Rome (AFP) – Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco called on his side to show ambition against Porto in Tuesday's Champions League last 16, first-leg tie at the Stadio Olimpico to rekindle enthusiasm after recent knocks. Roma crashed out of the Coppa Italia with a 7-1 thrashing by Fiorentina but are now unbeaten in their last […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Ashley Young has signed a new one-year contract with Manchester United, the Premier League club announced on Monday. The versatile Young, 33, had only a few months left on his existing deal but had stated his desire to stay at Old Trafford. The England international joined United in 2011 from […]

London (AFP) – Hugo Lloris has warned that Tottenham must improve if they are to have any chance against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday after a patchy display against Leicester. The 31-year-old French goalkeeper — who captained his country to World Cup glory last year — kept out Jamie Vardy's second-half penalty […]

Rome (AFP) – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has warned that there will be no more excuses as Video Assistant Referees (VAR) make their debut in the Champions League starting this week. Manchester United host Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford on Tuesday while Roma play Porto at the Stadio Olimpico as the last 16, first legs […]

London (AFP) – Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes has been appointed as manager of Oldham Athletic, the club announced on Monday. Scholes, 44, is taking on his first managerial role, signing a contract with the club he supported as a boy after spending his entire playing career at Old Trafford. The former […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Chelsea are making a nasty habit of breaking records for the wrong reasons under Maurizio Sarri, with time running out for the Italian to avoid becoming the latest coaching casualty at Stamford Bridge. A 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City on Sunday was Chelsea's heaviest defeat since 1991. […]

London (AFP) – Cesar Azpilicueta has apologised to Chelsea fans after their humiliating 6-0 defeat by Manchester City, describing it as one of the lowest points in his professional career. Maurizio Sarri's team crashed to their heaviest loss since 1991 as the Premier League champions ran riot at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The heavy […]

London (AFP) – Anthony Martial has the talent to reach Cristiano Ronaldo's level if he puts his mind to it, according to Manchester United caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Martial had looked set to leave the club in the summer after falling out with Jose Mourinho but battled his way back into the Portuguese manager's […]

Rome (AFP) – Nicolo Zaniolo may be only 19 but the Roma midfielder is already living the dream in a breakthrough season which has seen the youngster from Tuscany emerge as the next big hope of Italian football. Having played for Inter Milan's youth side last season, Zaniolo joined Roma as part of the deal […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool's transformation this season into Premier League title contenders reflects how much they have improved, says midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum. The 28-year-old Dutch international, who scored a superb goal in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Bournemouth despite suffering from a stomach upset, admitted two successive draws had been a setback as the club chases […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Record eight-time CAF Champions League trophy-holders Al Ahly of Egypt could this Tuesday become the first club to secure a 2018/2019 quarter-finals place. A win for the Cairo Red Devils away to Simba SC of Tanzania — a side they have already caned 5-0 this month — would lift them to […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – When Manchester United were paired with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last-16 draw in December there seemed likely to be only one winner. United were stuck in a rut under the management of Jose Mourinho, while the French champions topped the toughest section of the group stages. However, much […]

Paris (AFP) – An expensive flop who lasted just a single season at Manchester United, Angel di Maria might be keen to prove a point when he goes back to Old Trafford as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Tuesday. The Argentine, who turns 31 later this week, has a vital role to play for PSG […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri said he could not understand what happened after Manchester City crushed his side 6-0 on Sunday — their biggest ever defeat in the Premier League. City scored four times inside 25 minutes and added two more goals in the second half to overtake Liverpool on goal […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Benfica routed Nacional Madeira 10-0 in the Portuguese first division on Sunday to move just one point behind leaders Porto. Watched by 55,000 fans inside the Stadium of Light, Alex Grimaldo opened the scoring in the first minute but it was another 20 minutes before Haris Seferovic scored the first of his […]