Basel (Switzerland) (AFP) – Ilkay Gundogan says there is still more to come from Manchester City after their "perfect" 4-0 rout of Basel left them on the verge of the Champions League quarter-finals. The runaway Premier League leaders destroyed Basel's morale with a three-goal burst after just 23 minutes of the first leg last-16 mismatch. […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen pulled Tottenham back from the brink to hold Juventus 2-2 in Turin, spoiling what had looked set to be a Gonzalo Higuain one-man show in the Champions League last 16, first leg in Turin on Tuesday. Higuain had put Juventus — finalists twice in the past […]

Basel (Switzerland) (AFP) – Ilkay Gundogan dazzled with two goals in Manchester City's 4-0 romp at FC Basel on Tuesday to leave the Premier League leaders on the verge of the Champions League quarter-finals. Pep Guardiola's side effectively settled the last 16 tie after just 23 minutes by racing into a 3-0 lead at Basel's […]

Porto (Portugal) (AFP) – Forward Roberto Firmino has vowed that Liverpool's deadly strikeforce will make Porto suffer when they meet in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday. Jurgen Klopp's side were rampant on the way to winning their group, scoring 23 goals with Firmino scoring six and Mohamed Salah five. Although Philippe […]

Madrid (AFP) – Neymar has not been affected by the rumours linking him with a move to Real Madrid, his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Marquinhos insisted ahead of the sides' Champions League showdown. "I don't see him as being destabilised. He knows very well how to control his emotions. He handles the pressure and responds on […]

London (AFP) – Gary Cahill said he was "devastated" after Hull City and England midfielder Ryan Mason announced his retirement from football on Tuesday after failing to recover from a fractured skull caused by their accidental clash of heads. The 26-year-old was involved in a sickening collision of with Chelsea defender Cahill at Stamford Bridge […]

London (AFP) – The rights to show English Premier League matches domestically were sold Tuesday for £4.46 billion ($6.43 billion, 5.21 billion euros), with two live packages still to be sold. Although the deal for 2019-2022 is down on the previous agreement, it still confirms the Premier League as the biggest moneyspinner in the European […]

Madrid (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery believes his side can benefit from the memory of last year's stinging defeat to Barcelona when they take on Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday. "Perhaps our preparation began with that match. We have not talked about it a lot but we have spoken very […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Gonzalo Higuain will lead Juventus' attack in their Champions League last 16, first-leg clash against Harry Kane's Tottenham Hotspur in Turin on Tuesday. Massimiliano Allegri returned to a 4-2-3-1 formation in the absence of Blaise Matuidi with Douglas Costa between winger Federico Bernardeschi on the right and Mario Mandzukic on the […]

Seoul (AFP) – Big-name strikers such as Hulk and Alexandre Pato may have drawn a blank as the AFC Champions League last-32 group phase got underway but their Chinese Super League teams kicked off with vital victories on Tuesday. Tianjin Quanjian, making a first appearance in the tournament in which 32 teams are divided into […]

London (AFP) – Former youth football coach Barry Bennell was found guilty of multiple counts of child sexual abuse on Tuesday, triggering tears from those who accused him of assaulting them as youngsters. Bennell, 64, who coached at Crewe Alexandra and scouted for Manchester City, was found guilty on 36 counts involving 10 child victims […]

Asuncion (AFP) – Nacional de Montevideo have received a three-match no-fan ban after some of their supporters mocked Chapecoense over the plane crash that wiped out most of the Brazilian club's squad in 2016. The South American football confederation (Conmebol) made the ruling Tuesday after Nacional fans sang songs and made gestures at Chapecoense's stadium during […]

London (AFP) – Former youth coach Barry Bennell was found guilty of multiple counts of child sexual abuse on Tuesday in a case that rocked English football, triggering hundreds of revelations. Bennell, 64, a former coach at Crewe Alexandra who was also associated with Manchester City, is being tried on 48 counts of abuse between […]

Berlin (AFP) – Hans-Joachim Watzke, who helped save Borussia Dortmund from bankruptcy in 2005 and put the Bundesliga club on the road to rude financial health, has extended his stay as chief executive until 2022, it was announced Tuesday. Watzke, 58, has signed a four-year extension alongside Thomas Tress, Dortmund's chief financial officer. "Borussia Dortmund's […]

Madrid (AFP) – Zinedine Zidane is hoping the Champions League will again bring out the best in Real Madrid as the title-holders prepare to face the formidable Paris Saint-Germain of Neymar in Wednesday's last 16, first leg. Real are floundering in La Liga this season, sitting in fourth place, 17 points adrift of leaders Barcelona. […]