Liverpool have sent their “thoughts and support” to Alan Hansen, their former defender who is seriously ill in hospital.
Hansen made 620 appearances for the Merseysiders in a glittering playing career, winning eight league titles and three European Cups.
The 68-year-old, who also won 26 caps for Scotland, then turned his hand to punditry and was a regular on BBC’s Match of the Day until standing down in 2014.
The thoughts and support of everyone at Liverpool FC are with our legendary former captain Alan Hansen, who is currently seriously ill in hospital.
A Liverpool statement read: “The thoughts and support of everyone at Liverpool FC are with our legendary former captain Alan Hansen, who is currently seriously ill in hospital.
“A defender of the utmost elegance, Hansen’s outstanding raft of honours across a 14-year spell with the Reds – he joined from Partick Thistle in 1977 – included eight league titles, three European Cups, two FA Cups and three League Cups.
“‘Jocky’, as he was known by team-mates, is in the top 10 for all-time appearances for the club having played 620 matches, and the Scottish centre-back also served as Liverpool skipper for four seasons.
“The club is currently in contact with Alan’s family to provide our support at this difficult time, and our thoughts, wishes and hopes are with Alan and all of the Hansen family.
“We will provide any further updates as we receive them in due course, and we request that the Hansen family’s privacy is respected at this time.”
Czech Republic midfielder Michal Sadilek has been ruled out of Euro 2024 after sustaining a leg injury in a cycling accident.
Sadilek, who plays his club football for FC Twente in the Netherlands, has been capped 24 timed by his country and captained the side in Friday’s 7-1 thrashing of Malta.
The 25-year-old’s absence will be a big blow to the Czech’s hopes of advancing from their group that also includes Portugal, Georgia and Turkey.
Midfielder Michal Sadílek will miss the UEFA EURO 2024 because of injury and won’t travel with the squad to Germany.
— Czech Football National Team (@ceskarepre_eng) June 9, 2024
A statement from the team’s press spokesperson Petr Sedivy read: “Unfortunately, Michael Sadilek fell while riding his bike and suffered a laceration of the leg.”
Czech coach Ivan Hasek added: “It is disappointing for us as he is one of the most experienced players. On behalf of the whole team I wish him a speedy recovery.
“We will decide in the near future if we are going to call up anyone else.”
Manchester United minority shareholder Jim Ratcliffe met former Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel last week to discuss the manager’s position at Old Trafford, according to a report in Germany.
A full analysis of United’s football operations – now run by Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group – is expected to be concluded shortly and a verdict made on current boss Erik ten Hag after a disappointing season for the club on the field.
United won the FA Cup with a surprise victory over Manchester City to qualify for the Europa League but their Premier League performance was poor with Ten Hag’s men finishing in eighth place.
Bild journalist Christian Falk has reported today that Ratcliffe met with Tuchel to discuss the possibility of the German taking over from Ten Hag for next season.
Tuchel is out of work after leaving Bayern a year into a two-year deal after a poor season that saw them relinquish their Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen.
The 50-year-old knows the Premier League from a previous spell at Chelsea, with whom he won the Champions League in 2021.
✅ Exclusive: There was a meeting in Monaco last Tuesday between Thomas Tuchel and the new Manchester United shareholder Jim Ratcliffe ❇️ Tuchel revealed his plans if he were to take over the coaching position in the event of Erik ten Hag being fired ❇️ Tuchel is said to have…
Falk claimed on X: “There was a meeting in Monaco last Tuesday between Thomas Tuchel and the new Manchester United shareholder Jim Ratcliffe.
“Tuchel revealed his plans if he were to take over the coaching position in the event of Erik ten Hag being fired.
“Tuchel is said to have explained to the United co-owner how he could get United’s sporting problems like [Jadon] Sancho and Mason Mount back on track.
“Tuchel mentioned Antonio Rudiger as [an] example that he had already succeeded in the past in getting players with great potential back to top performance.”
What has Ten Hag said about his future?
Ten Hag has spent two years at Old Trafford and has yet to convince although he is confident he will succeed elsewhere should Ratcliffe decide to go in a different direction.
