Paris (AFP) – French football authorities insisted on Monday that a Ligue 1 referee had not been bullied into overturning via VAR his decision to allow a goal despite doing so five minutes after it had been scored following furious player protests. Clement Turpin did not "resort to video assistance under pressure from anyone" during Saturday's […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Fernando Llorente warned he was looking for revenge on Liverpool in Napoli's Champions League opener on Tuesday, after being beaten by the Reds in last season's final with former club Tottenham. The Spanish striker, 34, signed a two-year deal with Carlo Ancelotti's side in the summer after being released by Tottenham […]

London (AFP) – Frank Lampard said Chelsea's transfer embargo did not force his hand to play young forward Tammy Abraham, who has surged to the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts. With Chelsea currently banned from bringing in new players, Lampard has relied heavily on Abraham and fellow youngsters Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori. […]

London (AFP) – Frank Lampard said he "believed and trusted" in striker Tammy Abraham as he prepared to unleash his young players against Valencia in Chelsea's Champions League opener on Tuesday. Abraham, 21, scored a hat-trick in a 5-2 win at Wolves on Saturday but his form has come as no surprise to Lampard. "I […]

London (AFP) – David de Gea has signed a new long-term contract with Manchester United, the Premier League club announced on Monday, ending months of speculation over his future. "David de Gea has signed a new long-term contract with Manchester United, keeping him at the club until at least June 2023," United said on their […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus insisted Monday that his team could beat Barcelona regardless of whether Lionel Messi plays or not, but feared however that Dortmund would 'have to suffer' when the two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday. Messi is a doubt for Tuesday's game amid ongoing struggles with […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham right-back Serge Aurier says he is happy at the Premier League club, despite being prevented from leaving in the transfer window. The Ivory Coast international said last week that he would have liked to have moved on from Spurs but instead made his first appearance of the season and was involved […]

London (AFP) – Nemanja Matic is excited to see young talent getting a chance at Manchester United but hopes there is also room for experience as he looks for more game time. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men ended a three-match winless run by overcoming previously unbeaten Leicester at Old Trafford on Saturday, where Marcus Rashford's early […]

Paris (AFP) – Established star Sadio Mane and the emerging 16-year-old Ansu Fati both scored as they shared the limelight among Africans in the top European leagues at the weekend. Senegal's Mane boosted hopes of succeeding Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah as African Footballer of the Year with a brace in a Premier League comeback win […]

Berlin (AFP) – A former bench-warmer at Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund sharpshooter Paco Alcacer is hoping to hurt his former club when the two teams meet in the Champions League on Tuesday. Alcacer, 26, joined Dortmund in 2018 after struggling to hold down a place in the first team in two seasons at star-studded Barcelona. He […]

London (AFP) – It is a sign of the changed days at Stamford Bridge that Chelsea go into a Champions League clash with Valencia on Tuesday as the example of stability and long-term planning. The Europa League winners return to European football's top tier under new management in Frank Lampard and having ushered in a […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool that retaining the Champions League will be even harder than their incredible march to victory in Madrid last season. Klopp's side start their bid to win a seventh European Cup with a trip to Napoli for their Group E opener on Tuesday. The Reds have reached the […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Esperance of Tunisia launched a bid to become the first club to win the CAF Champions League three consecutive times by drawing 1-1 away to Elect-Sport of Chad Sunday. Fedi Ben Choug put the visiting team ahead on 66 minutes and Haroun Bokhit levelled before his teammate Leger Djimrangar missed a […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Palestinian Mahmoud Wadi scored a hat-trick as Al Masry of Egypt triumphed 4-1 away to Malindi of Zanzibar Sunday in a CAF Confederation Cup last 32 first leg. Wadi, who played at the 2019 Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, broke the deadlock on the Indian Ocean island after 27 minutes […]

Milan (AFP) – Duvan Zapata struck late as Atalanta warmed up for their Champions League debut with a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Genoa in Serie A on Sunday as Roma got their first win this season against Sassuolo, but city rival's Lazio fell at SPAL. Colombian international Zapata rifled in the winner on 95 minutes […]