Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona and Argentina striker Sergio Aguero on Wednesday announced his retirement from football at a tearful press conference, just over a month after the 33-year-old was diagnosed with a heart problem. "I have decided to stop playing professional football. It is a very hard moment but I am happy with my decision. […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Marcelo Bielsa did not try and sugarcoat Leeds United's record-equalling night for all the wrong reasons after being mauled 7-0 by Manchester City. "This is the worst performance in four years," said the Argentine, who restored one of English football's sleeping giants to the Premier League. "I can't find anything […]

Milan (AFP) – Andriy Shevchenko got his first win as Genoa coach on Tuesday with a 1-0 success over Salernitana booking an Italian Cup last 16 clash against his former club AC Milan. Ghana international Caleb Ekuban's 76th-minute header lifted the north-western port side to their first home win this season. Former AC Milan and […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists no player is bigger than the club after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy. Gabon forward Aubameyang was dropped ahead of Saturday's win over Southampton after reportedly returning late from a club authorised trip to visit his ill mother. Arsenal on Tuesday revealed Aubameyang had lost […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City powered four points clear at the top of the Premier League as Kevin De Bruyne inspired a 7-0 rout of Leeds just hours after clubs were given strict new measures to curb the threat of the coronavirus on Tuesday. De Bruyne delivered an imperious display including two goals on his […]

Riyadh (AFP) – Boca Juniors beat Barcelona on penalties on Tuesday in Riyadh, in a friendly match in honour of Diego Maradona, marked by the return of Brazilian Dani Alves to the Spanish club. Ferran Jutgla gave Barca the lead in the 50th minute but Exequiel Zeballos levelled mid-way through the second half and the […]

Paris (AFP) – Bottom-placed French Ligue 1 club Saint-Etienne on Tuesday named Pascal Dupraz as their new coach following the sacking of Claude Puel. Dupraz has signed until the end of the season, replacing former Monaco, Lyon and Leicester boss Puel who became the first Ligue 1 coach to be dismissed this season after a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich opened a nine-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Tuesday as Serge Gnabry claimed a hat-trick and Robert Lewandowski scored twice in a 5-0 rout at strugglers Stuttgart. Gnabry scored either side of half-time before the flood gates opened with three goals in a devastating fine-minute spell as […]

London (AFP) – Premier League players and staff must take a lateral flow test every time they enter their club's training ground as part of strict new measures to curb the threat of the coronavirus. The protocols were agreed after Manchester United's Premier League match at Brentford on Tuesday and Tottenham's trip to Brighton last […]

London (AFP) – A temporary ban on owner-related sponsorship deals for Premier League clubs in the wake of a Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle has been lifted. The block on such transactions was backed by 18 top-flight clubs in October with only Newcastle opposing and Manchester City abstaining. Abu Dhabi-owned City's rise to be the dominant […]

London (AFP) – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy following a breach of discipline, the club confirmed on Tuesday. The 32-year-old forward was left out for Saturday's 3-0 win over Southampton and will also not feature for West Ham's visit to the Emirates on Wednesday. "Following his latest disciplinary breach last week, […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona forward Sergio Aguero will make an announcement on his future on Wednesday following cardiac and respiratory difficulties suffered while playing in La Liga in October. Aguero will be accompanied at a press conference Wednesday by club president Joan Laporta, where local media say he will announce his retirement. The 33-year-old joined […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof is underdoing investigations into the cause of the breathing difficulties he suffered during Saturday's 1-0 win at Norwich, but it is not believed to be related to the coronavirus outbreak at the club. Lindelof, 27, was substituted in the 74th minute at Carrow Road after […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Premier League fans will be subject to vaccine passport checks to enter stadiums from Wednesday, but fears are rising over how long the English top flight can continue in front of capacity crowds as the Omicron variant sweeps across Britain. Tottenham's trip to Brighton and Manchester United's visit to Brentford have been […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United's match at Brentford on Tuesday was postponed as the English Premier League reported a record number of Covid-19 cases, with the virus threatening to disrupt the busy Christmas fixture list. It came hours after the Old Trafford club closed their Carrington training complex because of several players and staff members […]