London (AFP) – Leroy Sane appears to be on his way out of Manchester City after rejecting a new deal, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday. The Germany international has 12 months left on his deal and has been heavily linked with Bayern Munich, with the City boss saying he would be able to leave if […]

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has challenged Paul Pogba to show leadership at Manchester United as the midfielder seeks to put a wretched season behind him. The World Cup winner has managed just eight appearances in all competitions due to foot and ankle problems and has not played since December. United's record signing could […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus's Serie A supremacy faces a stiff test with the champions just one point ahead of Lazio as the Italian league kicks off again this weekend following a three-month shutdown. A return had looked unthinkable back in April as Italy counted their daily coronavirus deaths in the hundreds for nearly 35,000 victims […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – After a three-month hiatus for the coronavirus pandemic, football returned to South America Thursday in Brazil, with a Rio de Janeiro state tournament match, though some clubs and fans insist it is too soon. Copa Libertadores holders Flamengo beat minnows Bangu 3-0 in Rio's iconic Maracana stadium, in a match […]

Berlin (AFP) – Struggling Bundesliga giants Werder Bremen have just two matches to avoid relegation, but can take a significant step towards survival at Mainz on Saturday. Bayern Munich were confirmed Bundesliga champions for the eighth straight season in midweek, but the fight to stay up is still raging. Bremen are second-bottom and in danger […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is hoping to exact revenge on former employers Manchester United, while Liverpool aim to move within one win of the title as the Premier League's return kicks up a gear across a four-day weekend of action. The English top flight got its first taste of empty stands and […]

Madrid (AFP) – Zinedine Zidane said Karim Benzema "shuts people up a bit" when he scores goals like his stunning volley against Valencia on Thursday. Benzema brilliantly lifted the ball over defender Hugo Gillamon with his right foot and then shot with his left into the top corner as Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 at the […]

London (AFP) – Watford coach Nigel Pearson fears gimmicks such as piping in crowd noise to legislate for absent fans at grounds risks turning the Premier League into an "American sitcom". All games in the Premier League, which resumed on Wednesday after a three-month suspension due to the coronavirus, are being played behind closed doors […]

Madrid (AFP) – Karim Benzema scored what could well be La Liga's goal of the season and Marco Asensio scored with his first touch in over a year as Real Madrid stormed past Valencia 3-0 on Thursday. Two brilliant volleys helped Madrid to a convincing win at the empty Alfredo di Stefano Stadium, where Benzema […]

Milan (AFP) – The Italian government on Thursday agreed to ease quarantine restrictions for football teams in the case of a positive coronavirus test as Serie A prepares to return to action this weekend. Italian football federation president Gabriele Gravina hailed the decision as "another step forward for the completion of this sporting season". The […]

Moscow (AFP) – The Russian Premier League is due to return this weekend after three months in cold storage, but the perils of trying to restart in the midst of a pandemic have been highlighted as the entire FK Rostov squad has been placed in quarantine after six players tested positive for coronavirus. The announcement […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden said the lack of fans "affects the game a lot" as players adjust to empty stadiums as a result of strict coronavirus measures. Pep Guardiola's side returned to action on Wednesday, with substitute Foden scoring the third goal in a 3-0 win against 10-man Arsenal. But […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona coach Quique Setien has said it will be unfair if his team have to play their Champions League second leg against Napoli at a neutral venue rather than Camp Nou. UEFA announced on Wednesday that a 'final eight' knock-out tournament will be held in Lisbon in August for clubs through to […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho said Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min would all start against his former club Manchester United in their Premier League return on Friday. The three-month coronavirus-enforced hiatus has arguably helped Spurs more than any other club, given the number of key players they have back from injury. But they […]

Berlin (AFP) – Chelsea-bound Timo Werner opted not to play for RB Leipzig in the Champions League quarter-finals this August, the Bundesliga club revealed Thursday, even though he is ineligible to play in Europe for his new club this season. Earlier in the day, Chelsea confirmed that the 24-year-old Germany international had signed a five-year […]