Athens (AFP) – Greek authorities were combing the Olympic Stadium in Athens on Thursday after UEFA expressed concern following reports of the stadium swaying during a recent Champions League match. Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports Giorgos Vasiliadis ordered the investigation after UEFA informed stadium officials of a video circulated on social media last week […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich's Rafinha apologised Thursday for dressing up as an 'Arab bomber' for Halloween, saying he did not mean to hurt anyone's feelings. In an image posted on Bayern's Twitter account, the Brazilian defender was seen dressed wearing a long Arabic shirt with a red and white checked headscarf, while carrying a […]

London (AFP) – Claude Puel admits his Leicester players are struggling to come to terms with the most traumatic week in the club's history as they prepare to return to Premier League action following the tragic death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. Thai billionaire Vichai, who brought the Premier League title to Leicester in 2016, was […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Fierce Buenos Aires rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate will contest the Copa America final later this month after seeing off Brazilian opposition in the semi-finals. It will be the first time two Argentine sides face each other in the final, pitting the two halves of the Buenos Aires 'clasico' encounter […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli will be looking to hit struggling Empoli hard in Friday's early Serie A match to keep touch with leaders Juventus before next week's Champions League blockbuster against Paris Saint-Germain. Carlo Ancelotti knows well that at home against Empoli, his side have to get back on track for the title after last […]

Madrid (AFP) – La Liga launched a petition on Thursday to prove supporters are behind its plan to stage a league game between Girona and Barcelona in the United States. Both clubs have signed a formal request submitted by La Liga to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to allow the fixture to be played at […]

Monaco (AFP) – Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani says Paris Saint-Germain's team of dazzling individuals including Neymar and Kylian Mbappe need to work more as a team if they are to win the Champions League. In an exclusive interview with AFP, Cavani said the importance of winning the Champions League for the French club was drummed […]

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has promised Wilfried Zaha the club's full backing after the forward received racist abuse and threats on social media following his side's Premier League draw with Arsenal. Zaha, who has found himself at the centre of an ongoing debate over simulation in recent months, was targeted after […]

Shanghai (AFP) – China's football association has handed a one-game ban to Shandong Luneng's Brazilian midfielder Diego Tardelli for rubbing his face during the Chinese national anthem before a game. The country's Communist regime passed a law last year to severely punish people who disrespect the anthem, and Tardelli is not the first prominent figure […]

London (AFP) – Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has unveiled an ambitious plan to use the power of football in prison to tackle the major problem of re-offending, convinced the sport can have a positive impact. The 75-year-old Englishman — responsible for bringing the then little-known Arsene Wenger to the Premier League — said he […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Video assistant referees (VAR) will be used in the CAF Champions League final for the first time Friday when Al Ahly of Egypt host Esperance of Tunisia in the first leg. The system allows off-field referees to assist match officials regarding goals, penalty and straight red card decisions, and mistaken identity when […]

Milan (AFP) – Serie A champions Juventus have officially severed the contract of chief executive Giuseppe Marotta after eight years with the Turin giants. The club announced the "termination of the employment contracts" of Marotta, 61, and chief financial officer director Aldo Mazzia, 62. Marotta will receive 361,775 euros ($409,000) in compensation, with Mazzia getting […]

Milan (AFP) – Alessio Romagnoli snatched a late win after earlier conceding an own goal as AC Milan moved fourth in Serie A on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over Genoa. The match between the two teams had been postponed following the Genoa bridge collapse in August which killed 41 people. "I'm sorry for my […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea dumped Frank Lampard's Derby out of the League Cup on Wednesday despite a a valiant effort by the Championship side to battle back from a defensive Halloween horror show. Maurizio Sarri's much-changed side eventually emerged 3-2 winners, with all five goals coming in a helter-skelter first half, on a night when […]

Madrid (AFP) – Santiago Solari's reign as interim Real Madrid coach got off to an encouraging start on Wednesday as the European champions made light of third-tier hosts Melilla in the Copa del Rey. Goals from Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Alvaro Odriozola and Cristo Gonzalez earned the 19-time champions a 4-0 win on their first […]