Klopp Heads Back to Dortmund

Jurgen Klopp has been handed a return to Borussia Dortmund, with the Reds facing the German side in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Klopp, 48, left Dortmund last summer after leading them to two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League final.

Sevilla, trying to win the competition for the third successive season, face Athletic Bilbao in an all-Spanish tie.

La Liga rivals Villarreal meet Czech side Sparta Prague, while Portugal's Braga face Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine.

Liverpool will travel to Dortmund's Westfalenstadion in the first leg.

Klopp's Liverpool playing the club where he built his reputation is the Europa League tie most neutral fans were hoping to see at some stage. But the German, who replaced Brendan Rodgers in October, said after Thursday's 3-1 aggregate victory against Manchester United that he wanted to avoid them in the last eight.

Thomas Tuchel's side are widely considered as favourites for the competition after beating Tottenham, who are second in the Premier League, 5-1 on aggregate in the last 16.

"Dortmund - why would I want the world's strongest team?" said Klopp, when asked whether he would like to face his former club in the next round.

"But if we go there, we try to win. We have to be prepared and hopefully we are."

The former Mainz manager led Dortmund to the 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga titles, plus the 2013 Champions League final, before asking to be released from his contract.

The quarter-finals will be played on 7 and 14 April.

Europa League quarter-final draw

Braga (Por) v Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr) 

Villarreal (Spa) v Sparta Prague (Cze)

Athletic Bilbao (Spa) v Sevilla (Spa)

Borussia Dortmund (Ger) v Liverpool (Eng)

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Neville Back into England Squad Room

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Gary Neville will help select England’s final squad before Euro 2016 via a conference call from Spain before the Valencia head coach links up with the national team next week.

Neville gave up his media commitments after being appointed manager of Valencia in December, but continued in his role as England coach.

The former England and Manchester United right-back has endured a difficult time at Valencia but will still be joining Roy Hodgson’s squad during the international break as planned.

Neville is currently preparing for an important Europa League last-16 match with Athletic Bilbao, but will spend some of Wednesday afternoon finalising the England squad for the upcoming friendlies in Germany and at home to Holland.

The conference call with Hodgson and coach Ray Lewington will decide the squad that will be announced at Wembley on Thursday, just hours before Valencia look to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit and reach the Europa League quarter-finals.

Neville will also lead Valencia in Sunday’s Primera Division match against Celta Vigo, before travelling to the UK along with England’s performance analysis manager Andy Scoulding, who is working at Valencia as technical coach.

The pair’s commitments in Spain meant they missed last month’s England squad meeting at St George’s Park, where around 40 of the 47 players called up by Hodgson since the World Cup got together.

Danny Welbeck was among those in attendance despite having not played for the national team since last March, but the Arsenal forward’s return to action, and form, means he is set to be included in the squad for this month’s friendlies.

Jack Wilshere attended the get-together but remains sidelined with a long-term leg injury, while his Arsenal team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also absent.

A knee injury means the England captain Wayne Rooney is the biggest name ruled out of this month’s matches, joining his Manchester United team-mates Phil Jones and Luke Shaw on the sidelines.

The United teenager Marcus Rashford is not expected to be included despite his remarkable emergence, but the Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster look likely to be involved after recovering from injury.

Few new faces are expected to make their way into Hodgson’s squad, but the West Ham captain Mark Noble and Leicester’s Danny Drinkwater have been pushing for call-ups.

Hodgson recently said both players were “knocking on the door” and Marc Albrighton, who downplayed his own England chances, believes his team-mate Drinkwater should be included.

“I don’t see why not,” the winger said. “He has been fantastic for us. He has really come into his own. If people are going to be picked on form, then he should be one of the first names on the squad list.”

Hodgson will not be able to call upon Fabian Delph, Danny Ings and Charlie Austin due to injury, but the Newcastle winger Andros Townsend will be hoping to be involved after a hamstring strain.

Everton’s Leighton Baines and John Stones are edging their way back to full fitness, while Ryan Mason is injury-free but struggling to get into the Tottenham line-up on a regular basis.

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Europa League Last 16 Draw

Liverpool and Manchester United, who have never met before in European competition, will face off in what promises to be a mouth-watering last-16 tie in the Europa League.

United have beaten Liverpool twice in the Premier League already this season and will have the advantage of playing the second leg at Old Trafford on 17 March. The first leg will be at Anfield a week earlier on 10 March.

Jürgen Klopp said he was excited at the prospect of meeting United over two legs. “It’s great. We deserve these games. I told my staff yesterday that I wanted Man Utd,” he said

Louis van Gaal’s team are scheduled to play West Ham in the FA Cup quarter-finals between both legs, with a trip to Manchester City three days after the second leg. Liverpool, on the other hand, have the weekend between free having been knocked out of the FA Cup by West Ham.

