Prague (AFP) – Lionel Messi claimed another goal-scoring record as Barcelona edged a spirited Slavia Prague 2-1 on Wednesday as the Spanish giants stayed top of Champions League Group F. Messi opened the scoring after three minutes, beating Slavia goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar with a low left-footed shot to become the first player ever to score […]

Genk (Belgium) (AFP) – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made the most of a rare start by scoring twice while Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah also netted as holders Liverpool eased to a 4-1 win over Genk in their Champions League clash in Belgium on Wednesday. The England international, who missed almost all of last season due to […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Chelsea showed that their young side were ready for the European stage on Wednesday after Michy Batshuayi's late winner fired them to a 1-0 Champions League win at Ajax that puts them square in the fight for the knockout stages. Substitute Batshuayi struck in the 86th minute to seal a hugely impressive […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Chelsea manager Frank Lampard hailed his side's 1-0 victory at Ajax in the Champions League as his best yet in charge of the Blues. Lampard made a telling impact with his substitutions at the Johan Cruyff Arena as Christian Pulisic set up Michy Batshuayi to score the winner four minutes from time. […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Los Angeles FC head coach Bob Bradley was named Major League Soccer's Coach of the Year for the third time on Wednesday as his team prepares to face Los Angeles Galaxy in a crunch play-off clash. The 61-year-old former US national coach collected the award in recognition of a record-breaking season […]

Amsterdam (AFP) – Chelsea showed that their young side were ready for the European stage on Wednesday after Michy Batshuayi's late winner fired them to a 1-0 Champions League win at Ajax that puts them square in the fight for the knockout stages. Batshuayi struck in the 86th minute to seal a hugely impressive win […]

Leipzig (Germany) (AFP) – Austria's Marcel Sabitzer set up a goal and scored another as RB Leipzig came from behind to beat Zenit St Petersburg 2-1 in the Champions League to move top of Group G on Wednesday. Sabitzer's second-half heroics came after Yaroslav Rakitskyy opened the scoring for the Russians who had only lost […]

Genk (Belgium) (AFP) – Mohamed Salah returns to the Liverpool line-up for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Genk in Belgium after missing the weekend draw with Manchester United due to injury. The Egyptian sat out the Premier League match at Old Trafford, which finished 1-1, because of an ankle problem. He teams up with Sadio […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Unai Emery asked for fans to give him time as doubts grow over the Spaniard's ability to lead the Gunners back into the Champions League. A disappointing 1-0 defeat at promoted Sheffield United on Monday left Arsenal fifth in the Premier League, after just four wins in their opening nine […]

Madrid (AFP) – The rearranged Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be played on December 18 despite opposition from La Liga, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Wednesday. Spain's most prestigious fixture, which was due to take place at Camp Nou on Saturday, was postponed last week because of violent pro-independence protests in […]

Athens (AFP) – Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has slammed their "careless" performance following a nervy 3-2 win at Olympiakos as the German giants lost another centre-back to injury with Lucas Hernandez damaging ankle ligaments. "I don't think the performance we produced will bring us serious success if we don't get a handle on things," […]

Madrid (AFP) – The rearranged Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be played on December 18 despite opposition from La Liga, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Tuesday. Spain's most prestigious fixture, which was due to take place at Camp Nou on Saturday, was postponed last week because of violent pro-independence protests in […]

London (AFP) – Harry Kane says Tottenham's 5-0 Champions League mauling of Red Star Belgrade will count for little unless they use it as a catalyst to turn around their miserable Premier League form. Tuesday's result at home against the Serbian champions revives Mauricio Pochettino's sides hopes of European progress after a humiliating 7-2 defeat […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Maurizio Sarri praised Juventus for not losing their heads as Paulo Dybala's quick-fire second-half double rescued a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Lokomotiv Moscow in their Champions League Group D clash in Turin on Tuesday. The Italian champions had trailed the Russians with 13 minutes to go in the Allianz Stadium after […]

Paris (AFP) – Raheem Sterling and Kylian Mbappe both scored second-half hat-tricks in UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday as Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur all recorded big victories. Juventus, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich laboured to wins on a night which brought 30 goals in eight games, a third of which were […]