Tel Aviv (AFP) – Christophe Galtier takes charge of his first competitive match Sunday as Paris Saint-Germain play Nantes in the Champions Trophy in Tel Aviv, the curtain-raiser to the French football season. PSG completed a successful pre-season tour of Japan with a 6-2 thrashing of Gamba Osaka — their third win in as many […]

London (AFP) – England manager Sarina Wiegman has fulfilled her goal of using Euro 2022 to fuel the nation's passion for women's football and victory in Sunday's final against Germany would consummate the burgeoning love affair. A tournament that has smashed attendance records will get a fitting finale with a crowd of 87,000 expected at […]

London (AFP) – Vincent Kompany's first competitive match as manager of Burnley ended in a 1-0 Championship win away to Huddersfield Town on Friday. The former Manchester City captain was appointed as the permanent successor to the long-serving Sean Dyche last month following Burnley's relegation from the Premier League. On-loan Chelsea winger Ian Maatsen marked […]

London (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo has indicated he will be feature in Manchester United's friendly with Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford on Sunday amid ongoing speculation over his future with the English giants. The 37-year-old Portugal forward, who missed the club's pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia for personal reasons, reportedly wants to leave the […]

London (AFP) – Aymeric Laporte will miss the start of Manchester City's Premier League title defence after the Spain defender had surgery on a knee injury. City manager Pep Guardiola revealed on Friday that Laporte needed the operation after struggling with the injury in the closing stages of last season. The 28-year-old centre-back played through […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich face RB Leizpig in the German Super Cup on Saturday in their first competitive match since the departure of Robert Lewandowski and with Sadio Mane in their ranks. Julian Nagelsmann's men, who were powered to a 10th straight Bundesliga title last season by Lewandowski's 35 league goals, have been busy […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said that he hopes Lionel Messi will end his career "in a Barca shirt". Messi left the Camp Nou for Paris Saint-Germain last summer, after 17 years in the Barcelona first team, as the Catalan giants struggled with financial problems. But Laporta is hopeful that the 35-year-old […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp said it took him only one day to get over Liverpool's failure to win the quadruple last season. Klopp's side came within two matches of football immortality, only to fall just short as Manchester City pipped them to the Premier League title on the final day of the season. Liverpool […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will go head to head with Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez as the Premier League title rivals unveil their expensive new recruits in the Community Shield. Heading into Saturday's curtain raiser to the Premier League season, the pressure is on Haaland and Nunez to provide evidence they can […]

Sydney (AFP) – Football Australia on Friday dismissed claims that the Women's World Cup it will co-host next year with New Zealand could be shifted to satisfy European broadcasters and ensure better weather conditions. The scenario was raised by French newspaper L'Equipe on Thursday, which said the sport's governing body FIFA had informally approached "several" […]

Madrid (AFP) – France centre-back Jules Kounde has agreed a move to Barcelona from Sevilla, both clubs announced on Thursday, without giving details on the length or cost of the deal. "FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Jules Olivier Kounde, awaiting the player passing a medical and the […]

London (AFP) – Everton signed Burnley winger Dwight McNeil on Thursday in a deal worth a reported £20 million ($24 million). McNeil agreed a five-year contract with Everton as he made a quick return to the Premier League following Burnley's relegation last season. The 22-year-old scored seven goals in 137 Premier League appearances for the […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool pair Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota have been ruled out of Saturday's Community Shield clash against Manchester City. Reds keeper Alisson has been struggling with an abdominal problem throughout pre-season, while Portugal forward Jota is dealing with a hamstring injury. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Thursday that both players would […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Ukraine's envoy to Turkey on Thursday expressed "sadness" over a chant of "Vladimir Putin" that rang out at a Champions League qualifying round football match in Istanbul involving Dynamo Kyiv. Images on social media showed a section of Fenerbahce's packed stadium singing the Russian president's name in response to Dynamo's first goal […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Ukraine's envoy to Turkey on Thursday expressed "sadness" over a chant of "Vladimir Putin" that rang out at a Champions League qualifying round football match in Istanbul involving Dynamo Kyiv. Images on social media showed a section of Fenerbahce's packed stadium singing the Russian president's name in response to Dynamo's first goal […]