London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has refused to set a timeframe for ending the north London club's long wait for silverware as he insisted trophies were the "target". Europe's new third-tier Conference League, where Spurs travel to Slovenia for a tie with NS Mura on Thursday, may offer the best hope of […]

Oslo (AFP) – Norway summoned Qatar's ambassador on Wednesday to discuss the arrests of two Norwegian TV reporters in Doha where they were covering preparations and controversies around the 2022 World Cup. Their employer, public broadcaster NRK, said Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani were arrested without any explanation on Sunday night, just before their flight […]

Oslo (AFP) – Norwegian political and sporting leaders protested on Wednesday against the arrests of two Norwegian TV reporters in Qatar where they were covering preparations and controversies around the 2022 World Cup. Their employer, public broadcaster NRK, said Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani were arrested without any explanation on Sunday night, just before their […]

Berlin (AFP) – A group of Bayern Munich fans are putting pressure on the club to end their controversial Qatari sponsorship deal amid claims of human rights abuses. Bayern signed a five-year sponsorship deal with state-owned Qatar Airways in 2018 which the German media claim is worth around 20 million euros ($22.5 million) per year […]

Berlin (AFP) – Dubbed 'Duracell bunny' for his seemingly tireless energy, Genki Haraguchi is a shoe-in for Union Berlin this season, but the Japan midfielder is desperate to break his duck for the Bundesliga club. "I want to score," the 30-year-old attacking midfielder told reporters having yet to hit the net in 19 games since […]

Versailles (France) (AFP) – A French court on Wednesday gave Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema a one-year suspended sentence for complicity in a bid to blackmail his former France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena with a sex tape. The sentence was tougher than that sought by prosecutors against the 33-year-old player over the 2015 extortion attempt, which […]

Versailles (France) (AFP) – A French court Wednesday issues its verdict on whether Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema conspired to blackmail his former France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena with a sex tape, in a case that tarnished both their careers. The allegations against Benzema, which date to 2015, led to him being cast out of the […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League last 16 go down to the final Group E matchday after an entertaining 0-0 draw against Benfica on Tuesday. With Xavi Hernandez taking charge of his second game since replacing Ronald Koeman in the Barca dugout, the Catalan side produced a performance a world […]

Vila-real (Spain) (AFP) – Manchester United's caretaker manager Michael Carrick said he was not surprised Cristiano Ronaldo delivered again in their 2-0 win over Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday. Carrick also said he spoke to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before accepting his temporary role in charge, after Solskjaer was sacked on Sunday. Ronaldo's chipped […]

Kiev (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski scored a magnificent overhead kick in the snow as Bayern Munich won 2-1 at Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Tuesday, even with five of their players in quarantine. Lewandowski put Bayern ahead with a superbly-timed bicycle kick to score for a ninth consecutive Champions League appearance. With Bayern […]

Vila-real (Spain) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo's excellent goal helped Manchester United begin life after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 2-0 victory over Villarreal on Tuesday and seal their place in the Champions League last 16. Ronaldo's splendid lob was then capped by Jadon Sancho's first United goal at the Ceramica, where caretaker manager Michael Carrick […]

Lyon (AFP) – The Lyon fan who threw a bottle at Marseille captain Dimitri Payet in a weekend Ligue 1 match was on Tuesday handed a six-month suspended prison sentence. Wilfried Serriere, 32, was also banned from Lyon's Parc OL stadium for five years as a result of Sunday's incident. Earlier Tuesday French football chiefs […]

Riyadh (AFP) – Nasser Al-Dawsari scored the fastest ever goal in an Asian Champions League final as Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal swept past South Korea's Pohang Steelers 2-0 to win the continental title for a record fourth time on Tuesday. Both teams were aiming for an unprecedented fourth triumph but it was the hosts who made […]

Madrid (AFP) – Thibaut Courtois said on Tuesday that Eden Hazard still wants to be a success at Real Madrid and cannot be written off as a failure. Hazard has not started a game since Madrid suffered a shock defeat at home to Sheriff in September, an opponent they play again in the Champions League […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino insisted he is happy to see out his contract until 2023 at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday despite speculation linking him with the vacant managerial position at Manchester United. The Argentine has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford after punching above the weight of resources afforded […]