London (AFP) – James Maddison will be back in Leicester's squad for Saturday's clash against Manchester City as Brendan Rodgers' men battle to secure a top-four finish. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder has been sidelined with a hip injury since late February but returned to full training during the international window. "It's great news for us," […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus centre-back Leonardo Bonucci has tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from international duty with Italy, the Serie A club announced on Thursday. "Bonucci underwent a test for Covid-19 which came back positive," Juventus said in a statement. "The player has already been placed in home isolation." Turkey defender Merih Demiral also […]

Madrid (AFP) – Sergio Ramos suffered a calf injury while on international duty with Spain, just five days before Real Madrid's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Liverpool, the La Liga champions announced on Thursday. The veteran centre-back made his 180th international appearance in Spain's World Cup qualifying win over Kosovo as a late substitute, […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – The Africa Cup of Nations tournament will be staged in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6 next year, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) official confirmed on Thursday. A virtual executive committee meeting chaired by recently elected president Patrice Motsepe from South Africa also decided that a draw to divide the […]

Yerevan (AFP) – Armenians on Thursday were celebrating their tiny Caucasus country's surprising lead in its 2022 World Cup qualifying group with three wins out of three, lifting their spirits after a devastating war with Azerbaijan last year. For the first time in the country's history, its national team on Wednesday took the sole lead […]

Berlin (AFP) – Four-time World Cup winners Germany's defeat to North Macedonia sparked calls on Thursday for coach Joachim Loew to stand down instead of waiting till after this summer's European Championship. Goran Pandev had put North Macedonia ahead in Wednesday's 2022 World Cup qualifier just before half-time and although Ilkay Gundogan equalised from the […]

Shanghai (AFP) – The new Chinese Super League season will begin on April 20 and teams will be concentrated in two cities to help thwart the coronavirus, media said Thursday. It will be similar to last season's CSL, when the 16 clubs were housed in two hotels, in two locations, and kept away from the […]

Lausanne (AFP) – UEFA is weighing up the possibility of allowing teams at this year's European Championship to name larger squads following calls by several coaches who are afraid of losing players to Covid-19, a spokesperson told AFP on Thursday. "UEFA is considering the issue. No decision has been made yet," a spokesperson for European […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has called for new club elections to be held, the La Liga giants announced on Thursday. The 74-year-old has been in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2009 and was also president from 2000-2006, when he was best known for ushering in the 'Galacticos' era. "Following on […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Alexandre Lacazette's future will be addressed at the end of the season, with reports of interest in the forward from a number of European clubs. The 29-year-old Frenchman has scored in each of his past two Premier League outings, including the winner in the north London derby […]

Wellington (AFP) – Auckland's Eden Park — the spiritual home of New Zealand rugby — will welcome the round-ball game when it stages the opening match of football's 2023 Women's World Cup, FIFA said Thursday. The showcase tournament, which is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, will conclude with a final in Sydney, football's […]

Duisburg (Germany) (AFP) – Germany's performance was dubbed "embarrassing" after they suffered their first World Cup qualifying defeat for 20 years in a humiliating 2-1 home loss to North Macedonia which heaped pressure on coach Joachim Loew. "The disappointment is huge," said a crest-fallen Loew after the final whistle in Duisburg on Wednesday. "This is […]

Duisburg (Germany) (AFP) – Germany fell to a humiliating 2-1 home loss to North Macedonia on Wednesday, handing the hosts their first World Cup qualifying defeat in 20 years and piling the pressure on coach Joachim Loew. "The disappointment is huge," said a crestfallen Loew after the final whistle in Duisburg. Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas […]

Washington (AFP) – NBA superstar LeBron James has increased his ownership stake in English Premiership club Liverpool via a deal confirmed on Wednesday that makes him a partner in Fenway Sports Group. FSG announced that James and longtime business associates Maverick Carter and Paul Wachter had become partners in the Boston-based global sports, entertainment and […]

Duisburg (Germany) (AFP) – Germany fell to a humiliating 2-1 home loss to North Macedonia on Wednesday, handing the hosts their first World Cup qualifying defeat in 20 years and piling the pressure on coach Joachim Loew. Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas scored the winner five minutes from time, after Ilkay Gundogan's penalty had drawn Germany […]