Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Lorenzo Insigne stuck late as Napoli snatched a 1-0 win over an outclassed Liverpool in a Champions League Group C game the hosts dominated in the Stadio San Paolo on Wednesday. Carlo Ancelotti's side had piled the pressure on Liverpool before finally finding a way through on 90 minutes when Jose […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel described Neymar as "sensational" after the world's most expensive player scored a hat-trick in a sublime display to lead Paris Saint-Germain to a 6-1 rout of Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Brazilian admitted before this game that he still did not feel […]

London (AFP) – Lionel Messi inspired a return to form for Barcelona in a thrilling 4-2 win at Tottenham that leaves the English side with a mountain to climb to reach the last 16 of the Champions League. Spurs have now lost their opening two games in Group B to fall six points behind Barca […]

Madrid (AFP) – Antoine Griezmann scored twice against Club Brugge on Wednesday as Atletico Madrid made a winning start at the stadium they hope to return to for the Champions League final next year. Arnaut Groeneveld's stunning long-range effort pulled Brugge level shortly before half-time but Griezmann added a second, before his driving run allowed […]

London (AFP) – Lionel Messi's Wembley masterclass and a sublime strike from Ivan Rakitic got Barcelona back in the groove as they clinched a pulsating 4-2 victory against Tottenham on Wednesday. Ernesto Valverde's side arrived in London for the Champions League Group B tie amid a mini-crisis after failing to win their last three La […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Paco Alcacer continued his excellent start to life at Borussia Dortmund as the Bundesliga side saw off Monaco 3-0 on Wednesday to claim a second straight Champions League win. Half-time substitute Jacob-Bruun Larsen gave Dortmund the lead at Signal Iduna Park, less than six minutes into his Champions League debut. On-loan […]

Eindhoven (Netherlands) (AFP) – Inter Milan recovered from a goal down for the second Champions League game in succession as a 2-1 win at PSV Eindhoven kept them on course for the last 16 on Wednesday. Inter, the last Italian side to win the Champions League in 2010, fell behind to a spectacular strike from […]

Las Vegas (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday denied accusations by a former American model that he raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009 and said his conscience is clear. "I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me," the Portuguese superstar tweeted in Portuguese and English. "Rape is an abominable crime that […]

Moscow (AFP) – American international midfielder Weston McKennie hit an 88th-minute winner as struggling Schalke 04 edged Lokomotiv Moscow 1-0 in their Champions League Group D clash on Wednesday. Schalke, runners-up in the Bundesliga last season, are currently second from bottom in Germany and were on course for another frustrating night in rain-lashed Moscow. But […]

Madrid (AFP) – "Tell me, who is the best player in the world?" Cristiano Ronaldo asks during his own film, a glass of wine in his hand and gold necklace dangling from his neck. "It's me," he replies, breaking into laughter as those around him laugh back. Superstar footballer and one of the best-paid athletes […]

London (AFP) – Aston Villa on Wednesday sacked manager Steve Bruce with the club languishing 12th in the Championship after just three wins in 11 games. Bruce had come under increasing pressure after Villa's poor start to the season and had a cabbage hurled at him during Tuesday's 3-3 home draw with Preston. The 57-year-old, […]

Paris (AFP) – Neymar continued his return to top form with a hat-trick in a sublime display to lead Paris Saint-Germain to a 6-1 rout of Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Wednesday. The world's most expensive player admitted on the eve of this game that he still did not feel back to […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Portuguese football's disciplinary committee hit Sporting Lisbon with a fine of almost 500 euros on Wednesday after an overly enthusiastic display of affection from the club's mascot towards a player interrupted a post-match TV interview. For "Jubas", the club's amiable lion mascot, the indiscretion came after Saturday's 2-0 league win over Maritimo […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal's Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will miss Thursday's Europa League clash with Qarabag in Azerbaijan due to diplomatic tensions between the country and his homeland. Armenian citizens are currently banned from travelling to Azerbaijan due to the Nagorny Karabakh conflict, although special exceptions have been made in the past for professional athletes. […]

London (AFP) – Police are hunting a football fan who hurled a cabbage towards now-sacked Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce after allegedly shouting abuse from the stands. The fan is reported to have taken the vegetable from a carrier bag and thrown it towards the dugout before Villa's 3-3 draw with Preston on Tuesday. "One […]