Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona's lowest ebbs are invariably followed by questions about Lionel Messi but the issue of over-reliance may become clearer over the coming weeks. The sight of Messi on the ground, grasping his right arm, during Barca's win over Sevilla on Saturday prompted reactions inside Camp Nou normally reserved for the conceding of […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo hopes to pile more pressure on his old club Manchester United and put allegations of rape to one side when he steps out for Italian giants Juventus at Old Trafford in the Champions League Tuesday. Ronaldo made his name in Manchester, winning the first of his five Champions […]

Sydney (AFP) – Australia's Central Coast Mariners said negotiations with Usain Bolt were stalled over money Tuesday, also warning the sprint superstar he will not play in the A-League even if he signs with the club. The eight-time Olympic champion has been on trial with the A-League side since arriving in August to fulfil his dream […]

London (AFP) – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil stole the show as Arsenal swept to their 10th successive win with a dominant 3-1 victory against Leicester on Monday. Unai Emery's side trailed to Hector Bellerin's first-half own goal at the Emirates Stadium. But Ozil, captaining Arsenal on his return to the side after back spasms, […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo stated Monday he is an "example" in his behaviour on and off the field amid allegations of rape made against the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in the United States. "I know I am an example, 100 percent, in the pitch and outside the pitch," Ronaldo told a press […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea assistant coach Marco Ianni has been charged with improper conduct in a touchline flare-up with Jose Mourinho that led the Football Association to remind the Manchester United manager of his responsibilities. Tensions escalated in front of the Stamford Bridge tunnel after Ross Barkley's equaliser deep into stoppage time saw Chelsea secure […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho gave short shrift when quizzed on the possibility of a sensational return to Real Madrid as he prepares for a reunion with one of his old pupils, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday. A run of five games without a win […]

Madrid (AFP) – Julen Lopetegui has said he will fight to turn Real Madrid's stuttering season around but could not guarantee he will be in charge for the Clasico against Barcelona on Sunday. Lopetegui's future is in doubt just four months after swapping the Spanish national team for Madrid on the eve of the World […]

Moscow (AFP) – Ten-time Russian champions Spartak Moscow announced Monday they had sacked Italian manager Massimo Carrera who led them to the Premier League title in his first season at the helm in 2017. Carrera was dismissed after the club's 3-2 loss at home to Arsenal Tula on Sunday. "The Spartak board of directors took […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Primeiro Agosto take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of a CAF Champions League semi-final against Esperance in Tunisia Tuesday hoping to become the first Angolan finalists. The closest a club from the oil-rich southern Africa state has come to reaching the tile decider was Petro Atletico getting to the 2001 […]

Sydney (AFP) – Australia's Central Coast Mariners have offered sprint superstar Usain Bolt a contract, reports said Monday, but the club's coach said he knows nothing about it. The eight-time Olympic champion has been on trial with the A-League side since arriving in August to fulfil his dream of becoming a professional footballer. He scored […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid's players may have offered a show of public support to Julen Lopetegui but fail to win at home against Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday and their words will mean very little. "Julen has the backing of the entire team," Sergio Ramos said after Madrid's 2-1 loss to Levante on Saturday, their […]

Berlin (AFP) – They may be struggling with the language, but when it comes to playing football in Germany, English teenagers Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson are making themselves perfectly understood. The 18-year-olds have both seized their chances in the Bundesliga and are expected to play key roles in the Champions League this week. Sancho […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo will always be fondly remembered at Old Trafford, but as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner rolls back into town this week, this former hero may be the last sight Manchester United want to see. Ronaldo made his name in Manchester, scoring 118 goals, winning three Premier League titles […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich travel to Greece to face AEK Athens in the Champions League on Tuesday boosted by a Bundesliga win that "felt like a liberation" after their miserable run of form and a stormy week behind the scenes. The pressure was mounting on the German champions and new coach Niko Kovac during […]