London (AFP) – Former England captain Wayne Rooney has revealed a gambling addiction threated to damage his glittering career. Rooney, who made his debut for Championship side Derby this week, said he was sucked in by his initial success as a gambler. Manchester United's record goalscorer then lost large amounts of money and started "chasing […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Friday stepped up his calls to protect players from burn-out after claiming England's festive fixture pile-up was bad for the sport. Klopp is one of a growing number of Premier League managers frustrated by the demands placed on top-flight teams by England's domestic competitions and television's unquenchable […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will miss the derby match against Espanyol on Saturday through injury and is unlikely to play in next week's Spanish Super Cup. "It is true that he has some problems in the tendon," said coach Ernesto Valverde in a press conference on Friday. "He will not be […]

Milan (AFP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic warned Friday he was not back at AC Milan just to act as a mascot and immediately got off the mark for his new club by scoring in a friendly against a local lower league side. "I'm ready, I feel more than alive, I hope to play immediately," the 38-year-old […]

London (AFP) – Harry Kane faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after Tottenham revealed the striker suffered a tear in his left hamstring during Wednesday's loss to Southampton. Kane limped off during the 1-0 loss at St Mary's and Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho admitted he feared it would be "bad news" once the England […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp insists he respects the FA Cup but that won't stop Liverpool's manager prioritising his fatigued players' health in Sunday's FA Cup derby clash against Everton. Naby Keita became the latest addition to Liverpool's growing injury list when he pick up a groin problem before the runaway leaders' 2-0 win over […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola expects Brazil midfielder Fernandinho to sign a new contract with Manchester City before his current deal expires at the end of this season, the Premier League champions' coach said on Friday. The 34-year-old, who is in talks with City over an extension, shone as a holding midfielder in City's title-winning […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea assistant manager Jody Morris says he has the "utmost respect" for Jose Mourinho despite previously poking fun at the Tottenham boss on social media. Morris posted a video of himself jokingly pretending to cry on Instagram in November after Mourinho said he was "still worried" about Chelsea's chances this season. Former […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho said on Friday he was expecting "bad news" on Harry Kane's hamstring injury after the England captain limped out of the 1-0 defeat at Southampton on New Year's Day. The Tottenham boss said the full extent of the problem would soon become apparent. Kane pulled up as he slotted home […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played down any suggestion of a disagreement over Paul Pogba's recent ankle surgery on Friday. The Norwegian boss said on New Year's Day that Pogba's "people" had advised that the player, who has only started six matches in all competitions this season due to ankle problems, […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he has some tough decisions to make ahead of Sunday's FA Cup meeting with Everton after the injury toll mounted for the Premier League leaders. Midfielder Naby Keita became the latest player to be added to the injured list, having sustained a groin problem before Thursday's 2-0 […]

London (AFP) – Aston Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton and forward Wesley have been ruled out for the rest of the season, the Premier League club announced on Friday. Record signing Wesley and Heaton were injured during the New Year's Day 2-1 win at Burnley. It has since been confirmed that both players have suffered knee […]

Madrid (AFP) – Eden Hazard's injury-plagued start at Real Madrid will continue this month after Zinedine Zidane said on Friday the Belgian will not play in the Spanish Super Cup next week. Hazard suffered an ankle fracture during Madrid's draw against Paris Saint-Germain on November 26 and was expected to be out for around four […]

Milan (AFP) – Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic warned Friday he was not back at AC Milan as a mascot but for the "last bit of adrenaline" and to lift a club he loved out of a difficult situation. "I'm not here as a mascot to dance for the fans next to the Devil (Milan mascot)," […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United were in full support of the decision that led to Paul Pogba undergoing ankle surgery, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday. The Norwegian boss appeared to suggest after the New Year's Day defeat to Arsenal that Pogba's "people" had recommended the surgery, raising questions over how much input the […]