Rabat (AFP) – Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca have lodged a new appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the decision to declare Esperance the winners of their CAF Champions League final last season. "The procedure remained open, it is a natural appeal," a Wydad spokesperson told AFP on Wednesday. The latest move […]

Piraeus (Greece) (AFP) – Tottenham failed to get off to a winning start in the Champions League as last season's finalists let a 2-0 lead slip to draw 2-2 with Olympiakos in Greece on Wednesday. Despite a slow start, two goals in four minutes from Harry Kane and Lucas Moura put Spurs on course for […]

Washington (AFP) – New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was set for surgery on his throwing hand Wednesday, coach Sean Payton said, while delaying announcement of his NFL replacement until game-time on Sunday. An initial recovery time for Brees indicated it would be six to eight weeks before the star passer returns, although that is […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United tied down defender Victor Lindelof to a new five-year deal on Wednesday. "Victor Lindelof has signed a new long-term contract with Manchester United, keeping him at the club until at least June 2024. There is an option to extend for a further year," United said in a statement. The Swedish […]

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will hand promising striker Mason Greenwood a chance to lead a Manchester United youth revolution in the Europa League on Thursday. United manager Solskjaer believes Greenwood is one of the best finishers he has ever seen and he will give the 17-year-old his opportunity to shine when Astana visit […]

Paris (AFP) – The French football league (LFP) announced on Wednesday it had voted to 'suspend' it's League Cup competition from next year. The tournament, which was founded in 1994 and modelled on the English League Cup, includes all the clubs from France's two top divisions, augmented by a handful of clubs from the third […]

Kashima (Japan) (AFP) – World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro moved a step closer to AFC Champions League glory as his Guangzhou Evergrande side stunned Asian champions Kashima Antlers Wednesday on away goals to reach the semi-finals. The Chinese giants, who won the competition in 2013 and 2015, go through after drawing 1-1 in Japan following […]

London (AFP) – Former Netherlands and Rangers player Fernando Ricksen has died at the age of 43 following a battle with motor neurone disease, the Scottish Premiership club announced on Wednesday. Ricksen, who spent six years at Rangers until 2006, announced he was suffering from the disease in October 2013. "Rangers is deeply saddened to […]

Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte insisted he was to blame for misjudging opponents Slavia Prague after the Chinese-owned club rescued a disappointing 1-1 draw in their Champions League opener against the Czech outsiders on Tuesday. Substitute Nicolo Barella scored eight minutes into stoppage time in the San Siro after Nigerian forward Peter […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Carlo Ancelotti insisted that there was no sense of "euphoria" after beating Champions League holders Liverpool 2-0 in the opening match of the campaign. Dries Mertens and Fernando Llorente scored late as Liverpool fell in their Group E game in the San Paolo Stadium on Tuesday night. "Euphoria at what? We […]

Paris (AFP) – Manchester United and last year's finalists Arsenal headline an English trio that also features Europa League newcomers Wolves while record five-time champions Sevilla figure to be among the primary contenders as the group stage begins Thursday. Scottish rivals Celtic and Rangers face testing paths to the knockout rounds as bitter foes Roma […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Dries Mertens and Fernando Llorente scored late as holders Liverpool fell 2-0 at Napoli in the opening match of their Champions League title defence on Tuesday. Mertens converted a penalty on 82 minutes and Llorente added a second in stoppage time as Napoli gained a measure of revenge for last season's […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said his team had goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to thank after they escaped with a 0-0 draw at Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League opener on Tuesday. "The team overcame a bad moment today, mainly thanks to Ter Stegen," said Valverde after watching his side survive a […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said it was "clear and obvious" that Dries Mertens' controversial penalty should not have been given after the holders slipped to defeat at Napoli in their Champions League opener on Tuesday. The Premier League leaders fell behind in the 82nd minute after Jose Callejon went down easily […]

Paris (AFP) – Holders Liverpool began their defence of the Champions League trophy with a defeat at the hands of Napoli on Tuesday, while one missed spot-kick condemned Chelsea to defeat against Valencia and another came to Barcelona's rescue. Liverpool survived a 1-0 defeat in Naples in the group stage last season to go on […]