Berlin (AFP) – Hansi Flick is concerned Bayern Munich are currently too reliant on Manuel Neuer as the European champions prepare to defend their slim Bundesliga lead at Stuttgart on Saturday. Having produced two reflex saves in last weekend's 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen, Neuer was again superb on Wednesday in a 3-1 home win […]

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan face a stiff test of their Serie A title ambitions at Sassuolo on Saturday after their European hopes were left hanging by a thread. Antonio Conte's side were pushed to the brink of group stage elimination from the Champions League after their 2-0 midweek home defeat to Real Madrid. Inter […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho takes his table-topping Tottenham side to former club Chelsea this weekend determined to prove he is back where he belongs at the top of the Premier League. Four straight wins have taken Spurs to 20 points after nine games, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference, but Frank Lampard's Chelsea are […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Huge crowds bade a grief-filled adieu Thursday to Argentina's favorite son Diego Maradona before he was buried on the outskirts of the capital after a farewell that at times descended into chaos. As darkness fell, the football legend was laid to rest after a ceremony attended by family and close friends […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Napoli's players honoured club legend Diego Maradona on Thursday by stepping out onto the pitch wearing his number 10 jersey before their 2-0 Europa League win over Rijeka. "Diego is a legend and will never die," said Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso. "Since yesterday you could see that the city breathed a […]

Paris (AFP) – Napoli honoured the memory of Diego Maradona with a 1-0 win over Rijeka which allowed them to go top of Europa League Group F in the first match since the death their Argentine icon. Gennaro Gatusso's side entered the field all wearing the number 10 jersey of Maradona, who won Napoli's only […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Napoli's players honoured club legend Diego Maradona on Thursday by stepping out onto the pitch wearing his number 10 jersey before their 2-0 Europa League win over Rijeka. Rijeka did not spoil the tribute with Napoli beating their modest rivals thanks to an own-goal from the visitor's Italian left-back Armando Anastasio […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Napoli's players honoured club legend Diego Maradona on Thursday by stepping out onto the pitch wearing his number 10 jersey ahead of their Europa League match with Rijeka. Captain Lorenzo Insigne had earlier led the tributes alongside fans gathered outside the San Paolo Stadium before the game, Napoli's first since Maradona's […]

Stockholm (AFP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in talks with Sweden head coach Janne Andersson about a potential return to the national team, the Swedish Football Association said Thursday. The news comes only a day after the 39-year-old, who retired from international football after the 2016 World Cup, hinted that he was open to once again […]

Cairo (AFP) – Three stars each from Egyptian clubs Al Ahly and Zamalek have tested positive for coronavirus and will miss the CAF Champions League final in Cairo Friday, according to Egyptian football officials. The Ahly trio of Walid Soliman, Saleh Gomaa and Malian Aliou Dieng are midfielders while the Zamalek victims include defenders Mahmoud […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal will be the first Premier League club to welcome fans for a competitive fixture since March after confirming 2,000 spectators will be allowed in for their Europa League match against Rapid Vienna on December 3. England will return to a regional tiered system when the national coronavirus lockdown ends on December […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Tens of thousands of Argentines on Thursday queued to say a final farewell to Diego Maradona, in an outpouring of love for their national hero before the funeral of one of the greatest footballers of all time. Many of the mourners were in tears, and some wore the World Cup winner's […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Carlos Bilardo, the coach of Argentina's 1986 World Cup-winning team who is in poor health, was still unaware on Thursday of the death of Diego Maradona on Thursday, because of his family's wish not to upset him. Maradona, who captained the 1986 team, died on Wednesday from a heart attack at […]

London (AFP) – Diego Maradona "shone a very bright light" despite his well-documented struggles off the pitch, his British former agent told AFP. Jon Smith, who pioneered the role of "super agent" in the world of football, said the player who almost single-handedly drove Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title was a Jekyll-and-Hyde character. […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Sadio Mane-inspired Senegal climbed four places to 17th in the FIFA world rankings on Thursday after home and away Africa Cup of Nations qualifying victories over Guinea-Bissau. The Teranga Lions, whose stars include Liverpool forward Mane and Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, are the only one of 48 Cup of Nations contenders who […]