Alte Campionate Externe

Former Hamburg striker Olic announces retirement

Former SV Hamburg and Croatia international Ivica Olic has announced he is to retire from football.

The veteran forward, who made over 100 appearances for his country and scored for Croatia at the 2002 and 2014 World Cups, hangs up his boots at the age of 37.

Olic began his career at Croatian club Marsonia before going on to win a trio of Russian Premier League titles and the 2005 UEFA Cup with CSKA Moscow.

He spent most of his career playing in the Bundesliga, though, and secured a move to Bayern in 2009 after starring for Hamburg.

At Bayern, Olic won a league and DFB Pokal double in his maiden campaign and was twice a runner-up in the Champions League.

Olic left Bayern for VfL Wolfsburg in 2012, while he also had a second spell with Hamburg before playing for 1860 Munchen - who were relegated to the third tier last season.

Balotelli signs new Nice contract

Mario Balotelli has signed a new contract to remain at Nice for the new Ligue 1 season, after he fired the club into the Champions League.

Balotelli hit 17 goals in 28 appearances last season as Nice finished third, with 15 of his strikes coming in the league.

The striker signed a 12-month deal last year after leaving Premier League club Liverpool and Nice hinted Balotelli has taken a pay cut to stay, although the length of his new contract is unconfirmed.

PSG extend Marquinhos contract

Marquinhos has signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain, committing his future to the Ligue 1 club to 2022.

The Brazilian defender had been linked with Manchester United, FC Barcelona and Serie A champions Juventus, but has instead agreed a new long-term deal with Unai Emery's men.

Reports suggested Jose Mourinho was willing to spend £60 million to bring Marquinhos to Old Trafford, but his future lies in Paris after penning fresh terms.

Marquinhos started 27 Ligue 1 matches for PSG last season as the club's 4-year dominance of Ligue 1 was ended in stunning fashion by Leonardo Jardim's free-scoring AS Monaco.

PSG have already extended the contracts of striker Edinson Cavani, and Marquinhos' fellow defenders Thiago Silva and Presnel Kimpembe as they prepare for the new Ligue 1 season.

Pizarro leaves Werder Bremen

Werder Bremen have confirmed that striker Claudio Pizarro will leave the club after they declined to extend his contract.

The Bundesliga club have opted against offering the 38-year-old a new one-year deal in order to allow younger talents the chance to progress into the first team, according to sporting director Frank Baumann.

The Peru international will be granted a farewell match to mark his service to the club.

Pizarro only managed one goal in 19 appearances last season after struggling with injury in the early weeks of the campaign.

The former Bayern Munchen forward has had 3 spells at Bremen and helped them to win the DFB Pokal and DFL Supercup in 2009.

Motta secures one-year PSG deal

Thiago Motta has signed a new one-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, the Ligue 1 club have announced.

The 34-year-old has agreed to a deal that will keep him at Parc des Princes for the 2017-2018 season.

Motta had been linked with a return to Serie A once his contract expired, with former club Genoa reportedly keen to offer him a deal.

However, the former FC Barcelona man is thrilled to continue his adventure with PSG.

Motta has won 4 Ligue 1 titles, 4 Coupes de la Ligue, 4 Trophees des Champions and 3 Coupes de France since joining from Inter Milano in 2012.

Casillas extends Porto stay



Iker Casillas has extended his stay at FC Porto for another season.

Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Casillas was out of contract with Porto, but announced his new deal on Thursday.

The 36-year-old has spent the last 2 seasons with Porto after leaving Real Madrid, where he played his whole professional career until 2015.

He initially signed a 2-year contract that contained the option for a third year, although the extra year was reportedly subject to negotiation over finances.

Casillas played 65 Primeira Liga games across the last two campaigns, in which Porto finished third and then second, with Benfica winning the title on each occasion.

Benfica have won the league for 4 consecutive seasons, with Casillas yet to win a trophy since his move.

Guerreiro out for up to 4 months

Borussia Dortmund defender Raphael Guerreiro has been ruled out for up to 4 months after having an operation on his foot.

The Portugal international suffered an injury to his ankle in his country's second match against Russia at the Confederations Cup, with head coach Fernando Santos later stating that he had suffered a fracture.

