Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – It is a sign of Wayne Rooney’s recent troubles that he is not guaranteed to make Manchester United’s starting line-up against West Ham on Sunday despite breaking a club record this week. The United captain became the Red Devils' all-time leading European scorer on Thursday with a fine finish to […]

London (AFP) – Carl Jenkinson admits Arsenal must cut out their habit of making lethargic starts if they are to get back on track against Bournemouth on Sunday. Arsene Wenger's side have failed to win their last three matches in all competitions and Jenkinson believes the Gunners have only themselves to blame. In both last […]

Southampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Claude Puel has demanded his Southampton side to put aside their Europa League disappointment ahead of the Premier League visit of Everton on Sunday. The 1-0 defeat at Sparta Prague left Puel’s side needing a win or scoreless draw against Hapoel Be’er Sheva in their final group game to progress in […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – French forward Anthony Martial risks slipping from the first-team picture at Manchester United if he does not start making more of his opportunities, manager Jose Mourinho has warned. Martial, 20, impressed in his first United season after his move from Monaco for an initial fee of 36 million pounds ($44.9 […]

Berlin (AFP) – Uli Hoeness was on Friday re-elected as Bayern Munich's president, returning to lead Germany's top club despite a spectacular own goal which landed him in jail. After 21 months behind bars, Hoeness was released in February from Landsberg prison, where Adolf Hitler wrote 'Mein Kampf', after being convicted of evading at least […]

Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig continued their stunning start to life in the Bundesliga on Friday with a 4-1 win at Freiburg that saw them move six points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the table. Timo Werner scored twice for the visitors at the Schwarzwald Stadion in between goals by Naby Keita […]

Zagreb (AFP) – Argentina football legend Diego Maradona was courtside as Juan Martin del Potro beat veteran Ivo Karlovic to draw his country back level at 1-1 against Croatia in the Davis Cup final on Friday. Maradona, 56, who inspired Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, watched on with his girlfriend as Croatia went […]

Berlin (AFP) – German champions Bayern Munich on Friday announced record turnover for the 2015-16 financial year of 627 million euros (£533.3m; $664.6m), up by more than 100 million euros on the previous year. Bayern's pre-tax profits also increased by around 30 percent, from 23.8 million euros in 2014-15 to 33 million euros. "Our entrepreneurial […]

By the time Chelsea kick off against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday, the chances are that the Blues will have been provisionally usurped in top spot. It’s a factor that’ll add another extra dynamic to what has become one of the most ferocious fixtures in English football in recent […]

Madrid (AFP) – Giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are amongst five La Liga clubs from whom the Spanish taxman is looking to recover 52 million euros, online newspaper El Confidencial claimed on Friday. Alongside Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Valencia, the big two are accused of having avoided tax by paying player's agents directly. A tax […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola insisted Friday he had no intention of signing Lionel Messi, saying he wants the Barcelona star to see out his career at the Nou Camp. Manchester City manager Guardiola has been linked repeatedly with a move for the reigning world footballer of the year. Speculation has intensified because […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has pulled out of Saturday's game against Sporting Gijon, adding to the injury woes of the La Liga leaders who will be without Gareth Bale for at least two months. The 23-year-old Frenchman hurt his right knee which needed surgery in 2013 and has since suffered from […]

Moscow (AFP) – President Vladimir Putin on Friday assured FIFA boss Gianni Infantino that problems with the World Cup venue in the northwestern city of Saint Petersburg would be solved by the end of the year. "It's a very sad story," Russian news agencies quoted Putin as telling Infantino at the Kremlin, referring to the […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta returned to training on Friday following a month out with a knee injury and is hopeful of playing in next month's Clasico, the Spanish champions said. Iniesta, 32, suffered knee ligament damage in a 3-2 win at Valencia on October 22, but the former Spain star is in […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea captain John Terry will be out of action for more than two weeks because of a "muscular problem", Blues boss Antonio Conte said Friday. Former England centre-back Terry, 36 next month, has made just one substitute appearance since the London club started a six-match winning run that has taken them to […]