Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig on Tuesday received permission to host 8,400 fans for their first Bundesliga game of the season in mid-September, which could make them the first German top-flight club to welcome back supporters since the coronavirus pandemic hit the country in mid-March. It would see the Red Bull Arena at 20-percent full […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal completed the signing of Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille on Tuesday for a reported £22 million ($30 million). The 22-year-old bolsters Mikel Arteta's defensive options as the Gunners look to return to the Champions League this season after a four-year absence. Gabriel joined Lille in 2017 and, after loan spells […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona said on Tuesday they had agreed to sell Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic back to Sevilla. Under the deal the southern side will pay the Catalan outfit 1.5 million euros ($1.8 million) plus nine million euros in variables for the 32-year-old, Barca said in a statement. "FC Barcelona publicly express their gratitude […]

Rome (AFP) – Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who spent last season on loan at AS Roma, is to stay with the Italian capital after both clubs agreed a permanent move, he announced on social media. Arsenal, on its site, said Monday evening it had agreed to terminate Mkhitaryan's contract by "mutual consent to allow him […]

Paris (AFP) – Celtic were handed a trip to face either Riga FC of Latvia or Tre Fiori of San Marino in the draw for the third qualifying round of the Europa League made on Tuesday. The Scottish champions dropped into the Europa League after being dumped out of the Champions League by Hungarian side […]

Rome (AFP) – Roma legend Francesco Totti believes that "sooner or later" he will reconnect with the club which has just changed owners, he told Italian daily La Repubblica in an interview published on Tuesday. Totti, 43, spent 24 years at the club as a player before moving upstairs to the boardroom. He resigned as […]

Bern (Switzerland) (AFP) – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter was facing questioning Tuesday by a Swiss prosecutor over a payment of two million Swiss francs ($2.2 million) made to former UEFA boss Michel Platini in 2011. The 84-year-old arrived around at 09:00 am at the headquarters of the Public Ministry of the Confederation (MPC) in […]

Quito (AFP) – A football player in Ecuador was fined $1,200 Monday for kissing the ball in breach of hygiene rules brought in to combat the coronavirus. Argentine midfielder Sergio Lopez, who plays for Quito-based Aucas in the country's top-tier Liga Pro, became the first player to face sanction under the new rules, after making […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has joined forces with major supermarkets and food providers in Britain to form a taskforce to help fight child food poverty. The England striker's campaign pressured the UK government into a U-turn in June to provide free school meal vouchers to pupils over the summer holidays. As […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Marko Arnautovic says he underestimated the Chinese Super League after joining last year from West Ham United, admitting "I didn't look after my body" and gorged on fizzy drinks. The Austrian forward signed for Shanghai SIPG for a reported 25 million euros and despite scoring nine goals in 15 games, came in […]

Rome (AFP) – While some Serie A clubs are eyeing Lionel Messi longingly, their mantra as they prepare for the transfer window is "financial prudence". The notion of Messi resuming his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo is appealing. And Italy offers possible tax advantages for Messi, who has had issues in that area in Spain. The […]

Rome (AFP) – Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has signed a one-year contract extension with AC Milan, the Italian giants announced on Monday. The former Swedish international, who turns 39 in October, rejoined Milan in January and will stay at the San Siro until the end of June 2021. "Today (Monday), Zlatan Ibrahimovic rejoined his teammates […]

Bern (Switzerland) (AFP) – Michel Platini was quizzed by a Swiss prosecutor on Monday in a probe investigating a two-million-Swiss-franc ($2.2-million) payment that the former European football chief received from FIFA in 2011. Platini was summoned to Switzerland's capital Bern by prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand. Sepp Blatter, the former president of the sport's world governing body FIFA, […]

Madrid (AFP) – Former Manchester City midfielder David Silva has tested positive for coronavirus, his new club Real Sociedad announced on Monday. The 34-year-old joined La Real on a free transfer earlier this month but returned a positive Covid-19 test after arriving to San Sebastian. The Liga club said it was Silva's second test within […]

Berlin (AFP) – Fans can return to some German football stadiums in mid-September for the first round of the German Cup, the country's football federation (DFB) announced on Monday. Matches in Germany have been played behind closed doors since the professional game restarted in May following the coronavirus lockdown. "In the third division, the German […]