Paris (AFP) – Scottish champions Celtic withstood a furious fightback from Hapoel Beer-Sheva to reach the Champions League group stage on Tuesday despite a 2-0 defeat in Israel, while Porto beat nine-man Roma 3-0 to advance. Leading 5-2 from last week's first play-off leg in Glasgow, Celtic were made to sweat in the Israeli desert […]

London (AFP) – Daniel Sturridge scored twice as Liverpool strolled into the League Cup third round with a 5-0 win at Burton Albion on Tuesday, while Chelsea edged third-tier Bristol Rovers 3-2. Divock Origi, Roberto Firmino and Sturridge all scored as Liverpool, last season's beaten finalists, crushed Championship side Burton, who are managed by ex-Liverpool […]

Santiago (AFP) – Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi named a familiar squad on Tuesday for the reigning South American champions' upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Chile, who beat Argentina on penalties in the Copa America final two months ago to successfully defend their title, currently hold the fourth and final automatic South American qualification spot […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – New Argentina head coach Edgardo Bauza said on Tuesday that he wants to see his side rely less on Lionel Messi, after the Barcelona forward's brief retirement from international football. Messi said that he was going to quit playing for his country in the aftermath of their second successive Copa America […]

London (AFP) – Ragnar Sigurdsson, one of the stars of Iceland's Euro 2016 campaign, has signed for Fulham from Russian side Krasnodar, the English second-tier club announced on Tuesday. Sigurdsson played a starring role in Iceland's stunning 2-1 win over England in the last 16 at Euro 2016, scoring his side's opening goal and being […]

Piraeus (Greece) (AFP) – Olympiakos have signed German midfielder Marko Marin from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee, the Greek champions announced on Tuesday. While the club did not announce the duration of the contract, Greek media reported it was a three-year deal. Marin, 27, had been with Chelsea since 2012, but only made six Premier […]

NBC's Match of the Day makes it season debut this Saturday after missing the first two weeks due to the Olympics. The Premier League highlights show, which also includes analysis from the NBC Sports team, will air at midnight ET on Sunday night on NBCSN. In addition to the one hour Match of the Day […]

London (AFP) – Burnley striker Andre Gray has been charged with misconduct over allegedly homophobic comments he posted on Twitter in 2012, England's Football Association announced on Tuesday. Gray, 25, published the tweets when he was a non-league player, but they resurfaced on social media after he scored in Burnley's 2-0 home win over Liverpool […]

Chelsea supporters should rejoice and Arsenal fans may want to plan ahead after NBC Sports revealed today their TV schedule for gameweek 3 of the Premier League season. For the Saturday 10am ET / 7am PT matches, Chelsea against Burnley will be featured on NBCSN and NBC Universo, but Watford versus Arsenal will only be available […]

London (AFP) – Belgian defender Ritchie de Laet has left Premier League champions Leicester City for a move across the Midlands to Championship side Aston Villa, it was announced on Tuesday. De Laet, 27, has arrived at Villa Park on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee, having helped Leicester win the Premier League title […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola insisted on Tuesday that he will continue working with Joe Hart at Manchester City, even as Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo flew in to replace the unwanted England international. Hart has been the most high-profile victim of Guardiola's new reign as manager of the Premier League club, with the […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have tightened security measures at their stadium, banning spectators from carrying big bags and bottles, ahead of Friday's home match — the first of the new German league season. Germany's league champions have stepped up measures for the 2016/17 season as they prepare to host Werder Bremen, with […]

London (AFP) – As Pep Guardiola's Manchester City advance upon the Champions League group phase, previously maligned winger Raheem Sterling appears to have been reborn. Sterling, 21, joined City from Liverpool in a fractious 44 million pounds ($57.8 million, 51.1 million euros) move last year, but flattered to deceive and ultimately lost his place in the […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – New England manager Sam Allardyce will consider ending former captain John Terry's four-year international exile, he revealed on Monday. Terry, 35, retired from England duty in September 2012 after the Football Association charged him with racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand. He was later fined and given a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Brazilian centre-back Dante will reunite with former coach Lucien Favre at Nice in Ligue 1 after completing his move from Wolfsburg, the two clubs announced on Monday. The 32-year-old returns to France a decade after spending two years at Lille early in his career and will rejoin Favre, whom he played under […]