Berlin (AFP) – As the Bundesliga gets back under way this weekend, Borussia Dortmund are preparing to launch an all-out attack on Bayern Munich's seven-year hegemony, and this time they mean it. Having missed out on the league title by a whisker last year, Dortmund hope that a flurry of new signings and some newfound […]

Paris (AFP) – The saga of Neymar's seemingly inevitable departure from Paris Saint-Germain is proving a long, drawn out affair bringing the curtain down on what will ultimately feel like a fleeting and failed experiment. Having arrived in France in 2017 hoping a world-record transfer to PSG would help him emerge from the shadow of […]

Seoul (AFP) – An angry South Korean fan flew to Sweden to confront Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for sitting out a friendly in Seoul, the latest in a bizarre row that has prompted a police investigation. In an 11-minute clip posted on his Youtube channel, which has racked up nearly 3,000,000 views, Kwak Ji-hyuk approaches […]

Beijing (AFP) – Heart-broken Chinese football fans placed beer, scarves and candles outside Beijing Guoan's stadium in a fast-growing memorial to former forward Walter Martinez, who has died aged 37. The Honduras international suffered a suspected heart attack on Monday in New York, Chinese Super League (CSL) side Guoan said, plunging the club and its […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp hailed "incredible" UEFA Super Cup hero Adrian and then admitted he had no idea where the goalkeeper even was a fortnight ago. The Spaniard, only in the side because of an injury to number one goalkeeper Allison Becker, saved Tammy Abraham's penalty to give Liverpool a 5-4 shootout win against […]

Berlin (AFP) – Rising British starlets Jonjoe Kenny, Ethan Ampadu and Ademola Lookman will all be hoping to get a first taste of Bundesliga action when the German league kicks off this weekend. Starved of game time in the Premier League, Schalke loanee Kenny, 22, and RB Leipzig newcomers Lookman, 21, and Ampadu, 28, are […]

New York (AFP) – US women's football players reached an impasse Wednesday in mediation with the US Soccer Federation in their dispute over equal pay with the American men's squad. Molly Levinson, a spokesperson for the US women's players, said the group will "eagerly look forward to a jury trial." The Americans captured their second […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Coach Frank Lampard took great encouragement from Chelsea's display in the UEFA Super Cup in Istanbul on Wednesday, despite the disappointment of losing on penalties to English rivals Liverpool. "I think we can get better, there are things I still want us to improve on in terms of how we play slightly, […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Stand-in goalkeeper Adrian was the hero as his save from Tammy Abraham allowed Liverpool to beat Chelsea 5-4 on penalties and win the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday after a richly entertaining match in Istanbul finished 2-2 at the end of extra time. Every penalty in the shoot-out had been successful before […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Bidvest Wits regained first place in the South African Premiership Wednesday, while Mamelodi Sundowns conceded a late equaliser and Orlando Pirates were trounced in other matches. Namibian Deon Hotto scored on the stroke of half-time to give Wits a 1-0 win at Polokwane City and confirm the belief of coach Gavin Hunt […]

Villar Perosa (Italy) (AFP) – Paulo Dybala brushed aside speculation over his future with a double for Juventus as Cristiano Ronaldo and new signings Aaron Ramsey and Matthijs de Ligt sat out the club's traditional alpine curtain raiser on Wednesday. Nearly 5,000 fans crammed into the "Gaetano Scirea" stadium in Villar Perosa at the foot […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac said Wednesday his side were still open to bringing in some fresh blood before the European transfer window closes. "We still have to strengthen — we still need something," Kovac told a press conference two days before Friday's Bundesliga opener at home to Hertha Berlin. Sat […]

Milan (AFP) – Mario Balotelli is poised for a return to Italy with newly-promoted home town team Brescia, according to multiple reports on Wednesday. Balotelli, who was born in Sicily but adopted and raised just outside the northern city, is set to sign a three-year deal with the Serie B champions after being released by […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Betis continued their busy summer by buying striker Borja Iglesias from Espanyol, in a deal announced by both La Liga clubs on Wednesday. Espanyol said that Betis had agreed to pay the player's 28.14 million euro ($31.36 million) release clause. In their statement, Betis said Iglesias had signed a five-year contract. The […]

London (AFP) – Footballer Emiliano Sala and the pilot flying his plane when it crashed were likely exposed to "potentially fatal" levels of carbon monoxide, investigators announced on Wednesday. "Toxicology tests found that the passenger had a high saturation level of COHb (the combination product of carbon monoxide and haemoglobin)," Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch […]