Barcelona (AFP) – Lionel Messi scored what proved to be the winner as Barcelona beat Espanyol 2-0 to reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Thursday in a game that saw Philippe Coutinho make his long-awaited debut. Luis Suarez scored an early opener in the quarter-final second leg before Messi's deflected effort gave Barcelona a […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Philippe Coutinho made his long-awaited Barcelona debut when he came on as a second-half substitute in Thursday's Copa del Rey quarter-final second leg against city neighbours Espanyol at the Camp Nou. The 25-year-old Brazilian, signed for 160 million euros ($194 million) from Liverpool, had seen his debut delayed due to a thigh […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain defender Dani Alves has been handed a three-game ban by the French league (LFP) following his sending-off against Lyon last weekend. Alves was shown a straight red card early in the second half of PSG's 2-1 defeat in Lyon for dissent and the disciplinary committee of the LFP, meeting on […]

London (AFP) – England striker Jamie Vardy is in line to come up against one of his own academy 'graduates' when Leicester City face Peterborough United in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday. Vardy set up the V9 Academy two years ago in the hope of encouraging others to follow in his […]

London (AFP) – Southampton have signed Argentinian striker Guido Carrillo from French champions Monaco on a three-year deal, the English Premier League strugglers announced Thursday. The move sees Carrillo, 26, joining up again with Saints manager Mauricio Pellegrino, having previously played for his compatriot when they were both with Argentinian side Estudiantes. No fee was […]

Milan (AFP) – Injury-plagued Barcelona midfielder Rafinha said Thursday he was looking for a second chance at Inter Milan as he seeks to make his loan move to Italy permanent. The Brazil international was unveiled on the day Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario was poised to complete his move to West Ham on loan, with Brazilian […]

Doha (AFP) – They once played against each other in a World Cup final, but on Thursday night Wesley Sneijder and Xavi Hernandez met in the less grand surroundings of Qatar's domestic league. The clash — in a near-deserted stadium in a Doha suburb — between Sneijder's Al Gharafa and Xavi's Al Sadd was the […]

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan's Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa confirmed on Thursday he was returning to his boyhood club Santos on a 12-month loan after an unsuccessful loan stint at Benfica. "I have always been with you," said the 21-year-old Brazilian international as he returned on loan to the club which he joined as an […]

Brussels (AFP) – Former Chelsea and France winger Florent Malouda signed for Luxembourg club FC Differdange on Thursday. The 37-year-old has been living in the country for several months and Differdange, who were runners-up in the Luxembourg league last season, announced they had signed him on a six-month deal. "He was looking for a club […]

Madrid (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo tweeted his encouragement for his club and their fans on Thursday, hours after Real Madrid suffered a humiliating elimination by lowly Leganes in the Copa del Rey. "Courage team. Courage Madrid fans. We still have many battles to win," wrote Ronaldo in his official Twitter account. Accompanying the post was […]

London (AFP) – Gary Lineker has told Tottenham Hotspur they risk losing star striker Harry Kane if they fail to mount a credible challenge for major titles, saying the London club need to "decide what they are". Boyhood Tottenham fan Kane rose through the ranks at White Hart Lane and the 24-year-old has now scored […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho's problems may be taken up by Manchester City's bigger spending power but they pale into insignificance compared to those of his opposite number at minnows Yeovil in Friday's FA Cup fourth round clash. United — who may give Alexis Sanchez his debut after his lucrative move from […]

Rome (AFP) – Lazio have been fined 50,000 euros ($61,000) but avoided a stadium ban over posters created by their fans featuring Holocaust victim Anne Frank, the Italian football federation (FIGC) announced on Thursday. FIGC prosecutor Giuseppe Pecoraro had demanded a fine and two games be played behind closed doors after Lazio's infamous ultra fans […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho said Cristiano Ronaldo was the kind of player every manager would want in their squad amid speculation the Real Madrid forward could be on his way back to Old Trafford. The Portugal international, 32, has been linked with a return to Manchester United and Mourinho has stated previously […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho has signed a contract extension at Manchester United that will keep him at Old Trafford until at least 2020, the Premier League club announced on Thursday. Mourinho became the first United manager in history to win a major trophy in his first season when he secured the League Cup last […]