Berlin (AFP) – American sports network ESPN added to its collection of overseas football rights on Monday when it confirmed it has signed a six-year deal with the Bundesliga. The German league is particularly attractive to US fans because 11 Americans are playing there, including some rising stars. The Bundesliga was previously with Fox in […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spain's National Court on Monday said it had dismissed a complaint against Barcelona's Lionel Messi filed by a former employee of the Argentine footballer's foundation, who had accused him of fraud, embezzlement and money laundering. In dismissing the case, the judge wrote that the complaint "was based on an account put together […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola played down concerns over 34-year-old Fernandinho's ability to cope with a high workload as he juggles his stretched defensive resources for Tuesday's Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb. City are missing John Stones and Aymeric Laporte and the manager was forced to field the makeshift pairing of Nicolas […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – African Football Confederation (CAF) officials confirmed Monday that they are investigating why a CAF Champions League match scheduled for Egypt at the weekend was not played. Zamalek of Egypt were due to meet Generation Foot of Senegal in Cairo Saturday in the second leg of the last-32 tie with the west […]

Paris (AFP) – Goal scorers Riyad Mahrez, Karl Toko-Ekambi and Jamilu Collins were among the African players who starred at the weekend in the major European leagues. Algerian Mahrez curled a free-kick into the net to give Manchester City the lead a second time at Everton en route to a 3-1 Premier League triumph. Cameroonian […]

Doha (AFP) – Qatar will inaugurate the third of its eight World Cup stadiums when the Education City ground hosts the Club World Cup semi-final tie on December 18, FIFA said on Monday. The 40,000-seat venue seven kilometres (four miles) outside central Doha will also host the third-place play-off and the final of the tournament […]

Zagreb (AFP) – Mislav Orsic gave Dinamo Zagreb a dream start in the Champions League with a sensational opening round hat-trick against Atalanta, and now the journeyman striker has a shot at downing all-conquering Manchester City. The 26-year-old is the competition's leading scorer heading into their daunting clash at the Etihad Stadium alongside RB Salzburg's […]

Kampala (AFP) – Northern Irishman Johnny Mckinstry has been appointed as the new coach of Uganda, the national federation announced on Monday, replacing Frenchman, Sebastien Desabre. "Johnny Mckinstry will now take over the Cranes," said Edgar Watson, the chief executive of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA). He later told AFP he hoped the […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has dismissed the five-point lead they hold over title rivals Manchester City as irrelevant so early in the season. Jurgen Klopp's side briefly extended their advantage to eight points after beating Sheffield United 1-0 in the early kick-off on Saturday but City beat Everton to reduce the […]

London (AFP) – Harry Kane said Tottenham's battling win against Southampton was a "massive statement" after a difficult start to the season for last season's Champions League finalists. Mauricio Pochettino's side have struggled to find consistency following a period of unrest in the dressing room, with key players including Christian Eriksen linked to moves that […]

Washington (AFP) – Canadian winger Teal Bunbury's goal in the 66th minute Sunday launched the New England Revolution into the Major League Soccer playoffs while Real Salt Lake joined the post-season parade by defeating Houston. Bunbury, whose Guyana-born father was a Canadian international, netted the pivotal goal and Argentine teammate Gustavo Bou added an insurance […]

London (AFP) – Hampered by injuries and poor form, Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli faces an uncertain future while his club are battling to recover from their own troubling period. In a clear indication of the malaise gripping Alli, the England international is far from certain to feature when Tottenham host Bayern Munich in a crucial […]

Milan (AFP) – Welsh international Aaron Ramsey scored on his first start for Juventus as the former Arsenal man's Turin gamble looks to be paying off as he flourishes in the Italian league. Ramsey moved to the Serie A champions this season on a lucrative free transfer reported to be worth 503,000 euros per week […]

London (AFP) – Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer heads into Tuesday's Champions League clash with Tottenham Hotspur aiming for a display that settles the debate about whether he should remain Germany's first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The showdown in London will be key in deciding who will win Group B, with Bayern […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid's revolution was supposed to be built around their attack but resilience has been the base for the recovery ahead of their Champions League group game at home to Club Brugge on Tuesday. At the end of last season, as Zinedine Zidane's dreary run-in came to a close and paved the […]