London (AFP) – West Brom claimed a 2-1 win at bottom club Ipswich on Friday to move second in the Championship behind pace-setters Norwich. Former Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez opened the scoring in the 26th minute, with Harvey Barnes putting the game out of the hosts' reach at Portman Road 13 minutes from time, rendering […]

Berlin (AFP) – Kevin Volland scored a late double as Bayer Leverkusen plunged bottom club Stuttgart further into crisis with a 2-0 Bundesliga victory on Friday at the BayArena. A win at Nuremberg last time out had ended a four-match losing streak for Stuttgart, but Volland struck twice in the final quarter-hour to drag Leverkusen […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid denied on Friday allegations their captain Sergio Ramos breached anti-doping regulations on the night of the 2017 Champions League final. According to the German magazine Der Spiegel Ramos failed to declare he had taken dexamethasone ahead of the match at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, in which Real beat Juventus […]

Madrid (AFP) – Diego Simeone said Friday that he expects to discuss a deal to extend his Atletico Madrid contract as his team prepares for Saturday's top-of-the-table La Liga clash with Barcelona. Simeone's current deal expires in June 2020 and the coach, who has won a La LIga title and two Europa League titles since […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid will have to overcome an eight-year winless streak if they are to beat Barcelona and jump above their rivals in La Liga on Saturday. Here, AFP Sport looks at five areas where the game could be won and lost at the Wanda Metropolitano: Atleti's bogey team Atletico have finished in […]

London (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri said Friday that he is confident Eden Hazard will put pen to paper on a new deal with Chelsea after N'Golo Kante signed a five-year contract with the Blues. Hazard's deal with unbeaten Chelsea runs until June 2020 and speculation over his future at the club has intensified since his […]

Berlin (AFP) – Spanish striker Paco Alcacer is making his loan deal at Borussia Dortmund permanent, the Bundesliga leaders announced on Friday. "We have informed DC Barcelona today that we will apply the buy option," Dortmund's sport director Michael Zorc said in a statement on the club website. "Paco is wholeheartedly with us, he has […]

London (AFP) – Former England manager Glenn Hoddle is recuperating at home after suffering a cardiac arrest last month, a spokesman said on Friday. The 61-year-old, who fell ill shortly after an appearance as a TV pundit for BT Sport, had received "exemplary" care in hospital, the spokesman said in the statement. "After being taken […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Benjamin Mendy could be out of action for up to three months following knee surgery, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola revealed on Friday ahead of the Premier League champions' trip to West Ham this weekend. The City left-back, who missed much of last season after suffering cruciate ligament damage in […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Former Spain and Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has indicated he will retire from playing at the end of the season. Xavi has played for Qatari club Al Sadd since 2015 but is best known for his glittering career at Barca, where he won eight La Liga and four Champions League titles. "It's […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Paul Pogba is fit for Manchester United's match against Crystal Palace on Saturday after recovering from a thigh injury that forced him out of the derby defeat and international duty with the French national team. United manager Jose Mourinho was upbeat on Friday after his players returned from their national […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp believes Sadio Mane's new contract is a "statement" on Liverpool's progress and dismissed reports that summer signing Fabinho could leave the club as "crazy". Senegal forward Mane signed a long-term extension on Thursday and his commitment to the Reds has delighted his manager, whose side are second in the Premier […]

Madrid (AFP) – Santiago Solari is grateful for the chance to coach Real Madrid full-time but has dismissed comparisons with Zinedine Zidane. Solari's successful stint in temporary charge has earned him a permanent contract until 2021, with the Argentinian stepping up from his role leading Castilla, the club's B team. Zidane had also coached Castilla […]

London (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino accepts he is pushing his Tottenham squad to the limit as he counts the cost of their World Cup exploits. Out of the 12 Spurs players that went to Russia in the summer, only Harry Kane, Toby Alderweireld and Son Heung-min have not spent time out this season with muscle […]

Berlin (AFP) – Spanish striker Paco Alcacer is set to make his loan deal at Borussia Dortmund permanent, according to reports in German media on Friday. The 25-year-old joined Dortmund from Barcelona on a one-year loan deal in the summer and has made in immediate impression with eight goals in just six Bundesliga appearances, including […]