Madrid (AFP) – Even the Real Betis fans were applauding by the end as Lionel Messi scored another spectacular hat-trick to fire Barcelona to a 4-1 victory on Sunday and leave them with one hand on the La Liga trophy. Messi's treble, his second in a month in Seville, fourth of the season and 51st […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Kenyan club Gor Mahia had two players and their coach sent off as they edged Angolan outfit Petro Atletico 1-0 in Nairobi Sunday to reach the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals. With the home team down to 10 men, Rwandan Jacques Tuyisenge converted a 58th-minute penalty to settle a fiery clash at Kasarani […]

Paris (AFP) – Angry Paris Saint-Germain supporters shunned Sunday's kick-off against bitter rivals Marseille in their first match at the Parc des Princes since a humiliating Champions League exit at the hands of Manchester United. Hardcore 'ultras' in the Auteuil end of the ground stayed silent and refused to take their seats for the start […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli goalkeeper David Ospina has been placed under observation for 24 hours in hospital after collapsing on the pitch following a knock to the head earlier in his team's 4-2 Serie A win over Udinese, his team said on Sunday. The Colombia international received treatment after colliding with striker Ignacio Pussetto minutes […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus crashed to their first Serie A defeat of the season 2-0 at Genoa on Sunday just days after their Champions League heroics, but are still a comfortable 15 points clear of nearest rivals Napoli whose goalkeeper David Ospina was hospitalised after collapsing unconscious on the pitch in a 4-2 win over […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri admitted he is worried about his Chelsea team’s "mentality" after they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Everton that severely damages their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League. Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson, converting his own saved penalty, scored the second-half goals at Goodison Park on Sunday that […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich took out their Champions League frustrations on Mainz as James Rodriguez claimed his first Bundesliga hat-trick on Sunday in a 6-0 romp to fire the Bavarians back to the top of the table. Bayern coach Niko Kovac had urged his team to respond following Wednesday's Champions League exit at the […]

Paris (AFP) – Manchester United forward Anthony Martial will miss France's Euro 2020 qualifiers against Moldova and Iceland with a knee injury, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Sunday. Martial who wasn't selected as part of the World Cup winning squad in Russia is replaced by Atletico Madrid's Thomas Lemar. The United attacker, 23, […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri endured a frustrating afternoon as his Chelsea side's second-half collapse saw them suffer a 2-0 Premier League defeat at mid-table Everton. Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson, converting after his own saved penalty, scored the goals at Goodison Park on Sunday that halted Chelsea's recent good run and weakened their bid to […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli goalkeeper David Ospina was taken to hospital on Sunday after collapsing unconscious on the pitch following a knock to the head earlier in a Serie A game against Udinese. The Colombia international received treatment after colliding with striker Ignacio Pussetto ten minutes into the game at the Stadio San Paolo. The […]

Berlin (AFP) – Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil has been criticised for reportedly inviting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his wedding as his witness. Bild on Sunday ran the story on its front page with Ozil, 30, and his model fiancee Amine Gulse, 25, a former Miss Turkey, pictured inside presenting Erdogan with an […]

Berlin (AFP) – Eintracht Frankfurt, the only Bundesliga club still left in European competition, kept up their challenge for a Champions League spot with a 1-0 win at home to bottom side Nuremberg on Sunday. Later, defending champions Bayern Munich must beat mid-table Mainz at the Allianz Arena to regain top spot on goal difference […]

London (AFP) – Brighton came from 2-0 down and were then behind in a shoot-out before they beat Millwall 5-4 on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday. It seemed Championship strugglers Millwall were on the brink of delighting their home crowd at the Den at 2-0 up with just two […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, better known as 'Monchi', has agreed to return to Sevilla as the club's sporting director, despite reportedly being close to taking a similar role at Arsenal. Monchi left Roma earlier this month after coach Eusebio Di Francesco was sacked following their last-16 defeat by Porto in the Champions […]

Milan (AFP) – Former Juventus midfielder Stefano Sturaro scored in his first match for Genoa, a 2-0 victory which ended the title-holders unbeaten run in Serie A on Sunday in the wake of their Champions League heroics. Cristiano Ronaldo was rested after his hat-trick had fired Juventus into the European quarter-finals with a comeback victory […]