London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger refused to condemn Danny Welbeck after the striker was accused of diving to win the penalty that inspired Arsenal's 3-1 win over AC Milan in the Europa League on Thursday. After taking the first leg 2-0 in Milan last week, Wenger's side were in danger of blowing their lead when […]

London (AFP) – West Ham could be forced to play behind closed doors at their London Stadium home if there is a repeat of the shameful crowd trouble last weekend which saw four pitch invasions and club owners attacked. The London Stadium Safety Advisory Group (SAG) met on Thursday and agreed to increase the number […]

Paris (AFP) – Danny Welbeck's controversial penalty and a Gianluigi Donnarumma howler helped Arsenal beat AC Milan in the Europa League last 16 on Thursday 5-1 on aggregate, while Borussia Dortmund slumped to a shock exit at the hands of Salzburg. The 3-1 win on the night eases some of the pressure on Arsenal manager […]

London (AFP) – Danny Welbeck was accused of diving to win the penalty that inspired Arsenal to book their place into the Europa League quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over AC Milan on Thursday. After taking the first leg 2-0 in Milan last week, Arsene Wenger's side were in danger of blowing their lead when […]

Lyon (AFP) – Hooded fans of French side Lyon clashed with riot police on Thursday, leaving eight officers injured as more violence plagued the Europa League. Trouble started just before kick-off of the last-16 second leg tie at home to CSKA Moscow when between 100 and 150 fans squared up to police outside the stadium. […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – The joint North American bid for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday unveiled 23 cities that have been chosen as potential venues for the tournament as officials prepared to submit their bid book to FIFA. A statement from the United States-Canada-Mexico bid, which is seen as the front-runner for the expanded […]

Madrid (AFP) – Supporters of Marseille attacked and injured two security guards Thursday in Spain's northern city of Bilbao, police said, only three weeks after an officer died during an unrelated bout of football fan violence. A group of fans of the French team first attacked a guard at the San Mames stadium early in […]

Paris (AFP) – Usually more at home attempting to combat racism, violence and diving, UEFA on Thursday opened a new front when they charged Besiktas for allowing a stray cat to hold up a Champions League match. Europe's governing body said the Turkish club face action for fans throwing objects onto the pitch, blocked stairways […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has been accused of tax evasion and could face eight and a half years in prison, according to a judicial source. The former Spanish international is accused of three crimes of tax fraud between 2010 and 2012, for income related to the exploitation of […]

Paris (AFP) – Fernando Torres scored twice as Atletico Madrid romped to a 5-1 Europa League thrashing of Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia on Thursday to complete a resounding last-16 victory. Diego Simeone's side wrapped up an 8-1 win on aggregate to book a place in Friday's quarter-final draw. Leading 3-0 from last week's first leg, […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Ten people were placed in custody on Thursday as part of an investigation into last weekend's pitch invasion in Lille by angry home supporters, the public prosecutor's department said. They were detained over "entry to a sports area compromising the security of property and people" and for "inciting hate and/or violence […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Chelsea will send a report to UEFA after the club's fans clashed with stewards around Wednesday's Champions League last-16 defeat by Barcelona. Videos posted on social media show Chelsea supporters being hit by stewards with batons and forced backwards as they tried to enter and leave the Camp Nou. Barcelona beat Antonio […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has made up with Medhi Benatia despite ordering the player to "shut up" when his shirt was ripped off in a mid-match bust-up with Atalanta's Marten de Roon. The 30-year-old Benatia tussled with midfielder De Roon shortly after Blaise Matuidi added a second goal to Gonzalo Higuain's […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate insisted his side must learn to cope without star striker Harry Kane in case he should miss this summer's World Cup. Kane has been ruled out for England's friendlies later this month against the Netherlands and Italy due to an ankle ligament injury. Southgate is confident […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich received a boost on Thursday when Spain international Thiago Alcantara was given the all-clear after an injury scare in their Champions League win at Besiktas. The injury-prone midfielder scored Bayern's opening goal in Wednesday's 3-1 win in the last 16, second leg, in Istanbul, but was forced off on 35 […]