Stuttgart coach Armin Veh plans on leading the club back into Europe in the near future after his return this summer.
He led Stuttgart to the Bundesliga title in 2007 before being dismissed a year later.
Six years on, Veh is back in charge of the Swabians and keen on lifting the gloom from recent difficult seasons.
“The reason I came back to Stuttgart is because I would like to build something here and I wanted the chance of European football,” he said.
“That’s a chance I can see here.”
Stuttgart have now not qualified for Europe for two consecutive seasons.
Negredo injury blow
Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo expects to be sidelined “for a few months” after breaking his foot.
The Spain international, who played the first half of City’s friendly victory over Hearts on Friday, has broken the fifth meta-tarsal in his right foot.
“I want to let you know that it’s going to be hard for the next few months, I fractured my 5th metatarsal and will be out a few months,” Negredo wrote on his Instagram account.
“I will be back stronger than ever and return with a vengeance.”
Shakhtar warning for absentees
Shakhtar Donetsk have warned six players who have refused to return to the troubled city they may face sanctions for being absent without permission.
The players – Alex Teixeira, Fred, Dentinho, Douglas Costa, Facundo Ferreyra and Ismaily – decided against flying back to Ukraine following Saturday’s friendly against Lyon in France because of concerns over the conflict which is raging in the region.
Club president Rinat Akhmetov said: “Players have contracts and if they do not come, I think, they will be the first to suffer.
“We will not take risks and in any case we won’t bring players to dangerous places.”
Pardew: We will honour fans
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has dedicated the new season to the two fans who died in the Malaysian Airlines tragedy.
John Alder and Liam Sweeney were killed when flight MH17 came down in Ukraine last week as they travelled to New Zealand to watch the Magpies play.
Pardew is hoping his team can produce the kind of performances next season to give their grieving families something to remember them by.
He said: “Owners and managers come and go, as do players, but the fans are always there, and these two guys in particular have brought home just how important supporters are to us.
“This season we want to give their families something to remember them by.”
Salah spared national service
Chelsea’s Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah has been spared national service.
It was feared that Salah would be forced to return home to fulfil the military obligation that lasts between one and three years, but he has been given permission to continue his promising career at Stamford Bridge.
The 22-year-old became eligible for military service, which is postponed for students, after cancelling his enrolment in one of Egypt’s education institutes.
Salah has made a positive impact since completing an £11m transfer from Basel in January.
The move came after he impressed when the Swiss club faced Chelsea in the group stage of the Champions League last season. He was on target in both games.
Wilson Palacios fails Qatar SC medical
Wilson Palacios’s proposed transfer from Stoke City to Qatar Sports Club has collapsed after the Honduran international failed a medical, the Doha club said yesterday.
The 29-year-old defensive midfielder, who was sent off in his country’s opening 3-0 World Cup defeat to France last month, is entering the final year of his contract with the English Premier League side.
The former Tottenham and Wigan player was mainly used from the bench last season and Stoke coach Mark Hughes has increased his midfield options in recent weeks by bringing in Fulham’s Steve Sidwell.
Angry fans attack Flamengo player
Flamengo’s season went from bad to worse on Sunday when defender Andre Santos was punched and kicked by the club’s fans as he left the stadium after a 4-0 defeat by Internacional that left the Rio club bottom of the Brazilian first division.
Local media reported that the left-back was hit in the face as he left Beira-rio stadium in Porto Alegre. Angry fans also kicked him as he sought refuge in the van that was picking him up outside the dressing rooms.
The former Brazil and Arsenal defender has failed to impress since signing for Flamengo in July last year and has been a constant target of fans.
That anger boiled over on Sunday as Flamengo lost again to find themselves rooted to the bottom of the league with just seven points from 11 games.