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Looking to lay down another Champions League marker when they return to action on Wednesday night, Manchester City will welcome Borussia Dortmund to the Etihad.

Manchester City

Starting with the hosts, last seen opening their Champions League adventure with a thumping 4-0 win away at Spanish outfit Sevilla, Manchester City have really opened the 2022/23 campaign with a flurry. While Pep Guardiola s superstars might have dropped points against both Newcastle and Aston Villa on Premier League duties, the ex-Barcelona boss should find the mood in his camp at a real high. Tipped as a standout pick to claim their first European crown this season, the Sky Blues should be smelling the chance to lay down another marker here. Unbeaten in each …

Thomas Tuchel admitted Bayern Munich have reached the point where nothing is easy as he demanded his faltering team show a reaction to losing top spot in the Bundesliga.

Tuchel was undecided about whether to tune in for Borussia Dortmund s clash with Bochum on Friday, knowing a Dortmund win would lift them four points clear of Bayern.

This weekend sees Bayern have to wait until Sunday for their turn, as they host Hertha Berlin. After that, both they and Dortmund will have four rounds of games remaining.

The clock is ticking, and Bayern s 10-in-a-row title run is under serious threat following a damaging 3-1 defeat to Mainz last weekend.

Head coach Tuchel has injuries to contend with too. Centre-back Dayot Upamecano will miss the Hertha game due to a thigh…

Coach Luboslav Penev has been charged with the task of guiding Bulgaria to the 2016 European Championship after signing a new contract.

Penev, 47, has agreed a fresh two-year extension to his deal, as Bulgaria aim to qualify for the Euros for the first time since 2004.

Bulgaria finished fourth in Group B of FIFA World Cup qualifying, having been second before suffering costly defeats to Armenia and the Czech Republic.

Penev – who took over in November 2011 as a replacement for Lothar Matthaus – was initially given a two-year deal, but the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) are pleased to have retained his services.

BFU s president Borislav Mihaylov and Luboslav Penev concluded their negotiations, reaching an agreement to extend the coach s contract, a BFU stateme…

The loss of youth product Kingsley Coman is a shame for Paris Saint-Germain, according to Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho.

Coman left the Parc des Princes for Juventus in 2014, but was loaned out to Bayern Munich – where he has since scored twice in four Bundesliga appearances – ahead of the current campaign having failed to establish himself in Turin.

And Sakho, who also came through the PSG ranks before being moved on in 2013, believes that Coman s bright start to life at the Allianz Arena has highlighted the error of his former club s ways.

I think it s a shame for Paris. He s a quality player who was there in Paris and was not given a chance, the defender told Canal Football Club.

Everyone has their own policies but when I see a talen…

Robert Lewandowski talked up the quality of new team-mate Philippe Coutinho and insisted Bayern Munich still have a better squad than Bundesliga title rivals Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern finished two points ahead of Dortmund in 2018-19 to retain their top-flight crown and have added six new players during the transfer window, which closes on Monday.

Coutinho arrived last week on a season-long loan from Barcelona and made his debut as a substitute in Saturday s 3-0 win over Schalke at the Veltins Arena, where Ivan Perisic also made his first appearance for Bayern.

Lewandowski, who scored a hat-trick to take his tally to five goals in two league outings this term, has been particularly impressed by the addition of Coutinho.

What can we say to this? Other than:…

Gareth Bale says he would support his Wales team-mates if they decided to walk off the pitch due to racist abuse during a game. 

FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings after England players Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham were reportedly racially abused during a World Cup qualifier away to Hungary. 

Gareth Southgate’s side were also booed from some sections of the crowd inside the Puskas Arena while taking the knee prior to kick-off. They went on to win the game 4-0 in Budapest. 

Speaking ahead of his Wales qualifier in Belarus on Sunday, Bale feels it is only a matter of time before teams walk off the pitch in response to such abuse – a move he feels would be correct in the circumstances. 

If things don t get sorted, tha…

The Australia international has agreed a one-year deal with the UEFA Europa League holders.

New manager Jose Mourinho has been steadily strengthening his squad since his return to Stamford Bridge, with Andre Schuerrle and Marco van Ginkel having already signed for the London club from Bayer Leverkusen and Vitesse respectively.

Schwarzer will now look to dislodge first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech and is delighted to have become part of Mourinho’s squad for the 2013-14 campaign.

It s a phenomenal club. It s one of the biggest and best clubs in the world, and it s an honour to sign for Chelsea, he told the club s official website.

I didn t take much convincing to come here.

Schwarzer was a free agent after being released by Fulham at the end of last season, h…

Robinho is in talks over a new deal at Milan and is happy at the San Siro, the club s vice-president Adriano Galliani has revealed.

The 29-year-old was recently in talks to re-join Santos for a third time but his wage demands and the fee requested by Milan scuppered a return to his homeland.

That left Robinho s future open to much debate, but Galliani insists the attacker is settled in Italy.

We are talking with Robinho about a contract renewal, he said.

I can categorically exclude any suggestion that the player will leave.

The Brazilian transfer market closes on Saturday so there are no possibilities for a move.

Robi is happy to stay at Milan.

Robinho joined Milan from Manchester City in August 2010 and helped the club win the Serie A title in…

Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has rubbished speculation that he wants to join Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season.

The future of the France international has been cast into doubt in recent weeks following his reduced role under Jose Mourinho this season.

Martial was United s top scorer in 2015-16 with 17 goals in all competitions, but he has struggled to keep his place in the side since Mourinho s arrival and has only played in one of their last four Premier League games.

Some reports in England have claimed that the 21-year-old believes his manager is attempting to force him out of Old Trafford, with PSG said to be keen to bring him back to Ligue 1.

But Martial took to his official Twitter account on Monday to dispel any such rumours…

Roberto Mancini wants to see more Italian players given opportunities in Serie A, believing there are young stars with the talent to match Roberto Baggio or Francesco Totti.

Former Inter coach Mancini took charge of the Italy national team in May, looking to begin a rebuilding process after the side incredibly failed to qualify for this year s World Cup.

But the 53-year-old says he needs help from clubs in the domestic league to allow Italy to deliver on their promise, namechecking Federico Bernardeschi who started just seven Serie A games with Juventus last term as a potential star.

Nobody believes in the team, but this is the most beautiful thing in a way, Mancini told Radio Deejay. I think the younger guys have to play; if they play less, it becomes a problem…