Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz believes his side’s latest poor start to a season is down to more than just bad luck as for the fifth year running the Bavarians have failed to win either of their opening two league fixtures.
A 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday followed a 1-0 defeat at home to Hertha Berlin, already putting the pressure on Markus Weinzierl’s men ahead of the derby with Ingolstadt.
Hitz said: “It was an even first half (against Eintracht) and we had the better chances in the second half, but we were poor with the way we finished them off.
“I don’t think you can talk about bad luck when you miss the goals the way we are doing.”
Norwich turn down offer for Grabban
Norwich have turned down two bids from Bournemouth for striker Lewis Grabban.
Grabban joined Norwich in June 2014 from Bournemouth.
Bournemouth, also reported to have made offers for Crystal Palace’s Glenn Murray, wanted to take Grabban back but Norwich boss Alex Neil said he was more interested in signing another striker himself.
“Lewis is an important member of the squad and I’m not interested in selling him to one of our direct competitors,” he said.
Lampard misses Gerrard showdown
The first showdown outside of the English Premier League between Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard failed to materialise due to an injury to the former Chelsea midfielder.
The ex-England players were due to go head-to-head as Gerrard’s Los Angeles Galaxy and Lampard’s New York City FC locked horns in Sunday night’s only MLS encounter.
It was an encounter that had been hotly anticipated on both sides of the Atlantic but Lampard failed to make it.
Galaxy ended up running out 5-1 winners with Ireland striker Robbie Keane netting twice.
Corinthians crowd
A record crowd watched Corin-thians beat reigning champions Cruzeiro 3-0 on Sunday to maintain their four-point lead at the top of Brazil’s Serie A.
Encouraged by reduced ticket prices, 41,014 fans turned up at Arena Corinthians to see Vagner Love score twice and Jadson get another against a poor Cruzeiro side, stadium administrators said.
The attendance was the largest for a league game at the venue and biggest crowd there since the 2014 World Cup when additional seating allowed 63,267 people to watch the semi-final between Argentina and the Netherlands.
The result means Corinthians now have 43 points after 20 games, four ahead of Atletico Mineiro who kept up the chase with a 2-1 win over Palmeiras.
Zaza linked with West Ham move
West Ham are looking to lift their gloom after a rather poor showing so far this season with the signing of striker Simone Zaza from Juventus.
Reports said the two clubs are discussing a loan deal for the 24-year-old who is down in the pecking order at Juventus following his move from Sassuolo.
Zaza’s agent is currently in London to discuss the terms of the transfer as it is believed West Ham are offering a deal structured as an initial loan with the option to buy.
Zaza is keen to make the Italian national team squad for Euro 2016 and reckons more playing time at West Ham will increase his chances of a call-up.
Bayern will not bid for De Bruyne
German champions Bayern Munich are not planning a late bid for Wolfsburg’s attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, a long-time target for Manchester City, despite reports suggesting they could make an effort to sign him, the club said yesterday.
The 24-year-old Belgian has been linked with an imminent move to City with Wolfsburg sports director Klaus Allofs confirming the English club’s re-peated interest.
Bayern, who had also been interested in him in the past, said no such deal is in the works.
“We will definitely not become active in the matter of De Bruyne,” Bayern spokesman Markus Hoerwick said.
“This is something the board has decided for some time.”
Hart eyes record
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart refuses to get carried away by his team’s impressive start to the Premier League campaign that saw them equal a 103-year-old club record for successive league victories.
The Sky Blues have won all their three league games, scoring eight goals and keeping three consecutive clean sheets.
It means City have won nine successive league matches, six from the previous season, and they can better the record when they host Watford on Saturday.
“We’ve come a little way but there were six wins at the end of a dead season,” Hart said.
“It’s great to set records but we’d like that to be a record this season... nine this season, that’s what we’re focused on now.
“Last season’s gone, we’ve made those mistakes and we’re starting again.”