Berlin (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen have secured the signature of Paulinho, the latest Brazilian teenager to be tipped for a big future, the German club announced on Friday. The 17-year-old winger, whose full name is Paulo Henrique Sampaio Filho, will move from Rio de Janeiro side Vasco da Gama on the day of his 18th […]

Bogota (AFP) – The 2016 plane crash that wiped out a Brazilian football team was caused by a lack of fuel, Colombia's aviation authority said Friday following an extensive investigation into the disaster. The probe was launched after the November 28 crash which claimed the lives of 71 people, including all but a handful of […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery said Friday he will leave the French club at the end of the campaign after Champions League failures in both his seasons in charge. Emery's two-year contract ends in June and he had been expected to leave anyway. He said he met with PSG's Qatari president Nasser […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte has backed Chelsea's decision to let Mohamed Salah leave the club as former Stamford Bridge boss Jose Mourinho repeated his defence of his choice to let the Liverpool forward go out on loan. Salah, who has scored 43 goals for Liverpool during an astonishing season, tormented Chelsea while playing for […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants Mikel Arteta to remain a member of his backroom staff amid reports the former Arsenal midfielder could succeed Arsene Wenger at the Gunners. Arteta has been mentioned as one of the main contenders to take over from Wenger when the veteran French manager leaves […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Andres Iniesta's decision to part ways with FC Barcelona leaves a massive hole at the legendary club and in the hearts of football lovers everywhere. Widely considered one of the greatest players of his generation and among the most gifted midfielders of all time, Iniesta, 33, said Friday he would close his […]

Paris (AFP) – Football's world governing body FIFA said Friday it had banned the head of the Brazilian football federation, Marco Polo Del Nero, for life following a graft probe. FIFA said in a statement that the probe revealed that Del Nero had violated multiple articles of the body's ethics code including those relating to […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery said Friday he will leave the French club at the end of the campaign after Champions League failures in both his seasons in charge. Emery, whose contract ends in June, said he met with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Antero Henrique and "we decided that […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Andres Iniesta has confirmed he will leave Barcelona at the end of the season after 22 years associated with the club. In a press conference attended by members of the first team and the club's board on Friday, Iniesta said he wanted to finish at Barca "feeling useful, feeling important and still […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Lawyers for ousted Japan football coach Vahid Halilhodzic said Friday they are prepared to take Japanese officials to court over his shock firing just two months before the World Cup. The Franco-Bosnian was unceremoniously booted by the Japan Football Association (JFA) earlier this month but his lawyers are demanding answers for what […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool will back Steven Gerrard in whatever decision he makes as the BBC reported the former England captain is the frontrunner to become the new manager of Rangers. The 37-year-old hung up his boots in 2016 after a 12-month stint with LA Galaxy and now manages the Liverpool under-18s. […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp told Liverpool fans going to Rome next week to avoid violence and not to seek revenge for the assault that left one of their own in a critical condition. Sean Cox, a 53-year-old Irishman and father of three, is in a Liverpool hospital after suffering a serious head injury following […]

London (AFP) – Everton manager Sam Allardyce said Friday he is making plans for next season at the club despite stinging criticism from fans over his direct style of football. The former England boss took the helm in November, pulling Everton away from relegation danger to the comfort of mid-table safety. Speaking to the press […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona need only a point against Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday to confirm a domestic double and win La Liga for the third time in four years. Andres Iniesta will be at the centre of any celebrations, with the Spaniard expected to announce his Barca departure in the coming days. The Spaniard […]

Doha (AFP) – Turn right at the Venice-style canal inside Doha's Villagio mall, complete with electric gondolas for shoppers, and you will find the Paris Saint-Germain store. A narrow entrance leads to a treasure trove of all things PSG — from kit, key rings and t-shirts emblazoned with the fans' chant "Ici, c'est Paris!' to the […]