Guerreiro later claimed that the broken bone was an old issue and Portugal downgraded the injury to bruising, although he missed the remainder of the tournament.

However, Dortmund have confirmed that subsequent medical checks have identified "a clear break", meaning Guerreiro will be out of action until at least October.




http://www.footyheadlines.com/2017/0...away-kits.html

Glik commits to AS Monaco

Kamil Glik has signed a one-year contract extension at AS Monaco that commits him to the Ligue 1 champions until 2021.

Poland centre-back Glik joined Monaco from FC Torino 12 months ago and was a commanding presence at centre-back for Leonardo Jardim's side.

He made 53 appearances across all competitions, weighing in with 8 goals, to prompt links with Tottenham Hotspur.

But, following Bernardo Silva's move to Manchester City and ongoing speculation regarding the futures of Kylian Mbappe, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Thomas Lemar and Benjamin Mendy, Glik is one player who will be staying put.

AS Monaco face Paris Saint-Germain in the Trophee des Champions on 29 July before beginning their Ligue 1 defence the following Friday at home to Toulouse.




Daniel Alves has won 33 career trophies; the same amount that Paris Saint-Germain have won in their history.

Sidibe signs new AS Monaco contract

AS Monaco full-back Djibril Sidibe has signed a new 5-year contract with the Ligue 1 champions.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a standout campaign as Leonardo Jardim's side claimed the title, prompting speculation over a possible move in the transfer window.

FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur were among the clubs linked with a bid, but Sidibe has now committed his future to the Stade Louis II side.

The news will come as a relief to Monaco fans, who feared the break-up of their title-winning squad before next season.

Kagawa seals Dortmund extension

Shinji Kagawa has signed a 2-year contract extension at Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga club have confirmed.

Japan international Kagawa, in his second spell with Dortmund having rejoined from Manchester United in August 2014, was due to be out of contract at the end of the forthcoming season but is now committed to a stay at Signal Iduna Park until June 2020.

Over a combined 5 campaigns with BVB, Kagawa has won 2 Bundesliga titles and twice lifted the DFB Pokal.

Dortmund take on Klassiker rivals Bayern Munchen in the DFL Supercup on 5 August before a DFB Pokal tie at Rielasingen-Arlen.

They get their 2017-2018 Bundesliga campaign up and running away to VfL Wolfsburg on 19 August.




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Galatasaray terminate Sneijder contract

Wesley Sneijder has left Galatasaray after the last year of his contract with the Turkish club was cancelled by mutual consent.

Sneijder's agent Guido Albers hinted last month that the former Real Madrid and Inter Milano midfielder was keen to return to Serie A, with Sampdoria a possible option.

The 33-year-old has also been strongly linked with a move to Los Angeles FC, with the expansion team set to enter MLS in 2018.

Sneijder, who would become the first Designated Player at the club should he agree a move, was due to be paid €4,5 million during the 2017-2018 Turkish Super Lig season before agreeing to terminate his deal.

Galatasaray confirmed in a statement that should Sneijder sign with another Turkish team in the next 3 years, he will have to pay the club €20 million.

Sneijder won 2 league titles, 3 Turkish Cups and 3 Turkish Super Cups after joining the club from Inter in 2013.

He became Netherlands' most-capped player by making his 131st international appearance in a World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg last month, moving past goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar in the all-time standings.

Lahm named German Footballer of the Year

Former Bayern Munchen captain Philipp Lahm has been named the German Footballer of the Year for 2017.

Lahm retired in May after winning 8 Bundesliga titles, 6 DFB Pokal crowns, one Champions League and the 2014 World Cup in an extraordinarily distinguished career.

The defender's roll of honour includes being added to Bayern's Hall of Fame, while he was voted Footballer of the Year after leading the club to another league title last season.

German sport journalists voted Lahm the clear winner of the award, with Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos in second and Borussia Dortmund's 31-goal Bundesliga top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finishing third.

Lahm succeeds his Bayern colleague Jerome Boateng in taking his first German Footballer of the Year award, having previously finished second and third in the voting.

