Spain coach Vicente del Bosque says he plans to step down from the post after Euro 2016 in France, according to extracts from his new book which were published on Friday. "If everything goes as expected, after Euro 2016 I will leave the national team and the Spanish football federation. It is also a question […]

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has apologized to West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Pulis for his emotional outburst following last weekend's fiery Premier League clash. Klopp and Pulis had several heated exchanges on the touchline during the 2-2 draw at Anfield, and the Reds boss did not exchange the customary handshake with his opposite number at […]

When Quique Sanchez Flores took over at Watford in the summer, many expected the club's direction to change. He’s an exotic name, after all, and having managed Atletico Madrid to the UEFA Europa League crown in 2010, Flores came with a stellar reputation. Free-flowing, continental soccer was anticipated at Vicarage Road. But the former Valencia […]

Prior to Thursday’s sacking of Jose Mourinho, headlines in the English paper were centered around Pep Guardiola’s long rumored move to Manchester City. The Bayern boss will reportedly announce next week that he will not return to the club after the conclusion of the 2015-16 season. Guardiola’s relationships with Manchester City’s top executives — CEO […]

Knees get shot, sharpness fades, minutes have to be managed. For sports fans, the idea that athletes have a limited shelf life is not a difficult one to accept. It’s always hard to watch your favorite player lose a step, but it’s never totally unexpected. A playing career is divided into three acts: the early […]

Jose Mourinho's sacking by Chelsea was depicted as an early Christmas carve up on Friday as the British press reported he had been let go after a holiday lunch with players. "Jose gets stuffed: Christmas lunch with team ... then Mourinho's sacked after losing toxic dressing room," wrote the Daily Mirror. "Carved up at festive […]

Germany striker Thomas Mueller, defender Jerome Boateng and Spain's Javi Martinez have all extended their contracts with Bayern Munich until 2021, the club said on Friday. The three-time defending German champions also extended midfield holder Xabi Alonso's deal until 2017. The news comes at a time when Bayern Munich are expected to announce they are […]

Claudio Ranieri is refusing to entertain the prospect of a Premier League title challenge from Leicester City, even though his side travel to Everton on Saturday as surprise leaders. Ranieri's side, who began the season among the favorites for relegation, have stunned the rest of the division with a superb run that has left them […]

Jose Mourinho was sacked as Chelsea manager on Thursday following the club's slide to within one point of the Premier League relegation zone. AFP Sports charts the nine league defeats that led to his dismissal by Chelsea for a second time: August 16: Manchester City 3-0 Chelsea In their second game, the champions are dealt […]

Jose Mourinho's tumultuous second spell as Chelsea manager was ended "by mutual consent" on Thursday, with the club's technical director revealing that squad disharmony was a significant factor. Chelsea's disastrous start to the season prompted owner Roman Abramovich to press the eject button, with the club saying it was "in the best interests of both […]

Atletico Madrid sealed their place in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey with a ninth consecutive win in all competitions thanks to Thomas Partey's solitary goal against Catalan minnows Reus on Thursday. Ghanaian midfielder Thomas struck his first goal for the club eight minutes after halftime to complete a 3-1 aggregate win for […]

"Anybody can understand ... that this club is in trouble," was part of Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo's explanation for Jose Mourinho's sacking. On Thursday, the Blues parted ways with the most successful manager in club history, leaving Chelsea without a manager while sitting 16th in the Premier League. Emenalo's interview with Chelsea TV, below, […]

Jose Mourinho being sacked probably won't change the basics of Louis van Gaal’s time at Manchester United, but it might make choices a lot easier. That’s because having an excellent manager free to take a job is clearly going to make a change seem less drastic, and less of a risk. But it’s also because […]

Three days of rampant speculation has resulted in the inevitable. Jose Mourinho, seven months after claiming his third Premier League title, has been relieved of his duties as manager of Chelsea FC. The BBC were the first to report the news, with Chelsea later confirming the departure by mutual consent via a statement on the […]

In 2014, there were 35 games played in the US that were attended by at least 40,000 people – usually considered the cutoff for a standout soccer crowd. That's an outstanding total, but in 2015 it was even great: 45 games had 40,000 or more people. Unfortunately there was no single game that had over […]