Berlin (AFP) – Germany's strict new travel restrictions have cast doubt over RB Leipzig's Champions League last 16 meeting with Liverpool, after a government spokesperson told AFP on Monday that the rules do not exempt professional athletes. The ban on travellers from countries hit by new, more contagious coronavirus variants such as Britain contains "no […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the match delegate for last week's "momentum-changing" Premier League defeat against Sheffield United admitted his team were on the wrong end of two key decisions. United are three points behind leaders Manchester City ahead of Tuesday's home match against Southampton after the shock loss to […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich confirmed the loan departures of Chris Richards and Joshua Zirkzee on Monday, while naming Liverpool and Chelsea as their main rivals to sign French defender Dayot Upamecano. Speaking to Sky Sports News, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed that 19-year-old Dutch forward Zirkzee was set to join Italian club […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has repeated calls for social media platforms to tackle racist abuse after Marcus Rashford became the latest player to be targeted. Chelsea defender Reece James, West Brom's Romaine Sawyers and Rashford's team-mates Axel Tuanzebe and Anthony Martial have all suffered online racist abuse over the past […]

London (AFP) – The Premier League announced on Monday that seven people tested positive for coronavirus last week, continuing a downward trend of cases in the English top-flight The results — from 2,957 players and club staff — came from two rounds of testing conducted between January 25 and 31. That followed eight positives the […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Two of the candidates in Barcelona's presidential election, Joan Laporta and Victor Font, insisted on Monday that Lionel Messi "generates more" than he earns, after his "colossal" club contract was published in a Spanish newspaper. "Leo generates much more income than the money he costs," Joan Laporta, who is seeking to regain […]

Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi kept up his improved form in La Liga as Barcelona won again amid more controversy about the Catalans' finances, while there was drama on and off the field in France and the Milan clubs continue to fight it out at the top of Serie A. AFP Sport rounds up some […]

London (AFP) – Harry Kane is "optimistic" he can return from his latest injury setback in just two weeks, according to Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho. The Spurs striker was sorely missed during Sunday's dismal 1-0 defeat at lowly Brighton after damaging both ankles in last week's 3-1 loss to champions Liverpool. The England captain has […]

Paris (AFP) – Liverpool star Mohamed Salah said he "likes facing West Ham" after scoring two superb goals against them at the weekend in a 3-1 triumph for the Premier League defending champions. It was the eighth time the 28-year-old Egyptian had faced the Hammers and the two-time African Footballer of the Year has bagged nine […]

Doha (AFP) – Alcohol will be available to football fans in stadiums at the 2022 World Cup, but so far only to those purchasing hospitality packages, the contractor behind the premium offerings has said. Despite the Muslim nation's strict rules around alcohol consumption, the announcement indicates that Qatari authorities agree in principle with serving it […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool are expected to sign Ben Davies from Championship side Preston to ease their defensive crisis before a quiet January transfer window closes late on Monday. The Premier League's leading clubs have been unusually restrained this month, with the coronavirus and new Brexit rules dampening the market after a big summer spend. […]

Doha (AFP) – Away from the lavish air conditioning and hand-manicured turf of Qatar's World Cup Stadiums, two of which will host the world's best clubs from Thursday, sits Doha Sports Stadium. The modest ground, the first in the Gulf with a grass pitch, nestles in the heart of the old city flanked by low-slung […]

Miami (AFP) – Jesus Ferreira scored two goals and set up three others Sunday to spark the United States over Trinidad & Tobago 7-0 in an international football friendly at Orlando, Florida. Paul Arriola and Jonathan Lewis also scored two goals each for the Americans, who had three multi-goal scorers in a match for the […]

Milan (AFP) – Roma maintained third spot in Serie A on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Hellas Verona on Sunday to keep the pressure on the Milan teams leading the title race. Captain Edin Dzeko was again sidelined after a fall-out with coach Paulo Fonseca, but Roma shrugged off his absence to stay six […]

Madrid (AFP) – Lionel Messi underlined his worth to Barcelona by scoring a sensational free-kick on Sunday but Atletico Madrid are in charge of La Liga after beating Cadiz to stand 10 points clear at the top of the table. Messi's stunning effort in a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao had been matched by the […]