Rome (AFP) – Bologna coach Sinisa Mihajlovic hailed his team for pulling off a "miracle" to secure their top flight survival with a 3-3 draw at Lazio on Monday enough to keep the northerners in Serie A next season. It was a vital point for Bologna who have been transformed since the arrival of Serbian […]

Doha (AFP) – Xavi Hernandez’s dazzling career came to an anti-climactic end when his side Al Sadd were beaten 2-0 by Iranian giants Persepolis in their last group match of the AFC Champions League on Monday. The 39-year-old midfield genius, who helped Spain win the World Cup in 2010 besides helping Barcelona win two UEFA […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City celebrated their domestic treble with an open-top bus parade on Monday, drawing an estimated 100,000 fans to the streets of the city centre. Pep Guardiola's City side became the first to complete a clean sweep of all three major English trophies with Saturday's 6-0 thrashing of Watford in […]

Guayaquil (Ecuador) (AFP) – A week after his 10-year stay at Manchester United ended, Antonio Valencia was on Monday called up by coach Hernan Dario Gomez to Ecuador's Copa America squad. The 33-year-old's inclusion has received criticism in some quarters as Valencia has played less than 10 matches in an injury-ravaged season. "There are players […]

Washington (AFP) – Four teams from the French top-flight will play in an exhibition in the United States in July as part of Ligue 1's attempts to boost its international profile, league officials said on Monday. Marseille, Saint-Etienne, Bordeaux and Montpellier will play in the tournament at Washington's Audi Stadium, home of Major League Soccer's […]

Paris (AFP) – French champions Paris Saint-Germain on Monday insisted that star striker Kylian Mbappe would stay at the club next season, despite the World Cup-winner hinting that he could leave. The 20-year-old said on Sunday that he wanted more "responsibilities, maybe at PSG, maybe elsewhere" after winning the Ligue 1 player of the season […]

London (AFP) – Graham Potter was named as Brighton manager on Monday and said he would aim to consolidate the club's place in the Premier League after replacing the sacked Chris Hughton. The Englishman, 44, who made his name as a manager at Swedish club Ostersund, impressed as boss of second-tier Swansea last season. Hughton […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich may have wrapped up a seventh successive Bundesliga title on Saturday, but their domestic dominance was severely tested in one of the most exciting German league campaigns in years. Perennial champions Bayern, who have romped to the title every season since 2013, finished just two points ahead of Borussia Dortmund, […]

Paris (AFP) – France star Kylian Mbappe has cast doubt on his Paris Saint-Germain future, cranking up the pressure on the club's hierarchy as Real Madrid reportedly attempt to lure him to Spain. The 20-year-old Mbappe fuelled transfer speculation at Sunday's French league awards ceremony after saying that he wants "responsibilities, maybe at PSG, maybe […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Steve Clarke was named as the new Scotland manager on Monday, with a brief to turn around their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign after a dismal start. The 55-year-old replaces Alex McLeish on a three-year deal just a day after securing third place in the Scottish Premiership for his Kilmarnock team. The former […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City will ultimately be judged on whether they win the Champions League despite wrapping up an unprecedented domestic treble with a 6-0 whipping of Watford in the FA Cup final. The 48-year-old Spaniard said in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's rout the domestic treble is more difficult than […]

Madrid (AFP) – Germany international Toni Kroos has extended his contract with Real Madrid until 2023 ahead of an expected summer overhaul at the club, the Spanish giants said Monday. The 29-year-old midfielder has won 12 titles in five seasons in Spain, lifting the Champions League trophy in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Kroos has scored […]

Berlin (AFP) – Veteran Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro says that he will end his playing career in 2020 at the age of 41. Pizarro, 40, announced a one-year contract extension at Werder Bremen on Saturday, but admitted a day later that next season would be the final act of a two-decades long career in European […]

Paris (AFP) – Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez hopes he can continue a successful streak by helping Algeria win the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) in Egypt during July. The 28-year-old started in the FA Cup final at the weekend as City completed an English treble by trouncing Watford 6-0 after winning the Premier League […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Paulinho has become the toast of Chinese football after the Brazilian fondly known as "Violent Bird" attempted to sing along in Mandarin to the national anthem before a game. The international midfielder was seen singing some of "March of the Volunteers" before Guangzhou Evergrande's 3-2 win at Wuhan Zall in the Chinese […]