Belenenses suffer fatal defeat at Benfica

Brendan Rodgers is 150 per cent sure he will keep his job as Liverpool manager, despite the Merseyside club s disappointing season.

Speculation has mounted in recent weeks that Rodgers position is under threat as Liverpool have failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League after finishing second in 2013-14.

However, the Northern Irishman insists he retains the support of the club s owners Fenway Sports Group ahead of their end-of-season review next week.

I m 150 per cent sure I ll be here next season, Rodgers said.

There is probably a lot more made of the review than what it actually is. I m constantly reviewing with the owners.

People want to write about a review there have been a number of reviews, and throughout the season I ve had great c…

PSV sporting director Marcel Brands has insisted the club will not allow midfielder Kevin Strootman to leave in the off-season.

The highly rated Dutchman, who made 42 appearances for PSV in all competitions last term, has been strongly linked with Premier League champions Manchester United in recent months.

However, with the Eindhoven club having already lost Dries Mertens, Erik Pieters and Jeremain Lens ahead of next season, Brands has underlined his desire to retain Strootman.

We do not want to lose Strootman this summer. He knows that he will stay at PSV for another season, he told De Telegraaf.

Strootman scored seven goals for PSV last season, as they finished seven points short of Eredivisie champions Ajax in second.

The 23-year-old has earned 18 senio…

Christian Eriksen will return to Manchester United s matchday squad for Saturday s clash with Everton after over two months out.

The Denmark international suffered an ankle injury in an FA Cup win over Reading on January 28 after being on the receiving end of a crude challenge by Andy Carroll.

Manager Erik ten Hag was not shy in voicing his displeasure with Carroll s tackle over the following days, with it then emerging Eriksen was facing up to three months out.

That was a major disappointment for United given how quickly the Dane had established himself as a key player at Old Trafford.

But Eriksen s rehabilitation has gone well and he is in contention to play a part against visitors Everton on Saturday, meaning he will have missed a little over two month…

Seven times Ligue 1 Champions Lyon have have finalised, for a club-record transfer, the signing of Argentine international striker Lisandro Lopez from Portuguese side Porto, for an initial fee of €24 million.

The 26-year-old marksman, who was the top scorer in Portugal in 2008, has signed a five-year contract at the Stade Gerland and could ultimately cost the seven-time French champions €28m, based on appearances and other performance-related factors.

Lyon s capture of the Argentine striker, who has been capped six times by his country, follows the sale of French international striker Karim Benzema to Spanish giants Real Madrid for €35m.

Lisandro Lopez today signed a professional contract with Lyon for a duration of fiv…

Jose Mourinho praised his players for standing firm against what he described as monsters in the air after Tottenham produced a second-half turnaround to see off Brighton and Hove Albion.

After losing 2-0 last time out to London rivals Chelsea, Spurs appeared in danger of suffering a second successive home defeat when they fell behind on Boxing Day, Adam Webster heading in a free-kick in the 37th minute.

However, Harry Kane who had earlier seen a goal ruled out for offside drew the hosts level before Dele Alli struck what turned out to be the winner with a wonderful 72nd-minute finish, much to the delight of the Spurs boss.

Mourinho felt his side had not played that badly before the break, but just needed to change bits to launch a comeback against a team …

The situation surrounding the future of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is extremely tense at the moment. Manchester City remain firmly interested in his services, but as City boss , it s all down to Spurs now.

The striker was supposedly due back in training on Monday, but he did not appear until Saturday, after releasing a statement saying he never meant to refuse to train, nor to anger the Spurs fans.

Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol gave his view of this statement of Kane s and pointed out the significance of its timing, while Dharmesh Sheth compared the situation with that of Jack Grealish, who made his Man City debut in the 1-0 Community Shield to Leicester City on Saturday following a £100m transfer from Aston Villa.

Why was this not clarified e…

Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering knee ligament damage.

Cancelo was forced off after 11 minutes of Barcelona’s 2-1 LaLiga victory at Las Palmas on Thursday.

“Tests carried out on Friday show that first-team player Joao Cancelo has a strained medial collateral ligament in his left knee,” read a Barcelona statement.

MEDICAL NEWS | Tests carried out this morning have revealed that first team player João Cancelo has a left MCL strain. He is out and his recovery will determine his availability.

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)

“He is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return.”

Barcelona are in action again on Sunday, against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey, with the…

German daily  that Wolfsburg are set to complete the signing of Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo from Bayern Munich.

Both Barcelona and Arsenal have been showing interest in the wantaway midfielder of late, but it seems the Wolves have won the race for the player s signature.

According to Bild, Wolfsburg have had a €15 million bid accepted by their Bundesliga rivals, with the player expected to agree personal terms in the coming days.

Luiz Gustavo was eager to leave Alianz Arena in search of first team football as he fell further behind in the pecking order following the arrival of Thiago Alcantara.

With the 26-year-old desperate to keep his regular starting berth in the national team ahead of the 2014 World Cup on home soil, a summer exit was always…

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce revealed he signed Andy Carroll ahead of Wilfried Bony and he is happy with the decision.

Swansea City splashed out a club-record £12million on Bony from Eredivisie outfit Vitesse Arnhem in 2013, the same year West Ham brought Carroll back to Upton Park on a permanent basis.

The two Premier League rivals meet at Upton Park on Sunday and Allardyce said he made enquires about the Ivory Coast international before spending £15m on Carroll, who netted seven goals in 24 matches during his loan spell from Liverpool in 2012-13.

Bony has gone on to score 22 goals in 48 Premier League appearances, while injuries have limited English striker Carroll to a mere two goals in 19 games but Allardyce still believes he got the better deal.

…

Justin Kluivert s expected move from Ajax to Roma is 90 per cent sure , despite his father Patrick advising him to stay with the Eredivisie club.

The 19-year-old winger enjoyed something of a breakout season in 2017-18, scoring 10 goals and setting up another five in the league.

His dribbling ability and general play in the final third have seen him earn rave reviews, with several of Europe s biggest clubs said to have shown interest.

Reports claim Roma are close to completing a €18million move for the Netherlands international, but his father – who also played in Italy for AC Milan – thinks it is too early for him.

I personally said to him maybe it s better to stay one more year at Ajax, to make some kilometres, to be important for the team, Kl…