Ligue 1 club Monaco have sacked head coach Niko Kovac, bringing an end to his 18-month spell in charge.

Former Bayern Munich coach Kovac succeeded Robert Moreno in July 2020 on a three-year deal and finished third in his only full season in charge.

However, Monaco were defeated by Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League qualifying play-off stages in August and are sixth in the French top flight after 19 matches.

The Principality club found a bit of form with three wins in their final four league games of 2021, but they confirmed on Saturday that Kovac has been relieved of his duties.

A club statement read: Monaco announces they have decided to part ways with Niko Kovac. The Croatian coach was informed about this on Thursday in a preliminary interview.

Toronto FC head coach John Herdman admits his team still have some growing to do as they travel to Philadelphia Union on Wednesday.

Despite losing three of their last four MLS games – winning the other 5-1 at home to CF Montreal – Toronto sit sixth in the Eastern Conference on 22 points with a very balanced record.

They have won seven and lost seven of their league games, drawing the other one, and have both scored and conceded 24 goals.

After conceding late in their 4-3 loss to Cincinnati, Herdman says his team need to put more work into their defensive side of the game.

It s that level of concentration, that level of discipline that championship teams are able to bring to games, Herdman said.

Knowing your job and delivering your job in hig…

Derrick Henry is set to make his long-awaited Tennessee Titans return against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday after he was activated off the injured reserve.

The running back has not played since injuring in his foot in a win over the Indianapolis Colts back in Week 8.

Henry endured a frustrating spell on the sidelines following surgery, but is back for the Divisional Round showdown with the fourth-seeded Bengals at Nissan Stadium.

The 2020 NFL Offensive Player of the Year came through contact training this week and is ready to make a timely comeback.

Henry said: I felt great. I just wanted to get some pads on. Haven t had them on in a while and got some contact going.

The Experience is BACK  

— Tennessee Titans (@Titan…

Emiliano Martinez was thrilled with his response to being kicked three times by France and Kylian Mbappe, as the goalkeeper produced penalty shoot-out heroics to help Argentina claim World Cup glory.

Martinez saved from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis in a quarter-final victory over the Netherlands, and on Sunday he denied France s Kingsley Coman from 12 yards as La Albiceleste prevailed 4-2 on penalties after a hugely entertaining 3-3 draw at Lusail Stadium.

Martinez, who was awarded the Golden Glove accolade, was beaten three times in the final by Mbappe – including twice from the penalty spot – as Lionel Scaloni s side were pegged back from 2-0 and 3-2 ahead.

But the Aston Villa stopper – once an Arsenal reserve who spent time on loan at Oxford Unite…

Mats Hummels revealed his exile from the Germany team felt like a personal defeat as he vowed to make up for lost time at Euro 2020.

The 70-cap defender was ousted from the national squad after the 2018 World Cup when head coach Joachim Low decided Hummels, Thomas Muller and Jerome Boateng belonged to Germany s past.

Low said the time had come for a new beginning , but he performed a U-turn this year when asking Hummels and Muller to return to Die Mannschaft.

Now Hummels and Muller, former Bayern Munich team-mates, could have big roles to play in what will be Low s final tournament in charge.

Germany have upcoming friendlies against Denmark and Latvia before they begin their Euro 2020 quest with a titanic group-stage clash against France on June 15 in Mun…

With 100 days to go until the 2014 FIFA World Cup begins, we take a look at six centurions who will be eager to make an impact in Brazil.

Each of these players has earned over 100 caps for their respective country and can be expected to put their experience to good use at the global showpiece.

Steven Gerrard (England)
At 33, Brazil 2014 looks likely to be the England captain s last World Cup.

Premier League and World Cup medals are the only pieces of silverware missing from the 108-time international s glittering trophy cabinet.

Expect Roy Hodgson to use Gerrard in a deep role in midfield, just as Brendan Rodgers has often done at Liverpool this season.

Gerrard has often lifted his club team-mates and will need to do the same at international …

What the papers say

Arsenal are rumoured to be keen on signing Brentford forward Ivan Toney, the Mirror reports. The Gunners have been eyeing the 27-year-old and are said to be stepping up their interest ahead of the January transfer window, with Toney currently banned from all football activities until mid-January for gambling offences.

The Daily Mail reports that a sensational return to Chelsea could be on the cards for Tammy Abraham after two years at Roma as part of a swap deal for Romelu Lukaku, who is currently on loan at the Serie A club.

Manchester United may have their eyes set on German international forward Serge Gnabry from Bayern Munich, the Daily Mail reports. The Premier League club currently lack firepower without Antony and Jadon Sancho.

Social med…

Hector Bellerin has made it clear he is not interested in a return to Barcelona as he is loving life at Arsenal.

The Spain international, 21, joined Arsenal from the Catalans in 2011 at the tender age of 16 and has developed into a key figure at the Emirates Stadium since making his first-team debut in September 2013.

Bellerin s fine performances have earned him the interest of his former team and Manchester City, but a transfer is not an option for the right-back at this stage.

If I wanted to play at Barcelona I would have stayed there, Bellerin told the London Evening Standard.

I was very happy when Arsenal showed interest in me and I decided to come here. I am not looking back, I am just looking to help Arsenal. It is nice for a player to know that b…

Liverpool scout Sociedad starlets

that Liverpool have made a check on Real Sociedad starlets Antoine Griezmann and Inigo Martinez.

Having secured Champions League qualification, the Reds are looking to improve the strength in depth and it seems they will be doing some shopping in Spain.

According to Daily Mail, Liverpool had scouts present at Monday s game between Real Sociedad and Granada.

And while the Reds made a check on their own player Tiago Ilori, they were also looking at La Real stars Antoine Griezmann and Inigo Martinez.

The French winger has been in scintillating form this season, bagging 16 goals in 33 league outings and he is widely tipped to leave Anoeta for greener pastures in the summer.

Meanwhile, his teammate Inigo Mart…

Porto ended BATE s hopes of UEFA Champions League progression with a 3-0 win which also consigned the hosts to an unwanted record.

After a first half desperately low on class, Mexico midfielder Hector Herrera lashed Porto into a 56th-minute lead with a stunning goal.

That sparked the Portuguese outfit into action and they were soon two goals to the good, as Jackson Martinez swept his sixth goal of this season s competition home before substitute Cristian Tello netted a late third.

Barcelona loanee Tello s effort left BATE further red faced as they claimed a share of an unwanted Champions League record.

BATE have now conceded 22 goals in their five Group H games this season equalling the record shared by Dinamo Zagreb and Nordsjaelland, with Athl…