Orlando (AFP) – Bastian Schweinsteiger hopes Atletico Madrid's final game of their US tour won't descend into a flurry of mayhem and red cards when the MLS All-Stars take on Diego Simeone's team on Wednesday. Atletico's 7-3 win over Real Madrid in New Jersey on Friday saw both La Liga clubs reduced to 10 men […]

Riyadh (AFP) – Herve Renard, who resigned as Morocco coach following the team's surprise elimination at the African Cup of Nations, said on Monday he was taking over Saudi Arabia's national team. "Happy to start a new adventure in Saudi Arabia on a new continent," the 50-year-old Frenchman tweeted. He led Zambia to a surprise […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti said on Monday that Neymar had never told him he wanted to the leave the club. Barcelona vice-president Jordi Cardoner said in late-June the Brazil forward would like to return to the Camp Nou. "I have never heard him say he wanted to leave," Verratti told French […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Algeria will begin their Africa Cup of Nations title defence at home to former champions Zambia during November, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed Monday. The Desert Foxes will also visit Botswana between November 11 and 19, giving the defending champions a realistic chance to collect a maximum six points from […]

Montpellier (France) (AFP) – Montpellier's Tunisia midfielder Ellyes Skhiri, who reached the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals in July, has joined newly-promoted Cologne, the Bundesliga club said on Monday. "The move to the Bundesliga comes at the right time for me," the 24-year-old told the German club's website. "Cologne have taken a real interest in […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Never Tigere and Leeroy Mavunga scored two goals each as Zimbabwe walloped Mauritius 4-0 Monday in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) first leg qualifier. Both Zimbabweans netted in each half at the Stade Auguste Vollaire on the Indian Ocean island in a second round match delayed one day by bad weather. The […]

Rome (AFP) – Former France and Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has called time on his playing career, according to the Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport. "My career as a player is officially over," the 38-year-old told the paper. Evra made his name with Nice and Monaco before Alex Ferguson signed him for Manchester United […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Former World Cup qualifiers Angola and Togo were given difficult first hurdles to clear when the African preliminary draw for the 2022 tournament was made in Cairo Monday. Angola were paired with the Gambia and Togo face the Comoros between September 2 and 10 in two of 14 two-leg ties involving […]

Edinburgh (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool's Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Sunday will have no bearing on their battle for the Premier League title. The two sides will renew the rivalry that saw them take the title race to a tense final day last season. City eventually claimed their second successive Premier […]

London (AFP) – Romelu Lukaku will miss Manchester United's pre-season friendly against Kristiansund on Tuesday amid renewed speculation of a potential move to Inter Milan. United are reported to have rejected a £54 million ($66 million, 59 million euros) bid for Belgium striker Lukaku from Serie A club Inter. Lukaku was sidelined by injury for […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Chinese state media proclaimed Gareth Bale's move to Jiangsu Suning definitively cancelled after the club signed the big Croatian Ivan Santini instead on Monday. The Chinese Super League limits the number of foreign players each team can have and Jiangsu reached their quota by signing the Anderlecht striker, Xinhua news agency said. […]

Suzhou (China) (AFP) – Midfielder Julian Draxler said Monday that the single-minded "egos" of Neymar and Paris Saint-Germain's other star forwards did not always make it easy for the team. And the German World Cup winner told AFP in an interview in China that he was still hurting from the French club's failure to go […]

Seoul (AFP) – More than 2,000 South Korean soccer fans will sue a sports agency after superstar Cristiano Ronaldo stayed on the bench when his Juventus side played a friendly in Seoul last week, a law firm said Monday. The star Portuguese striker did not play a single second of the match against a K-league […]

London (AFP) – Alexandre Lacazette hopes to be fit for Arsenal's Premier League opener at Newcastle after suffering an ankle injury. Lacazette was forced to limp out of Arsenal's 2-1 Emirates Cup pre-season friendly defeat against Lyon on Sunday and left the stadium with a protective boot on his foot. The French striker is being […]

London (AFP) – Substitute Moussa Dembele scored twice as Lyon came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 in a pre-season friendly in London on Sunday. Gunners boss Unai Emery had opted against including Sead Kolasinac and Mesut Ozil in his squad after they were involved in an attempted car-jacking during the week. He also named […]