More stories

  • in

    AC Milan boss ready to quit without compensation just two months after joining – despite already winning a trophy

    AC MILAN manager Sergio Conceicao has furiously threatened to QUIT the club after just two months in charge.Conceicao took over at the San Siro in December after replacing Paulo Fonseca.AC Milan manager Sergio Conceicao has furiously threatened to quit the clubCredit: RexAnd he has already led Milan to Italian Supercup glory – beating arch rivals Inter 3-2 in the final. But their league form has dipped with Conceicao winning just eight and losing five of his 16 games in charge. Milan sit eighth in the league and recently lost 2-1 to Bologna – leaving Conceicao considering his future. He said: “Every day, people talk about my situation and it’s not fair.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS”I know what I want, I know what I can do, I see a lot of people talking about me but the situation is simple. “If I have to leave, they tell me ‘you’re no longer needed’, I take my suitcase and leave without asking for a single Euro more. “I don’t come from nowhere. I have almost 100 games in the Champions League, I have won 13 trophies, but every day, they like to talk about me. “Coaches criticise me on match day. I have a family, I have people close to me and they see a lot of bad things about me and it’s not fair. Sorry for the outburst.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSMilan – also knocked out of the Champions League – took the lead against Bologna through Rafael Leao. But goals from Santiago Castro and Dan Ndoye condemned the Serie A giants to defeat as Conceicao hit out at referee Maurizio Mariani. Cole Palmer left bemused as Chelsea star is asked about fighting giant chicken wingHe fumed: “There was a blatant handball in the first goal. All the incidents that are negative for us become decisive for the result. “We have to keep working, see what we did well. There are also our mistakes, obviously. “In general, we are connected to the game, we know where to attack and press. “When we are in the game and we do what we prepare, we create and arrive at the last 30 metres with ease and quality, but then incidents happen, sometimes through our fault and sometimes through the fault of others.” More

  • in

    ‘Upset’ Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals Man Utd star he would never have sold as ex-manager blasts transfer decision

    OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER is “upset” Manchester United sold Scott McTominay.The former Red Devils manager admitted he still watches his old side when he can, with Solskjaer now in charge of Turkish giants Besiktas.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits he still watches Man Utd gamesCredit: GettyHe believes the club made a mistake selling Scott McTominayCredit: ReutersHe is pleased to see some of his former players doing well but believes the decision to sell McTominay was a mistake.Solskjaer said McTominay was an important part of the team on and off the pitch – as well as his goals he provided a good understanding of the club.Asked if he still watches United matches, Solskjaer told The Athletic: “When I can. “It’s still good to see Bruno Fernandes and Harry [Maguire] doing well. And Scotty [McTominay] is doing well at Napoli. READ MORE MAN UTD NEWS”I’m upset that we let him go because he was important last season when he kept popping up with goals. “His heart and his knowledge of the culture were important.”McTominay, 28, has proved a big hit since leaving Old Trafford.He is adored in Napoli by fans, players and his manager Antonio Conte, having scored seven goals in 28 games this season.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe Italian press have described the midfielder as “the new leader of Napoli” and “the next Maradona” due to the impact he’s had.Napoli fans have fallen for McTominay and have nicknamed him “McTotally”.Roy Keane slams Man Utd in angriest ever rant and has bust-up with Wright over BrunoMeanwhile Solskjaer has enjoyed a brilliant start to life at Besiktas, winning six of his first eight games. More

  • in

    ‘True gentleman’ Tomas Soucek reveals why he changed his celebration against Leicester

