Football news

Genoa president Enrico Preziosi insists defender Andrea Ranocchia will remain at the club until the end of the season.

Ranocchia is currently on a co-ownership deal between Inter and Genoa and he is expected to return to the Nerazzurri on a full-term basis next summer.

Reports in Italy claimed the 22-year-old could even join Inter as early as January.

However, Preziosi told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “Not even for €25m will he (Ranocchia) move in January. It’s due to Ranocchia that we have changed our defensive tactics.”

Ranocchia is in no hurry to make the move to the San Siro.

“I’m not thinking about Inter,” he said.

“January is a long time away.”

Mainz’s Allagui enjoying coach ride

Mainz forward Karim Allagui said coach Thomas Tuchel deserves all the credit for his side’s perfect start to the season although he insisted nobody at the club is getting carried away.

Mainz have won their first six league matches, beating Bayern 2-1 at the weekend thanks to a cheeky backheeled goal from Allagui.

But the forward says all he and his team-mates are doing is following the orders of Tuchel.

“It is like he has a book and we are writing it for him,” he explained.

“He gives us the task and we have to solve them. In the game against Bayern, we looked for the weakness that the coach had told us about and then we struck.”

Blame the players, Lahm tells fans

Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm has urged fans to blame the players for the club’s disappointing form.

Bayern have won only two of their first six Bundesliga matches and are already 10 points adrift of league leaders Mainz.

Club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has defended coach Louis van Gaal and questioned the players and Germany full-back Lahm is in full agreement.

“We have too many players who are performing below their level,” he told the Bild newspaper.

“If you play like that, then you cannot beat such a euphoric team like Mainz.”

Deschamps claims Liverpool approach

Marseille boss Didier Deschamps has revealed Liverpool approached him about replacing Rafael Benitez at Anfield in the summer.

Liverpool eventually appointed Fulham’s Roy Hodgson during the close season but Deschamps, who led Marseille to the French title last season, revealed they also ap­proached him.

“I was very proud a club like Liverpool were interested in me,” he said. “But the timing was not good. I was engaged with Marseille, the players and the fans, and I could not leave them two days before the restart for pre-season.

“I was extremely pleased and happy but I decided to stay and continue my adventure with Marseille.”

All change for Gunner Koscielny

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny admits his life has changed beyond recognition since he moved to the Premier League club last summer.

Since arriving in north London from Lorient, Koscielny has made seven competitive appearances although he was sent off on his league debut at Liverpool.

Koscielny told L’Equipe: “My career has totally changed in three months. It is going pretty well even if my game is still not 100 per cent.

“It is a big challenge for me but I am getting better physically. I do a lot of weight training to strengthen me.

“It is much more physical in the tackle, the attackers are rougher and the games are more intense.”

Totti hits out at Di Canio, Bossi

Roma captain Francesco Totti has taken a swipe at Paolo Di Canio after the former Lazio talisman criticised him on Italian television.

Writing on his blog, Totti, who celebrated his 34th birthday on Monday, also had a go at Lega Nord leader Umberto Bossi who sparked controversy when he said: “Romans are pigs.”

“The first (present) is for Bossi: I admire him for his personality and I hope that he proves this by also presenting his arguments about Rome and the Romans under the Curva Sud,” Totti wrote.

“Then the second is for Di Canio.

“In order to give himself a sense of cachet on television and make himself noted he has to speak about me. On the other hand he is an expert on flags (i.e being a talisman), he has waved many in his short career,” Totti joked.

Carrick set forMan. United return

Michael Carrick could make his first-team return for Manchester United in their Champions League group stage clash with Valencia tonight.

The midfielder has not started a game for United since the Community Shield and, although he did join up with the England squad for their opening Euro 2012 qualifiers, he was then sent for an injection to try to ease the discomfort from a niggling Achilles problem.

Alex Ferguson reported on Friday that Carrick had returned to training and the former Tottenham mid­fielder was on the flight to Spain yesterday that departed without the injured Wayne Rooney.

Veterans Ryan Giggs, who is out injured, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes will also miss the Valencia tie.