Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich hope to have star goalkeeper Manuel Neuer back for Friday's Bundesliga game at strugglers Augsburg, their final tune-up before next week's crunch Champions League clash away to Liverpool. Neuer, 32, has sat out Bayern's last three games with a thumb injury but is set to prove his fitness at Augsburg […]

Milan (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo is set for a rare start on the bench as Juventus host struggling Frosinone on Friday looking to pull 14 points clear in Serie A with an eye towards next week's Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid. Portuguese star Ronaldo brought his tally to 20 goals for Juventus in all […]

Rome (AFP) – Napoli captain Marek Hamsik has sealed his move to Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang, the Serie A side's lawyer told Italian radio on Wednesday. "Hamsik is a Dalian player from 2030 (1930 GMT) this evening," Napoli lawyer Mattia Grassani told Radio Kiss Kiss. The Slovakian, who is currently in the city […]

London (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino saluted his Tottenham "heroes" as they took a huge step towards reaching the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 first leg on Wednesday. Pochettino's side had been under the cosh as Dortmund dominated the first half at Wembley, but Hugo Lloris kept […]

London (AFP) – In-form forward Son Heung-min said Tottenham are showing they have the squad to cope without the injured Harry Kane and Dele Alli after a comprehensive 3-0 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. Son started a brilliant second-half display in the last-16 first leg at Wembley by opening the scoring from […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – The woodwork helped Nigerian club Enugu Rangers preserve the last unbeaten record in the CAF Confederation Cup as they drew 1-1 with CS Sfaxien in Tunisia on Wednesday. Under fierce stoppage-time pressure in Mediterranean city Sfax, Enugu conceded two corners and a Hani Amamou shot rebounded off the crossbar after the second. […]

London (AFP) – No Harry Kane, no Dele Alli, and still no problem for Tottenham Hotspur as three second-half goals handed them a commanding 3-0 Champions League last 16, first-leg lead over Borussia Dortmund. Son Heung-min again led the way in Kane's absence by opening the scoring before Jan Vertonghen and Fernando Llorente also struck […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Real Madrid needed a late winner from Marco Asensio and VAR's debut in the Champions League to beat a spirited Ajax 2-1 in the first leg of the last 16 on Wednesday. Ajax have not beaten Madrid in 24 years and thought they were on their way at the Johan Cruyff Arena […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham took a huge step towards reaching the Champions League quarter-finals as Son Heung-min inspired their 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 first leg on Wednesday. Mauricio Pochettino's side had been under the cosh as Dortmund dominated the first half at Wembley, but Hugo Lloris kept them level with […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – The video assistant referee (VAR) system was used to rule out a goal in the Champions League for the first time in Wednesday's last 16 game between Ajax and Real Madrid. Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico appeared to have headed the Dutch side ahead on 38 minutes, but referee Damir Skomina disallowed the […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp faces a touchline ban or a fine after being charged by the Football Association for comments he made about referee Kevin Friend after his side's Premier League clash at West Ham on February 4. Klopp intimated after the 1-1 draw that Friend's second half performance had been affected […]

Milan (AFP) – Argentina forward Mauro Icardi refused to play in Inter Milan's Europa League game against Rapid Vienna this week after learning he had been stripped of the team's captaincy, coach Luciano Spalletti revealed on Wednesday. Icardi was replaced as Inter captain in favour of goalkeeper Samir Handanovic on Wednesday because things around him […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Gareth Bale returned to Real Madrid's starting line-up for their Champions League last-16 first leg away to Ajax on Wednesday. Bale had been a substitute for Madrid's previous two games against Barcelona and Atletico Madrid but, after scoring off the bench against Atletico, the Welshman was reinstated by Santiago Solari. Marcelo, however, […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Zambian club Nkana maintained a record of never losing a CAF match at home by fighting back to edge Sudanese visitors Al Hilal 2-1 Wednesday in the Confederation Cup. The team from mining city Kitwe stretched the unbeaten run in all African competitions to 57 matches, winning 41 and drawing 16 at […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes Champions League matches should return to public television in Germany, with pay-per-view channels currently holding the broadcasting rights. In 2017, state broadcaster ZDF lost the rights to show certain Champions League games from the start of this season. Rights in Germany are now exclusively held by […]