Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola's hope that his team's hunger to rewrite the English football record books would see them maintain their championship-winning form proved well-founded as Manchester City swept aside Swansea City 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The only negative aspect of the occasion for the newly-crowned Premier League champions […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Lazio and Inter Milan kept their push for Champions League football alive on Sunday with champions Juventus and Napoli set to meet in a top of the table clash in Turin. Ciro Immobile scored a brace as Lazio crushed Sampdoria 4-0 to return joint third with Roma who warmed up for […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Injured Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar should leave France and resume his career in Spain if he wants to become the world's top player, former Brazil great Rivaldo said Sunday. Rivaldo, who starred in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, told GloboEsporte.com and Esporte Espetacular that while a return […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte says Chelsea will be underdogs when they face Manchester United and his old rival Jose Mourinho in the FA Cup final. Conte's side cruised to a 2-0 win over Southampton in Sunday's semi-final to set up a heavyweight clash with United at Wembley on May 19. But Conte doesn't believe […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea booked an FA Cup final showdown with Manchester United as Olivier Giroud tormented Southampton again with a sublime strike in Sunday's 2-0 win at Wembley. Giroud has made a habit of scoring against Southampton and the France forward was their nemesis in a one-sided semi-final. Opting to select Giroud instead of […]

Paris (AFP) – Robert Beric scored a second-half brace as Saint-Etienne came from behind to beat Troyes 2-1 in Ligue 1 on Sunday, continuing their remarkable revival since the turn of the year. Adama Niane had given relegation-threatened Troyes the lead early on at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, but Beric headed in the home side's equaliser […]

Berlin (AFP) – Iceland international Alfred Finnbogason set up one goal and scored another as Augsburg beat relegation-threatened Mainz 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Sunday. Michael Gregoritsch got the opener before Finnbogason sealed the win that ended any doubt Augsburg would remain in the top flight for next season. They are in the security of […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger decided to bring his 22-year reign as manager to a close to unite the club's frustrated fanbase, the Frenchman revealed after a 4-1 victory over West Ham was played out in a surprisingly subdued atmosphere at the Emirates on Sunday. Wenger, 68, had come under growing pressure to go by […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Rangers beat Hearts 2-1 in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday but face watching bitter rivals Celtic win the title in next week's Old Firm match unless they can turn around their miserable derby record. Goals from Jason Cummings and Daniel Candeias restored some belief after last weekend's 4-0 Scottish Cup semi-final drubbing […]

Rome (AFP) – Benevento's relegation from Serie A was confirmed on Sunday after just one year in Italy's top flight and less than 24 hours after an impressive 1-0 win at AC Milan. Crotone's 2-1 victory away to Udinese on Sunday condemned Benevento to an immediate return to the second division after they were left […]

Berlin (AFP) – Arjen Robben says Bayern Munich can ill afford to show Real Madrid any fear if they want to avoid a second-straight Champions League exit against the Spaniards. Bayern host Real at Munich's Allianz Arena in Wednesday's blockbuster semi-final, first leg, in a repeat of last year's quarter-final. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal responded to Arsene Wenger's decision to bring his 22-year reign as manager to a close at the end of the season by thumping West Ham 4-1 in a subdued atmosphere at the Emirates on Sunday. Wenger, 68, had come under growing pressure to go from disgruntled supporters having failed to win […]

Paris (AFP) – Brazilian superstar Neymar is expected back in Paris a month before the World Cup begins in Russia, French media reported on Sunday. Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar has been recovering in his homeland since undergoing surgery on a broken bone in his foot on March 3. He had been injured playing for PSG […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russia's World Cup preparations have been hit by an embezzlement probe involving the tournament's anti-discrimination chief Alexei Smertin. Moscow's RBK business news site reported on Sunday that the interior ministry was looking into a complaint filed by Premier League club Dynamo Moscow against its previous leadership. Dynamo believe at least 1.6 million […]

London (AFP) – Romelu Lukaku believes the current Manchester United squad can win next season's Premier League, blaming a lack of consistency rather than quality for their inability to challenge Manchester City this season. Jose Mourinho's men are on course to finish second in the Premier League after last season's sixth-place finish — their highest […]