EMINENT news and sports

Aston Villa have appointed Dean Smith as their new head coach, with former England and Chelsea captain John Terry as his assistant. Smith – a lifelong Villa supporter – joins from Championship rivals Brentford and replaces Steve Bruce, who was dismissed on October 3 after a run of one win in nine games left them in the bottom half of the table. Terry, who announced his retirement from playing on Sunday, spent last season with Villa, who have also announced Jesus Garcia Pitarch as their new sporting director. Pitarch has previously been director of football at Valencia and Atletico Madrid in his native Spain. Villa's CEO Christian Purslow said: "These three appointments represent the start of a new era and direction at Aston Villa and we are delighted to secure their services after an extensive search. "Dean has a clear and successful coaching philosophy as well as a real understanding of Aston Villa. He is also knowledgeable about the Championship. We

The Germany winger is not letting the disappointment of missing out on a World Cup - or comments from the Real Madrid star - get to him Leroy Sane feels motivated by missing out on Germany's World Cup squad and the criticism levelled at him by compatriot Toni Kroos. Sane, 22, enjoyed a fine campaign last season with Manchester City, impressing so much that he won the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year award. Despite his age, he established himself as a key player in Pep Guardiola's title-winning side and, to a neutral, looked an obvious selection for Germany's squad. But a history of poor performances on the international stage caught up with him, resulting in Joachim Low overlooking Sane for Russia 2018. Kroos then questioned Sane's attitude and suggested the City winger does not care if Germany win or lose after he returned to the fold in September. The Real Madrid midfielder said Sane "needs people who tell him what

A Dutch defender at Anfield is considered to be one of the world's finest, but Jamie Carragher feels silverware is required to be the very best Virgil van Dijk is “right in the top group” when it comes to the world’s best defenders, says Jamie Carragher, but the Liverpool star has been told he needs trophies in order to overtake the likes of Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos. The arrival of a £75 million ($99m) addition at Anfield in January is considered to have helped turn Jurgen Klopp’s side into serious contenders for major silverware. Liverpool reached the Champions League final last season, before coming unstuck against Madrid, while a Premier League title challenge is being pieced together on the back of an unbeaten start in 2018-19. Van Dijk has played a key role in making the Reds competitive, but the Netherlands international is still lacking the silverware which marks serial winner Ramos and his World Cup-winning club colleague Raphael Varane out as the very bes

The former Red Devils striker believes an inconsistent side is improving at Old Trafford, but insists an under-fire boss remains the right choice Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes Jose Mourinho can deliver a Premier League title for Manchester United, but has warned the Portuguese cannot “do miracles” with an underperforming side. The man at the Old Trafford helm has seen his future called into question on a regular basis this season, with it suggested that he has lost the trust of his players and the ability to deliver results. Having committed to a new contract back in January, there has been no indication that Mourinho will walk away from his post. Ibrahimovic believes that is the right stance, with a proven winner being let down by those around him as United seek to force their way back into contention for top prizes. The former Red Devils striker told  The Mirror : “I think he has the ability to win [the Premier League]. “I think he is the right coach for that club, for th

The Spanish giants made an offer to sign the French defender, but he was not willing to make the jump Lucas Hernandez said he turned down the chance to leave Atletico for city rivals and La Liga giants Real Madrid. The France defender's younger brother Theo is already on Madrid's books, having joined from Atletico in 2017. Deals between the Madrid clubs are unusual but Theo's move was more palatable as he had never played for Atletico's first team. Lucas, though, said he could not bring himself to follow his sibling to the Santiago Bernabeu, although the 22-year-old would not rule out leaving Atleti in the future. "I didn't pay too much attention [to the offer]," Lucas said to  RMC Sport  . "I was 100 per cent focused on my club, where I had recently signed a new contract. "My agent told me about it. When he said there was an opportunity to go to Real Madrid, I told him I couldn't do that. "Atletico are my club, a team wh

Manchester United have four points from two Champions League games, but their display in a stalemate against Valencia was far from positive. Manchester United have now gone four games without a win in all competitions following Tuesday's 0-0 Champions League draw with Valencia at Old Trafford. Fresh from a humbling week in which they exited the EFL Cup to Derby County and lost 3-1 to West Ham in the Premier League, Jose Mourinho's side produced another lifeless display in their second continental game of the season. A total of just five shots on target being mustered between the two sides over the whole match underlined the lack of attacking quality, with United again unable to get the best out of Alexis Sanchez, restored to the starting line-up after being dropped at the weekend. The result means the Red Devils are second in Group H, two points behind Juventus and three above third-place Valencia, but the manner of the display will do little to ease the pressure on t

Junior Moraes' brace was not enough for Shakhtar Donetsk as they were forced to settle for a dramatic draw with Lyon in France. Lyon scored twice inside two second-half minutes to salvage a late 2-2 home draw with Shakhtar Donetsk and stay top of Group F in the Champions League. Memphis Depay's second-half introduction sparked a remarkable fightback that saw Moussa Dembele and Leo Dubois net 119 seconds apart at an empty Groupama Stadium on Tuesday. Lyon, shock 2-1 winners at Manchester City a fortnight ago, were forced to play this match beyond closed doors as punishment for crowd disturbances during last season's Europa League, and the eerie atmosphere initially played into Shakhtar's hands. Junior Moraes struck a double either side of half-time to put the visitors within reach of a second Champions League away victory in 10 attempts but, despite their earlier dominance, Dembele and Dubois' rescue act ultimately left them clinging onto a second consecuti