Klopp’s team progressed by beating Augsburg 1-0 on aggregate, while a late flourish from an injury-hit United against Midtjylland saw them advance 6-3 on aggregate.

Tottenham’s reward for beating Fiorentina is a difficult meeting with Borussia Dortmund, the tournament favourites, though Mauricio Pochettino’s team will be at home for the second leg.

Gary Neville’s Valencia, who defeated Rapid Vienna 10-0 on aggregate, will face La Liga opposition in Athletic Bilbao. 

The other ties feature Shakhtar Donetsk against Anderlecht, Basel v Sevilla, who are looking to win this competition for the third year running, and Villarreal v Bayer Leverkusen.

Ties to be played 10 & 17 March

Shakhtar v Anderlecht

Basel v Sevilla

Villarreal v Bayer Leverkusen

Athletic Bilbao v Valencia

Liverpool v Manchester United

Sparta Prague v Lazio

Borussia Dortmund v Tottenham Hotspur

Fenerbahce v Braga

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Cheryshev Gives Neville Vital Win

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Gary Neville admitted his relief after picking up his first league victory as Valencia’s manager – but insisted it would not be a night for celebration.

Denis Cheryshev’s diving header gave Valencia a nail-biting 2-1 win over struggling Espanyol, who had taken the lead early in the second half after an error from returning goalkeeper Diego Alves allowed Oscar Duarte to head home.

That looked set to condemn Neville to a third consecutive league defeat, which would have left his side just two points above the relegation zone. But the substitute Alvaro Negredo pulled them level with a deflected finish on 70 minutes and the new recruit Cheryshev scored with a diving header six minutes later to give Valencia the lead for the first time in 10 league games under their new manager.

Although the remaining quarter of an hour brought a couple of nervy moments for the hosts, they hung on to claim their first league victory since beating Celta Vigo 5-1 on 5 November.

“I think what the game tells us today is football isn’t about putting on the best performance, but today we got the result,” said Neville. “It’s not a night for any celebration whatsoever, not to get carried away, but we’ll gain some confidence. There’s a good feeling in the dressing room and we’ll take it forward.

“Relief’s probably a good word in some ways to describe what I felt. The last four minutes can be a long time in football – I wanted the final whistle to come as quickly as possible, and I saw the reaction of the fans, of the players. I think it [10 games without a win] is far too long for this club.

Neville also praised the Mestalla fans for their support throughout the game, saying: “The most incredible bit was the fans stayed with us, they stayed with every single player, they stayed with me.

“It’s not down to tactics, it’s not down to the coach, it’s down to the fans and the way they responded after the goal. The game turned into an emotional game, the fans were pushing us forward, throwing us forward. We suffered a little bit but got there in the end and that’s the important thing.”

Neville also announced that Pako Ayesteran, Rafael Benítez’s former assistant at Valencia and Liverpool, is to join his coaching staff with immediate effect.

“He’s not to replace current staff, I just wanted to bring in someone with experience alongside me. Please don’t interpret this as a problem in any way. I’ve been speaking to Paco for the last 10 days.”

The former Manchester United defender also said he was relaxed about the criticism that has come his way. “Hopefully we’ll push on from this and get more confident. That’s what I want, that’s what I hope for. In terms of media and fan reaction, they are well within their rights to say what they’ve been saying. I’d be saying it as a journalist, as a fan. I’m not expecting to be shielded or protected. I thrive on it. From my point of view I know I’m in a fight.”

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Neville Gets Point at Eibar

Gary Neville is still without a win in two games since taking over as Valencia head coach after his new club had a man sent off and needed a fortuitous late goal to rescue a 1-1 draw at Eibar on Sunday.

Neville was a surprise appointment to replace Nuno Espírito Santo and his first game in charge was Wednesday’s 2-0 reverse at home to Olympique Lyonnais that ended Valencia’s hopes of advancing to the Champions League knockout round.

MBM report: Gary Neville’s first La Liga match ended in a draw, with Eibar missing a penalty before ten-man Valencia scored an extremely fortuitous equaliser

The former England defender presided over another disappointing performance at Eibar, although they missed a number of key players, including captain Dani Parejo and midfielder Sofiane Feghouli, through injury and suspension.

Eibar had the better chances in the first half and took a deserved lead moments before the break when Sergi Enrich finished from close range after good work down the right from Ander Capa.

Valencia’s hopes of getting back into the game were dealt a blow in the 63rd minute when defender Lucas Orban was dismissed for an innocuous-looking challenge on Dani García in the penalty area.

