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German soccer and Adidas are breaking up.

American sportswear giant Nike will supply all of Germany’s national teams with their apparel and equipment from 2027, the German soccer federation (DFB) surprisingly announced Thursday.

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The new deal extends to 2034 and ends Germany’s long-standing relationship with Adidas, which goes back some 70 years and had appeared unshakeable.

Germany’s men’s team is using Adidas’ headquarters in Herzogenaurach, near Nuremberg, as its team base for the European Championship, which Germany is hosting this summer.

Adidas appeared to be surprised by the DFB’s decision to switch to its biggest rival, only confirming in a brief statement: “We were informed by the DFB today that the association will have a new supplier from 2027.”

German teams wore Adidas gear for all four of the men’s World Cup titles, their three European titles, and the women’s two World Cup and eight European titles.

“We’re looking forward to working with Nike and the trust they’ve placed in us,” federation president Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement. “The future partnership will enable the DFB to continue to carry out key tasks in the coming decade with regard to the comprehensive development of soccer in Germany.

“But one thing is also clear — until December 2026, we will do everything we can to achieve shared success with our long-standing and current partner Adidas, to whom German soccer has owed a lot for more than seven decades.”

Adi Dassler, the founder of the German sportswear brand, sat on the bench beside West Germany coach Sepp Herberger when the German men’s team won the World Cup for the first time in 1954, wearing his company’s screw-in stud boots.

Dassler did not invent the boots with changeable studs, as many believe. They were invented some years before by German shoemaker Alexander Salot, who registered his invention with the German patent office on Aug. 30, 1949.

But they certainly helped the Germans beat Hungary in the 1954 World Cup final. Dassler’s company has been supplying German soccer with its gear ever since, and only last week it presented the new jerseys for Euro 2024, which Germany will host between between June 14 and July 14.

Germany’s under-21 coach Antonio Di Salvo said the decision to change kit supplier was “very surprising for everyone … especially now when the new jersey for the European Championship was presented. I did not expect that.”

It appears to have been driven by financial and other concerns.

“Nike made by far the best economic offer and also impressed with its substantive vision, which includes a clear commitment to the promotion of amateur and grassroots sports as well as the sustainable development of women’s soccer in Germany,” DFB chief executive Holger Blask said.

DFB treasurer Stephan Grunwald also pointed to a rosier future for German soccer as a result of the new deal.

“We are grateful to be able to look forward to an economically stable future as an association thanks to Nike’s commitment,” Grunwald said, without providing details of what the American company will pay.

It’s clearly more than Adidas was prepared to invest to extend its existing deal. But the DFB’s decision to switch has not met universal approval at home.

“I can hardly imagine the German jersey without the three stripes,” German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said. “Adidas and black-red-gold always belonged together for me, a piece of German identity. I would have liked a bit more local patriotism.”

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso would not be drawn on reports linking him with a potential move to the Premier League or Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich, saying on Thursday he had nothing new to add.

The Spanish coach has a contract with Leverkusen until 2026, and his team are top of the Bundesliga, eight points clear of champions Bayern, who on Wednesday said they would part ways with coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season.

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Leverkusen are unbeaten across all competitions this season as they eye their first ever Bundesliga title that would end 11 years of uninterrupted Bayern dominance in the league.

Tuchel’s end-of-the-season departure from Bayern has fanned speculation regarding Alonso possibly succeeding him, with the Leverkusen boss having played for the Bavarian giants from 2014-17.

“Maybe you have questions about my future but I have nothing new to say about that. I wanted to say that in advance,” Alonso told a press conference.

The 42-year-old has also been linked with a possible move to Liverpool with coach Jurgen Klopp stepping down at the end of the season. Alonso also had a successful spell at Liverpool from 2004-2009, and Klopp described him as the “standout” manager of his generation last week.

“For me this [speculation] is not a problem,” he said. “I know that my goal is to be successful with my team. That is my job. We are currently in a good position and we want to keep at it.

“It is normal to have questions but it is not an issue for me.”

