Berlin (AFP) – With matches in Germany played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus, FC Union hope they will not fall offside with the German Football League (DFL) for an impromptu party their squad held with a group of fans in their stadium's car park to celebrate avoiding relegation. Their 1-0 home win on […]

Berlin (AFP) – The head of the German football association (DFB) hopes a crowd of up to 1,000 fans could be allowed to watch the national cup final live in July, which would make it the first match in Germany to welcome back spectators. Berlin's Olympic Stadium, which traditionally hosts the German Cup final, has […]

Lausanne (AFP) – UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Wednesday that the French football league's decision in April, guided by the government, to end its season was premature. "It's the decision of the French League, the French Federation and of course the French authorities. My personal opinion is that the decision was brought quite early," […]

London (AFP) – Southampton will go into the closing stages of the season with a new skipper after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was stripped of the captaincy by coach Ralph Hasenhuttl. Denmark midfielder Hojbjerg has spoken of his wish to join a Champions League club next season. The 24-year-old has just over 12 months left on his […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich have won the Bundesliga for the eighth consecutive year and are German champions for the 30th time in the club's proud history. They have secured the German title 15 times since 2000 and, if they beat Leverkusen in the German Cup final on July 4, will have won the domestic […]

Paris (AFP) – The 2019-2020 Champions League, suspended since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, will be completed in a 'final eight' format in Lisbon in August, UEFA said on Wednesday. Europe's top club competition will be decided by a series of one-off matches beginning in the Portuguese capital on August 12, with the final on […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli's all-time top scorer Dries Mertens signed a new contract until 2022 with the Serie A club on Wednesday, just hours before they face Juventus in the Italian Cup final in Rome. "Those who love Naples know that this love is eternal. I will give everything until the last day to remain […]

London (AFP) – Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser is set to miss the rest of the season after rejecting a short-term contract extension with the Premier League strugglers. Fraser will be out of contract at the end of June and has been strongly linked with a move to Tottenham when the transfer window reopens. Bournemouth confirmed […]

Paris (AFP) – The 2019-2020 Champions League, suspended since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, will be completed in a 'Final Eight' in Lisbon in August, UEFA said on Wednesday. Europe's top club competition will be decided by a series of one-off matches beginning in the Portuguese capital on August 12, with the final on August […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA announced on Wednesday that it was planning to keep the same pan-continental format for the postponed Euro 2020 after president Aleksander Ceferin recently hinted that the number of host cities could be reduced. "The 12 original host cities have been confirmed as venues for the final tournament in the summer of […]

Milan (AFP) – Bologna rewarded Serbian coach Sinisa Mihajlovic with a one-year contract extension on Wednesday as he continues to manage the Italian club despite undergoing cancer treatment. The 51-year-old had a bone marrow transplant after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia before the season began. "Bologna FC 1909 announce that they have reached an agreement […]

London (AFP) – Aston Villa chief executive Christian Purslow has urged fans not to congregate at Villa Park ahead of the Premier League's restart on Wednesday. Villa host Sheffield United in the first fixture in England since the coronavirus outbreak, which halted top-flight football for three months. The remaining games of the 2019/20 season will […]

London (AFP) – The Premier League makes its eagerly anticipated return on Wednesday after 100 days in lockdown, with Manchester City's clash against Arsenal taking centre stage at the start of a frenetic dash to finish the season. Coronavirus restrictions mean the drama will be played out with no fans in the stands but football-starved […]

Paris (AFP) – Supporters must be consulted over their return to stadiums but also football's current model which is "flawed, unfair and unsustainable", a collective of 27 national fan organisations across Europe said Wednesday. The resumption of leagues behind closed doors following the coronavirus shutdown has demonstrated "fans are the lifeblood of the game", said Football […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford said on Wednesday he would keep fighting to help low-income families after his campaign forced the British government to change its policy on providing free school meals for the poorest children. The 22-year-old England forward drew on his own experience of growing up in poverty to demand […]