Speaking after the Cup final win over City, he said: “Two trophies in two years is not bad.
“Three finals in two years is not bad. I’m not satisfied with it. We have to do better.
“If they don’t want me, then I go somewhere else to win trophies because that is what I do.”
England boss Gareth Southgate has also been mentioned as a successor to Ten Hag but his future won’t be decided until after the European Championship.
New Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany is set to return to the Premier League to make his first signing.
Sky Sports Germany report Bayern have agreed personal terms with Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha and will now discuss a fee with the Cottagers for the combative midfielder.
Portugal international Palhinha has been named in Roberto Martinez’s squad for Euro 2024, meaning Bayern will have to move quickly if they are to conclude a deal before the tournament gets underway on Friday.
Palhinha has been one of the Premier League’s best holding midfielders since joining Fulham in 2022 from Sporting CP.
🚨🔴 Bayern have reached an agreement on personal terms with João Palhinha!
Contract ready, salary agreed and green light from the player who really wants to make it happen.
His form almost saw him join Bayern last summer only for Fulham to pull out of a deal at the last minute after failing to find a replacement.
And it has been reported the framework of that agreement has been revived, leading to a swift conclusion to discussions with Bayern and the player this time round.
Fulham will be reluctant to sell but a fee of around £40million may be enough to tempt them, especially with the 28-year-old keen on the move.
Luke Shaw says mistakes were made over his fitness levels last season and questioned the approach taken by the Manchester United medical staff and manager Erik ten Hag.
Shaw was included in the England squad for Euro 2024 but is facing a race against time to be fit for the opening game against Serbia next Sunday due to a hamstring injury sustained in February.
The 28-year-old says he was asked to play at Luton Town a week after coming off at half-time against Aston Villa but broke down again and has not featured since.
He said: “It’s kind of everyone’s fault. Partly my fault, partly medical staff, I think everyone would admit that.
“I didn’t train the whole week. The scan came back and there wasn’t too much there. But I didn’t train all week, then trained the day before the game. If the manager asks me to play, I’m never going to say no. I shouldn’t have played.”
United frustrations
Shaw managed just 12 starts in the Premier League last season but still heads to the Euros as England’s only specialist left-back.
He added: “We all want to play football. My season has been so frustrating, injury after injury. Maybe at times, especially my first hamstring, it could have been avoidable.
“That wasn’t the case, things happen, and I’ve just got to move on from that. The biggest thing for me now is putting my full focus on getting back fit and helping England win the Euros.
“I would love to make the first game, I can’t lie. But I don’t want to be in one of them situations and rush too quickly because, realistically, I’ve only got one chance. If I feel something, then that’s it, and I don’t want that to happen.”
How can he be fit for England?
Shaw missed the FA Cup final win over Manchester City but was still selected by Gareth Southgate for the tournament in Germany with some United fans questioning his commitment to his club – a point the former Southampton full-back was keen to address.
He said: “I think people have been getting confused with what’s actually happened, because nothing had ever been said. I got a few people coming up to me, saying, “How can you not be fit for United but fit for England?”.
“But the circumstances were that I did push to do everything I can to be fit for United, and that’s been my whole season, really. In my opinion, I was pushing to try and get back for the games and the final, and I think I pushed too hard.
“I came back too quickly and I actually ended up getting another injury in my hamstring, which was three weeks from the final and they said it was a six-week injury, so that’s obviously why there was that setback.
“I had done a little bit of team training. When you build back up, you tend to go in a little bit of team training just to get a feel of it and then you go with the conditioning coach to do different things and try and build up your fitness. It was actually when I was over there that I felt something in my hamstring. I had a scan and it was a six-week injury. I was devastated.
“It’s better for me to come out and say what happened, because I think there was a lot of questions over how I could be here and not United. That’s been playing on my mind a little bit, because I don’t want people thinking that’s what I’m doing.”
Euro 2024 promises to be a tournament full of surprises and Group B is perhaps the hardest to predict. Spain, Croatia, defending champions Italy and Albania will compete against each other in Germany and it really is anyone’s game.
