Malta U-21 wing back Myles Beerman will make his first-team debut for Rangers tonight when they travel to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premier.
Manager Pedro Caixinha, speaking in his pre-match press conference, confirmed that Beerman will be one of six changes to the team that drew against Motherwell last Saturday.
When asked about the injuries to his squad before the trip to Ayrshire, the manager said: “You just asked me about the defence but I give you everything.
“Wes (Foderingham), James (Tavernier) is back, David (Bates), Danny (Wilson) and Myles (Beerman), okay so you have the back four.
“Andy (Halliday) and Jason (Holt), Barrie (McKay), Emerson (Hyndman) and Martyn (Waghorn) and Joe Garner, so you have it all. That is our first eleven for tomorrow (today).”
Gabriel Jesus back in training
Gabriel Jesus has returned to training with Manchester City seven weeks after breaking a bone in his foot.
The Brazil striker underwent surgery after fracturing a metatarsal in City’s Premier League victory at Bournemouth in February.
Manager Pep Guardiola said last week Jesus – who turned 20 on Monday – was ready to resume some form of training and the club have now confirmed he has done some “light ball work”.
Jesus’ progress raises hopes he could return to action before the end of the season.
Coach arrested after 12-0 defeat
The Italian coach of Spanish third division club Eldense has been arrested in a corruption investigation over alleged match-fixing after his team’s 12-0 defeat to Barcelona’s B team, Spanish police sources said yesterday.
Coach Filippo Di Pierro joined the club in January, hired by the unnamed Italian investment group which managed its sporting and financial affairs until Sunday.
Defender Emmanuel Mendy said that the club’s assistant coach, Fran Ruiz, had spoken to him in the hotel before the game about the plot to fix it.
“He asked me if I was in and how much I wanted and if I wasn’t in then I wouldn’t play,” he said.
“Fran said this to me because the head coach doesn’t speak very good Spanish.”
Ivory Coast recruit French juniors
The Ivory Coast have persuaded two French junior internationals to switch allegiance and play for them, strengthening their squad for the resumption of World Cup qualifiers later in the year, the country’s football federation has said.
The Lyon striker Maxwel Cornet, 20, and Udinese midfielder Seko Fofana, 21, join former England international Wilfried Zaha as players who have been recruited by the Ivorian federation in recent months.
Cornet is Ivorian born while Fofana, who had a loan spell at Fulham, was born in Paris but his parents hail from the Ivory Coast.
Change in Europa League final date
The Europa League final will move to the end of the domestic football season calendar from 2019, taking place in the week leading up to the Champions League final.
Currently the Europa League final is held while some country’s campaigns are still ongoing, with this season’s showpiece taking place in Stockholm on May 24.
From 2019 onwards it will be later in the calender, on May 29.
UEFA confirmed the move following its Congress in Helsinki.
Balo to stay if money is right
Mario Balotelli will stay at Nice this summer if the Ligue 1 club can meet his financial demands, the Italy striker’s team-mate Yoan Cardinale has told RMC.
Balotelli, 26, signed a one-year deal with Nice last summer after he was deemed surplus to requirements at Liverpool but he has thrived, scoring 11 goals in 18 games to help Nice mount a shock title challenge.
“He tells me he would like to stay, that at Nice there are all the conditions for him to stay. He’s very happy here,” the Nice goalkeeper said.
“He knows it will be very difficult because in terms of salary but if the club is able to meet his demands, he’ll stay happily.”