Nairobi (AFP) – Kenya's national footballers depart Friday for a boot camp in France, where coach Sebastien Migne plans for a distraction-free training blitz before their first Africa Cup of Nations appearance in 15 years. Migne, a Frenchman, has designed the three-week programme to prepare the Kenyans — ranked 108th in the FIFA world rankings […]

London (AFP) – Fuelled by the pain of their failed Premier League title bid, Liverpool's stars admit they are desperate to win the club's sixth European Cup when they face Tottenham in Saturday's Champions League final. Jurgen Klopp's side will be motivated by a burning sense of injustice in the all-Premier League clash at the […]

Baku (AFP) – Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri stormed off in anger after television cameras caught Gonzalo Higuain and David Luiz clashing at a training session in Baku ahead of Wednesday's Europa League final. Sarri was seen throwing away his Chelsea baseball cap, kicking it and then picking it up and angrily slamming it to the […]

Baku (AFP) – The build-up to the Europa League final has been marred by the controversy surrounding UEFA's choice of venue, but it is now time for the football to do the talking as familiar foes Chelsea and Arsenal prepare to do battle in the unfamiliar setting of Baku on Wednesday. Two and a half […]

Baku (AFP) – Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri suggested that Wednesday's Europa League final will not definitely be his last game in charge of the club as he confessed his "love" for English football. The Italian only took over at Stamford Bridge last year but is now being strongly linked with a return to Serie A, […]

Doha (AFP) – Ex-Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has been appointed the head coach for Qatari champions Al-Sadd for whom the Spaniard has been playing since 2015, the club said on Tuesday. "Xavi Hernandez will take over as the head coach of Al-Sadd from the beginning of the next season," an official statement said. Al-Sadd, who […]

Baku (AFP) – Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is a doubt for Wednesday's Europa League final against Arsenal because of a knee injury, with coach Maurizio Sarri rating the French star's chances of playing in Baku as no better than "50/50". Kante has been struggling with the problem since the weekend but Chelsea will give him […]

Rome (AFP) – Coach Gennaro Gattuso has left AC Milan by mutual consent amid reports of financial cutbacks, the seven-time European champions announced on Tuesday. Gattuso, who was under contract for another two years, was a controversial appointment in November 2017, but failed to qualify the club for next season's Champions League, finishing one point […]

Baku (AFP) – Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Arsenal teammates stated their determination to win Wednesday's Europa League final against Chelsea in Baku for the absent Armenian star, as Gunners boss Unai Emery told his team to focus on winning silverware rather than worrying about a possible return to the Champions League. The build-up to this London derby […]

Marseille (AFP) – French club Marseille appointed former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas as the club's new coach on Tuesday on a two-year deal to replace Rudi Garcia. "We are delighted to hire a coach whose success is recognised at the highest level in Europe and in the world," Marseille owner Frank McCourt said […]

Madrid (AFP) – An operation against several footballers, ex-players including former Spain international Raul Bravo and club executives accused of fixing matches in the first and second divisions was underway in Spain on Tuesday, police and sources said. In a statement, police said they were in the process of conducting raids in several, unnamed areas […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Georginio Wijnaldum says Liverpool's disappointment at losing last season's Champions League final will spur them on in their attempt to beat Tottenham in Saturday's European showpiece in Madrid. Jurgen Klopp's side were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid in Kiev a year ago but have responded to that setback by reaching the final […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp says his current Liverpool team are the strongest side he has taken to a final as he plots Champions League glory against Premier League rivals Tottenham on Saturday. Liverpool are preparing for their second successive Champions League final after a run that included an incredible comeback to overturn a three-goal […]

London (AFP) – Leeds announced on Tuesday that manager Marcelo Bielsa will remain at the club for another season despite failing to reach the Premier League this season. Bielsa, 63, who guided Leeds to the play-offs in his first campaign in charge, has agreed to stay at Elland Road after the Championship club activated their […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool were feeling "pure excitement" ahead of the Champions League final against Tottenham but confirmed on Tuesday that Naby Keita will definitely miss out. The German manager, who guided the Reds to last year's final, which they lost to Real Madrid, saw his side narrowly lose out to Manchester […]