Sports

Robert Lewandowski deserves to receive a positive reception when he returns to Bayern Munich as a Barcelona player, according to Julian Nagelsmann.

Lewandowski is set for a swift visit to his former club after Barca were drawn to face the Bundesliga champions in Group C of the Champions League, alongside Inter and Viktoria Plzen.

The Poland international, who scored his first competitive goals for Barca in a 4-1 thrashing of Real Sociedad last week, left Bayern in somewhat acrimonious fashion after declaring that something had died within him in Germany.

But Nagelsmann believes Bayern s fans will give Lewandowski a warm welcome on his Allianz Arena return, declaring: I think there will be applause.

I never like it when someone gets whistled. I don t know…

Turkish champions have secured the services for German midfielder Michael Fink, who makes the move from Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.

The defensive midfielder played for Frankfurt since 2006 and had a particularly good 2008-09 season in which he scored five goals.

Besiktas reportedly agreed to pay 1.2 million Euros for the player, who signs a deal for the coming three years.

In Istanbul, the 27-year-old Fink teams up with fellow countryman Fabian Ernst who joined Besiktas from Schalke 04 during the January transfer windows.

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The Premier League fixtures keep coming thick and fast as the 20 clubs usher in a new year and with it renewed optimism for what is to come.

Chelsea host Manchester City in the pick of the gameweek 17 matches while stuttering leaders Liverpool travel to Southampton.

Manchester United are now hot on the reigning champions heels and have a home game with Aston Villa, who are themselves enjoying an impressive season.

Before the action begins, test your knowledge of the movers and shakers in the English top flight with our Opta-fuelled quiz. Check your answers below.

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Stefano Pioli criticised Milan after a poor performance resulted in a goalless draw with Sassuolo, but the head coach expects better in Saturday s derby against Inter.

The Rossoneri have two wins and two draws in the first four games of their Serie A title defence, though the display on Tuesday away at Sassuolo left much to be desired.

Pioli s side were far from their best, perhaps fortunate to share the spoils after Mike Maignan was required to save a Domenico Berardi penalty in the first half.

Having missed a chance to collect three points, Milan opened the door for Inter, Roma and Napoli to leapfrog them in the early stages of the 2022-23 Scudetto race.

Fierce rivals Inter are next up for Pioli and the Milan coach acknowledged there must be an improve…

Speaking to BeIN Sports Spain after s win over Liverpool in the Champions League final, Cristiano Ronaldo sent out some strong indications that his future lies away from Santiago Bernabeu.

The Portuguese superstar has now won five Champions League trophies in his career, helped this time by two inexplicable mistakes from Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius and two memorable strikes from Gareth Bale.

Ronaldo said he would enjoy that moment with his teammates, and that his answer to whether he leaves the club or not will be given to the fans who had always stood by his side in a few days time. He stressed the importance of the fact that his team have made history, and that the future of one player at this moment isn t important at all.

Even without scoring in the f…

Ivan Marcano has returned to Porto just one season after leaving for Serie A side Roma.

Marcano left Porto in May 2018 on a free transfer following four years with the Primeira Liga team, signing a three-year contract with the Giallorossi.

However, the centre-back managed just 13 appearances across all competitions in 2018-19, and has now returned to Portugal, with Roma receiving a €3million fee.

The 32-year-old has agreed a four-year deal with Porto  who sold defender Felipe to Atletico Madrid earlier in the off-season keeping him at Estadio do Dragao until 2023.

Bem-vindo / Welcome / Bienvenido Iván Marcano

— FC Porto (@FCPorto)

Marcano s departure leaves Roma short of options in central defence, with Kostas Manolas having…

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Looking to extend on their Europa Conference League adventure in midweek, Scottish outfit Hibernian will make the trip to the Stadion Rujevica when they face off against Rijeka on Thursday night.

Rijeka

Starting with the hosts, throwing away the lead over in Scotland last week in their first-leg meeting, there is no doubt that Rijeka will know they were lucky to have left with something to show for their troubles. Heavily outplayed and watching Hibernian create a host of clear-cut chances, the Croatian outfit will be glad to make a return to home soil on Thursday night. Having to settle for a bronze medal finish in the Prva HNL last season and last seen on domestic duties playing out an action-packed 3-3 draw away at Dinamo Zagreb when…

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is adamant that midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura is not on the brink of a return home to Japan.

Reports from Japan have suggested that Yokohama Marinos, for whom Nakamura made his professional debut in 1997, are keen to bring the 30-year-old playmaker back in January ahead of the start of the 2009 J-League season.

But Strachan, speaking in the build-up to Celtic s Scottish League Cup quarter-final tie away to Kilmarnock on Wednesday, said: It is the same statement as on Friday, the same position.

Nobody has mentioned anything to me and unless anyone tells me anything different to my face then I will refer you to Friday s statement.

I had a long conversation with Naka on Thursday and he never said a thing about that.