Massimiliano Allegri believes Juventus need another extraordinary transfer window to keep challenging on three fronts, though he does not think an overhaul is necessary.

Allegri s men are in charge at the Serie A summit, find themselves in the Coppa Italia final and are one of the last eight in the Champions League after another productive campaign.

However, Juve lost 3-0 at home to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, leaving them staring at likely elimination.

Should Juve fail to produce a remarkable comeback in the return fixture, it will see them fall short of last season s journey to the final, where they also lost to Madrid.

Two years earlier they were beaten in the showpiece by Barcelona, a defeat that pr…

Antonio Conte is looking forward to taking on former club Chelsea in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup but accepts he faces a big challenge in winning silverware with Tottenham.

Spurs battled to a 2-1 win over West Ham in Wednesday s quarter-final and will now face fellow London side Chelsea over two legs in early 2022.

Conte s men are through to the last four of the competition for a 17th time, a tally bettered only by Liverpool (18), who will take on Arsenal in the other semi-final tie.

It means a reunion with Chelsea for Conte three and a half years after ending a two-season stay at Stamford Bridge, during which time he won the Premier League and FA Cup.

But while his side are potentially just 180 minutes from a shot at redemption after last season s fina…

Leeds United s home clash with Aston Villa on Tuesday has been postponed due to ongoing COVID-19 problems coinciding with injury issues within Marcelo Bielsa s squad.

Leeds fielded a depleted side in a 4-1 loss against Arsenal last Saturday before the Premier League announced Bielsa s side would not face Liverpool on Boxing Day due to having an insufficient number of first-team players to fulfil the game.

Villa were set to be Leeds next opponents at Elland Road, but the league have accepted the Yorkshire club does not have the required number of players available for the match (13 outfield players and one goalkeeper) .

Leeds confirmed there had been no new positive tests within the playing squad. However, the majority of those who tested positive before the Live…

Former Bayern Munich player Paul Breitner has slammed the Premier League and believes the Bundesliga is now the world s leading championship.

The 61-year-old ex-West Germany international, no stranger to controversy, has labelled the English top-flight as stagnant and concerned only with marketability.

With no English involvement in the semi-finals of the Champions League, but the possibility of two German representatives, Breitner is adamant that the Bundesliga is now the best league in the world.

The Premier League used to be the best national league in the world until 2009, Breitner told ESPN s Bola da Vez in Brazil. The Premier League is now only the best league in Asia.

Which English team is still in the Champions League? None. That s because they …

that Lazio have made Czech striker Libor Kozak available for sale.

The Biancocelesti aim to keep hold of Miroslav Klose and Sergio Floccari and possibly add another striker in the summer transfer window.

However, they are prepared to sell Libor Kozak after the player expressed his desire to leave the club in search of first team football.

With the player s contract at Stadio Olimpico not due to expire before June 2015, the Biancocelesti are reportedly holding out for €8 million.

Libor Kozak arrived at the club in the summer of 2008 from Opava and despite showing a lot of potential, he was never given a chance to nail down a regular starting berth.

The 24-year-old largely impressed in last year s Europa League campaign, scoring 10 goals in 11 m…

Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben has lauded the quality of German football as his team prepares for the UEFA Champions League final.

Bayern will face Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in European football s biggest club match, the first time two German sides have made the final of the tournament.

Robben said the all-German Champions League final was a reflection of how far the country s football has improved in recent years.

In general, I think we can say that the Bundesliga has developed really well and the teams are putting in superb performances, Robben said.

It s not a coincidence that there are two German teams in the final.

It could all be different next year or in two years time though. That s why we have to seize the moment…

New Bayern Munich recruit Serdar Tasci suffered a head injury in training on Wednesday that forced him to miss his own welcome news conference.

Tasci joined Bayern on loan from Spartak Moscow on transfer deadline day, with the club retaining an option to make the move permanent in June.

The Germany international, who won the last of his 14 caps in 2010, was set to provide immediate defensive cover, with Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez sidelined due to respective adductor and knee problems.

Attending the presentation with a Bayern shirt bearing Tasci s name and number, but without the player himself, Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer announced the 28-year-old sustained a clash of heads and was being assessed for a possible concussion.

Sammer did no…

Atletico Madrid captain Gabi has urged Diego Costa to show Chelsea respect as he attempts to force a move back to LaLiga.

The Spain international said in an interview with The Daily Mail he is prepared to stay in Brazil and risk continued fines from the Premier League champions if they refuse to sell him to his old club, who are banned from registering new players until the next transfer window.

Costa was furious at being told by Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte he was not in his plans for 2017-18 via text message and said it is wrong for the club to ask him to train with the reserves.

Chelsea are reportedly considering legal action against Costa if he does not come back to England, but they have yet to reach an agreement with Atletico or any other interested par…

Schalke have announced the signing of defender Pablo Insua from LaLiga club Deportivo La Coruna.

Insua, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Leganes, making 64 appearances for the club, has signed a four-year contract at Schalke.

The 23-year-old was part of the U19 Spain side that won the 2012 European Championship and he is excited by the challenge of experiencing German football.

This is a big step for me, Schalke are a big club who have made waves in Europe, said Insua. I m looking forward to the task ahead.

First summer transfer complete! have signed Pablo on a 4-year deal. Welcome to , !

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en)

Insua becomes the first signing for new Schalke coach Domenico Tedesco, who was appointed as the…

Gerard Pique has confirmed the existence of a clause in Lionel Messi s contract that enables the Barcelona captain to leave on a free at the end of each season – although it does not worry the defender.

Spanish newspaper El Pais first reported on the presence of a yearly exit option in the lucrative four-year deal the Argentina superstar signed in 2017.

The clause is said to have come into effect when five-time Ballon d Or winner Messi turned 32 in June.

It purportedly grants him the power to become a free agent on June 30 every year, not that centre-back Pique is concerned about losing his long-time team-mate.

It s something I already knew about, Pique told Cadena SER.

We know Leo s commitment to Barca and it doesn t worry me at all. He has e…