London (AFP) – Diego Costa's future at Premier League leaders Chelsea was plunged into doubt on Friday after their leading scorer was dropped for Saturday's away match with champions Leicester. The 28-year-old Spanish international, who has scored 14 goals in 19 games this season, is believed to have had a bust-up at the club over […]

Kampala (AFP) – Uganda's state owned Uganda Broadcasting Corporation will be unable to broadcast Africa Cup of Nations matches live for a lack of funds, a senior official said Friday. "We needed about 600,000 euros ($650,000) to acquire the rights but this has not been possible for now," UBC Managing Director Winston Agaba told AFP. Uganda […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea paid Jose Mourinho and his staff £8.3 million ($10.1 million) following his sacking last season, taking the total severance payments to the Portuguese coach and his assistants to a remarkable £31.4 million since 2007. Mourinho was axed by Blues owner Roman Abramovich in December 2015 after his mutinous team lurched towards […]

Libreville (AFP) – Cameroon coach Hugo Broos on Friday called for the Africa Cup of Nations to be moved to a different time of year and said pressure from European clubs was to blame for the host of withdrawals from his squad. The Indomitable Lions have won the tournament four times but come into this […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho was unfazed when an unexpected telephone call interrupted the Manchester United manager's weekly session with the media on Friday. Initially, it was business as usual as Mourinho took questions from journalists at United's training ground ahead of their crucial Premier League clash with bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday. […]

Berlin (AFP) – Arjen Robben will miss Bayern Munich's final warm-up for the restart of the Bundesliga season with a cold keeping the 32-year-old Dutch winger out of Saturday's four-team mini tournament in Duesseldorf. Bayern's opening Bundesliga fixture of 2017 is at mid-table Freiburg next Friday. The German league leaders will also be without Germany […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona need to avoid a growing sense of hysteria felt by fans, fellow players and media over protracted negotiations to extend superstar striker Lionel Messi's contract, his coach Luis Enrique said Friday. With just 18 months left on the 29-year-old Argentine's deal, Enrique insisted there is no need to panic. "We have […]

London (AFP) – Sunderland manager David Moyes has accused Jeremain Lens of being "disgracefully disrespectful" after the Netherlands midfielder said it would be good for him if the Premier League strugglers were relegated. Lens is currently on loan at Turkish club Fenerbahce after being recruited by former Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat, who brought the 29-year-old […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte insists Chelsea defender John Terry won't be allowed to leave the Premier League leaders during the January transfer window. Terry has been unable to nail down a first team place since returning from injury and the Chelsea captain was linked with a temporary move to Bournemouth this week after Blues […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho claims he is a calmer manager than Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, despite having been sent to the stands twice for disciplinary reasons this season. United manager Mourinho has guided his team to nine successive wins in all competitions, and even though they are currently sixth, they could make […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola admits he is not certain if injury-plagued Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany will ever return to peak form. Kompany is back in first team contention having had an eight-week lay-off for a knee problem he sustained against Crystal Palace in November. That was the Belgium centre-back's 35th injury […]

Décines-Charpieu (France) (AFP) – Manchester United's Dutch forward Memphis Depay is the top target for French club Lyon during the winter transfer window, coach Bruno Genesio said Friday. "I'm a fan of this player and have made him my priority," Genesio told a press conference as he outlined the 23-year-old's qualities. "He's forceful, powerful, capable […]

Libreville (AFP) – Shock qualifiers Guinea-Bissau face hosts Gabon Saturday in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations opener, hoping to continue a Leicester City-like run in the competition. Traditional underachievers Leicester were the sensational winners of the 2015-2016 English Premier League, giving football minnows across the world belief that nothing is impossible. The west […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger insists Mesut Ozil won't base his contract talks with Arsenal solely on the uncertain future of the Gunners manager. Wenger's current deal only runs until the end of the season and he has yet to reveal whether he will extend his 20-year reign at the Premier League club. With Wenger's […]

Libreville (AFP) – New-look Ivory Coast are preparing to defend the Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Gabon on Saturday, buoyed by encouraging results and impressive form from new recruit Wilfried Zaha. The Crystal Palace flier hopes to make an impact in a competition that boasts Europe-based stars like Riyad Mahrez of Algeria, […]