Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he will never go back to Barcelona as their coach amid growing uncertainty about present incumbent Luis Enrique's future. Enrique is out of contract at the Nou Camp at the end of the season, and the chances of him leaving have increased significantly after […]

Turin (Italy) (AFP) – Juventus went 10 points clear at the top of Serie A on Friday with a 4-1 win over struggling Palermo in a perfectly-timed boost ahead of their Champions League trip to Porto next week. Former Palermo star Paulo Dybala played a pivotal role as the Argentina international pushed his former employers […]

Madrid (AFP) – Granada made La Liga history by naming a team of 11 different nationalities as on loan Borussia Dortmund striker Adrian Ramos scored twice in a 4-1 thrashing of Real Betis on Friday. Just a third win of the season moves Granada to within two points of safety, although they remain 19th, whilst […]

Berlin (AFP) – Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez was on target twice as Bayer Leverkusen warmed up for their Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid by winning 3-1 at Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Friday. Roger Schmidt's side went in front midway through the first half when Kai Havertz squared from the right for Karim Bellarabi to […]

Dortmund (Germany) (AFP) – Everything has happened very fast for Ousmane Dembele, still just 19 but starring for Borussia Dortmund and dreaming of making the France squad for the next World Cup. "I'm loving it, but I can do better," Dembele admitted to AFP of his first season in the German Bundesliga following a move […]

London (AFP) – Bournemouth have been charged by the Football Association for a breach of its anti-doping regulations, English football's governing body said Friday. The south coast club have been charged with a failure to comply over 'whereabouts' rules designed to provide accurate details of training sessions and the location of players so they are […]

London (AFP) – England hero Geoff Hurst is convinced that this season's upset results prove the 'magic of the FA Cup' is still there, despite some clubs fielding under-strength line-ups. Non-League clubs Lincoln and Sutton have both made it through to this weekend's last 16, while Fulham, Millwall, Oxford and Wolves have all beaten clubs […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte is "confident" Diego Costa will remain with Chelsea, even though talks over the striker's future with the club will have to wait until the end of the season. Last month saw Costa, Premier League leaders Chelsea's leading scorer this season with 15 goals, linked to a lucrative move to the […]

Yangon (AFP) – ASEAN on Friday held talks on launching a joint bid for the World Cup in 2034 during a visit by FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to Yangon, the head of Myanmar's football federation said. Football officials from the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc are keen to capitalise on Infantino's decision to expand the tournament to […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola warned on Friday that teen sensation Gabriel Jesus could be out of action for up to three months and might not play again until next season. The 19-year-old Brazil striker, who has scored three goals in five games since joining City in the January transfer […]

Moscow (AFP) – Russian officials on Friday slammed a BBC documentary warning of a "festival of violence" by hooligans at next year's World Cup in the country as "propaganda" aimed at tarring the event. "We need to look absolutely soberly at all this — an information campaign aimed to discredit," Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona striker Luis Suarez believes the Catalans can become the first side ever to overcome a four-goal first leg deficit in the Champions League when Paris Saint-Germain visit the Camp Nou on March 8. Barca were torn apart in a 4-0 thrashing by the French champions in their last 16 clash on […]

Madrid (AFP) – Gareth Bale will make his return from a three-month injury layoff when Real Madrid host Espanyol on Saturday, coach Zinedine Zidane confirmed on Friday. However, Zidane has handed a weekend off to a host of other key men as Luka Modric, Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Keylor Navas were not included in […]

There are a selection of players who have always endured stick at any Premier League ground they rock up at. While it’s not desirable, it’s understandable in some cases. During his time as a Liverpool player, Luis Suarez was a regular target, as he did little to earn favor among neutrals despite his obvious brilliance. […]

London (AFP) – For Micky Stephens, assistant manager of English non-league team Sutton United, Monday's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Premier League giants Arsenal carries a vivid sense of deja vu. In January 1989, Stephens was a pivotal member of the Sutton team that stunned Coventry City, FA Cup winners 19 months previously, in one […]