Shanghai (AFP) – The Chinese FA have told Super League side Henan Jianye to seek salvation from goals rather than the gods after Taoist priests performed an on-pitch ritual — and the team duly won at home for the first time in over three months. The CFA are investigating after fans of the club invited […]

Madrid (AFP) – It may lack a final lick of paint but "it appears like the Circus Maximus," crowed proud Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone at the special atmosphere already produced by his club's new Wanda Metropolitano home. The opening of the 68,000 capacity stadium marks heady days for a club that has traditionally lived […]

London (AFP) – West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis branded Alexis Sanchez a cheat after accusing the Arsenal star of diving to win a free kick in Monday's Premier League clash. Pulis was furious that Sanchez went unpunished after winning a first-half free kick on the edge of the Albion penalty area with a theatrical […]

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 […]

Moscow (AFP) – Trips to Russia have traditionally been seen as complicated assignments for English clubs, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan will have little trouble acclimatising when Manchester United visit CSKA Moscow this week. The speedy attacking midfielder was born in Yerevan in January 1989 when the Armenian capital was still part of the Soviet Union. He […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich play Paris Saint-Germain away in a blockbuster Champions League clash on Wednesday with the old 'FC Hollywood' nickname having returned to haunt the Bavarian giants. In the 1990s, Bayern earned the 'FC Hollywood' tag when the off-field antics of stars like Lothar Matthaeus and Jurgen Klinsmann made the headlines as […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger has criticised the gruelling schedule that forces Arsenal to play three games in the space of just seven days. Wenger's side eased to a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Monday thanks to Alexandre Lacazette's brace at the Emirates Stadium in London. But Wenger and […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Coach Maurizio Sarri believes Napoli have the resilience to bounce back from their damaging Champions League opening defeat on Tuesday against Dutch champions Feyenoord. The Italians fell 2-1 at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukraine in their Group F opener as Feyenoord suffered a 4-0 home defeat to Manchester City. "The team […]

London (AFP) – Alexandre Lacazette stole the spotlight from record breaker Gareth Barry as the Arsenal striker's double clinched a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion on Monday. Albion midfielder Barry broke Ryan Giggs' Premier League appearance record by playing in his 633rd game, but it was Lacazette who ended the night as the centre […]

London (AFP) – Gareth Barry broke Ryan Giggs' Premier League appearance record as the West Bromwich Albion midfielder played his 633rd game in Monday's clash against Arsenal. Barry was named Albion captain at the Emirates Stadium in honour of his milestone moment and received a warm reception from both Arsenal and West Brom fans before […]

Milan (AFP) – Spanish international Suso has extended his contract with AC Milan until June 30, 2022, the Serie A club confirmed on Monday. "We've been waiting for this day for a long time, all agreeing on the outcome. Now the contract has been signed, it's official," the team said in a statement. "Great news […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund will aim to maintain their unbeaten record at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday and spoil Cristiano Ronaldo's 150th European appearance. Dortmund and title holders Real meet in the group stage for the second year running. The teams drew both games 2-2 last season as the […]

Moscow (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp cut a tetchy figure during a slightly shambolic press conference in Moscow on Monday to preview his side's Champions League game against Spartak Moscow. Sound issues, some peculiar questions from local reporters and a confused interpreter made for a surreal atmosphere, but Klopp was also irritated by the questions […]

London (AFP) – The English Football Association on Monday gave chief executive Martin Glenn a vote of confidence over his handling of Mark Sampson's dismissal as England women's team manager. Sampson was sacked last week, a day after leading his team to a 6-0 win over Russia, for "inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour" in his previous […]

Paris (AFP) – Former football star and presidential hopeful George Weah on Monday called for change in Liberia and said he was confident ahead of next month's election in the west African nation. The first African player to win both FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or, Weah unsuccessfully ran as […]