London (AFP) – Celtic were crowned champions for a ninth consecutive season on Monday as the Scottish top-flight was called to a premature end due to the coronavirus crisis. The run matches the all-time record in Scottish football with both sides of the Glasgow divide having previously won nine in a row. AFP Sport looks […]

London (AFP) – Celtic's grip on Scottish football remains unbreakable after a ninth consecutive league title was confirmed on Monday even though they have not kicked a ball for two months. Nine in a row is a landmark staging post in Scottish football. Only twice has it been achieved before, once on either side of […]

Milan (AFP) – The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday that all its competitions, including Serie A, will remain suspended until June 14. The Lega Serie A had hoped for a return on June 13 but the FIGC has pushed back the date in line with a government decree that all sports competitions be […]

Bremen (Germany) (AFP) – Kai Havertz scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen ended the first round of Bundesliga matches in over two months with a 4-1 win at Werder Bremen on Monday which moved them within a point of the top four. The visitors went into the game only four points behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig after […]

Paris (AFP) – Exactly 60 years ago, in an era when going to a big football match meant cramming together with no thought to social distancing, 127,000 people crowded into Hampden Park in Glasgow to see the European Cup final and were rewarded with "a fantasy staged in heaven". Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 […]

Paris (AFP) – France was right to end its football season, said the country's sports minister on Monday, casting doubt on the wisdom of restarting the Bundesliga, despite the coronavirus pandemic, at the weekend. "It was important for me to give primacy to the health and the psychological well-being of athletes over economic considerations, which, […]

Berlin (AFP) – Thomas Mueller expects Bayern Munich's showdown behind closed doors at closest rivals Borussia Dortmund in a week's time to decide who wins the Bundesliga title. Goals by Robert Lewandowski and Benjamin Pavard sealed a 2-0 win for Bayern at Union Berlin on Sunday as the German top flight restarted behind closed doors. […]

Paris (AFP) – UEFA has postponed a potentially key meeting of its Executive Committee until June 17, European football's governing body said on Monday. The meeting was initially due to be held on May 27 but has been put back due to concerns surrounding some of the venues for the next European Championship. UEFA cited […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea and England winger Callum Hudson-Odoi was arrested at the weekend after police responded to a report of an "unwell woman", British media reported on Monday. Police officers and an ambulance attended Hudson-Odoi's London home in the early hours of Sunday. The 19-year-old was arrested and taken into custody before being released […]

London (AFP) – Premier League clubs will return to training in small groups from Tuesday after the latest stage of "Project Restart" was approved on Monday. Clubs unanimously voted to allow players to start socially distanced training in a bid to meet the Premier League's mid-June date to resume the season. Contact training is not […]

Berlin (AFP) – The Bundesliga drew bumper global audiences for its restart at the weekend behind closed doors, but a top league official said the players will be reminded to maintain social distancing even during goal celebrations. Germany's top-flight became the first top European league to resume after a two-month hiatus, behind closed doors and […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spanish clubs began training in groups of 10 players on Monday, in line with health protocols, as La Liga takes another step towards the planned resumption of the coronavirus-hit season next month. Barcelona confirmed that their squad was back on the training ground at 9:30am (0730 GMT), with pictures published on their […]

London (AFP) – Celtic were crowned champions for a record-equalling ninth consecutive season as the Scottish Premiership campaign was declared over on Monday. Neil Lennon's men were 13 points clear at the top of the table when the season was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic in March with eight games remaining for the majority […]

London (AFP) – Britain's Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden is hopeful the Premier League can resume by mid-June despite concerns raised by players and coaches over the need for an extended period of training before matches restart. Premier League clubs are meeting on Monday to sign off on protocols that will allow a return to training […]

Shanghai (AFP) – It is known as the "May 19 Incident" and by some estimations it haunts China's national football team 35 years on. On May 19, 1985, China were stunned 2-1 at home by neighbours Hong Kong, then still under British rule, on one of the most infamous nights in Chinese football history. It […]