The antics of Spain’s football federation president Luis Rubiales at Sunday’s World Cup final highlight the level of “misogyny and sexism” within the organisation, American star Megan Rapinoe has said. Rubiales issued an apology on Monday for kissing Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the trophy presentation ceremony, something Rapinoe described as a “physical assault”, and was also pictured grabbing his crotch in celebration of his country’s win over England in Sydney. He is still facing calls to resign, with Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez describing the apology as “insufficient”. The Spanish federation (RFEF) announced on Tuesday night it had called an extraordinary meeting of its general assembly for Friday, and that “internal proceedings” were open in relation to integrity issues arising from the trophy ceremony. Rapinoe, who featured in the World Cup for the United States, told American magazine The Atlantic: “There was another picture that signals such a deep level of misogyny and sexism in that federation and in that man (Rubiales) at the final whistle, just grabbing his crotch. “What kind of upside-down world are we in? On the biggest stage, where you should be celebrating, Jenni has to be physically assaulted by this guy.” Fifteen Spain players were involved in a dispute with the federation prior to the finals, with the coaching methods of Jorge Vilda reportedly among their concerns. However, the RFEF refused to budge, with a statement saying those involved would only be able to return to the national team “if they accept their mistake and ask for forgiveness”. “Think how much that Spanish team had to shoulder: some of the players who stood up way back last year still aren’t on the team,” Rapinoe said. “Maybe that was something that galvanised them, but you shouldn’t have to have that.” Rubiales said on Monday the kiss happened “in a spontaneous way” and “without bad intention” but said it “seems like it has caused a commotion”. Hermoso initially said on social media she “didn’t like” the kiss but a statement on her behalf was later released by the RFEF in which she described it as “spontaneous”. FIFA has so far not issued any comment on the matter, and nor has UEFA, for whom Rubiales is an executive committee member and a vice-president. World players’ union FIFPRO described Rubiales’ behaviour as “deeply lamentable”, adding: “Uninitiated and uninvited physical gestures towards players are not appropriate or acceptable in any context. “This is especially true when players are put in a position of vulnerability because a physical approach or gesture is initiated by a person who holds power over them.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Luke Donald losing sleep over Ryder Cup wild card selections Keely Hodgkinson predicts ‘good race’ against Athing Mu in 800m final Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink calls for patience at Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino

A battle of Scotland vs England takes place in one of Europe’s admittedly less-than-stellar occasions on Wednesday, with Scottish Premiership outfit Hibernian hosting Premier League side Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League play-off. With a place in the group stage up for grabs, a positive first-leg result feels imperative for Hibs if they are to give themselves a chance of making it through to the competition proper - which would be their first true European campaign since a 2005/06 Uefa Cup first-round exit, aside from a few Intertoto Cup appearances. Domestically, matters haven’t gone well for Hibs though this term; despite coming through two qualifying rounds in Europe already, beating Andorran side Inter Club d’Escaldes and Swiss outfit Luzern, it’s so far two defeats from two in the SPL. Aston Villa were thrashed by Newcastle before hammering Everton in a topsy-turvy pair of fixtures themselves at the start of 2023/24. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game and get all the latest football betting sites offers here. When is Hibs vs Aston Villa Hibs face Villa in the first leg of their play-off tie on Wednesday 23 August, with kick-off set for 5:45pm BST. Where can I watch it? The game will be broadcast live on BBC Scotland, while it can be streamed on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website. What is the team news Hibs should have Jake Doyle-Hayes back from an injury lay-off, while Dylan Vente should be fine to start after going off injured at the weekend. Dylan Levitt will not play, however. For Villa, there may be a debut for new loan signing Nicolo Zaniolo, while John McGinn will hope to face the club he spent over three years with before signing for Villa in 2018. Youri Tielemans and Jhon Duran will hope to feature after coming off the bench to good effect in the weekend win over Everton, but