London (AFP) – Crystal Palace defender Mamadou Sakho has won "substantial" damages from the World Anti-Doping Agency over allegations that he had taken banned performance-enhancing drugs. The former Liverpool defender was briefly suspended in 2016 after he tested positive for a fat-burning substance called higenamine after a Europa League game against Manchester United in March […]

London (AFP) – Brighton manager Graham Potter said Wednesday the club had "moved forward" from an incident that led to Neal Maupay's unexpected absence against Tottenham. The French striker missed Sunday's 2-1 Premier League defeat for what Potter at first suggested were tactical reasons. But subsequent reports claimed Maupay had been involved in an altercation with […]

Olivos (Argentina) (AFP) – Argentine football great Diego Maradona is recovering "without complications" from successful brain surgery for a blood clot, his personal doctor said on Wednesday. Surgeons at a specialist private clinic in Buenos Aires spent 80 minutes removing the clot on Tuesday night. "He has no neurological issues. He's progressing without any complications," […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng wants to start contract extension talks with the European champions his agent said on Wednesday amid uncertainty surrounding the future of fellow centre-back David Alaba. Boateng, 32, a 2014 World Cup winner, is out of contract in June. "We are open to contract talks and would be […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho has insisted Harry Kane did nothing wrong after the England forward was criticised for how he won a penalty in Tottenham Hotspur's 2-1 win over Brighton in the Premier League last weekend. Kane appeared to draw a foul from Adam Lallana to win the spot-kick, which he then converted to […]

London (AFP) – Southampton striker Danny Ings could be out for up to six weeks, Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said on Wednesday. Ings had a scan after injuring his knee during Southampton's 4-3 Premier League victory at Aston Villa on Sunday. "At the moment it looks like he is out for four to six weeks," […]

Berlin (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski dedicated his two goals in Tuesday's Champions League thrashing over Salzburg to Gerd Mueller after the Poland striker scored on the ailing Bayern Munich legend's 75th birthday. Lewandowski converted a first-half penalty, then headed home a second as Bayern roared back from conceding an early goal to claim a convincing […]

Paris (AFP) – Gareth Bale will hope to use Thursday's Europa League game against Ludogorets to further sharpen his fitness following his return to Tottenham, while Arsenal and Leicester can take a step towards the knockout stages with a third win in a row. Bale, 31, scored his first Spurs goal in seven years since […]

Bergamo (Italy) (AFP) – Liverpool forward Diogo Jota credited playing alongside the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane with lifting his game as he scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 Champions League win over Atalanta on Tuesday. "I'm playing in the best team of my career so far," said the 23-year-old, who has now […]

Berlin (AFP) – Jerome Boateng said on Tuesday that the Bayern Munich players are behind David Alaba amid the Austrian defender's contract extension stalemate with the European champions. Alaba could leave Bayern at the end of the season after the latest round of extension talks between the club and the player's agent broke down. On […]

Paris (AFP) – Diogo Jota scored a stunning hat-trick in Liverpool's 5-0 demolition of Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, as holders Bayern Munich scored six and Real Madrid struck late to beat Inter Milan in a thriller. On a prolific night across Europe which also saw a rampant Borussia Moenchengladbach hit six in […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola welcomed the option of having a striker fit for Sunday's blockbuster Premier League clash with Liverpool after Gabriel Jesus marked his return from injury with a goal to seal a 3-0 Champions League win over Olympiakos. City are cruising towards the last 16 of the competition after gaining […]

Salzburg (Austria) (AFP) – Jerome Boateng's first European goal for five years helped Bayern Munich extend their record run to 14 straight Champions League wins with a comeback 6-2 thrashing of Salzburg on Tuesday. With the scores locked at 2-2, Boateng powered home a Joshua Kimmich corner 11 minutes from time to restore the holders' […]

Bergamo (Italy) (AFP) – Diogo Jota scored a hat-trick as Liverpool crushed Atalanta 5-0 in their Champions League Group D clash in Bergamo on Tuesday. Portuguese forward Jota turned in the first for the Premier League leaders after quarter of an hour, adding a second on 33 minutes to put the visitors two-goals up at […]

Herning (Denmark) (AFP) – Ajax won their first Champions League match of the season on Tuesday after coming out on top 2-1 in a tight Group D contest at Midtjylland. Antony's first-minute strike and a free-kick from captain Dusan Tadic, who had been expected to miss the match in Denmark following a positive coronavirus test alongside […]