Bundesliga sides warned not to rest players against Beyern Munich

Bundesliga teams have been warned not to field weakened teams against Bayern Munich in the coming campaign.

Last season several teams rotated their sides substantially for their games against the champions, indicating that they would prepare to rest players for fixtures they had a better chance of winning.

German Football Association president Christian Seifert would not like to see the same again and is even considering ways to punish any club who give Bayern an easy ride.

Seifert has not actually considered what action he might take, since he is confident the situation will not arise this season.“It destroys the integrity of the game,” he told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. “I would strongly push for consequences if something like that were to happen again.”

“It’s too soon to speculate about it because I don’t think it will happen again,” he said. “We’ve spoken to the clubs about it and I expect every sportsman to have the aim of playing every game the best way they possibly can.”

Chelsea's Kante will let his football speak for him

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has praised new signing N’Golo Kante for his reserved personality, and has backed the France international to be a “fantastic” midfielder for the squad.

Kante left Premier League champions Leicester City for a £30 million move to Stamford Bridge earlier this month.

The former Caen midfielder has impressed new boss Conte during preseason training sessions, leaving the Italian convinced the 25-year-old will play a major role in his side this season.

“We are very happy to have N’Golo with us because he is a player who does not speak a lot, but just does his job,” Conte told reporters ahead of Chelsea’s International Champions Cup match with Real Madrid (3 p.m. ET, ESPN) on Saturday.

“He is in great shape physically. He is a player who keeps on running, someone who has great stamina and endurance. The people who know him better have all told me he has a fantastic attitude and a lot of energy.“He is a good guy, very humble and very keen to work hard, which is important to me. I have had a conversation with him to explain what I expect from him and he can become an important player in midfield, just like [Cesc] Fabregas, [Nemanja] Matic and the others.

“He does not talk a lot, but acts instead. It is not necessary for him to talk a lot. I think he might be a bit shy. I just need a few players who do the talking during the game. He just arrived at a new club and still needs to find his feet a bit. N’Golo can become a fantastic midfielder. He can still improve, maybe he can score a bit more.”

Nigerian Olympic Team Coach Robbed In The US

Nigeria Olympic team coach Samson Siasia has been robbed in Atlanta, Georgia, where his team have been training ahead of next month’s Olympic Games.

“It is true that my car was burgled but I have taken the necessary steps on the item stolen in the car,” Siasia confirmed.

“We are focused and preparing hard for the Olympics that is what I can tell you for now.”

Siasia’s team are due to play a final warm-up game against Honduras Olympic team on Tuesday before they depart for Brazil on Friday.The car Siasia has been using to run around for the team was broken into at the team’s hotel’s car park and his credit cards, two phones, the phone of his personal assistant Abu and some money were taken away.

Riberyclaims Ancelotti trusts him more than Guardiola.

Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery says he feels “more trust” under Carlo Ancelotti since the Italian replaced Pep Guardiola as head coach at the Allianz Arena.

Ribery made just 50 Bundesliga appearances in Guardiola’s three seasons at the helm, beset by a string of injuries and fitness concerns.

The former France international has started all three of Bayern’s pre-season friendlies so far, however, scoring in the wins over Lippstatdt and Landshut.

And, despite the emergence of Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman under Guardiola last season, Ribery feels refreshed as he looks to put his stamp back on the Bayern side in 2016-17.

“He’s a great coach. I need people like him, Jupp Heynckes or Ottmar Hitzfeld. I need this trust in me, to play off my strengths.“I feel free and I am fully motivated,” the 33-year-old told Kicker. “Carlo Ancelotti is a gift for the club. Since Ancelotti has arrived, I feel more trust.

“It all depends on things like trust, respect and proximity. Then I cannot only give 100 percent – I can give 150 percent.

“With Ancelotti we can reach something great and I’m really looking forward to the next season.”

Mourinho keeps mute on Pogba swoop

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho admitted on Thursday the club needs one more signing before the season starts but would not confirm it would be record target Paul Pogba.

Media reports in the UK Wednesday suggested United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward had pulled out of the club’s pre-season tour to China so he could meet and agree personal terms with Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola.

Mourinho was asked directly at a news conference in Shanghai whether he could confirm the reports.

“I don’t confirm and I don’t deny. I cannot tell you,” Mourinho said on the eve of the International Champions Cup match against Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai Friday.

“I don’t think it’s correct to speak about players of other clubs, and he’s a Juventus player and not a Manchester United player.

“The only thing I can tell you is that my board, my directors they did fantastic work to do 75 percent of the job I asked them to do,” said Mourinho.

“I asked them for four players. To be more accurate I asked them for four or five players I need.

“I gave them a few options and they did for me 75 percent of the job with (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Henrikh) Mikitharyan and (Eric) Bailly and they have just 25 percent to do until the 31st of August.

Mourinho has reportedly made French international Pogba his top transfer target as he bids to make a big impact in his first season at Old Trafford but it could cost the club a record-breaking £100 million ($130 million, 119 million euros) to land the midfielder.“We are calm. We have three faces to fill the profile. I am confident Mr Woodward will get the player we need to get a good balance.”

United are believed to have had an opening bid of £86 million rejected by Juventus and an improved offer could shatter the previous world record fee of £85 million paid by Real Madrid for Gareth Bale in 2013.

Mourinho has already spent more than £50 million on defender Bailly from Villarreal and midfielder Mkhitaryan from Friday’s opponents Dortmund, as well as recruiting Ibrahimovic who left PSG on a free transfer.

Pogba, 23, had a spell at United but was allowed to leave for Juventus on a 2012 free transfer while still a teenager after just a handful of appearances under then manager Alex Ferguson, who slammed him for showing no respect to the club.

Pogba has since emerged as one of the top midfielders in Europe, playing an integral part in the France side that reached the Euro 2016 final and helping Juventus win four successive Serie A titles.

Manchester United round off their China tour against fierce rivals Manchester City in Beijing on Monday.

Real Madrid most valuable football club - Forbes

Real Madrid have been overtaken by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys as the world’s most valuable sports team, according to Forbes magazine.

The La Liga giants had been on top of the rankings for the past three years, and the Cowboys’ jump marks the first time since 2011 a football club has not occupied the top spot.

Real remain the most valuable football club, however, with a calculated value of $3.65 billion (€3.29 billion), topping a list of eight clubs to make the rankings.

La Liga rivals Barcelona were spot behind Real on the list with a value $3.55 billion (€3.20 billion).

Rounding out the other football clubs were Bayern Munich at No. 12 ($2.68bn, €2.41bn), Arsenal at No. 23 ($2.02bn, €1.82bn), Manchester City at No. 28 ($1.92bn, €1.73bn), Chelsea at No. 36 ($1.67bn, €1.50bn), and Liverpool at No. 41 ($1.55bn, €1.40bn).Manchester United were the next football club ranked — fifth overall — with a value of 3.32 billion (€2.99 billion).

In addition to their value, Real Madrid also led all teams in revenue, generating $694 million during the 2014-15 season.