Tallinn (AFP) – With both Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane gone and Julen Lopetegui in, a new era at Real Madrid officially begins when they face city rivals Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in Tallinn on Wednesday evening. Lopetegui will be eager to seize the chance to get his hands on a first […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham have apologised to their supporters after the "unavoidable" delay to the opening of their new White Hart Lane stadium. The Premier League club have been forced to postpone the scheduled opening of the rebuilt area next month due to safety issues. Tottenham spent last season playing their home matches at Wembley […]

Madrid (AFP) – Russia winger Denis Cheryshev, one of the standout performers at the World Cup this summer, has returned to Valencia for a second stint on loan from Villarreal. The 27-year-old, who scored four goals as Russia reached the quarter-finals on home soil, will rejoin Valencia on a season-long loan having spent six months […]

London (AFP) – Ron Saunders who guided Aston Villa to the 1981 English League crown is suffering from dementia and his son believes it is in part down to heading the ball when an uncompromising striker back in the 1950's and 60's. The 85-year-old — one of only two Englishmen still alive to have managed […]

Madrid (AFP) – Retired Brazilian striker Ronaldo left a clinic in Ibiza on Tuesday following a four-night stay for treatment for a flu infection. "He left this morning at 10:30am, not wanting to depart from the side where the press were waiting," said a spokesman for the clinic in the centre of Ibiza. A spokesman […]

Rome (AFP) – France international Tiemoue Bakayoko has signed on loan for AC Milan, the resurgent Serie A side announced on Monday, bringing an end to the midfielder's frustrating spell at Chelsea. Milan have signed the 23-year-old for a reported inital five million euros ($5.7 million) with an option to buy for a further 35 […]

London (AFP) – Premier League clubs receive so much money from television half of them could still turn a profit even if the stadia were empty, according to the BBC. Using statistics compiled from the 2016/17 season, during which clubs benefited from a record £8.3billion ($10.6 billion, 9.3 billion euros) global TV revenue, income from […]

Madrid (AFP) – Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale and other La Liga stars will soon be beamed for free to viewers in the Indian subcontinent as part of a landmark deal with Facebook to broadcast matches, the Spanish top flight division said Tuesday. All 380 football matches of the new 2018-2019 La Liga season, which begins […]

Jakarta (AFP) – Son Heung-min has lit up the World Cup and the Premier League but unnervingly it is the Asian Games in Indonesia that could make or break the career of the prolific South Korean forward. Anything less than gold and Son, 26, faces a compulsory stint of nearly two years' military service — […]

Doha (AFP) – Veteran Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o has signed for Qatar league side, Qatar Sports Club, it was announced Monday, just days after he ended a brief stay at Turkish side Konyaspor. The former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker will be unveiled on Tuesday, said Qatar Sports Club, the latest big-name edition to […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham have delayed next month's planned opening of their new stadium due to "issues with the critical safety systems", the Premier League club said on Monday. Spurs were expected to play their first game at the new White Hart Lane on September 15 against Liverpool, but the fixture has been switched to […]

London (AFP) – Petr Cech became embroiled in a social media spat with Bayer Leverkusen after the Bundesliga club's Twitter account mocked an error made by the Arsenal goalkeeper against Manchester City. Cech was selected to face City on Sunday ahead of new Arsenal signing Bernd Leno, who joined the Gunners from Leverkusen in the […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe, a member of France's World Cup-winning squad, signed a two-year contract extension on Monday keeping him at the club until 2023. "I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to wear my club's shirt and this contract extension is proof of my attachment and my recognition towards Paris Saint-Germain," […]

Madrid (AFP) – Manchester City midfielder David Silva on Monday called time on his distinguished 12-year international career with Spain. Selected for the first time in November 2006, the 32-year-old helped his country be crowned world champions in South Africa in 2010 and won two European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012. "I leave proud […]

Rome (AFP) – Inter Milan on Monday continued their strong summer transfer window ahead of the start of the Serie A season, announcing the return to Italy of Senegal international Keita Balde on loan from French Ligue 1 side Monaco. Ambitious Inter, who have been busy in the transfer market after finishing fourth in Serie […]