Serdar Tasci has admitted that joining Bayern Munich in January was a mistake.
The former Stuttgart defender was drafted in on loan from CSKA Moscow as the Bavarians faced a defensive shortage.
However, coach Pep Guardiola fielded him for less than an hour in the 3-1 win over Darmstadt on February 20 – his only appearance to date.
“I wouldn’t have come here if I’d known I wouldn’t be playing,” Tasci, who is hoping Stuttgart might give him a chance, said.
“Stuttgart’s always an option and I hope they stay in the Bundesliga,” added Tasci, who has 14 caps for Germany.
New name proposed for Torino stadium
The Stadio Olimpico, home of Serie A club Torino, could have a new name in the near future.
City mayor Piero Fassino yesterday said he is in favour of renaming the stadium after the great Torino team that won five league titles in a row.
Torino won five champion-ships in a row – interrupted by World War Two – but the squad was tragically killed in the 1949 Superga air disaster.
A petition in favour of Stadio Grande Torino has reached over 10,000 signatures.
Fassino said: “I’ve written to Torino president Urbano Cairo about the name change of the stadium. I see no reason why it can’t be done.”
Sigurdsson has sights on record
Gylfi Sigurdsson plans to become a Swansea record-breaker before the end of the season.
Sigurdsson’s strike in the 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Saturday was his 25th Premier League goal for Swansea, equalling the mark of the club’s former Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony.
It was Sigurdsson’s 11th goal of the season with the Icelandic playing a huge part in securing Swansea’s top-flight status.
“I had been told I was close (to Bony’s total) and that has driven me on a bit,” said Sigurdsson.
“It is a great achievement. Hopefully, I can get the next goal by the end of season.”
TV viewing rights
Germany’s federal cartel office has approved plans to stop any single buyer from winning all the live television rights for Bundes-liga matches for the four seasons starting in 2017.
The watchdog said it would be sufficient if the rights to show between 30 and 102 top-flight Bundesliga matches out of a total of 306 available were awarded to an alternative buyer.
“For us it is important that the rules ensure that more than one bidder wins the rights.
“As long as only one party holds the live rights there is a risk that innovation is limited,” said Andreas Mundt, the head of the competition watchdog.
Sarri tops poll for best Serie A coach
Napoli’s Maurizio Sarri is the coach of the year, voted for by leading journalists in Italy.
Sarri took over last year after leaving Empoli and succeeded in steering his team to challenge Juventus for the league title.
A statement by the contest organisers said: “Sarri was named best coach having led Napoli with personality and intelligence, giving a precise tactical identity and introducing a spectacular, winning and international game.
“Thanks to his methods and management Sarri has also contributed to the growth and en-hancement of Napoli’s squad.”
Sit-down protests over heat worries
Players in five Colombian first division games staged a sit-down protest on Sunday amid concerns that the league’s decision to switch matches to daytime to save on floodlights costs could put their health at risk.
Players in the cities of Bogota, Medellin, Barranquilla, Tulua and Tunja refused to kick off to protest at being made to play in searing afternoon heat.
The reports said a decision to allow for water breaks was not considered sufficient to allay their fears.
Last month, the league an-nounced the end of night games as a way to preserve energy as reservoirs run low in the South American nation.
Doomed Villa face huge challenge
Aston Villa will face a colossal task trying to return to the Premier League, caretaker manager Eric Black warned after Saturday’s 2-1 home loss to Bourne-mouth left the club on the verge of relegation.
The former European champions, who have sacked two managers and won only three league games this season, sit 15 points adrift of safety at the foot of the table with five games left.
“It is a big challenge for any club to go down. You’ve got that complete change of the expectation and pressure,” Black said.
Aston Villa, seven times English champions, could be relegated before they face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday if Norwich City avoid defeat at home to Sunderland in the day’s early fixture.