Barcelona (AFP) – Prosecutors in Barcelona say they are not against replacing football star Lionel Messi's 21-month jail sentence for tax fraud with a fine, a spokeswoman announced Friday. They said they were willing to give the 29-year-old a fine of 400 euros ($450) a day for the duration of the sentence — an option […]

Kazan (Russia) (AFP) – Alexis Sanchez refused to be drawn on his Arsenal future after becoming Chile's all-time top-scorer in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Germany at the Confederations Cup. The Gunners' star, voted man of the match, became Chile's all-time top-scorer with his 38th international goal after capitalising on an early mistake in the German […]

Kazan (Russia) (AFP) – Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez became Chile's all-time top-scorer with his 38th international goal in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Germany at the Confederations Cup. The Gunners' star, the man of the match, wrote himself into the record books by capitalising on an early mistake in the German defence. "I'm very happy to be […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool on Thursday completed the signing of Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah from AS Roma for a fee reported to be 39 million euros ($43.5 million). The 25-year-old agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League giants. Salah, who has also played for Basel, Chelsea and Fiorentina, has been capped 52 times, scoring […]

Paris (AFP) – Bastia were condemned to the third division by French football's financial watchdog on Thursday, just over a month after the club was relegated from Ligue 1 after finishing rock bottom. The DNCG gave no reason for the decision, but Bastia released a brief statement saying it was a "provisional relegation" and that […]

Asuncion (AFP) – Fans of Paraguayan football club Cerro Porteno have taken up tools to help build a new stadium for their beloved team in a project seeking to destigmatize hardcore supporters' groups. "I'm not doing it for the money. I just want my name to be recorded as a Cerro fan who built the […]

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Australia captain Mark Milligan converted a second-half penalty in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Cameroon in Saint Petersburg that left both teams heading for an early Confederations Cup exit. Cameroon midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa scored with a superb flick on the stroke of half-time, but Milligan slotted home a spot-kick on 60 […]

Doha (AFP) – An initial investigation into a British worker's death at a Qatar World Cup stadium has raised concerns over the construction of the high platform from which he fell. Zac Cox, a rope-access technician, plunged 39 metres (128 feet) to his death in January this year while working on a catwalk at Khalifa […]

Nice (France) (AFP) – Italian international striker Mario Balotelli is determined to stay at Ligue 1 outfit Nice next season, club president Jean-Pierre Rivere revealed on Thursday. "I can tell you three things – one, he's a player who wants to continue with us; two, he's ready to make a financial effort; three, discussions are […]

Montpellier (France) (AFP) – Montpellier forward Steve Mounie is expected to sign for newly-promoted Premier League club Huddersfield Town this week, according to a source close to the French club. The 22-year-old Benin international, who scored 14 goals in Ligue 1 last season, will have a medical before the two clubs officially confirm the move […]

London (AFP) – Leading English bookmaker Ladbrokes saw their four-year sponsorship deal with the English Football Association (FA) terminated after just a year on Thursday. FA Chairman Greg Clarke thinks it is incompatible for his body to preach about enforcing severe anti-gambling laws — no player, coach or indeed club staff are allowed to place […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Frenchman Paul Le Guen was on Thursday officially appointed coach of Turkish top flight club Bursaspor on a two-year deal. Bursaspor — who last won the Turkish league title in 2010 — finished 15th last season only avoiding relegation by two points. The 53-year-old Le Guen said he was looking at bringing […]

Marseille (AFP) – Monaco's French forward Valere Germain is set to follow in his father's footsteps and play for Marseille next season, former defender Bruno Germain said Thursday. "It's Valere's choice. He made the decision a while ago to join OM," Germain Snr, a defender with Marseille during the club's golden era in the 1990s, […]

Moscow (AFP) – Portugal left-back Raphael Guerreiro will miss the rest of the Confederations Cup after revealing on Thursday that he has been playing with a fractured leg for months. The Borussia Dortmund defender had to be helped off in the second-half of Wednesday's 1-0 win over Russia in Moscow when Cristiano Ronaldo scored the […]

Seoul (AFP) – Carlos Queiroz was once Alex Ferguson's formidable number two at Manchester United, but he has now carved out a new reputation: the man who can take your team to the World Cup. After Queiroz's Iran became only the second team to qualify for Russia 2018, he is savouring the unique feat of […]