El Shaarawy revels in starring role

Hamburg coach Thorsten Fink has urged his players to move on from the injury suffered by playmaker Rafael van der Vaart.

The Netherlands international injured his hamstring against Fortuna Dusseldorf at the end of November and looks likely to be missing until the New Year, but Fink wants his team to realise that they can win without their talisman.

It is important that the players see that sometimes we will have to be without Rafael, though we need him back desperately, he told Bild.

We have a chance of qualifying for Europe. If other teams falter, we are there. If we are consistent, we could play internationally.

Hamburg are just three points off the Champions League places in the Bundesliga and Fink is confident his side can end 2012 with a victory …

Raymond Domenech has survived the sack with the French Football Federation announcing Thursday that he had kept his job as manager despite France s poor showing at Euro 2008.

The 2006 World Cup runners-up were knocked out in the first round at the European championships, returning home with two defeats, one draw, six goals conceded and only one scored.

The decision to stick with Domenech by 18 votes for and one abstention was announced by FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes.

He said: The Executive Committee has maintained the manager in his post to prepare for the 2010 World Cup and redefined the terms of his mission and the conditions of management of the national team.

Domenech took over from Jacques Santini as France manager after Euro 2004 and …

Zamora have taken a giant step towards retaining their Venezuelan Primera Division crown after routing Mineros de Guayana on Sunday.

Noel Sanvicente s Zamora were 4-1 winners over Mineros in the opening leg of the Serie Final at the Estadio Rafael Agustin Tovar.

Pedro Ramirez, Julian Falcon and John Murillo were all on the scoresheet, while Rafael Acosta netted an own goal as Zamora put one hand on the trophy yet again, having defeated Deportivo Anzoategui in last season s decider.

The victory also extended their home winning streak in the league to 30 games.

Zamora have not tasted defeat on home soil in domestic competition since October 2012, when they lost 2-0 to Llaneros de Guanare.

The defending champions went into the first leg in the midst of a seven…

Tottenham Hotspur will tell Harry Winks that he can leave the club in the January transfer window, according to . The report has added that the England international midfielder would fancy a move abroad if he is not in the plans of Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho going forward.

Winks has been on the books of Tottenham since 2002 and has come through the North London club’s academy. The 24-year-old has been a regular in the Spurs first-team squad for a number of years now, but he is struggling for playing time under Mourinho this season.

According to , the midfielder has played 257 minutes in the Premier League and 71 minutes in the Europa League for Tottenham so far this season. Spurs are at the top of the league table at the moment and have also progressed to the knoc…

Sydney FC surged five points clear atop the A-League as Adam Le Fondre spearheaded a 5-1 thumping of Brisbane Roar on Saturday.

Le Fondre notched twice inside the opening 45 minutes and completed his hat-trick near the end to help the champions increase the gap to second-placed Melbourne City.

Milos Ninkovic scored in between the striker s first-half double and substitute Trent Buhagiar made it four a minute after his 85th-minute introduction.

The fleet-footed forward set up Le Fondre s third moments later and only a stoppage-time Roy O Donovan penalty prevented Brisbane from suffering complete humiliation.

Robbie Fowler s men have lost four of eight games this term to sit second from bottom.

 FULL TIME 5-1

The fixture exceeded expectat…

Rangers have completed the signing of Niko Kranjcar on a two-year contract.

The former Croatia international, 31, was most recently with New York Cosmos and becomes the Ibrox club s sixth new addition ahead of the new season.

Kranjcar follows the arrivals of Joey Barton, Matt Crooks, Clint Hill, Jordan Rossiter and Josh Windass as Rangers prepare for their return to the Scottish Premiership.

The club s statement read: Kranjcar is a vastly experienced, technically-gifted player who has enjoyed a top-level career spanning 15 years. He will undoubtedly be an important and exciting addition to Mark Warburton s squad.

Niko Kranjcar says that it is a ‘big honour and privilege to join :

— Rangers FC (@RangersFC)

Kranjcar told Rangers TV:…

Mauricio Pochettino has signed a new five-year contract at Tottenham to end speculation over his future.

The 44-year-old left Southampton to take charge of Spurs in May 2014 and has now agreed fresh terms, tying him to the club until 2021.

After Tottenham finished fifth in his first season, Pochettino will secure a second-place Premier League finish with at least a point in their final match of 2015-16 at Newcastle United.

The ex-Espanyol boss was linked with replacing Louis van Gaal at Manchester United – speculation fuelled by a recent meeting with former Old Trafford manager, and current director, Alex Ferguson – but he has now signed a contract that he announced was agreed last month.

I could not be happier to sign this new contract, said Pochett…

Norway manager Stale Solbakken joked that if Jack Grealish could train for England then he has no cause to worry about Erling Haaland’s treble celebrations ahead of Saturday’s clash with Scotland.

Solbakken understood the need for Haaland to revel in his success with Manchester City after last weekend’s Champions League final.

Solbakken has taken it easy with Haaland this week, more concerned with ensuring the striker recharges, and believes a homecoming welcome will lift his star man during the Euro 2024 qualifier in Oslo.

City celebrated in Ibiza after their Istanbul success against Inter before continuing the party on a bus parade in Manchester on Monday with Grealish throwing himself wholeheartedly into the fun.

When asked what the Norwegian peo…

Georgia boss Willy Sagnol feels all the pressure is on Scotland in Tuesday night’s 2024 European Championship qualifier at Hampden Park.

The Scots go into the game top of Group A and with nine points from a possible nine following their dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Norway in Oslo on Saturday.

Georgia are five points behind after their 2-1 win over Cyprus on the same day but have played a game less.

Sagnol believes Scotland have to cope with the expectations of victory over the Georgians, who have lost twice in two visits to Glasgow.

“I just have to say congratulations for winning their first three games,” said the 46-year-old former Bayern Munich and France full-back, who described a chance meeting with First Minister Humza Yousaf earlier in the d…

Verdict: Real Madrid – Draw no Bet

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Reigning European champions play host to French giants Paris Saint-Germain in one of the biggest Champions League Last 16 ties which is set to bring about plenty of excitement both on and off the pitch.

Real Madrid

With Catalan giants, Barcelona running away with the La Liga title – despite a couple of latest setbacks of their own – Real Madrid face a difficult battle to save their season. Los Blancos’ only chance of winning silverware this campaign is the Champions League where they will need to make a historic success of defending the title to make a big point to the world.

Real Madrid are out of the Copa del Rey and sit 17 huge points behind Barcelona in the league table. The c…