Moscow (AFP) – Russian league leaders Zenit St Petersburg face a stern test of their title credentials when they face second-placed Spartak Moscow on Sunday. Zenit, who finished fifth last season, have won all five of their Premier League matches and have a two-point lead at the top over Spartak, who are also unbeaten this […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho insisted on Friday he is one of the world's best managers in a continued defence of his managerial record despite Manchester United's recent struggles. Mourinho ended a press conference following his side's 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Monday by demanding respect from the media. United also lost, […]

Berlin (AFP) – Niko Kovac confirmed Friday that Germany star Jerome Boateng will stay at Bayern Munich, despite weeks of negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain, but Juan Bernat is poised to join the French champions. With the transfer window to close at 1600 GMT in Germany and France, Bayern's head coach confirmed Boateng, 29, will not […]

Gosford (Australia) (AFP) – Sprint king Usain Bolt fulfilled a boyhood dream Friday in making his much-anticipated football debut, exciting fans but tiring quickly in a 20-minute cameo for Australia's Central Coast Mariners. The Jamaican superstar, a huge Manchester United fan, has been handed a chance to train with the A-League side for an indefinite […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is prepared for the cauldron of Celtic Park in his first taste of the Old Firm derby on Sunday, but wishes he was still playing rather than taking charge of the visitors. Legendary former Liverpool captain Gerrard has made an impressive start to his first senior managerial role […]

Brussels (AFP) – Belgium on Friday promoted Thierry Henry to the number two job with the national side, just days after the Arsenal and France great turned down the manager's job at Bordeaux. The 41-year-old, who helped manager Roberto Martinez steer the Red Devils to third place at the World Cup in Russia, rebuffed the […]

Monaco (AFP) – Marseille, last season's beaten Europa League finalists, were drawn with Lazio and Eintracht Frankfurt in a strong Europa League group on Friday. Arsenal were handed a seemingly easier task against Sporting Lisbon, Azerbaijani club Qarabag and Vorskla of Ukraine. The other English club in Europe's second-tier competition, Chelsea, will play PAOK Salonika, […]

Milan (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo was hopping mad at losing out to Croatia star Luka Modric for the UEFA Player of the Year, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri revealed on Friday. Real Madrid and Croatia midfield star Modric beat his former teammate Ronaldo and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah to the prize which was awarded on Thursday in […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany goalkeeper Kevin Trapp has rejoined Eintracht Frankfurt on a one-year loan deal from French champions Paris Saint-Germain, it was confirmed Friday. "I'm looking forward to another year with Frankfurt," said the 28-year-old who played for Eintracht from 2012 until 2015 before joining PSG for 10 million euros ($11.6m). Frankfurt recruited Trapp […]

Cibinong (Indonesia) (AFP) – Tottenham star Son Heung-min said Friday he was still waiting for Spurs team-mates Harry Kane and Dele Alli to wish him luck as he goes into Saturday's Asian Games final — with his career on the line. The 26-year-old, who is chasing a gold medal that would spare him nearly two […]

London (AFP) – Former Australian international Harry Kewell was appointed manager of English League Two side Notts County on Friday after compensation was agreed with Crawley. Kewell, who starred for Leeds and Liverpool in a decorated Premier League career, was appointed by Crawley in May 2017 and led the club to a 14th-placed finish in […]

Monaco (AFP) – UEFA are set to wait until next season before introducing Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the Champions League, although they are still not ruling out having it in this season's final, president Aleksander Ceferin said on Friday. Ceferin has so far resisted calls to bring VAR into Europe's elite club competition, despite […]

Sydney (AFP) – Swedish international Ola Toivonen on Friday joined Australian club Melbourne Victory, where he will play alongside fellow new recruit Keisuke Honda. Toivonen, who scored for Sweden against Germany at the recent World Cup in Russia, said he was excited after signing a two-year deal. "I know Melbourne Victory is a big club in […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Roberto Firmino will seek to end a rare goal drought when Liverpool take on Leicester although his manager Jurgen Klopp has no concerns about a drop-off in productivity. The Brazil international has formed one of the most feared forward lines in European football over the past 12 months with Mohamed Salah and […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea have the opportunity to extend their perfect start under new manager Maurizio Sarri on Saturday. But England boss Gareth Southgate is unlikely to be at Stamford Bridge to see them take on Bournemouth. Sarri inherited four England internationals when he took charge at Stamford Bridge in the close-season, but the Italian […]