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• Serie A side Genoa confirm sacking of head coach Gilardino

  Serie A side Genoa have confirmed the departure of their head coach Alberto Gilardino, with Patrick Vieira reportedly on his way in.

  Gilardino, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, leaves the club with them sitting just one point above the relegation size with 10 points from 12 matches this season. 

  A former striker who played for clubs including Genoa, Parma, AC Milan and Fiorentina, Gilardino took charge of Genoa in 2022 and helped them earn promotion to the top division before a 11th-place finish during the 2023-24 season. 

  "The club thanks Gilardino for the goals achieved together over the years and wishes him the best for his career," Genoa said in a statement.

  The 42-year-old saw his side salvage a late 1-1 draw against Cesc Fabregas' Como in their last match before the international break. 

  Genoa were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia in the second round following a defeat to Sampdoria on penalties in September. 

  Arsenal legend Vieira is set to replace him, according to multiple reports. 

  The former France midfielder has been out of work since leaving Strasbourg by mutual consent in July. 

• Jonathan David names Barcelona as dream club amid Lille uncertainty

  Jonathan David admits it is his dream to play for Barcelona as he prepares to enter the final six months of his Lille contract.

  The Canada international is into his fifth season with the Ligue 1 side but is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.

  Lille have attempted to persuade David with a new deal, though he looks set to depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2025 – potentially as early as January if a club is prepared to pay a transfer fee.

  However, while the 24-year-old is seemingly open to a move to Barcelona, he suggested he would prefer to wait until the end of the campaign before taking the next step in his career.

  "Going to a club midseason is never easy," he told The Athletic. "It's not like the beginning of a season where you have a pre-season, you get to know your team-mates, you have time to gel. 

  "In January, things are very hectic. It's about right now. It's tougher."

  "[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it's your dream to play for them.

  "Some people might say, 'Oh, he's staying at Lille, this is a downgrade, he's not getting better'. But for me, there's always opportunities to get better."

  David has scored 13 goals in 19 games for Lille in all competitions this season, including goals against heavyweight sides Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.

  Including penalties, eight of those goals have been scored via his stronger right boot, four with his left and one with his head – an area the forward accepts he can still improve.

  "Aerially, I can get better," he said. "Getting that header on target and scoring. 

  "I can get in good positions and win headers but the finishing touch, I'm still missing. With my back to goal, I can also get better."

  David is averaging a goal every 112 minutes across all competitions this season, which compares to one every 139 minutes last season and 131 in 2022-23.

  However, he still has some way to go to match the 18 goals scored in 27 league games for former club Gent in 2019-20.

  "Things are good right now because I'm scoring goals," David said. 

  "But is this the best I've played in my life? Probably not. For me, it was my second year in Belgium. That was the season of my life."

• Doncic backs Mbappe to turn fortunes around at Real Madrid

  NBA superstar Luka Doncic has backed Kylian Mbappe to "figure it out" after his underwhelming start to life at Real Madrid.

  Mbappe has scored eight goals in 16 games for Madrid in all competitions since joining as a free agent following the expiration of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.

  He has gone four matches without a goal – a run that includes losses to Barcelona and Milan – and has been left out of France's latest squad.

  However, Dallas Mavericks guard Doncic – a Real Madrid supporter due to his previous ties with the sports club – can see Mbappe turning things around.

  "Obviously [their season] could be better," Doncic told Managing Madrid after the Mavericks' win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. 

  "But when you get a guy like Mbappe, it takes some time to get used to it. We'll figure it out."

  Mbappe has scored six goals in 11 LaLiga appearances for Madrid but has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04.

  The forward is averaging a goal every 166 minutes in all competitions this term, compared to one every 88 minutes for PSG in his last of seven seasons in Paris.

  Madrid thrashed Osasuna 4-0 last time out in the league to return to winning ways but still trail leaders Barcelona by six points.

  Asked about his connections with Madrid, former Los Blancos basketball player Doncic said: "I follow Real Madrid every time.

  "I grew up there. They taught me everything, so it's a part of my life. You can call it a secondary home. 

  "I learned a lot of stuff there and, especially, they gave me a way to be here right now [in Dallas]. I always appreciate that 100%."

  Madrid return to action after the international break with a trip to Leganes on Sunday.