London – Manchester City travel to Hoffenheim on Tuesday desperately needing a win to kickstart a Champions League campaign that began with a shock 2-1 defeat to Lyon for the competition favourites.
There should therefore be no shortage of motivation for Pep Guardiola’s men, but one member of the City squad will be especially keen to make a big impression back on German soil.
Leroy Sane was one of the stars of City’s romp to a record 100 Premier League points and the League Cup last season. The 22-year-old was crowned Young Player of the Year in England thanks to a stellar return of 14 goals and 19 assists in all competitions.
However, that still wasn’t enough to earn him a place in Germany’s World Cup squad as Sane was surprisingly cut from Joachim Loew’s 23.
Sane may have had the last laugh as the defending champions crashed out in the group stages — the first time in 80 years Germany had fallen at the first hurdle.
The pace, direct running and eye for a quick shot at goal possessed by the former Schalke winger were all traits missing from a laboured and predictable Germany in Russia.
Let down by body language
Yet, there was no time for Sane to feel vindicated as on his return to club duty he was similarly shunned by Guardiola, sparking doubts over his attitude off the field.
“Sometimes you have the feeling with Leroy’s body language that it is all the same whether we win or lose. He has to improve his body language,” said Germany’s vice-captain Toni Kroos even as Sane was recalled to Loew’s squad for last month’s Nations League opener against newly crowned world champions France.
“He was fantastic for City last year but Pep has the same problem at the moment — he’s trying to get the best out of him so he can perform better.”
If Guardiola was looking for a reaction, he has got what he desired.
After being dropped for City’s first four Premier League games of the season, Sane scored just two minutes into his return against Fulham and has created a goal in all three of his appearances since.
That included Bernardo Silva’s consolation against Lyon as Sane came off the bench to transform a pedestrian first-half performance that has put City under pressure to bounce back this week.
“Leroy has played really good the last few games,” said Guardiola after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Brighton in which Sane created Raheem Sterling’s opening goal.
“Our profession is so demanding, we have to do our best every single day. I want all of my players to be focused.”
Guardiola is notoriously demanding of his players’ professionalism. But having racked up titles in charge of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now City, the Catalan coach knows which players are worth persisting with.
“We never — even in this period when he didn’t play — doubted Leroy’s quality,” added Guardiola after Sane’s instant impact against Fulham.
With his club manager’s faith restored, Sane heads back to Germany with a perfect chance to show his compatriots, least of all Loew, what they were missing in a rare summer of sorrow at international level.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Sam Darnold went from being a college student and Heisman Trophy hopeful in Los Angeles to a perceived franchise savior in New York.
It has been a whirlwind, coast-to-coast year for the New York Jets quarterback, who is adapting to life in the Big Apple after spending his entire life in Southern California.
In a not-so-serious interview with ESPN, Darnold shared some thoughts on the transition and his new life.
What do you want to do in New York that you haven’t done yet?
Sam Darnold: I haven’t had the great pizza that everyone is talking about. So that’s one thing I want to do. Other than that, I haven’t gone to the Jersey shore. I don’t know if that’s a New York thing. You know what I want to do? I want to go to the 9/11 Memorial. I heard that’s amazing and crazy to look at, an amazing museum. So I haven’t done that. I’d like to do that.
Describe the last time you got recognized by a fan in public.
Darnold: It was actually [Monday]. Me and Josh [McCown] went into Panera Bread. We were just kind of sitting down and having our sandwiches, and this guy came out. I thought he was about to faint because he was so excited to see the both of us. He took a picture. It was kind of funny.
Do you get recognized more in New York or Los Angeles?
Darnold: Oh, definitely here, especially with Jets fans. They’re everywhere. I mean, the USC thing is pretty crazy, too, but there are a lot of things in L.A. New York is kind of like L.A. If I walk around, not everyone is going to notice me because not everyone watches football, especially in New York. But I feel like everyone in Jersey is a Jets fan, and I always get recognized here.
What do you miss about California?
Darnold: It’s starting to rain here a little bit — so the weather. No, I mean, I love it here. I think the biggest thing about California is the people, especially my friends and family. That’s what I miss.
As the USC quarterback, you must have met some celebrities. Who?
Darnold: I met quite a few people. Will Ferrell is up there. I got a chance to meet and hang out with Sam Hunt. He’s actually a pretty cool dude. I got to go to a concert a couple of years ago. He actually played at UAB (quarterback, 2005-07). He was coached by Tyson Helton, who coached me in college at USC. So it kind of came full circle and I was able to hook up with him and hang out for just a little bit. Russ [Vitale] the Rapper, I met him.
