"We’re up in the clouds right now; we won’t realise what we’ve done for four or five days. These things happen once in a lifetime, if that." Alcoyano goalkeeper Jose Juan (pictured above with the headlines he helped write) on his club's shock win over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey
"Mesut is like if you imagine an orchestra in music. He's a guy who plays the ball at the right time. The timing of his pass is exceptional, but the creativity of his pass is as well. In every situation he confronts, he gives the right answer and that is genius." FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger commenting on Mesut Ozil's move to Fenerbahce (beIN SPORTS)
“Sam and I have been competing our entire lives, so it’s honestly really nothing different. We’ve literally been doing this since we could walk, on and off the field. So, I think the best thing about it is we just push each other to make each other better." Kristie Mewis on competing with sister Sam on the US women's national team
“It has been an honour to manage England and I have enjoyed three of the best years of my career with the FA and the Lionesses. The players who wear the England shirt are some of the most talented and dedicated athletes I have ever had the privilege to work with. I wish England Women every success in the future and look forward to following their journey in the years to come.” New Inter Miami coach Phil Neville
"Obviously it's a very tough time at the moment. I'm in a very fortunate position where I am able to come into work and see my friends and do what I enjoy, but there are a lot of people not in that position and are stuck at home with nothing to do. There are a few things I've found to keep myself busy [after training] ... activities that are really going to challenge your brain and keep you interested through very tough times. Me and Reece James play online chess against each other quite a lot. He wins a few, I win a few. We played a game on the way back from Russia in the Champions League. I think it was one game, but it took four hours - the whole flight! I actually asked my mum for some chess books and a chess board for Christmas! That has obviously helped me." Ben Chilwell (Premier League)
"I am very happy. There will be two of us to scare the opponents now!" AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Mario Mandzukic joining the club
"I never dreamt of being in the books that you get for Christmas every year. Hopefully I might actually read it if I get one for Christmas this year. I'm delighted and hopefully no one beats it for a long time now so I can show my grandkids!" Newport County goalkeeper Tom King
"Besides the minor calf injury that was last bothering him, he has looked very fit lately. He almost looked like Zlatan Ibrahimovic! Very well trained, extremely ambitious, appeared in the games with an incredible will and above all he looked as fit as a sneaker." Youri Mulder on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's transfer to Schalke (Spox)
“Pep [Guardiola] and I had a good relationship. I saw Pep's family in the building more often than Pep himself. He wasn't standing at the window waiting for us to come home in the evening to check on us! I thought it was great to live so close to my colleagues. It was a good neighbourhood. He raised me to a completely new level. Mainly by working on little things: with which foot do I take the ball in which situation and how? What is the best action to open the space? Other coaches tell you that too, but he really did it every day until I did at some point have a little man in my ear with his voice that told me what to do when and how.” Leroy Sane (Der Spiegel)
