Madrid (AFP) – Antonio Conte called on Premier League champions Chelsea to take the step up and prove they can be contenders in the Champions League when they face a daunting trip to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. Chelsea made a perfect start on their return to European football's premier club competition after a year's absence, […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – New Olympiakos coach Takis Lemonis conceded he faces a baptism of fire against last year's finalists Juventus in Wednesday's Champions League Group D clash in Turin just two days after his appointment. Lemonis has returned to coach Olympiakos for the fourth time, replacing Albanian Besnik Hasi who was sacked Monday after […]

Paris (AFP) – Neymar is set to return after a minor injury as Paris Saint-Germain aim to lay down a marker in Europe by getting the better of Bayern Munich in their heavyweight Champions League encounter on Wednesday. The world's most expensive player trained on Tuesday after missing the French giants' weekend draw with Montpellier […]

London (AFP) – Watford midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah is set to have surgery on a knee injury he suffered in training last week. Chalobah had impressed for the Premier League club since his close-season move from Chelsea. However, Watford performance director Gavin Benjafield confirmed the 22-year-old, who was called into the England squad for their previous […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich take great pride in their conservative spending policy and have vocally criticised Wednesday's big-spending Champions League opponents Paris Saint-Germain, yet both clubs profit from Qatari investors. On the eve of the key European game at Paris' Parc de Princes, Bayern president Uli Hoenesss said the Germans would never follow the […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery believes it reflects well on his team that Europe's traditional powerhouses now see the French club as "enemies" after their unprecedented close-season spending spree. PSG spent a world-record 222 million euros ($264 million) to sign Neymar from Barcelona and also welcomed Kylian Mbappe from Monaco on an […]

Moscow (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he hopes Marouane Fellaini is not missed after the Belgian midfielder was ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow through injury. Fellaini did not travel for the Group A game in Moscow after being caught on the back of his ankle by Shane […]

Moscow (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has encouraged his players to remain "humble" as they look to take control of Champions League Group A by beating CSKA Moscow on Wednesday. United are level on points with leaders Manchester City in the Premier League after winning five and drawing one of their first six […]

London (AFP) – Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd, a pivotal figure in the club's 1990s success, has died aged 76, his family announced on Tuesday. Shepherd was Newcastle chairman for 10 years from 1997 and eventually sold his share of the club to current owner Mike Ashley. "Freddy Shepherd sadly passed away peacefully at his […]

Dublin (AFP) – Aston Villa's Scott Hogan and Millwall's Aiden O'Brien received their first call-ups by the Republic of Ireland ahead of their decisive World Cup qualifiers. Martin O'Neill's side face Moldova and Wales in their last two Group D games next month as they look to keep their hopes of reaching Russia next year […]

Paris (AFP) – Neymar's arrival may have taken some of the focus away from the role played by Marco Verratti at Paris Saint-Germain, but Carlo Ancelotti is fully aware of the midfielder's importance in the French capital. Ancelotti takes his Bayern Munich side to the Parc des Princes for one of the heavyweight encounters of […]

Berlin (AFP) – Arjen Robben has poked fun at big-spending Paris Saint-Germain on the eve of Bayern Munich's key Champions League away match in the French capital. With Anderlecht and Celtic also in the pool, the PSG-Bayern clash at Paris' Parc de Princes on Wednesday could well decide the winner of Group B. "Paris have […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Shanghai SIPG coach Andre Villas-Boas escaped a touchline ban and was instead fined $14,000 on Tuesday over his "offensive" comments during the AFC Champions League quarter-finals, the Asian Football Confederation said. The Portuguese brought the game into disrepute, the AFC ruled, but stopped short of banning him for Wednesday's semi-final first leg […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Juventus's deadliest weapon Paulo Dybala warned "everything is going my way" as the rising Argentine star turns his focus to Wednesday's Champions League clash with Greek champions Olympiakos. Long hailed as the heir to national teammate Lionel Messi, the 23-year-old is one of the leading strikers in domestic league action across […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Shanghai SIPG coach Andre Villas-Boas has been fined $14,000 over his "offensive" comments during the AFC Champions League quarter-finals, the Asian Football Confederation said on Tuesday. The Portuguese coach, who will be on the bench for Wednesday's semi-final first leg at home against Urawa Red Diamonds, brought the game into disrepute, the […]