Milan (AFP) – Top Italian FA official Alessandro Costacurta on Sunday welcomed Roberto Mancini's decision to recall Nice striker Mario Balotelli as the new Italy coach promised a "rebirth" of the national side. Balotelli, who has not played since Italy's humiliating group-stage exit from the 2014 World Cup, has been recalled by Mancini for three […]

London (AFP) – England are to receive advice on how to deal with potential racist incidents they may encounter at the upcoming World Cup in Russia, according to manager Gareth Southgate. There are concerns that racism has become endemic within Russian football and earlier this month the country's football association was fined 30,000 Swiss francs […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United great Paul Scholes has warned Alexis Sanchez he must improve following his lacklustre display in Saturday's FA Cup final defeat by Chelsea, saying his performances "can't get any worse". Former United midfielder Scholes singled out Chile international Sanchez for criticism after a match United lost 1-0 at Wembley, with Chelsea […]

Paris (AFP) – France coach Didier Deschamps has faced criticism for not personally informing Marseille forward Dimitri Payet he would not be going to the World Cup — from the player's mother. Asked on TF1's Telefoot show if her son had been personally informed by Deschamps that he was not part of the plans for […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid's final Champions League rehearsal was running perfectly on Saturday until Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted and Villarreal scored twice to snatch a 2-2 draw. Gareth Bale and Ronaldo put Real in cruise control at the Estadio de la Ceramica but the Portugese, along with Luka Modric, was taken off shortly after […]

Madrid (AFP) – Luca Zidane, the son of Real Madrid coach Zinedine, made his debut on Saturday in goal for the Spanish giants but admitted it was "a bitter-sweet experience". The 20-year-old was handed his first start in Real's final league game of the season which ended 2-2 at Villarreal. "I'm happy for my debut, […]

Berlin (AFP) – Jupp Heynckes was forced to deny Bayern Munich are bad losers after their shock 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup final ruined his final game as manager. Croatia striker Ante Rebic scored either side of a Robert Lewandowski equaliser before substitute Mijat Gacinovic tapped into an empty net just […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Six Juventus fans were injured, two seriously, when a truck they were travelling in during the Italian champions' victory parade on Saturday night struck the electric cables of the city's tramway, according the media reports. The team were celebrating winning their seventh straight Serie A title and fourth Italian Cup in […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte has warned Chelsea he will never change his demanding ways as the FA Cup winning boss waits to discover if he will be sacked. Conte ended a troubled season on a high note thanks to Chelsea's 1-0 victory over Manchester United in Saturday's final at Wembley. Eden Hazard's first half […]

Wembley (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United Jose Mourinho bemoaned old foe Antonio Conte's tactics as his side failed to breakdown Chelsea's defensive wall in losing the FA Cup final 1-0 on Saturday. Eden Hazard's 22nd minute penalty proved the difference between the teams to ensure Mourinho's second season at Old Trafford ends without a […]

Décines-Charpieu (France) (AFP) – French coach Lucien Favre said he is leaving Ligue 1 club Nice after his side lost their final match of the season at Lyon on Saturday, amid speculation of a move to Borussia Dortmund. German media have been reporting in recent weeks that the 60-year-old is set to return to the […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid's final Champions League rehearsal was running perfectly on Saturday until Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted and Villarreal scored twice to snatch a 2-2 draw. Gareth Bale and Ronaldo put Real in cruise control at the Estadio de la Ceramica but the Portugese, along with Luka Modric, was taken off shortly after […]

Paris (AFP) – Memphis Depay struck a wonderful hat-trick as Lyon fought back to beat Nice 3-2 at the Groupama Stadium on Saturday to qualify for the Champions League from Ligue 1 at the expense of Marseille. Monaco saw off relegated Troyes 3-0 to wrap up second spot behind champions Paris Saint-Germain, as Bruno Genesio's […]

Berlin (AFP) – Ante Rebic ruined Jupp Heynckes' farewell as Bayern Munich coach on Saturday with the Croatia striker scoring twice as Eintracht Frankfurt claimed an upset 3-1 win in the German Cup final. The victory gave Eintracht boss Niko Kovac his first trophy as a coach in his final match before leaving to take […]

Berlin (AFP) – Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan met Germany president Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday in a series of clear the air talks following their controversial photos alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Ilkay Gundogan and Mesut Ozil expressed a desire to visit me," Steinmeier posted on Facebook alongside a picture of him with the […]