Giuseppe Rossi suffered more heartache as his club Celta Vigo announced yesterday that the striker would be out for up to seven months after suffering the fourth serious knee injury of his career.
Rossi, 30, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Celta’s 2-0 defeat at home to Eibar on Sunday, six days after scoring a hat-trick for the Galicians in a 3-0 win over Las Palmas.
The striker, who made his professional debut with Manchester United, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee twice in the 2011-12 season with Villarreal, and again in 2014 with Fiorentina.
Genoa fire coach Mandorlini
Genoa fired coach Andrea Mandorlini after just six games yesterday, the struggling Serie A side opting to rehire his predecessor Ivan Juric, who was sacked by the club in February.
Mandorlini was dismissed after his side lost their last four games without scoring. That run included a 5-0 home defeat to Atalanta on April 2, followed by a 3-0 loss at Udinese on Sunday that left them mired in 16th place in the 20-team table.
Juric was initially appointed in June after winning promotion from Serie B with modest Crotone last season but dismissed on Feb. 19 following a 5-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Pescara.
Han first N. Korean scorer in Serie A
Han Kwang Song became the first North Korean player to score in Italy’s Serie A league when the 18-year-old netted for Cagliari on Sunday.
Han, who came on as a substitute with 10 minutes left, scored in the fifth minute of added time as his side lost 3-2 at home to Torino.
“I’m so glad to get my first goal,” Han told local media after the match. “I’m doing well at Cagliari.”
The North Korean forward had made his debut as a late substitute in Cagliari’s 3-1 win at Palermo last week.
Liverpool to face Sydney FC in May
English Premier League club Liverpool will play Sydney FC in a friendly at the Harbour City’s 80,000-seater Olympic Stadium next month, with organisers expecting a sellout for the visit of the five-times European champions.
Liverpool estimate they have 2.3 million fans in Australia and a sell-out crowd of 95,000 watched them play Melbourne Victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2013 with a rousing rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” going viral on social media.
Sydney FC, who also host English club Arsenal in a friendly at the Olympic Stadium on July 13, said they expected Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp to bring a squad of first-team players for the game.
Zola’s job not under threat
Birmingham have denied their are planning to replace under-pressure boss Gianfranco Zola.
The Championship side insist the Italian has their full support following Saturday’s late 2-1 defeat to Derby.
Zola has lost 13 of his 22 games – winning just twice – since replacing Gary Rowett in December and Birmingham have slumped from seventh to 18th, six points above the bottom three.
“The club has not lined up any manager to replace Gianfranco, who has the continual full support of the Blues Board of Directors,” the club said.
You’re a star, Conte tells Hazard
Antonio Conte has revealed he guided Eden Hazard back to his best by telling the Belgium midfielder to both play and act like a superstar.
Hazard’s masterful finish helped Chelsea inch ever closer to the Premier League title with Saturday’s 3-1 win at Bournemouth.
“I am happy for Eden and he scored a good goal; he is doing a good job, good work during the game,” said Conte.
“He is a great player, a great talent and he must understand that he is a great player and never forget this.
“I think that every coach’s real function is not only to win but a good coach tries to improve the players and also tries to find the right way to work with them.”