Italy come into the tournament aiming to defend their crown having missed out on qualification for the World Cup in 2022 but they possess a renewed energy under Luciano Spalletti.
Spain’s youthful setup has made them a fantastic watch under Luis de la Fuente and they sit as slight favourites against the rest of their opponents.
Croatia will rely on experience to help them progress. The likes of Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic will be crucial for the 2018 World Cup finalists.
Albania are certainly underdogs but there have been plenty of upsets in the past and you can never say never at a major international tournament.
One thing is for certain, there are some mouthwatering matchups on the cards between three of the top-ranked nations in the world.
Later in this article, we will identify a few good value bets but if you need to open an account, you can find the best promotional offers on the market.
Claiming your free bets ahead of the tournament has never been easier! Simply follow the steps listed below, and free bets will be yours!
Click the link to be taken to the sign-up page of your preferred betting site.
Fill in your personal information, such as your name, date of birth, email address, etc.
Create a unique username and password combination that you will be sure to remember!
Make your minimum deposit. This will differ from site to site, so make sure to check the T&Cs.
Place your qualifying bet. This will differ from site to site, so make sure to check the T&Cs.
Wait for your bet to settle.
Your free bets will be deposited into your account.
Enjoy!
Predictions, Bets, Odds
The odds listed below were provided by bet365 and were correct at the time of publication. However, they are subject to change.
Italy not to qualify @ 5/1 with bet365
Croatia to win the group @ 9/2 with bet365
Spain not to qualify @ 7/1 with bet365
Anything could happen in Group B but the bookies have managed to separate the four teams, albeit by some very small margins.
Spain are priced at favourites to win with bet365 at 4/5, with the odds sitting at a massive 7/1 for De La Fuente’s to exit at the first hurdle.
They do have some interesting history against both Croatia and Italy, with Spain beating the former in the Nations League final last year.
Croatia are predicted to have a better opening round than Italy, with the European champions 2/1 to win Group B and 5/1 not to qualify.
Zlatko Dalic’s side have proved at the previous two tournaments that they are a force to be reckoned with an backing them to win the group is at an enticing 9/2.
While it is unlikely that Albania progress, their odds may make a flutter on the underdogs tempting.
At 3/1 to qualify and 25/1 to win the group, they are odds worth considering due to the unpredictability of these events.
Spain are favourites in Group B for a reason and it would come as a shock if they do not win most if not all of their matches.
Their recent form suggests they are a side to be reckoned with at Euro 2024, losing just one of their last 11.
Second place is where things really get interesting.
Italy and Croatia will both fancy themselves to grab the other qualification spot but it is difficult to place one ahead of the other.
Croatia’s form has not been the best. It took penalties to beat Tunisia back in March and there were narrow wins against Latvia and Armenia in the final round of qualifiers.
But before that, they lost to both Turkey and Wales.
Their last meeting against Italy came in 2015 and ended in a 1-1 draw.
In fact, each of the last three meetings have been draws and Croatia have only ever lost once against the Azzurri, back in 1942.
Italy’s strong squad is also catching the eye. They have been playing some great football under Spalletti but have faltered against bigger opponents, losing to Spain and England in the last 12 months.
You get the feeling that if either of these two teams lose to Albania, it could be what costs them a place in the knockout stages.
But if we had to pick one for now, Italy would get the nod over Croatia.
Which teams will make it to the knockout stage from Group B?! #EUROpredictor | #Betano
June 15: Spain vs Croatia (5pm, Olympiastadion) June 15: Italy vs Albania (8pm, BVB Stadion Dortmund) June 19: Croatia vs Albania (2pm, Volksparkstadion) June 20: Spain vs Italy (8pm, Arena AufSchalke) June 24: Croatia vs Italy (8pm, Dusseldorf Arena) June 24: Albania vs Spain (8pm, Leipzig Stadium)
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Euro 2024 fever is in full swing with the start of a six-week festival of football in Germany now just days away.
