Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus shook off a leg injury to start up front alongside Erling Braut Haaland in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, second leg at home to Manchester City. Reus, who scored in the 2-1 first-leg defeat in Manchester, was declared fit to make his 50th Champions League appearance after […]

Rome (AFP) – Euro 2020 will kick-off as scheduled on June 11 in Rome after European football's governing body UEFA on Wednesday "fully confirmed" the Italian capital after receiving guarantees that fans would be present in the Stadio Olimpico. Rome was one of four of the 12 host cites in the pan-European tournament threatened with […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once again left Thiago Alcantara on the bench as the English champions aim to turn around a 3-1 first leg deficit against Real Madrid to reach the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday. Thiago was introduced after just 42 minutes in the Spanish capital last week as Klopp's bold […]

Paris (AFP) – Rangers said Glen Kamara had been vindicated after UEFA banned Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela for 10 European matches on Wednesday for racially abusing the Finnish midfielder in a Europa League match. Kamara has been suspended for three matches in UEFA club competitions for an "assault" on Kudela that reportedly took place […]

Rome (AFP) – Rome's Stadio Olimpico has been "fully confirmed" as a venue for Euro 2020 matches after the Italian government guaranteed the presence of at least 25 percent of fans, UEFA announced on Wednesday. Rome was one of four of the 12 host cites threatened with having its matches removed because it could not […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA on Wednesday banned Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela for 10 European matches for club and country for racist behaviour after he clashed with Rangers' Glen Kamara in a Europa League match. Finland's Kamara has been suspended for three matches in UEFA competitions for his role in the incident during the round […]

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made the bizarre claim that Manchester United's inconsistent home form can be blamed on the red stadium wrap at Old Trafford. In contrast to their sparkling away form, United's four Premier League defeats this season have all come at home. They also lost at Old Trafford against Paris […]

London (AFP) – Chris Wilder said on Wednesday coronavirus restrictions banning supporters from football grounds had hurt Sheffield United as he reflected on his time in charge of the Premier League strugglers. Wilder, a lifelong Blades fan, was sacked last month with the club bottom of the English top-flight. Yet they were in third-tier League […]

London (AFP) – Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal's under-performing stars to save the club's season in the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Slavia Prague on Thursday. Arteta's side have no margin for error after being held to a 1-1 draw by Slavia in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners, languishing in […]

Abuja (AFP) – Nigeria captain and former Leicester attacker Ahmed Musa has rejoined former club Kano Pillars in his home country on a short-term deal, the team said on Wednesday. The Pillars said in a statement free agent Ahmed Musa has agreed a contract until the end of the Nigerian league season in June. "Ahmed […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea will discover their Champions League semi-final opponents on Wednesday as Liverpool host Real Madrid and Manchester City go to Borussia Dortmund in the remaining last-eight second legs. PSG claimed their biggest Champions League scalp since they came under Qatari ownership as they ousted the holders Bayern Munich on […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is still unsure if captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Martin Odegaard will be fit for Thursday's Europa League quarter-final second leg away to Slavia Prague. Aubameyang and Odegaard, who is on loan from Real Madrid, missed training Tuesday because of illness and an ankle injury respectively. Arsenal were due […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick admits he is considering his future after the holders were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern's 1-0 return-leg win in Paris on Tuesday was not enough to overturn last week's 3-2 first-leg defeat in Munich as PSG marched into the semi-finals at […]

Suzhou (China) (AFP) – Wang Shuang was locked down and left kicking a ball on a rooftop in the coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan when China's women's football team began their Olympic qualification campaign 14 months ago. But the midfielder was hailed as the saviour of Chinese football after hitting a classy winner in extra time […]

Paris (AFP) – Roma are hoping to reach the semi-finals of a European competition for the second time in four seasons as they host continental heavyweights Ajax, while Arsenal hope to avoid humiliation at the hands of Slavia Prague and Manchester United look set for the last four. AFP Sport looks ahead to the second […]