Sami Khedira has been impressed by Leon Goretzka desire to fight for his place in the Bayern Munich team after being linked with a move away.

Khedira hails Goretzka after getting back into Kompany plansEx-midfielder impressed with his mentalitySays he has 'worked like a mad man' Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Former German international Khedira sung praises of Goretzka and hailed him for fighting his way back into the plans of head coach Kompany. The attacking midfielder started in the DFL-Supercup final against Stuttgart on Saturday, which Bayern won 2-1, and played 92 minutes before being subbed off in stoppage time. Khedira was in awe of the 30-year-old's performance, emphasising on his impact in the win and sheer resilience amid rumours that he was surplus to demands at the Allianz Arena.

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With the rise of Aleksandar Pavlovic, Goretzka saw his role at Bayern significantly reduced during the 2024–25 season. His campaign got off to a rocky start, as Kompany made a bold statement by leaving him out of the squad entirely for the Bundesliga opener in August 2024. However, Goretzka remained determined and continued to work hard behind the scenes. His perseverance eventually paid off, as he managed to win over Kompany and earn the manager’s trust over time. Despite the club’s desire to move him on, Kompany increasingly relied on the German international throughout the season. Goretzka went on to make 22 starts across the Bundesliga and the Champions League, and was relied upon during the Club World Cup, too. 

WHAT SAMI KHEDIRA SAID

Speaking to , Khedira said: "Outstanding. It shows strength, maturity, but also extreme mentality and clarity of mind."

He also spoke about how the former Schalke midfielder did not make a fuss about his situation at Bayern and instead focused on getting better, saying: "Publicly, he has completely kept his mouth shut. Internally, from what we hear, he has been working like a madman, and he is highly respected within the team… Through his behaviour, he has also sent a signal to national coach Julian Nagelsmann."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LEON GORETZKA?

There haven't been any rumours or suggestions that Goretzka could be offered a new deal. The player has already entered the final year of his contract with Die Roten and Bayern's willingness to offload him has been quite clear since last summer. However, if he can consistently deliver at high levels, Goretzka could well be given the opportunity to prolong his career at the Allianz Arena.

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O atacante Guilherme, do Grêmio, está verbalmente acertado para se transferir para o Fortaleza. O acordo será pelo empréstimo até o fim da temporada. A informação, publicada pelo ‘Esportes O Povo’, foi confirmada pelo Futebol Latino/LANCE!

Segundo a apuração, o jogador deve chegar nesta quarta-feira (8) a capital do estado cearense para seguir os protocolos pré-anúncio, como a realização de exames médicos e a assinatura contratual.

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>Confira as movimentações do mercado da bola no LANCE!

Após retornar com altas expectativas ao clube gaúcho, onde foi revelado, a segunda passagem de Guilherme pelo Imortal foi discreta. Foram 20 partidas, com apenas um gol e duas assistências. Em 2023 foram dois jogos (77 minutos, mais precisamente), onde não balançou as redes.

Em relação a sua chegada ao Fortaleza, o nome pode ser considerado como uma peça de reposição a Moisés, que se contundiu no duelo do Cearense contra o Iguatu, em 14 de janeiro. Por conta da lesão no pé direito, ele pode ficar até três meses fora de combate.

Tottenham have confirmed that Cristian Romero has signed a new long-term deal with the club despite being linked with a summer transfer.

• Romero linked with Tottenham exit
• Frank makes him Spurs captain
• Pens new deal after Atletico links

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham announced that Romero had extended his stay with the Premier League side on Monday, with The Athletic claiming he has penned a four-year deal until 2029. The Argentine had two years left on his deal but now he has signed a new and improved contract.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Romero has repeatedly been linked with Atletico and has spoken openly about playing in La Liga in the future. But mere days after head coach Frank named the 27-year-old as Spurs' new club captain, he has committed his future to the Europa League holders. This is a huge boost as he is a key player for the north London team.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Romero joined Tottenham from Juventus in 2021 for £47.4 million ($64m) and has been a mainstay in the team's defence ever since. The Argentina international has scored eight goals for Spurs in 126 appearances and claimed the Europa League's Player of the Season award earlier this year.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After captaining Tottenham in their 3-0 win over Burnley in the Premier League at the weekend, Romero will hope to lead Spurs to more success when they lock horns with Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon.

