transfer fee of 37.1 million pounds ($46.86 million) from league rivals Chelsea.
Here is a quick fact-box on new Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez, who was appointed to replace Italian Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Schalke 04 won the German Cup for the fifth time on Saturday, crushing second division Duisburg 5-0 to book a Europa League spot as Manuel Neuer lifted the trophy in probably his final game for the club.
In a TV interview before Tuesday's match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford, Zlatan Ibrahimovic had been asked if he was the best striker in the Premier League.
It's not Mourinho, reckons former defender Gary Neville
The policy of buying players cheap and selling them for a higher price a few years on is a business model that worked well for clubs like Atletico Madrid and FC Porto. With the transfer window open for the next few weeks, Rediff.com takes a look at clubs that made smart deals over the years.
Financially-troubled Real Mallorca have threatened to sue soccer's European governing body UEFA for damages over their exclusion from this season's Europa League competition.
Atletico Madrid have been unable to repeat the magnificent achievements of last season in this campaign but can congratulate themselves on a job well done if they secure a lucrative Champions League berth on Saturday.
Tennis World No 1 and Real Mallorca shareholder Rafa Nadal has hit out at governing body UEFA for excluding the financially-troubled La Liga club from European competition this season.
A thunderous free-kick by Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo gave Benfica a 2-1 first-leg home win over Braga in their all-Portuguese Europa League semi-final on Thursday.
Prolific Colombian striker Radamel Falcao scored four goals in Porto's 5-1 demolition of Villarreal in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday. The Portuguese champions trailed at the break but an inspired second-half display put Porto on the brink of a place in next month's final in Dublin.
Wenger announced on Friday that he would leave Arsenal at the end of the season, bringing an end to his near 22-year reign at the north London club.
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has drawn comparisons between his team's upcoming Europa League quarter-final, second-leg clash against Borussia Dortmund and playing the FIFA video game. Dortmund, second in the Bundesliga, travel to Anfield for the return leg on Thursday having conceded an away goal in the 1-1, first-leg draw in Germany, and Sturridge drew the unusual parallel to describe his emotions before the game. "It's like when you're playing a final on FIFA and you're playing against your mate. You've all put 20 pounds ($28.46) in the middle and there's 100 pounds. "The pressure's on, your palms are sweaty, but as you get into the game, the nerves go away and you enjoy it. And that's exactly what it's like," he told his club's website.
Giuseppe Rossi kept Europa League semi-finalists Villarreal on course for a place in the Champions League next season with a penalty to secure a 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Real Zaragoza in La Liga on Monday.
Athletic Bilbao boosted their chances of securing a place in next season's Europa League when they fought back from a goal and a man down to snatch a 2-1 victory at struggling Osasuna on Sunday.
Stoke City reached the FA Cup final for the first time when three goals in the first 30 minutes paved the way to a stunning 5-0 win over Bolton Wanderers at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
Unai Emery was pleased that Arsenal kicked off their Europa League campaign with a 4-2 home win over Ukraine's Vorskla Poltava but could not hide his frustration at the concession of two late goals.
Paris St Germain went out of the Europa League despite a 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, losing their place to fellow big spenders Salzburg who fought back to win 3-2 at Slovan Bratislava.
Liverpool maintained their chase for a Europa League slot as a fortunate Dirk Kuyt penalty and a great goal by Luis Suarez secured a comfortable 2-0 Premier League win at Sunderland Sunday.
France forward Antoine Griezmann says he would only leave Atletico Madrid if manager Diego Simeone also quit the La Liga club.
Klopp mimicked Silver Stallone in the Rocky movies when he yelled "Adrian!" into the television microphone and he was clearly appreciative of his goalkeeper's efforts.
There was something appropriate in the way that Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich celebrated his team's Champions League triumph over Paris St Germain on Sunday. More than 90 minutes after the final whistle had blown on the 1-0 victory, Kimmich sat in the centre circle, in front of 65,000 empty seats at the Estadio da Luz, banging on a drum.
Soccer's experiment with two extra linesman behind the goals is to continue for another two years and will be extended beyond Europe, the sport's rule-making body said on Tuesday.
Atletico Madrid made a typically aggressive start to lay the foundations for a 2-0 victory at home.
A summary of Thursday's matches in Europe's second tier club football tournament
Substitute Fredy Guarin gave former European champions Porto a late 2-1 Europa League win at Sevilla on Thursday while their old rivals Benfica beat VfB Stuttgart by the same score.
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