    TOMAS SOUCEK has been hailed for holding back with his celebrations during West Ham’s 2-0 win over Leicester City on Thursday night.Soucek opened the scoring for the Hammers on his 30th birthday as the East London club won consecutive Premier League games for the first time since March 2024.Tomas Soucek held back from his trademark celebration after scoring the opener against Leicester on ThursdayCredit: GettySoucek is known to stretch his arms out and spin around for his usual celebrationCredit: GettyDespite prodding in the opener in front of a full home stadium, Soucek held back from doing his trademark celebration.The Czech Republic international is known for his spinning celebration that sees him stretch his arms out and spin around twice before leaping up and punching the air.However, the midfielder opted against doing so on Thursday and instead kept things cool with his arms down by his side.Now Soucek has revealed the “gentlemanly” reason he avoided doing his usual celebration, choosing to respect Leicester’s late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. READ MORE WEST HAM NEWSSpeaking after the match, he said: “I didn’t think my normal helicopter celebration was the right thing to do because of what happened to the Leicester owner.”I wanted to celebrate my goal with my team, but I also wanted to show respect to our opponents.”Late Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was one of five people who lost their lives in a helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium in 2018.The October 27 crash occurred after the helicopter took off from inside the stadium following a 1-1 draw between Leicester and West Ham.Most read in FootballLeicester City Chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash in 2018Credit: Getty Images – GettyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSSrivaddhanaprabha lost his life alongside employees Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare and co-pilots Eric Swaffer and Izabela Roza Lechowicz.A recent inquest has ruled that the crash was an incident.Graham Potter makes five-word comment the moment he entered press conference after West Ham clashFans have credited Soucek for his decision to not use his usual celebration.On social media, one wrote: “That sums the bloke up, a true gentleman and a Hammer”.While another added: “That is how you know he is the absolute epitome of a gentleman”.And a third posted: “A class act, on and off the pitch.”Soucek’s goal was compounded by a Jannik Vestergaard own goal just two minuted before half time.The victory for Graham Potter’s side means they are now level on points with 14th placed Manchester United and 13th spot Tottenham.READ MORE SUN STORIESFor Leicester the defeat means they have now lost 11 of their last 12 Premier League games.Relegation is now staring Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side straight in the face, with the foxes five points clear of safety and sat in 19th spot. More

  • in

    Inside Marc Cucurella’s stunning home as Chelsea star and partner Claudia give glimpse inside plush pad

    MARC CUCURELLA has given fans a glimpse inside his stunning home.The Chelsea defender, 26, has settled with the West London club since moving from Brighton in 2022.Marc Cucurella and girlfriend Claudia showed their stunning homeCredit: cucurella3 / boconceptukThe spacious lounge featured a cream-coloured themeCredit: cucurella3 / boconceptukCucurella has a perfect spot to tune into the footballCredit: cucurella3 / boconceptukCucurella lives with long-term girlfriend Claudia Rodriguez and their three children; Mateo, five, Rio, three, and Bella, two.The Spaniard has been working with Danish designers BoConcept to spruce up his home.In his latest Instagram post, Cucurella posted several images from inside his property, while thanking BoConcept.His caption read: “Thanks for helping us make our house, our home.”READ MORE ON CHELSEAIn the first picture, Cucurella beamed alongside Claudia as they sat on their comfy-looking cream coloured sofa.His second showed off their vast lounge area, sporting a similar colour scheme and minimalist decor.Cucurella’s third image featured the view from his sofa, a big-screen TV perfect for watching the football… or a certain classic kids’ film.Speaking to TNT Sports, Cucurella recently revealed that his favourite film is none other than Disney epic The Lion King.Most read in FootballThe ace said: “(My favourite film?) The Lion King.JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis area is ideal for relaxing with a coffeeCredit: cucurella3 / boconceptukThe eight-seat dining table features a view of the gardenCredit: cucurella3 / boconceptuk“I watch it maybe twice each day, so I want to choose this one.”A fourth picture showed off a coffee table surrounded by three comfortable-looking armchairs, perfect for relaxing with a coffee.Rapper Central Cee is lost for words when Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella serenades him While the fifth and final image of Cucurella’s post featured his eight-seat dining table, decorated with flowers and featuring a view into his sprawling garden.Shortly after moving to Chelsea, Cucurella’s home was targeted by vile crooks.The burglary is understood to have understandably contributed to his initial struggles to settle in with the Blues.He was one of three Chelsea stars to be targeted by criminals that season, with Raheem Sterling and Reece James’ homes also broken into.Having not enjoyed much game time during his first season, Cucurella has since established himself as a Chelsea regular.He has made 25 Premier League appearances for Enzo Maresca’s side this season, scoring three goals and laying on two assists.Cucurella’s young family are now settled in LondonCredit: instagram/@_claurodri More

  • in

    Celtic and Rangers away fan lockout officially OVER as Old Firm ticket deal thrashed out and allocations revealed