Sam Darnold got to know USC fan and actor Will Ferrell, and the quarterback even hosted him for a podcast. Nati Harnik/AP
You had Will Ferrell as a guest on your weekly podcast last year at USC. What’s he like?
Darnold: So he’s a funny dude. I’m a huge Will Ferrell fan. I met him at the Cal game. He actually came out to watch us at Cal a couple of years ago. He’s just a normal dude. A lot of people think, oh, he must be hilarious all the time. Nah, he’s just kind of chill. Very relaxed dude, but when he sees an opportunity to make a joke or say something funny, he always does. He’s a good dude.
What about celebrities in New York?
Darnold: I mean, I’m friends with Gary V [Vaynerchuk, entrepreneur and avid Jets fan], which is pretty cool.
What do you do for fun away from football?
Darnold: I just like hanging out with my friends, honestly. I mean, as long as I’m in good company and with cool people and we’re just hanging out and having a good time, that’s usually what I like to do. When I’m home, if you want to go to the beach or anything like that, I’m always down. When I’m here, I’ll hang out, grab a bite to eat. I’ll play a video game every now and then. But not too many video games. I’m open to a lot of things, but the biggest thing is just having cool people to hang out with.
Tell us something about you that people don’t know.
A lot of people think you’re a surfer, and you’re not, right?
Darnold: Yeah, I’m not a surfer. A lot of people think I am. That might be one thing. It’s funny, I did a commercial for Toyota, and they had a surfboard on top of the car I was driving in the commercial. I was like, ‘Guys, I don’t surf.’ Everyone thinks I surf. All my friends give me crap when someone says, ‘Oh, Darnold surfs.’ They’re like, ‘Dude, you can’t keep telling people you surf. You know you can’t surf.’ All my friends surf.”
What kind of music do you listen to before a game?
Darnold: It kind of depends, actually. I don’t have a superstition or anything, but before every game I have to listen to “15th and the 1st” by Gucci Mane. You don’t know that song? You should listen to it. It’s a good one to listen to right before you go to bed [joking]. I’ve listened to that song since senior year of high school. Yep, right before the game, that was the first song I listened to. But after that, whatever I feel like.”
What is something that would surprise people to see in your apartment?
Darnold: (long pause) I don’t know. I just have a normal apartment, dude. I don’t have anything for you.
Any big splurges with your signing bonus, either for you or your family?
Darnold: I mean, I did a little thing with Kay Jewelers and I was able to get my mom a few thousand bucks, which was cool. They put together a lot of stuff with that in terms of redesigning our house and doing some stuff there in California, which was really cool.
What about for yourself?
Darnold: One thing people should know about me is I’m a simple, simple guy. Some people can probably already guess that. I mean, I don’t need anything to make me happy. I already have all that I want, so I’m definitely the guy who’s probably not going to spend any of his NFL money.
So we’ll never see you driving a Porsche?
Darnold: That’s the only thing, I might drive a nice car. [smiling] But I’m definitely not going to go crazy and buy chains and a bunch of jewelry. Until I get a girlfriend or a wife, that’s never going to change.
Best thing you ever purchased?
Darnold: To be honest, I get a lot of stuff for free. You would think once you become a professional, you’re going to get all this money and spend it, but there are so many different perks. I get a bunch of free stuff from Nike all the time, so I don’t need to be spending money. So I haven’t bought anything crazy.
Madrid – Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui has confirmed Gareth Bale sustained an injury to his thigh during the goalless draw with Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Bale was substituted at half-time at the Santiago Bernabeu and is now a doubt for Real’s Champions League game against CSKA Moscow on Tuesday.
“Gareth had discomfort in his thigh,” Lopetegui said after the match. “He came off as a precaution and we will see tomorrow what the injury is.”
Bale has scored four goals in his last seven games for Real and any absence would be a major blow.
Real face Barcelona in La Liga on October 28 after league games against Alaves and Levante, as well as another Champions League group fixture at home to Viktoria Plzen.
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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams left open the possibility that Aqib Talib could return to play this season after the cornerback underwent surgery Thursday to repair an ankle injury suffered in a Week 3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Rams feared surgery would reveal a season-ending injury, but that was not the case, coach Sean McVay said, adding that Talib could recover in time to be taken off the injured reserve list and play the final few games of the season.
“We’re very encouraged,” McVay said. “And I know Aqib feels that way and we’re looking forward to getting him back. I don’t know exactly what that date would be but I know that the anticipation is to get him back.”
Talib would be eligible to return from injured reserve the first week of December.
The Rams acquired Talib, 32, from the Denver Broncos in exchange for a fifth-round pick in March.
A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Talib has two pass deflections and a forced fumble in three games this season.
Cornerback Sam Shields started in Talib’s absence in a 38-31 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday as the Rams improved to 4-0.
