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Mar
Aalesund 1-2 Fredrikstad
Bayer Leverkusen have announced that coach Jupp Heynckes will be replaced by Freiburg boss Robin Dutt at the end of the season.
Heynckes, who has been linked with the Bayern Munich job, announced on Monday he would be leaving his current club when his contract expires in the summer.
Bayer have replaced him with Dutt, who has been given a two-year contract starting from July 1. He has led Freiburg to eighth in the table this season.
“Mr Heynckes has informed us he will not be available for another year in charge,” Leverkusen’s general manager Wolfgang Holzhauser told the club’s website. “We are delighted Robin Dutt will start work with Leverkusen on July 1 after some very cordial negotiations with the Freiburg management.”
Heynckes has taken Bayer to within seven points of leaders Borussia Dortmund and their form is likely to deprive possible future employers Bayern of a Champions League place for next season.
“It was a very tough decision to leave Bayer Leverkusen,” Heynckes said. “They are a very well led club with a fantastic team. I will put all of my efforts into cementing second place in the Bundesliga and qualifying for the Champions League next season.”
Dutt added: “I am really looking forward to the challenge in Leverkusen and working with a team which has been coached magnificently by Jupp Heynckes.
“The philosophy of Bayer Leverkusen, which was explained to me by Wolfgang Holzhauser and (Bayer’s director of sport) Rudi Voller, is exactly the same as my views of football.”
Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is confident his team has what it takes to win the Scudetto.
The Partenopei cut the gap on Serie A leaders AC Milan to three points after beating Cagliari 2-1 on Sunday – their fifth win in their past seven games. Milan lost 1-0 at Palermo on Saturday.
“Anything is possible,” De Laurentiis said to Gazzetta dello Sport. “This is the beauty of football.
“We are growing a lot and we are in third position with nine games remaining, something which was unthinkable at the start of the campaign.
“We have a solid group that is playing great football and will fight until the end.”
Napoli, who have not won a Serie A title since 1990, host Lazio on April 3 while AC Milan take on Inter in the city derby in the next round.
Credit : http://soccernet.espn.go.com
Embattled Juventus coach Luigi Del Neri wants to see out the remainder of his contract.
The Bianconeri are 11 points behind fourth-placed Udinese in the Serie A table with nine games remaining.
A place in next season’s Champions League looks to be out of reach for Del Neri’s team but the coach is determined to make amends next season if given the opportunity.
“I certainly have a chance to stay,” Del Neri said. “I have a contract for another two seasons, and it depends on the club, with which I have a perfect understanding.”
Del Neri replaced Alberto Zaccheroni last summer and the Turin side have had to deal with numerous injury worries this season.
The problems worsened last week when Italy striker Vincenzo Iaquinta sustained a thigh injury in training and was lost for the remainder of the campaign.
Leandro Rinaudo, Mohamed Sissoko and Fabio Quagliarella had already been ruled out with season-ending injuries.
“Without injuries, we would have been able to match anyone,” Del Neri said. “We are missing four or five points in the standings and this is due to injuries.”
Juve halted a four-game winless streak in Sunday’s 2-1 triumph over Brescia. Del Neri’s team travel to the Stadio Olimpico to face Roma on April 3.
Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com
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