London (AFP) – Chelsea Football Club's Russian owner Roman Abramovich was on Thursday hit with a UK assets freeze and travel ban, throwing his plans to sell the European and world club champions into disarray. The billionaire owner of the English Premier League side became the highest profile oligarch yet sanctioned by any Western country, […]

Norwich (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel insisted he is not concerned by the sanctions on Blues owner Roman Abramovich that plunged the European champions into turmoil on Thursday. Abramovich was one of seven oligarchs targeted by the British government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Russian billionaire's UK assets have been frozen, […]

Paris (AFP) – French striker Kylian Mbappe insisted Paris Saint-Germain players would "remain united and determined until the final match of the season" despite another disappointing Champions League elimination. For the fourth time in six seasons PSG crashed out in the last 16, self-destructing to 13-time European champions Real Madrid on Wednesday in Spain. PSG […]

London (AFP) – A fan told of a "surreal moment" Thursday as he bought the last Chelsea shirt at the club shop before it closed after Russian owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned, with supporters voicing their anxiety over the restrictions. The billionaire owner of the English Premier League side was one of seven oligarchs […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits he has sympathy for Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel after the European champions were hit by tough sanctions placed on Blues owner Roman Abramovich. The Russian billionaire was one of seven oligarchs targeted Thursday by the UK government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, all described as part […]

Madrid (AFP) – "Real Madrid are still alive," said Karim Benzema, the 34-year-old striker who scored a second-half hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain again self-destructed in the Champions League knockout stages. PSG were cruising at 2-0 up on aggregate after Kylian Mbappe's 39th-minute strike. For an hour the Paris club looked assured of a last-eight berth, […]

London (AFP) – English Premier League club Everton said Wednesday they were suspending with "immediate effect" sponsorship agreements with three companies in which Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has a stake following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Everyone at Everton remains shocked and saddened by the appalling events unfolding in Ukraine," said a club statement. "This tragic […]

Geneva (AFP) – Hansjorg Wyss, one of Switzerland's richest men, said Wednesday he had been offered the chance to buy Chelsea, with the English Premier League side's Russian owner Roman Abramovich under growing scrutiny. Wyss, 86 and founder of the medical device manufacturing firm Synthes, told the Swiss newspaper Blick that he had been sounded […]

Berlin (AFP) – VfB Stuttgart's American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo admits his job involves psychology as much as coaching football in the fight to keep his club in the Bundesliga. Matarazzo's side are second-bottom in the table and four points from safety with 10 matches remaining. "The battle to avoid relegation is very, very psychological," he […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp said on Tuesday that neuroscience is helping Liverpool's bid to win an unprecedented quadruple. Klopp's side won the first of the four major trophies they are chasing this season with an 11-10 penalty shoot-out victory against Chelsea in Sunday's English League Cup final. Klopp believes his faith in cutting edge […]

London (AFP) – Middlesbrough produced another FA Cup shock to extend Tottenham's long wait for silverware with a 1-0 win after extra time at the Riverside on Tuesday, while Manchester City eased into the last eight with a 2-0 victory at Peterborough. Boro knocked out Manchester United at Old Trafford in the fourth round and […]

Berlin (AFP) – Union Berlin reached the semi-finals of the German Cup for the first time in more than 20 years on Tuesday as a late goal by substitute Andreas Voglsammer sealed a 2-1 win over St Pauli. Voglsammer came off the bench to hit the winner in the last-eight tie and send Union into the […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan and Inter Milan played out a disappointing goalless derby draw in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final on Tuesday. Milan, the nominal home side at a boisterous San Siro, had the better of the play and opportunities but could not convert their chances into goals and head into […]

Burnley (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester dented Burnley's bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League as Jamie Vardy returned from injury to inspire a 2-0 win at Turf Moor on Tuesday. Brendan Rodgers' side stole the points with two goals in the last eight minutes as Vardy set up James Maddison and then netted […]

Peterborough (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Oleksandr Zinchenko captained Manchester City as classy finishes from Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish sent the English champions into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win at Peterborough on Tuesday. Ukrainian international Zinchenko took the armband in his first appearance since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Fernandinho had initially been […]