Zurich (AFP) – FIFA President Gianni Infantino has told AFP that his plans for a new, expanded Club World Cup provide the perfect antidote to any potential threat of a breakaway Super League by elite clubs. According to documents published in the latest series of Football Leaks allegations, a group of top European clubs has […]

Zurich (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino all but wrote off the chances of an expanded 48-team competition at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Wednesday. Last month Infantino told the Asian Football Confederation's annual congress in Kuala Lumpur that increasing the number of teams from the 32 that made up the tournament in […]

London (AFP) – The Football Association is appealing against the decision by an independent regulatory commission to clear Jose Mourinho of using foul language at the end of Manchester United's Premier League match against Newcastle, the English game's governing body announced Wednesday. Television footage showed Mourinho saying something, apparently in his native Portuguese, while at […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Shanghai SIPG broke Guangzhou Evergrande's near-decade stranglehold on Chinese football on Wednesday, winning the Chinese Super League (CSL) for the first time. Fabio Cannavaro's failure to steer Evergrande to an eighth CSL crown in a row will see the Italian legend's future as coach thrown into doubt after a single campaign at […]

Camphin-en-Pevele (France) (AFP) – Former Arsenal and France international Nicolas Anelka has taken a first step towards a potential coaching role after agreeing to advise Lille's up-and-coming strikers. Anelka, 39, "will work at Lille's youth academy advising the apprentices, in particular focusing on the work and specific role of strikers," the club said in a […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Malcom cried tears of joy after scoring against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday but his emotions must have marked relief too after a difficult start at Barcelona. Signed from Bordeaux for 41 million euros ($47 million) in the summer, the 21-year-old was always circled as a player for the […]

London (AFP) – Champions League finalists just six months ago, Liverpool hoped a summer of heavy investment could take them one step further to a sixth European Cup, but a shock 2-0 defeat to Red Star Belgrade leaves them struggling to even make it out of the group stages. While Anfield remains a fortress on […]

Berlin (AFP) – Mario Goetze says German league leaders Borussia Dortmund must put their first defeat of the season behind them and bounce back in Saturday's crunch Bundesliga showdown at home against Bayern Munich. Atletico Madrid avenged their 4-0 drubbing at Dortmund from a fortnight ago with a 2-0 home victory on Tuesday in the […]

Manila (AFP) – Sven-Goran Eriksson once pushed for World Cup glory with England but the much-travelled coach is now eyeing Southeast Asian silverware with his new team, the Philippines. The Philippines have never won the Suzuki Cup but the door could be open for the 70-year-old Swede after Thailand, the defending champions, were forced to […]

Coral Gables (United States) (AFP) – David Beckham was celebrating in South Florida on Tuesday after his dream of building a team in Major League Soccer took a notable step forward. The former England captain's push to bring a franchise to Miami has been hamstrung for close to five years with a suitable venue for […]

Paris (AFP) – Unai Emery's Arsenal head into Thursday's clash with Sporting Lisbon at the Emirates bidding for a place in the Europa League knockout stage, buoyed by an impressive display in their draw against Premier League title hopefuls Liverpool. The Gunners are top of Group E having won all three of their matches so […]

Paris (AFP) – Barcelona secured their place in the Champions League knockout stage on Tuesday with a 1-1 draw away to Inter Milan, as Harry Kane revived Tottenham Hotspur's hopes but Liverpool slumped to a shock defeat. Last year's runners-up were beaten by Red Star Belgrade, although the biggest losers on the night were Thierry […]

Milan (AFP) – Barcelona qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League despite Mauro Icardi snatching a late 1-1 draw for Inter Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday. Ice cold Icardi struck with his first shot of the match in the 87th minute to grab a draw from a match Barcelona dominated from the […]

Monaco (AFP) – Thierry Henry's Monaco slumped to an embarrassing 4-0 home defeat to Club Brugge on Tuesday as the French side tumbled out of the Champions League group stage with two games still to play. Giant striker Hans Vanaken scored twice, the second from the penalty spot, while Brazilian forward Wesley banged in a […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Lorenzo Insigne beat former Italy teammate Gianluigi Buffon from the spot to keep Napoli well in the hunt for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League thanks to a 1-1 draw at home to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. PSG travelled to the Stadio San Paolo looking to go […]