Italy are the current European champions after triumphing three years ago but a host of nations will be hoping wrestle the crown off them in what should be a hotly-contested tournament.
Gareth Southgate’s England are the bookies’ favourites to land their first ever European Championship title – but the likes of France, Germany, Spain, Portugal and more will feel they have more than a chance.
With as many as three games a day during the group stage, you will want to witness every kick. In this article we will tell you how you can do just that.
Where is Euro 2024 being staged and when does it start?
Euro 2024 will be hosted in Germany, a nation who have lifted the trophy a joint-record three times.
Games will play out in 10 different locations spread across the country, including Berlin for the final and Munich and Dortmund for the semi-finals clashes.
The hosts kick off the tournament on Friday, June 14 against Group A opponents Scotland at Munich’s Allianz Arena.
After that, a minimum of three group games will be played each day until Wednesday, June 26 before the knockout stage begins with the last 16 on Saturday, June 29.
The quarter-finals play out on July 5 and 6 and the semi-finals on July 9 and 10 before all eyes turn to Berlin for the final on Sunday, July 14.
England fans across the country are hoping this is finally the year the men’s team triumph for the first time since the 1966 World Cup.
Gareth Southgate’s men went agonisingly close at the last Euros, losing to Italy on penalties in the final on home soil at Wembley.
They will hope to use that heartbreak as fuel to go one better this time around but while they possess a wealth of talent, they know they are not short of competition to be crowned champions.
Who else are among the favourites?
France – 2018 World Cup winners and 2022 finalists – provide the biggest threat, with captain Kylian Mbappe looking to celebrate his move to Real Madrid with his first Euros triumph.
Hosts Germany have endured a tough couple of years but look to be on the up again under Julian Nagelsmann and, as they often do, are likely to be able to turn it on when it matters.
Elsewhere, Spain possess a talented squad under Luis de la Fuente and share the record for the most titles won (three).
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo will hope to lead 2016 winners Portugal to further glory in what will be his SIXTH European Championship.
How do I watch Euro 2024 on the TV?
You can watch every single Euro 2024 game for FREE in the UK with BBC and ITV sharing broadcasting duties as usual.
The TV schedule has already been decided for the group stage, with ITV getting first picks for the round of 16 and semi-final games and the BBC first dibs on the two semi-final encounters.
Both broadcasters will show the final.
Can I watch online?
Yes! Both the BBC and ITV will also air matches on their respective online players.
For BBC games go to BBC iPlayer and for matches shown on ITV you should head to ITVX.
What if I fancy a bet on the games?
Don’t worry, we have you covered…
Which Euro 2024 games are on the BBC and which are on ITV?
Check out which game will be shown on what channel below:
Manchester United winger Mason Greenwood is reportedly of interest to Fenerbahce but he is said to hold reservations about working with Jose Mourinho.
The future of the United academy prospect promises to be one of the most discussed aspect of the summer.
It is still not clear that he will leave the club permanently or on loan, but the most probable course of action is that the 22 year old departs the club he joined as a child in some form.
Teams such as Juventus and a selection of English clubs are reported to be interested in the player after a stellar loan spell at Getafe.
The Sun report that Fenerbahce may be the next club in line to express an interest in the controversial United man.
The English paper states, “Turkish club Fenerbahce are plotting to enter the race to sign Mason Greenwood” but there is a huge complication in any deal as “he is not keen on working with Jose Mourinho.”
A source said: “Fenerbahce are interested in Mason, They know he is a quality player and believe that having Mourinho as manager could be an attractive proposition for him.”
The Portuguese coach was at the club when Greenwood was just being noticed as a talent by the senior team and took him on tour to the USA in 2018 on a pre-season tour.
“Former United midfielder Nicky Butt has told how Mourinho identified Greenwood as a future first-team star when he was just 15.”
Nonetheless, if reports are to be believed it does not seem that this would be enough to convince Greenwood of the move.
A more likely stumbling block to a transfer than Mourinho would probably be the player’s desire to move to the Turkish league at 22 years old and especially considering he has Premier League, La Liga and Serie A sides chasing him.
