Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Marco Reus was delighted to have netted a hat-trick on his comeback in Borussia Dortmund's record 8-4 hammering of Legia Warsaw in the Champions League after six months out. "That was an important step for me, it's how you imagine your first day back will go," said Reus with a grin. […]

London (AFP) – Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Paul Stewart and two other ex-players have come forward to allege sexual abuse at the hands of youth coaches when they were children. Stewart, capped three times by England, said he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a man who threatened to kill his family if he told anyone. […]

Paris (AFP) – Europa League nights are a distraction for some, given far lower prize money than the Champions League, but a means of staying in touch for others such as Manchester United, who are seeking to reach the last 32 on Thursday. United are one of five former European champions playing in what, compared […]

Monaco (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted his side have struggled to cope with the twin demands of playing in the Premier League and in Europe after their shock exit from the Champions League on Tuesday. Spurs slumped to their third defeat in five games in Europe's elite club competition when they went […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri looked forward to "another fairytale" after the 5,000-1 Premier League champions booked their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League. Leicester are toiling in the Premier League, sitting two points above the relegation zone, but Tuesday's 2-1 win over Club Brugge took them […]

Monaco (AFP) – Harry Kane scored his first Champions League goal but could not prevent Tottenham Hotspur from crashing out of the competition with a 2-1 defeat in Monaco on Tuesday. Spurs needed at least a point to keep their hopes of reaching the last 16 alive and Kane brought them level with a penalty […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Real Madrid suffered a huge injury scare just 11 days before facing Barcelona in La Liga as Gareth Bale hobbled off with a right ankle injury in the European champions 2-1 win at Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday. Bale has been in supreme form in recent weeks having tied his future to the […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Sevilla were left fuming at English referee Mark Clattenburg as Juventus came from behind to win 3-1 in Spain and seal their place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday. The hosts made the perfect start through Nico Pareja's ninth minute opener, but were reduced to 10 men […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo was lauded like a king on his return to where his career began at Sporting Lisbon, but Real Madrid showed no mercy in booking their place in the knockout stages for a 20th consecutive season with a 2-1 win on Tuesday. However, victory came at a cost for the European […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Germany winger Marco Reus claimed a hat-trick on his comeback as Borussia Dortmund hammered Legia Warsaw 8-4 on Tuesday in a record Champions League result which yielded seven first-half goals. It was the first time a Champions League game has had a 5-2 half-time scoreline since Monaco ended up beating Deportivo […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Shinji Okazaki and Riyad Mahrez scored as England's miracle club Leicester City beat Club Brugge 2-1 on Tuesday to book their place in the Champions League knockout phase. Leicester are toiling in defence of their 5,000-1 Premier League title, but victory over Brugge made them the first Champions League debutants […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – An older, wiser Bruce Arena returned to the US national team coaching role Tuesday after a 10-year absence, vowing talent and hard work will result in a 2018 World Cup berth. Arena, who had guided the team from 1998-2006 before taking charge of Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, was named to […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Coach Frederic Antonetti has parted company with Ligue 1 strugglers Lille, the French club confirmed on Tuesday. The 55-year-old Corsican has agreed terms to leave "in a friendly manner," a statement from the northern outfit said. Antonetti paid the price for a disastrous start to the season with the 2011 Ligue […]

Madrid (AFP) – Boasting the only perfect record in the Champions League this season Atletico Madrid have already booked their place in the last 16, but PSV Eindhoven's visit on Wednesday offers a much-needed chance for Diego Simeone's men get back to winning ways. Since Antoine Griezmann's stoppage time winner saw off FC Rostov three […]

Chicago (AFP) – Bruce Arena was rehired Tuesday for a second stint as United States head coach, replacing sacked German Jurgen Klinsmann. The 65-year-old American who guided the United States to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals during his previous tenure from 1998-2006, struck a new deal Tuesday through to the 2018 Russia World Cup. "I'm […]