Roberto Mancini has led resurgent Italy back into the top 10 of the FIFA rankings after a four-year absence.

The Azzurri are four-time World Cup winners but last featured in the higher echelons in the August 2016 rankings.

Failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup during Gian Piero Ventura s reign demonstrated their decline, but Mancini, who turned 56 on Friday, has engineered an impressive turnaround in fortunes.

Italy were 20th on the FIFA list when Mancini took over as head coach in May 2018, but winning all 10 of their Euro 2020 qualifying matches not only re-established them as a major force, it has seen their ranking soar.

Italy have reached the Nations League finals and are now unbeaten in 22 matches, their best such run since the year they won…

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Looking to make an immediate return to winning ways on Saturday afternoon, Manchester City will travel to Wolves this weekend.

Wolves

Starting with the hosts, crashing out of the EFL Cup earlier in the week following a remarkable collapse at Portman Road, Wolves find themselves in the midst of an extended struggle. Eventually slumping to a 3-2 loss at the hands of Championship high-flyers Ipswich, Gary O’Neil’s side are already seeking a crucial boost. Last seen in Premier League action having to settle for a downbeat 1-1 draw away at Luton, the former Bournemouth boss appears to have a real job on his hands. Still dealing with some public issues behind the scenes at Mollineaux, Wolves have managed to muster just a single Premier L…

Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch is keen to continue developing the fantastic Raphinha while he is still with the club as reports circulate of a move to Barcelona.

The Brazil winger was linked with a big-money move to West Ham in January but has remained at Elland Road, with Leeds battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Raphinha, who left Rennes for Leeds in October 2020, has caught the eye of some of Europe s elite clubs, with Barca seemingly favourites to secure his signature.

Barca president Joan Laporta has confirmed an interest in the 25-year-old, having received positive reports from Raphinha s agent and ex-Blaugrana midfielder Deco.

While Marsch acknowledged his star player is in demand, the American expressed his desire to mak…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Ismaila Sarr from Watford in the summer transfer window, according to . The North London club are looking into the potential availability of the winger now and are considering making a move for him this summer.

Watford do not want to sell Sarr, but the promoted Premier League club will want over £50 million for him. It remains to be seen if Spurs would be willing to spend that much money on a winger, especially as they have signed another winger this summer. Bryan Gil joined from Sevilla in a deal that saw Erik Lamela move to the La Liga outfit.

Sarr joined Watford from French club Rennes in the summer of 2019. The Senegal international scored  and gave four assists in 22 Premier League starts in 2019-20. Then last season,…

Walter Samuel appears set to move to Sampdoria from Inter, according to the Genoa s club sporting director Carlo Osti.

The 36-year-old has spent the last nine years at San Siro after joining from Real Madrid in 2005.

Samuel was part of the Inter squad that won the treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League under Jose Mourinho in 2009-10.

But it appears the Argentina international is on his way to Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris to link up with Sinisa Mihajlovic s side.

We are talking to Walter Samuel right at this moment and we want to close the deal as soon as possible, Osti told GenoaSamp.

You will definitely know something within a few hours.

…

Liverpool and Arsenal are set to battle for the services of Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, .

The Spain international is ready to end his sixteen year association with the European Champions, and England is his most likely destination.

Both Brendan Rodgers and Arsene Wenger are keen to add another goalkeeper at the end of the season and Casillas is on both of their radars.

Since making his first team debut in 1999, the 33 year old has racked up over seven hundred appearances in all competitions, and has won a whole host of trophies including five La Liga titles, two Spanish cups and three Champions Leagues.

Internationally, he has been capped one hundred and sixty times, and captained his country to success in three consecutive major tournament…

Jurgen Klopp praised the work of Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi after watching his Liverpool side play out an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Amex Stadium.

The Reds looked on course for the win when Mohamed Salah scored the second of two goals in the final moments of the first half, converting from the penalty spot after Dominik Szoboszlai had been hauled down by Pascal Gross.

Minutes earlier Salah had pulled his side level when he slotted beyond Bart Verbruggen having been put through on goal by Harvey Elliott’s pass.

It finishes level.

— Liverpool FC (@LFC)

Brighton had started the brighter and led after 20 minutes, a careless pass by Alisson in the Liverpool goal putting Alexis Mac Allister under pressure and letting in Simon Adingra to …

Captain, leader, legend is how one banner at Stamford Bridge describes John Terry s legacy at Chelsea.

The 36-year-old centre-back has been a central figure during the club s greatest period, winning 14 major trophies that include four Premier League titles and the 2011-12 Champions League.

Terry s 22-year association with Chelsea is at last set to come to an end, however, with the league leaders announcing on Monday that the club captain has taken the decision to leave at the end of the season.

With the help of Opta, we look at some of the standout statistics behind the career of a player who, while being far from untouched by controversy, will undoubtedly be remembered as a hero to Blues fans.

40 – John Terry has scored more Premier League goals than…

Netherlands great Marco van Basten has returned to the national team as assistant coach to Danny Blind.

Van Basten earned 54 caps for Netherlands during a distinguished playing career that took in stints with the likes of Ajax and Milan.

The 50-year-old also enjoyed a four-year spell as Netherlands head coach between 2004 and 2008, leading them to the semi-finals of Euro 2008.

He has now opted to leave his positions as assistant coach at Eredivisie side AZ to take on his new position.

I m really looking forward to this interesting job and also look forward to the renewed collaboration with Danny Blind, Van Basten said.

I had to make a difficult choice, because the role at AZ was to my liking. Blind convinced me of the challenge of the national t…

Celtic suffered their second successive Europa League defeat this season as they were comprehensively beaten 4-0 by Bayer Leverkusen.

First-half goals from Piero Hincapie and Florian Wirtz put the Bundesliga side in complete control against Ange Postecoglou s side in the Group G clash at Celtic Park.

Lucas Alario added a third from the penalty spot after the break as Gerardo Seoane s side followed up their opening victory over Ferencvaros, while substitute Amine Adli completed the rout with a thumping strike deep into stoppage time.

The result means Celtic were handed an 11th reverse in their last 18 home European matches, while this was the 16th time in 25 outings they have lost to German opposition.

Both sides had chances to break the deadlock during…