Philippe Coutinho went off injured in that game and joins Alex Moreno, Jacob Ramsey, Emi Buendia, Tyrone Mings and Leander Dendoncker on the sidelines. Predicted lineups Hibs - Marshall, Fish, Hanlon, Stevenson, Miller, Jeggo, Boyle, Newell, Obita, Vente, Doidge. Villa - Martinez, Cash, Carlos, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, Zaniolo, Diaby, McGinn, Watkins Odds Hibs 21/2 Draw 19/4 Villa 2/11 Get all the latest football betting sites offers here. Prediction Villa don’t need to go all-out to get the win away from home, but probably can do if they attack the same way they did at the weekend. Hibs 1-2 Aston Villa. Read More Unai Emery can draw on his own Europa legend to write Aston Villa history Everton condemn ‘vile’ racist abuse aimed at midfielder Amadou Onana Are Everton the first crisis club of the season? Unai Emery hails ‘amazing’ Aston Villa captain John McGinn after Everton rout Unai Emery Aston Villa masterclass delivers humiliating defeat for hapless Everton Pep Guardiola applauds Manchester City’s mentality following Newcastle victory

Former Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has stressed the need for Mauricio Pochettino to be given time but knows not all of the club’s big-money signings will handle the pressure. The Blues are without a win after two matches of this season’s Premier League after an encouraging 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool was followed up by Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham. Chelsea have spent more than £350million on transfers this summer, which has taken their overall outlay under Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium to nearly £1billion since he completed his takeover at the end of the 2021-22 season. Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Mykhailo Mudryk are among the club’s biggest buys but while Pochettino insisted in July there is “no patience” in football, Hasselbaink has called for calm. LiveScore ambassador Hasselbaink told the PA news agency: “Look, it is a project. Chelsea is a project and it will take time. “You need to give time. They have a lot of players, a lot of talented players but they need to gel and that takes time. It doesn’t matter how much money you throw at it. “The only way they will learn is by playing and having that pressure. You will see some of them will make it and be able to handle it, but some, as always is the case, they won’t handle the pressure. That is the nature of the beast. “I do think Chelsea have bought well, really well with a lot of young players and the most important thing now is to trim the squad because there is still a lot of players. “Then mould it and everyone can get to know each other.” Hasselbaink reflected on Chelsea’s stuttering start to the season after being put through his paces by youngsters during a session put on by Bloomsbury Football, a grassroots charity who provide weekly football sessions for young people in London. Bloomsbury Football are set to receive a £5,000 donation from LiveScore, who have launched a Life-changing Goals campaign to mark their 25th anniversary. LiveScore will donate £25 to charity for every goal scored in the world’s top 25 leagues on the weekend of September 2-3, while goals scored at grassroots level and shared with the global sports media brand on social media will also trigger a donation. An overall total of £25,000 is set to be donated by LiveScore with £20,000 going to a mental health charity partner. Chelsea will host Nottingham Forest on September 2, after they entertain Luton this Friday, and Hasselbaink suggested a top-five finish, which should be enough to secure qualification for UEFA’s new-look Champions League format from 2024 given England’s coefficient rating, would be success this season. “I think to get in the Champions League this year it is the top five isn’t it, so look without getting ahead of everything, it is a project,” Hasselbaink added. “There are a lot of things that have changed in the last two years at Chelsea. It is not the Chelsea any more that we had, but they are building to that again. “It is different and what you really want as soon as possible is to get a win behind your belt because from there you try to get momentum, which will get people confidence. “The Liverpool game showed they can compete with the best but second half against West Ham you can see there are a lot of things to work at. “It will not change overnight, that is just a fact and everybody in football knows that but I think they have a lot and they are on the right track. “With all due respect to everyone who was there last year, I think they look a lot better than last year.” :: To get involved with LiveScore’s Life-changing Goals campaign, head to LiveScore’s official social media channels to find out how you can share your goal with #LiveScore25 and #LifeChangingGoals.