Asked whether he would be coach of Leverkusen next season as well, Alonso said: “That is what I assume.”

Leverkusen host Mainz on Friday.

Thomas Tuchel has insisted he can fix the issues at Bayern Munich despite seeing his team lose their third consecutive competitive game for the first time since May 2015 on Sunday.

Bayern were beaten 3-2 at VfL Bochum to increase the pressure on the German manager, who was already under fire after last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.

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Bayern are now eight points behind unbeaten Leverkusen after 22 games of the Bundesliga campaign.

“If you ask me, if I firmly still believe me and coaching staff can turn things around — yes,” Tuchel said after the defeat to Bochum.

“Growing pressure? That happens after every defeat. But today we never stopped, never stopped trying.”

Tuchel can take comfort from the comments made by Bayern’s CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen after the game when asked whether the 2021 Champions League winner would remain in charge for the team’s next game against RB Leipzig.

“Of course,” Dreesen said. “I am not a fan of monstrous coach-backing statements — they usually run out after a week.

“But this [Tuchel’s future] is not an issue we are dealing with at the moment. We have to focus on our next matches.”

Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka compared Bayern’s run of losses — to Leverkusen, Lazio in the Champions League and now Bochum — to a scary film.

“It feels like a horror movie that is not ending. Everything is going against us at the moment.” he said.

“We can again sit here and say we started well. But now you feel stupid to limit yourself to half an hour. In the end we tried everything, so you can’t blame us.”

Bayern’s defeat to Bochum was temporarily halted by fan protests against a proposed deal to sell a future stake in the league to a private equity investor.

“That interruption threw us off our rhythm. Today it was a win of mentality over quality,” Dreesen said.

“If we play this game five more times, we win it five times,” Tuchel added. “I don’t blame the players today.”

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is attracting interest from a number of clubs in Europe and the Saudi Pro League, including Al Shabab, a source has told ESPN.

De Gea has been without a club since leaving Old Trafford last summer and despite receiving a host of offers over seven months, he remains a free agent.

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The Spain international, according to a source, rejected an approach from the Saudi Pro League (SPL) in the summer but has since held talks with Al Shabab.

The 33-year-old left United after 12 years after failing to agree a new contract. United were keen to agree a deal which would have seen De Gea taking a cut in wages following Erik ten Hag’s decision to pursue the signing of André Onana as his new No. 1.

Al-Shabab, 11th in the SPL table, have shown ambition this month with attempts to hire Jose Mourinho as their manager and sign Miguel Almirón from Newcastle United.

De Gea, according to a source, would prefer to resume his career in Europe but has not ruled out joining an SPL team.

Meanwhile, a source has told ESPN that SPL clubs are showing interest in Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira.

The Brazil international has impressed in his 18 months at Craven Cottage following a £10 million ($12.7m) move from United in 2022. He has registered four Premier League assists this season after getting six last term.

Pereira has a contract at Fulham until 2026 with the option of another year and Fulham would expect a significant fee before the 28-year-old was allowed to leave.

Paris Saint-Germain have signed Brazilian 18-year-old midfielder Gabriel Moscardo from Corinthians, the Ligue 1 club announced on Thursday.

He has signed a contract with PSG until 2028 and is immediately being loaned back to Corinthians until the end of the season. ESPN reported in December that the two sides had agreed a deal worth €20 million ($21.6m) deal for the midfielder

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Moscardo, who joined Corinthians last season, has played 18 games in Brazil’s top flight Serie A.

“I’m looking forward to joining up with the squad and to meeting the team and the coaching staff, and I hope to win many trophies with Les Rouge et Bleu and to make the fans happy,” Moscardo said in a statement

PSG are top of Ligue 1, eight points ahead of second-place Nice.

BOURNEMOUTH, England — Liverpool’s comprehensive 4-0 victory at Bournemouth saw Jurgen Klopp’s side send out a warning to the chasing pack as they extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points, thanks to braces from Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota.

