London (AFP) – Embattled Wigan should avoid a further points penalty next season after owner Au Yeung Wai Kay waived £36million ($47.1 million) in debts owed to him by the third-tier club. Begbies Traynor, Wigan's administrators, said they were also in talks with "serious bidders" interested in buying the 2013 FA Cup winners, who were […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona's Guinea-Bissau-born teenager Ansu Fati has been named in Spain's senior squad for the first time, coach Luis Enrique said on Thursday. Fati, 17, has been called up for September's Nations League games against Germany and Ukraine after scoring eight goals in 33 matches for the Catalan club last season. "He has […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Germany legend Lothar Matthaeus warned Bayern Munich to defend deeper in Sunday's Champions League final against Paris Saint Germain or risk blowing the treble. After demolishing Barcelona 8-2 in the quarter-finals, Bayern endured a nervous start to Wednesday's 3-0 semi-final win over Lyon, who wrecked havoc early on by getting in behind […]

Paris (AFP) – There will be no fanzones in the French capital for this weekend's Champions League final that pitches Paris Saint-Germain against Bayern Munich, French police told AFP on Thursday. The mayor's office also opposed fanzone plans that had been pitched by Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu on Wednesday. That idea was "a bad suggestion", […]

London (AFP) – Leeds' first Premier League game for 16 years will see Marcelo Bielsa's men travel to defending champions Liverpool, while Manchester City and Manchester United will miss the opening weekend to give them extra time to recover from a late end to the 2019/20 season. All sides were guaranteed by the football authorities […]

London (AFP) – Former Premier League striker Demba Ba has called on football to condemn China's alleged persecution of its mainly Muslim Uighur minority, and accused the sport of putting money before morals. The Senegalese international, a Muslim who played more than 50 times for China's Shanghai Shenhua, told the BBC he was prepared to […]

Beijing (AFP) – China rapidly tore down the famous Workers' Stadium in Beijing this week as part of grand plans to revamp its football infrastructure ahead of an expected World Cup bid. The imposing arena in the heart of the Chinese capital will be almost completely rebuilt and is scheduled for completion in December 2022. […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Bayern Munich's astonishing form under Hansi Flick has taken them to the brink of a treble after they dispatched Lyon 3-0 in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final, and the stage is now set for a fascinating final battle between the German giants and Paris Saint-Germain. "This is what you dream of as a […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Strict coronavirus measures appear to be taking their toll on Chinese Super League footballers, with one saying his head was "spinning" in the claustrophobic "bubble" — and they still have six weeks to go. Chinese football introduced harsh rules when it launched the CSL season in two bio-secure bubbles after a five-month […]

Shanghai (AFP) – The Chinese Super League is planning to allow a very limited number of spectators into a high-profile match on Saturday, the first time fans can attend a game since the coronavirus pandemic. It is a major step towards normalising football in China, where the virus was first detected last year, and could […]

Paris (AFP) – Glasgow City and their new South African signing Janine van Wyk will be quite happy to play the role of underdogs in their Women's Champions League quarter-final against Wolfsburg in Spain on Friday — after all, just being there is a huge achievement for the Scottish team. That would have been the […]

Cologne (Germany) (AFP) – Two years on from the embarrassment of being sacked as coach of his country on the eve of a World Cup, Julen Lopetegui has rebuilt his reputation to take Sevilla back to a sixth Europa League final in 14 years. The Spaniards' success in Europe's second-tier competition is no longer a […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick says the treble-chasing Germans need to tighten their defence against Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's Champions League final after some nervous early moments in their 3-0 semi-final win over Lyon. Flick's side made a shaky start on Wednesday in Lisbon as Lyon captain Memphis Depay fired wide, then […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Serge Gnabry celebrated with his NBA-inspired 'stir the pot' gesture after scoring two goals in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final against Lyon to keep Bayern Munich on course to repeat their 2013 treble after a 3-0 victory. "We really want to win the final. That will be the deciding factor, we will give […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Lyon forward Karl Toko Ekambi said he didn't think Bayern Munich were "unbeatable" in the Champions League despite Wednesday's 3-0 loss to the German side in the semi-finals in Lisbon. The Cameroon international missed two clear-cut chances, notably hitting the post just moments before Serge Gnabry scored the opening goal at the […]