What the papers say With deadline day on the horizon, Chelsea have looked towards Arsenal young gun Folarin Balogun to bolster their forwards, the Evening Standard reports. The 22-year-old is being considered by Chelsea but Arsenal will not let him go cheaply, slapping a £50million transfer fee on the striker who will be off contract in June 2025. He scored 21 goals in 37 matches while on loan at French side Reims. The Mirror says Arsenal have told Saudi Pro League teams and Real Madrid that defender Gabriel is not for sale. Everton have pulled out of the race for Callum Hudson-Odoi, the Liverpool Echo says, but are still interested in Southampton striker Che Adams. Manchester United and Chelsea are both interested in signing 16-year-old Croatian striker Dino Klapija from Croatian club Kustosija. Social media round-up Players to watch Andre: ESPN reports that Brazilian Serie A team Fluminense have rejected Liverpool’s £25million bid for the 22-year-old midfielder who want to keep him for the remainder of the season. Lucas Paqueta: Despite his ongoing Football Association investigation, Sky Sports says Manchester City could reignite their £80million bid for the West Ham midfielder in January after the investigation into alleged betting breaches are concluded. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Some bad news for Kyle Walker. Manchester City’s oldest player, the third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson excepted, has age-defying speed and prides himself on his pace. And yet there may come a point in the near future when he finds himself only the second quickest player on their right flank. Jeremy Doku’s acceleration impressed even Kylian Mbappe – “I have never seen someone develop so much strength from a standstill as him,” football’s answer to Usain Bolt said in 2021 – and his arrival in England might not be welcomed by opposing full-backs who are not as fast as Walker. If the Rennes winger signs as immediate replacement for Riyad Mahrez, in a sense he is more of a belated successor to Leroy Sane: the sprinter, the roadrunner with the scorched earth policy. And part of the intrigue behind his £55m deal is because, in various ways, Doku is the antithesis of a Pep Guardiola winger; certainly of a recent Guardiola winger. Think of Mahrez, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva and a common denominator is a midfielder’s skillset, a capacity to retain possession, often while cutting infield. In contrast, Doku is likelier to run forwards, often at a rate of knots, taking on defenders. He averaged more than 10 dribbles per 90 minutes last season. He had the most successful take-ons in Ligue 1 in 2020-21 and the second most last season, behind only Lionel Messi (and third only in the five major European leagues, in a table topped by Vinicius Junior). If the sense is that Grealish has been a more restrained player at City, exhibiting more positional discipline, running wild and free less often than at Aston Villa, Doku can be a spectacular solo artist. Perhaps the pick of his goals for Rennes was a burst from his own half against Ajaccio, taking him past three defenders. It was the sort that City rarely score these days but also one they rarely try to. And Doku invites comparisons with Allan Saint-Maximin and Adama Traore, two great entertainers and crowd-pleasers with the ability to torment defenders with electric surges but who can lack productivity. Doku’s goalscoring return – six in 37 games for Anderlecht, 12 in 92 for Rennes – is mediocre and emulating Sane, who scored 14 and 16 in successive seasons for City, or Mahrez, who got 24 and 15 in his last two campaigns, would require a dramatic improvement. Yet while he only registered two assists in Ligue 1 last season, his expected assists per 90 minutes was the joint fourth best in the division – his teammates missed too many of the chances he created. Nevertheless, he has the feel of a project player for Guardiola: it is easy to imagine melodramatic, if rather incomprehensible, gestures from the touchline if Doku is so busy on solo runs that he fails to pick out colleagues. But that speed and ability to commit several opponents comes with a capacity to mean other City players will be free; the key then will be the decision-making of when to pass and who to find. Certainly Doku is young enough to learn: a prodigy at still just 21. He has been touted for the top for years. Doku’s father suggested that, on a visit to Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp saw his son as a successor to Sadio Mane. He has been on many shortlists, scouted by everyone. That Rennes paid a club record €26m (£22m) for a teenager seemed designed with resale value in mind and, while he did not realise his potential with them, they will pocket a healthy profit with a £55m sale. At international level, Roberto Martinez first capped him for Belgium at 18 but, while Doku excelled in the Euro 2020 quarter-final exit to Italy, he was given just 18 minutes in last year’s World Cup. With Eden Hazard in international retirement, he could take over from one of his country’s golden generation. For City, he might add another dimension or look a Plan B. His counter-attacking menace may be less relevant when teams defend deep against the treble winners, as they often do: perhaps, though, it could make him more useful against more ambitious opponents, who are often the better sides. Or perhaps he suggests another shift in their style of play. Guardiola used false nines but then got a towering, prolific centre-forward in Erling Haaland. His full-backs were often midfielders by trade until he started playing centre-backs there recently. His wingers often had certain similarities with midfielders – in the cases of Silva, Grealish and Phil Foden, they have spent much of their careers infield – but Doku is more dribbler than distributor, more touchline sprinter than tiki-taka passer. And, before he even gets on the pitch, his training-ground contests with Walker could be well worth watching. Read More Pep Guardiola to miss Man City matches after emergency surgery Man City agree £55m fee for winger - which could see Cole Palmer depart Promising defender Lewis Hall joins Newcastle on season-long loan from Chelsea