All the talk coming into the match on Sunday was of Liverpool’s absentees and how they’d have to cope without Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, among others, but the team managed this tricky trip to in-form Bournemouth brilliantly with four second-half goals.

Pressure? What pressure. Even with Manchester City breathing down their necks, makeshift full-backs and a star cast all missing either on international duty or because of injury, Liverpool showed their title credentials in the way they came through.

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This was no day out on the south coast. Bournemouth were undefeated in their past eight league matches, boasting one of the most prolific strikers in the league in Dominic Solanke, who had six goals from six games. Still, Liverpool restricted the hosts to one clear-cut chance and bypassed the impressive Bournemouth press with a series of pinpoint cross-field balls and by winning the small 50-50s when they mattered.

Núñez and Jota will get the headlines but this was a collective effort. From the brilliant manner in which Alexis Mac Allister dictated the tempo in the middle of the pitch, the outstanding performance debutant right-back Conor Bradley put in, and all the rest of their teammates, this was an exercise in control. Virgil van Dijk completely marked Solanke out of the game and nullified one of the league’s most lethal finishers.

Bournemouth threw everything at Liverpool in the first half with their high press causing Liverpool the odd nervous moment, and had the best chance of the half with Ryan Christie unable to convert at the near post a minute before the break. Liverpool’s efforts were restricted to long-range shots in the first half, but at the break Klopp switched Núñez to the left wing, played Jota through the middle (just like they did in the FA Cup match at Arsenal) and from there they dominated the match.

Núñez’s physicality caused Bournemouth all sorts of trouble. He has been at times a bemusing player to watch, someone who misses chances he should take and then strokes home occasional wonder goals he has no right to score. After one mishit in the first half, the Bournemouth fans serenaded him with a version of “you’re just a s–t Andy Carroll,” but Núñez was unbowed and unflustered, and when he had his first real sniff of a chance he converted it. It was a brilliant goal in the 49th minute.

Joe Gomez’s looping crossfield kick found Curtis Jones and with Bournemouth’s defence disoriented, his pass found Jota in space, who put in Núñez, and his first-time finish capped a wonderful move. He scored his second late in the match, three minutes into injury time, converting an outstanding Gomez cross at the far post to bring up Liverpool’s fourth. Núñez’s double sandwiched Jota’s brace. He took both brilliantly, firing the first through Neto’s near post after 70 minutes and the second into the far corner after 79 minutes. With that, Bournemouth’s hopes were extinguished.

There were question marks over Liverpool coming into this over how they’d cope — the list of absentees was such that 24-year-old Cody Gakpo was the oldest outfield player on their bench. But the versatility and adaptability of the squad has seen them cope brilliantly. Gomez at left-back had a tough first few minutes against Marcus Tavernier but adjusted and was dominant from there, while Bradley was superb on the opposite flank, having featured for Liverpool sporadically in the cups this season but not yet in the top flight. The constant movement and positional switches of the front three must be a nightmare to play against while Harvey Elliott’s puppy-like energy complements the calmness of both Jones and Mac Allister in midfield.

Klopp has continued that praise towards the Argentine as such a vital player in midfield. “Absolutely exceptional performance,” Klopp said in his post-game news conference. I’m so happy for us but for him as well. He’s a really good footballer and defensively did a job and offensively he’s super important player for us. He’s calm on the ball and the good things in the first half were him.”

The good news for Liverpool fans is that Alexander-Arnold should be back by the end of the month, Robertson is returning to full training soon and Dominik Szoboszlai’s hamstring injury is progressing well. But in the meantime, those out on the pitch are keeping the ship on track. This victory was the first challenge of what could be a key fortnight for Liverpool with their second leg in the Carabao Cup semifinal at Fulham on Wednesday, their fourth round FA Cup match against Norwich City on Sunday, and then matches against Chelsea at Anfield and Arsenal at the Emirates.

All eyes will be on Salah however, as Klopp in his post-match conference that he will continue his rehab in Liverpool following an injury to the Egypt star at the Africa Cup of Nations and will only mostly likely go back to the tournament if his country makes the final.

