Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) – The sister of Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala, whose plane disappeared near the Channel Islands, vowed on Friday that she would "never stop" looking for her brother despite rescuers ending their search. "We miss him and we know he's here," Romina Sala told a press conference in Cardiff, the Welsh city […]

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – Qatar stunned South Korea 1-0 to reach the Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time on Friday — and earned permission from coach Felix Sanchez to celebrate with some fast food. The Koreans were looking to end 59 years of hurt in the tournament but paid for missing a string of […]

Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) – Asian Cup hosts UAE and Gulf rivals Qatar pulled off titanic upsets as they sent defending champions Australia and Son Heung-min's South Korea crashing out in the quarter-finals on Friday. Ali Mabkhout poached a 1-0 win for UAE over Australia and the Qataris ousted South Korea by the same […]

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – Qatar stunned South Korea 1-0 to reach the Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time on Friday — and earned permission from coach Felix Sanchez to celebrate with some fast food. The Koreans were looking to end 59 years of hurt in the tournament but paid for missing a string of […]

London (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino admits Tottenham's injury woes could force his club to return to the transfer market for the first time in a year. Pochettino had expected Tottenham would sit out the current transfer period as they budget for the cost of their long-delayed new stadium. That would make it consecutive windows without […]

London (AFP) – British investigators said Friday they were probing the licence held by the pilot of the small plane carrying Premier League player Emiliano Sala that went missing over the Channel this week. The light aircraft transporting the 28-year-old striker, who signed for Cardiff City last weekend, disappeared from radar around 20 kilometres (12 […]

The Hague (AFP) – Top African football official Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona faced judges at the International Criminal Court for the first time Friday, with his lawyer complaining his "dignity was not respected" during his arrest and extradition from France. Ngaissona, who sits on the board of the Confederation of African Football, is charged with coordinating so-called […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola insists talk of Manchester City winning an unprecedented quadruple is a "fantasy" as he prepares to return to FA Cup action. City are the only English club left with a chance of winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Champions League this season. […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola has backed Gonzalo Higuain to make an instant impact at Stamford Bridge as the Argentina striker prepares for his debut this weekend. Higuain joined Chelsea on loan from Juventus on Thursday and could make his first appearance for the Blues in the FA Cup fourth-round tie against […]

Paris (AFP) – Thierry Henry's brief stint as coach of Monaco came to an end on Thursday when the France legend was officially suspended with his team languishing in the Ligue 1 relegation zone. There is next to no chance of him being seen on the bench in the principality again, with his sacking expected […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain are hoping Neymar's prayers are answered after the runaway Ligue 1 leaders' talisman suffered a fresh metatarsal injury just weeks from their huge Champions clash with Manchester United. Neymar invoked divine intervention after being forced to leave the field in tears during their 2-0 French Cup win over Strasbourg in […]

Berlin (AFP) – An injury crisis has swept Paris Saint-Germain target Julian Weigl from the bench back into the starting line-up of Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund. Germany international Weigl can expect only his fifth start this season in Saturday's home league game against strugglers Hanover, with Dortmund six points ahead of defending champions Bayern Munich. […]

Madrid (AFP) – The January transfer window is supposedly a market for desperate buyers but Barcelona sit five points clear at the top of La Liga and have made more signings than any other team in the division. On Monday, it was Kevin-Prince Boateng doing kick-ups at the Camp Nou and three days later came […]

Abu Dhabi (AFP) – Iran boss Carlos Queiroz described Marcello Lippi as one of the greats of world football after ending the Italian's reign as China coach in brutal fashion at the Asian Cup. Lippi stepped down as planned after his side were crushed 3-0 by title-chasing Iran in Thursday's quarter-final, a humiliating way to […]

Manila (AFP) – Ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has ended his short tenure as the Philippines manager, officials said Friday, on the heels of the Azkals' winless Asian Cup debut. The well-travelled Swede, 70, was hired in October to guide the squad following the abrupt departure of Three Lions great Terry Butcher, who quit as head […]