Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain defender Layvin Kurzawa retained his place in the France squad on Thursday for next month's 2018 World Cup qualifiers despite a video of him criticising national coach Didier Deschamps. Kurzawa was the recent victim of a blackmail plot involving a video of the 25-year-old mocking Deschamps, although the footage has […]

Berlin (AFP) – Five-time European champions Bayern Munich must draw the consequences from their "very painful" 3-0 Champions league defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, according to the German club's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Coach Carlo Ancelotti could even find himself out of a job, according to German press, after Bayern bosses were summoned to a crisis meeting […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Gonzalo Higuain said he was relishing proving the doubters wrong after coming off the bench to inspire Juventus to a 2-0 Champions League win over Olympiakos in Turin. The 29-year-old roared towards the jubilant home fans in delight, pumped his chest triumphantly and threw his jersey into the crowd in the […]

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – North Korea's Asian Cup football qualifier with Malaysia was postponed for a third time on Thursday after Malaysia imposed a ban on travel to the country, citing rising nuclear tensions on the Korean peninsula. Next week's game in Pyongyang had already twice been delayed following a row over the assassination of […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Ambitious Turkish top flight side Antalyaspor, which boasts a star-studded line up including Samuel Eto'o and Samir Nasri, on Thursday named Brazilian Leonardo as its new manager. "Following talks, our club has signed a two-year agreement with Leonardo," Antalyaspor said in a statement without giving financial details. Leonardo, who has previously been […]

Paris (AFP) – Kylian Mbappe was singled out for praise despite being the only member of Paris Saint-Germain's superstar attack who didn't score in Wednesday's big Champions League win over German giants Bayern Munich. Dani Alves, Edinson Cavani and Neymar netted as PSG eased to a 3-0 victory at Parc des Princes to make it […]

Madrid (AFP) – Chelsea boss Antonio Conte blasted Premier League schedulers over his side's short turnaround from Champions League action before facing high-flying Manchester City in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday. Conte's men put in a brilliant performance to inflict only Atletico Madrid's second Champions League defeat on home soil in 24 games on Wednesday, […]

Moscow (AFP) – Jose Mourinho backed Romelu Lukaku to ignore the hype about his superb start at Manchester United after the Belgian's brace set up a 4-1 victory over CSKA Moscow. Lukaku, 24, scored twice at the VEB Arena on Wednesday to take his tally to 10 goals in his first nine United games and […]

Paris (AFP) – Edinson Cavani and Neymar both scored as Paris Saint-Germain claimed a convincing 3-0 victory over a disappointing Bayern Munich in their heavyweight Champions League clash in the French capital on Wednesday. PSG got off to a dream start as their other Brazilian summer signing Dani Alves gave them the lead inside 90 […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Gonzalo Higuain got Juventus's Champions League campaign off the mark coming on a substitute to lift last year's finalists to a 2-0 Group D win over Olympiakos on Wednesday. Massimiliano Allegri's side needed to reignite their European campaign after falling 3-0 to Barcelona in Spain two weeks ago. And Higuain hit […]

Madrid (AFP) – Michy Batshuayi struck a dramatic winner with the last kick of the game as Chelsea inflicted Atletico Madrid's first defeat at their new Wanda Metropolitano home on Wednesday with a hugely impressive 2-1 Champions League victory. Substitute Batshuayi's late intervention was just rewards for a dominant Chelsea display despite falling behind to […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Sebastian Coates scored an unfortunate second-half own goal to gift Barcelona a 1-0 victory away to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Uruguayan centre-back unwittingly deflected a Lionel Messi free-kick into his own net on 49 minutes to hand the Spaniards a second successive win to start Group D. […]

Paris (AFP) – Neymar starred as Paris Saint-Germain sent out a statement of intent with an impressive 3-0 Champions League victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, while Michy Batshuayi grabbed an injury-time winner as Chelsea won 2-1 at Atletico Madrid. It took PSG less than two minutes to break the deadlock in the Group B […]

London (AFP) – Moeen Ali again proved England's hero with the bat as they beat West Indies by six runs in a rain-marred fourth one-day international at The Oval to go an unbeatable 3-0 up with one to play in the series. England, without Ben Stokes after he was dropped following his arrest, were on […]

Moscow (AFP) – Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial put CSKA Moscow to the sword as Manchester United took control of Champions League Group A with a ruthless 4-1 win on Wednesday. Lukaku scored twice at Moscow's VEB Arena, taking his United tally to 10 goals in nine games, with Martial setting him up twice and […]