Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid cruised into the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday despite fielding an under-strength side as a 2-2 draw at Eibar secured a 5-2 aggregate win. Holding a comfortable 3-0 first leg lead, Atletico boss Diego Simeone left top scorer Antoine Griezmann back in the Spanish capital, whilst Diego […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Out-of-favour AC Milan striker M'Baye Niang is set to join Premier League strugglers Watford on a loan deal as the Rossoneri look to lure Lucas Ocampos to the San Siro, Milan CEO Adriano Galliani said Wednesday. Niang has dropped down the pecking order in the Rossoneri squad having initially shown plenty […]

Bastia (France) (AFP) – "Several" Bastia fans racially abused Nice forward Mario Balotelli with monkey chants while one admitted it and faces a France-wide stadium ban, the Corsican club said on Wednesday. The Italian said he suffered racist abuse throughout Friday's 1-1 Ligue 1 draw at Bastia, where the coach of title-chasers Nice was also […]

Paris (AFP) – Veteran French international defender Patrice Evra is set to sign for Marseille on Wednesday on a free transfer from Juventus on an 18-month contract, French media said. The 35-year-old left-back, who had been linked with a return to Manchester United, was due to undergo a medical at Marseille ahead of sealing a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel admitted Wednesday he knew little about Swedish teenage prodigy Alexander Isak, dubbed 'the new Zlatan Ibrahimovic', before the deal was confirmed. Isak moved on Monday from AIK after just 24 games in the Swedish championship for a reported 10 million euros ($10.7m) as Dortmund beat Real Madrid […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga club Darmstadt said Wednesday they have sacked German-Tunisian midfielder Anis Ben-Hatira over his work with a controversial Islamic aid organisation. Duesseldorf-based Ansaar International is reportedly under surveillance by domestic intelligence services for alleged links to Germany's ultra-orthodox Muslim Salafist community. The 28-year-old Tunisian international — who has hit out at what he […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho expressed concern on Wednesday that the Premier League's fixture planners could ruin his side's top-four hopes if they reach the League Cup final. United carry a 2-0 lead into Thursday's League Cup semi-final second leg at Hull City and will face either Liverpool or Southampton […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona boss Luis Enrique again avoided questions over his future on Wednesday as speculation grows that he could walk away from the Spanish champions at the end of the season. Enrique has won eight trophies in two-and-a-half years in charge but is out of contract at the end of the season and […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan and other Turkish football stars on Wednesday backed a campaign pushing for a "Yes" vote in the referendum on giving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greater powers. Turan and his fellow former Galatasaray star Burak Yilmaz, who now plays for Beijing Guoan, joined a social media campaign started by […]

Oyem (Gabon) (AFP) – A young Ivory Coast side must pick themselves up quickly and look to the future after the bitter disappointment of their early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations. The reigning champions suffered an ignominious group-stage exit on Tuesday after a 1-0 defeat to a Morocco side coached by Herve Renard, […]

London (AFP) – Former Valencia midfielder Gaizka Mendieta believes owner Peter Lim needs to adopt a more long-term approach to running the club, as they teeter above the La Liga relegation zone. Valencia have gone through five coaches and three sporting directors in Lim's two-and-a-half-year tenure, with Cesare Prandelli and Jesus Garcia Pitarch the latest […]

London (AFP) – Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho has committed his future to Liverpool by signing a new "long-term" contract, the Premier League giants announced on Wednesday. Liverpool did not reveal details of the deal, but reports suggest Coutinho has signed a five-year contract worth between £150,000 ($188,800, 175,650 euros) and £200,000 per week. Coutinho, 24, […]

London (AFP) – Michael Carrick has pledged that Manchester United will not rest on their laurels when they travel to Hull City looking to close out victory in their League Cup semi-final. United won 2-0 in the first leg at Old Trafford courtesy of second-half strikes from Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini, putting them within […]

Port-Gentil (Gabon) (AFP) – Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor will return home and ponder his options after his country exited the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday. The 32-year-old former Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur forward has been without a club since leaving Crystal Palace at the end of last season. Despite that […]

Paris (AFP) – Edinson Cavani and Angel Di Maria propelled holders Paris Saint-Germain into a fourth straight French League Cup final with both scoring twice in a 4-1 victory at Bordeaux on Tuesday. Argentine Di Maria's stunning free-kick gave record six-time champions PSG the lead, but Diego Rolan cancelled out the winger's effort just past […]