Barcelona (AFP) – Spanish giants Barcelona announced legendary former player Ronaldinho will return to act as an ambassador for the club on Thursday. The Brazilian, who won the World Player of the Year twice as well as two La Liga titles and the 2005/06 Champions League with Barca in five years at the Camp Nou, […]

Lausanne (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen's Turkish international Hakan Calhanoglu was given a four-month ban by sports' highest court on Thursday for breach of contract. The Court of Arbitration for Sport was upholding a previous ruling delivered by FIFA in January 2016. The ban effectively means Calhanoglu, Leverkusen's joint top-scorer, will miss the majority of the […]

Milan (AFP) – Fit-again Claudio Marchisio could be restricted to starting on the bench as Massimiliano Allegri's new-look Juventus bid to stretch their 27-game unbeaten run at home against Inter Milan on Sunday. Allegri has both midfielder Marchisio and key defender Andrea Barzagli back from injury lay-offs that have hampered their bid for a record […]

The second coming of Bruce Arena as USMNT manager did not exactly get off to a great start as the US played to an incredibly dull 0-0 draw against Serbia on Sunday. The game itself was nothing to write home about and very few (if any) US players did anything to help or hurt their […]

Franceville (Gabon) (AFP) – Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan will start Thursday's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against Cameroon in Franceville on the bench after failing to sufficiently recover from injury. Gyan, 31, suffered a groin injury in the Black Stars' final group game, a 1-0 defeat to Egypt, and played no part in last Sunday's […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City's French international defender Bacary Sagna on Thursday failed in his appeal against a £40,000 fine (46,480 euros, $50,178) for making an Instagram post that questioned a referee's impartiality. Sagna, 32, posted a photo with the caption "10 against 12.. but still fighting and winning as a team" on the social […]

Lausanne (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen's Turkish international Hakan Calhanoglu was given a four month ban by sports' highest court on Thursday for breach of contract. The Court of Arbitration for Sport was upholding a previous ruling delivered by FIFA in January 2016. Football's governing body had found the German-born forward guilty of breaking his contract […]

Madrid (AFP) – La Liga president Javier Tebas said Thursday criminal action could be taken over threats which saw Ukranian international Roman Zozulya end his loan spell at Rayo Vallecano after just one day. Zozulya joined Madrid-based Rayo on Tuesday from Real Betis on a six-month loan deal, but returned to Betis on Wednesday after […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan's bid to end their three-year hiatus from the Champions league suffered another setback Thursday when left-back Luca Antonelli was ruled out for up to a month due to injury. Milan, the seven-time European champions, last featured in the competition in 2014 when they lost 5-1 on aggregate to Atletico Madrid […]

London (AFP) – Cesc Fabregas tried to make peace with Arsenal as the Chelsea midfielder hailed his old club's influence on his career ahead of Saturday's clash between the London rivals. Fabregas made his name at Arsenal after arriving from Barcelona as a teenager, spending eight years as the club's midfield lynchpin. The 29-year-old rejoined […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho is under fire for his furious reaction to decisions that went against Manchester United in their controversial draw with Hull, but Phil Jones says his manager had every right to lose his cool. Mourinho was in a foul mood after referee Mike Jones failed to clamp down on what he […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund have ordered star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to button it after repeatedly saying that he may leave at the end of the season. "We spoke briefly and I advised him to give less interviews about the summer and to concentrate on the hunt for a Champions League place," Dortmund director of […]

London (AFP) – Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson will miss the rest of the Premier League season after suffering a serious knee injury in training. Wilson ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Wednesday and isn't expected back in action for at least six months. The 24-year-old, who has scored six goals in […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp admits he was lucky to avoid punishment for bellowing in the fourth official's face but the Liverpool manager brushed aside Jose Mourinho's claim that he gets special treatment. Klopp apologised following Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea after a touchline exchange with Neil Swarbrick saw him vent his frustration at the […]

London (AFP) – With rain lashing Chelsea's training ground, Frank Lampard's team-mates had long since retreated to their palatial changing rooms, but for the tireless midfielder the hard work was only just beginning. When Lampard called time on his glittering 21-year career on Thursday, the 38-year-old was typically gracious and humble about his remarkable journey. […]