Madrid (AFP) – Boca Juniors trained in Madrid for the first time on Thursday shortly after River Plate landed in Spain ahead of the clubs' postponed Libertadores Cup decider at the Santiago Bernabeu. The second leg will be held at the home of Real Madrid on Sunday following the controversial decision of South America's football […]

Paris (AFP) – IOC president Thomas Bach has formally requested Senegal cooperates with French judicial authorities investigating corruption at the heart of international athletics, sources have told AFP. Investigators are particularly keen that Papa Massa Diack, son of the former IAAF president Lamine Diack and himself a powerful marketing advisor to the federation, should answer […]

Paris (AFP) – Two more Ligue 1 games scheduled for this weekend, including the clash between Thierry Henry's Monaco and local rivals Nice, have been postponed, the French league (LFP) said Thursday, amid fears of more violent "yellow vest" protests in France over rising living costs. The LFP said Friday evening's game at the Stade […]

Berlin (AFP) – World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard said playing Champions League football remains the priority as he mulls leaving his beloved Germany or pushing through a move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. Pavard's status skyrocketed in the summer when he scored a superb goal in a 4-3 last-16 win over Argentina that set France […]

London (AFP) – Paul Clement has been sacked by Reading after less than nine months in charge, the English Championship club announced on Thursday. The Royals are outside the relegation zone on goal difference after winning just four of their 20 league games so far this season. "Reading Football Club can announce that Paul Clement […]

Kabul (AFP) – Murtaza Ahmadi moved the world with his love for footballer Lionel Messi in 2016. His dream of meeting the Argentinian came true, but now the seven-year-old boy is living a nightmare as one of thousands of Afghans displaced by war. Murtaza and his family abandoned their home in southeastern Ghazni province in […]

Milan (AFP) – Mauro Icardi said he was relishing the chance to measure himself against Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time as Inter Milan travel to Turin on Friday looking to inflict the first defeat of the season on Italian champions Juventus and keep the Serie A title race alive. Juventus have set a frenetic […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri accused his Chelsea players of over-confidence after throwing away a lead to lose 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday. Chelsea looked to be on course for victory thanks to Ruben Loftus-Cheek's early opener as the visitors dominated the first-half, but two goals in four second-half minutes saw Wolves […]

Burnley (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp hit out at Burnley's physical approach as Liverpool were left with a major injury worry after battling back from a goal down to maintain their unbeaten start to the Premier League season on Wednesday. A 12th win means second-placed Liverpool have made their best-ever start to a top-flight season […]

Paris (AFP) – Edinson Cavani saved a point for Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday as the Ligue 1 leaders slipped for the second time in a week with a hugely entertaining 1-1 draw at Strasbourg. The Uruguayan striker fired home a 71st-minute penalty to maintain PSG's unbeaten record after 16 games despite a disjointed performance without […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United avoided another damaging defeat as Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard twice quickly levelled at Old Trafford to earn a 2-2 draw with Arsenal and offer some rest bite to beleaguered manager Jose Mourinho. Arsenal extend their unbeaten run to 20 games and went ahead through Shkodran Mustafi and […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham bounced back from their derby defeat against Arsenal to sweep aside struggling Southampton 3-1 on Wednesday and show new Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl the size of the task he faces. The Austrian was named as Mark Hughes's successor earlier in the day and took a watching brief at Wembley but for […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool closed back to within two points of Premier League leaders Manchester City by coming from behind to beat Burnley 3-1 as Manchester United and Arsenal shared the spoils in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. Wolves also overturned an early deficit to inflict just Chelsea's second defeat of the season […]

Burnley (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Roberto Firmino came off the bench to score with his first touch as Liverpool came from behind to maintain their unbeaten Premier League start on Wednesday after Jurgen Klopp's decision to ring the changes almost backfired. Two goals in the space of seven minutes midway through the second-half sealed a hard-fought […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Chelsea were made to pay heavily for missed chances as they squandered a lead to lose 2-1 at Wolves on Wednesday. Ruben Loftus-Cheek looked set to take centre-stage when he marked just his second Premier League start of the season with the opening goal in the 18th minute. But two […]