Paris (AFP) – Lille's Yusuf Yazici brought AC Milan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic down to earth with a bump on Thursday with all three goals in a 3-0 Europa League win over the seven-time European champions. The 39-year-old Ibrahimovic had been one of the stories of the early part of the season after firing seven goals […]

Vila-real (Spain) (AFP) – Villarreal's Europa League clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv was delayed by more than an hour on Thursday after heavy rain battered the Spanish side's pitch. Following a pitch inspection held after the Group I match's originally scheduled 2000 GMT kick-off, UEFA announced that the game would now begin at 2110 GMT. […]

Paris (AFP) – Harry Kane scored his 200th goal for Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday as he helped fire Spurs to a 3-1 Europa League win at Ludogorets, while 10-man Benfica came back from two goals down to snatch a last-gap 3-3 draw with Rangers. England captain Kane opened the scoring for Jose Mourinho's side with […]

London (AFP) – England manager Gareth Southgate has urged referees to give Harry Kane more protection after claiming the Tottenham striker gets "kicked from pillar to post". Kane was accused of diving to win a penalty from Brighton's Adam Lallana that he converted in Tottenham's 2-1 win on Sunday. But Southgate believes a bigger concern […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA have asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to change the handball rule to stop "growing frustration" following a spate of penalties awarded for the offence, European football's governing body confirmed on Thursday. In a letter to Infantino, UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin asked that football's lawmakers adjust the handball rule — which has […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus' Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey will be sidelined for at least 10 days with a thigh injury, the Italian champions confirmed on Thursday. The Wales international came off after 53 minutes in Tuesday's 4-1 Champions League Group G win over Ferencvaros in Hungary. The former Arsenal and Cardiff City player suffered "a […]

London (AFP) – Bruno Fernandes admits Manchester United must "do better" after their embarrassing defeat against Istanbul Basaksehir piled pressure on boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. United have endured a rocky start to the season and Wednesday's Champions League loss in Istanbul was the latest painful result for the under-fire Solskjaer. Amid talk that Solskjaer could […]

Paris (AFP) – Marcus Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, was called up to France's squad by coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday for the first time for internationals later this month. Borussia Moenchengladbach attacker Thuram, 23, could make his debut for the World Cup holders against Finland in a friendly next […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden was been recalled to the England squad for their forthcoming matches on Thursday but Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood remains in exile after the pair's coronavirus protocol breach. Foden and Greenwood were sent home in disgrace after inviting local women into the bio-secure England team hotel following […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo was on Thursday named in the Portugal squad to play a friendly against Andorra and Nations League matches against France and Croatia. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner tested positive for coronavirus on October 13 when with the Portugal squad, going on to miss the 3-0 victory over Sweden. The 35-year-old […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have dismissed Roy Keane's suggestion this week that the players would cost him his job but the manner of Wednesday's Champions League defeat supported the former United great's claim. The Daily Mirror's headline "Dumb and Demba" summed up the embarrassment of the United defence. They […]

Hong Kong (AFP) – Global footballers union FIFPRO has accused the Asian Football Confederation of failing to consult players before moving Champions League games to Qatar, saying some had voiced concerns over making the trip during the pandemic. FIFPRO said it was "disappointed and concerned" about the lack of consultation, adding that players had complained […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan's Levain Cup football final has been postponed after 13 players and staff at Kashiwa Reysol, including their coach, tested positive for the coronavirus, the J-League said. Reysol, led by their Brazilian coach Nelsinho Baptista, were due to face FC Tokyo on Saturday at Tokyo's National Stadium — the main venue for […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Three-coach Mamelodi Sundowns rose to the top of the South African Premiership with a workmanlike 2-0 midweek win at Cape Town City through goals from Lyle Lakay and Keletso Makgalwa. The defending champions have seven points from three matches and lead perennial strugglers Baroka and promoted Swallows on goal difference having trounced […]

Olivos (Argentina) (AFP) – Doctors treating Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, who had successful brain surgery to remove a blood clot, are "amazed" at the rate of his recovery, his physician said Wednesday. Surgeons at a private clinic in Buenos Aires spent 80 minutes removing the clot on Tuesday night. "I just saw him, he's […]