Rome (AFP) – Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday announced that the country's top-flight Serie A football league, along with all sporting events in the country, will be suspended until April 3 as Italy grapples with the coronavirus crisis. Monday's Serie A game between Sassuolo and Brescia went ahead behind closed doors in Reggio […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Harvey Barnes and Jamie Vardy each scored twice as Leicester strengthened their challenge for a place in the Champions League next season with a 4-0 thrashing of Aston Villa on Monday. Brendan Rodgers's men had won just one of their previous seven Premier League games, but remain in third and […]

Asuncion (AFP) – Lawyers for Brazilian football great Ronaldinho are trying to organize a hearing to get him temporarily released from detention for allegedly entering Paraguay with a fake passport, defense sources told AFP on Monday. Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto were arrested on Friday and held in pre-trial detention in Asuncion for entering Paraguay […]

Leipzig (Germany) (AFP) – Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho does not believe Dutch international Steven Bergwijn will play again this season to compound his lack of forward options with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min also sidelined by injury. Bergwijn suffered a sprained left ankle in a 1-1 draw at Burnley on Saturday that stretched Spurs' run […]

Rome (AFP) – Italy's Olympic Committee (CONI) on Monday recommended that all sporting events in Italy be suspended until April 3 to help contain the growing coronavirus crisis. If the recommendation is implemented it would result in a suspension of Serie A football, currently being played behind closed doors. It follows a meeting between CONI […]

London (AFP) – Mikel Arteta said his inside knowledge of Manchester City could come in handy as he prepares for a "special" first return to the Etihad as Arsenal manager on Wednesday. The Spaniard, who was working as assistant to manager Pep Guardiola, left City in December to take his first senior managerial role at […]

Augsburg (Germany) (AFP) – After just one win in eight Bundesliga matches, Augsburg announced they had fired their coach Martin Schmidt on Monday. The Bavarians lost 2-0 at their regional rivals Bayern Munich on Sunday, taking their 2020 record to one win, one draw and six defeats in the German league. The club have dropped […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham suffered another major injury blow to their forward options on Monday with Dutch international Steven Bergwijn set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a left ankle sprain. Bergwijn suffered the injury in a 1-1 draw at Burnley on Saturday that stretched Spurs' run without a win in all […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last 16 second leg at home to German club Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday will be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus outbreak, Paris police said on Monday. The decision comes after the French government on Sunday announced measures to cope with the spread of the virus, […]

Madrid (AFP) – Valencia will attempt an unlikely comeback without their fans on Tuesday when they play Atalanta in the Champions League behind closed doors due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Retrieving a 4-1 defeat from the first leg in Italy was always going to be a formidable task for Valencia but looks even […]

Paris (AFP) – Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were the African stars in Europe at the weekend, with both scoring as Premier League leaders Liverpool snapped a mini all-competitions slump by beating Bournemouth 2-1 at Anfield. Reigning African Footballer of the Year Mane netted the winner after Salah cancelled out an early opener for the […]

London (AFP) – Teen sensation Billy Gilmour has vowed to prove he is not just along for the ride at Chelsea after two man-of-the-match performances in a week. The 18-year-old caught the eye in both the midweek 2-0 FA Cup win over Liverpool and Sunday's 4-0 thumping of Everton — his first Premier League start. […]

Paris (AFP) – AFP looks at the effects on sport of the coronavirus, which by 1100 GMT on Monday had killed over 3,800 people while infecting more than 110,000 in over 100 countries. FOOTBALL — In Italy, the hardest-hit European country with 366 deaths from COVID-19, Serie A descended into controversy when Italian sports minister […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United have had a rocky ride under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but there are signs that they could finally be turning the corner after completing a memorable league double over Manchester City. The Norwegian appeared to be bringing the good times back to Old Trafford when he took over from Jose Mourinho […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last 16 second leg at home to German club Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday will be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus outbreak, Paris police said on Monday. The decision comes after the French government on Sunday announced measures to cope with the spread of the virus, […]