Lisbon (AFP) – Portuguese champions Benfica have secured the services of Brazilian international goalkeeper Julio Cesar for a further two seasons, the club said on Wednesday. The 36-year-old stopper joined Benfica in 2014 in the wake of a 7-1 World Cup semi-final humiliation at the hands of eventual champions Germany. And after a poor stay […]

Piraeus (Greece) (AFP) – Portuguese defender Diogo Figueiras has joined Greek champions Olympiakos, the Piraeus team announced Wednesday. "Olympiakos announces the acquisition of Diogo Figueiras from Sevilla," said a brief statement from the club. Greek media reported that the 24-year-old has signed a three-year contract with an annual wage of 500,000 euros ($558,000). Olympiakos reportedly […]

Paris (AFP) – France coach Didier Deschamps accepted on Wednesday that Raphael Varane's injury is a blow to his side's Euro 2016 hopes, but called on his men to overcome their defensive absences. The injury to Real Madrid centre-back Varane comes after his first-choice international partner Mamadou Sakho was also ruled out of the tournament […]

Madrid (AFP) – Three-time World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo has stressed his desire to remain at Spanish giants Real Madrid beyond the end of his current contract in 2018. "It is clear I want to stay here, I want to continue here," he told Spanish television station La Sexta on Wednesday. Ronaldo has […]

Paris (AFP) – France said Wednesday it will deploy more than 90,000 police and security guards for Euro 2016, vowing to do "everything possible to avoid a terrorist attack" during the football tournament that starts next month. The announcement followed chaos on Saturday at the Stade de France national stadium when smoke bombs were set […]

Seoul (AFP) – FC Seoul came back from the brink to win a dramatic penalty shoot-out on Wednesday as Hao Junmin's last-minute thunderbolt also put Shandong Luneng into the AFC Champions League quarter-finals. In a breathless night of action, Go Yo-Han struck in the dying seconds of extra time against Urawa Red Diamonds — the […]

MLS fans and American soccer fans in general often take umbrage with every perceived slight against their leagues and how the sport is perceived on these shores. Take yesterday’s comments from Antonio Conte about his decision to leave out Sebastian Giovinco and Andrea Pirlo from his Euro 2016 preliminary squad. "When you make a certain […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo alleviated concerns over his fitness ahead of the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid as the three-time World Player of the Year returned to training on Wednesday. Ronaldo limped off towards the end of training on Tuesday after suffering a knock on a persistent left thigh problem. […]

Recent reports have claimed that Real Madrid will exercise their buy-back clause for former player Alvaro Morata. Morata departed Madrid for Juventus just two years ago and the cost to bring the 23-year-old back to his former club would be £22 million. Los Blancos, however, do not have any intention of actually keeping Morata with the […]

Ascona (Switzerland) (AFP) – Bastian Schweinsteiger said on Wednesday he would recover from a knee injury in time to captain Germany at the European Championship, even though it remained unclear when he would return to the pitch. "I'm doing well, I am very confident," he told journalists at a press conference in the Swiss town […]

There are no two ways about it. New York City FC’s meltdown on Sunday against the New York Red Bulls was one of the most embarrassing and least forgivable performances in MLS history. That NYCFC got blanked 7-0 at home in a derby is shocking enough, but the manner of the team's capitulation only served […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal announced the signing of Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka from Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday. The Premier League side said the deal has yet to be officially ratified, but terms have been agreed with the 23-year-old. "Arsenal have reached an agreement with Granit Xhaka to join the club on a long-term contract for […]

Copa America preparation rolls on. With a 3-1 friendly win over Puerto Rico under its belt, the USA Men's National Team can really start to gel as the full 23-man roster convenes in Dallas. The next friendly in line before the Copa America starts is against a much sterner test in Ecuador. The 23-man US roster […]

Madrid (AFP) – Just five months into his first senior managerial role, Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is already living up to the unenviable task of matching his credentials as one of the finest players of his generation. Fourteen years on from the sumptuous volley that rippled a rain-soaked net at Hampden Park in Glasgow […]

Although it hasn’t been officially announced yet, Jose Mourinho is basically guaranteed to be the next manager of Manchester United following Louis Van Gaal’s official departure this week. Despite winning the FA cup this season, Van Gaal’s time at United was tumultuous. He created a solid defense, took United back into the Champions League for […]