Buenos Aires (AFP) – The world will on Thursday mark the one-year anniversary of the death of Diego Maradona, regarded by some as the best player of all time and a man adored in his home country Argentina despite, or perhaps because of, his human flaws. Argentine club matches are to mark a minute of […]

Paris (AFP) – Manchester City beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 on Wednesday but both clubs qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, along with Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Sporting Lisbon. Gabriel Jesus tapped in from Bernardo Silva's deft knockdown on 76 minutes to settle an absorbing match at the Etihad after Raheem Sterling […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Pedro Goncalves netted twice as Sporting Lisbon beat ten-man Borussia Dortmund 3-1 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League's last 16 and end the Germans' hopes of advancing to the knock-out stages. Sporting got the two-goal winning margin they needed to reach the last 16 for the first time since the 2008-2009 […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid's chances of reaching the Champions League last 16 were dealt a hammer blow on Wednesday after a 1-0 defeat by AC Milan left them needing to win at Porto in their final game in Group B. A scrappy contest at the Wanda Metropolitano looked set to end goalless until Milan […]

London (AFP) – Premier League clubs should pay a transfer tax to support the pyramid of English clubs and be subject to an independent regulator, a fan-led review of football governance has recommended. The wide-ranging review commissioned by the British government has called for changes to be made by an act of parliament to ensure […]

Tiraspol (Moldova) (AFP) – Karim Benzema scored just hours after being found guilty by a French court in a blackmail case as Real Madrid saw off Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League knockout stage. The France striker notched his team's third goal of a confident display in Transnistria, as Real exacted […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City came from behind to secure top spot in Group A with a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain as both sides qualified for the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday. Kylian Mbappe put the French giants in front against the run of play five minutes into the second half. […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Sebastien Haller came off the bench to score twice as Ajax battled back to beat Besiktas 2-1 in Turkey on Wednesday and wrap up top spot in their Champions League group. The Dutch champions maintained their 100-percent record in Group C with a fifth win in as many games. Haller has now […]

Milan (AFP) – Edin Dzeko put Inter Milan to within touching distance of the Champions League last 16 with a brace in a 2-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk which gives his side the chance of making the knockouts for the first time in a decade. Inter now need Real Madrid to manage at least a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich confirmed Wednesday that star midfielder Joshua Kimmich and back-up striker Eric Choupo-Moting — both of whom are unvaccinated — have tested positive for Covid-19. "Joshua Kimmich is isolating at home after testing positive. The FC Bayern midfielder is doing well," the club said in a statement. German international Kimmich, Cameroon's […]

Moscow (AFP) – Aleksandr Sobolev's first-half double helped Spartak Moscow to a 2-1 home victory over Serie A leaders Napoli on Wednesday which moved the Russians top of their Europa League group. All four teams can still progress from Group C and the winner of Leicester's game against Legia Warsaw at the King Power Stadium […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich confirmed Wednesday that back-up striker Eric Choupo-Moting has tested positive for Covid-19, while German daily Bild claims his team-mate Joshua Kimmich – who is also unvaccinated – has the virus as well. Bayern arrived back in Munich after Tuesday's 2-1 win at Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League to learn […]

Paris (AFP) – French football star Karim Benzema provokes passionate opinions, being adored or disliked in equal measure and his one-year suspended sentence on Wednesday will only serve to strengthen those views. The 33-year-old's talent on the pitch is indisputable, he has a swathe of league titles with both Lyon and Real Madrid as well […]

London (AFP) – London's High Court on Wednesday ruled that a book which claimed Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea football club at the Kremlin's behest were defamatory after he sued for libel. "Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On The West" alleges Russian President Vladimir Putin has overseen a […]

Paris (AFP) – Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers will put aside speculation linking him with the vacancy at Manchester United to focus on beating Legia Warsaw on Thursday to ensure the Foxes keep their hopes of automatic qualification to the Europa League knockout stage alive. The 48-year-old Northern Irishman has been linked with the United […]