INEOS are beginning to develop a reputation amongst fans for being slow decision makers as highlighted by the lack of direction taken on the manager’s future so far and the longer the Greenwood saga drags on, the larger this reputation will grow amongst a discontented fanbase.
Want to be the first to hear breaking Man United news? For carefully selected, crucial updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://bit.ly/United-Breaking-News.
Home support will be crucial for Germany when the three-time European champions start their Uefa Euro 2024 campaign against Scotland on Friday, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has said.
A sensational Pascal Gross strike saw the host nation past Greece in a 2-1 comeback win in Monchengladbach on Friday, when Die Mannschaft supporters unfurled banners expressing expectation that their side will win the tournament but saw them fall behind to opponents ranked 34 places below them.
“It was a test,” said Barcelona’s Gundogan. “We were a bit sluggish in the first half and we were punished for that. The Greeks did well in the first half, but that is not our benchmark.
“It was important that we showed ourselves that we have the ability to respond. We need the support of the fans; that will give us a boost.
“We are starting the European Championship with a good feeling, but there is no team left that we can beat 4-0 or 5-0. We still have a week, our senses are sharpened and we want to carry the momentum forward.”
Germany Euro team ‘know roles’
Germany’s form has been patchy since Julian Nagelsmann became manager in September 2023, although they beat France and the Netherlands in March before a 0-0 draw at home to Ukraine on Monday.
“We knew that we were not as good as we were made out to be in March,” said midfielder Toni Kroos, assessing their last friendly before the finals begin.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the first half – technical errors – played sloppily and ran into counterattacks. Everyone knows their role. They are clearly distributed in the team and that will help us.”
Giorgos Masouras put the visitors ahead in the 33rd minute before Kai Havertz’s 55th-minute equaliser brought Germany level and Gross gave them a glorious finish a minute from time.
They have not won the tournament since 1996 but are expected to finish top of Group A, also facing Hungary on June 19 and Switzerland four days later.
“The second half was much improved compared to the first,” said Nagelsmann. “For the first time in a long time, we lost the ball easily in the first half, played far too slowly and played far too much through the centre.
“I addressed that clearly at half-time. We simply needed more sharpness in all our actions to win this game. In the second half, we brought both wings into play in order to open up space in the middle.”
Scotland manager Steve Clarke says he has had a “horrible week” after telling Craig Gordon and John Souttar they have been cut from his Uefa Euro 2024 squad.
Rangers centre-back Souttar has nine caps, while Hearts goalkeeper Gordon made his debut in 2004 and was informed by Clarke of his decision before a 2-2 draw at home to Finland on Friday in which he came on to win his 75th cap.
“I’ve had two really difficult conversations, as you can image,” Clarke told Premier Sports following the game, adding that the enforced removal of Lyndon Dykes because of an injury the QPR striker sustained before the 2-0 friendly win over Gibraltar on Monday had compounded the situation.
“They’re horrible, emotional conversations to have. I’ve got to be honest: since Lyndon’s injury, it’s been a horrible week.”
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 7, 2024
Gordon had the consolation of becoming the oldest Scotland international in history in a warm send-off at Hampden Park.
Craig Gordon Scotland caps
Former Sunderland and Celtic player Gordon was selected for Euro 2020 but remained an unused substitute throughout Scotland’s campaign.
“You never know what’s going to happen in football,” said Clarke. “Craig’s been sitting on 74 caps.
“He was in the squad in March and didn’t get time on the pitch. With over 40,000 people in the stadium, it was fitting moment to give him cap 75.
“It would just have been wrong, on the disappointment of him not going to the Euro, not to give him that 75th cap.”
Scotland draw with Finland
Clarke suggested that a penalty awarded against Gordon five minutes from time should not have been given because he felt the substitute had touched the ball in a challenge.
Despite lacking a cutting edge to match their dominance of possession in the first half, Scotland went 2-0 ahead after the break, only for Finland to score twice during the closing 18 minutes.
Scotland start the finals in the opening match against host nation Germany on Friday. They then play Switzerland on June 19 and Hungary four days later.
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