Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola has reassured Leroy Sane that he has a future at Manchester City despite failing to make the starting line-up in their opening two Premier League matches. Sane was named the Premier League's young player of the year in April, having scored 14 goals and provided 19 assists in […]

Berlin (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski netted a controversial penalty awarded by VAR at the second attempt as Bayern Munich opened the new Bundesliga season with a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim on Friday. Thomas Mueller put Bayern ahead with a first-half header and Adam Szalai equalised before Lewandowski's spot-kick and a late Arjen Robben goal sealed […]

Paris (AFP) – Nabil Fekir made his first appearance of the new season as Lyon bounced back from last week's surprise loss to Reims by seeing off Strasbourg 2-0 in Ligue 1 on Friday. Bruno Genesio's men eased to their second victory from as many league home matches this term thanks to goals from Martin […]

Vannes (France) (AFP) – Japan won their first Women's World Under-20 title on Friday with a 3-1 victory over Spain in the final. With favourites Germany and the United States — who had won six of the last eight titles between them — already eliminated, Japan made the most of their unexpected opportunity. Hinata Miyazawa […]

London (AFP) – A Roma fan was jailed for two-and-a-half-years on Friday for his part in the violence ahead of a Champions League semi-final which left a Liverpool supporter in a coma. Daniele Sciusco, 29, from Rome, admitted violent disorder ahead of the Anfield match on April 24. A judge at Preston Crown Court, near […]

Geneva (AFP) – Switzerland manager Vladimir Petkovic said on Friday that he was saddened by Valon Behrami's decision to retire from international football, after the midfielder suggested he had been pushed out by the coach. Earlier this month, Udinese player Behrami said he had been told over the phone by Petkovic that he would not […]

Rome (AFP) – Supporters of Genoa will stage "43 minutes of silence" in the Serie A game against Empoli on Sunday in memory of the victims of the bridge disaster in the northern Italian city. "For Sunday night, we choose the path of silence out of respect for those who lost their lives on this […]

Abuja (AFP) – Nigeria captain John Obi Mikel will miss his side's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Seychelles next month, but coach Gernot Rohr still named 16 World Cup players in his squad on Friday. Chelsea star Victor Moses retired from international football after the Super Eagles' group-stage elimination from the World Cup […]

London (AFP) – France's World Cup-winning captain Hugo Lloris has apologised for his "unacceptable" behaviour after the Tottenham keeper was charged with drink-driving on Friday. Just weeks after playing a key role in France's World Cup glory, Lloris's reputation has been tarnished by his late-night antics. Lloris was pulled over in a routine stop at […]

Paris (AFP) – Gianluigi Buffon will sit out Paris Saint-Germain's next two games with Alphonse Areola returning in goal for the French champions, coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed on Friday. Italian great Buffon, 40, has played in PSG's three competitive outings so far this season since his arrival on a free transfer from Juventus, and has […]

Paynesville (Liberia) (AFP) – Liberian President George Weah gave his country's top honour to Arsene Wenger and Claude LeRoy, the two French coaches who gave his football career an early boost, on Friday. At a red-carpet ceremony in the suburbs of the capital Monrovia, Wenger, who signed Weah when the now-president was 22, was praised […]

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has issued an unusual warning for Watford mascot Harry the Hornet to behave himself during Sunday's Premier League fixture at Vicarage Road. Following the final whistle of their 1-1 draw in 2016, the Watford mascot dived on the pitch, taunting Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, who had been […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp has praised the impact of new Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker as the Reds boss prepares to send error-prone Loris Karius on loan to Besiktas. Just months after his blunders ruined Liverpool's bid to win the Champions League final, Karius is set to join Turkish club Besiktas on a two-year loan […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has decided not to sign an out-of-contract goalkeeper after losing Claudio Bravo to a long-term Achilles tendon injury. Guardiola has recalled Montenegro Under-21 international Aro Muric from a loan spell with Dutch club NAC Breda to provide cover for first-choice Ederson, having considered other options. […]

Geneva (AFP) – FIFA on Friday hit the Palestinian Football Association chief with a year-long "match" ban after he called for protests against Lionel Messi over plans for Argentina to play Israel in Jerusalem. In a statement, FIFA said it had sanctioned PFA president Jibril Rajoub for breaching codes against "inciting hatred and violence... following media […]