    AWAY fans are officially BACK at Old Firm matches – starting with next month’s derby at Celtic Park.SunSport told you first how a major breakthrough had been made in negotiations between Celtic and Rangers to resolve the frustrating fan lockout which had been in place for two years.Nico Raskin pleads with the supporters after Arne Engels is struck by an objectCredit: Kenny RamsayRangers and Celtic fans during a derby match Celtic ParkCredit: PAThe dispute dates back to 2018 when Gers reduced the away allocation for all visiting fans – including Celtic.Coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic around 700 away supporters were allowed to attend games at Ibrox and Celtic Park.But this fell apart after nasty scenes during the New Year’s clash of 2023, with Celtic citing fears over fan safety as their reason for refusing future allocations.Rangers also highlighted negative experiences for their fans at Parkhead and both sides have struggled to agree on a solution ever since.The SPFL stepped in last season to demand that the two Glasgow rivals end their feud over access to visiting supporters.An agreement was reached to allow a five per-cent away allocation at each venue, starting this campaign.But the freeze on away fans continued after Celtic wrote to Rangers ahead of the first derby fixture of the current season to say they would NOT be welcoming travelling supporters for the September 1 match at Parkhead.Celtic had spent a six-figure sum on planning for Rangers’ visit but they claimed the Ibrox club hadn’t done the same on their end.Most read in FootballOf course, at that time, the Light Blues were still playing out of Hampden after delays forced them to up sticks from Ibrox for several weeks to start the season.Gers responded to the fall out and said they had been “taking all steps” towards the agreement, and returned the favour for the next derby at Ibrox by saying no Celtic fans would be allowed in.Rating Barry Ferguson’s chances of landing Rangers manager job long-termBut after constructive talks involving all parties, the March 16 meeting between the sides WILL see away fans welcomed back.Rangers will then reciprocate in the post-split fixture at Ibrox.Celtic wrote: “We can confirm that following the previous SPFL determination from last year and with necessary requirements being addressed, away supporters will be present at the next two Glasgow derby matches this season at Celtic Park (March 16) and Ibrox.”Allocations will be around 4% of saleable capacity at both stadia”Further ticket information will be provided in due course.”The Ibrox club said: “Rangers supporters will be able to attend our match with Celtic on March 16, with the two clubs agreeing for a reciprocal percentage of tickets to be allocated to away fans.”Approximately four per-cent of saleable capacity at both stadia will be given to the visiting club, with everyone at Rangers looking forward to having the backing of our supporters in the East End of Glasgow in just over a fortnight’s time. Celtic fans will have around 4% of the saleable tickets at IbroxCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun GlasgowThere will be the ‘European’ allocation of Rangers fans at Celtic Park next monthCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow”The arrangement will then be repeated for the Old Firm derby at Ibrox following the split.”Specific ticketing information will be communicated to eligible supporters in due course.”Interim Rangers boss Barry Ferguson said: “I’ve always said it’s something that the fixture has missed. In an ideal situation it would be great if there was more. But the way it is, the way it’s happened, the number of tickets we’re getting, I’m just glad away supporters are allowed back.Asked specifically about a return to the days of 7,500 away fans at either venue, Ferguson said: “At this moment in time I’m just happy that the fans are back. In time, we’ll see but it’s a start.”Defender Robin Propper said: “It is beautiful that we have fans with us to cheer us on against Celtic.”Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is another man who is relishing the return – and hoping that a return to the 7,500 allocations is just around the corner. He said: “It’s a big part of the fixture, having been involved in it with the supporters there both when they’re away and then obviously them being taken away.”It does make a difference, It is great for the game, it is great for the spectacle of the game and obviously ultimately for the supporters, they get their chance to see their team which is great. “We just had to get supporters back in the stadiums again, that is the start point. Then hopefully it can get somewhere near to what we had before because that created an amazing atmosphere. READ MORE SUN STORIES”Football as we know is about the rivalry and there’s arguably no greater rivalry than Celtic vs Rangers in world football. There’s many great derbies but this is an exceptional one and it’s just good to have both sets of supporters in. It always adds to the spectacle.”Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

  • in

    Scottish Premiership club’s ‘astoundingly good-looking’ matchday food divides fans – ‘It’s not a kids’ tea party’

    GONE are the days of spearmint chewing gum and macaroon bars served from trays around the terraces.Instead there’s scalding hot Bovril and a steak or scoth pie that’s stuck to the foil – food at the football can get a bad rap sometimes.Bovril is the traditional drink for Scottish football fansKillie Pies are also highly regarded in the football snack worldCredit: Willie VassThe 25th world pie championships were launched at Hampden earlier this year with Sunsport’s Killie legend Kris BoydCredit: John Kirkby – Commissioned by The SunNot the famous Killie pie though.The Ayrshire delight is renowned as one of the best in the SPFL – and is held in such high regard it’s sold in shops far away from Rugby Park.But the Killie Pie appears to have a rival as clubs come up with alternative culinary delights to replace the staple diet of Saturday afternoons at Scottish football.An internal rival no less. And one that has been hailed a sweet success.Well, with some fans at least.To others, what’s being served up in Kilmarnock’s family stand simply isn’t to their taste.The dish has been profiled by popular social media account ‘Footy Scran’.Most read in FootballIt highlights the best – and worst – of stadium snacks.And 70 percent – more than 1500 X.com users – dubbed the dish of donuts, marshmallows and cream topped with Nutella ‘Scran’.PIzza boss dedicated pie to famous Tartan Army duo in ItalyIt featured on the site hours after Derek McInnes’ side faced Rangers on Wednesday night and costs £5.50.It’s certainly different from a pie and bovril and one fan admitted: “I’m tempted to sit in the Killie end just for this.”Another said: “Astoundingly good looking; scran and pass the insulin pen.”A third joked: “Needs to be paired with the doner kebab pie.”Kilmarnock’s dish of donuts and sweet treats was popular with online fansCredit: X.COM/FOOTYSCRANBut it was maybe not one for the football purists who seemed to prefer a more traditional snack.One replied: “It’s supposed to be a football match, not a kids tea party!”Another cried: “Get in the bin. What is this – a hen night in Benidorm?”And one Killie fan was on hand to explain: “Should be noted for context that this dish is only available in the Family stand – which is home fans only. “None of the other three stands have anything just as sweet as this. It’s served from a food truck which is sited within the kids fun zone below the rake of the Moffat stand.”Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football pageREAD MORE SUN STORIES More

