Paris (AFP) – Football across Europe is well and truly up and running again after the Italian Serie A and German Bundesliga seasons kicked off over the weekend. AFP Sport rounds up some of the main talking points from the action across the continent: – Bayern ominous already – European champions Bayern Munich returned to […]

London (AFP) – One of Jose Mourinho's top priorities when he became Tottenham boss was to bring back the "real Dele Alli". But he is still waiting for the midfielder to rediscover his best form. The England international, who has the prized ability to unlock defences, has played just 45 minutes of football this season […]

Paris (AFP) – Senegalese Sadio Mane and Ivorian international Wilfried Zaha were two-goal stars for Liverpool and Crystal Palace respectively in the English Premier League at the weekend. Mane punished 10-man Chelsea by scoring twice within four minutes soon after half-time to give defending champions Liverpool a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge. Zaha converted a […]

Las Rozas de Madrid (Spain) (AFP) – Luis Rubiales was on Monday re-elected president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) until 2024 in a vote at the Spanish football headquarters near Madrid. Rubiales was the only candidate after the withdrawal of former Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Robiales won with 95 vote in favour, […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Al Ahly won a record-extending 42nd Egyptian Premier League title without playing when closest challengers and arch rivals Zamalek lost to Aswan at the weekend. An Ibrahim Galal goal at the end of the first half earned mid-table Aswan a 1-0 victory, and gave Ahly an unassailable lead with six rounds remaining. […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has tested positive for coronavirus, the Premier League club announced on Monday, hours ahead of their first match of the new campaign. The Germany international is now in self-isolation as the club prepare to play Wolves at Molineux. "Ilkay is now observing a 10-day period of self-isolation […]

London (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers said Leicester were "ready to "attack the season again" after two wins from their opening two Premier League matches eased the pain of a disappointing end to last season. The former champions are top of the table on goal difference after beating Burnley 4-2 on Sunday. It was the 100th […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Joseph Minala does not wish to dwell on the bizarre age claim which propelled him into the headlines in 2014, but there is just no getting away from it. "It held back my career and is (still) holding back my career," the Cameroonian tells AFP. Minala was a budding star at Italian […]

London (AFP) – The gulf that still exists between Liverpool and Chelsea was on show on Sunday as the Premier League champions secured a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge in a match defined by the differing fortunes of the world's two most expensive goalkeepers. Alisson Becker's record £67 million ($87 million) move from Roma to […]

Milan (AFP) – Andrea Pirlo got his coaching career off to a winning start as Juventus launched their bid for a 10th consecutive league title with a 3-0 win over Sampdoria on Sunday. Swedish debutant Dejan Kulusevski opened the scoring after 13 minutes in Turin with Leonardo Bonucci adding a second on 78 minutes and […]

Riyadh (AFP) – Asian champions Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia played Iran's Shahr Khodro on Sunday despite 15 of their players testing positive for the novel coronavirus, after Asia's football body refused to postpone the game. The Saudi team said Saturday it had "asked the Asian Football Confederation to postpone" the match in Qatar's Al […]

Milan (AFP) – Andrea Pirlo got his coaching career off to a winning start as Juventus launched their bid for a 10th consecutive league title with a 3-0 win over Sampdoria on Sunday. Swedish debutant Dejan Kulusevski opened the scoring after 13 minutes in Turin with Leonardo Bonucci adding a second on 78 minutes and […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid began the defence of their Spanish title with a tepid 0-0 draw at Real Sociedad on Sunday as Martin Odegaard made his first league start for the reigning champions against his former club. Madrid are heading into the La Liga season after making no new signings this summer, with president […]

Riyadh (AFP) – Asian champions Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia played Iran's Shahr Khodro on Sunday despite 15 of their players testing positive for the novel coronavirus, after Asia's football body refused to postpone the game. The Saudi team said Saturday it had "asked the Asian Football Confederation to postpone" the match in Qatar's Al […]

London (AFP) – Frank Lampard admitted Chelsea will need time to close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the Premier League after the champions laid down an early season marker with a 2-0 win on Sunday. Sadio Mane did all the damage for Jurgen Klopp's men as he provoked a red card for […]