Lisbon (AFP) – Spain's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Iker Casillas will be released by Porto at the end of the season as the cash-strapped Portuguese giants look to cut costs. Francisco Marques, the Porto spokesman told A Bola daily, that the former European champions need to slash the contracts of their best-paid players. "For example, Casillas's […]

London (AFP) – Bobby Reid scored three goals as Bristol City moved back up into a play-off place in England's second-tier Championship with a 4-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. This win took City into sixth position, with midfielder Reid scoring twice in the first half before firing in a third goal — his […]

London (AFP) – Son Heung-Min made his case to start Tottenham's crunch Champions League clash with Juventus on Wednesday by scoring twice to ensure a routine 2-0 win over Huddersfield at Wembley on Saturday. Victory saw Spurs leapfrog Liverpool, who host Newcastle later (1730GMT), into third in the Premier League, but more importantly open up […]

Madrid (AFP) – Sevilla kept alive their hopes of a top-four finish in La Liga by easing to a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. Two goals in five first-half minutes from Luis Muriel and Franco Vazquez were enough for Sevilla, who play Manchester United later this month in the second leg of the […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham cemented their place in the Premier League's top four as Son Heung-Min inspired a 2-0 win over Huddersfield, while Swansea improved their survival prospects with a 4-1 thrashing of West Ham on Saturday. Son put Tottenham ahead in the 27th minute at Wembley with his 14th goal of the season as […]

London (AFP) – Son Heung-Min struck twice as Tottenham Hotspur's challenge for Champions League football next season continued unabated with a routine 2-0 win over Huddersfield at Wembley on Saturday. Spurs leapfrog Liverpool, who host Newcastle later (1730GMT), into third in the Premier League, but more importantly open up a five-point lead over fifth-placed Chelsea […]

Berlin (AFP) – Schalke snatched snatched second spot in the Bundesliga from Borussia Dortmund on Saturday as Marko Pjaca enhanced his World Cup hopes by scoring in their 1-0 home win against Hertha Berlin. Pjaca, 22, is on loan from Juventus in his bid to win a World Cup place with Croatia after tearing his […]

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – Surgery on the broken right foot of Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar went successfully Saturday, officials said, leaving the planet's most expensive footballer in a race to recuperate before the World Cup. The operation, performed by Brazilian national team surgeon Rodrigo Lasmar, began early on Saturday morning in the […]

London (AFP) – Burnley ended an 11-match winless run in the Premier League as Chris Wood's late header sealed a 2-1 victory over Everton on Saturday. New Zealand striker Wood came on as a second-half substitute to bag his first goal since November with just 10 minutes remaining at Turf Moor. Sean Dyche's side last […]

Zurich (AFP) – Football's lawmakers on Saturday approved video assistant referee technology (VAR) for this summer's World Cup, in one of the biggest changes to the sport in years. The International Football Association Board (IFAB, meeting in Zurich, rubber-stamped a move already backed by FIFA's top brass, including president Gianni Infantino. "We came to […]

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar was to undergo surgery for a broken right foot Saturday, putting the planet's most expensive footballer out of action until the eve of the World Cup. The operation, performed by national team surgeon Rodrigo Lasmar, was expected early morning in the Mater Dei hospital […]

Zurich (AFP) – Football's law-making body on Saturday was set to approve the use of video assistant referee technology (VAR) at this summer's World Cup, overriding purists concerned about technology disrupting the game. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting in Zurich is widely expected to rubber-stamp the move already backed by FIFA's top brass, […]

Brighton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Arsene Wenger has grown used to defending himself in recent years but the Arsenal manager's grip on his position has never seemed less secure ahead of Sunday's clash with Brighton. A crushing 3-0 loss against Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday intensified the criticism directed at Wenger and […]

Belo Horizonte (Brazil) (AFP) – Brazilian superstar Neymar arrived in hospital Friday for an operation to mend the broken bone in his right foot that has ended his season at Paris Saint-Germain and overshadowed Brazil's World Cup preparations. The world's most expensive football player landed late in the evening at Belo Horizonte's airport, then immediately […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Premier League champions Chelsea travel to Manchester City on Sunday 22 points adrift of the side destined to take their crown and fighting just to salvage a place in the top four. Antonio Conte's men could be five points adrift of the Champions League places by the time they kick-off […]