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Sport e Santa Cruz medem forças pela 11ª rodada do Campeonato Pernambucano, neste sábado, às 16h30, na Ilha do Retiro. Ambas as equipes estão invictas, mas as situações são bem diferentes na tabela. O Leão é líder, com 24 pontos, enquanto o Santinha tem 12 e está fora da zona de classificação para a próxima fase do torneio. Confira abaixo as informações do clássico e saiba onde assistir.

SPORT X SANTA CRUZ
Data: Sábado, 11/03
Horário: 16h30
Local:Ilha do Retiro
Arbitragem:Deborah Cecília. Assistentes:Francisco Chaves e José Romão
Onde assistir:TV Globo (PE) e DAZN

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Fiorentina have made an offer for Victor Lindelof, a move that could see him reunite with former Manchester United team-mate David de Gea.

Fiorentina have made an offer to LindelofTwo other English clubs are also interestedAvoid repetition of the same words & topicsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Lindelof has offers from two Premier League clubs, but Fiorentina are also in talks with the Swede as they continue their hunt for a new defender.

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Lindelof joined United from Benfica in 2017 and endured a mixed spell, lifting only the FA Cup in 2024. After eight years, he departed on a free at the end of his contract this summer. The 31-year-old has attracted interest from Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, with Erik ten Hag keen on a reunion.

DID YOU KNOW?

After a year without a club following the expiry of his United contract, De Gea joined Fiorentina and enjoyed a brilliant 2024-25 season, fuelling talk of a United return. Instead, he committed to an extension with the Italian side.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LINDELOF?

Lindelof will have to decide between staying in England, where he has resided since 2017, or joining his former co-star for an Italian adventure.

Enzo Maresca has squashed talk suggesting Wesley Fofana wants to leave Chelsea, despite the defender removing the Blues from his socials.

• Fofana removed Chelsea from his Instagram
• French star has struggled with injuries
• Maresca says defender is happy

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Eagle-eyed social media watchers spotted Fofana had deleted all mention of Chelsea from his Instagram account, but the Blues boss has assured fans there's no issue with the defender. While Fofana has struggled with various injuries, he was on the bench for the season opener with Crystal Palace and is expected to feature against West Ham on Friday.

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  Fofana received abuse online after it was spotted his Insta profile had changed, some of it of a racist nature. Maresca addressed the issue, saying: "There is nothing good to add on that. If there was abuse on Instagram, it's never good for any human being in the world. But it is something we cannot control."

• WHAT MARESCA SAID

  Maresca said: "I spoke with Wes yesterday. He is very, very happy. First of all because he is back from injury. He is joining all the sessions with us. He is very happy. He was on the bench against Palace. From tomorrow, he is also with us and he can also get some minutes. He is very happy and we are very happy. On Instagram, I don't have any idea."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FOFANA?

  Fofana is still working his way back to full fitness but, as Maresca says, he featured on the bench against Palace and is in the frame for some minutes in Friday's London derby against West Ham. The Hammers have won four of their last eight home league games against the Blues.

Manchester United have reportedly rejected Kobbie Mainoo's request for a loan move before transfer deadline. The 20-year-old midfielder, hailed as one of the club’s brightest homegrown prospects, wants regular minutes and not a season warming the bench.

Mainoo demands a loan exit from Man UtdClub refuses and insists he stays putSeveral teams monitoring situationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Mainoo made his stance clear during a crunch meeting on Thursday. While he stressed his love for the club and insisted he has no plans to sever ties, Mainoo believes his career is being stalled without consistent game time. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the youngster is adamant he cannot afford to sit idle.

