Sports

Manchester United are not favourites against Villarreal in a 50-50 Europa League final, according to Diego Forlan, who played for both clubs.

United face the LaLiga side in Gdansk on Wednesday as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer aims to get his hands on a first piece of silverware in the role.

This is United s eighth major European final but Villarreal s first.

Forlan feels this history has skewed perceptions of the match, though, with Villarreal unbeaten in Europe this season and led by Unai Emery, who is aiming to become the first coach to win the UEFA Cup or Europa League four times.

I don t think Manchester United is the favourite, Forlan told Stats Perform.

People say Manchester United due to its history, what it means, and for being such a big…

Vincent Kompany challenged Bayern Munich to bounce back from their 2023-24 disappointment, and wants to see which players are most hungry to win again .

The Belgian was named Bayern s new boss on a three-year deal, replacing the outgoing Thomas Tuchel following a trophyless campaign at the Allianz Arena.

The Bavarian giants surrendered their 11-year grip on the Bundesliga title to Xabi Alonso s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, while Real Madrid defeated them in the Champions League semi-finals.

Kompany knows what it takes to respond in the face of adversity, with Manchester City coming up just short against the likes of Manchester United in the Premier League in between the four titles he won during his time with the Citizens.

And he has urged his new squad to…

Juventus have completed the signing of Brazil international Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa.

Luiz was a pivotal feature in Unai Emery s midfield last season, as Villa qualified for the Champions League.

However, the club required sales in order to comply with the Premier League s Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR).

Villa have sold youngsters Tim Iroegbunam and Omari Kellyman to Everton and Chelsea respectively, with winger Lewis Dobbin signing from the Toffees and full-back Ian Maatsen joining from the Blues.

Luiz, though, was always likely to be the big sale Villa required to get over the line, and that deal, worth €50million (£42m) has now gone through.

The 26-year-old, who is on international duty with Brazil at the Copa America, has …

Barcelona s Sergio Busquets is a subject of interest for a number of MLS clubs, according to Fabrizio Romano, with David Beckham s Inter Miami leading the race at the moment. Busquets himself has no intention of leaving Barcelona before the end of the season, but he isn t ruling out a move across the Atlantic in the summer, even though his contract will have 12 months more left to run.

The 33-year-old midfielder has spent his entire senior career so far at Barcelona, making a total of 663 appearances in all competitions, in which he scored 16 goals and produced 42 assists. A proper modern-day defensive midfielder, Busquets has often been praised for his ability to read the game, position himself well and enable his team to win the ball back quickly, which was absolutely vital f…

Trinity Rodman scored her first goal for the United States in Tuesday s 9-0 win against Uzbekistan.

The 19-year-old forward is the daughter of five-time NBA champion and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Dennis Rodman, but is already forging a reputation in her own right.

Rodman was the NWSL Rookie of the Year and the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in 2021.

And the Washington Spirit sensation, earning her third cap, achieved another milestone in scoring the seventh goal of a dominant USWNT win.

Half-time substitute Rodman steered a right-footed finish into the bottom-left corner from just inside the box in the 71st minute, becoming the first teenager to score for the USWNT since 2018.

. becomes the first teenager to score for the …

Manchester United look great value to end their six-year wait for silverware in Erik ten Hag s first season in charge at Old Trafford.

In the words of the Dutchman himself, that is far too long a wait for a club of United s stature to go between trophies.

United fans have not had a huge amount to cheer since their 2016-17 EFL Cup triumph, but that could soon be about to change.

The Red Devils remain in top-four contention in the Premier League, are as good as in the EFL Cup final and are also still in the hunt to win the Europa League and FA Cup.

After seeing off Everton 3-1 in round three of the latter, United now have a meeting with second-tier Reading – managed by ex-Red Devil Paul Ince – for a place in the last 16.

Ahead of Saturday s cont…

Newcastle United are interested in signing Robin Le Normand from Real Sociedad in the summer transfer window, according to . The in the Spanish news outlet has claimed that Newcastle are competing with Atletico Madrid and Napoli for Le Normand.

Le Normand has a release clause of €60 million in his contract at Sociedad. The central defender has been on the books of La Real since 2018 when he joined on a free transfer and has established himself as an important player in Diego Simeone’s team. The 27-year-old has made 22 starts and one substitute appearance in La Liga this season, scoring two goals in the process. He has also played seven times in the UEFA Champions League.

Newcastle are eighth in the Premier League table at the moment with 47 points from 31 matches, …

Danny Blind is hoping to continue as Netherlands coach, despite being unable to guide them to Euro 2016.

The Dutch suffered a 3-2 defeat to Czech Republic in their final qualifier on Tuesday, while rivals for the final play-off spot Turkey defeated Iceland to finish third in Group A.

However, the 54-year-old, who took charge in July, is eager to remain at the helm and help develop Netherlands youthful squad.

I want to continue as coach, Blind told NOS.  I was in my right mind when I said yes to the offer from the KNVB [Dutch Football Association].

First, as assistant [coach] to [Guus] Hiddink and then I d take over.

You have to stay realistic. I do not think you have to make a change because there are a lot of young players.

We n…

Tottenham will face a trip to Wrexham in the fifth round of the FA Cup if the Welsh side overcome Sheffield United in a fourth-round replay next week.

Wrexham, the National League outfit co-owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, were pegged back at the death in a pulsating 3-3 draw with Championship promotion hopefuls United on Sunday.

Hollywood star Reynolds was in attendance at the Racecourse Ground as John Egan s stoppage-time equaliser denied the hosts a famous win, teeing up next Tuesday s replay at Bramall Lane.

Should the fifth-tier outfit cause an upset against the Blades, they will host Spurs in a mouth-watering midweek tie, a fixture which would certainly be viewed as their biggest since Reynolds and McElhenney took charge in 2021.

Elsewher…

Italy coach Roberto Mancini is already targeting World Cup glory in 2026, as the Azzurri prepare to suffer through this year s tournament after failing to qualify.

The European champions will be the most high-profile side to miss the tournament in Qatar after slipping to a humiliating play-off defeat to North Macedonia in March.

Italy were also absent from Russia in 2018 following a play-off loss to Sweden, meaning their exile from football s most storied competition will stretch to a minimum of 12 years.

The Azzurri also suffered group-stage exits in 2010 and 2014, meaning their most recent World Cup knockout tie remains 2006 s final victory over France.

Mancini, however, is determined to end Italy s World Cup woes when the tournament heads to the United…