London (AFP) – West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis does not expect much to change at the club following its acquisition by a Chinese investment group, he said on Friday. Yunyi Guokai Sports Development Limited, led by Chinese entrepreneur Guochuan Lai, formally completed its takeover of the Premier League club on Thursday. Former chairman Jeremy […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Torino and England goalkeeper Joe Hart said Friday he has no hard feelings towards Pep Guardiola despite being unceremoniously forced out at Manchester City and replaced by Claudio Bravo from Barcelona. Hart, who joined City as a teenager in 2006, signed for the unfashionable Serie A club on a season-long loan […]

Madrid (AFP) – Highly rated coach Diego Simeone said Friday he has shortened his contract with Atletico Madrid by two years until June 2018, a move likely to stir fresh speculation about his future. The 46-year-old Argentine, who took Atletico to the Spanish league title in 2014 and the Champions League final last season, has been […]

London (AFP) – The touchline action could be as explosive as what happens on the pitch at Stamford Bridge on Friday when Jurgen Klopp takes his Liverpool side to tackle Antonio Conte's Chelsea. Both managers are renowned for the remarkable intensity of their touchline antics and the fourth official is likely to have a job on […]

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace's Senegalese full-back Pape Souare could be sidelined for up to six months after breaking his thighbone in a serious car crash, manager Alan Pardew said on Friday. "It was a terrible accident and we have a huge debt to the air ambulance and the terrific surgeons he's had," Pardew told […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich turn their focus from their five-star Champions League opener to domestic duty and their bid to keep their perfect start to the season in a derby home to Ingolstadt on Saturday. The reigning Bundesliga champions hammered Russian side Rostov 5-0 in Munich in their Group D opener to continue Carlo […]

Madrid (AFP) – Madrid minnows Leganes get their reward for an unlikely promotion to La Liga when the might of Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar grace the 11,000-capacity Estadio Butarque on Saturday. Leganes have made a fine start to their first season in the Spanish top-flight, winning at Celta Vigo on the opening […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City summer signing Ilkay Gundogan is in line for his first taste of Premier League football as his rampant side seek to maintain their perfect start on Saturday at home to Bournemouth. Under new manager Pep Guardiola City have won all seven of their Premier League and cup games […]

Milan (AFP) – Mauro Icardi's dream of "winning trophies" with Inter Milan has been dealt a Europa League blow and now faces a Serie A acid test in Sunday's visit of champions Juventus for the "Derby d'Italia". The Argentine striker has hit the net six times against the Old Lady of Turin, including three times […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Another momentous week in the extraordinary recent history of Leicester City ends on Saturday with the prospect of a seemingly mundane Premier League game. Yet the English champions insist their return to domestic action at home to Burnley is more important than their debut in the Champions League on Wednesday. […]

London (AFP) – The Premier League season is only four games old, but ahead of Saturday's home game with Bournemouth, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City already appear the team to beat. Last weekend's impressive 2-1 derby win at Manchester United left City with the only 100 percent record in the division and they followed it up […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger will expect his Arsenal side to offer more convincing signs of their ability to compete for the Premier League title when they visit Hull City on Saturday after a testing week in Europe. A 1-1 draw at Paris Saint-Germain ensured the Gunners avoided defeat in their opening Champions League outing […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Colourful Rangers midfielder Joey Barton has apologised unreservedly after being banished from the Scottish Premiership club's training ground for what he called "inappropriate" comments. Barton's future with the Glasgow giants was thrown into doubt after he was sent home on Tuesday following a reported row with team-mate Andy Halliday. Rangers manager Mark […]

Paris (AFP) – Manchester United went down to defeat in their opening Europa League group game on Thursday, while Premier League rivals Southampton won and Irish champions Dundalk claimed an impressive draw in the Netherlands. AFP Sports picks out the best of the action on matchday one: Feyenoord sink United Jose Mourinho's reluctant return to […]

Rotterdam (Netherlands) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho's reluctant return to the Europa League ended in embarrassment as Tonny Vilhena fired Feyenoord to a 1-0 win over Manchester United in their Group A opener on Thursday. For a man with a keen eye for his position in the football hierarchy, competing in the Europa League for the […]