Wayne Rooney, England’s top scorer before he was eclipsed by Harry Kane in March this year, announced his retirement from international football with immediate effect, on this day in 2017. No outfield player has won more England men’s caps than the 37-year-old, who netted a then-record 53 goals across 120 appearances for his country. Rooney had been offered a reprieve by England boss Gareth Southgate after a fine return to his boyhood club Everton, but decided the time was right to call it a day. In a statement released to the PA news agency, Rooney said: “It was great that Gareth Southgate called me this week to tell me he wanted me back in the England squad for the upcoming matches. I really appreciated that. “However, having already thought long and hard, I told Gareth that I had now decided to retire for good from international football. “It is a really tough decision and one I have discussed with my family, my manager at Everton and those closest to me. “Playing for England has always been special to me. Every time I was selected as a player or captain was a real privilege and I thank everyone who helped me. “But I believe now is the time to bow out.” Rooney made his England debut as a 17-year-old against Australia in February 2003 and scored his first goal against Macedonia in September that same year. Just as he would later do with Manchester United, he usurped Sir Bobby Charlton as England’s all-time top scorer with his penalty against Switzerland in September 2015. Rooney replaced David Beckham as the country’s most capped outfield player the following September in Slovakia – ahead of which he announced his intention to retire after the 2018 World Cup. And despite being within touching distance of Peter Shilton’s record 125-cap haul for England men, Rooney stayed true to his decision to walk away with what was already a remarkable record. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Rangers have ‘set up next week’ with Champions League draw – Michael Beale Rangers strike twice but PSV Eindhoven hit back to leave tie in the balance Matt Hudson-Smith going for gold after smashing European 400m record

Michael Beale insists Rangers’ Champions League hopes should not be written off following the 2-2 play-off draw with PSV Eindhoven at Ibrox. Gers attacker Abdallah Sima curled in a terrific first-leg opener just before the interval but the Dutch side levelled through midfielder Ibrahim Sangare just after the hour mark. As play raced from end to end, substitute Rabbi Matondo scored his first Light Blues goal in the 76th minute before PSV captain Luuk de Jong levelled with a header four minutes later, and the match ended in a repeat of last year’s score at the same stage of the competition. The two sides drew 2-2 at Ibrox before Rangers scrambled a 1-0 win in Eindhoven and Beale remains confident of progress in the Netherlands next Wednesday night. Asked if lightning can strike twice against the Dutch side, Beale said: “I think so, yes, of course. Naturally we will go across and be extremely positive. “There were moments of tonight’s game when I thought we were very good. “I thought we scored two good goals and all night we caused them problems defensively. There were areas of the game we’d want to improve on, for sure. But everything is to play for. “We wanted to set up next week and we’ve done that. “Tonight when we were struggling, we fought for each other. We ran for each other, we problem-solved on the pitch. “This new group are learning very quickly that big nights like tonight bring us together. “I don’t want anybody to underestimate us next week because it’s in this club to go put this performance on. “We’ll have our thousands of fans travelling over there and as a team we’re going there to get this job done and we will give it everything we can. “I think the tie is evenly set. I don’t think them and their coach are travelling home thinking ‘this is a job done’. “They will know how hard physically that game was, at the end it looked like they had one or two bumps and bruises as well. It is finely poised. “I think the two penalty boxes are going to be decisive. It’s important you play well between them but the most important thing is you take your chances when they come.” PSV boss Peter Bosz was left with “mixed feelings” but is confident of finishing the tie next week. He said: “I am never afraid of anything. I always think ‘go for it’. “Even if I was there last season (when Rangers won), my mentality would be that this season we are going to make it. “I felt we would be dominating here and they would play the counter-attack real well and really fast. “That is how they scored their second goal. They had the energy of the crowd. “We have to play a lot better in the return or we will not make it through. What do we need to do? Score more goals and don’t let stupid goals go in against us.”