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The response from the Old Trafford hierarchy was swift and firm. United chiefs told Mainoo they view him as a central figure for the present and future, not a player to farm out elsewhere. Despite his frustration at being overlooked in the opening weeks, the academy graduate has been told in no uncertain terms to stay and fight for his place. Officials believe Mainoo’s long-term development will be best served under their watch.

TELL ME MORE

Mainoo’s irritation has been bubbling for weeks. He was an unused substitute in both of United’s opening Premier League fixtures: a limp 1-0 defeat to Arsenal and a 1-1 draw with Fulham. His only start so far came in the Carabao Cup humiliation against Grimsby, where United were dumped out by the fourth-tier side in round two on penalties.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Bayern Munich discreetly explored the idea of a move but never pursued a concrete bid. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen, now managed by Erik ten Hag, were keen to reunite the midfielder with the man who first championed him at United. But financial restrictions made a deal virtually impossible. Spanish giants Real Madrid were also reportedly keen to sign him on loan, but have since cooled their interest.

The Champions League league phase draw has taken place and Trent Alexander-Arnold will face his former club after Real Madrid were drawn against Liverpool.

• Trent heading back to Anfield
• Chelsea face Barcelona test
• Spurs go to reigning champions PSG

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Alexander-Arnold will be heading back to his boyhood club after Spanish giants Real Madrid were drawn against Liverpool. Manchester City will also take on Los Blancos in what is shaping up to be a tough league phase for the English clubs. Elsewhere, Arsenal have a tough task after being drawn against Bayern, Inter and Atletico Madrid, while north London rivals Tottenham will play defending champions Paris Saint-Germain. And over in west London, Chelsea have fixtures against Barcelona and Antonio Conte's Napoli.

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  WHO HAVE THE ENGLISH TEAMS DRAWN?

  The English draw is as follows: 

  LIVERPOOL: Real Madrid (H), Inter Milan (A), Atletico Madrid (H), Eintracht Frankfurt (A), PSV Eindhoven (H), Marseille (A), Qarabag (H) and Galatasaray (A). 

  MANCHESTER CITY: Borussia Dortmund (H), Real Madrid (A), Bayer Leverkusen (H), Villarreal (A), Napoli (H), Bodo/Glimt (A), Galatasaray (H) and Monaco (A).

  CHELSEA: Barcelona (H), Bayern Munich (A), Benfica (H), Atalanta (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H) and Qarabag (A).

  ARSENAL: Bayern Munich (H), Inter Milan (A), Atletico Madrid (H), Club Brugge (A), Olympiacos (H), Slavia Prague (A), Kairat Almaty (H) and Athletic Bilbao (A).

  TOTTENHAM: Borussia Dortmund (H), Paris Saint-Germain (A), Villarreal (H), Eintracht Frankfurt (A), Slavia Prague (H), Bodo/Glimt (A) Copenhagen (H) and Monaco (A).

  NEWCASTLE: Barcelona (H), Paris Saint-Germain (A), Benfica (H), Bayer Leverkusen (A), PSV Eindhoven (H), Marseille (A), Athletic Bilbao (H) and Union SG (A).

• WHO WILL THE TOP EUROPEAN TEAMS PLAY?

  Elsewhere, elite teams throughout Europe have been handed the following draws: 

  PSG:Bayern Munich (H), Barcelona (A), Atalanta (H), Bayer Leverkusen (A), Tottenham Hotspur (H), Sporting (A), Newcastle United (H) and Athletic Club (A).

  BARCELONA:Paris Saint-Germain (H), Chelsea (A), Eintracht Frankfurt (H), Club Brugge (A), Olympiacos (H), Slavia Prague (A), Copenhagen (H), Newcastle (A)

  REAL MADRID: Manchester City (H), Liverpool (A), Juventus (H), Benfica (A), Marseille (H), Olympiacos (A), Monaco (H), and Kairat Almaty (A).

