Uli Hoeness, who was released from prison in February after serving a sentence for tax evasion, made a triumphant return to Bayern Munich as president on Friday after being re-elected unopposed.

Cheered on by the vast majority of the 7,000 club members at the annual general meeting and booed by a handful, Hoeness was hugged by fellow club bosses when the election result was announced.

“I want to thank you and I promise that I will not disappoint you,” he said.

Hoeness first became president in 2009. He was known for  helping turn the club into a multimillion dollar international operation.

Xhaka needs more time says Wenger

Arsene Wenger admits Granit Xhaka is still adapting to life in the Premier League.

Xhaka, signed this summer for a fee in the region of £34 million, finds himself on the fringes having started just five league games since his arrival from Borussia Monchengladbach.

“Xhaka needs to adapt,” Wenger said.

“We have the positional play, he plays in a deeper lying midfield position, he passes through the lines. He needs to adapt to the way we play and the tactical pace of the English game. I am confident he will do very well.”

Rodgers backs Celtic after Euro exit

Celtic will shrug off their European exit in midweek to focus on winning the first domestic trophy of the season today, according to Brendan Rodgers.

The Hoops’ 2-0 defeat by Barcelona in the Champions League meant the Scottish champions are out of Europe.

However, the champions take on Aberdeen in the League Cup final at Hampden Park today and Rodgers said his team will be gunning for glory.

“We haven’t really reflected on it as of yet,” he said. “I felt the players were very good in the game in terms of the performance .

“This  League Cup final is a chance for us to get our hands on the trophy and is something we are looking forward to.”

Carneiro calls for protection of medics

Eva Carneiro insists more should be done by sport’s governing bodies to protect the position of medics “where seconds matter” in the decisions they take.

Carneiro was criticised by then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho for entering the field to treat Eden Hazard against Swansea in August 2015. She left the club after being demoted and subsequently settled her dismissal claim in June of this year.

“What happened to me happened very publicly and therefore had huge implications for health and safety in sport,” she said.

“When seconds matter that is a huge concern to me. Health and safety should be a priority for governing bodies and the lack of clarity leaves a dangerous grey area.”

Verratti not tested in Ligue 1 – Ventura

Italy coach Giampiero Ventura has criticised the standard of Ligue 1, insisting that PSG midfielder Marco Verratti (picture) is not being tested enough in France.

Ventura has already hit out at MLS and his comment that he didn’t call up Toronto FC forward Sebastian Giovinco because he “plays in a league that doesn’t count for much” drew criticism.

However, the 68-year-old has now claimed that Verratti would be better off returning to Serie A.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; Verratti is absolutely a good thing for Italy,” he said.

“The problem is that he doesn’t play in Italy, but in France. The rhythms are different; the strength of his team is so high that he never gets put in difficulty.

“He must get used to putting 100 per cent into matches.”

Pulis prepares to spend big at Baggies

Tony Pulis is ready to splash the cash in January in an attempt to help West Brom break into the top 10 in the Premier League.

Finishing in the top half of the table was the vision Pulis bought into when he signed a contract extension a month ago.

September’s takeover by a Chinese investment group led by entrepreneur Guochuan Lai has changed the landscape somewhat and Pulis is eager to strengthen his squad with more signings.

“We have to bring that sort of quality in,” said Pulis.

“We’ve got to go away from where we’ve been before, when we sign five or six players and we’re taking chances with them.

“We’ve got a steady group at the moment but we’ve got to add quality, whether it’s one or whether it’s two. You’ve got to bring players in.”

Keane hungry for new challenge

Striker Robbie Keane remains “as hungry as ever” and insists he still has plenty of goals left in him as he seeks his final challenge.

The 36-year-old has just ended his contract with the LA Galaxy, where during a five-year-spell he became one of the most significant players in MLS.

“I still feel sharp – I look after myself well – and I’ve certainly got a lot of goals left in me. I still feel as hungry as ever,” he said.

“I am very open to what comes my way. I look forward to another challenge because I see me having a couple of good years left.

“I want to go somewhere I can have an impact and help the team or a different league grow.”

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