The German FA (DFB) want to be at the forefront of testing video replay technology if football’s rule makers give the go-head in March.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) have recommended trialling video replays next season to help referees with questionable goals, penalties, red cards and cases of mistaken identity.
DFB referees chief Herbert Fandel said the trials could include matches in the top two Bundesliga divisions.
Germany are world champions and the DFB boast seven million members and more than 25,000 registered clubs.
Basel’s Elneny seals Arsenal switch
Midfielder Mohamed Elneny has joined Arsenal from Swiss champions FC Basel and could make his debut against Stoke City on Sunday, Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has said.
With midfield trio Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Francis Coquelin out injured, the 23-year-old Egyptian is a welcome addition to Wenger’s squad and will provide some much-needed defensive cover.
“He has joined us and we will see if he can qualify for Sunday,” Wenger told the BBC after Wednesday’s 3-3 league draw with Liverpool at Anfield.
Elneny is eligible to play in the Champions League and cost Arsenal an initial £5 million ($7.2 million), according to reports in the British media.
Mihajlovic sees no end to speculation
Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic expects speculation over his future to continue for the rest of the season, he said after his side reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals to ease the pressure on him.
“It’s the third match in a row that my job has been on the line and it will be like that until the end of the season,” the Serb told reporters after Wednesday’s 2-1 win over fellow Serie A side Carpi.
“It’s not easy but I’ve overcome worse things in life. I’m just unhappy for the lads that there is this criticism and this jeering, because they don’t deserve it.”
Shaqiri ruled out with hamstring injury
Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri is likely to sit out Sunday’s Premier League encounter against table-toppers Arsenal with a hamstring injury, manager Mark Hughes said.
The Switzerland international missed Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over Norwich City, which helped the Potters to climb up the table to seventh place after 21 games.
“He may miss out on Sunday’s game. The likelihood is he will probably need at least 10 days possibly more and that’s a real shame,” Hughes told the club’s website.
Klopp defends erratic Mignolet
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp jumped to the defence of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet after the Belgium international’s scrappy performance allowed Arsenal to twice come back from a goal down in Wednesday’s 3-3 Premier League draw.
With the British media reporting that Mignolet is set to sign a new five-year contract, Klopp said the goalkeeper was not the only one to blame for the blunders.
“For the second goal he needs help from all the players,” Klopp told reporters after the game.
“On the second goal, on a perfect day he can make a save but there were a lot of mistakes before. We have to defend this better.”
Immobile set to rejoin Torino on loan
Italy striker Ciro Immobile is set to rejoin his former side Torino on loan, the Serie A club said yesterday.
Immobile has been on loan at Sevilla from his parent club Borussia Dortmund since July last year.
The 25-year-old was the leading scorer in Serie A in the 2013-14 season when he scored 22 goals. He joined Dortmund for a fee of €18 million but struggled to make an impact in the Bundesliga and he was loaned to Sevilla.
Torino, 14th in Serie A, said on their website that Immobile had undergone a medical and trained with the squad.
Demichelis: We can overhaul Gunners
Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis expects the title race to remain a tight contest to the end.
City are still third in the Premier League, three points behind leaders Arsenal, after being held to a goalless draw by Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Defender Demichelis feels the game was an opportunity missed – as Arsenal also drew at Liverpool on the same night – and hopes the ground can be made up quickly.
Demichelis said: “I think it was important Arsenal didn’t win and we are just three points behind the leaders.
“We must continue the fight until the end and we have a lot of games to recover three points, but we need as soon as possible to win.”