Tokyo (AFP) – World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper said Tuesday he had concerns that a reported deal to sell a share of the Six Nations' commercial arm to Formula One's former owners CVC for £300 million ($370 million) might be detrimental to players' welfare. The Times newspaper reported Tuesday that CVC Capital Partners had […]

Lausanne (AFP) – Neymar's Champions League ban for insulting match officials on social media has been reduced from three games to two following an appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on Tuesday. The world's most expensive player following his move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for 222 million euros in 2017 will […]

London (AFP) – The Six Nations has agreed to sell 15 percent of its commercial arm to Formula One's former owners CVC for £300 million ($370 million), The Times reported on Tuesday. The Six Nations would not confirm the sale had been agreed, saying only it has "has agreed to enter into an exclusive period […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian footballers Pavel Mamaev and Alexander Kokorin were released on Tuesday after spending nearly a year in prison over a night of drunken assaults. Russian state television showed Krasnodar midfielder Mamaev, 31, and Zenit Saint Petersburg forward Kokorin, 28, leave the prison where they were held in the southwestern Belgorod region. Wearing […]

Berlin (AFP) – As Bayern Munich launch their Champions League campaign against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night, Bavarian hopes of reclaiming European club football's top prize rest to a large extent on the shoulders of Philippe Coutinho. Following seven semi-final appearances in the last decade, the former Liverpool midfielder has been hailed as the […]

Paris (AFP) – The visit of Real Madrid to the French capital on Wednesday means a glamour tie for Paris Saint-Germain to begin their Champions League campaign but a meeting with the Spanish side also brings back unhappy memories. When the clubs last met in Europe two seasons ago, a PSG side missing an injured […]

Madrid (AFP) – Young gun Joao Felix will lead the charge on Wednesday as his Atletico Madrid seek revenge on Juventus and their old enemy Cristiano Ronaldo in a potentially fiery Champions League opener. Felix, touted as the heir to Ronaldo's throne, will make his debut in Europe's top competition when the when the Portuguese […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham's improbable rollercoaster run to the club's first ever Champions League final last season has masked a steady decline in results for Mauricio Pochettino's men stretching back to February. The tension, emotion and elation of the late drama that saw Spurs past Manchester City in the quarter-finals and Ajax in the last […]

Miami (AFP) – United States women's soccer star Alex Morgan said Monday she would not play again this season as she aims to fix a knee injury that has bothered her since the World Cup. The 30-year-old Orlando Pride forward, one of the most prominent players on the United States' World Cup-winning team, made the […]

London (AFP) – Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he felt "embarrassed" as he tried to shield his family from allegations he raped a woman in the United States. Ronaldo was accused of sexually assaulting Kathryn Mayorga in a Las Vegas hotel in June 2009. The Portugal forward, a five-time Champions League winner, strongly denied […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said his side had not 'gone nuts' after winning the Champions League and were ready for their title defence starting with a Group E opener in Napoli on Tuesday. "To win is nice, but it doesn't change anything," Klopp told reporters in Naples. "It's so easy to […]

Birmingham (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Aston Villa duo Tyrone Mings and Anwar El Ghazi were involved in a furious clash and West Ham defender Arthur Masuaku was sent off in a separate incident during Monday's fiery 0-0 draw. Mings and El Ghazi lost their cool in the first half at Villa Park and had to […]

Berlin (AFP) – Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen on Monday accused Manuel Neuer of making "inappropriate" comments in a war of the words between the two Germany stoppers. The dispute between the two keepers arose after Ter Stegen expressed his frustration at a lack of opportunities to play for the national team last week. "I […]

Doha (AFP) – Top Qatar club Al Sadd bounced back from their first leg loss to win 3-1 on Monday and oust Saudi giants Al Nassr in an AFC Champions League quarter-final. Coach Xavi punched the air in delight as the 2011 continental champions put on a commanding home performance to secure a 4-3 aggregate […]

Berlin (AFP) – Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said Monday that Lionel Messi could make his comeback against Borussia Dortmund as the Catalan giants launch a fresh assault on the Champions League title in Germany on Tuesday evening. Messi, who has missed the beginning of the season with a calf injury, was named in Barcelona's squad […]