Justin Kluivert scored his first goal for Roma while Edin Dzeko hit a hat-trick and Cengiz Under netted in a 5-0 win over Viktoria Plzen. Edin Dzeko took his goal tally against Viktoria Plzen to eight in five games with a second consecutive hat-trick against the Czech champions as Roma got their Champions League campaign back on track with a 5-0 win. After slipping to a 3-0 reverse against Real Madrid in their Group G opener, Eusebio Di Francesco's side took charge against Plzen who gave Dzeko the kind of space he has been craving all season as he netted two first-half goals. The Bosnian striker scored a hat-trick against Plzen in the Europa League in 2016-17 and history repeated itself, but not before he provided a key contribution towards Roma's third, which was scored by Cengiz Under. Justin Kluivert scored his first goal for the club, stroking the ball home after Under's effort was saved, before Dzeko rose to head home a corner in the dying moments of an excel

With the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo sitting in the stands, Paulo Dybala scored all three goals for Juventus against Young Boys. Paulo Dybala stepped up in the absence of the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League as his hat-trick helped Juventus coast to a 3-0 win over 10-man Young Boys. With Ronaldo watching on at the Allianz Stadium as he served out a one-game ban following his red card against Valencia, Dybala was the star turn in helping the Serie A champions make it two wins from two in Group H. His first goal was the pick of the bunch, a wonderfully timed volley from Leonardo Bonucci long pass as the centre-back's inch-perfect delivery dropped over the head of Mohamed Ali Camara, allowing his team-mate to steer the ball in with his left foot. The second was more about attacking instincts than technical ability, the forward tapping home the rebound after Young Boys goalkeeper David Von Ballmoos failed to steer Blaise Matuidi's powerful drive from th

After losing their first Group F match, Manchester City got off the mark at the second attempt in this season's Champions League. Manchester City recovered from an abysmal start to end a run of four consecutive Champions League defeats with a 2-1 victory at Hoffenheim. Pep Guardiola's side, who suffered a 2-1 loss at home to Lyon in their Group F opener, fell behind inside 44 seconds on Tuesday.  But the Premier League champions bounced back to end the longest losing streak of an English side in the competition's history.  City, who were beaten in their last-16 second-leg clash with Basel before losing twice to Liverpool in the quarter-finals last season, quickly levelled through Sergio Aguero. And the turnaround was completed late on courtesy of David Silva's opportunistic strike just three minutes from time.

Nikola Vlasic struck after 65 seconds at the Luzhniki Stadium to give CSKA Moscow a famous win against Champions League holders Real Madrid. Real Madrid's poor form continued as the Champions League holders, shorn of star names, fell to a 1-0 loss away to an organised CSKA Moscow side in Group G. Nikola Vlasic, on loan from Everton, gave CSKA a second-minute lead at the Luzhniki Stadium, profiting from diabolical defending to rifle home from the edge of the Madrid penalty area. Casemiro and Karim Benzema both hit the woodwork before half-time in Tuesday's tie, with coach Julen Lopetegui turning to Luka Modric and Mariano Diaz - who headed against the post late on - from the bench. But with key men including Isco and Gareth Bale absent due to injury and captain Sergio Ramos rested, Madrid fell to defeat at the Luzhniki Stadium and have now failed to score in three consecutive matches, with CSKA celebrating a famous win despite Igor Akinfeev's 96th-minute red card.

Bayern Munch were second best to Ajax for long periods and will consider themselves lucky to escape with a point after a poor display. Bayern Munich's recent struggles continued as Ajax held them to a 1-1 draw in their Champions League Group E clash on Tuesday. After winning their opening seven games of the season under new coach Niko Kovac, the Bundesliga champions had picked up just one point in their last two games against Augsburg and Hertha Berlin before the Dutch side's visit to the Allianz Arena.  They looked like they would get back on track when Mats Hummels' fourth-minute header put them ahead, but Erik ten Hag's youthful side bounced back in style, levelling midway through the half thanks to Noussair Mazraoui's fine strike. Substitute James Rodriguez came closest to finding an undeserved winner for Bayern in the second period, while Donny van de Beek will be left to rue a golden opportunity 20 minutes from time for Ajax when he fired wide with o

Alfa Semedo marked his Champions League debut with a superb strike as 10-man Benfica overcame AEK Athens 3-2 in Group E. Benfica ended their Champions League hoodoo as Alfa Semedo scored a stunning goal to secure a 3-2 victory at AEK Athens in Group E. Viktor Klonaridis' second-half double looked to have clinched a share of the spoils for AEK, who had taken full advantage of Ruben Dias' red card late in the first half. Yet Benfica, who were 2-0 up by the 15th minute thanks to Haris Seferovic and Alex Grimaldo, rallied through substitute Semedo's solo effort on his debut in the Champions League proper. The victory ends Benfica's eight-match losing streak in the competition, getting them off the mark in a tightly-contested Group E. Benfica were ahead inside six minutes, Seferovic reacting sharply to tuck home on the rebound after Vasilios Barkas parried Gedson Fernandes' strike. AEK were carved open again not long after, Grimaldo making no mistake with a