Rangers’ Champions League hopes are in the balance after PSV Eindhoven came from behind twice to draw 2-2 in a pulsating play-off first-leg tie at Ibrox. Gers attacker Abdallah Sima curled in a terrific opener just before the interval with the Dutch side punished for sloppiness. However, the visitors levelled through impressive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare just after the hour mark. Substitute Rabbi Matondo scored his first Light Blues goal in the 76th minute before PSV captain Luuk de Jong levelled with a header four minutes later, to repeat last year’s score at the same stage of the competition. The two sides drew 2-2 at Ibrox before Rangers scrambled a 1-0 win in Eindhoven and Michael Beale’s side will be looking for a similar outcome in the Netherlands next Wednesday night. There was no surprise that Beale made a host of changes from the 2-1 Viaplay Cup win over Morton at the weekend with captain James Tavernier, John Souttar, Borna Barisic, midfielders Ryan Jack, Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell and Sima all returning. Malik Tillman, on loan at PSV from Bayern Munich having spent last season with Rangers, was on the bench looking to make his debut as De Jong led the line, supported by the talents such as Joey Veerman, Johan Bakayoko, Noa Lang and Sangare. The Govan ground reverberated with noise before the game and in the breathless opening minutes the decibels increased when Cantwell almost took advantage of some sloppy PSV defending before the ball broke off Raskin and flew behind. Moments later, Gers keeper Jack Butland made a save from a Lang drive as the slick-moving visitors broke with pace and purpose. The home side were doing most of the chasing but in the 22nd minute a slip by PSV defender Olivier Boscagli allowed Sima to latch on to a Cyriel Dessers header but a tame shot was easily gathered by keeper Walter Benitez. PSV wideman Bakayoko had two efforts on goal, driving straight at Butland then going close with a curling drive later in the half. However, just before the break the PSV defence again got into a tangle and when Dessers’ pass landed at Sima at the edge of the box, the on-loan Brighton player curled the ball high past Benitez to send the home fans into raptures. The second half began with Benitez blocking a close-range effort from Tavernier as Gers fans urged their team on but PSV looked sprightly in their own attacks. In the 58th minute, after Cantwell was booked for a cynical foul on Ismael Saibari, Butland palmed away a decent 25-yard free-kick from Veerman and again Rangers defended the corner. But moments later, in another PSV attack which forced the Light Blues back into their own box, Bakayoko laid the ball back, Saibari dummied it and Sangare hammered the ball into the net. Matondo replaced Sima with John Lundstram on for Jack before Cantwell was perhaps fortunate to avoid another yellow following a hefty tackle on Sergino Dest. Matondo’s pace soon caused PSV problems and so did his finishing. A sweeping Rangers move saw Cantwell break forward and play wide to Dessers, whose brilliant pass took out the PSV defence with Matondo steering the ball past Benitez. An ecstatic Ibrox was soon silenced once more when De Jong bulleted in a header from a Bakayoko corner. In a frantic finale, Gers substitute Danilo saw a goal-bound shot blocked for a corner and Matondo drove just over but it ended all square and the two teams get to do it all over again next week. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Matt Hudson-Smith going for gold after smashing European 400m record Harry Brook on losing side despite smashing fastest Hundred ton Owen Farrell to miss key World Cup fixtures after being hit with suspension

Steven Gerrard has rubbished speculation he will allow Mason Greenwood to rebuild his career at Al-Ettifaq as reports suggest Saudi Arabian clubs are set to swerve a move for the forward. The 21-year-old England international is searching for a new team after it was mutually agreed he would leave Manchester United on Monday following a six-month internal investigation into his conduct. But reacting to a headline which claimed Gerrard was considering a move for Greenwood, the former England midfielder and now manager at Al-Ettifaq said simply on his Instagram story: “Fake news.” Both the BBC and Telegraph cite senior sources at the Saudi Pro League who indicate the serious nature of the allegations involving Greenwood are likely to preclude one of their clubs from signing him. Greenwood was suspended by United in January 2022 over allegations relating to a young woman after images and videos were posted online. Charges including attempted rape and assault were discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service in February this year but reports he was set to be retained by United were met with a public outcry. United’s handling of the case was described as “pretty horrible” by their former captain Gary Neville, who accused his former employers of lacking leadership and dragging out the inquiry. Greenwood said in a statement on Monday he “did not do the things I was accused of” but added he had “made mistakes in my relationship, and I take my share of responsibility for the situations which led to the social media post”. United said in their statement: “All those involved, including Mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United.” The PA news agency understands the club are working with Greenwood’s family to find the right environment for him to continue his career, with discussions under way to find the correct solution. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Mary Earps has questioned Nike’s statement that defended the company’s decision not to sell replica England goalkeeper jerseys. The Manchester United keeper won the golden glove at the World Cup, where she saved a penalty in the Lionesses’ 1-0 defeat to Spain in Sunday’s final. Earps has become a firm fan favourite as interest in the women’s game has boomed – including the Euros success last summer. Nike came in for criticism before the tournament when it became apparent replica Earps shirts would not be available. In a statement released after the final, the kit manufacturer said: “Nike is committed to women’s football and we’re excited by the passion around this year’s tournament and the incredible win by the Lionesses to make it into the final. “We are proudly offering the best of Nike innovation and services to our federation partners and hundreds of athletes. We hear and understand the desire for a retail version of a goalkeeper jersey and we are working towards solutions for future tournaments, in partnership with Fifa and the federations. “The fact that there’s a conversation on this topic is testament to the continued passion and energy around the women’s game and we believe that’s encouraging.” On Tuesday afternoon, Earps posted a screenshot of the statement on her Instagram stories, adding the comment: “@Nike is this your version of an apology/taking accountability/a powerful statement of intent?” In a following post, Earps provided a link to a change.org petition that started in July, calling on Nike to release the goalkeeper shirt and it currently has more than 97,000 signatories.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will miss his side’s next two matches after undergoing “emergency” back surgery on Tuesday. City said the operation was a “success” but his convalescence in Barcelona means assistant Juanma Lillo will take charge for their games against Sheffield United on Sunday and Fulham on September 2. Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at the 57-year-old Spaniard. Started his coaching career early While Lillo has no playing experience to draw upon, his coaching career started when he was only 16 years old after joining his local side Amaroz KE in the Basque region of northern Spain. He remained there for four years before taking charge of hometown club Tolosa CF in the Spanish fourth tier. Called up to the big leagues After several years in the lower reaches of the Spanish pyramid, Lillo got his big break at Salamanca in 1992, guiding them from the third division all the way to LaLiga in three years. As a result he became the Spanish top-flight’s youngest-ever coach at the time, aged just 29. He was sacked with Salamanca languishing in the relegation zone, prompting an outcry among fans. The club were unable to avoid an immediate return to the Segunda Division but Lillo’s profile was raised significantly. Spreading his wings After nearly two-and-a-half decades of exclusively working in his native Spain, Lillo headed for Mexican side Dorados de Sinaloa in the mid-2000s. One of the players under his command was Guardiola, who was at the back end of his glittering playing career. Lillo has had the travelling bug ever since, having taken charge of sides in Colombia, Japan, China and Qatar, while he was understudy to Jorge Sampaoli with the Chile national team and is now into his second stint under Guardiola at City. Kindred spirits with Guardiola Lillo first moved to the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2020, replacing the outgoing Mikel Arteta, after guiding Qingdao Huanghai to promotion to the top-tier Chinese Super League. He left ahead of City’s treble-winning campaign last season to take up a head coach role with Al Sadd but came back to City earlier this month. Director of football Txiki Begiristain said: “His vision is totally aligned with Pep’s. They both love this game and want their teams to produce high-quality, attacking football.” Details, details, details How highly Lillo is valued came to light before he was given a temporary promotion by City, with Guardiola expected to be back in the dugout in the middle of next month following the international break. Guardiola was effusive in his praise when Lillo returned to the north-west, drawing attention to his assiduous nature, saying: “Juanma sees things no-one else in the game sees. He understands football on an incredible level, so he is the perfect person for me to work alongside. His preparation for matches is absolutely amazing. I know he will raise standards because he works so hard every single day.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Whitlock named in five-man GB team for World Gymnastics Championships ‘Instrumental’ Dan Sheehan would be ‘big loss’ for Ireland – Mike Catt I’ll really miss it – World Cup winner Alex Hartley to retire after The Hundred

Pep Guardiola will be absent from the touchline for Manchester City’s next two matches after undergoing an operation to correct his “severe back pain”. According to City, their treble-winning manager has been struggling with the injury for a while and flew out to Barcelona for an “emergency” but “routine” surgery on Tuesday. Guardiola will remain in Barcelona during his convalescence and is expected to miss City’s matches against Sheffield United this Sunday and Fulham on September 2, with assistant manager Juanma Lillo stepping into the breach. City anticipate Guardiola returning to the dugout after the international break for the visit to West Ham on September 16. A Manchester City statement said: “Pep Guardiola has today undergone a routine operation on a back problem. “The Manchester City boss has been suffering with severe back pain for some time lately, and flew out to Barcelona for emergency surgery performed by Dr Mireia Illueca. The surgery was a success, and Pep will now recover and rehabilitate in Barcelona. “In his absence, assistant manager Juanma Lillo will oversee coaching of the first team on the training field and will assume duties on the touchline until Pep’s return. “He is expected to return after the forthcoming international break. Everyone at Manchester City wishes Pep a speedy recovery, and look forward to seeing him back in Manchester soon.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live