London (AFP) – Turkish billionaire Muhsin Bayrak is the latest bidder to enter the race to buy Chelsea, according to widespread reports in the British press on Friday. Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich put the Premier League club up for sale on Wednesday after 19 years in charge. Chelsea are understood to have already received several […]

Shrewsbury (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Brazilian World Cup-winner Roberto Carlos made an unlikely return to action on Friday, swapping the Maracana for a windswept, muddy English pitch as he turned out for a pub team. The 48-year-old retired full-back appeared for Bull in the Barne United in the village of Hanwood, near Shrewsbury in western […]

London (AFP) – Portugal's Ruben Dias is likely to miss this month's World Cup qualifier against Turkey with a hamstring injury that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said will sideline the defender for up to six weeks. Portugal, the 2016 European champions, face Turkey in a play-off on March 24 before a potential final […]

London (AFP) – Ukraine international Andriy Yarmolenko will miss West Ham's Premier League game at Liverpool on Saturday, the London club have announced. The forward was given time off last week following Russia's invasion of his homeland and Hammers manager David Moyes, speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday, said he was not ready […]

London (AFP) – Christian Eriksen could make his first start on Saturday since he suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 match with Finland, said Brentford manager Thomas Frank. The 30-year-old Danish international came on as a substitute in last weekend's 2-0 defeat by Newcastle, 259 days after collapsing on the pitch in Copenhagen. […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte said Friday that no manager in the world would be able to deliver a quick fix at Tottenham, highlighting the club's inconsistencies over the past two decades. The Italian, who was appointed in November, has undertaken a rebuild project, with the squad needing major surgery if they are going to […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick says the club need to develop the kind of "clear identity" established by rivals Manchester City and Liverpool as he prepares to take charge of his first derby. Rangnick, whose side travel to Premier League leaders City on Sunday, was brought in following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's […]

London (AFP) – Thomas Tuchel said Friday he was convinced that Chelsea "will stay a strong club" after Roman Abramovich's dramatic announcement he was selling up following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Russian billionaire, alleged to have close links to President Vladimir Putin, said it was in the "best interest" of the Champions League holders […]

Paris (AFP) – Sheriff Tiraspol coach Yuriy Vernydub pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Champions League history by beating Real Madrid — months later he is shouldering arms in defence of his native Ukraine against the Russian invasion. The 56-year-old told the BBC he did not hesitate in returning home once his son […]

London (AFP) – Brazil and Real Madrid great Roberto Carlos will get a taste of English grassroots football when he turns out for a pub team on Friday. The 48-year-old retired full-back will appear for Bull in the Barne United in Shrewsbury, western England, after the team won a charity "Dream Transfer" raffle on eBay […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona will not win La Liga, the Champions League or even the Copa del Rey and yet still they could make this season a success. Trailing Real Madrid by 15 points in La Liga after going out of the Champions League in the group stage and the cup in the last 16 […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen head to runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday with their forwards, in particular young Frenchman Moussa Diaby, in red-hot goalscoring form. The 22-year-old has netted seven goals in his last five games, helping Leverkusen score 21 times in their past six league matches. Bayern hold an eight-point lead over […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United make the short trip to Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday buoyed by their recent record at the Etihad as Leeds begin a new era under Jesse Marsch. Elsewhere, Liverpool will seek to make it seven league wins in seven against high-flying West Ham, one of only two sides […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo says the club will do "everything" in its power to extend Kylian Mbappe's contract as Real Madrid threaten to prise him away on a free transfer. The France star has long been linked with a move to Madrid, who reportedly tabled an unsuccessful offer worth up to […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Everton avoided one of the all-time FA Cup upsets by seeing off non-league Boreham Wood 2-0 thanks to a Salomon Rondon double to reach the quarter-finals on Thursday. The Toffees were captained by Ukrainian international Vitalii Mykolenko on the day one of the club's key backers, Alisher Usmanov, was hit by sanctions […]