Istanbul (AFP) – Portugal's Benfica must wait on a place in the last 16 of the Champions League after they squandered a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 at Turkey's Besiktas on Wednesday. The Portuguese cruised into a 3-0 lead inside barely half an hour but were pegged back as the Turks maintained their unbeaten record […]

Paris (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Wednesday that everyone agrees on the need to expand the World Cup finals but there are divisions on whether there should be 40 or 48 teams. Infantino campaigned for the FIFA leadership this year on the back of adding to the 32 nations at the current World […]

Rostov-on-Don (Russia) (AFP) – Christian Noboa's superb free-kick earned Rostov a shock 3-2 Champions League win over Bayern Munich in Russia on Wednesday, leaving Carlo Ancelotti's side facing a tough last-16 draw. Douglas Costa rifled Bayern ahead on 35 minutes at the Olimp-2 stadium, but Rostov equalised through Sardar Azmoun on the stroke of half-time […]

London (AFP) – A fourth former footballer said he too suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a youth coach as an aspiring player, in a snowballing scandal rocking the game in Britain. Former England and Manchester City star David White, now 49, joins ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker Paul Stewart and two other former players alleging […]

London (AFP) – FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Wales and Northern Ireland over the display of commemorative poppy symbols in their recent matches, the world governing body announced on Wednesday. Both countries' football associations opted against allowing their players to wear black armbands with poppy symbols, but they have been charged anyway. Both have […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale will miss his side's blockbuster clash with Barcelona next weekend due to an ankle injury, Spanish media reported on Wednesday. Bale was forced off just before the hour mark of Real's 2-1 win over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday as the European champions secured their place in the […]

Paris (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrapped up the first of 11 executive meetings with federation representatives Wednesday by saying those gathered in Paris were all in favour of expanding the World Cup. Infantino is all for growing the cash cow tournament from 32 to as many as 48 teams. A 48-team format would […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayer Leverkusen boss Rudi Voeller admits their qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League, at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur, was a welcome tonic before facing Bayern Munich. Carlo Ancelotti's Bayern, who are no longer top in Germany, are next up at the Allianz Arena on Saturday and Leverkusen will […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United will trigger an option to extend Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic's contract by a year, manager Jose Mourinho told a press conference on Wednesday. Ibrahimovic, 35, joined United from Paris Saint-Germain in July on a one-year contract with an option for an extra year. "Zlatan's situation is simple," Mourinho […]

On Saturday against Watford at Vicarage Road, a venue where Leicester City took a huge step towards the Premier League title last term, they conceded after 34 seconds, setting a moribund early tone for a 2-1 loss. After that surrender, the Foxes sit just two points above the relegation zone. On Tuesday the English champions […]

Yangon (AFP) – A late goal by Nguyen Trong Hoang gave Vietnam a narrow victory over Malaysia in the Suzuki Cup on Wednesday, thrusting his side into the semi-finals. The forward, a rising star in Vietnam's domestic league, secured his country's second win in three days on 80 minutes when he danced between two Malaysian […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United will trigger an option to extend Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic's contract by a year, manager Jose Mourinho told a press conference on Wednesday. Ibrahimovic, 35, joined United from Paris Saint-Germain in July on a one-year contract with an option for an extra year. "Zlatan's situation is simple," Mourinho […]

Milan (AFP) – Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has hinted he could unleash teenaged sensation Moise Kean after he became the first player born in 2000 to feature in the Champions League on Tuesday. Kean was born to Ivorian parents in Italy on February 28, 2000 and joined an elite group of 16-year-old Serie A debutants […]

Saturday's broadcast of the Bundesliga's biggest game of the season between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich was watched by more than 400,000 people on the FOX over-the-air broadcast network. The exact number, 426,000, represents a significant improvement over the 248,000 people that watched Borussia Monchengladbach versus Bayer Leverkusen in August, which was also televised on […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spanish prosecutors recommended that Brazilian star Neymar be handed a two-year jail sentence and a fine of 10 million euros ($10.6 million) for alleged corrupt practices in his transfer to Barcelona, a court filing revealed on Wednesday. Prosecutors are also seeking a five-year sentence for former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell — who […]