Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim was left to rue his team s wastefulness in front of goal after Reims snatched a 1-1 draw in the principality.
Jardim bemoaned another performance by his side where they were not clinical enough and called on his young forwards to take the next step in the absence of last season s star attackers Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez and Emmanuel Riviere.
Falcao, Rodriguez and Riviere scored 28 of Monaco s 63 goals in Ligue 1 last season.
But with all three having left the club, Jardim has challenged the likes of Anthony Martial (18 years old), Valere Germain (24), Bernardo Silva (20), Yannick Ferreira Carrasco (21) and Lacina Traore (24) to become Monaco s leading marksmen something they have failed to do so far this campaign.
Monaco…
Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan wants to leave the club at the end of the La Liga season, his agent has claimed.
The Turkey international has been a pivotal part of Diego Simeone s impressive side in the past two seasons, but Ahmet Bulut has revealed his client is keen on a move abroad when the current campaign draws to a close.
Bulut, who also represents Atletico midfielder Belozoglu Emre, said: I have wanted to see him play for another team in another league and Arda also wants to play for another club, to live a different experience. We are working now to make it happen.
Atletico know what our intention is. If all goes well, Arda will leave the Madrid club at the end of this season.
Bulut was coy on his client s possible destination, but claim…
Al Jazira coach Caio Junior has labelled Tuesday s AFC Champions League home clash with Saudi Arabia s Al Ahli as the biggest of the season .
The 2010-11 UAE champions topped Group A with five wins from six games to end years of continental pain and qualify for the knockout phase. However, their Brazilian coach is desperate to go further.
The match is the most important this season as winning against Al Ahli means that we will qualify to the quarter-finals and get closer to the final four of the competition, Caio Junior told reporters.
I have great confidence in my players who will go into the game with big spirits. We have given our key players some rest in the previous match against Al Rayyan and hopefully the players can give their best against Al Ahli.
Pep Guardiola has won the Premier League Manager of the Month award for a record fourth time in succession as Manchester City s dominant campaign continues.
The Catalan had already become just the second manager, along with Chelsea s Antonio Conte, to secure the prize in three consecutive months.
And he has now set a new benchmark, City having won six and drawn one of their seven Premier League matches in December.
Unbeaten in the league this season, City are 15 points clear of second-placed Manchester United and remain in contention to win an unpreceded treble of Premier League, Champions League, EFL Cup and FA Cup.
An unprecedented in a row! for boss Pep Guardiola Manager of the Month for December
— Premier League (@premierleague)
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Belgian First Division leaders Anderlecht scored twice in the final 12 minutes to steal a 2-2 draw away to Club Brugge on Sunday.
Belgian First Division leaders Anderlecht scored twice in the final 12 minutes to steal a 2-2 draw away to Club Brugge on Sunday.
The home side looked to be on track for their first win over Anderlecht since 2011 when Carlos Bacca made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute but goals from Massimo Bruno and Samuel Armenteros completed a stunning late comeback for the Brussels-based club.
Brugge took the lead in the 19th minute when midfielder Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe scored and 17 minutes into the second half, Colombian striker Bacca was set up by Oscar Duarte and the hosts were two goals ahead.
But Anderlecht hit back in the 78th minute when Bruno scored thank…
Frank Lampard has been dealt a blow as Everton have confirmed Ben Godfrey will be out for around three months .
Godfrey was stretchered off just 18 minutes into the new Premier League season after a challenge with Chelsea s Kai Havertz at Goodison Park on Saturday.
The Toffees went on to lose 1-0, with Jorginho scoring the only goal from the penalty spot, but Lampard s main concern after the game was his mounting injury list, as Yerry Mina also picked up a knock.
Everton on Monday revealed that Godfrey had undergone successful surgery on a fractured fibula, but could not yet provide a length of absence for Mina, who suffered an ankle ligament injury.
Ben Godfrey is expected to be out for around three months after successful surgery on the fractured fi…
Verdict: Draw
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The 2016 Copa America Centenario kicks off this weekend as hosts United States welcome new-look Colombia to the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. And with Costa Rica and Paraguay also competing in Group A, both sides will be hoping to record a win and thus make an important step towards the knockout stages.
United States
The United States national team appear to have closed the gap behind world’s top sides under Jurgen Klinsmann, but they have also suffered some low points that made some question the German’s coaching credentials. The USMNT shone at the 2014 World Cup, qualifying from the group of death before giving star-studded Belgium a run for their money in the last 16 stage. The team have since …
Fiorentina have continued their summer recruitment by signing midfielder Borja Valero from Villarreal.
The Serie A side have announced the deal on their official website, although the financial details were not disclosed.
The Spanish midfielder has been in high demand for more than a year now, but when Villarreal were relegated to the second division it became clear that he will finally leave El Madrigal.
Several high-profile sides were showing interest in the 27-year-old, but he ultimately opted for Viola.
Valero is a product of Real Madrid youth school, but, like many of his teammates from Castilla he left Santiago Bernabeu without making a single appearance for the senior side.
The Spaniard enjoyed successful spells with Mallorca and West Brom…
Norwich City will have no fear heading to Anfield to take on Liverpool in their first Premier League fixture of the season, according to Daniel Farke.
Farke led Norwich back to the top flight as Championship winners in 2018-19 and the Canaries opening top-flight outing will come against Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp s side finished a close second behind Manchester City last term, before going on to win the Champions League with a 2-0 defeat of Tottenham in the final.
But Farke, who like Klopp left Borussia Dortmund albeit the Bundesliga club s reserve team to manage in England, is relishing the test, insisting his side will be unfazed by the prospect of facing Liverpool.
It s an exciting game for our supporters and the whole club, Farke told Norwich s official…
Eden Hazard was bitterly disappointed to see his Belgium team exit Euro 2016 at the hands of Wales, but insists his nation’s golden generation still have immense winning quality.
Belgium s quarter-final got off to a dream start but ended in a nightmare after Radja Nainggolan put the favourites a goal up only for Wales to strike back three times on the way to a famous 3-1 win.
Hazard denied the loss should be terminal for coach Marc Wilmots, but said his team would be back at future international tournaments bigger and stronger for the experience.
We re going to keep working with the aim of winning things in future, he said.
There s a lot of pressure on him [Wilmots]. We have had him as a coach for several years. We have had some great moments with h…