Germany midfielder Ilkay Guendogan has been ruled out of Euro 2016 after sustaining a serious knee injury in training with Borussia Dortmund.
The 25-year-old, who also missed the 2014 World Cup through injury and has been linked with a move to the English Premier League next season, injured his knee cap in training yesterday.
“Season end and Euro out. Guendogan dislocated his knee cap in training,” Dortmund said on Twitter.
Dortmund are five points behind leaders Bayern Munich with two matches left to play.
Leipzig hand job to Hasenhuttl
RB Leipzig have announced that current Ingolstadt coach Ralph Hasenhuttl will be taking over as their new coach next season ahead of a managerial merry-go-round in Germany.
In a further twist, Hasenhuttl’s replacement at Ingolstadt has been confirmed as current Karlsruher coach Markus Kauczinski by the Bundesliga club.
Hasenhuttl recently said he would not be accepting an offer to extend his contract in Ingolstadt beyond 2017.
Leipzig are currently second in the 2. Bundesliga and on course for promotion to the top flight with two games remaining.
Life bans for duo
Two leading former South American soccer officials were banned for life yesterday as the fallout continued from the graft scandal that has engulfed the sport.
The ethics committee of soccer’s ruling body said in a statement that Chilean FA president Sergio Jadue and former Colombian FA president Luis Bedoya had been found guilty of five offences under the federation’s code of ethics including bribery.
Bedoya is also a former member of FIFA’s executive committee and both men are former vice-presidents of the South American governing body CONMEBOL.
Zaha a doubt for the FA Cup final
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha will miss today’s Premier League clash against Stoke City with a muscular strain and is racing against time to be fit for the FA Cup final against Manchester United, manager Alan Pardew has said.
Palace are 16th in the Premier League table on 39 points and are looking to avoid a third consecutive league defeat when Stoke visit, while a win will ensure Pardew’s team are mathematically safe from relegation with a game to spare.
“Wilf still has a problem that will still keep him out for this weekend,” the manager said.
“Hopefully he’ll be okay for the final. Wilf’s a naturally fit guy. He actually did the injury before the semi-final.”
Arteta could join Man. City as a coach
Arsene Wenger admits it is possible Mikel Arteta could take up a coaching role at Manchester City when his Arsenal contract expires this summer.
The 34-year-old has played just 369 minutes in all competitions for the Gunners this season.
The former Rangers and Everton midfielder was in and around the Barcelona set-up when in-coming City boss Pep Guardiola was in the first-team and reports have suggested the two could be re-united in the Etihad Stadium dugout next season.
“It is possible,” Wenger said when asked if Arteta could depart for a coaching role at City.
“It is true that he is out of contract here and when his contract finishes it is a good opportunity for me to thank him for his contribution as a leader.”
Mahrez tells Foxes he wants to stay
Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez has given the Premier League champions a boost by telling the owners he wants to stay at the club next season.
Mahrez has played a key part in Leicester’s success but doubts about his future were sparked when his agent said it was “50-50” whether the winger would leave in the close season.
However, club vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, son of billionaire owner Vichai, said he has already been given reassurances by Mahrez.
Srivaddhanaprabha said: “Riyad Mahrez, I talked to him and said, ‘Are you concerned?’ He said ‘No, no, I want to stay’. This is what he wants... to stay.”
Mega riches
The winner of today’s Championship showdown between Middlesbrough and Brighton are guaranteed at least £170 million with their promotion to the Premier League, according to Deloitte.
That figure could grow by about 41 per cent if the promoted team avoids relegation in their first season in the top flight.
Teams will earn a minimum of £95 million for a year in the Premier League next term, thanks to the new bumper TV rights deal that is worth £5.14 billion over the next three seasons.
The remainder of the £170 million windfall will be made up of parachute payments over the next two seasons for teams that are relegated.