Belgrade (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski made Champions League history with four goals in 15 minutes as managerless Bayern Munich romped to a 6-0 win at Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday. It was the fastest four-goal haul in the competition's history and makes Lewandowski the top scorer in Europe this season with 10 goals in five […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City booked their place in the Champions League last 16 for a seventh successive season despite a lacklustre 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday. Pep Guardiola's side were well below their best at the Etihad Stadium, but Ilkay Gundogan's second half strike put them on course to wrap […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho survived a huge scare on his home debut as Tottenham Hotspur manager as his side came from 2-0 down to beat Olympiakos 4-2 and reach the last 16 of the Champions League. The Greek champions blew a huge chance to give themselves a shot at reaching the knockout stages after […]

New York (AFP) – Lawyers for doping whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov on Tuesday called for the International Olympic Committee to take a hardline stance against Russiaafter a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) panel recommended a four-year ban. In a statement, attorneys Jim Walden and Avni Patel said Russian efforts to falsify data handed over to WADA investigators […]

London (AFP) – Frank Lampard has accused Ross Barkley of showing a lack of professionalism after the Chelsea midfielder was pictured shirtless in a nightclub during the international break. Barkley has been left out of Chelsea's squad for Wednesday's crucial Champions League Group H clash at Valencia as he continues his return from an ankle […]

Paris (AFP) – Real Madrid qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League before taking to the field on Tuesday after Group A rivals Club Brugge drew 1-1 with Galatasaray in Istanbul. The Belgian side needed to win in their early kick-off in Turkey to maintain any chance of qualifying ahead of Madrid, but […]

Lausanne (AFP) – Koebi Kuhn, a former Switzerland international and manager, died on Tuesday in Zurich at the age of 76 after a long illness, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter told AFP. "I spent the last few days with him," said Blatter. "In Switzerland, he was one of the most popular players and coaches. He […]

Prague (AFP) – Antonio Conte said on Tuesday that Inter Milan faced a tough task in Wednesday's Champions League clash at Slavia Prague if they are to get the win they need to keep their hopes alive. When the two teams met at the San Siro in the opening round of group games Inter needed […]

London (AFP) – Sadio Mane has, in the words of Liverpool teammate Andy Robertson, "taken his game to another level", stepping out of Mohamed Salah's shadow to become arguably the main man at Anfield. The Senegal international shares star billing with Salah and Roberto Firmino as part of the European champions' electrifying and fluid front […]

London (AFP) – Brighton manager Graham Potter has signed a contract extension until 2025, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday. The club, in their third straight season in the English top flight, are currently 12th in the table after four wins in 13 games. Potter's assistant Billy Reid, first-team coach Bjorn Hamberg and assistant […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he has no concerns about Mohamed Salah's fitness ahead of their Champions League clash with Napoli. Salah was an unused substitute in the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday after missing training with an ankle problem. "Mo Salah looks really good," Klopp said at his pre-match […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he has no concerns about Mohamed Salah's fitness ahead of their Champions League clash with Napoli. Salah was an unused substitute in the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday after missing training with an ankle problem. "Mo Salah looks really good," Klopp said. "I'm not worried […]

Madrid (AFP) – Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has been acquitted of tax fraud, a Madrid court announced on Tuesday. The prosecutors had intially demanded for him to face five years in jail before halving their request. Alonso, a World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, was accused of using a company based on the […]

Milan (AFP) – Napoli head for Liverpool on Wednesday for a Champions League clash which could prove crucial to coach Carlo Ancelotti's future at the troubled Italian club. The three-time Champions League winning coach's second season at the Stadio San Paolo has proved to be a complicated one, after leading them to second in Serie […]

London (AFP) – Michy Batshuayi can boast an impressive goalscoring record. But the forward is finding it tough to convince Chelsea boss Frank Lampard that he deserves a place in his starting line-up. The Belgium international has netted eight goals for club and country this season but has not been trusted to start a single […]