A resurgent Leroy Sane has his sights set on achieving his "huge" career goal of experiencing the Champions League glory his Bayern Munich team-mates enjoyed last season.
The winger joined Bayern from Manchester City after they had tasted European success by defeating Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
Sane had a mixed start at Bayern, in and out the line up as he worked his way back from a long-term injury that restricted him to two appearances in his final season at City.
The 25-year-old has looked like his old self of late, registering either a goal or assist in four of his last five matches, including a strike in Bayern's emphatic 4-1 away win in the last-16 first leg away to Lazio.
Bayern were four goals up after 47 minutes of that game, but ahead of Wednesday's home second leg against Lazio, Sane wants his team-mates to take nothing for granted, which would jeopardise his Champions League dream.
"[Winning the Champions League is] a huge goal of mine," said Sane.
"That is why I place so much value on delivering a good match on Wednesday and for the rest of the season.
"When we have Champions League matches, we need to always be well prepared and up for it.
"All of us know that a lot can still happen. Just because we scored a few goals in the first leg doesn't mean that we are through.
"Lazio have a strong team and things could backfire if we don't take it seriously.
"I'm feeling better and better, and have had time to get to know the team and how we play. We get along very well off the pitch as well. Everyone is prepared to work hard, which benefits us all.
"At first, you need to get to know the workings of a team. For me it was even harder, because I didn't have a rhythm after a long injury.
"So I needed to find my own rhythm back at first. Now I feel a lot better and I have got to know the team better. That is one of the reasons why things have gone uphill for me lately."
Bayern are hosting Lazio for the first time in European competition.
None of the last 21 sides facing them away from home for the first time in the European Cup or Champions League have won (W20 D1) since Bordeaux triumphed 2-0 back in November 2009.
Head coach Hansi Flick hopes to have fitness doubts Manuel Neuer and Kingsley Coman available.
"Manu has a slight cold, and Kingsley is dealing with some muscle issues," he said. "We will have to wait and see, but we are hoping that both will be able to feature on Wednesday.
"We want to win this game [the second leg] as well. We're in the midst of a good run and want to continue it.
"Especially since we're at home, we really want to win to further build our self-confidence.
"We've delivered strong performances in the Champions League, as well as in the Bundesliga. Our current aim is to continue on in this manner."
Flick was not keen to discuss the Germany job, which will become vacant when Joachim Low leaves after Euro 2020, any further.
"I have said everything about this topic, but nothing has changed for me," he said. "I do not comment on the topic."
Since Flick took charge of the club, Bayern have won their six home games in the Champions League by an aggregate score of 18-3.
However, only one of the previous six have come in the knockout stages of the competition – beating Chelsea 4-1 in the second leg of last season’s round of 16.
Lazio, meanwhile, have only won one of their last 15 away games in the Champions League (D5 L9).
The Serie A side are winless in the last eight matches of that run (D4 L4) and have not one away in the competition was back in September 2003.
Tullis-Joyce ready to take Man Utd mantle after Earps departure
Phallon Tullis-Joyce believes learning from Mary Earps during her time at Manchester United has her well-placed to step up as the Red Devils' new number one.
Earps, who spent five seasons with United, joined Paris Saint-Germain in July upon the expiry of her contract at the Women's Super League side.
During her time with the Red Devils, she made 102 appearances in all competitions, keeping 46 clean sheets in the WSL in that time.
The 31-year-old scooped the Golden Glove in the 2022-23 campaign, while also helping United lift the Women's FA Cup in her final season with the club.
Tullis-Joyce spent just one year alongside Earps after arriving from the Seattle Reign last year, with all four of her appearances coming in the League Cup.
But speaking at the Barclays WSL's 2024-25 season launch media day, the American told Stats Perform her time with Earps has her well-prepared for this season.
"I was fortunate enough to train with Mary for an entire season, learn from her, learn from the staff as well," Tullis-Joyce said.
"Four of us together just being able to hold a high standard has already helped me in that preparation for this season."
Head coach Marc Skinner is backing Tullis-Joyce to fill the seismic gap left by Earps, a statement that filled the American with confidence.
"Yeah, definitely very, very grateful to our staff," Tullis-Joyce started.
"I mean, right from the start, when I got there, they were very clear about their intentions and where I was at and where they wanted to see me progress to.
"I'm just super happy to be with the squad."
United are looking to improve on an underwhelming campaign last year, finishing fifth and 15 points adrift of the Champions League qualification places.
Only Manchester City (15), Chelsea (18), Arsenal (20) and Liverpool (28) conceded less than United's 32 goals in the league, but their inconsistent results proved costly.
Tullis-Joyce acknowledged their showing last term fell below the mark, but highlighted the Red Devils' FA Cup success as a solid foundation to build on this season.
"We're taking this step by step," Tullis-Joyce said.
"These players have been grinding it out during this pre-season.
"We're pushing our limits, and we obviously have our sights set on the absolute best that we can perform as a squad and that's where we're at for the season."
