Johannesburg (AFP) – CAF Confederation Cup trophy-holders Raja Casablanca are facing elimination unless they win a tricky match in Congo Brazzaville and get help from fellow Moroccans Renaissance Berkane. Raja have drawn four games and lost one in Group A, leaving them bottom of the table ahead of a final matchday clash with second-place AS […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola says it is up to Aymeric Laporte to force his way into the France squad, even though he described the defender's club form this season as "incredible". The Manchester City centre-back has yet to be capped by his country, and was left out of Didier Deschamps' latest squad […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is convinced that Manchester United have enough quality to win the Champions League, but says they may need luck on their side if they are to lift the trophy for a fourth time. United face a two-legged quarter-final against Barcelona in April after staging a dramatic comeback […]

Paris (AFP) – Monaco moved nine points away from Ligue 1's relegation play-off spot as a 90th-minute Carlos Vinicius goal helped them beat second-place Lille 1-0 on Friday. The Brazilian scored his first goal for the Principality outfit since joining on-loan from Napoli in January as the hosts lost only for a second time at […]

Rome (AFP) – Joao Pedro and Luca Ceppitelli struck in the second half as Cagliari stalled Fiorentina's Europa League ambitions with a 2-1 win at home in Sardinia on Friday. Pedro connected with a Fabrizio Cacciatore cross in the 52nd minute with Ceppitelli nodding in the second on 66 minutes as Cagliari claimed just their seventh […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Bidvest Wits rose two places to second in the South African Premiership Friday after a late brace by Zimbabwean Terrence Dzvukamanja brought a thrilling 4-2 win at Bloemfontein Celtic. After leading and trailing, eighth-place Celtic thought they had secured a point when Tshegofatso Mabasa equalised four minutes from time. But Dzvukamanja […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Moenchengladbach suffered another setback in their bid to qualify for next season's Champions League as they were held to a 1-1 home draw by Freiburg on Friday. Dieter Hecking's side had been on the heels of leaders Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich before the winter break, but have now failed to […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany head coach Joachim Loew on Friday named three debutants in his squad to face the Netherlands in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier as well as a friendly against Serbia next week. Loew has called up RB Leipzig right-back Lukas Klostermann, Hertha Berlin centre-back Niklas Stark and Werder Bremen midfielder Maximilian Eggestein […]

Rome (AFP) – Veteran striker Fabio Quagliarella was but Mario Balotelli was left out on Friday for Italy's first two Euro 2020 qualifiers against Finland and Liechtenstein later this month. Quagliarella, 36, returns following impressive form with Sampdoria this season, as he leads the Serie A goal scorers chart with 20 efforts in 27 games. […]

Miami (AFP) – FIFA moved a step closer on Friday to expanding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams and hopes to confirm the plans in June if a suitable co-host can be found. An internal feasibility study supporting the expansion, which is being strongly pushed by President Gianni Infantino, was given full […]

Madrid (AFP) – Diego Simeone has been given the backing of Atletico Madrid's chief executive Miguel Angel Gil, after the club's disappointing exit from the Champions League. Atletico lost 3-2 on aggregate to Juventus in the last 16 on Tuesday, a defeat made worse by the fact the tournament's final will be played at their […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has played down the importance of leading from the front in the Premier League, saying his players are focused as the season enters its final stretch. Manchester City trailed Liverpool by seven points in January but are now one point clear as they chase a second consecutive league […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Sevilla sacked coach Pablo Machin on Friday and appointed the club's director of football Joaquin Caparros as his replacement until the end of the season. Machin took charge in May last year after leading Girona to a 10th-place finish in their first campaign in La Liga. But despite a strong start […]

Miami (AFP) – Top European clubs said Friday they will boycott a planned 24-team Club World Cup in 2021, dealing a blow to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino's overhaul of the competition. In a statement released shortly before FIFA's ruling council were expected to greenlight the new tournament at a meeting in Miami, the European Club […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola believes it is impossible to predict who will win Manchester City's all-English Champions League quarter-final against Tottenham. Guardiola's side, who reached the last eight following a 10-2 aggregate win over Schalke 04, will take on Spurs away on April 9 before hosting the deciding leg on April 17. City have […]