Madrid (AFP) – Retired Brazilian striker Ronaldo has been hospitalised with pneumonia on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza and is recovering well, a local newspaper reported Sunday. The 41-year-old, widely considered one of the world's best-ever players, was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Can Misses Hospital on the island on Friday […]

Tangiers (Morocco) (AFP) – Sevilla have threatened to file a complaint against Barcelona if the La Liga champions field more than three non-EU players in Sunday's Spanish Super Cup clash. The Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Saturday that there would be no restrictions on players from outside the EU for the Super Cup, despite […]

Paris (AFP) – Young German centre-back Thilo Kehrer will join Paris Saint-Germain from Schalke after the two clubs reached an agreement on a deal, the Bundesliga side announced on Sunday. The 21-year-old was part of the Germany outfit which won the under-21 European championships last month and played 27 Bundesliga matches last year. "The economic […]

London (AFP) – Thibaut Courtois would probably still be a Chelsea player had his family lived in London and not Madrid his agent told the BBC on Sunday. The 26-year-old Belgian — whose outstanding performances as Belgium finished a best ever third at the World Cup earned him the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper […]

Phnom Penh (AFP) – Japanese star forward Keisuke Honda signed on as general manager of Cambodia's national team Sunday in a move that brings high-profile talent to a much-loved but struggling side. The unusual arrangement will see Honda, who signed for A-League side Melbourne Victory earlier this month and retired from international football in July […]

London (AFP) – Paul Pogba added fuel to rumours of his deteriorating relationship with Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, saying he could not express himself for fear of being fined. The 25-year-old — who scored a superb goal in France's 4-2 victory over Croatia in the World Cup final — was credited with a 'monster […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola insists his Manchester City players should remember their all-conquering form of last season when their title defence kicks off with a testing visit to Arsenal on Sunday. The City manager has rejected the notion that his stars, who won the league title by a record 19 points three […]

Madrid (AFP) – Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale were on target as European champions Real Madrid defeated AC Milan 3-1 in a friendly on Saturday just four days from their UEFA Super Cup clash with city rivals Atletico. French striker Benzema opened the scoring at the Bernabeu with a second-minute header before former Real star […]

Paris (AFP) – Patrick Vieira said that his Nice side "ran out of luck" as he tasted defeat in his first league match as a coach in Europe with a 1-0 loss at home to newly-promoted Reims on Saturday. The former Arsenal and France midfielder was brought in to replace Lucien Favre after his departure […]

London (AFP) – Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa refused to label his side as promotion contenders after the Yorkshire club maintained their fine start with a 4-1 thrashing of Frank Lampard's Derby on Saturday. Following a 3-1 win over Stoke last weekend, Leeds were in good form again as former Argentina and Marseille coach Bielsa won […]

Madrid (AFP) – Portuguese striker Andre Silva joined Sevilla on a season-long loan on Saturday after spending just one season at AC Milan where his chances of first-team football appeared limited after the arrival of Gonzalo Higuain from Juventus. Sevilla announced the deal on their website, adding that they have an option to make Silva's […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri got off to a winning Premier League start as new signing Jorginho slotted home coolly from the penalty spot in a 3-0 win at Huddersfield on Saturday. Tottenham also made light of discontent over their lack of summer transfer activity by resisting a late Newcastle onslaught to win […]

Paris (AFP) – Radamel Falcao came off the bench to score and set up another goal as Monaco brushed aside Nantes 3-1 on Saturday to get their Ligue 1 campaign off to a strong start. With Falcao left out of the starting XI following his World Cup exertions with Colombia and big summer signing Aleksandr […]

Huddersfield (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri admitted Eden Hazard needs more time to get back to his very best despite an impressive 15-minute cameo as a substitute in Chelsea's 3-0 win at Huddersfield. Sarri's side overcame an awkward start at the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday to give their new boss a victory on […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Spain centre-back Gerard Pique confirmed that he had ended a glittering international career on Saturday, saying that the appointment of his former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique would not change his mind. The 31-year-old made the last of his 102 international appearances in Spain's World Cup last-16 loss to Russia. Enrique took over […]