London (AFP) – Aston Villa face a Premier League fixture headache after Sunday's game with Everton was postponed because several of their players are still self-isolating after a coronavirus outbreak in the camp. Villa were forced to field a youth team in their FA Cup tie with Liverpool last week after nine players and five […]

London (AFP) – Footballers who continue to breach coronavirus protocols by hugging after goals have been labelled "brainless" by a senior British lawmaker. Manchester City and Fulham players crowded together after scoring on Wednesday, ignoring warnings from the Premier League to observe rules on unnecessary contact. Britain is struggling to contain a surge in Covid-19 […]

London (AFP) – Phil Foden should be an automatic pick for England at this year's delayed European Championship after his outstanding season so far, says Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. The 20-year-old midfielder scored his eighth goal of the season as City beat Premier League strugglers Brighton 1-0 on Wednesday — their seventh successive win […]

Milan (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus and Romelu Lukaku's Inter Milan clash on Sunday in what could be one of the defining matches of the Serie A season. The game in the San Siro is between the top two in Serie A last season when Juventus won a ninth consecutive league title just one point […]

Santos (Brazil) (AFP) – Santos defeated Argentina's Boca Juniors 3-0 to set up an all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores final after a one-sided semi-final victory in Sao Paulo on Wednesday. Goals from Diego Pituca, Yeferson Soteldo and Lucas Braga fired the Sao Paulo giants into a January 30 final against city rivals Palmeiras. With the tie finely […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick was "shocked" as the holders crashed out of the German Cup on Wednesday after defeat at second division Holstein Kiel, who won a nail-biting penalty shoot-out 6-5 as the second round tie finished 2-2 after extra-time. "It's a shock. We are enormously disappointed," Flick told Sky. […]

Milan (AFP) – Tunisian midfielder Hamza Rafia came off the bench to score an extra-time winner on his debut as Juventus battled past Genoa 3-2 to reach the Italian Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. Rafia, 21, came on with quarter of an hour to go in regular time and scored his first Juventus goal after 105 […]

Madrid (AFP) – Marc-Andre ter Stegen's heroics ensured Barcelona edged past Real Sociedad on penalties on Wednesday to reach the Spanish Super Cup final, without the injured Lionel Messi. Messi was watching on as Ter Stegen did his best to fill the void in Cordoba, the goalkeeper immense both in the shoot-out and during normal […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich were knocked out of the German Cup on Wednesday as second division Holstein Kiel won a nail-biting penalty shoot-out 6-5 after the second round tie finished 2-2 after extra-time. This is the first time holders Bayern have been knocked out of the cup by a non-Bundesliga club since losing to […]

London (AFP) – Fulham made Jose Mourinho pay a heavy price for his taunts as Ivan Cavaleiro's late equaliser rescued a 1-1 draw that dented Tottenham's Premier League title challenge on Wednesday. Tottenham boss Mourinho engaged in a pre-match war of words with Fulham manager Scott Parker over the Premier League's decision to reschedule the […]

Lens (France) (AFP) – Neymar scored on his return to action for Paris Saint-Germain as they beat arch rivals Marseille 2-1 to win this season's Champions Trophy. The Brazilian rolled home an 85th minute penalty to put PSG two goals ahead following Mauro Icardi's first-half opener to give new coach Mauricio Pochettino the first trophy […]

London (AFP) – Premier League clubs must set an example in adhering to coronavirus protocols or risk sanctions, the league's chief executive has warned. The English top-flight sent out new directives last week including demands that players tone down celebrations such as hugging after goals and avoid handshakes and swapping shirts. Premier League chief executive […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Phil Foden fired Manchester City into third place in the Premier League on Wednesday as Pep Guardiola's men saw off a feisty challenge from Brighton to win 1-0. Much of the recent talk has been about a potential duel between leaders Manchester United and champions Liverpool but Pep Guardiola's men […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Phil Foden fired Manchester City into third place in the Premier League on Wednesday as Pep Guardiola's men saw off a feisty challenge from Brighton to win 1-0. Much of the recent talk has been about a potential duel between leaders Manchester United and champions Liverpool but Pep Guardiola's men […]

Milan (AFP) – Romelu Lukaku headed in an extra-time winner as Inter Milan set up an Italian Cup quarter-final clash with city rivals AC Milan on Wednesday with a 2-1 last-16 win over Fiorentina. Belgian Lukaku connected with Nicolo Barella's cross in the 119th minute to beat Fiorentina goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano and snatch a late […]