Messi calls for calm after ´painful´ Argentina penalty miss

Ronald Koeman was on Sunday named as the new coach of Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar to succeed Louis Van Gaal who has left to take charge at German giants Bayern Munich

The 46-year-old Koeman has signed a two-year contract, the club said.

To succeed Louis, we wanted a top coach and we preferred a Dutchman, said AZ president Dirk Scheringa.

Koeman s last management job was with Valencia in Spain, but he left in April 2008.

The former Dutch international started his coaching career as Guus Hiddink s right-hand man with the national team from 1997-1998.

He was also second-in-command at Barcelona from 1998-2000 before taking over at Vitesse Arnhem in 2000.

Koeman has also coached Ajax Amsterdam (2001-2005), Benfica (2005-2006), PSV Eindhoven (2…

PSV Eindhoven have agreed a deal to sign highly rated 19-year-old Adam Maher from AZ Alkmaar.

The midfielder will sign a five-year deal at the Philips Stadion and join up with the rest of the squad on July 8, once he completes his medical.

Maher, who will become Phillip Cocu s third signing as PSV boss, was linked with a move to Ajax but talks broke down with the Eredivisie champions and PSV technical manager Marcel Brands acknowledged that the club are very happy to have him on board.

It is a long-cherished desire to get him, Brands told PSV s official website.

With him we have a very talented Dutch player that fits into the philosophy of PSV.

Maher has made four appearances for his country and won the Dutch Football Talent of the Year award in 2011-12.…

Best odds: 7/5

Bookmaker:

Torino are aiming to narrow the distance separating them from Atalanta BC in the Serie A standings as they prepare to clash in round 14 at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on Monday.

Ivan Juric s team ended their three-game undefeated streak in the previous round against Bologna, while Atalanta extended their winless run in the league by losing to Napoli.

Torino

Torino will have felt like their season would be turning in the right direction before their visit to Bologna last week, when they were sent crashing down with a 2-0 defeat. Bologna s impressive form might have made such an outcome not too difficult to foresee, but Ivan Juric and his men will have to gear up and try to do better against Atalanta.

Torino s home reco…

After his triumphant unveiling at Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo now faces the challenge of dealing with Spain s voracious press despite his stated desire to lead a quiet life in Spain and focus on winning titles.

I m going to watch TV at home, quiet, with my feet on the table , he told a news conference late on Monday where he faced repeated questions over his capacity to deal with the temptations of Madrid s lively nightlife.

I worked hard to get here, I am not going to go sleep under a banana tree now, the 24-year-old Portuguese striker added after being presented before a record-setting crowd of 80,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

His statements were greeted with scepticism Tuesday by the Spanish media, given Ronaldo s flamboyant personality and …

Market: Liverpool win

Odds: 5/8 @

Desperate to make an immediate return to winning ways at St. Mary s on Monday night, defending champions Liverpool will face off against Southampton.

Starting with the hosts, while Southampton might have gained plenty of plaudits since opening the 2020/2021 campaign, the Saints do find themselves enduring a recent blip. With Ralph Hasenhüttl missing from the St. Mary s dugout last time out against West Ham, it was a sluggish display from their European dreamers. Having to settle for a 0-0 stalemate and watching the Hammers miss a string of second-half chances, the one-time RB Leipzig boss finds his side enduring a four-match Premier League winless run. Dropping back-to-back points against West Ham and Fulham over the past week…

Everton have signed midfielder James Garner from Manchester United in a deal reportedly worth up to £15million.

Garner spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest, scoring four goals and providing 10 assists to help the club win promotion to the Premier League.

He was expected to be given a chance to impress new United manager Erik ten Hag, but he signed a four-year deal with the Toffees on Thursday after completing a transfer apparently worth an initial £9m.

I m made up to sign for Everton. It s a huge step in my career and I want to help the team get better while progressing as a player,  Garner told Everton s official website.

I think Everton is the perfect place to do that. I can t wait to get started. The manager [Frank Lampard] has got a rea…

Crystal Palace and Everton will replay their FA Cup third-round clash after their Selhurst Park encounter ended in a goalless draw.

The Toffees were down to 10 men after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was shown red for a challenge in the 79th minute of a contest that began under a south London downpour.

Those who braved the rain took in a largely uneventful first half that ended with a single shot on target for the visitors and none for the hosts.

It finishes level meaning we ll be heading to a replay to settle the tie |

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC)

Palace could not capitalise on the extra-man advantage through nine minutes of stoppage time, the visitors suffering a second-half blow when Dwight McNeil was carried off on a stretcher after sustaining …

Lyon and Marseille will hope to continue their encouraging starts to the new Ligue 1 campaign when the second round of fixtures get under way.

Seven-time French champions Lyon are the early pacesetters, having thrashed Nice 4-0 on the opening day of the new season at Stade de Gerland.

And they will be keen to keep their place at the top of Ligue 1 when they travel to take on Sochaux in the weekend s first game, which will take place on Friday.

Meanwhile, Marseille, who sit third having beat newly promoted Guingamp 3-1 in their first game, take on Evian at home in Saturday s early fixture.

The attention of Ligue 1 observers this season is sure to be on the big-spending duo of Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, and both are in action at home for the first time on Sund…

La Liga side Sevilla are set to make a move for Manchester United’s Juan Mata when the transfer window reopens in January, .

The Spain international, who signed for United last January for a then club record fee of £37.5m, has been in and out of the side since Louis van Gaal took charge at Old Trafford, though his winner against Stoke City on Tuesday evening was his tenth this calendar year.

Prior to his move to Manchester, Mata spent two-and-a-half years with Chelsea, where he racked up one hundred and thirty-five appearances, scored thirty-three goals and was part of the squad that won both the FA Cup and Champions League in 2012 and the Europa League a year later.

He began his career with Real Madrid before moving to Valenica, and now the 26 year old co…