Hertha Berlin have led the tributes to former player Andreas Biermann following his death at the age of 33.
The defender s latest club, Spandauer Kickers, announced on Saturday that the player had passed away after a long battle with depression.
The club s general manager, Gunter Hagedorn, was quoted by respected German newspaper Bild as saying that Biermann had taken his own life.
Biermann had spoken openly about his battle with depression and subsequent suicide attempts both in his autobiography and on television talk shows in his native Germany, with Kickers revealing in a short statement on their Facebook page: Our senior player Andreas Biermann has not been able to overcome his depressive illness and died yesterday morning. Our sympathy is with his family. <…
Rafael van der Vaart could be the next big name to move to the MLS after Sporting Kansas City confirmed they want to sign the Hamburg captain.
Van der Vaart is out of contract at the end of the 2014-15 Bundesliga season in May and Sporting KC have emerged as a possible destination for the 32-year-old, who has called Hamburg home since leaving Tottenham in 2012.
David Villa, Frank Lampard (both New York City) and Kaka (Orlando City) have made the switch to the United States and Van der Vaart could follow, with Sporting KC CEO Robb Heineman hopeful of prising the 109-cap Netherlands veteran to Kansas City in July or even earlier depending on Hamburg.
If we can get that done, we d like to get it done, Heineman said. He d be a July move maybe earlier.
I …
Serie A leaders Juventus will be banking on their defensive strength when they travel to Atalanta on Saturday.
Juve, unsurprisingly, are the early pacesetters ahead of Roma in the Italian top flight after four rounds, albeit on goal difference.
The defending champions have won all four games to date following Wednesday s routine 3-0 win over Cesena, while Atalanta are eight points off the pace after back-to-back defeats.
Juve s defence has stolen the headlines, with the Italian giants yet to concede a goal in the league the only team to do so thus far.
You have to rewind back to last season for Juve s last Serie A match without a clean sheet, which came in a 3-1 victory over Sassuolo on April 28.
Switzerland international defender Stephan Lichtste…
Rafael da Silva looks set to swap Manchester United for Lyon, after the Ligue 1 club s president confirmed a move is in the works.
The Brazilian has made 170 appearances for United since moving to Old Trafford alongside twin brother Fabio in 2008, although a string of injuries limited him to just 10 Premier League outings last term.
With Italy international Matteo Darmian joining United over the close-season, Rafael s chances of first-team action at Old Trafford appeared slim, and he has been linked with a host of European clubs, with Lyon seemingly jumping to the head of the queue.
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas posted on Twitter: Raphael (sic) has arrived. We are waiting on an agreement with Manchester U for the transfer.
…
Jurgen Klopp wants to see a brave Liverpool team willing to risk making mistakes in his first game in charge against Tottenham on Saturday.
The former Borussia Dortmund coach s eagerly awaited maiden Premier League assignment is a tough one at White Hart Lane, with Spurs unbeaten since their 1-0 opening-day loss at Manchester United.
Despite claiming just one league win since August a run of results that paved the way for Klopp to replace Brendan Rodgers after their 1-1 derby draw at Everton Liverpool can climb above their opponents with victory in north London.
Klopp is keen to banish the air of negativity that surrounded Anfield during the final weeks of Rodgers reign and has called for plenty of ambition from his new players.
The bravery is …
Mikel Arteta praised a “phenomenal” response from Arsenal after they fought back from two goals down in the final 13 minutes to earn a 2-2 draw at Chelsea and move level on points at the top of the Premier League.
Chelsea looked to be sending Arsenal to a first league defeat of the season when Mykhailo Mudryk’s cross-shot put them into a 2-0 lead minutes after half-time, the Ukrainian’s effort drifting over goalkeeper David Raya who was unable to recover from a poor starting position as the ball dropped into the goal.
That added to the lead given to them by a first-half penalty from Cole Palmer, increasingly influential in Pochettino’s revitalised attack following his move from Manchester City, who slotted home after William Saliba was adjudged to have handled …
I was not surprised that Craig Shakespeare’s tenure as permanent Leicester boss was not a long one. For me, he was never a long-term appointment. Claudio Ranieri’s former assistant just did not strike me as a Premier League boss.
Leicester have now found a replacement for Shakespeare in former Southampton boss Claude Puel, who was appointed on Wednesday on a three-year deal.
Mixed opinions on the appointment
When Southampton appointed Puel in the summer of 2016, I thought his appointment could have gone either way. In the end, the French did a decent job on the south coast, as the Saints finished eighth in the Premier League table and made it to the League Cup final.
I did not watch Southampton week-in and week-out last season under Puel. However, th…
Roma are keen to sign Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny on a year-long loan with a view to a permanent deal, .
The Poland international has been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium this summer following the arrival of Petr Cech, who signed from Chelsea in June.
He also lost his place in the Gunners’ starting line-up to David Ospina in January, with his last league appearance for the club coming in their 2-0 defeat to Southampton on New Year’s Day.
Aside from a loan spell with Brentford in the 2009/10 season, Szczesny has spent his entire career so far with Arsene Wenger’s side, racking up one hundred and eighty-one appearances for them in all competitions.
The 25 year old shot-stopper has been capped twenty-three times for his …
Motherwell have brought back Mark McGhee as manager for a second spell to replace the sacked Ian Baraclough at Fir Park.
The Scottish Premiership side have handed the 58-year-old, who is part of Gordon Strachan s coaching team with Scotland, a two-year contract.
McGhee s first spell with Motherwell was between 2007 and 2009 and guided them to finishes of third and seventh in the table before moving on to Aberdeen.
McGhee, whose last managerial job with Bristol Rovers ended with him being sacked in 2012, said: For the last two and half years I have indulged myself in going to Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea and all the London clubs, to watch all the lads with any tenuous link to Scotland.
I have enjoyed that tremendously, it has been a privilege to watch…
Senegal have accused Watford of blocking Ismaila Sarr from linking up with the national team ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
Sarr has not played for Watford since November 20 due to a knee ligament injury and is not expected to return to fitness until the end of this month at the earliest.
Despite still being out injured, Senegal named the 23-year-old in their squad for the tournament, which runs from January 9 until February 6.
However, Watford informed Senegal earlier this week that Sarr will not be allowed to travel.
It is the second Africa Cup of Nations row Watford have been embroiled in after Nigeria accused the Premier League side of baring fangs after objecting to Emmanuel Dennis being named in the squad.
The Senegalese Footba…