Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Centre-back Giorgio Chiellini said it will take the entire Juventus team to stop Tottenham striker Harry Kane in Tuesday's Champions League last 16 first leg clash in Turin. Mauricio Pochettino's side have been in fine form in the Premier League recently, taking seven points from matches against Manchester United, Liverpool and […]

Madrid (AFP) – Clarence Seedorf's reign as coach of Deportivo La Coruna began with a 1-0 defeat at home to Real Betis on Monday that left his new club firmly in the relegation zone in La Liga. The former Dutch international midfielder, 41, was appointed by the Galician side on a deal until the end […]

London (AFP) – Eden Hazard's double eased the mounting pressure on Chelsea manager Antonio Conte as the English champions bounced back to winning ways and moved into the Premier League top four with a 3-0 win over rock bottom West Brom on Monday. Three-goal defeats at the hands of Bournemouth and Watford saw odds slashed […]

Doha (AFP) – Midfielder Karim Boudiaf struck twice in two minutes to help Qatar's Al Duhail beat Iran's Zobahan 3-1 in their AFC Champions League debut on Monday. Al Duhail, who were formed last year following the merger of top sides Lekhwiya and El Jaish, suffered an early shock when Brazilian Kiros Stanley fired the […]

Basel (Switzerland) (AFP) – Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany insisted on Monday that the "time is now" for his team to make a serious mark in Europe, but brushed off talk of winning a quadruple this season. Runaway Premier League leaders City face Basel at St. Jakob-Park on Tuesday in their last 16, first-leg, Champions […]

Paris (AFP) – Premier League leaders Manchester City have the most expensive squad in history, according to a report published on Monday by the Swiss-based CIES Football Observatory. The research values Pep Guardiola's squad at 878 million euros ($1.08 billion), with Paris Saint-Germain second on 805 million euros, after a January transfer window in which […]

Basel (Switzerland) (AFP) – Basel coach Raphael Wicky is planning another upset against Manchester City in Tuesday's Champions League last 16 first leg, after shocking Manchester United in this season's group stage. Jose Mourinho's United suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat at Basel's Sankt Jakob Park in November but still finished as Group A winners with […]

Paris (AFP) – French football authorities told AFP on Monday they are looking into allegations by Nice forward Mario Balotelli that he "heard monkey chants directed at him" during a defeat at Dijon on Saturday. The French League (LFP) told AFP "the case will be studied on Thursday by the disciplinary commission" but added that […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano stadium will host this season's Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Sevilla, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Monday. The 68,000-seat stadium, which was opened at the start of this season, will stage the game on Saturday, April 21. The decision means that Atletico's home game […]

London (AFP) – Phil Jones said Manchester United were "not good enough" in their 1-0 loss away to relegation-threatened Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday. Matt Ritchie's goal proved the difference at St James' Park, with Jose Mourinho's visitors unable to match the commitment of Rafael Benitez's men. Despite the defeat United remained second […]

Paris (AFP) – Prolific Egyptian Mohamed Salah scored again and Ivorian teenager Yann Karamoh made a dream first Serie A start in the major European leagues at the weekend. Salah raised his season total for Liverpool to 29 in all competitions by notching the second goal in a 2-0 English Premier League win at […]

Madrid (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that Real Madrid's season is now effectively all about their looming Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain as the Spanish giants trail off the pace in La Liga. "The tie...is one that could define the whole season," the Portuguese forward told Real's website after picking up a prize […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Napoli stamped their authority on the Serie A title race with a 4-1 thumping of Lazio to maintain their one-point lead on champions Juventus who beat Fiorentina 2-0. Inter Milan got their first win in two months, 2-1 over Bologna, to return to the podium, ahead of Roma who beat Benevento […]

London (AFP) – Toby Alderweireld's time at Tottenham Hotspur could be coming to an end following British media reports on Monday he had not travelled to Italy for the club's Champions League tie away to Juventus. The Belgian defender's current contract with the Premier League side expires at the end of the season and he has […]

Hong Kong (AFP) – Guangzhou Evergrande coach Fabio Cannavaro and Shanghai SIPG's record signing Oscar will spearhead a four-pronged Chinese assault when the 2018 AFC Champions League group phase begins this week. Evergrande, Asian champions in 2013 and 2015, have Cannavaro back at the helm for the second time and open their campaign at home […]