Shanghai (AFP) – Ex-Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini is one man who will not be watching Saturday's Manchester derby as he takes his bow with Hebei China Fortune in the ultra-volatile Chinese Super League. At the same time as his successor, Pep Guardiola, is locking horns with Manchester United's Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, Pellegrini […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Featuring the rekindling of Pep Guardiola's rivalry with Jose Mourinho, an all-star supporting cast and a host of tantalising sub-plots, Saturday's Manchester derby could be the most feverishly anticipated ever. The two clubs have competed on an even footing since around 2010, two years after Manchester City's acquisition by the […]

London (AFP) – Once upon a time, when their paths crossed at Barcelona, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola got on quite well. But all that changed as they went on to become two of the most successful coaches in world football. Ahead of the mouthwatering Manchester derby at the weekend, AFP Sports looks at a […]

Milan (AFP) – England's Joe Hart is expected to make his Torino debut at Atalanta on Sunday as city rivals Juventus warm up for their Champions League opener against Sevilla by hosting Sassuolo. Hart, deemed surplus to requirements by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, completed his move to unfashionable Torino on a season-long loan deal […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona's fearsome front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar could join forces for the first time in four months against Alaves, while Cristiano Ronaldo will make his Real Madrdid return on Saturday. Neymar has missed Barca's 100 percent start to the season due to his efforts in leading Brazil to […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp wants his Liverpool players to use the unveiling of Anfield's giant new Main Stand as the platform for a sustained assault on the Premier League. Saturday's visit of champions Leicester City will see Liverpool officially open the redeveloped stand, which increases the capacity of their ground by 8,500 to over […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal's meeting with Southampton on Saturday marks the start of important run of six games in 18 days as Arsene Wenger's side play catch-up in the Premier League. The new league campaign is only three games old but Arsenal already lie five points behind Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, who have […]

Glasgow (AFP) – No one is more excited than Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers when after a four-year hiatus the Old Firm derby returns on Saturday with his side hosting fierce foes Rangers. It will be the first time since 2012, when Celtic ran out 3-0 winners at Parkhead, that the two Glasgow giants have met […]

Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino insists that he is not concerned by the stuttering start to the new campaign by his side and star striker Harry Kane. The Argentine believes it is only a matter of time — perhaps starting with the tricky away trip to Stoke on Saturday — that […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – American star Landon Donovan has come out of retirement to rejoin the Los Angeles Galaxy as the Major League Soccer club enters the stretch run leading up to the playoffs. The 34-year-old striker hasn't played competitively since retiring from the Galaxy after the 2014 season. He is the most productive player […]

Piraeus (Greece) (AFP) – Greek champions Olympiakos on Thursday said that an investigation into the club by European football's governing body UEFA has found no wrongdoing. Olympiakos responded with a statement after a report by Britain's Press Association revealed that the club's owner, shipping magnate Evangelos Marinakis, was being investigated in relation to match-fixing allegations. […]

With several of the major clubs in Europe already thinking ahead to next week's UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches, many of the games this weekend will be played on Saturday instead of Sunday to give the team's one day of extra rest. Many of them will need it after just returning from international […]

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace striker Loic Remy has been ruled out for several weeks after the on-loan Chelsea star suffered an ankle injury. Remy joined Palace last month in a deal lasting for the rest of the season, but Eagles manager Alan Pardew revealed on Thursday that his new recruit will be sidelined due to […]

Berlin (AFP) – Portuguese wonderkid Renato Sanches is in line to make his Bayern Munich debut as the Bundesliga champions go to Schalke 04 on Friday evening. Bayern head to Gelsenkirchen fresh from starting the season in ominous fashion a fortnight ago by thrashing hapless Werder Bremen 6-0 at the Allianz Arena. Now they will […]

Zurich (AFP) – FIFA on Thursday dismissed appeals by Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid against a ban on registering new players in the next two transfer windows for irregularities in the signing of foreign players under 18. "The FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to reject the appeals lodged by Spanish clubs Atletico de Madrid and […]