London (AFP) – Kevin De Bruyne has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Manchester City until 2025, the Premier League club announced on Wednesday. The Belgium international, whose existing deal was due to expire in 2023, is 30 in June and now looks set to see out most of the remainder […]

Shanghai (AFP) – After repeated postponements stretching back more than a year because of the coronavirus, South Korea and China's women's football teams will finally meet Thursday for a last-ditch spot at the Tokyo Olympics. The first leg takes place in Goyang, South Korea, and the return fixture is on April 13 in the Chinese […]

Madrid (AFP) – "Unforgettable," said Roberto Soldado, remembering the first professional goal he scored. The header against Olympiakos from a David Beckham cross kept Real Madrid alive in the 2005 Champions League, giving way to a pile-on with Roberto Carlos, Raul, Sergio Ramos and Robinho. Now, 16 years after his first game in European competition, […]

Paris (AFP) – Manchester United head to Spanish surprise package Granada while Arsenal take on Slavia Prague, but Ajax against Roma may be the tie of the round. AFP Sport looks ahead to the Europa League quarter-finals ahead of the first legs on Thursday at 1900 GMT: – Emery the Europa League expert – Dinamo […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland is being chased by a host of Europe's top clubs, but it was the assistant referee who bagged the Norwegian's signature after Manchester City's 2-1 Champions League quarter-final, first leg win on Tuesday. Haaland failed to add to his stunning scoring record in the Champions League, […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – The Rio de Janeiro state legislature backed down Tuesday from plans to rename Brazil's iconic Maracana stadium for football legend Pele, after the proposal triggered controversy. In an unusual move, legislative speaker Andre Ceciliano, who sponsored the bill, asked interim governor Claudio Castro to veto rather than sign it. After […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday. AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from a clash of European heavyweights in Spain: No revenge but Salah gives Liverpool hope Mohamed Salah suffered the most painful moment of his career in Liverpool's 3-1 […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Phil Foden struck a 90th minute winner as Manchester City took a slender 2-1 lead from the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring on 19 minutes for the runaway Premier League leaders, but Dortmund grabbed a vital […]

Madrid (AFP) – Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid made Liverpool pay for more defensive errors on Tuesday, a 3-1 victory putting them in sight of the Champions League semi-finals. Vinicius and Marco Asensio both profited in the first half after darting behind Liverpool's makeshift back-line before a simple move from a throw-in gave […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Erling Braut Haaland is looking to add to his sensational Champions League record as Borussia Dortmund aim to upset Manchester City's next step towards a potential quadruple of trophies in their quarter-final, first leg on Tuesday. Haaland has taken less time than any other player to reach 20 Champions League […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino insists last year's final defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich will not feature in his pre-match team talk when the teams clash again in the last eight of this season's competition on Wednesday. "Honestly it is not a reference point for us. We were not […]

Rome (AFP) – The Italian government has given the green light for fans to attend Euro 2020 matches scheduled for Rome's Stadio Olimpico, including the tournament's curtain raiser, the country's football federation said on Tuesday. Rome is set to host the opening fixture for the delayed multi-host nation Euro, between Turkey and Italy in Group […]

London (AFP) – West Ham have agreed to sign on-loan defender Craig Dawson from Watford in a permanent deal at the end of this season. Dawson joined David Moyes' side from the Championship club in October and has played a key role in their unexpected surge into fourth place in the Premier League. He has […]

London (AFP) – Rangers captain James Tavernier believes his first Scottish Premiership title is just the beginning after signing a two-year contract extension to keep him at Ibrox till 2024. The right-back has scored 63 goals in 284 appearances since joining the Glasgow giants in 2015, including 17 this season as Steven Gerrard's men claimed […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Diego Maradona's former lawyer has hit back at the late Argentine football legend's daughters after his offices were raided by anti-fraud police, accusing them of abandoning their father. Matias Morla and two of Maradona's daughters, Dalma and Gianinna, are embroiled in an inheritance dispute over Maradona's brand and image rights. "Maradona […]