Berlin (AFP) – Thomas Mueller scored the decisive goal as Bayern Munich fought to a 2-1 victory over rivals Borussia Dortmund to reach the German Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. Goals from Jerome Boateng and Mueller gave Bayern a comfortable lead before half-time, but Andriy Yarmolenko's second-half header made it a nervy last 15 minutes for […]

London (AFP) – Swansea City on Wednesday sacked manager Paul Clement as the Premier League's bottom club desperately search for way out of their relegation mire. As the season approaches the halfway point, the Welsh side are already four points adrift of safety following Monday's 3-1 defeat at Everton, with just three wins in their […]

Saint-Étienne (France) (AFP) – Saint-Etienne named assistant Jean-Louis Gasset as their new head coach on Wednesday to replace Julien Sable, who did not hold the required qualifications to coach in Ligue 1. Sable took charge when Oscar Garcia was sacked last month, but Les Verts have been fined 25,000 ($29,697) for every game played with […]

Paris (AFP) – Peru captain Paolo Guerrero has had his one-year drugs ban reduced to six months, FIFA said in a statement sent to AFP on Wednesday, allowing him to play at next year's World Cup. "The FIFA Appeal Committee after taking into account all the circumstances of the case, in particular the degree of […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Brazilian former international star turned senator Romario said Wednesday he wants to run for the presidency of the country's corruption-tainted football governing body. Romario, a striker in the 1994 World Cup winning side, said he wants to clean up the Confederation of Brazilian Football (CBF) after FIFA's suspension of the […]

London (AFP) – Batsman Ben Duckett has been left out of the England Lions squad to tour the West Indies after pouring a drink over James Anderson in a Perth bar. Batsman Duckett, 23, had already been fined and suspended from Lions' matches on the Australia tour after the late-night incident ahead of the third […]

Hong Kong (AFP) – Hong Kong have been fined $3,000 after fans jeered the Chinese national anthem during an Asia Cup match last month, the third time they have been punished for booing. Fans have taken to booing the anthem as concerns grow that semi-autonomous Hong Kong's freedoms are under threat from Beijing. Despite appeals […]

Madrid (AFP) – Often symbolised as pitting the pride of Catalonia against Spain's capital, the 'El Clasico' between Barcelona and Real Madrid is a match laced with political and social as much as sporting tension. Even more so this week when the sides face off in Madrid on Saturday lunchtime just over 36 hours after […]

London (AFP) – A much-changed Manchester City held off a spirited challenge from Leicester on Tuesday to reach the League Cup semi-finals following a dramatic penalty shootout, as Arsenal also progressed. Pep Guardiola showcased the riches at his disposal by making nine changes as his runaway Premier League leaders held their nerve to edge through […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano is set to move to Chinese side Hebei China Fortune in January for 10 million euros ($11.8 million), Barcelona-based daily Sport reported on Tuesday. Mascherano, 33, has made just 10 appearances in all competitions this season as he has fallen down the pecking order under new coach Ernesto […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Atletico Madrid are due to sell their one third stake in French club Lens, the Ligue 2 outfit's majority owners announced on Tuesday. Luxemburger company Solferino is to buy the 34.6 percent share of the 2002 French champions currently held by La Liga giants Atletico and become Lens' sole owners. Solferino […]

Porto Feliz (Brazil) (AFP) – Arriving in Brazil, Chinese footballer Long Yushuo took on the more easily pronounced name Thomas, but it's the locals' skills with the ball that he's really hoping to adopt. Thomas, 16, is one of a squad of youth players from Chinese team Shandong Luneng dispatched to polish their game at […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Former Australia coach Ange Postecoglou, who quit last month after guiding the Socceroos to the World Cup, will manage Yokohama F-Marinos in Japan next season, the club announced Tuesday. Greek-born Postecoglou will replace French coach Erick Mombaerts, who said in early November he would be leaving the J-League club at the end […]

Madrid (AFP) – For the first time, Spanish football's showpiece event, El Clasico between giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, has been scheduled for a lunchtime kick-off (1200GMT) on Saturday as La Liga seeks to capture Asia's attention and its cash. "We are keen to provide our fans in Asia the opportunity to watch Real Madrid […]

Berlin (AFP) – New Borussia Dortmund coach Peter Stoeger has his sights set on glory as his team prepares for a heavyweight round of 16 German Cup tie with Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Cup holders Dortmund have won two games in two since Stoeger took over from Peter Bosz earlier this month, rediscovering their winning […]