Madrid (AFP) – Santiago Solari is pitching for more than just three points as Real Madrid continue their revival under the interim coach and head to Celta Vigo aiming for their fourth straight win. Solari's time as the European champions' stop-gap following Julen Lopetegui's sacking will expire over the international break, and club president Florentino Perez […]

Milan (AFP) – Massimiliano Allegri urged Juventus not to dwell on their slip-up against Manchester United but instead to use the Champions League drama to avoid a repeat against AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday. Juventus lost to two late goals against the Premier League club for their first defeat of the season, but […]

Paris (AFP) – Winless in 15 matches and coming off the club's heaviest European home defeat, it could well get worse for Thierry Henry and Monaco this weekend with the visit of runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Monaco's flickering Champions League knockout hopes fizzled out completely with a "shameful" 4-0 defeat by Club Brugge […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Bayern Munich are embracing the role of underdogs for Saturday's Bundesliga showdown at leaders Borussia Dortmund with captain Manuel Neuer admitting all is not well with the defending champions. Bayern have won 10 of their last 19 games against Dortmund, including a 6-0 thrashing of the current league leaders last March […]

London (AFP) – Premier League leaders Manchester City can ensure Manchester United's recent revival is short-lived by opening up a 12-point gap on their local rivals on Sunday. Meanwhile, a series of tributes are planned as Leicester return to the King Power Stadium for the first time since club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four other […]

London (AFP) – Leicester return to action at the King Power Stadium on Saturday with football a mere afterthought as fans prepare to pay heartfelt tribute to the man who turned their dreams into astonishing reality. Manager Claude Puel's pre-match preparations for the game against Burnley were disrupted after he and a number of players, […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Millions of football mad fans in Argentina are eagerly counting down to the first ever "superclasico" Copa Libertadores final between the country's two powerhouse outfits: Boca Juniors and River Plate. Beginning with Saturday's first leg at Boca's iconic Bombonera stadium fans of the two most popular teams in the country will […]

Paris (AFP) – Arsenal booked a place in the Europa League knockout stage and extended their unbeaten run to 15 matches despite a 0-0 draw with Sporting Lisbon on Thursday, while Olivier Giroud's first goal of the season sent Chelsea through. Unai Emery's Gunners were the better side for long periods at the Emirates against […]

Paris (AFP) – Teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe told AFP on Thursday that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi remain football's greatest players but that his own World Cup heroics could help crown him as the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner. Mbappe, 19, helped France to World Cup victory in Russia as his four goals included one in […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan's Argentinian international midfielder Lucas Biglia has been ruled out for four months after undergoing surgery on a calf muscle injury, the Serie A club confirmed on Thursday. Biglia picked up the injury in training a week ago. Gennaro Gattuso's team host champions Juventus in Serie A on Sunday. The 32-year-old […]

Paris (AFP) – Chelsea booked their place in the Europa League knockout stage as Olivier Giroud's first club goal of the campaign gave Maurizio Sarri's men a 1-0 win at BATE Borisov, while Rangers lost a seven-goal thriller against Spartak Moscow. Giroud ended his 11-game goal drought this season by giving Chelsea a 53rd-minute lead, […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – With his 30th birthday looming, youthful Borussia Dortmund's elder statesman Axel Witsel wants to lead the Bundesliga pace-setters to a rare home win over defending champions Bayern Munich in Saturday's top-of-the-table showdown. The midfielder has been a revelation at Dortmund since joining for 20 million euros ($22.8m) from Chinese side Tianjin […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said Thursday that the club are lucky to be playing their home games at Wembley even as they wait for their new stadium to be finished. Spurs have been in the national stadium since the beginning of last season and recently committed to staying there until at least […]

London (AFP) – Leicester manager Claude Puel said preparing for the first home game since the death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash had been tough but that his players would "compensate with our spirit". Following their 1-0 victory against Cardiff in the Premier League last week, Puel flew to Bangkok with some […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund have brushed off suggestions from Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness that the Bundesliga leaders are favourites for Saturday's showdown as mind games started between Germany's top two clubs. Lucien Favre's Dortmund have a four-point lead over defending champions Bayern ahead of the match at Signal Iduna Park, leaving Hoeness […]