Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig make their Bundesliga debut on Sunday, but the East German outfit, sponsored by energy drinks manufacturer Red Bull, are already far from popular in Germany's top-flight. For the 2016/17 season, the Bundesliga will finally have a club from former East Germany for the first time since Energie Cottbus were relegated […]

Paris (AFP) – With their Champions League qualification assured, Monaco switch their focus to hosting French title-holders and fellow European hopefuls Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 this weekend. Monaco secured an impressive 3-1 aggregate victory over Villarreal of Spain in midweek, no insignificant result as the principality club attempts to keep hold of its top […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian league leaders Spartak Moscow visit Anzhi Makhachkala on Sunday, their Italian coach Massimo Carrera urging his side not to take their opponents lightly. The nine-time former champions, who beat FC Krasnodar 2-0 in Carrera's first match as Spartak's official manager last week, are two points ahead of Amkar Perm and city […]

London (AFP) – Juan Mata has warned Manchester United not to underestimate Hull ahead of their trip to the surprise high-flyers, while Claudio Bravo's footwork will be in the spotlight if Manchester City's new goalkeeper makes his debut against West Ham. Going into the third round of Premier League fixtures, there is nothing unexpected about […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers may have guided Celtic into the Champions League group stages for the first time in three years but his side are still very much a work in progress. Glamour ties against five-time European champions Barcelona, English Premier League giants Manchester City and German side Borussia Monchengladbach await them in Group […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp returns to the scene of his first game as Liverpool manager at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday, still searching for an effective winning formula. Liverpool won 4-3 at Arsenal in their opening league game, but lost 2-0 at promoted Burnley last weekend before bouncing back to beat […]

Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – With Arsene Wenger once again under fire for a lack of success in the transfer market, the Arsenal manager will be relieved to welcome back Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil for their first starts of the season at Watford on Saturday. Giroud and Ozil made brief substitute appearances in last […]

Kingston upon Hull (United Kingdom) (AFP) – That a Manchester United side boasting world-record signing Paul Pogba have won their opening two games of the Premier League season is no surprise — but that newly-promoted Hull City have done so certainly is. United, managed by Jose Mourinho, who guided Chelsea to several English titles, splashed […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester City have yet to hit the heights that defy odds of 5,000/1 to win the Premier League last season. But manager Claudio Ranieri is confident it won't be long before new signings bed in alongside his established stars at the Midlands club. Leicester began the defence of their title […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte appears destined for a busy end to the transfer window despite Chelsea's impressive start to the Premier League campaign. Conte's side face Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Saturday aiming to record a third successive league win following 2-1 victories over Watford and West Ham. Those performances have provided grounds for […]

Bayern Munich are the massive favorites to clinch what’d be a fifth successive Bundesliga title in 2016-17, as new boss Carlo Ancelotti seeks to build on the sterling work done by his predecessor Pep Guardiola. Indeed, the new Manchester City manager steered the side to three divisional wins in succession and did so playing a […]

Lausanne (AFP) – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter fought to overturn his ban from football in a marathon, 14-hour appeal hearing on Thursday, in a long-shot bid at redemption after his career ended in disgrace. Blatter mounted his defence against the six-year FIFA suspension imposed over ethics violations at the Court of Arbitration for Sport […]

Paris (AFP) – English Premier League club West Ham suffered a shock defeat by Romanian side Astra Giurgiu on Thursday that saw them knocked out of the Europa League in a mirror image of last season's campaign. Slaven Bilic's side had left the tie in the balance after a disappointing 1-1 away draw a week […]

Newcastle (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Dutch international goalkeeper Tim Krul joined Dutch giants Ajax on loan until the end of the season on Thursday from Newcastle, after signing a one-year contract extension with the Championship side. The 28-year-old — who became the first goalkeeper to be sent on for a World Cup finals penalty shootout […]

Paris (AFP) – Lorient striker Benjamin Jeannot has been suspended pending a disciplinary hearing after pushing a referee during his team's 3-0 home loss to Bastia last weekend, the French football league (LFP) announced on Thursday. The LFP announced they were taking the decision based on the "brutality of the act". The 24-year-old will be suspended […]