Paris (AFP) – The 2020 European Championship will be the first to be played all across the continent, with 12 different countries hosting matches, forcing teams and supporters to rack up thousands of air miles and leave behind a gigantic carbon footprint. Sold by UEFA as a one-off to celebrate 60 years since the first […]

Montbeliard (France) (AFP) – The magical run by minnows Belfort in the French Cup came to an end at the quarter-final stage on Tuesday after a 3-0 home defeat to holders Rennes. The fourth division side were applauded off the pitch at a packed Stade Auguste Bonal, the home of Ligue 2 side Sochaux, after […]

Asuncion (AFP) – Former Real Madrid and Manchester City forward Emmanuel Adebayor has joined Olimpia, the reigning Paraguayan champions announced on Tuesday. The Togo forward, who also played for Arsenal, Tottenham and Crystal Palace during a decade-long stay in the English Premier League, had been a free agent since December when he left Turks Kayserispor. […]

Doha (AFP) – Former Croatia forward Mario Mandzukic struck on his Asian Champions League debut as Qatar giants Al Duhail beat Iran's Persepolis 2-0 in their opening Group C match of the continent's premier competition on Tuesday. Ex-Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Juventus attacker Mandzukic, who was part of the Croatia side who finished runners-up […]

Madrid (AFP) – Ousmane Dembele will miss Euro 2020 after Barcelona announced on Tuesday the France international will be out for around six months following surgery on his right hamstring. Dembele's absence also means he will be sidelined for the rest of this season for Barca, who will be without another attacker after losing Luis […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has signed a three-year contract extension until 2024, the Italian champions announced on Tuesday. The Polish international joined Juve in 2017 from Arsenal as back-up to club legend Gianluigi Buffon. The 29-year-old took over as number one after Buffon's departure to Paris Saint-Germain and has held on to […]

Melbourne (AFP) – Melbourne Victory got off to a winning start as the virus-disrupted AFC Champions League East zone began with a curtailed schedule on Tuesday. Ola Toivonen's first-half penalty secured a 1-0 home win for Victory against Thai debutants Chiangrai United, while Ulsan Hyundai and FC Tokyo drew 1-1. The Group E games between […]

Brussels (AFP) – Belgian football club Anderlecht have been sanctioned after a firework thrown by a fan exploded next to the visiting ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, who joined Anderlecht in June as player-manager, appealed to a rowdy section of home fans after the incident as the home side went […]

Berlin (AFP) – Jurgen Klinsmann shocked the German Bundesliga on Tuesday by announcing he was stepping down as Hertha Berlin coach just 10 weeks after taking the reins at the ambitious capital club. The 1990 World Cup winner announced his surprise decision in a post on his Facebook page, three days after Hertha slumped to […]

Melbourne (AFP) – An Ola Toivonen penalty ensured Melbourne Victory kicked off their AFC Champions League campaign with a win Tuesday as they look to resurrect a miserable season. But the 1-0 victory was far from convincing against Chiangrai United, who had a man sent off in their tournament debut after lifting Thailand's domestic title […]

London (AFP) – Odion Ighalo will be in the Manchester United squad for the Premier League clash with Chelsea next Monday despite missing a training camp in Spain due to fears he could be denied re-entry into Britain if restrictions against the outbreak of Coronavirus are tightened. The 30-year-old Nigerian international striker joined United on […]

Milan (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are set to go head-to-head in Thursday's Italian Cup semi-final, first leg between Juventus and AC Milan at the San Siro. Both Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic scored at the weekend in defeats as Juventus fell 2-1 at Hellas Verona, while AC Milan threw away a two-goal lead in […]

Paris (AFP) – Former Arsenal boss Unai Emery says he didn't get enough time to transform the London giants who were on a "downward slope" when he was appointed, France Football magazine reported on Monday. Emery had 18 months at the Emirates Stadium after a two-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain and a spell which included […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Football legend Pele is experiencing "a kind of depression" and barely leaves home anymore because health problems have left him unable to walk normally, his son said in an interview published Monday. "He's pretty fragile in terms of his mobility... and that makes him suffer a kind of depression," Edinho […]

Doha (AFP) – Andre Carrillo and Bafetimbi Gomis were on target as Saudi giants Al Hilal began the defence of their Asian Champions League title with a 2-0 victory over Iran's Shahr Khodro on Monday. Al Hilal's superiority was never in doubt as they controlled proceedings from the start at the Zabeel Stadium in Dubai. […]