  • in

    How Bruno Fernandes’ ‘Steven Gerrard syndrome’ is spoiling Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd system

    MANCHESTER UNITED are looking to find a silver lining in their woeful season by winning the FA Cup but will need to beat Fulham in the fifth round on Sunday to move a step closer to that goal.The Red Devils beat Ipswich 3-2 earlier this week despite being down to ten men, but are still flattering to deceive in many ways.On today’s Tactics Exposed we break down why Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 is not workingCredit: GettyBruno Fernandes’ ‘Steven Gerrard syndrome’ is both a blessing and a curse for UnitedCredit: ReutersRasmus Hojlund will need a big turnaround to prove he is the solution at Man UtdCredit: EPAA young, talented Portuguese manager could prove a huge thorn in the side of Man Utd when Marco Silva’s Fulham visit Old Trafford.The Cottagers have gone under the radar for how good a season they are having, sitting in the top half of the table.Meanwhile, Man Utd’s various shortcomings have been well-documented with Ruben Amorim’s system still failing to get the best out of this squad.So how might the ex-Sporting boss look to tackle the next match against Fulham? Our latest episode of Tactics Exposed, in association with Betfair, will hopefully have the answers to all your questions.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWhy is 3-4-3 not working?Amorim’s 3-4-3 system worked wonders at Sporting Lisbon, winning two Portuguese titles and many other accolades. So why is it yet to translate over to England?We took a range of questions from fans about Man Utd’s tactics ahead of their clash with FulhamThe simple answer to start with is that many of these players have never played the system before.Manuel Ugarte, Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt to a lesser extent are the only players familiar with the system, and the lack of specialists in various positions including central midfield and wing-backs are a huge issue.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSSo why does Amorim insist on playing 3-4-3? Well the idea is quite simple: Because the wing-backs provide overloads in all positions on the pitch.When defending, you have a back five, when in possession, you have a four-man midfield instead of two, and when attacking, you have a front five.Roy Keane slams Man Utd in angriest ever rant and has bust-up with Wright over BrunoBefore signing Patrick Dorgu, United lacked a specialist wing-back. Amad Diallo was tried out there before he was moved into the front three, Alejandro Garnacho did not work there, while Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are not quick enough to excel.At Sporting the system worked so well because there was a lot of trust given to players.We should note this was often against sides who many would consider inferior opposition, which is not a luxury as readily extended into the Premier League.Ultimately, as Amorim has warned, it will take time.Players have been left isolated by moving out of their positionsAnother reason this system is failing is that players are moving out of position, leaving them overloaded instead of the opposition.For example, if a long ball is played into the right channel for Rasmus Hojlund to run on to – which prompts a wing-back, one of the tens and a midfielder to step up – when possession is conceded back to the opposition they end up being overloaded and exposed on the other side of the pitch.This happened five or six times against Ipswich, where Ugarte moved out to right wing-back to get the ball, but the wing-back was out wide, so he did not get the ball.Fulham will doubtless look to block the passing lane off which will then leave them outnumbered in trying to find passing solutions.This all comes from the simple fact United players are not being utilised properly when building up.Is Bruno Fernandes overrated?We looked at whether Fernandes is doing too much at Man UtdOur latest episode of Tactics Exposed, in association with Betfair, has given us the chance to directly answer some of your questions.And one of the most heavily debated stars in the Premier League is Bruno Fernandes, as seen with Roy Keane’s explosive argument with Ian Wright earlier this week. The raw numbers tell a story of Fernandes being the star man of Man Utd’s team, with six goals and seven assists in the Premier League and 23 goal contributions across 39 games in all competitions this season.However, as is always the case in football, you have to look a bit deeper to find the real answer, which can often have more than one truth.In one sense, the stats are completely right and you can’t fault his effort.But in his duty as club captain, Fernandes is actually taking on too much responsibility and is therefore disrupting Amorim’s system which is actually quite rigid with defined roles for a number of players.Fernandes has recently been the left-sided midfielder in the central pivot after moving back from one of the two attacking midfield roles. But that has created its own new problem.In the system, the central centre-back, two central midfielders and striker should generally remain in a set position.But Fernandes is suffering from something I will dub “Steven Gerrard syndrome”, where he is trying to do everything and putting the team off balance.While it means he gets on the ball a lot and has a heat map across the entire pitch, Fernandes’ effort ends up creating an overload which favours the opposition.Against Ipswich he would often move into the back three, therefore creating a four, which paired with Ugarte drifting out wide it ends up allowing the opposition to have many extra numbers in attacking areas.So how do you fix this issue? As we mentioned earlier, it comes down to trust.Most teams defend in a 4-4-2 shape, and if Fernandes remains disciplined by staying in his area, it can open passing lanes and create the overloads the Amorim system is designed to create.Of course there is the argument Fernandes is only doing too much because those around him are not pulling their weight. Again, this may be true, with many United players seemingly playing in a cowardly manner and lacking courage.Fernandes needs to learn to trust his team-mates more by handing them more responsibility, but at the same time they need to step up their game to get near the 30-year-old’s level.Rasmus Hojlund is not the answer, is he? More

