Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde repeatedly batted away questions on the Catalonia crisis on Friday insisting it was not his role to enter the political fray. With Catalonia's regional parliament approving a declaration of independence dominating news Friday Valverde was preparing Barcelona for an away game at Athletic Bilbao in Spain's La Liga. […]

Kolkata (AFP) – FIFA's leadership refused Friday to intervene in a dispute between Israel and the Palestinians over football in the occupied territories, opening up a likely confrontation at the international sports tribunal. The world body's ruling council declined to adopt any of three possible actions recommended by an international commission which spent more than […]

London (AFP) – West Ham manager Slaven Bilic on Friday urged his players to use their morale-boosting League Cup victory against Tottenham to fire their Premier League campaign. The Hammers, who sit just above the drop zone following last Friday's dismal 3-0 home defeat to Brighton, travel to rock-bottom Crystal Palace on Saturday and Bilic […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is set to return to full training in the next seven to 10 days as he steps up his recovery from his latest injury, manager Pep Guardiola said Friday. The skipper has not played since suffering a calf problem while featuring for Belgium against Gibraltar […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham striker Harry Kane will miss Saturday's Premier League clash with title rivals Manchester United with a hamstring injury, manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed. The in-form 24-year-old left the field at Wembley holding his upper leg in the 87th minute after scoring twice in last weekend's 4-1 win against Liverpool. Spurs confirmed on […]

London (AFP) – British lawmaker Douglas Ross says he will no longer referee football matches while parliament is sitting — meaning his dream of officiating at next year's World Cup is over. The Scottish Conservative MP was criticised for missing a vote on welfare policy in the House of Commons earlier this month to help […]

London (AFP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic is targeting Premier League glory with Manchester United as he plots his return from a serious knee injury to "finish what I started". The 36-year-old former Sweden captain has been out of action since suffering cruciate ligament damage in a Europa League clash with Anderlecht in April. "I said I […]

London (AFP) – Premier League clubs risk the possibility of demotion and being prosecuted under the new Criminal Finance Act, a leading city firm told AFP. Under the new law, which came into force on September 30, any company, which includes football clubs, can be held responsible for their employees or agents with whom they […]

Madrid (AFP) – After watching Barcelona cope ably with the distraction of political tension sweeping across Spain in recent weeks, it is Real Madrid's turn to head into the eye of the storm on Sunday when they travel to Girona. It is the European champions' first trip to Catalonia since violence marred a separatist called […]

London (AFP) – Danny Drinkwater can build on his midweek Chelsea debut when Antonio Conte's side travel to face Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday. Drinkwater has endured a frustrating time since joining the Stamford Bridge club in the final moments of the transfer window following a £35 million ($46 million, 40 million euros) […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp is working on an improved display by Liverpool's defenders ahead of their match with a Huddersfield team coached by his close friend David Wagner in the Premier League at Anfield on Saturday. The two men face each other as opposing managers in a competitive game for the first time, having […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal look prepared to field Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette on Swansea on Saturday after the trio all scored against Everton last weekend. The 5-2 win in the Premier League on Merseyside doubled as the first time that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had played the three players in the same […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure hopes West Bromwich Albion will not erect a defensive brick wall when his side travel to The Hawthorns on Saturday. Premier League leaders City needed a penalty shootout to overcome Albion's Midlands neighbours Wolverhampton Wanderers in the fourth round of the League Cup on Tuesday […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Defeat is not an option for Jose Mourinho or Mauricio Pochettino as their teams seek to keep pace with leaders Manchester City in the Premier League title race. Mourinho's Manchester United and Pochettino's Tottenham Hotspur begin the weekend five points behind City as they face each other at Old Trafford […]

London (AFP) – David Wagner considers Jurgen Klopp to be a member of his family but on Saturday the former will set aside their close ties and hope his Huddersfield side beat Liverpool for the first time since 1959. Wagner's side arrive on a high after beating Manchester United for the first time since 1952 […]