Wayne Rooney backs Declan Rice to be ‘leader’ for Arsenal

England great Wayne Rooney believes Declan Rice will prove a “huge player” and key leader for title-chasing Arsenal.

The 24-year-old midfielder completed his £105million switch from West Ham to the Emirates Stadium at the weekend, signing a long-term deal with the north London club.

Rice immediately jetted off with his new team-mates to Washington DC, where Arsenal kick-off their US pre-season tour against the Major League Soccer All-Stars.

DC United boss Rooney is managing the hosts and believes Mikel Arteta’s men have secured a vital figure as they look to win the Premier League.

Declan Rice x The Arsenal

— Arsenal (@Arsenal)

“I think could be the one who could… well, he has to be the leader now, really, I think of that Ar…

Juve canter to title success as Allegri wins over doubters

It is a season that started in protest and has ended in celebration. Juventus fourth successive Serie A title proved if anyone doubted them that this team is one of the very best Italian football has seen.

While the dominance of giants Milan and Inter fades as each year passes, Juve have not let up.

But it could have been so different.

Juve fans were rocked last July when, with a year still to run his contract, head coach Antonio Conte surprisingly stepped down to take charge of Italy.

Few could blame Conte, given the hat-trick of titles he steered Juve to, or the crop of superstars he left to the club s new manager.

Speculation raged over Conte s replacement, but the arrival of Massimiliano Allegri, sacked by Milan earlier that year, was a genuin…

Spanish federation to rule on final venue

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) will have to decide where this year s Copa del Rey final will be played.

The finalists, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, failed to agree on a venue after officials from the two clubs met at Las Rozas on Friday.

The issue has been a major concern after Real Madrid declared that the Santiago Bernabeu was not an option for the tournament decider.

However, Barca and Bilbao remain at loggerheads over not only the venue, but also the date of the game, according to AS.

The Catalans want the final staged on May 25 at the Vicente Calderon in Madrid, while their Basque rivals are pushing for Seville decider five days earlier.

As a result of the standoff, the RFEF will now decide the venue when its board of directors mee…

´Extraordinary´ Hasenhuttl perfect for Bayern Munich – Sammer

RB Leipzig head coach Ralph Hasenhuttl is extraordinary and has everything he needs to be capable of coaching Bayern Munich, according to the Bundesliga champions former sporting director Matthias Sammer.

Hasenhuttl has emerged as one of Germany s most promising managers in recent years, initially impressing with Ingolstadt before taking over at Leipzig.

The former Austria international guided Ingolstadt into the Bundesliga for the first time with promotion in 2014-15, before keeping the club in the top flight by finishing 11th.

He opted not to renew and headed to promoted Leipzig in July 2016, presiding over a remarkable campaign which saw them finish second only to Bayern and secure Champions League football.

Even with the extra complication of European…

Low: Everyone wants to beat Germany

Germany coach Joachim Low warned his team they would be the hunted at the 2018 World Cup, while he highlighted the improvement of other nations.

Low led Germany to success in Brazil in 2014 – their fourth world title – and their maiden Confederations Cup crown earlier this year.

While the 57-year-old expects a far greater test in Russia next year, he is eager for his team to reach the decider.

Of course that s our wish and our goal [to reach the World Cup final]. We are the defending world champions, we have won the Confederations Cup, our goal can only be to stay on top, but that ll be difficult, Low said Tuesday. 

We ve won it all lately and everybody wants to beat us.

We will probably have stronger competition than in Brazil, where we w…

A-League: Champions City throw two-goal lead away to draw, Sydney lose at home

A-League champions Melbourne City threw a two-goal lead away to draw 2-2 away at Adelaide United in their second game of the season.

City kicked their title defence off with a 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar in their opening match and looked set to make it two wins from two after goals from Jamie Maclaren and Andrew Nabbout gave them a 2-0 advantage after 61 minutes.

However, Adelaide struck twice in the closing stages, with Stefan Mauk halving the deficit before Ben Halloran grabbed a dramatic 90th-minute equaliser to stun City.

Points shared in Adelaide. | |

— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity)

Elsewhere on Saturday, Sydney, who finished just two points behind City in second last season, slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Macarthur at home after …

Union Berlin 1-1 Bayern Munich: Lewandowski leveller rescues champions

Robert Lewandowski s strike sent Bayern Munich back to the top of the Bundesliga but the European champions had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Union Berlin.

Grischa Promel s early header put Union in front at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei on Saturday, but they were unable to consign Bayern to what would have been a first defeat in 17 matches.

Lewandowski s 16th goal in as many games this season brought Hansi Flick s side level and neither team could force a winner in a pulsating contest.

The defending champions have now drawn three of their past four Bundesliga games but sit at the summit above RB Leipzig on goal difference.

Just a point

1-1

— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN)

Union stunned Bayern by taking the lead inside fo…

Japan 2 England 1: Late own goal breaks English hearts

An own goal in second-half stoppage time from Laura Bassett broke English hearts as reigning champions Japan advanced to the Women s World Cup final.

Having had the better of the chances in the second half, England could not reach their maiden World Cup final, as Bassett s desperate attempt to intercept a cross from the right saw her lob her own goalkeeper and put the ball in off the crossbar handing Japan a 2-1 victory.

England s players were distraught after the final whistle, with coach Mark Sampson seen consoling Bassett.

For Japan, the win means they will meet United States in the final on Sunday in a replay of the 2011 decider, which the Japanese won on penalties.

Japan started the match in a more spritely fashion but needed a somewhat dubious penal…

Ribery delighted to break goal drought

Franck Ribery revealed that his France team-mates had teased him about his three-year goal drought before Sunday s friendly win over Iceland.

The Bayern Munich winger had not scored since the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at the Saint Denis on April 1, 2009, but he chipped home after a lovely one-two with Olivier Giroud to level the game in Valenciennes, before Adil Rami won the match 3-2 for Les Bleus.

After long being accused of failing to reproduce his club form at international level, Ribery was relieved to have finally found the back of the net for his country.

This goal is good for me, he said.

Before going on the field, Karim (Benzema), Samir (Nasri) and Hatem (Ben Arfa), they teased me.

So, I am very satisfied for myself …

Lloris seeking positive response to Champions League stumble

Hugo Lloris has called on Tottenham to respond with positivity after their Champions League defeat to Monaco in midweek.

Spurs were beaten 2-1 at Wembley on Wednesday, marking their first loss of the season after going unbeaten through the first four games of the new Premier League campaign.

Mauricio Pochettino s men take on Sunderland on Sunday, and goalkeeper and captain Lloris has stressed the importance of bouncing back from the Group E reverse against Monaco immediately.

We used to say that a big team doesn t lose twice in a row and we are a big team. That is important and it is important to bounce back, Lloris said.

We know we have great potential. It is a good opportunity to play Champions League and show in Europe Tottenham are growing up and…