Chris Ramsey hopes to secure his long-term future as QPR boss this week. The 53-year-old is hopeful he can sign a new Loftus Road contract before Sunday’s match against Leicester City.
Asked if he hopes to have his future finalised this week, Ramsey said: “Yes, because I believe I am capable of doing the job.
“The club has to make sure it has longevity and do some long-term planning before we start thinking of the dizzy heights again.
“If we can recruit well though, who is to say we won’t be straight back up next year? I think I’ve got a good chance of getting the job but I can’t be sure of course.”
Benfica champions
Benfica clinched their second successive Primeira Division title with a goalless draw at Guimaraes as their only challengers Porto were also held.
Benfica went into the penultimate round with a three-point lead – and that is where they stayed, meaning their superior head-to-head record against Porto guaranteed them the trophy.
The crucial goal came from Belenenses substitute Tiago Caeiro. He earned his side a 1-1 draw to end Porto’s hopes of overhauling the Eagles.
Benfica chairman Luis Filipe Vieira told his club’s official website: “We are all happy. All Benfica are happy and this title is dedicated to all of them.”
Lacazette and Blanc take awards
Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette was named French player of the year after topping the scoring charts with 27 goals for the season, while the Ligue 1 coach award went to PSG’s Laurent Blanc.
Lacazette, tipped for a big-money move to England, was a driving force for league runners-up Lyon as they battled PSG for the title and qualified for the Champions League.
Lacazette succeeds Ibrahimovic, the winner both in 2013 and 2014 with Paris SG.
Blanc took the manager award for the second time, having previously won it when in charge of Bordeaux in 2008.
Rutten leaves
Feyenoord replaced coach Fred Rutten with Giovanni van Bronckhorst, hours after the Dutch club missed out on an automatic place in next season’s Europa League.
Rutten had been due to step down at the end of the season but left shortly after Sunday’s 3-0 loss at PEC Zwolle condemned Feyenoord to the post-season play-offs for a berth in the European club competition.
Feyenoord did not win any of their last five regular season games and ended fourth behind AZ Alkmaar after being comfortably placed just one month ago for a third place finish behind champions PSV Eindhoven and runners up Ajax.
Feyenoord now play Heerenveen over two legs this week.
Van Gaal ‘can’t answer’ over De Gea
David De Gea waved goodbye to Old Trafford on Sunday and Louis van Gaal could give no guarantees that he would be back next season.
De Gea hobbled off in the 74th minute of Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal with injury and there is a growing feeling that he will not be seen in a Manchester United shirt again.
Van Gaal was asked about De Gea’s future after the game and, although he said the 24-year-old Spaniard would “not leave us so easily” he appeared braced for such an outcome.
“You are asking things I cannot answer because I don’t know,” Van Gaal told reporters.
“But I analyse his position and then I say he is Spanish, he is a Spanish international and now a Spanish club is coming. His girlfriend is Spanish.”
Kaka inspires Orlando to 4-0 win
Champions LA Galaxy suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to MLS newcomers Orlando City on Sunday, with an inspired Kaka creating a goal and scoring a penalty.
Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, who will join Galaxy at the end of the English Premier League season, must be wondering what awaits him in California after the crushing loss left them seventh in the 10-team Western Conference.
With three wins from 12 games, Galaxy are level on points with Sporting Kansas City, who hold the sixth play-off spot.
“This is a perfect day for us, for the supporters who needed this joy. It is a special day for Orlando City,” Kaka said.
Festa wants to stay at doomed Cagliari
Cagliari lost their battle against relegation from Serie A last weekend but coach Gianluca Festa told reporters he would be honoured to remain in charge of the team next season.
The 1-0 defeat at home to Palermo meant Cagliari’s 11-year stay in the top flight had come to an end.
Festa, who took over last month, said: “It is tough to get back into Serie A. I know, because I experienced it as a player.
“So, we need to turn over a new leaf and I say this with great pain, because as well as being the coach I am a big Cagliari fan.
“It would be an honour to remain as Cagliari coach in Serie B. If the club decides against that, then I thank the president for this opportunity.”