London (AFP) – Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has called on Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Hugo Lloris to help deliver Champions League qualification for his inconsistent side. Spurs are outsiders in the race to finish in the top four of the Premier League after Saturday's defeat at Manchester United left them six points behind fourth-placed […]

London (AFP) – Middlesbrough described a request on Tuesday by sanctions-hit Chelsea to have this weekend's FA Cup quarter-final tie played behind closed doors as "bizarre and without any merit". The Premier League club want Saturday's game at the Riverside played in an empty stadium after the British government blocked them from making new ticket […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Massimiliano Allegri has reinforcements for Juventus' Champions League decider with Villarreal after he confirmed on Tuesday that Paulo Dybala, Giorgio Chiellini and Federico Bernadeschi will be available. Juve host the Europa League holders at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday with their last 16 tie locked at 1-1, and the return of […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp said Tuesday that Liverpool are aiming to be as "annoying as possible" as they hunt down Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. City's goalless draw at Crystal Palace on Monday means Klopp's side can close the gap to a single point with victory at in-form Arsenal on […]

London (AFP) – Thomas Tuchel says Chelsea will not make "excuses" despite severe restrictions placed on the club as a result of UK sanctions targeting Russian owner Roman Abramovich. The Premier League club are operating under a special licence after the British government last week froze the assets of Abramovich as part of a set […]

Berlin (AFP) – Mats Hummels has been passed fit after recovering from Covid and could return for Borussia Dortmund in their re-arranged Bundesliga game at mid-table Mainz on Wednesday. An away win for second-placed Dortmund would see the visitors trim the lead of Bayern Munich in Germany's top flight to four points. Dortmund coach Marco […]

London (AFP) – Mikel Arteta says his young Arsenal squad can deal with the pressure of being favourites to finish in the top four of the Premier League as he prepares for the visit of title-chasing Liverpool. The Gunners have won five games in a row and sit fourth in the table, a point clear […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian captain Artem Dzyuba has asked to be left out of the squad for friendly matches later this month because of the "difficult situation in Ukraine", coach Valery Karpin said on Tuesday. "Given the difficult situation in Ukraine, where many members of his family live, Artem apologised and asked, for family reasons, […]

Copenhagen (AFP) – Christian Eriksen will return to the Danish squad later this month for the first time since suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch during Euro 2020 last June, Denmark's football association said Tuesday. The 30-year-old, who has been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, has been selected to play in Denmark's friendlies […]

Milan (AFP) – Alvaro Morata feels at home again at Juventus as the Italians try to convert their ominous domestic form into European success in Wednesday's Champions League decider with Villarreal. The Spain striker's double in Saturday's 3-1 win at Sampdoria underlined a recent rise in form since being told he was not surplus to […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City wasted a host of chances in a damaging 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Monday that severely dented their bid to retain the Premier League title. Pep Guardiola's side had 18 shots and 74 percent of the possession, but left Selhurst Park ruing a series of misses on a significant […]

Palma (Spain) (AFP) – Karim Benzema became the highest French goalscorer in history on Monday after his double gave Real Madrid a 3-0 win over Mallorca, sending them 10 points clear at the top of La Liga. But the Frenchman had to go off late on with what looked like an injury in his lower […]

Milan (AFP) – Ciro Immobile broke Lazio's all-time Serie A scoring record on Monday with the only goal in his team's 1-0 win over struggling Venezia which moved them fifth. Immobile, who also had a goal ruled out for offside just after the break, smashed home a 58th-minute penalty to take his top-flight tally with […]

London (AFP) – Ralf Rangnick has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to produce another decisive display in Manchester United's Champions League showdown with Atletico Madrid just three days after his superb hat-trick against Tottenham. Rangnick's side host the Spanish champions in the second leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday after a 1-1 draw in Madrid last […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea are pressing the British government to allow ticket sales despite an asset freeze as a result of sanctions imposed on Russian owner Roman Abramovich. Ministers have placed the Premier League club under a special licence after taking the action against the billionaire last week as part of a set of measures […]