Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona striker Neymar is suffering from muscle fatigue but no serious injury after Saturday's 1-1 draw with arch rivals Real Madrid, the club said on Monday. The Brazil star was substituted just before Sergio Ramos's dramatic late equaliser in El Clasico and had complained of pain in his right leg. "The FC […]

Doha (AFP) – Qatar's much-criticised 2022 World Cup has been the victim of "malicious and unwarranted attacks", a senior tournament official in the Gulf said on Monday. Nasser Al-Khater, assistant secretary general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the body overseeing the organisation of the tournament in Qatar, also claimed that many of […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson on Monday took charge of second-division Chinese club Shenzhen FC, leaving the top tier of China football for the challenge of lifting a team out of relegation. Eriksson, who has raised the fortunes of Chinese Super League sides Guangzhou R&F and Shanghai SIPG in his three seasons […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jose Mourinho claimed he is being judged unfairly by critics after Manchester United conceded a late Leighton Baines penalty in a damaging 1-1 draw at Everton. Mourinho's team have won just twice in the league since the end of August, a run which has featured numerous draws and has derailed United's hopes […]

Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp has been forced to defend Liverpool's character and title credentials after their incredible meltdown in a stunning 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth. Liverpool's shock loss on Sunday came at a time when they looked set to move to within a point of leaders Chelsea and go into the Christmas […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino defended midfielder Dele Alli from accusations of diving and revealed that when he was a youngster in Argentina, he and teammates even practiced diving to win penalties. Alli was widely lambasted for his theatrical fall that won Spurs a first-half penalty in their 5-0 rout of Swansea at […]

Milan (AFP) – Second-half goals from Kevin Strootman and Radja Nainggolan kept the local bragging rights with Roma for the fourth year running thanks to a controversial 2-0 derby win at Lazio on Sunday. With only one point separating the sides, the biggest 'Derby della Capitale' in years was played out in a half-empty stadium […]

Paris (AFP) – Nice held top spot in France with a 3-0 win at home against Toulouse on Sunday as Marseille claimed just a second victory in seven Ligue 1 matches by beating Nancy 3-0. First half goals from Alassane Plea and Younes Belhanda set Nice on their way with Ivorian Jean Michael Seri rounding […]

Berlin (AFP) – Some of Europe's top clubs will again be monitoring Julian Draxler in January's transfer window after the Germany forward repeated his wish to quit Wolfsburg after being dropped for the first time. Juventus, Arsenal and Paris St-Germain have all previously been linked to the precocious attacking midfielder, who has made 27 appearances […]

Paris (AFP) – Rudi Garcia's Marseille claimed just their second win in seven Ligue 1 matches with a 3-0 victory over Nancy on Sunday. Florian Thauvin struck just after half-time at the Stade Velodrome before fellow Premier League cast-offs Bafetimbi Gomis and Clinton Njie scored late goals after Benoit Pedretti was sent off for Nancy. […]

Berlin (AFP) – Hamburg moved off the bottom of the Bundesliga table on Sunday after securing their first league win of the season with a 2-0 victory at fellow-strugglers Darmstadt. RB Leipzig finish the weekend top of the table after their 2-1 win at home to Schalke on Saturday night extended their unbeaten run to […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Leighton Baines scored a dramatic late penalty to add to Jose Mourinho's problems as Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw at Everton on Sunday. Former Everton star Marouane Fellaini had only been on the field for two minutes as a United substitute when he tripped Idrissa Gueye unnecessarily and Baines […]

Milan (AFP) – Lazio's Senad Lulic was facing accusations of racism on Sunday for likening Roma's German player Antonio Rudiger, who is black, to a street seller hawking "socks and belts". Goals by Kevin Strootman and Radja Nainggolan in the second half of a fiery derby at the Stadio Olimpico kept the local bragging rights […]

Milan (AFP) – Second-half goals from Kevin Strootman and Radja Nainggolan kept the local bragging rights with Roma for the fourth year in succession thanks to an 2-0 derby win at Lazio on Sunday. With only one point separating the sides, the biggest 'Derby della Capitale' in years was played out in a half-empty stadium […]

Bournemouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool had only themselves to blame for a shock 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth after conceding three goals in the last 14 minutes on Sunday. Klopp's side looked to be cruising to victory at Dean Court after taking a 3-1 lead midway through the second half. But the […]