Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Twenty-two players and officials from Laos and Cambodia have been handed life bans in one of Asian football's biggest mass punishments for match-fixing. The Asian Football Confederation said the action follows an investigation that started in 2014, and that it will seek to have the bans extended worldwide. "The (AFC) Disciplinary […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane hailed the impact of Karim Benzema after his compatriot lifted the European champions from the early blow of conceding to beat Napoli 3-1 on Wednesday. Madrid are now on the brink of a seventh successive Champions League quarter-final as they aim to become the first team to […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti has backed under-fire Arsene Wenger to lead Arsenal out of their slump, despite their "sensational" 5-1 Champions League thrashing in Germany. Wenger's 20-year reign as Arsenal coach is under pressure after their mauling at Thiago Alcantara-inspired Bayern. The Gunners had few answers to the hosts' second-half […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted his side had "collapsed mentally" in their 5-1 Champions League rout by Bayern Munich on Wednesday. The under-pressure Frenchman said there were no excuses as the Gunners faced a seventh successive last-16 exit after their latest mauling. "We conceded the second goal and then the most […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Arsene Wenger's future was plunged into further doubt on Wednesday as Thiago Alcantara inspired Bayern Munich to a 5-1 rout of his hapless Arsenal team which left the Gunners facing a seventh straight Champions League last-16 exit. Bayern extended their Champions League record to 16 home wins by flooring the Gunners […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid shrugged off conceding an early away goal to take a huge step towards a seventh straight Champions League quarter-final as goals from Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Casemiro sealed a 3-1 win over Napoli on Wednesday. Lorenzo Insigne's stunning 40-yard strike had the travelling hordes in dream land after just […]

Madrid (AFP) – James Rodriguez was handed a rare chance to start on the big occasion after Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane resisted the Champions League temptation to rush back Gareth Bale after three months out with ankle ligament damage. With Bale left out of the squad altogether, Rodriguez edged out Lucas Vazquez for a […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Germany star Thomas Mueller has been left out of Bayern Munich's starting line-up for their Champions League last 16 first leg clash at home to Arsenal on Wednesday. The World Cup winner has struggled for form in front of goal this season. The 27-year-old was also on the bench for their […]

Berlin (AFP) – The German Bundesliga's bottom side Darmstadt have invited Barack Obama to a home game after discovering the former US President follows them on social media platform Twitter. "It's a huge honour for us," said Darmstadt's German-born US international Terrence Boyd in a video message to Obama posted on Twitter. Boyd promised a […]

With the news that fuboTV has significantly expanded its product offering to move from soccer-centric channels to those plus a long list of entertainment and news channels, fuboTV's legal streaming service is now in the same ballpark as Sling TV. We already know that fuboTV offers the most comprehensive selection of soccer coverage on any […]

Berlin (AFP) – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang admits his Champions League shocker for Borussia Dortmund against Benfica was down to a loss of fitness due to the Africa Cup of Nations. The 27-year-old Gabon striker was hauled off on Tuesday moments after missing a penalty in the 1-0 last 16 first-leg defeat in Lisbon. It was one […]

London (AFP) – FIFA Women's Player of the Year Carli Lloyd has joined Manchester City on a short-term contract, the English club announced on Wednesday. The 34-year-old United States captain arrives from the Houston Dash and will play in the 2017 Spring Series, the FA Women's Cup and the Women's Champions League. Lloyd has won […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Captain Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Phil Jones will all miss Manchester United's Europa League clash with Saint-Etienne on Thursday, manager Jose Mourinho revealed on Wednesday. Jones has not played since sustaining a foot injury in United's recent 0-0 draw with Hull City and Mourinho said Rooney and Carrick had […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Luke Shaw received another setback on Wednesday when Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho revealed he will not play in Thursday's Europa League game against Saint-Etienne. Shaw has battled back from a double broken leg suffered last season, but has made just one appearance since November and has not featured in […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spanish police were called to a Madrid hotel by concerned staff on Wednesday over an argument between former Argentine footballer Diego Maradona and his girlfriend. "My lawyer Matias Morla contacted the Spanish authorities. There are no complaints and nobody was able to explain to me the reason for this media show," said […]