Julian Nagelsmann was awarded the German Manager of the Year prize after the 30-year-old led TSG Hoffenheim to Champions League qualification for the first time in the club's history.

Wolf signs on with promoted Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart head coach Hannes Wolf has signed a new 2-year deal after guiding the club back to the Bundesliga.

Former Borussia Dortmund youth coach guided Stuttgart to an immediate top flight return last season, winning the 2. Bundesliga by 2 points from Hannover.

Wolf's initial recompense was to have litres of beer poured on him by striker Daniel Ginczek at a post-season news conference, but club officials have now rewarded him in a more suitable manner.

Veltman seals Ajax extension

Ajax captain Joel Veltman has signed a 3-year contract extension with the Eredivisie giants.

The 25-year-old defender's previous deal in Amsterdam was due to expire next year but he is now set to remain with his boyhood club until June 2020.

Holland international Veltman has made 166 appearances for Ajax and won the Eredivisie title in 2013 and 2014.

His performances during Ajax's run to the Final of the Europa League last season were reported to have attracted the attentions of Tottenham Hotspur.

Fekir to lead Lyon into new Ligue 1 campaign



Olympique Lyon have named midfielder Nabil Fekir as their new captain.

The Ligue 1 side lost both skipper Maxime Gonalons and vice-captain Alexandre Lacazette to AS Roma and Arsenal respectively during the close season.

Fekir impressed alongside both those men as Bruno Genesio's side finished 4th in Ligue 1 and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last season, weighing in with 14 goals across all competitions.

Lyon open their 2017-2018 campaign against newly promoted RC Strasbourg on Saturday and Genesio feels the 24-year-old France international will grow into the role.

"I expect that he will invest more and become more responsible in the group", Genesio told a news conference.

"He has to take over. What I've seen for 6 weeks has given me satisfaction."

Payet sidelined with hamstring strain

Dimitri Payet is set for 2 weeks on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury, Olympique Marseille have confirmed.

The France midfielder was substituted during Sunday's opening 3-0 Ligue 1 win over Dijon at Stade Velodrome.

It means the 30-year-old former West Ham star is set to miss the forthcoming top flight matches against Nantes and Angers, along with the first leg of the Europa League play-offs tie against Domzale.




http://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2...e-highlights-4

Aubameyang hat-trick breaks Dortmund's record

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made light work of Rielasingen-Arlen in the DFB Pokal first round on Saturday as his hat-trick made him Borussia Dortmund's most prolific foreign goalscorer of all time.

The Gabon international had trailed Stephane Chapuisat's 123 goals for the club heading into the game, but Rielasingen's generous defending gave Aubameyang chance after chance to close the gap.

A first half penalty brought the 28-year-old's Dortmund tally to 122 and the record-equalling goal arrived with a typically devastating run and finish 10 minutes after the break.

Just as it was starting to look like the outright record might have to wait for another day, Aubameyang added a simple third to steal the matchball and Chapuisat's place in history.

Marvellous Monaco match Ligue 1 record

AS Monaco equalled the record for consecutive wins in Ligue 1 with their 4-1 victory away to Dijon on Sunday.

Radamel Falcao's hat-trick and a goal from Jemerson secured the champions' 14th win in a row in the French top flight.

The run matches that achieved by Girondins Bordeaux between March and August in 2009.

Leonardo Jardim's side join Olympique Lyon, Olympique Marseille and Saint-Etienne in winning their first 2 games of 2017-2018.




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James one of 6 Bayern stars out of Bundesliga opener

Bayern Munchen's mounting injury toll will leave Carlo Ancelotti without 6 of his biggest stars for Saturday's season-opener against Bayer Leverkusen, including new signing James Rodriguez.

The former Real Madrid playmaker remains sidelined with a thigh complaint while Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Thiago Alcantara, Juan Bernat and Javi Martinez have also been ruled out of the clash at the Allianz ArenA, with Arturo Vidal no certainty to start.

The absences add to Ancelotti's headache after an underwhelming pre-season in which the German champions lost to Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter, Liverpool and Napoli.

New signing Niklas Sule is again expected to replace Boateng in defence, while fellow close-season arrivals Corentin Tolisso and Sebastian Rudy could partner in midfield.