London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp defended Roberto Firmino's all-round contribution to the English champions' success in recent seasons as the Brazilian's place in the team has come under threat from the free-scoring form of Diogo Jota. Firmino has scored just once this season compared to Jota's return of seven in 10 games since […]

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer vowed on Friday he would not "fall like a house of cards" after damaging defeats ramped up the pressure on the Manchester United manager. The Red Devils reacted impressively following the chastening 6-1 home defeat to predecessor Jose Mourinho's Tottenham at the start of October but things have gone […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany coach Joachim Loew picked an expanded 29-man squad Friday for upcoming internationals against the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Spain but is without Niklas Suele, Kai Havertz and Emre Can. The three players were omitted after they recently tested positive for coronavirus, while goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was left out having just […]

London (AFP) – Derby County said on Friday that a deal had been agreed "in principle" for the sale of the English Championship club to a company owned by a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family. Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nehayan, a cousin of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour, has passed the English […]

Madrid (AFP) – Juventus forward Alvaro Morata and Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke earned recalls to the Spain squad Friday for a friendly against the Netherlands and Nations League games with Germany and Switzerland. Koke's uncapped Atletico team-mate Marcos Llorente was also selected by coach Luis Enrique as was goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga despite losing his place […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Japanese group Rakuten has agreed to continue as Barcelona's lead sponsor for one more season, the club announced on Friday. The e-commerce giants have chosen to activate the extension clause in their current contract, signed in 2017, which will take the deal to June 2022. Rakuten and Barcelona agreed to "execute the option provided in the 2017 […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho says it is "just a matter of time" before Harry Kane breaks Jimmy Greaves' all-time record of 266 goals for Tottenham after the England captain became the third Spurs player to reach the 200 mark. The 27-year-old brought up his double century — in his 300th appearance for Spurs — […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona have taken solace in the Champions League recently while getting off to their worst start to a La Liga season in almost two decades, leaving Ronald Koeman's side already under serious pressure before Saturday's meeting with Real Betis. The Catalans have taken just eight points from their first six matches in […]

Paris (AFP) – Germany's heavyweights go head to head while Juventus face Lazio and Paris Saint-Germain look to get back to winning ways without Neymar and probably Kylian Mbappe too. AFP Sport previews the standout action on the continent this weekend: – Haaland v Lewandowski – Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich, Saturday 1730 GMT It […]

Shanghai (AFP) – A Chinese Super League season which began five months late and without spectators because of the coronavirus will reach its climax with Fabio Cannavaro's Guangzhou Evergrande facing Jiangsu Suning in front of 7,000 fans. The title decider takes place over two legs on neutral territory in Suzhou, with the first match on […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City's bid to regain the Premier League title faces a defining moment against leaders Liverpool this weekend, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fights to silence the critics as troubled Manchester United take on Everton. City are already five points behind Liverpool, albeit with a game in hand, and cannot afford to lose […]

Berlin (AFP) – The Bundesliga's top striker Robert Lewandowski goes head-to-head with Erling Braut Haaland on Saturday when league leaders Bayern Munich travel to second-placed Borussia Dortmund. Germany's top clubs are both on 15 points with Bayern top due to their vastly superior goal difference. The European champions have won all three of the club's […]

London (AFP) – Diogo Jota's red-hot start to life with Liverpool has given Jurgen Klopp a selection dilemma as the Portugal forward's goal spree puts Roberto Firmino under pressure. Jota's Champions League hat-trick against Atalanta on Tuesday underlined his credentials to start Sunday's crucial Premier League clash against title rivals Manchester City. Portugal forward Jota […]

Paris (AFP) – Thomas Tuchel left Borussia Dortmund on bad terms in 2017 and there is a growing feeling that his relationship with Paris Saint-Germain could be heading for a messy divorce too. The 47-year-old German, whose contract is up at the end of this season, is in a sticky position after PSG lost 2-1 […]

Olivos (Argentina) (AFP) – Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona is to remain in hospital for several more days to undergo treatment following surgery to remove a blood clot on the brain, his doctor said Thursday. "We saw that in the postoperative phase Diego had episodes of confusion," Leopoldo Luque told reporters, adding that therapists had […]