Jaume Doménech saved Saúl Berjón’s spot kick and Borja Bastón blasted the rebound over the bar with the visitors’ goal at his mercy.

Valencia levelled five minutes from time when the ball ricocheted off André Gomes and Eibar’s David Junca and squirted past home keeper Asier Riesgo into the net.

Eibar defender Ivan Ramis was then shown a straight red card for felling Paco Alcácer when the Valencia forward was through on goal in the second minute of added time.

Valencia have 21 points in eighth after 15 matches, while Eibar, who have one of the smallest budgets in La Liga, also have 21 points in 10th.

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Henry Retires to Sky Sports

Thierry Henry has announced his retirement from football and that he will return to London to take up a role in the media.

The 37-year-old former Arsenal striker left the New York Red Bulls at the start of the month after they were knocked out of the MLS play-offs but there was speculation he might choose to play on at another club – with a return to Arsenalmooted.

However, the former France international and World Cup winner has instead called time on a trophy-laden career, which has included spells with Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona and the Red Bulls.

In a statement, Henry said: “After 20 years in the game I have decided to retire from professional football. It has been an incredible journey and I would like to thank all the fans, team mates and individuals involved with Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona, the New York Red Bulls and of course the French National team that have made my time in the game so special.

“It is now time for a different career path and I am pleased to say that I will be returning to London and joining Sky Sports. I will hopefully share some of the insights, observations and experiences I have learnt over the years with you guys. I have had some amazing memories (mostly good) and a wonderful experience. I hope you have enjoyed watching as much as I have enjoyed taking part. See you on the other side …”

When asked if he had thought about another stint in north London, Henry told Sky Sports: “You kind of never leave Arsenal. How many comebacks do you make? At one point it will turn out to be a bad movie. We all love the first Rocky but I’m not too sure about the last one.”

Henry will always be most closely associated with Arsenal, where he is the all-time leading goalscorer with 228 goals in 377 games across two different spells.

Arsène Wenger, who had known him as a young player at Monaco, signed him from Juventus for £11m in 1999 and immediately shifted him from the wing to a central striking position. His blend of pace and power made him one of the most feared forwards in English football, and Henry won the Premier League title twice with Arsenal, as well as the FA Cup three times.

Henry left Arsenal in 2007 and joined Barcelona, where he won the Champions League in 2009. He also added two La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey, Spanish Supercopa, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup to his honours list in three seasons at the Camp Nou.

His medal collection also includes a Ligue 1 title and the Trophée des Champions – the equivalent of the Community Shield – with Monaco, his first professional club.

He spent the final five years of his playing career with the Red Bulls, returning to Arsenal to make four appearances on loan in early 2012.

With France, Henry scored 51 goals in 123 appearances – only Lilian Thuram has more caps with Les Bleus. He was a member of the 1998 World Cup winning squad, while also being a runner-up in 2006. Henry was a European champion in 2000 and was part of the team that won the Confederations Cup in 2003.

The former player will begin his work with Sky from the start of 2015, covering live international, European and domestic football and joining the current pundits Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jamie Redknapp and Graeme Souness.

Gary Neville said: “We were blessed in this country to see Thierry playing at his peak, potentially one of the greatest players in the world and even if you supported another team you couldn’t help but enjoy watching him play. It’s always a shame when such a career comes to an end, but it’s very much Sky Sports’ gain and I look forward to working with him.”

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Neville Will Donate Testimonial Proceeds

Gary Neville

The proceeds of Manchester United defender Gary Neville's testimonial match will go towards a new supporters' club and hotel, he has confirmed.

Neville, 36, wants the development to be built near Old Trafford, just off Sir Matt Busby Way.

He is due to apply for planning permission later this year, in the hope the complex will open in time for the 2013-14 season.

United are due to play Juventus for the testimonial on 24 May.

Neville said he wanted to "create something special for the fans".'Positive for Beckham'

"I obviously want to say thank you for the way in which they have behaved and treated me in the past 15 to 16 years," he said. "It has been unbelievable."

The supporters' club, by the Manchester Ship Canal, would host up to 1,500 fans on match days.

"I hope they can go in there, drink, sing and have a good time," Neville said.

Neville hopes the club and hotel will be open for the 2013-14 season

Manchester United's chief operating officer, Michael Bolingbroke, said: "This is a very exciting project and the club wishes Gary every success with it.

"The location will give fans a great view of their favourite stadium and the design of the building will greatly enhance the skyline of the area."

Neville said he was looking forward to the testimonial and was "confident" the so-called Class of '92 would get back together for the game.

Nicky Butt, Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have already confirmed they will be playing.

He is also in contact with David Beckham, and said: "It is looking positive but we still have a couple of things to sort out."

Neville is also planning a project in Malta, where he has had links for many years.