Moscow (AFP) – Corruption scandals, extended deadlines and even a wobbly pitch are just a few of the setbacks Russia has faced ahead of the 2018 World Cup, though authorities vow everything will be ready on time. Putting the final touches on the infrastructure in four host cities — Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino believes Saturday's trip to in-form Premier League champions Chelsea represents an ideal opportunity for his side to reinvigorate their season. Tottenham have won just one of their last nine fixtures in all competitions and go into the game on the back of a Champions League exit at […]

Paris (AFP) – Monaco midfielder Bernardo Silva brushed off comparisons between the Ligue 1 title contenders and Europe's heavyweights ahead of Saturday's visit of traditional French giants Marseille. Leonardo Jardim's side qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League in midweek as winners of Group E following a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur and […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona face an uncomfortable trip to bogey side Real Sociedad as they seek to avoid losing further ground on Real Madrid just a week before the two clash in the Clasico. Barca have lost on their travels to San Sebastian in each of the past three seasons and already trail Real by […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers cannot afford to linger long on his side's European elimination as they prepare to take on Aberdeen in the Scottish League Cup final on Sunday. The match at Hampden Park is an opportunity for Rodgers to secure his place in the club's history books days after he watched […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri could hand teenage starlet Moise Kean his full debut for the injury-hit Turin giants against Genoa on Sunday — even if he is secretly an AC Milan fan. Kean, a powerfully-built striker, joined an elite group of 16-year-old Serie A debutants when he replaced Mario Mandzukic in a […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur face a major test of nerve on Saturday when they return to Stamford Bridge, scene of the 2-2 draw with Chelsea that ended last season's title challenge. Spurs had nine players booked and Mousa Dembele was hit with a six-game ban for gouging Diego Costa's eye in a stormy May […]

Berlin (AFP) – Faltering Bayern Munich hope to break their second mini winless streak this season when they host Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday to launch their counter-attack on top spot in Germany. For the first time since September 2015, second-placed Bayern do not top the table at the start of a weekend of Bundesliga fixtures. […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho believes his team-mates possess greater mental strength under Jurgen Klopp's management as they battle to regain top spot in the Premier League. Liverpool host Sunderland at Anfield on Saturday and victory would keep the pressure up on leaders Chelsea, who face Tottenham Hotspur in the day's late kick-off. […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City head into their Premier League match against Burnley on Saturday boosted by having secured a place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a game to spare after a midweek draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach. The 1-1 result in Germany means manager Pep Guardiola and his City […]

Paris (AFP) – Wayne Rooney claimed a piece of club history as he set Manchester United on the way to a 4-0 Europa League win over Feyenoord on Thursday that saw them close on the last 32. Rooney got the opening goal against the Dutch side at Old Trafford to score for the 39th time […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Wayne Rooney gave short shrift to talk about his recent off-field indiscretions while on England duty after breaking Manchester United's European goal-scoring record against Feyenoord on Thursday. Rooney, 31, scored his 39th European goal in a 4-0 victory to eclipse Ruud van Nistelrooy as the club's leading scorer in UEFA […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Wayne Rooney became Manchester United's outright leading European goal-scorer as Jose Mourinho's side enhanced their chances of progressing in the Europa League by sinking Feyenoord 4-0 on Thursday. Rooney struck in the 35th minute to claim his 39th European goal, one more than Ruud van Nistelrooy, and move to within […]

Paris (AFP) – Southampton's hopes of reaching the Europa League knockout rounds remain in the balance after Claude Puel's side lost 1-0 away to Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic on Thursday. A solitary first-half goal by Zimbabwean full-back Costa Nhamoinesu, firing a Borek Dockal free-kick past Fraser Forster, was the difference between the sides […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian president Vladimir Putin will meet FIFA chief Gianni Infantino in Moscow on Friday ahead of this weekend's draw for the Confederations Cup, the Kremlin announced on Thursday. "The head of state will meet the FIFA president in Moscow," read a brief statement from the Kremlin, with Infantino on his way to […]