Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen has revealed studying Italian maestro Andrea Pirlo is the secret behind his dead-ball brilliance.
Eriksen produced two superb free-kick strikes as Spurs twice fought back from deficits to draw 2-2 at Swansea in the Premier League on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Dane underlined his reputation as one of the best free-kick exponents in English football – even if he spoke about an Italian influence.
“I’ve watched Pirlo taking free-kicks and he makes it look so easy,” Eriksen said.
“When he’s there (over the ball) he knows what to do. But everybody has a different position of doing it. I know I have my own and it’s working.”
Berg loses job
Former Norway international Henning Berg has been sacked as Legia Warsaw’s manager, club chairman Boguslaw Lesnodorski has said with the club fourth in the league standings, 10 points behind the leaders.
Lesnodorski said in a statement that the decision was taken before Legia drew 2-2 with Gornik Zabrze on Sunday.
Earlier, former Dynamo Mos-cow manager Stanislav Cherchesov was pictured at Legia’s facilities and was being tipped to take charge of the club.
Berg, who won the Premier League title with both Blackburn and Manchester United, took Legia to the Polish title in 2014.
Bilic says Advocaat exit bad for league
The Premier League will be worse off without Dick Advocaat, West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has said.
Advocaat stepped down as Sunderland manager on Sunday after less than seven months in the job, with his side second from bottom in the table.
“I told him (Advocaat) I would like (him) to stay. You saw on the touchline he is a man full of energy and passion. The Premier League will be worse off without him,” Croatian Bilic said.
“He is a man of knowledge, and his experience at international level is unbelievable.”
Olic weighing up Hamburg future
Hamburg forward Ivica Olic says he is considering his future after making just four substitute appearances for the club so far this season.
The 36-year-old is willing to give it until the winter, but admits there is a likelihood he will seek a move in January.
“I’m going to have to make the right decision in winter,” Olic said.
“I’m not blind and I can see that things are going better for Hamburg since the coach changed, only it’s become difficult for me.
“I am still ambitious and I want to represent Croatia at Euro 2016, but I need to be playing to do that.”
Ibrahimovic breaks PSG goals record
Zlatan Ibrahimovic became Paris St Germain’s record goalscorer as he netted two first-half penalties to steer the Ligue 1 leaders to a 2-1 home victory over Marseille late Sunday.
Paris SG had been behind in Le Classique thanks to Michy Batshuayi’s header on the half-hour mark.
But Ibrahimovic equalised 11 minutes later with a spot-kick he won himself, then earned and converted another penalty within three minutes to overtake Pauleta as his club’s all-time goal king with a tally of 110.
The Sweden international has scored his goals in 137 matches for the French powerhouses, who he joined in 2012, while Pauleta notched his 109 goals in 211 appearances.
Bayern confident Pep will sign deal
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is still in no rush to hold talks with coach Pep Guardiola over signing a new contract.
Sunday’s 5-1 win over Borussia Dortmund saw Bayern open up a seven-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga after only eight games of the season.
No side have ever been so far in front at such an early stage of the campaign.
Rummenigge believes that is another argument for Guardiola to want to stay in Munich.
“I’ve always said that we would sit down in the second half of 2015,” Rummenigge said.
“There’s a lot on the table which is pro-Bayern, and a game like this one is bound to make the coach happy too.”
Milan’s Mihajlovic will not step down
Embattled Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic is confident he can turn around his team’s flagging fortunes and insists he will not step down.
The Rossoneri’s 4-0 defeat to Napoli at the San Siro on Sunday was Milan’s worst home defeat since the 2009-10 campaign.
Milan have now lost four of their seven games in Serie A.
“I will never step down,” Mihajlovic said.
“I will never do so, I have my dignity and my pride. I always try to give my best but then it’s the club that has to decide what must be done.
“I am ready to explain everything to (Milan owner Silvio) Berlusconi. I will try to give everything as I’ve always done and will continue to do so.”