Milan (AFP) – Gonzalo Higuain hit a brace either side of Paulo Dybala's first-half spot-kick as Juventus moved four points clear of Roma on Sunday with a comfortable 3-0 win over Bologna in Turin. In their first competitive match since losing the Italian Super Cup to AC Milan in Doha days before Christmas, Juventus were […]

Paris (AFP) – Ligue 1 leaders Nice crashed out of the last 64 of the French Cup on Sunday after a 2-1 defeat at struggling Lorient, while Marseille won 2-1 at Toulouse after extra time. Nice finished 2016 two points clear of Monaco at the top of the table but suffered a premature cup exit […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona's poor start to 2017 continued as they lost further ground on Real Madrid at the top of La Liga despite a sensational last minute Lionel Messi free-kick salvaging a 1-1 draw at Villarreal on Sunday. The Spanish champions lost their opening game of the year at Athletic Bilbao in the Copa […]

Paris (AFP) – Key midfielder Sofiane Boufal pulled out of Morocco's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday because of injury, joining influential playmaker Younes Belhanda on the sidelines. Southampton star Boufal, 23, had been at a training camp in the United Arab Emirates, where Morocco were preparing for a friendly on Monday […]

Milan (AFP) – Edin Dzeko hit a series of blanks as Roma kept the pressure on leaders Juventus with a cagey 1-0 win at Genoa courtesy of Armando Izzo's disastrous first-half own goal on Sunday. Roma's 13th win of the campaign closed the gap on Juventus to one point before the champions, who also have […]

London (AFP) – John Terry's dismissal took the gloss off Chelsea's comfortable 4-1 victory over third-tier Peterborough United on Sunday, which took the Premier League leaders into the FA Cup fourth round. Two goals from Pedro Rodriguez and strikes from Michy Batshuayi and Willian ensured Antonio Conte's side avoided any chance of an embarrassing slip. […]

Milan (AFP) – Torino have rejected a bid from Arsenal for Italy striker Andrea Belotti believed to be in the region of 65 million euros (£55m), the Serie A side said on Sunday. With 13 goals in 16 appearances in only his second season in Serie A, Belotti — who celebrates his goals by mimicking […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool face the prospect of a tricky FA Cup third-round replay against Plymouth Argyle after they were held to a 0-0 draw at Anfield on Sunday. The sides met for the first time in any competition since April 1962 and although the Premier League team dominated possession and had the majority of […]

Zurich (AFP) – After much discussion, argument and counter-argument, FIFA will determine Tuesday whether president Gianni Infantino can force through his vision of an enlarged World Cup. Infantino's credibility will be on the line as the world body looks to revamp the four-yearly moneyspinner, potentially opening its door to 48 teams in 2026. That would […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea coach Antonio Conte wants to stay in top-flight management for at least another decade, but worries his wife might have other ideas. The Italian, who has guided Chelsea to pole position in the Premier League, says the likes of Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and current Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger have […]

Preston (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Arsenal were forced to stage a second half fightback to secure a 2-1 win at Preston on Saturday that extended Arsene Wenger's record of never having lost in the FA Cup third round. Wenger's side suffered an early shock at Deepdale as Callum Robinson put the Championship side on course […]

Metz (France) (AFP) – The president of French Ligue 1 side Metz expressed his shock at the uproar caused by controversial comments comparing the club's two-point deduction for crowd trouble to blaming management of the Bataclan concert venue targeted by extremists in November 2015. "I'm shocked to read and hear since last night (Friday) that […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho told Wayne Rooney his "best day" is still to come after he equalled Manchester United's scoring record in their 4-0 FA Cup win over Championship side Reading. Rooney, 31, scored his 249th goal for the club to match Bobby Charlton's record, set in March 1973, as United made […]

Milan (AFP) – Lorenzo Tonelli completed a dream debut for Napoli by hitting a last-gasp winner in a 2-1 defeat of ten-man Sampdoria on Saturday that closed the gap on leaders Juventus to four points. Napoli looked to be heading for only a share of the points at the San Paolo stadium when Manolo Gabiadini […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain got their French Cup defence off to a dream start on Saturday with new recruit Julian Draxler scoring in a 7-0 rout of Ligue 1 rivals Bastia. Unai Emery's side advance to the last 32 of a tournament in which they are the two-time defending champions ensuring their Corsican rivals […]