London (AFP) – Derby condemned an "alcohol-related incident" that has ruled captain Richard Keogh out of action until the end of the season because of a serious knee injury. Rams duo Tom Lawrence and Mason Bennett were also charged with drink-driving after a car crash shortly before midnight on Tuesday. The Championship side revealed Keogh […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool Football Club's controversial bid to trademark the word "Liverpool" has been rejected by the British government's Intellectual Property Office. The Premier League club said their sole aim had been to protect themselves against mass-produced Liverpool FC merchandise and had hoped to trademark the city's name when used in the context of […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona have been fined a mere 300 euros ($328) after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) found the club guilty of tapping up Antoine Griezmann last season while he was still attached to Atletico Madrid. Barca signed Griezmann after paying his 120-million-euro buyout clause in July, prompting Atletico to claim the Catalan club […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Unai Emery has asked his players to vote for their preferred choices as captain as he rebuilds his five-strong leadership group, according to defender Rob Holding. Emery introduced a pool of five captains following his appointment last year but out of his original choices, Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech and Aaron […]

Barcelona (AFP) – After a summer of courtship, with Barcelona wooing Neymar to come back, the Brazilian star and his former club have finally agreed a date — but in court rather than on the pitch. Both sides will meet at a court in the Barcelona suburbs on Friday for a multi-million-euro legal battle over […]

Madrid (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar, the world's most expensive player, is embroiled in a string of legal woes with cases in Spain, France and Brazil. Paris Saint-Germain transfer A contract extension bonus Barcelona agreed to give Neymar is at the heart of the legal dispute, which was withheld by the Spanish club following […]

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Malaysia have pulled out of a football friendly in Hong Kong over concerns about the unprecedented pro-democracy protests in the city, officials said Thursday, the latest sporting casualty from the unrest. Hong Kong has been rocked by increasingly violent demonstrations over the past three months, with protesters calling for democracy and […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer urged Manchester United's youngsters to be more ruthless after they survived a League Cup scare against third tier Rochdale on Wednesday. Solskjaer was subjected to calls for his sacking on social media after United needed a 5-3 penalty shoot-out win to edge past Rochdale after a limp […]

Rome (AFP) – Inter Milan made it five wins from five games with a 1-0 victory over Lazio on Wednesday as Antonio Conte's men reclaimed top spot in Serie A. However, they needed goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, on the occasion of his 300th game for Inter, to pull off a series of fine saves to ensure […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain fell to a shock 2-0 loss to Reims at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday as headers from Hassane Kamara and Boulaye Dia gave the visitors a famous win. The Ligue 1 champions, depleted by a spate of injuries, remain top of the table after seven games, but have already […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United survived a League Cup scare against third tier Rochdale as they won 5-3 on penalties, while West Ham suffered a shock 4-0 defeat at Oxford on Wednesday. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's struggling side were held to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford after 16-year-old Luke Matheson scored a 76th minute equaliser […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid's crisis has been averted for the time being at least after they beat Osasuna 2-0 on Wednesday without Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale to return to the top of La Liga. Hazard and Bale were among a number of players rested by coach Zinedine Zidane, with Real facing seven games […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain fell to a shock 2-0 loss to Reims at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday as headers from Hassane Kamara and Boulaye Dia gave the visitors a famous win. The Ligue 1 champions, depleted by a spate of injuries, remain top of the table after seven games, but have already […]

Rome (AFP) – Duvan Zapata and Marten de Roon scored second-half goals as Atalanta condemned Roma to a first league defeat of the season on Wednesday, dashing England international defender Chris Smalling's hopes of a winning debut. The win at the Stadio Olimpico allowed Atalanta to climb into third place in the Serie A table, […]

Madrid (AFP) – Diego Costa's partnership with Joao Felix is finally up and running after both scored in Atletico Madrid's 2-0 victory over Real Mallorca on Wednesday. Costa headed in on 26 minutes at the Iberostar Stadium and Felix struck again after half-time to set Atletico on their way before Alvaro Morata was sent off […]