London (AFP) – Chelsea have slammed FIFA's decision not to suspend a two-window transfer ban pending the outcome of an appeal, claiming they are "astonished" by a move that would ruin the club's plans to revamp their struggling squad. The Blues were banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows after being found […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain's repeated Champions League failures may reflect badly on French football, but Lyon and Rennes are still both in contention to qualify for European quarter-finals. PSG are licking their wounds and reflecting on where they go from here after their humiliating exit at the hands of Manchester United in the last […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and club president Florentino Perez have agreed to clear the air after the pair were engaged in a heated argument following Tuesday's Champions League loss to Ajax, say reports in the Spanish press. Ramos and Perez reportedly agreed on Thursday to arrange a meeting, with the aim […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola trusts his club will be exonerated after UEFA opened an investigation into potential breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations. German magazine Der Spiegel, using material purportedly obtained from the whistleblowing outlet Football Leaks, alleged in November that Abu-Dhabi backed City had set up sponsorship deals to circumvent […]

Milan (AFP) – Roma and their sporting director Monchi parted ways by mutual consent on Friday a day after coach Eusebio Di Francesco was sacked, the Serie A club confirmed. The 50-year-old Spaniard's exit follows a poor run of results and Roma's Champions League last 16, second-leg defeat at Portuguese club Porto with former Leicester […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Rangers' top scorer Alfredo Morelos signed a third new contract in 12 months till 2023 on Friday as the Glasgow giants try to hold onto the Colombian striker. The 22-year-old joined Gers from HJK Helsinki in the summer of 2017 on a three-year deal and signed extensions on March 9 and September […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Ernesto Valverde has refused to rule Real Madrid out of the title race but says their Champions League exit should serve as a warning to Barcelona when they play Lyon next week. Barca are at home to Rayo Vallecano on Saturday in La Liga, four days before hosting Lyon in Europe, with […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp insisted Liverpool are in the Premier League title race thanks to Mohamed Salah's goals despite the Egyptian's faltering form of late. Salah missed two huge chances as Liverpool drew for the fourth time in six league games in a 0-0 stalemate away to Everton last weekend to fall one point […]

London (AFP) – UEFA took the unusual step on Friday to explain a series of controversial Video Assistant Referees (VAR) calls in this week's Champions League last 16 ties. European football's governing body bowed to pressure by bringing forward the introduction of VAR into the Champions League for the knockout rounds, having not used the […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has challenged Marcus Rashford to be more ruthless in front of goal by following former United favourite Cristiano Ronaldo's example. Rashford calmly converted the stoppage-time penalty that saw United complete an incredible comeback to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League on […]

London (AFP) – As a Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard won almost every trophy bar the Premier League and despite urging Jurgen Klopp's men to end the club's 29-year wait for the title this season he admits it will not ease his personal pain. Gerrard, now manager of Scottish giants Rangers, famously slipped to hand Chelsea […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United sent the club's support to a fan stabbed by a taxi driver in Paris in the wake of the English giants remarkable Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. "We were shocked to hear about the incident with one of our fans who was stabbed while in Paris for […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Jose Mourinho will not be China's new coach, its football association said on Friday, amid widespread reports that Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro is instead poised to take the job. Mourinho has been out of work since being sacked by Manchester United in December and the 56-year-old has been linked with […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal host Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend in a game that could have a major bearing on who secures a coveted Champions League spot for next season. Third-placed Tottenham, now realistically out of the title race, are just five points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea as the finishing line comes […]

Rennes (France) (AFP) – Chelsea and Napoli closed in on the Europa League quarter-finals, but Arsenal face a major battle to reach the last eight after a 3-1 defeat away to Rennes on Thursday. Alex Iwobi gave the Gunners a perfect start in north-western France at a raucous Roazhon Park, but the match hinged on […]