Schalke midfielder Alessandro Schopf has signed a new contact that ties him to the Bundesliga club until 2021.

Schopf joined Schalke from Nuremberg midway through the 2015-16 season and has gone on to score 11 goals in 68 matches across all competitions.

The 24-year-old Austria international has returned to action this term after suffering a ruptured cruciate knee ligament in April and Schalke boss Domenico Tedesco was thrilled to retain his services for a longer spell. 

Schopf is almost a complete player, he said. He is very diligent and runs many, many kilometres in each game.

He is versatile and always wants to play, no matter which position it is.

In addition, he is technically savvy, is brave and a great person. We re delighted to be a…

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso says his team have to know how to suffer and fight after their Champions League win over Milan.

Victor Boniface scored early in the second half at BayArena on Tuesday, and though Milan hit the woodwork as they searched for an equaliser, the Bundesliga champions held firm.

Leverkusen have now taken six points from their opening two Champions League matches.

After dominating the first half, in which they mustered six shots on target – only once ever having more on record (since 2003-04) when facing Real Sociedad in October 2013 (seven) – Leverkusen were less convincing following Boniface s goal.

But Alonso put that down to fatigue following Leverkusen s 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich on Saturday, in which his side were lar…

Having just sold Erling Haaland to Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund have another hot prospect on their hands, with every top club around Europe believed to be watching the developments around Jude Bellingham closely.

Media in Spain have already started their Real Madrid stories, quite typical when it comes to an in-demand young player, but countless examples in recent years prove it s usually a mere attempt at putting off potential competition. Nonetheless, Los Blancos will certainly be in that race, as will many other clubs.

Here s what journalists Fabrizio Romano and Jan Aage Fjortoft have to say on the subject, as guests of Fjortoft s son Markus.

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Shakhtar Donetsk have called for Iran to be banned from playing at the Qatar 2022 World Cup and Ukraine to replace them because terrorists should not be allowed to play in the tournament.

Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February. The country s football team reached the final stage of UEFA s qualification play-offs but suffered defeat to Wales in June.

FIFA and UEFA subsequently banned Russia from playing international football.

Now however, Ukrainian Premier League side Shakhtar on Monday urged FIFA to prevent Iran from competing in Qatar, and to replace them with Ukraine instead.

Ukraine should be at the World Cup. Iran deserves no place there!

Statement by CEO Sergei Palkin

— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng)

While …

Giancarlo Gonzalez says Costa Rica s exploits at the 2014 World Cup are ancient history as he and his team-mates seek to write a new chapter in Russia.

Bologna defender Gonzalez was part of the squad that exceeded almost all expectations in reaching the last eight in Brazil, before losing out to Netherlands on penalties.

Four years on, Costa Rica begin their 2018 campaign against Serbia in the opening Group E game in Samara on Sunday.

Although those achievements of 2014 will live long in the memory, Gonzalez says now is not the time for misty-eyed nostalgia.

That s ancient history and it s time for a new page for Costa Rica, he told a media conference on Saturday.

We ve waited on this moment for a long time and we need to implement what we ve p…

Spain s Euro 2008 triumph changed the story for the nation, according to Fernando Torres.

Torres was a key member of Luis Aragones  side that prevailed in Austria and Switzerland a decade ago, the striker scoring the only goal of the final against Germany in Vienna.

La Roja built on their success to become a dominant force, winning the 2010 World Cup on South African soil before going on to defend their European crown two years later.

However, they had to patiently wait for success, with their only other major title in international football coming at the 1964 European Championship.

Luis and that group of players changed the story. I was lucky to be part of it and I am very proud, Torres told Marca on the 10th anniversary of Spain s victory.

To…

It’s an AFC West battle at altitude on Sunday, as the 6-4 Los Angeles Chargers visit the 5-5 Denver Broncos, with both teams jockeying for position in a top-to-bottom competitive division.

After a thrilling win over the Steelers on Sunday Night Football, L.A. is a 2.5-point NFL betting favorite against a rested Denver team coming off its bye.

Here are our NFL picks and predictions for Chargers vs. Broncos, with kickoff on November 28.

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