Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Zinedine Zidane insists James Rodriguez has nothing to prove to him when the Colombian faces Real Madrid with Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final, first leg, on Wednesday. James has shone at Bayern since Zidane let him leave Real on a two-year loan deal last July at the end of […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool are banking on Mohamed Salah and the passion of the Anfield crowd to propel them towards the Champions League final on Tuesday but Roma stand in their way in a repeat of the 1984 European Cup final. Spearheaded by Salah and inspired from the touchline by exuberant manager Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool […]

Milan (AFP) – Former Croatian international Igor Tudor was on Tuesday appointed coach of struggling Italian club Udinese hours after Massimo Oddo was axed following an 11-game Serie A losing streak. The north-eastern club released 41-year-old former AC Milan and Italy defender Oddo and his coaching staff after just five months in the job. Tudor […]

London (AFP) – Millwall's Tim Cahill has been banned for three matches after the Australia star accepted a charge of violent conduct. Cahill was charged by the Football Association after the midfielder initially avoided punishment for elbowing Fulham's Ryan Fredericks on Friday. The 38-year-old's foul wasn't spotted by the officials during Millwall's 3-0 defeat at […]

Yangon (AFP) – Leeds United will play two friendlies in Myanmar next month as the Championship side looks to build a fanbase in the troubled Southeast Asian country. The tour, which will also see Leeds hold football clinics and PR visits to landmarks including Yangon's Shwedagon pagoda,already stirred controversy. Myanmar is in the eye of […]

Milan (AFP) – Gianluigi Buffon on Tuesday blasted talk of a row with Juventus teammate Medhi Benatia as "invented gossip" to try and unnerve the champions in the title race. Buffon, 40, was reported to have let rip at centre-back Benatia after Kalidou Koulibaly scored in the final minute in Turin as Napoli beat Juventus […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Jupp Heynckes says Bayern Munich are waiting on the fitness of left-back David Alaba for Wednesday's crunch Champions League semi-final, first-leg, at home to Real Madrid. Alaba, a free-kick expert, sat out Bayern's final training on Tuesday with a thigh strain, but Heynckes hopes the left-back will be fit. Corentin Tolisso […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian football bosses are rallying behind World Cup anti-racism inspector Alexei Smertin in an embezzlement probe unfolding less than two months before kickoff. The scandal surrounding Moscow police club Dynamo brings together two major problems facing Russia ahead of the June 14-July 15 final: monkey chants and corruption. A former Chelsea player, […]

Paris (AFP) – Former France football coach Henri Michel, who led Les Bleus to the 1984 Olympic title, has died at the age of 70, the French players' union announced on Tuesday. "Henri Michel, a colossus of French football, left us this morning," the UNFP wrote on Twitter, adding their "sincere condolences to his family […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool are banking on Mohamed Salah and the passion of the Anfield crowd to propel them towards the Champions League final on Tuesday but Roma stand in their way in a mouthwatering repeat of the 1984 title decider. Spearheaded by Salah and inspired from the touchline by exuberant manager Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool […]

Yangon (AFP) – Leeds United will play two friendlies in Myanmar next month as the Championship side looks to build a fanbase in the troubled Southeast Asian country. The tour, which will also see Leeds hold football clinics and PR visits to landmarks including Yangon's Shwedagon pagoda, is likely to stir some controversy. Myanmar is […]

Milan (AFP) – Italian football federation (FIGC) chiefs on Tuesday confirmed talks had taken place with Carlo Ancelotti concerning the vacant Italy coaching job but insisted there was no front-runner yet. Ancelotti, who was sacked by Bayern Munich last September, met with FIGC commissioner Roberto Fabbricini and sub-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta in a Rome hotel on […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is confident Mohamed Salah will not be lured away from Anfield in the same manner the Egyptian was tempted from Roma last year. Salah has surpassed all expectations since his then-club record 42 million-euro (£37 million, $52 million) move back to the Premier League last June and will […]

Berlin (AFP) – Jupp Heynckes plans to down his ex-club Real Madrid in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final, first leg, and take the next step to leaving Bayern Munich with another treble. Heynckes, 72, has already won the Champions League as head coach of both clubs. He steered Real to the title in 1998, then Bayern […]

Madrid (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema were once the untouchable trio, but only one of Real Madrid's feted "BBC" can be sure of their place against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Ronaldo has dragged Real into the Champions League semi-finals with, even by his standards, an astonishing goal glut that includes 22 […]