Twickenham (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England's top rugby union official has said the example of South Africa's World Cup-winning supremo Rassie Erasmus means they can avoid rushing into a decision on whether Eddie Jones will still be in charge for the 2023 edition in France. Australian coach Jones took England all the way to this […]

Birmingham (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Liverpool's youngest ever team suffered a harsh lesson on Tuesday as Aston Villa ran out 5-0 winners to reach the League Cup semi-finals, with Jonathan Kodjia scoring twice. An unrecognisable Liverpool line-up contained five debutants and an average age of 19 years, six months and three days with the European […]

Doha (AFP) – Liverpool face Monterrey of Mexico at the Club World Cup in Doha on Wednesday knowing that Flamengo lie in wait should they make it to the final of a competition they are looking to win for the first time. Jurgen Klopp's side have taken time out from their seemingly relentless march towards […]

Doha (AFP) – Bruno Henrique scored one goal and made two more to book Flamengo's place in the final of the Club World Cup as the Brazilian giants came from behind to beat Asian champions Al Hilal 3-1 in Doha on Tuesday. Salem Aldawsari gave the Saudi club a deserved lead in the first half […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has called for unity around Wednesday's Clasico amid fears the world's most famous football match could be marred by Catalan independence protests. The original fixture at Camp Nou had to be postponed due to riots in October and further demonstrations are expected when Real and Barca play for […]

Rome (AFP) – The Turkish fiancee of murdered Saudi journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi said Tuesday she was "heartbroken" that the Italian Super Cup was being played in Saudia Arabia. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor and US resident, was killed in October 2018 by Saudi agents while at Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul to obtain […]

Bucharest (AFP) – Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu said on Tuesday that he was in talks with Santos to succeed Argentine Jorge Sampaoli, who resigned after leading the club to second in the Brazilian league. "The Santos offer is concrete and serious," Lucescu, 74, told the Romanian daily Gazeta sporturilor. He said he was "honoured" but […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Veteran Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng said on Tuesday he would like interim coach Hansi Flick to be appointed on a full-time basis. Flick, 54, took over at the Allianz Arena in November after Niko Kovac was sacked and club president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said he would wait until the winter […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City assistant coach Mikel Arteta will travel with the squad for the League Cup quarter-final with Oxford despite holding talks over the vacant manager's role at Arsenal, Pep Guardiola confirmed on Tuesday. The City boss revealed in his pre-match press conference that Arteta had taken part in a training session with […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – The North Carolina city of Charlotte was handed Major League Soccer's latest expansion franchise on Tuesday, with the new team set to kick off in 2021. The plans were announced at a press conference by MLS Commissioner Don Garber and David Tepper, the billionaire owner of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. […]

Washington (AFP) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday denounced China for its heavy-handed actions against Arsenal over footballer Mesut Ozil's support for incarcerated Uighurs, saying Beijing could not hide reality. Arsenal distanced itself from Ozil but Beijing dropped state television broadcasts of the English Premier League club's Sunday match — a move […]

Brussels (AFP) – Ex-Netherlands internationals Ruud van Nistelrooy and Maarten Stekelenburg will join the national team's coaching set-up for Euro 2020, the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) announced on Tuesday. Former Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy, 43, will be released from his role as PSV Eindhoven's youth coach for the competition. "It is a wonderful opportunity […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City assistant coach Mikel Arteta will travel with the squad for the League Cup quarter-final with Oxford despite holding talks over the vacant manager's role at Arsenal, Pep Guardiola confirmed on Tuesday. The City boss revealed in his pre-match press conference Arteta had taken part in a training session with the […]

London (AFP) – Harry Kane says he has embraced the chance to learn from new Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho despite his huge respect for predecessor Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs registered their fourth win in five Premier League games under Mourinho at Wolves on Sunday after sacking Pochettino last month. Kane said the two managers work in […]

Doha (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are fully focused on winnning this week's Club World Cup ahead of their semi-final against Monterrey of Mexico but hit out at the timing of the competition and questioned FIFA's plans to expand the tournament in future. "We are here now and we are completely focused on it, […]