Hertha Berlin have sacked head coach Bruno Labbadia and general manager Michael Preetz following a poor run of form.
Saturday s 4-1 home loss to fellow strugglers Werder Bremen proved to be the final game in charge for Labbadia, who was only appointed nine months ago.
Labbadia guided Hertha from 13th to 10th upon taking over from Jurgen Klinsmann last season but the Old Lady have failed to push on this term.
They have lost three of their previous four games and have won just four of their 18 league matches all season.
With the capital club only two points above the relegation play-off spot having played a game more than 16th-place Cologne, the board has now taken action.
Hertha confirmed the news on their official website on Sunday, with chairman…
Hakim Ziyech says Morocco found it easier to face Belgium than Croatia after they moved top of World Cup Group F with a 2-0 win over the Red Devils.
Belgium were favourites to secure what would have been a record ninth consecutive victory in a World Cup group game at Al Thumama Stadium on Sunday.
Morocco were worthy winners, though, following up a goalless draw with Croatia by taking all three points in Doha.
Romain Saiss got on the end of Abdelhamid Sabiri s set-piece to open the scoring and Zakaria Aboukhlal sealed a famous victory for the Atlas Lions in stoppage time.
Ziyech was named man of the match after having a first-half goal disallowed for offside and providing an assist for Aboukhlal in the closing stages.
The Chelsea winger said: The f…
Leicester City s Premier League clash against Tottenham has become the latest Premier League fixture to be postponed due to coronavirus outbreaks.
Spurs had already seen their past two matches against Rennes in the Conference League, and Brighton and Hove Albion in the top flight curtailed due to not having enough players available due to the number of positive COVID-19 tests in their squad.
However, the Foxes have also been affected by a spate of infections in their camp, with a further number of positive tests on Thursday leading to the match being called off and Leicester closing first-team operations for 48 hours.
A club statement read: Leicester City can confirm that the Premier League Board has decided to postpone Thursday night’s fixture against Tottenh…
Chelsea made the perfect start to the festive period with a stunning 8-0 home win over Aston Villa to move into the Premier League top four.
Fernando Torres gave Rafael Benitez s men a flying start with a sharp third-minute header before a David Luiz free-kick and Branislav Ivanovic header made sure the points were safe before half-time.
Two goals from Ramirez and strikes from Frank Lampard, Oscar and Eden Hazard completed the emphatic display after the break as the Blues matched their best ever Premier League result to move up to third in the table.
While this Christmas present may have been gift-wrapped by Villa, Chelsea were enthralling in their attacking movement and deadly finishing. It could have been even more had Lucas Piazon not been denied from the spo…
Anzhi Makhachkala coach Guus Hiddink has revealed his interest in returning to the Premier League.
The 66-year-old, who had a brief stint as Chelsea manager in 2008-09, has been rumoured to be on Roman Abramovich s shortlist to succeed the outgoing Rafa Benitez at Stamford Bridge in the close season.
Hiddink, who takes his free-spending Anzhi to Newcastle on Thursday to fight for a place in the last eight of the Europa League, says that he is open-minded about a permanent return to English soil.
I don t know because I m not the youngest anymore, although I feel still very energetic and I love to be on the pitch almost every day with the guys, Hiddink told reporters.
There is energy left, but I never can predict my future because a big part of the future…
As the new head coach of Barcelona, Ernesto Valverde becomes the latest man to tackle a challenge like no other in world football.
Luis Enrique s reign was gloriously laden with trophies but Barca s weekend triumph over Alaves in the final of the Copa del Rey was the only silverware to emerge from 2016-17.
Real Madrid are top dogs in Spain once more and restoring the Catalans recent dominance of LaLiga will be the minimum expected of Valverde, who will find the respected coaching talents he honed at Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol, Olympiacos, Villarreal and Valencia put under the harshest scrutiny.
A keen photographer away from football, the 53-year-old must work with sharp focus and avoid too many negatives when taking his shot at greatness.
Mana…
Brighton and Hove Albion edged closer to securing promotion as they leapfrogged Newcastle United to move top of the Championship with a 3-1 win over Birmingham City.
Yann Kermorgant followed up his stunning strike against Leeds United with a brace against relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers as Reading moved clear of fellow promotion hopefuls Leeds and Huddersfield Town.
David Nugent enjoyed a mixed outing at Pride Park as Fulham slumped to a 4-2 defeat to a resurgent Derby County, while Preston North End recorded a 5-0 victory over lowly Bristol City.
Sheffield Wednesday moved into the top six thanks to a 2-0 win at already-relegated Rotherham United.
TABLE: ! go third; sixth.
At the other end, no change the bottom five all lost.
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Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori has completed his loan move to Milan, the Premier League club have confirmed.
Tomori will spend the rest of this season with the Serie A leaders after finding first-team opportunities limited under Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge.
Milan have an option to make the deal permanent, with the transfer fee in question although not disclosed by either club reported to be in the region of £25million.
The 23-year-old made his first-team breakthrough at Chelsea last season, having impressed on loan at Derby County throughout 2018-19, when Lampard was in charge of the Championship club.
An England debut against Kosovo in November 2019 followed and, although his rapid rise has since been checked, the Chelsea head coach believes Tom…
Chapecoense plane crash survivor Neto has announced his retirement from football.
Neto decided to hang up his boots due to the injuries sustained when the aircraft carrying the Chapecoense squad, management and a number of journalists to Medellin for the first leg of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana final crashed, killing 71 people on board.
The 34-year-old defender had been hoping to follow in the footsteps of Alan Ruschel – who along with goalkeeper Jakson Follman were the only other players to survive – by returning to the professional game.
However, after spending two years trying to work his way back, Neto agreed with Chapecoense doctors to call time on his career.
I m stopping. It is aligned with the doctors and the club, Neto told Globo Esporte.
…
Frank de Boer claimed a much-needed victory as his Netherlands team defeated Latvia 2-0 in World Cup qualifying.
Requiring a strong response following a 4-2 defeat to Turkey in their Group G opener, Netherlands turned in a much-improved display on Saturday.
With Steven Berghuis first international strike, a brilliant shot from 20 yards out, having put them ahead, the Netherlands ensured victory thanks to Luuk de Jong s 69th-minute header.
The win relieves some of the mounting pressure on De Boer – taking charge of a Netherlands match in front of fans for the first time – lifting his side up to third.
Buoyed by a vociferous socially distanced crowd at Johan Cruijff ArenA, the Netherlands would have taken a sixth-minute lead through Davy Klaassen if …