“We should start the games better but it’s about 98 minutes, it’s about winning the games in the end,” said Klopp. As long as you stay in the game, and today step by step we found a way and we won.”

Their squad will be stretched and Klopp will need to manage it carefully. But even without their absent superstars, when it mattered, they were composed and got the job done with Núñez and Jota’s goals an exercise in composure in the face of immense pressure. At the full-time whistle, the away fans chanted “Liverpool, top of the league” and those who have eyes on the title will have taken notice of this performance.

Late rally fails to save Tottenham in 4-2 loss at Brighton

Tottenham Hotspur’s top-four ambitions suffered a blow as they lost 4-2 at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Thursday with only a late rally saving them from their heaviest defeat since Ange Postecoglou became manager.

Dec 28, 2023, 09:40 pm – Reuters

Erling Haaland is ready to face Liverpool in Manchester City’s Premier League top of the table clash on Saturday, sources have told ESPN, after returning to training following an injury setback on international duty.

Haaland, who leads the Premier League goal charts with 13 this season, injured his ankle during Norway’s friendly victory against the Faroe Islands last Thursday and was forced to withdraw from the squad for the Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland due to the problem.

The Norway team doctor said that Haaland was in “so much pain” with the injury, which aggravated a similar problem sustained while playing against Bournemouth earlier this season.

But after returning to City for treatment at the beginning of this week, Haaland returned to training on Thursday to give manager Pep Guardiola a selection boost ahead of the meeting with second-placed Liverpool this weekend.

City’s official X account has this evening posted a picture of Haaland in action at the club’s training ground to highlight the 23-year-old’s return to fitness.

Guardiola is expected to give an update on Haaland’s recovery when he holds his prematch press conference on Friday.

Manchester City scored two goals barely a minute apart to beat Manchester United 3-1 and spoil the home side’s night at Old Trafford in the Women’s Super League derby on Sunday.

City climbed over United into third in the WSL standings on 13 points after seven games, six points behind leaders Chelsea, while United have 12 points.

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The crowd of 43,615 smashed United’s previous attendance record of 30,196 for a WSL game at Old Trafford set in 2022 against Aston Villa.

Captain Katie Zelem put United ahead with a penalty in the 21st minute after Alex Greenwood’s handball, but Jill Roord and England international Lauren Hemp scored in the 34th and 35th minutes in a breathless first half.

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United gifted City a goal when England keeper Mary Earps hesitated to meet a soft pass back from Maya Le Tissier. Earps’ attempted clearance ricocheted off an onrushing Khadija Shaw and into the net, leaving United’s keeper angrily yelling about the error.

City were reduced to 10 players in the 72nd minute when Laia Alexandri was shown a second yellow for a foul on Lucia Garcia, and while United dominated with a flurry of chances in the final few minutes, City held strong and their fans were singing “Blue Moon” by the final whistle.

Arsenal beat Brighton earlier on Sunday for their fifth successive WSL victory with goals from Stina Blackstenius, Caitlin Foord and Frida Maanum. Arsenal climbed to within three points of leaders Chelsea.

Chelsea, the only undefeated team, had moved six points clear atop the table on Saturday with a 5-1 win over Liverpool that featured a Lauren James hat-trick amid their quest for a fifth successive WSL title.

England international Rachel Daly scored in added time to lift Aston Villa to a thrilling 3-2 victory at West Ham United. Anna Patten and Canadian international Adriana Leon also scored before Daly hooked in the winner from inside the box for Villa, who are ninth with just two wins.

Celin Bezit scored a second-half equaliser to ensure Tottenham left the King Power Stadium with a point in a 1-1 draw against Leicester City. Tottenham are fifth, two spots ahead of Leicester.

Amalie Thestrup scored in the 82nd minute to salvage a 2-2 draw for Bristol City at Everton. Everton are 10th in the table, two spots ahead of bottom side Bristol City.