Alexis Sanchez has reiterated his stance that he has no plans to leave Barcelona despite con-tinued interest from Italian clubs.
In the last few weeks, the Chile international has been heavily linked with a move to either Juventus or Inter come the end of the season. But the Barcelona striker insists that he is going nowhere.
“I am working every day to help the team,” he told reporters.
“I am very happy here. I have a contract until 2016 and I want to stay. The squad is so good here and everyone has been very welcoming.”
French Cup semi postponed
A French Cup semi-final originally scheduled for last night between Troyes and Bordeaux has been postponed due to the risk of flooding in the region.
Troyes is situated in the Aube department, one of three in the Champagne-Ardenne region in north-central France issued with a weather warning by the national meteorological service yesterday.
A rearranged date for the fixture has yet to be set.
The other semi-final between Evian Thonon Gaillard and Lorient is expected to go ahead as scheduled today.
Hoeness has Bayern backing
Bayern Munich’s honorary president Franz Beckenbauer has welcomed the club’s decision to turn down president Uli Hoeness’s offer to resign.
Hoeness recently made a self-denunciation to the German tax authorities that he had not declared taxes on an account he held in Switzerland.
He is currently being inves-tigated on suspicion of tax evasion and on Monday offered to resign from his position while the in-vestigation took its course.
“It says everything about Uli that the advisory board turned his offer down,” he said.
“It’s also an amazing show of faith for Uli. Now he can hope to get out of this tax affair as well as possible.”
Udinese boss ready to part with Muriel
Luis Muriel can leave Udinese if he is no longer happy, club owner Giampaolo Pozzo said.
Milan, Inter and Juventus have all been reportedly linked to the Colombian international and Pozzo admitted that he is ready to let him go for the right price.
“Muriel is young and I think he needs to get some more experience here in Udine,” Pozzo said.
“I do not want to talk about money, but €20m for a great striker is nothing. You have to remember that Edinson Cavani is priced at €60m.
“I do not put clauses in contracts but I don’t want to hold anyone against his will. If any of my players are unhappy they have the right to go.”
Saunders sacked by Wolves
Wolves sacked manager Dean Saunders yesterday following the club’s second successive relegation.
After dropping out of the Premier League last season, Wolves’ downward spiral continued this term and they were relegated to the third tier for the first time since 1989 after a 2-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday.
Former Wales international Saunders, hired in January in an attempt to revive the club’s fortunes, lasted 20 matches, managing to win five in that time.
Van Bronckhorst to quit reserves
Giovanni van Bronckhorst looks set to relinquish his reserve-team duties at Feyenoord next season in order to concentrate on his role as assistant to first-team head coach Ronald Koeman.
The 38-year-old former Netherlands midfielder, who retired after the 2009/10 campaign, has been part of the Rotterdam club’s backroom staff since summer 2011.
Koeman said: “Gio has indicated that he wants to stop with the reserve team. I get that.
“With the assistant post, working with the Feyenoord reserves and doing his pro-fessional coaching course, he has had a busy year.”
Left-back Riise quits Norway team
Fulham left-back John Arne Riise, Norway’s most-capped player, has called time on his international career at the age of 32.
“After a lot of thought I’ve decided not to continue with international football,” he said.
“I am going into the final stage of my career and I’m at an age where I have to take a clear decision if I want to achieve my final goal, to play another four or five years in Europe.”
The former Liverpool, Roma and Monaco defender has won a total of 110 caps since making his debut against Iceland in 2000.
Riise, a Champions League winner with Liverpool eight years ago, is in his second season with English Premier League club Fulham.