Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking said he is thinking positively, ahead of a daunting trip to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

The north-German club have been the picture of inconsistency this league season, alternating defeats with victories in their six matches so far; most recently beating Hoffenheim 2-1 at home.

Hecking is hoping they can break their trend at one of the toughest places to play in world football, although their most recent clash with Bayern ended 6-1 in the latter s favour in the DFP Pokal semi-finals in April.

I think every coach has to try to seem confident before a game in Munich against Bayern, Hecking said ahead of Saturday s fixture.

You have to believe you can play successful football.

But they are unbelievably dominant; in their …

Harry Kane s form could suffer if he is made England captain, former Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson has warned. 

The Tottenham star is one of the leading candidates to be named permanent successor to Wayne Rooney, who confirmed his retirement from international duty in August.

Kane, who captained his country against Scotland and France in June, has shared duties with Jordan Henderson and Gary Cahill this year and has expressed a desire to take the armband on a full-time basis.

But Hodgson, who managed England from 2012 to 2016, feels the 24-year-old should be left to focus on scoring goals – which he did 13 times for club and country in September – rather than the responsibility of leading Gareth Southgate s team.

An honour to meet a real legend and…

Sweden star Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes Sweden have Portugal s measure ahead of Tuesday s FIFA World Cup play-off second leg.

Erik Hamren s charges looked to be heading for a goalless draw in Friday s first leg in Lisbon, but were consigned to defeat in the 82nd minute as Cristiano Ronaldo stooped to head home Miguel Veloso s pin-point centre, to hand Portugal a slender 1-0 lead.

It means Sweden face an uphill battle to secure their place in Brazil, with a two-goal cushion required at the Friends Arena in Solna to guarantee their progression, although a 1-0 success would lead to extra time and possibly penalties.

The talk before the first encounter between the two sides was largely dominated by which Ballon d Or candidate, Ibrahimovic or Cristiano Ronaldo, would shine …

Alexander Kerzhakov has agreed a one-year contract extension to remain at Russian Premier League side Zenit for another season.

The club s all-time record goalscorer, with 161 goals in 368 matches, began his career with Zenit before moving to Sevilla and having a short spell at Dynamo Moscow.

Kerzhakov has been back at Zenit since 2010, although he had a loan spell at Zurich last season, and has fallen down the club s pecking order in recent years.

A lack of game-time and loss of form meant the 33-year-old was left out of Russia s squad for Euro 2016 despite being the country s record goalscorer.

Zenit kick off their Russian Premier League campaign against Lokomotiv Moscow on July 30 and the club will be in Europa League action this season.

…

Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri said his team-mates will be doing everything they can to send coach Ottmar Hitzfeld out on a high.

Hitzfeld will retire from football at the conclusion of the ongoing FIFA World Cup finals, in which Switzerland won their first game on Sunday.

Haris Seferovic s 93rd-minute strike gave Switzerland a thrilling 2-1 triumph against Ecuador to gain momentum ahead of a Group E clash against France on Friday.

Shaqiri could have a big say in his country s prospects of progressing to the last 16 and the Bayern Munich star said his team want to make Hitzfeld proud.

Technically, we ve improved a lot, Shaqiri told the Bundesliga s official website on Monday.

(High expectations) are an honour, but also a burden. But it s pressure I …

Milan are set to be boosted by the return of Gianluigi Donnarumma after the goalkeeper tested negative for coronavirus.

Donnarumma, 21, missed a Serie A draw against Roma and Thursday s Europa League victory over Sparta Prague after contracting COVID-19.

The goalkeeper, though, could return as soon as Sunday s trip to Udinese after Milan confirmed the Italy international had tested negative.

Milan also announced Jens Petter Hauge and Matteo Gabbia had tested negative, though the latter will undergo further screening on Sunday.

Gianluigi Donnarumma and Jens Petter Hauge, who had been asymptomatic, have tested negative following further testing, a Milan statement read on Friday.

Official Statement: Donnarumma, Gabbia and Hauge
Comunicato Uffici…

Philippe Coutinho scored his first goal for Barcelona as they secured a 2-0 win over Valencia on Thursday and a 3-0 aggregate victory in their Copa del Rey semi-final.

The Brazil international, a €160million signing from Liverpool last month, came off the bench to break the deadlock before Ivan Rakitic sealed the win and kept the Catalans hopes of a treble alive.

Coutinho was perhaps surprisingly left out of the starting line-up in favour of Andre Gomes at Mestalla as head coach Ernesto Valverde named a strong side that included Gerard Pique, who recovered in time from a knee problem.

Valencia had lost their last three matches in a row but looked the more dangerous in the first half, with Rodrigo Moreno powering their best chance off the underside of the crossb…

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri says the team s defeat to Inter has given him cause for concern ahead of Sunday s Serie A clash with AC Milan.

Seven wins from their opening eight games of the league campaign has given the champions an early five-point lead at the top of the table, with their sole defeat coming in a 2-1 loss to Frank de Boer s side at San Siro last month.

While Inter have struggled to replicate that display since, city rivals Milan have enjoyed a five-match unbeaten run to take them level on points with second-placed Roma ahead of their meeting with Juve.

And Allegri, who guided Milan to their last Serie A title in 2011, admits to being wary of Vincenzo Montella s in-form side.

I have to congratulate Milan, because they re having a gr…

Chelsea can press on with their January plans after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) halved their transfer ban on Friday.

The Blues were barred by FIFA from registering new players for two successive windows in February, having been found guilty of breaching rules relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18.

However, CAS has reduced that ban to one window, which the Blues have already served, giving Frank Lampard the green light to make fresh acquisitions next month.

We take a look at who could be arriving at Stamford Bridge during the mid-season market.

BEN CHILWELL

Left-back would seem the obvious place to start for Lampard.

Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Emerson Palmieri…

Uzbekistan coach Hector Cuper insists potential opponents in the last 16 of the 2019 Asian Cup will not cloud his focus in their final Group F game against Japan on Thursday.

A 2-1 triumph over Oman was followed by a 4-0 hammering of Turkmenistan to secure a safe passage to the knockout stages for Cuper s side.

Japan themselves have six points from six, meaning the contest at the Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium will determine who finishes top of the group.

Winning the group would mean a clash with the runners-up of Group E, while finishing second means a daunting task against defending champions Australia.

Cuper, though, insists that he is not looking beyond Japan and any changes he makes will be made to help the team win the game.

The most important …