Shanghai (AFP) – Chinese women's football star Wang Shuang will finally reunite with the national team after two months stranded at the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in Wuhan, state media said. The 25-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder will bolster a squad due to play off against South Korea over two legs for Asia's final […]

Milan (AFP) – A month after Serie A last saw a ball kicked football-mad Italy is torn over whether to return to action or scrap the season as the coronavirus crisis continues to keep the nation on lockdown. Endless dates have been proposed from May, through to September and October, all depending "on when health […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – The trial date for the gender discrimination lawsuit brought by US women players against the US Soccer Federation has been pushed from May 5 to June 16. US District Judge Gary Klausner issued the order postponing the trial on Wednesday after both parties sought guidance on preparing in the face of […]

London (AFP) – Premier League players announced on Wednesday they had launched an initiative to generate funds for Britain's National Health Service (NHS) to help against the coronavirus pandemic. The idea — named #PlayersTogether — has been set up to "help those fighting for us on the NHS frontline" during the COVID-19 outbreak. "It is […]

Milan (AFP) – Serie A's Brescia, who want the Italian season stopped because of the coronavirus pandemic, announced on Wednesday their players have agreed to salary cuts. In a statement adressed to season-ticket holders, president Massimo Cellino praised "the great sensitivity and responsibility shown by our players who, almost all, have accepted very quickly the […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, whose tenure has been undermined by tense relations with players this season, wants to reform the club's management because he distrusts certain directors, according to vice-president Emili Rousaud. "Bartomeu called me and told me he wanted to change the management because he was suspicious of some of […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Rangers strongly criticised plans unveiled on Wednesday to terminate the divisions below the Premiership, warning of "severe consequences for the Scottish game". With play halted due to the coronavirus, the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) announced proposals to determine final placings by points per game in league matches played to date by […]

Berlin (AFP) – Wearing gloves for hygienic reasons and observing social distancing on the pitch are among the challenges facing Bundesliga footballers back in training this week amid hopes the league could resume next month. Most of the 18 clubs in Germany's top flight returned to their clubs on Monday, albeit in small groups with […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham and England great Jimmy Greaves remains in hospital while he awaits the outcome of tests but his illness is not related to coronavirus, his agent said on Wednesday. Tottenham announced on Tuesday that their record goalscorer, who turned 80 in February, was receiving medical treatment. Greaves, who scored 44 goals in […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has accepted he was in the wrong for holding a one-on-one training session with midfielder Tanguy Ndombele in a public park in London. Mourinho was pictured on social media flaunting government rules by meeting up with the midfielder Tuesday, even though they kept to social distancing guidelines. Fellow […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Neymar "will always be welcome" back at Barcelona, the Spanish giants' striker Luis Suarez told Mundo Deportivo on Wednesday. Neymar left Barca in a world record move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 but has been persistently linked to a possible return to the Camp Nou. Suarez told the paper: "Everybody knows 'Ney', […]

London (AFP) – Sadio Mane says he would understand if Liverpool were denied the Premier League title even though they were on the brink of glory when coronavirus forced a shutdown. Jurgen Klopp's men were 25 points clear of Manchester City when football came to a halt last month, agonisingly close to their first top-flight […]

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking at transfer targets during the lockdown and believes Manchester United are well-placed to exploit any knock-on effects of the coronavirus suspension. With training and matches halted in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Norwegian has used some of this unexpected free time to pinpoint […]

Asuncion (AFP) – A judge in Paraguay on Tuesday ordered the release of Brazilian football great Ronaldinho and his brother into house arrest at a hotel in downtown Asuncion. Judge Gustavo Amarilla told reporters that he had ordered the "continuation of house arrest in a hotel for Ronaldinho and his brother." They were jailed almost […]

Paris (AFP) – Footballers and clubs in France's top two leagues have reached a non-binding agreement over a "temporary" pay cut during the coronavirus crisis, the national players' union (UNFP) said Tuesday. "We approved the recommendation this morning," UNFP president Philippe Piat told AFP. "The idea is that players defer a part of their April […]