Howe says Newcastle yet to hit 'top gear' ahead of Wolves trip
Eddie Howe believes Newcastle are yet to hit "top gear" this season despite taking seven points from their first three Premier League games, as they look to continue that strong start against Wolves at Molineux.
Newcastle made light of Fabian Schar's red card to beat Southampton on the opening matchday, then downed Tottenham 2-1 after earning a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.
Those results have the Magpies fifth in the early-season standings, yet Howe still sees room for improvement as far as their performance levels are concerned.
Newcastle have faced a Premier League-high 54 shots in 2024-25, with their average of 18 shots conceded per game their highest on record in a single campaign (since 2003-04).
At Friday's pre-match press conference, Howe said: "We've had some very good results, we're really pleased with the start we have made in what is a difficult league.
"Performance-wise, we haven't hit top gear. We are going into a spell where we have difficult games away from home.
"It's been a very tough start for Wolves. They played very well in their last game against Nottingham Forest.
"They're always tough opponents, I've got lot of respect for Gary O'Neil and the job he has done there. He is very tactically astute so we will be prepared for a tough game."
Wolves, meanwhile, needed three games to pick up their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw with Forest, having opened with defeats to Arsenal (2-0) and Chelsea (6-2).
Boss O'Neil expects a difficult test against a team with plenty of attacking talent, hailing Magpies forward Alexander Isak as one of the best in the league.
"They have an abundance of quality attacking players. Isak is one of the best number nines in the league for me, so they are a team that are going to test us, definitely," O'Neil said.
"I'm looking forward to getting back to Molineux, getting back to the group that we know we're going to work with from now until January, at least, and seeing if we can start to upset a few people like we like we managed to last season."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wolves – Andre
Wolves harbour a doubt over captain Mario Lemina ahead of Sunday's game, which could mean Andre is called upon for his full debut after joining from Fluminense.
Between his Serie A debut in September 2020 and his departure, Andre ranked first for possession won (756) and successful passes (6,574) in the Brazilian top flight, as well as second for touches (8,440) and fourth for dribbles completed (164).
Newcastle – Alexander Isak
Isak has been directly involved in 18 goals in his last 20 Premier League appearances (15 goals, three assists).
Since the first game in that run (on Boxing Day last year), only Erling Haaland (20) and Cole Palmer (17) have scored more than the Swede (15) in the competition.
MATCH PREDICTION – NEWCASTLE WIN
Entertainment should be a given at Molineux, where both teams have scored in all nine previous Premier League meetings between Wolves and Newcastle.
It is the most-played specific fixture in the competition's history to never feature a clean sheet, while Newcastle have only failed to score once in their last 23 Premier League matches – in a 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in April.
No Premier League team is on a longer current run without a shutout than Wolves, meanwhile, with O'Neil's men conceding in each of their last 15 matches.
Wolves have only won one of their last 13 league games, drawing three and losing nine, and are winless in their last six (one draw, five losses). At home, they have lost five of their last six (one win), having only lost four of their previous 19 (11 wins, four draws).
Newcastle have won three of their last five Premier League games against Wolves, drawing the other two, and they enter Sunday's match as favourites.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Wolves – 30.3%
Newcastle – 44.5%
Draw – 25.1%
Hard work Conte's only requirement at Napoli
After an eventful first 100 days in charge of Napoli, Antonio Conte says hard work is his first requirement ahead of the Partenopei's trip to Cagliari on Sunday.
Conte endured a difficult start to his Napoli career, overseeing a heavy 3-0 defeat to Verona on the opening matchday of the Serie A season.
However, victories over Bologna (3-0) and Parma (2-1) have Napoli looking up, and they could now win three straight league games under a single head coach for the first time since February 2023 – when they went on to win the Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti (eight in a row).
At the end of a tumultuous period that also saw Victor Osimhen leave for Galatasaray on loan and Romelu Lukaku join as his replacement, Conte feels the foundations have been laid for future success.
Speaking at Friday's pre-match press conference, Conte said: "We worked not only on the pitch, but also a lot off it. We had to work and we worked hard.
"I am satisfied, these 100 days have given us a direction. I know what awaits me, the expectations on me, but my only weapon is work."
Having won league titles at Juventus, Inter and Chelsea, Conte knows expectations around the Partenopei have been heightened by his arrival.
"I carry a lot of pressure with me. Having won in the past, people add one and one and get two, and expect this regardless," Conte said.
"It's a responsibility, I don't shirk from it, but I live it in a serene way. I expect continuity of performance and results, and continuity from the squad."
Conte also hailed the impact of Lukaku, who came off the bench to score a late goal in their victory over Parma ahead of the international break, just two days after his arrival.
"He used the international break to try to get in full swing on a physical and tactical level. There was great commitment, he also came in during his free time," he said of the striker.
"He is improving in everything and we will see, there are still two training sessions and then I will decide if he will start."
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