Paris (AFP) – Mario Balotelli scored twice on his return to the starting line-up as Ligue 1 leaders Nice stretched their advantage at the top to four points on Sunday with a 2-1 victory at home to Dijon. The Italy striker made his first league start in six weeks after recovering from a calf injury […]

Istanbul (AFP) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday opened the new 40,000-plus capacity stadium of Turkish football team Trabzonspor, the latest ambitious infrastructure project to take shape in the country. Erdogan cut the ceremonial opening ribbon alongside visiting Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, one of Ankara's top allies. The stadium, spectacularly located […]

Yokohama (Japan) (AFP) – Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez plunged his future into doubt by claiming he will decide in the next week whether to remain with the European champions in the January transfer window. The Colombian joined Real for a reported 80 million euros from Monaco ($84 million) after starring as the top scorer […]

Berlin (AFP) – Douglas Costa's long-range strike rescued Bayern Munich in their 1-0 victory at bottom side Darmstadt on Sunday to reinstate his side as Bundesliga leaders before their showdown with RB Leipzig. Bayern host second-placed Leipzig at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday in a mouth-watering clash. Both teams are on 36 points, but the […]

Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Southampton forward Jay Rodriguez bagged a brace to inspire his side's 3-1 win against local rivals Bournemouth on Sunday. Rodriguez hadn't scored in the Premier League since August but he ended that barren stretch with a second half double in the south coast derby at Dean Court. Claude Puel's team […]

Yokohama (Japan) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo smashed a hat-trick as Real Madrid survived a colossal scare to beat Japan's Kashima Antlers 4-2 and lift the Club World Cup on Sunday. A Gaku Shibasaki double briefly threatened one of football's greatest shocks after Karim Benzema had given Real an early lead in Yokohama. But Ronaldo equalised […]

London (AFP) – Former England assistant coach Gary Neville claims the Football Association let down Wayne Rooney with their handling of the controversy over his late-night behaviour at the national team hotel. England captain Rooney was pictured looking bleary-eyed and mingling with guests from a wedding reception at the England team hotel after their World […]

Yokohama (Japan) (AFP) – Atletico Nacional beat Mexico's Club America 4-3 on penalties to finish third at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday after an emotional three weeks for the Colombian side. Miguel Borja swept home the decisive spot kick to seal victory for the reigning Libertadores Cup holders after they had squandered a […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool cannot lead the Premier League on Christmas Day, so the best present their fans can wish for is victory at neighbours Everton in Monday's 227th Merseyside derby. Jurgen Klopp's side were top of the table briefly last month, but seem to have overcome the stumble since then that caused them to […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers hailed his fringe players on Saturday after a 2-1 home win over Dundee allowed Celtic to restore their 11-point lead in the Scottish Premiership. With one eye on a busy festive fixture list that includes another four games before the turn of the year, Rodgers made five changes to the […]

Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England's Football Association will study referee Craig Pawson's report before determining whether to take punitive action against Leicester City following their eventful 2-2 draw at Stoke City. The main flashpoint of Saturday's Premier League game saw Leicester striker Jamie Vardy dismissed in the 28th minute by Pawson for a two-footed […]

Leipzig (Germany) (AFP) – RB Leipzig's goal-scorer Willi Orban is relishing the prospect of Wednesday's Bundesliga showdown and the chance to stop hosts Bayern Munich topping the German league table at Christmas. Leipzig knocked Bayern, who are at bottom side Darmstadt on Sunday, off the top of the German league on Saturday with a 2-0 […]

West Bromwich (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho hailed Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the veteran striker scored twice to secure Manchester United a fourth consecutive victory with a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion. The United manager sang the praises of the evergreen Ibrahimovic after he struck early in each half as United moved alongside fifth-placed […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte insists there is more to come from Chelsea after a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace gave the leaders a club record-equalling 11th successive league win. Conte's side moved nine points clear at the top ahead of third placed Arsenal's trip to face Manchester City on Sunday and second placed Liverpool's clash […]

London (AFP) – West Ham fans were so relieved by their team's 1-0 win over Hull that they named a goalpost as man of the match after the woodwork saved the Hammers three times. A Mark Noble penalty gave Slaven Bilic's side the three points in the Premier League clash at the London Stadium but […]