Since completing back-to-back Bundesliga titles under Jurgen Klopp in 2011-12, Borussia Dortmund have become a go-to source of star talent for some of Europe s heavyweight clubs.
Ousmane Dembele is set to become the latest big-name departure from Signal Iduna Park after it was announced on Friday an agreement for a €105million move to Barcelona had been reached.
The only positive for BVB is they have not seen him leave for domestic rivals Bayern Munich, who have frequently returned to raid their ranks in recent years.
Here, we look at who Dortmund have lost since their heady days under Klopp, when they departed and how they coped.
2013
Mario Gotze won widespread acclaim for his role in Dortmund s run to an all-German Champions League …
FIFA has confirmed the pots for next month s World Cup draw after Peru defeated New Zealand to complete the 32-team line-up for the finals in Russia.
The South American nation won the second leg of their inter-continental play-off 2-0 in Lima and will be in Pot 2 when the draw is made in the Kremlin Palace in Moscow on December 1.
Hosts Russia are joined by reigning champions Germany, five-time winners Brazil and fellow heavyweights Argentina, France and European champions Portugal, as well as talented Belgium and Poland sides, in Pot 1.
Together with Peru, Pot 2 includes 2010 winners Spain, 1966 champions England, along with Switzerland, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Croatia.
Pot 3 contains debutants Iceland, surprise 2014 quarter-finalists Costa Rica …
David Silva s form for Manchester City this season is continuing to establish him as one of Spain s greatest players, according to ex-Liverpool and Barcelona forward Luis Garcia.
City are 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League following an on-going English record of 18 consecutive league wins.
Silva and Kevin De Bruyne have operated as the creative heart of Pep Guardiola s side and Garcia is not surprised by the level of performances produced by his 31-year-old countryman, who penned a contract extension at the Etihad Stadium last month.
Capped 118 times by Spain and fourth on his country s all-time international goals list with 35, Silva is set to have a vital role to play as Julen Lopetegui s men bid for World Cup glory in Russia next year.
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Prediction: Sevilla to win 2-1
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Osasuna and Sevilla will face each other in the first game of the new La Liga season this week. The match will be held at the El Sadar Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 8pm UK time on Friday.
Osasuna
Osasuna are an established club in La Liga who tend to finish in mid-table or at the lower end of the standings. They ended up 10th in the La Liga table last season with 47 points from 38 matches, just one point behind former Spanish champions Valencia.
Jagoba Arrasate’s side have not been very active in the summer transfer window. Osasuna have made just one signing, and that too on a free transfer. Ruben Pena, who can operate as a right-back or as a winger, has joined after leaving La …
Lionel Messi says his situation at Barcelona has changed for the better compared to 12 months ago after he was crowned the best player in the world for the fifth time in his career on Monday.
The Argentina international had to settle for second spot in the vote for the FIFA Ballon d Or last year behind Cristiano Ronaldo and was heavily linked with a move away from Barcelona after allegedly falling out with Luis Enrique.
However, Messi was quick to stress that he is now thoroughly enjoying life at Camp Nou again after an incredibly successful year.
Right now, things are much better than 12 months ago, the 28-year-old told FIFA TV.
What happened then was difficult. But things change in football and you have to keep level-headed.
Messi first li…
Market: Both teams to score
Odds: 4/7 @
In what could prove to be an action-packed MLS showdown in the early hours of Thursday, San Jose will welcome Houston to PayPal Park.
Starting with the hosts, making an immediate return to losing ways last weekend as they slumped to a 2-1 loss at home against Sporting KC, San Jose have continued on a major MLS rut since opening up the 2024 campaign. Signing off June with a thumping 3-0 defeat at the hands of LA Galaxy, the Goonies sit rock-bottom of the Western Conference table and have already written off any chance of booking a play-off ticket. Including a woeful 6-2 loss against Los Angeles last month, interim boss Ian Russell has seen his downbeat squad lose seven of their previous eight MLS showdowns. With that that e…
Jerome Boateng could be heading for the exit at Bayern Munich after chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed the Bundesliga champions are open to offers.
Boateng last month admitted he was considering leaving Bayern to once more test himself abroad, having endured a disappointing 2010-11 season at Manchester City.
City s arch rivals Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Germany international, and Rummenigge confirmed the club will not stop him from seeking a departure.
His thoughts about leaving Bayern still exist, as his agent has told me, Rummenigge told Sport Bild.
We know that this topic might be approaching. When a club is interested and Jerome says that he wants to join this club, we will consider it.
I don t hide the fac…
Luka Modric has signed a new contract with Real Madrid that will keep him at the club until June 2020, the Santiago Bernabeu side have announced.
The Croatia international’s previous deal was due to expire in 2018, but he has now agreed a two-year extension to commit his future to Madrid.
Modric joined the Champions League holders from Tottenham in August 2012 and has since developed into a key figure in the Spanish capital.
The 31-year-old has made 180 appearances in all competitions for Madrid so far, winning two Champions League titles, two UEFA Supercups, the FIFA Club World Cup, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.
He is currently recovering from a knee injury on which he underwent surgery at the start of October, having picked up the knock …
Market: Shanghai Shenhua win
Odds: 3/5 @
Looking to make up some ground in the Super League title chase, Shanghai will travel to Wuhan on Monday lunchtime.
Starting with the hosts, suffering last-gasp heartbreak at home against Chengdu Rongcheng last week as they eventually had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate, Wuhan are seeking some much-needed stability. Signing off June with a 2-1 defeat at the hands on Nantong, Ricardo Rodriguez’s men have managed to claim just a single victory from any of their previous six appearances across all competitions. Crashing out of the FA Cup last month following an action-packed 4-3 loss at the hands of second-tier outfit Guangxi Pingguo, the former Girona boss will also have a mounting headache over his side’s extended defensi…
Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool s defeat at Nottingham Forest was inexplicable as he condemned the finishing by his players at the City Ground.
After back-to-back 1-0 wins over Manchester City and West Ham in the Premier League, Liverpool went down by the same scoreline on Saturday, with former Anfield reserve Taiwo Awoniyi getting the only goal.
Klopp pointed the finger of blame at Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk for spurning great chances, as the Merseyside club lost to a team who began the day at the foot of the table.
A third league loss in their opening 11 games was a jolt for a Liverpool team who had been looking to close an early-season gap to the top four.
The performance I can kind of explain, the result not, Klopp told BT Sport. I never saw a g…