London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has reacted angrily to a proposal that could see the Champions League group stage transformed into a 32-team division. Reigning European champions Liverpool already have a packed fixture programme, with the runaway Premier League leaders due to fly to Qatar for the Club World Cup less than 24 […]

Durban (South Africa) (AFP) – Uruguayan Mauricio Affonso scored twice to give Mamelodi Sundowns a 2-1 victory over Maritzburg United Saturday in a South African League Cup final that ended controversially. Outsiders Maritzburg were denied a stoppage-time equaliser when an assistant referee ruled a headed goal from Judas Moseamedi offside. But big-screen replays showed […]

Milan (AFP) – Gennaro Gattuso's debut as Napoli coach ended in a 2-1 injury-time defeat to Parma on Saturday as last season's Serie A runners-up extended their winless run to eight league games. Gattuso took over after Carlo Ancelotti was sacked despite Napoli's 4-0 Champions League win over Genk booking their place in the last […]

Doha (AFP) – Mexican side Monterrey booked a glamour World Club Cup semi-final clash with European champions Liverpool after seeing off Qatar's Al Sadd 3-2 on Saturday. Leonel Vangioni put Monterrey ahead after 23 minutes with a spectacular 30-yard strike which went in off the post. They were 2-0 ahead by half-time after Al Sadd, […]

Berlin (AFP) – Philippe Coutinho scored a hat-trick as Bayern Munich signalled their return to form with a 6-1 thrashing of Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday, while RB Leipzig took over first place. The Barcelona loanee was everywhere for Munich at the Allianz Arena, chalking up two assists in addition to his three […]

Paris (AFP) – Marseille lost goalkeeper and captain Steve Mandanda to an ankle injury as their six-match winning run in Ligue 1 was snapped Saturday following a 1-1 draw at struggling Metz. France international Mandanda limped off on 32 minutes to be replaced by Yohann Pele, who conceded the opening goal at the Stade Saint-Symphorien […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney is facing up to three months out with a dislocated shoulder. The Scotland international suffered the injury during the Gunners' 3-1 victory over West Ham on Monday. "Kieran will undergo surgery next week and will rehabilitate for around three months," Arsenal said in a statement on Saturday. Tierney […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester must press reset and start again in their pursuit of Liverpool, according to manager Brendan Rodgers after a nine-game winning run came to an end with a 1-1 draw with Norwich. The second-placed Foxes are now 10 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and face the Reds at home […]

Berlin (AFP) – Sarpreet Singh became the first player of Indian descent to play in the Bundesliga on Saturday after the New Zealand international came on for the final eight minutes of Bayern Munich's 6-1 win over Werder Bremen. The 20-year-old Singh, who joined Bayern in the summer from Wellington Phoenix in Australia's A-League, made […]

Glasgow (AFP) – New Hearts manager Daniel Stendel endured a miserable start to his time in charge as Callum Hendry's header earned St Johnstone a 1-0 win at Tynecastle on Saturday. The substitute converted a near-post corner 16 minutes from time to lift Saints off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership and move them three […]

London (AFP) – Frank Lampard urged his Chelsea players to prove they have the courage to cope with adversity after Bournemouth snatched a shock 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Lampard's side were beaten for the fourth time in their last five Premier League games as Dan Gosling netted a VAR-reviewed winner with just […]

Doha (AFP) – Veteran French striker Bafetimbi Gomis came off the bench to score the only goal as Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal defeated African champions Esperance 1-0 on Saturday to reach the Club World Cup semi-finals. Gomis, 34, replaced Gustavo Cuellar in the 65th minute before scoring the only goal of the game eight minutes […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Norwich ended Leicester's nine-game winning run to claim an unexpected 1-1 draw at the King Power that meant the second-placed Foxes fell 10 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Leicester paid a heavy price for a poor start as Teemu Pukki put the Canaries in front before a Tim Krul […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool tightened their grip on the Premier League title race thanks to two Mohamed Salah goals in a 2-0 win over Watford to extend their lead at the top to 10 points as second-placed Leicester were held 1-1 at home by Norwich. Chelsea were also shocked 1-0 at home to Bournemouth to […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona gave Real Madrid the chance to go top of La Liga ahead of Wednesday's Clasico at Camp Nou as they were held to a 2-2 draw by high-flying Real Sociedad on Saturday. A mistake by Barca's usually excellent goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen gifted la Real an equaliser in a thrilling contest […]