Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid must match the intensity of a stunning first 45 minutes urged coach Zinedine Zidane after snapping a four-game draw streak with a 6-1 rout at Real Betis on Saturday. Zidane's men surrendered top spot on goal difference to city rivals Atletico Madrid with three consecutive La Liga draws, along with […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola admitted his Manchester City players had not practised penalties before they missed two during a 1-1 draw at home to Everton. Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero both had spot-kicks saved by goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg before substitute Nolito's header earned a point for City. For Aguero, it was […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Alex Ferguson once described Liverpool versus Manchester United as the biggest fixture in club football and Monday's clash at Anfield has been made all the more intriguing by the debate over the form of Wayne Rooney. United’s captain, dropped to the bench by manager Jose Mourinho for his club’s last three fixtures, […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – Hot favourite Riyad Mahrez of Algeria was among 30 nominees named Saturday for the 2016 African Player of the Year football award. The winger, who is equally efficient at scoring and creating goals, was a key figure for sensational 2015-2016 English Premier League (EPL) title winners Leicester City. His efforts were acknowledged […]

Milan (AFP) – Paulo Dybala hit a brace as champions Juventus underscored their Serie A title credentials only eight games into the campaign with a battling 2-1 win over Udinese on Saturday. Juventus had been given a huge incentive before their late kick-off with the league's other 'bianconeri' side after Roma stunned Napoli 3-1 at […]

Moscow (AFP) – Spartak Moscow skipper Denis Glushakov scored the only goal as Russia's most decorated club beat nine-man Rostov 1-0 on Saturday to go top of the Premier League. Spartak moved one point clear of reigning champions CSKA, who beat Ufa 1-0 on Friday, while Zenit St Petersburg, who visit Ural Yekaterinburg on Sunday, […]

London (AFP) – Steve Bruce began life as Aston Villa boss with a fortunate 1-1 draw at home to Wolves in their Championship clash on Saturday. Bruce, who is Villa's fourth full-time manager since Paul Lambert was shown the door in January 2015, at least saw his side climb out of the relegation places but […]

London (AFP) – West Ham United climbed out of the relegation zone with just their second Premier League win of the season after Manuel Lanzini's goal secured a 1-0 victory away to London rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Hammers hung on to all three points despite playing the final 15 minutes a man down […]

In the early weeks of the Premier League season, plenty has pointed towards a potential title challenge for Liverpool. But you sense the most emphatic indication of their credentials to be the top dog in English football would be a win over bitter rivals Manchester United at Anfield on Monday. A lot has aligned for […]

Paris (AFP) – Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani scored again as Paris Saint-Germain overcame a determined display from Ligue 1 strugglers Nancy to win 2-1 on Saturday and move into second place. Lucas' free-kick gave the reigning champions a 13th-minute lead at the Stade Marcel-Picot with Cavani contributing his league-leading ninth goal shortly after on the […]

Berlin (AFP) – Both captain Philipp Lahm and coach Carlo Ancelotti both slammed Bayern Munich's 'bad attitude' as Saturday's 2-2 draw at ten-man Eintracht Frankfurt left them winless in three games. Bayern host PSV Eindhoven in a key Champions League game on Wednesday needing a win, following their 1-0 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid […]

Berlin (AFP) – Schalke 04 are expected to be without teenage striker Breel Embolo for the rest of 2016 after the Swiss international broke his left ankle on Saturday. The 19-year-old was stretchered off after 25 minutes of Schalke's 1-1 draw at Augsburg, which lifted them out of the Bundesliga's relegation places into 15th. Embolo […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Moussa Dembele's hot-streak continued as his late penalty sealed a 2-0 win for Celtic over Motherwell in the Premiership on Saturday the perfect boost for their Champions League clash with Borussia Monchengladbach. Dembele — who scored a double for the France Under-21 side in the international break — and another goal by […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona boss Luis Enrique hailed Lionel Messi's goalscoring return in a 4-0 rout of Deportivo la Coruna as the perfect preparation for Barca's Champions League showdown with former coach Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on Wednesday. Messi netted with just his third touch after nearly a month out with a groin injury having […]

West Bromwich (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Dele Alli rescued a point for Tottenham Hotspur in a 1-1 draw away to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday after it looked as if the Premier League high-flyers might suffer an agonising defeat. The visitors dominated possession only for Nacer Chadli, a player Spurs sold to West Brom in […]