United States women’s team goalkeeper Hope Solo has been suspended for 30 days by US Soccer following an incident during a training camp.
Solo’s husband, former Seattle Seahawks NFL player Jerramy Stevens, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in Los Angeles in the early hours of Monday.
Media reports stated Solo was in the car but was not cited in the incident by Manhattan Beach police officials.
Cash injection for crisis-hit Hamburg
Billionaire Klaus-Michael Kuehne has acquired a 7.5 per cent stake at former European champions Hamburg SV after pumping in €18.75 million in investment and also bagged the stadium naming rights, the club said yesterday.
Hamburg have been dogged by financial problems and a string of expensive but unsuccessful transfers.
The billionaire will also give the stadium its old name ‘Volksparkstadion’ back from July 1, 2015 after acquiring the naming rights for “initially” four years.
“For me as a Hamburg fan it was a matter of the heart that the home of the club has again its traditional name,” Kuehne said in a club statement.
Arsenal in talks to sign Paulista
Arsenal are in negotiations to sign Brazilian central defender Gabriel Paulista from Spanish club Villarreal, the club’s manager Arsene Wenger said yesterday.
“We are talking at the moment, can we find an agreement or not I don’t know,” the Frenchman told a news conference ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup, fourth round tie at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Arsenal allowed former club captain Thomas Vermaelen to join Barcelona last August and did not strengthen the central defensive areas.
Paulista, 24, has a release clause in his contract, believed to be €20 million and Wenger hinted that the Gunners could be prepared to meet it.
“We are progressing, there is a chance,” Wenger said.
Montella sure Cuadrado will stay
Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella fully expects sought-after winger Juan Cuadrado to stay at the club despite media reports linking him with a move to the Premier League.
The Colombian international has been a rumoured target of Manchester United in the past few years while Chelsea are reportedly willing to pay Cuadrado’s buyout clause set at £27.5 million to acquire him this month.
“As of today, there’s no possibility that Cuadrado will leave Fiorentina,” Montella said
“He (Cuadrado) knows that certain things are exaggerated.
“There are just rumours and he is not paying attention to all that.”
Real Madrid move a dream says Odegaard
Norwegian teenager Martin Odegaard has described his move from Stromsgodset to Real Madrid as a “dream come true”.
The 16-year-old attacking midfielder was unveiled to the media yesterday at a press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu after completing his transfer to the defending European champions.
“It’s a dream come true,” Odegaard told Real Madrid TV.
“It’s incredible. It’s an honour for me to join the best club in the world.
“I don’t feel the pressure but it’s different to play for Real Madrid than for Stromsgodset. I will try and enjoy this dream as much as possible.”
Blanc demands consistency
Paris St Germain boss Laurent Blanc has called for consistency, despite the reigning Ligue 1 champions sealing their progress to the last 16 of the Coupe de France with a 2-1 victory over Bordeaux on Wednesday night.
“I’m happy we qualified. I often say that the important thing is to qualify,” Blanc, whose side have won their last three games, said.
“We had a good first half, but our second was undermined by our start.
“Once again, there were two distinct halves – it’s as if we can’t play two halves of top level football.
“We’re going to have a packed fixture list in February with the Champions League that will add to all that, but we’re not going to take any matches lightly.”
Voeller: Bayern can’t be caught
Bayer Leverkusen director of sport Rudi Voeller believes Bayern Munich cannot be displaced at the top of the Bundesliga, predicting a perennial battle for second place behind the Bavarians.
Bayern have won the last two league titles and are on course for a third in a row, and Voeller fears nobody is ever going to be able to challenge them.
“The gap to Bayern is never going to be closed again,” Voeller told Kicker magazine.
“You can scout as well as you want but you’re never going to get into a position where you can be even near to being on a par with them.
“There are just worlds lying in between.”