London (AFP) – Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen netted a superb 30-yard goal to down Crystal Palace 1-0 on Wednesday and keep Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League title hopes alive. Leaders Chelsea, who beat Tottenham 4-2 in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, went seven points clear by beating Southampton on Tuesday, but Spurs' win trimmed the […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Lionel Messi rewarded a homage by Barcelona fans with two more goals as they thrashed Osasuna 7-1 to move three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. Defeat relegates Osasuna after just one season back in the top flight after Leganes beat Las Palmas 3-0. The much-criticised Andre […]

London (AFP) – Tax investigators swooped on West Ham United and Newcastle United on Wednesday as British and French authorities launched a major investigation into a suspected £5 million football tax fraud. Close to 200 tax officials from the two countries swept premises on both sides of the Channel in morning raids, arresting several men […]

Santiago (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed Wednesday that video assistant referees will be used at next year's World Cup in Russia for the first time. "We will use video refereeing at the 2018 World Cup because we've had nothing but positive results so far," he said at a congress of the South American […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reassured his Tottenham Hotspur counterpart Mauricio Pochettino on Wednesday that he is not seeking to lure Dele Alli to the Etihad Stadium. Reports have linked City with a move for 21-year-old Spurs star Alli, who was named England's Young Player of the Year for the […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho refused to discuss Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Manchester United future on Wednesday in the wake of the Swedish striker's season-ending knee ligament injury. Ibrahimovic, 35, suffered a serious knee injury in last week's Europa League victory over Anderlecht and was due to undergo surgery in the United States this week. […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola says that Manchester City must improve their home form as they try to salvage their season with Champions League qualification. Guardiola is set to end a season without a trophy for the first time as a manager, following last Sunday’s semi-final defeat by Arsenal at Wembley. They are […]

London (AFP) – British and French authorities launched a major investigation on Wednesday into a suspected £5 million tax fraud in the football industry, with West Ham United confirmed to have been targeted. Close to 200 tax officials from the two countries swooped on premises on both sides of the Channel in morning raids, arresting […]

London (AFP) – Burnley midfielder Joey Barton said he had effectively been forced into "early retirement" after being banned for 18 months over betting offences by England's Football Association on Wednesday. Barton, 34, admitted a charge relating to 1,260 bets he placed on football matches over a 10-year period between 2006 and 2016. But he […]

London (AFP) – Sunderland manager David Moyes has been charged after suggesting to a female reporter she might "get a slap", England's Football Association announced on Wednesday. Moyes, 54, made the remark, for which he has apologised, to BBC reporter Vicki Sparks following Sunderland's 0-0 draw with Burnley in the Premier League on March 18. […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said his side had taken "a big psychological step" after they defeated Southampton 4-2 to move seven points clear at the Premier League summit. Chelsea's recent 2-0 loss at Manchester United allowed closest rivals Tottenham Hotspur to trim their advantage to four points. But they beat Tottenham 4-2 […]

London (AFP) – British and French authorities searched premises on both sides of the Channel Wednesday, arresting several men and seizing financial records over suspected tax fraud in the football industry, officials said. English Premier League club West Ham United confirmed it is under investigation after the UK tax authority HMRC said it has deployed nearly […]

Madrid (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the Real Madrid squad for Wednesday's trip to Deportivo la Coruna as coach Zinedine Zidane maintained his rotation policy despite defeat by Barcelona on Sunday. It is the third consecutive La Liga away game Ronaldo has not been included in the Real squad. However, the European […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has an opportunity to score a seismic victory over his old foe Pep Guardiola when his side visit misfiring Manchester City on Thursday. Guardiola oversaw a one-sided 2-1 win when he and Mourinho resumed hostilities in September — each at the helm of a new club — […]

After Messi slotted the ball into the corner with his left foot in Sunday's el Clásico, he went off to the edge of the pitch to celebrate in front of baying Real Madrid fans. Barcelona’s title chances were reignited. That’s what went through my head in the 92nd minute of Sunday’s Clásico. Not after the […]