Olic: Striker Ivica Olic has been suspended for two matches and fined €20,000 by the German football federation for betting on football matches. The Croatian, who plays for second-tier 1860 Munich, made online bets of three-figure amounts on a number of games in August and September, including nine in his own division, the DFB said yesterday. The 37-year-old striker joined 1860 Munich in July.
Kroos: Real Madrid have announced that World Cup winner Toni Kroos has signed a contract extension until June 2022. The 26-year-old midfielder, who lifted the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, joined Real in the same year from Bayern Munich. Kroos originally signed a six-year deal for an undisclosed fee and the extension sees him add a further two years to his stay in Madrid. Kroos helped Real win the Champions League last season.
McClaren: Steve McClaren has returned to Derby County as the club’s new manager. The former England boss has made his comeback to the iPro Stadium 17 months after leaving and has signed a deal until 2018. McClaren has replaced Nigel Pearson after he left last week following a suspension and club investigation into his conduct last month. “I am excited to be back at Derby County,” McClaren said. “I have a great affiliation with the club and our supporters.”
Green goal: Bayern Munich’s Julian Green scored with a long-range shot for a largely second-string United States side in their1-1 draw with New Zealand on Tuesday, the last friendly for Juergen Klinsmann’s team before they start the final phase of World Cup qualifying. Teenager Monty Patterson equalised for the visitors in the second half at RFK Stadium in Washington. Klinsmann’s team had beaten Cuba 2-0 in a friendly four days ago in Havana, with Green scoring one of the goals.
Pastore: Paris St Germain midfielder Javier Pastore has dismissed reports suggesting his calf injury is worse than first feared. The 27-year-old has made just four appearances in Ligue 1 this season as Le Parisien reported the Argentina international could be out until the start of 2017. Pastore, though, took to social media to deny the reports, saying: “This information is untrue!!!! Always speaking of bad things, without knowledge.”