Paris (AFP) – Branislav Ivanovic starred as Zenit St Petersburg knocked Celtic out of the Europa League on Thursday by overturning a first-leg deficit in the last 32 with a 3-0 victory in Russia, while RB Leipzig held off a late Napoli comeback. Celtic have now failed to reach the last 16 of a European […]

Milan (AFP) – Teenager Yann Karamoh is one of a dwindling breed of up-and-coming French players who want to further their careers in Serie A, his agent claimed on Thursday. The 19-year-old Ivorian-born French striker joined Inter Milan last summer from Caen and scored his first goal two weeks ago to break the Italian club's […]

Madrid (AFP) – Veteran Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari was Thursday handed the chance to ride to the rescue of relegation-haunted Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna when he penned a deal until the end of the season. The 33-year-old former AC Milan and Inter Milan star, a free agent, had been training with Deportivo and did […]

Paris (AFP) – As the stakes mounted in the Champions League, the usual suspects once more rose to the occasion with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski starring in the last 16, first legs. Season after season, these preeminent performers deliver on the biggest stages and administer severe punishment to striving title contenders — […]

Doha (AFP) – Desert country Qatar will plant at least 16,000 trees in a bid to "beautify" its eight planned 2022 World Cup stadiums, tournament organisers said on Thursday. The trees, a mixture of local specimens and other varieties imported from China, Spain and Thailand, will be grown in a vast nursery outside capital city […]

London (AFP) – Wayne Rooney says he chose the "pressure" of returning to boyhood club Everton over a massive payday in China when he left Manchester United. The former England captain was linked with a move to the Far East in the final months of his career at Old Trafford but eventually decided on an […]

Berlin (AFP) – German police on Thursday said they have arrested a Russian football hooligan wanted for the "attempted homicide" of an England supporter in Euro 2016 fan violence, that Russian President Vladimir Putin had sought to play down. Police said they detained the wanted man on his arrival at Munich airport en route to […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho left Spain with a precious clean sheet but few admirers after an uninspiring 0-0 Champions League draw with Sevilla that featured a limp attacking display. It could have been a bleak night for Mourinho and United but for the heroics of goalkeeper David de Gea, who produced […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco is negotiating an exit to China, the president of the Spanish club, Enrique Cerezo, said on Thursday morning. Spanish media reported that the 24-year old Belgian, who has appeared in 17 league games this season but only started eight, was aiming to move to Dalian Yifang for […]

Najaf (Iraq) (AFP) – Iraq hopes that hosting Gulf football friendlies, renovating its stadiums and outlawing weapons at matches will have persuaded FIFA to lift a ban on home competitive internationals, its sports minister said. The country has not played full internationals on home turf for almost three decades, ever since its 1990 invasion of Kuwait […]

Kharkiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Shakhtar Donetsk fought back from a goal down as Fred's free-kick gave the Ukrainians a 2-1 victory over Roma on Wednesday in their Champions League last 16, first leg. Turkish youngster Cengiz Under marked his Champions League debut for Roma with a well-taken 41st-minute opener after latching onto Edin Dzeko's clever […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho described Scott McTominay as "fantastic" in response to his decision to select the young midfielder ahead of Paul Pogba for Wednesday's Champions League last 16, first-leg draw with Sevilla. Pogba had been left out of the starting line-up for the goalless draw with Mourinho apparently unhappy after the French […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Chain-smoking Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri expressed his gratitude to RB Leipzig bosses for building a room where he can puff away on Thursday as his team attempt to overturn a 3-1 deficit in their Europa League tie. Serie A leaders Napoli — dropped into the second-tier European competition after their Champions […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – David de Gea deflected the attention away from Paul Pogba with another spectacular display of goalkeeping as Manchester United came away from their Champions League last 16, first leg against Sevilla in Spain with a 0-0 draw on Wednesday. De Gea made two breathtaking saves to deny Steven N'Zonzi and Luis […]

Kharkiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Shakhtar Donetsk fought back from a goal down as Fred's free-kick gave the Ukrainian champions a 2-1 victory over Roma on Wednesday in their Champions League last 16, first leg. Turkish youngster Cengiz Under marked his Champions League debut for Roma with a well-taken 41st-minute opener. But second-half strikes from Facundo […]