Berlin (AFP) – Thomas Mueller on Wednesday said he was "angry" over Joachim Loew's "bad taste" decision to axe him and Bayern Munich teammates Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels from the Germany squad. National coach Loew flew to Munich on Tuesday to tell Mueller, 29, Boateng and Hummels, both 30, that their international careers are […]

London (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers' terrified family had to barricade themselves into their bathroom after burglars broke into the Leicester manager's Glasgow home, according to reports on Wednesday. Rodgers' wife Charlotte and his six-year-old step-daughter Lola were disturbed as the intruders entered their house in the Bearsden suburb of the Scottish city. Sky Sports News […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Five-time world player of the year Lionel Messi is widely expected to end an eight-month exile and be called back into the Argentina squad ahead of the country's last get-together before the Copa America. But the 31-year-old Barcelona star is suffering from a hamstring strain and even if he agrees to […]

London (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri is already planning for next season after insisting he expects to remain in charge at Chelsea despite his troubled debut campaign. Sarri was reportedly on the brink of being sacked after Chelsea suffered humiliating Premier League defeats at Bournemouth and Manchester City and then crashed out of the FA Cup […]

Centurion (South Africa) (AFP) – All-rounder Thisara Perera sparked a turnaround for Sri Lanka in the second one-day international against South Africa at SuperSport Park on Wednesday. Perera took three for 26 as South Africa were bowled out for 251 after being sent in. South Africa seemed set for a huge total when Quinton de […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Hulk was hailed by his manager as "one of the best players in Asia" after he buried a late penalty to give Shanghai SIPG a 1-0 victory over Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday. In a tight battle between the champions of China and Japan, the burly Brazilian forward […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid have confirmed Vinicius Junior has ruptured ligaments in his right ankle, with the striker expected out for around two months. Vinicius left the field in tears after sustaining the injury in the first half of Madrid's 4-1 defeat by Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday. A Real Madrid statement […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has slammed Germany head coach Joachim Loew for the timing of his decision to cut Thomas Mueller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels from his plans. Rummenigge is "irritated" that Loew dropped the bombshell on Tuesday – a week before Bayern's crunch Champions League home game against Liverpool […]

London (AFP) – Former England international Peter Beardsley has left Newcastle, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday. The 58-year-old former Newcastle, Everton and Liverpool forward had been working at the club as under-23s coach and had been investigated over allegations of bullying. "Newcastle can confirm that Peter Beardsley is no longer employed by the […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Johan Cruyff would have been proud. The spectacular qualification by Ajax for the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Real Madrid on Tuesday bore the stamp of the Dutch great who died three years ago. In 2011, no longer recognising his Ajax, Cruyff undertook the task of rebuilding the famous youth […]

London (AFP) – British women's marathon world record holder Paul Radcliffe has warned of potential "manipulation" in top-level sport unless tighter rules are applied to transgender women. International Olympic Committee guidelines state that athletes who transition from male to female should be allowed to compete without undergoing sex reassignment surgery but need to demonstrate their […]

Seoul (AFP) – Veteran goal machine Lee Dong-gook rolled back the years on Wednesday as two-time AFC Champions League title winners Jeonbuk Motors got their 2019 campaign off to a winning start with a 3-1 home victory over Beijing Guoan. In the other Group G clash another two-time Asian champions, Urawa Red Diamonds, also began […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Now out of both the Champions League and German Cup, Borussia Dortmund need to resist the challenge of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga to win any silverware this season. Chasing a near-miracle at home to Tottenham on Tuesday, the Germans fell short in their bid to overturn a 3-0 last 16 […]

Sydney (AFP) – Sydney FC and Ulsan Hyundai shared the spoils in a windswept goalless opener to their AFC Champions League campaign in Sydney on Wednesday. Despite chances, neither side could break the deadlock on a windy night that played havoc with high balls in the Group H showdown at Kogarah Oval. The game got […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was Wednesday handed a two-match touchline ban and fined £10,000 ($13,000) by the Football Association following an angry clash with a referee. The Argentine, whose side reached the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, was sanctioned over the incident involving referee Mike […]