Napoli s Walter Mazzarri has defended Gianluca Grava and Paolo Cannavaro after it emerged the pair were allegedly asked to fix a match.

The allegations date back to a Serie A game between Napoli and Sampdoria in May 2010, when it is believed then-reserve team goalkeeper Matteo Gianello asked the duo to help rig the result.

If found guilty, Napoli could face a one-point deduction and a 100,000 euro fine, but Mazzarri believes Grava and Cannavaro are innocent with no punishment for them or the club required.

I know the two guys (Grava and Cannavaro) and I trust them, he said.

They said they didn t hear anything and that nothing has been said to them. I think they should be acquitted and no penalization for Napoli should be given.

I don t know w…

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min is relishing the opportunity to reunite with former club Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Son is set to face Leverkusen for the first time since leaving in August 2015, as Tottenham prepare for Tuesday s Group E fixture.

The 24-year-old South Korea star spent two years at Leverkusen, scoring 21 goals in 62 appearances before his £22million transfer to White Hart Lane.

It s a special game for me because I played there for two years, said Son.

I had some great times there and made so many friends also. I am very excited to be going back.

If I score against them, I will not celebrate. I respect them too much.

My two years there was a good time for them and also a good time for me. I am really happ…

AC Milan are ready to step up their interest in Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, .

The Serie A giants have been keeping an eye on the Spain international and deployed scouts to watch the Blues 3-0 win over Premier League champions Leicester City on Saturday though the object of their interest was absent from the match-day squad.

The former Arsenal and Barcelona man has started just once in the Premier League under Antonio Conte while his only goals of the campaign so far came in last month’s 4-2 win over Leicester in the EFL Cup, where he bagged a brace in extra-time.

Since arriving from the Nou Camp, the twenty-nine year old has racked up over one hundred appearances in all competitions, scoring thirteen times while he was the part of the squad that won b…

Porto have secured the services of Belgium international Laurent Depoitre from Gent for an undisclosed fee.

The Portuguese giants were desperate to add some more firepower to their squad after an underwhelming 2015-16 campaign, in which they finished 15 points adrift of champions Benfica in third, and they have now found their man in Depoitre.

The 27-year-old striker has signed a four-year deal with his new club, which contains a €40 million exit clause.

Bem-vindo/ Welcome/ Bienvenido
Laurent Depoitre

— FC Porto (@FCPorto)

Porto are a mythical club with a big history and some fantastic fans, Depoitre commented on his transfer.

This is a major challenge for me. The Estadio do Dragao is an amazing venue and it will be great to scor…

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart believes the English Premier League champions are on par with their rivals Manchester United.

The 25-year-old has established himself as Manchester City s first-choice goalkeeper, and has proven his worth in Europe, giving his side false hope in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.

The 2010/11 Golden Glove winner told the Daily Mail he feels City have caught up with rivals Manchester United.

I think we are on an even par with United. They carry that tradition and that shirt, that red shirt that takes them to a different level sometimes, but I m sure that over time the blue shirt will be the same, Hart said.

I feel that when we play we are never going to lose. I feel that something will alwa…

Wayne Rooney has been sacked as manager of Birmingham after less than three months in charge and says he will “take some time to get over” his dismissal.

The former Manchester United and England striker has overseen just two wins in 15 games following his controversial appointment at St Andrew’s in October.

Supporters called for Rooney’s removal as the side slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Leeds on New Year’s Day. The result left the club 20th in the table having been sixth when Rooney took charge.

Rooney, however, has said he does not feel he was given long enough and it would take a while to recover from the decision.

A club statement read: “Birmingham City has today parted company with manager Wayne Rooney and first-team coach Carl Robinson.

…

Chelsea are keen on turning the current loan deal of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid into a permanent transfer at the end of the season, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Portuguese forward was said have no good relationship with Atletico head coach Diego Simeone, desiring to play a more attacking brand of football than the one devised by the Argentinian tactician at the Wanda Metropolitano. Consequently, he left Madrid to join Chelsea on a temporary deal in January, but no option for the Londoners to turn it unilaterally into a permanent one was included in it.

Therefore, the fulfillment of Chelsea s desire to make Felix their full-time player will depend on their ability to renegotiate the situation with Atletico. Felix s contract in Madrid has no less than four years…

Josko Gvardiol landed a contract extension with RB Leipzig on Thursday and insisted he never wanted to leave.

Chelsea were strongly linked this week with Gvardiol and were said to be targeting a €90million (£77m) move for the defender.

That has not come off and the 20-year-old former Dinamo Zagreb player has extended his contract with Leipzig by a year to run until 2027 instead.

He moved to Leipzig in July last year, after a deal was agreed in the previous September.

Gvardiol was one of only four defenders in the Bundesliga last season to make at least 50 interceptions and 200 recoveries while also committing no errors that led to a goal.

Croatia international Gvardiol said: I really enjoy being here and I wanted to stay here. We have a lo…

Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli said his side failed to consolidate their second-half dominance before going down 3-2 to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. 

Dani Carvajal struck the winning goal in extra time against a 10-man Sevilla, who were just seconds away from sealing a 2-1 win in regulation time on Tuesday.

Marco Asensio gave Madrid the lead midway through the first period but Sevilla struck back thanks to Franco Vazquez, before Yevhen Konoplyanka put Sampaoli s side ahead via the penalty spot in the 72nd minute. 

But, just like he did against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final in 2014, Ramos struck in stoppage time to send the game into an extra 30 minutes, where Carvajal produced a moment of brilliance to seal Madrid s first silverware of the …

Real Madrid put one foot into the final four of the Champions League after a 2-0 win over 10-man Chelsea in the first leg of their quarter-final.

Karim Benzema s first-half tap-in put the holders in front at Santiago Bernabeu before Marco Asensio doubled their advantage with just over a quarter-hour to go.

A straight red card for Ben Chilwell after he tugged down Rodrygo in-between compounded a tough trip to Spain for Frank Lampard s men.

Former Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti and his Los Blancos side will wish they had more to show, but will nevertheless head to Stamford Bridge with a healthy advantage for next week s return leg.

9 Marco Asensio has scored nine goals as a substitute in the Champions League, two more than any other player in Champions League h…