  • in

    Moment Cole Palmer left bemused in hilarious Pringles advert as Chelsea star is asked about fighting giant chicken wing

    BAFFLED Cole Palmer was left bemused when he was asked whether he would rather fight a giant chicken wing or eat spicy crisps.The Chelsea and England star’s success has seen him rewarded with plenty of lucrative sponsorship deals.Cole Palmer was left bemused during an advert campaignCredit: instagram @colepalmer10He was asked whether he would rather fight a giant chicken wing or 100 spicy PringlesCredit: instagram @colepalmer10But after Burberry put his fishing and tea-making skills to the test, he is now representing Pringles.And in their latest advert, he faced some quickfire questions – dubbed ‘Hot or Cole?’ – as he sat in a robe in a sweltering sauna.And the ice-cold forward, 22, had a sweat on as he faced the tricky options.In the video posted on his Instagram story, the official world’s sexiest footballer read out the question then could not hide his sheer confusion.READ MORE ON CHELSEAPalmer said: “Would you rather fend off a giant chicken wing or 100 spicy Pringles?”Then laughing he simply added: “What…?”Palmer continued: “If you were to do a Pringles-inspired celebration, how would it look?”I would probably do something to do with a duck because you know when you put the two Pringles in your mouth…”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThe advert ends by Palmer munching on a crisp and confirming: “It’s nice, you know. It’s alright, that,” in his trademark style.Other clips from the shoot also saw Palmer reveal he had never had a meal deal and if he had to choose a sandwich, he would choose “jam” while the hottest thing he has ever eaten is a chilli.Cole Palmer shows off his goal scoring skills at Chelsea Training The response led to some brilliant reaction on social media.One said: “A footballing icon.”Another wrote: “Cole Palmer, we love you.”A third commented: “National treasures should be protected at all costs.”The bizarre Pringles ad is not the first time the Chelsea ace has been left shocked in front of the cameras recently.He could barely believe it when he was told his great-uncle had a No1 hit all the way back in 1974.St. Clair Palmer was a singer in band Sweet Sensation, who topped the charts with Sad Sweet Dreamer. But the footballer has struggled to hit the right notes himself in recent times.Despite a stunning start to the season, he has gone off the boil with no goals or assists since January 14 – a drought of seven matches.READ MORE SUN STORIESThat includes Tuesday’s nightmare performance against Southampton where he squandered three great chances in the 4-0 win and was subsequently handed a TWO in SunSport’s player ratings. Now Dwight Yorke is even tipping Palmer for a transfer away from Stamford Bridge if the Blues miss out on Champions League football – because he thinks he would be the perfect replacement for Mo Salah at Liverpool. Palmer gave his approval for the crispsCredit: instagram @colepalmer10He gave them a taste while sat in the saunaCredit: instagram @colepalmer10Could Palmer be ready to try out shock new celebration?Credit: instagram @colepalmer10The ad was for Pringles hot crispsCredit: instagram @colepalmer10The Chelsea man faced quickfire questions dubbed ‘Hot or Cole?’Credit: instagram @colepalmer10 More