Madrid (AFP) – Real boss Zinedine Zidane hopes Jese Rodriguez rediscovers the form that once made him the star of Madrid's academy — but only after his return to the Santiago Bernabeu with Las Palmas on Wednesday. Jese left Real Madrid for French champions Paris Saint Germain on a five-year deal in August for a […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has effectively admitted he no longer has a first-choice goalkeeper after declaring he will choose between Willy Caballero and Claudio Bravo on a game-by-game basis. Bravo was brought in from Barcelona in August to be the senior goalkeeper, but has lost his Premier League place […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona boss Luis Enrique insists his side's reliance on Lionel Messi is perfectly normal when you have "the best player in the world" on your side. Messi has kept Barca's La Liga title challenge alive with late winners in 2-1 wins over Leganes and Atletico Madrid in their last two outings to […]

Lausanne (AFP) – Shamed former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a 10-year ban for ethics breaches. The world body fired the Frenchman in January 2016 over black market World Cup ticket sales and suspect television deals. Valcke is also the target of a Swiss criminal […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund said Tuesday they do not expect Mario Goetze to return anytime soon as Germany's World Cup winner battles with a unspecified metabolism disorder. "This will not be a short-term issue," Dortmund's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told SID, an AFP subsidiary. Dortmund announced on Monday that medical tests to see why Goetze […]

The United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) will once again be competing against the national teams of Germany, France, and England as the SheBelieves Cup makes its return to American television with its second annual edition beginning March 1. The United States won all three of their 2016 SheBelieves Cup matches to win the inaugural […]

London (AFP) – Everton manager Ronald Koeman paved the way Tuesday for Wayne Rooney's return to the club of his youth by saying he would make the side "stronger". Last week Rooney said he was staying with Manchester United following persistent speculation he could make a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League. But doubts […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester defender Christian Fuchs has urged his team-mates to build on their 3-1 win over Liverpool as the champions look to secure their Premier League future following the sacking of manager Claudio Ranieri. In a remarkable transformation, Leicester looked like the side that stormed to a dramatic title win last […]

Madrid (AFP) – Deportivo la Coruna hired former Real Betis and West Bromwich Albion coach Pepe Mel on Tuesday with the task of leading the Galicians away from the La Liga relegation zone. Gaizka Garitano was sacked by Deportivo on Sunday after Saturday's 4-0 defeat at Leganes left the 1999/2000 La Liga winners just one […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester City caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare said he was ready to take on the role full-time after overseeing an impressive 3-1 win against Liverpool in his first game. Shakespeare was promoted from his role as assistant following Claudio Ranieri's sensational dismissal last Thursday, nine months on from Leicester's 5,000-1 Premier […]

Berlin (AFP) – Mario Goetze had the nation at his feet when Germany's hero netted the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final. Fast-forward nearly three years and Monday's news that the Borussia Dortmund star is sidelined indefinitely by a metabolism disorder is the latest blow to affect the attacking midfielder since the Brazil […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic defender Cristian Gamboa says the runaway Premiership leaders will not be seeking revenge when they take on the only side to take a point off them this season Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Wednesday. Celtic are strolling to the defence of their league crown — which will be their sixth successive title […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho insists the FA Cup remains a priority for his side despite their bid to advance in the Champions League. Last week's thrilling 5-3 victory over French side Monaco has left Pep Guardiola's side in a strong position to advance to the quarter-finals in a competition in […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy said his side's 3-1 victory over Liverpool on Monday had been a reaction to negative media reports over the dismissal of manager Claudio Ranieri. Ranieri was sacked on Thursday, less than 10 months on from Leicester's 5,000-1 title triumph, after a run of five straight […]

Milan (AFP) – Italy striker Andrea Belotti made amends for missing a second-half penalty for Torino with a late brace that secured a share of the points in a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina in Serie A Monday. In a clash helpful to both sides' chances of qualifying for Europe next season, Fiorentina raced to a […]