Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City cruised to a 2-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday as Pep Guardiola's side returned to action for the first time following the club's shock two-year ban from European competitions. Goals from Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne lifted City's spirits as they cemented their hold on second place […]

Madrid (AFP) – Lionel Messi said Wednesday it was "strange" to see Barcelona locked in a row over a company accused of criticising current and former players, including himself, on social media. Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said on Tuesday the club had terminated its contract with PR company, I3 Ventures, who had been hired […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Dead-ball expert Hlompho Kekana converted a free-kick to earn Mamelodi Sundowns a 2-1 win over Bloemfontein Celtic on Wednesday that closed the gap behind South African league leaders Kaizer Chiefs to four points. The 34-year-old South Africa midfielder struck on 55 minutes from outside the box with a shot that went over […]

Milan (AFP) – Josip Ilicic and Papu Gomez will spearhead the Atalanta attack as the Champions League debutants take on Valencia in the last 16, first leg on Wednesday in Milan, with Duvan Zapata named as a substitute. Gian Piero Gasperini opted for a 3-4-1-2 formation against the Spaniards with Colombian striker Zapata, who scored […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho handed Gedson Fernandes just his second start for Tottenham in Wednesday's Champions League last 16, first leg against RB Leipzig. The 21-year-old Benfica loanee comes in to bolster Mourinho's midfield with Spurs short of options up front. Son Heung-min and Harry Kane will miss both legs against the Germans through […]

London (AFP) – Marcus Rashford will be sidelined for several months after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed the Manchester United striker is "touch and go" to play again this season. Rashford, 22, suffered a back injury in United's FA Cup third-round replay win against Wolves in January. It was initially thought Rashford would be out for […]

London (AFP) – Former Aston Villa and Tottenham defender Alan Hutton announced his retirement on Wednesday. Hutton made 185 appearances for Villa before being released last year after playing a role in their promotion back to the Premier League in 2019. The 35-year-old right-back had a four-season spell with Tottenham after starting his career with […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City hope to have their appeal against a two-year ban from European football by UEFA heard by the Court of Arbitration before the start of next season's Champions League, according to City Football Group CEO Ferran Soriano. The former Barcelona executive claimed UEFA's charges against the club of overstating their sponsorship […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain travelled to Borussia Dortmund desperate to finally make their mark on the Champions League knockout stage but left on the receiving end of a defeat which threatens to derail yet another European campaign. The aftermath saw an unhappy Neymar pointing the finger of blame at his own club with coach […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke believes the German club have a psychological advantage over Paris Saint-Germain after Erling Braut Haaland's goals sealed a 2-1 win over the French club in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Norwegian teenager struck twice in Tuesday's last 16, first leg at the Signal Iduna […]

Madrid (AFP) – Diego Simeone flattened his palms and begged for calm while his players went wild for the single goal that gave Atletico Madrid belief they could reach the Champions League quarter-finals. But for the next 86 minutes of an attritional and intensely absorbing encounter at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday, Atletico's coach was […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool's return to the scene of their Champions League triumph last season was not a happy one. A 1-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday leaves the European champions relying on another Anfield comeback to progress. Jurgen Klopp's men famously thrashed Barcelona 4-0 in […]

London (AFP) – Justin Fashanu, who in 1990 became the first English professional footballer to reveal he was gay, will be honoured on Wednesday by being inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. Fashanu will be honoured on what would have been his 59th birthday — he hanged himself in May 1998 — […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Wolverhampton Wanderers have only sporadically enjoyed European football since their golden era in the 1950s, but a controversial connection with Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes has made them a force to be reckoned with again. The club's three league triumphs are immortalised in statues to Wolves legend Billy Wright and manager […]

Paris (AFP) – The Europa League knockout phase begins on Thursday, with VAR being introduced to Europe's secondary club competition for the first time outwith the final for the last 32, first-leg ties. AFP Sport picks five games to watch this week: – Man Utd in Bruges – Manchester United's Champions League aspirations have been […]