London (AFP) – The takeover of Newcastle United by a consortium backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund has hit another stumbling block as a British MP called for a parliamentary evidence session into the alleged piracy of sports broadcast rights. Giles Watling, a member of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee (DCMS), has […]

London (AFP) – England captain Harry Kane said Thursday that he will sponsor the shirts of former club Leyton Orient for next season by thanking frontline workers for their efforts during the coronavirus crisis and promoting two other charities. Tottenham Hotspur striker Kane scored his first professional goal during a loan spell with Orient in […]

Berlin (AFP) – Julian Nagelsmann says his RB Leipzig squad is working on specially-modified goal celebrations that comply with the strict hygiene guidelines for the restart of the Bundesliga this weekend. Third-placed Leipzig host Freiburg behind closed doors when the Bundesliga resumes on Saturday amid the coronavirus pandemic, five points behind leaders Bayern Munich ahead […]

Paris (AFP) – The Africa Cup of Nations is the latest international sports event to become embroiled in a debate about rescheduling in the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The Olympics, the Euros and the Copa America, all scheduled for this summer, have already been put back a year. The Cup of Nations — CAN […]

Berlin (AFP) – Despite rigid hygiene guidelines for the restart of the Bundesliga this weekend, a leading German sports doctor has warned footballers are still at risk of suffering "irreversible" and potentially career-ending lung damage from the coronavirus. With Europe's other top leagues at least a month away from resuming, the German Football League (DFL) […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre said Thursday it was important for his players to work with the club's sports psychologist to help cope with playing behind closed doors in this weekend's derby against Schalke in the Bundesliga. "A match without spectators is really different and we have to be well prepared," Favre […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund's young stars Erling Braut Haaland and Jadon Sancho will be hunting more goals on Saturday in "the most unusual derby in history" against Schalke as the German Bundesliga returns behind locked doors. Dortmund usually expect 82,000 spectators at Signal Iduna Park for a home derby, but the stadium will be […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho says he is "desperate" for the return of Premier League action despite mounting concerns about the English top-flight's restart plans. Several stars including Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose have gone public with fears about resuming the season during the coronavirus crisis. Some top-flight bosses are also […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich and Manchester City are reportedly close to agreeing a transfer fee for Germany winger Leroy Sane, according to the German media on Thursday. Magazine Kicker claims City want 50 million euros ($54 million) for the 24-year-old Sane, but Bayern are offering around 10 million euros less. Last week, magazine Sport […]

London (AFP) – Brighton striker Glenn Murray fears Premier League football is being rushed back too soon, with death rates from coronavirus still stubbornly high in the worst-hit country in Europe. Premier League chiefs hope to resume the postponed campaign in mid-June and want players back in full training in the next two weeks. But […]

Paris (AFP) – Having become the first American to coach a team in the Champions League and overseen the remarkable rise of Erling Braut Haaland, it was already an unforgettable season for Jesse Marsch before the coronavirus pandemic came along. Now the coach of Austria's Red Bull Salzburg is preparing his team to return to […]

Asuncion (AFP) – Brazilian great Ronaldinho's lawyers are hoping the former world player of the year will be allowed to go home after more than two months of detention in Paraguay over a forged passport. "We're hoping to convince the prosecution to allow Ronaldinho and his brother to return to their country. We can do […]

London (AFP) – Knife-carrying burglars broke into Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli's home in London early Wednesday, the England playmaker escaping serious injury after being hit in a scuffle with the robbers. Alli, 24, has been in isolation at his house with his brother, their partners and a close friend, the Daily Mail reported, ahead of […]

London (AFP) – The English Football League (EFL) warned the economic crisis facing its clubs will not be spared by a resumption of matches behind closed doors as it delayed any return to training until May 25 on Wednesday. Unlike the top-tier Premier League, which is pressing ahead with plans to finish the season in […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Former Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi has made a complaint he is being blackmailed over sex videos, Argentine judicial sources said. The 35-year-old former Argentina international, who retired in December, claimed to have received messages threatening to publish intimate images of him on the internet if he didn't pay […]