  BORUSSIA DORTMUND:Inter Milan (H), Manchester City (A), Villarreal (H), Juventus (A), Bodo/Glimt (H), Tottenham (A), Athletic Bilbao (H), Copenhagen (A).

  BAYERN MUNICH:Chelsea (H), Paris Saint-Germain (A), Club Brugge (H), Arsenal (A), Sporting (H), PSV (A), Union SG (H) and Pafos (A).

  INTER MILAN: Liverpool (H), Borusia Dortmund (A), Arsenal (H), Atletico Madrid (A), Slavia Prague (H), Ajax (A), Kairat Almaty (H) and Union SG (A).

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  WHAT NEXT?

  All match dates and kick-off times for the 2025-26 Champions League league phase are due to be announced on Saturday.

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A rivalidade entre o Tigre e o São Paulo para o jogo desta quinta-feira (6) está cada vez mais acesa. As equipes se enfrentam em estreia na Copa Sul-Americana, em Buenos Aires, na Argentina. A torcida do adversário tricolor criou até um canto em tom de provocação ao clube do Morumbi.

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Dentro da torcida dos argentinos, o sentimento é um: revanche.Esta revanche tem tudo a ver com a final polêmica da competição em 2012. Na ocasião, o São Paulo só foi declarado como campeão da edição porque o segundo tempo simplesmente não existiu. No dia 12 de dezembro de 2012, o Tricolor estava com vantagem na primeira etapa da decisão contra a equipe argentina, vencendo por 2 a 0, com gols de Lucas Moura e Osvaldo.

Veja tabela da Copa Sul-Americana e simule os próximos jogos

Praticamente um reforço por mês! Relembre as contratações do São Paulo na gestão Casares

Porém, uma confusão no intervalo – que envolveu até mesmo a polícia militar -, fez com que o Tigre se recusasse a jogar o segundo tempo, não voltando dos vestiários no estádio do Morumbi. Assim, o título foi entregue ao Tricolor paulista. Entretanto, até hoje isso é visto como um ‘trauma não curado’ entre a torcida da equipe adversária.

continua após a publicidade

Na música, a provocação diz respeito justamente a este reencontro, além de afirmar que os ‘brasileiros estão amargurados’.

– Brasileiros, brasileiros… Quão amargo vocês estão? Cada vez falta menos para nos vermos novamente – disse a canção.

O São Paulo deve embarcar rumo ao destino na quarta-feira (5), como o LANCE! apurou, em voo fretado.

Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been relieved of his duties as Besiktas manager after the Turkish Super Lig giants crashed out of the Conference League play-offs. The Norwegian coach, who joined Besiktas in January this year, arrived on a one-and-a-half year deal but lasted only eight months in the role.

• Besiktas sack Solskjaer
• Turkish side lost Conference League play-off
• Beaten 1-0 by Lausanne in the second leg

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Turkish giants Besiktas have confirmed the departure of head coach Solskjaer just eight months after the Norwegian joined the club. The decision was taken by the club's board following their exit from the Conference League play-off round. Besiktas lost the second leg of the tie 1-0 at home on Thursday as Lausanne qualified for the league phase, winning the fixture 2-1 on aggregate.

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  WHAT BESIKTAS SAID

  The official statement from the Turkish club read: "Our contract with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been terminated following a decision made at the board meeting. Following the meeting, our chairman, Serdal Adalı, thanked Solskjaer for his services to date. We respectfully present this for the public's information."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Besiktas was Solskjaer's first managerial job since he left United's head coach position in 2021. After joining the Turkish club, the 52-year-old guided them to a fourth-place finish in the Super Lig. The club started the 2025-26 league campaign with a 2-1 win over Eyupspor, but things went south after the clash on August 18 as they first drew against Lausanne before losing the home tie.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BESIKTAS?

  Besiktas are yet to announce Solskjaer's replacement and will next be seen in action in the Turkish league on Sunday against Alanyaspor.