Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain's summer signing Jese Rodriguez requires surgery and faces up to three weeks on the sidelines after being diagnosed with appendicitis, Spanish media announced on Saturday. Sports daily AS reported that the 23-year-old would be out for a month while Marca said the Spanish attacker would only be missing for two […]

London (AFP) – Salomon Rondon's 74th-minute header earned West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis a 1-0 victory on his return to former club Crystal Palace on Saturday's Premier League opening day. The Venezuelan striker glanced in a free-kick from substitute James McClean to give West Brom a first league victory in 10 attempts. It was […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Erik Lamela's second-half header rescued a 1-1 draw for Tottenham Hotspur and denied new Everton manager Ronald Koeman a winning start at Goodison Park on Saturday. Lamela equalised in the 59th minute after Everton had claimed a deserved lead through Ross Barkley's early goal. Everton had the better of the first half […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Bayern Munich's attacking midfielder Arjen Robben, who injured himself in July during pre-season, resumed physical training on Saturday, a day before the Bundesliga side face Borussia Dortmund in the German Supercup. The Dutchman has had recurring injuries to his hamstrings throughout his career and hasn't featured for Bayern in a competitive […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola dropped goalkeeper Joe Hart in favour of Willy Caballero for his opening Premier League game against Sunderland on Saturday. Guardiola has been linked with German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who plays for his former club Barcelona, and cast doubt on Hart's future during a press […]

Middlesbrough (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Middlesbrough were left frustrated on their return to the Premier League as Stoke's Xherdan Shaqiri rescued a 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday. Aitor Karanka's team are back in the English top flight after a seven-year absence and they experienced a rollercoaster opening match of the new campaign. […]

Kingston upon Hull (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Claudio Ranieri says Leicester City's shock 2-1 defeat against troubled Hull City on Saturday should serve as a reality check for the Premier League champions. Ranieri's side were stunned by goals from Adama Diomande and Robert Snodgrass at the KCOM Stadium. Foxes boss Ranieri believes Leicester's loss proves […]

London (AFP) – Leicester's Premier League title defence got off to an embarrassing start as the champions crashed to 2-1 defeat at troubled Hull in the season opener on Saturday. Just three months after their astonishing title triumph, Claudio Ranieri's side were brought back down to earth by a team whose preparations for the new […]

Dundee (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Rangers earned their first win of the Scottish Premiership season as they ground out a 2-1 victory over Dundee at Dens Park. The off-balance Harry Forrester scored a superb opener for the Glasgow giants as he fired past Bain in the 14th minute, before veteran striker Kenny Miller doubled their […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli will wear his first name on the back of his shirt this season, rather than his surname, his club announced on Saturday. "I wanted a name on my shirt that represented who I am and I feel I have no connection with the Alli surname," the England […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has been named as the Premier League club's new captain even though the injured German may not play again this year. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger defended the curious decision and said he will choose from a pool of experienced players to lead the side during Mertesacker's prolonged absence. […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has a tough decision to make before his side's first game of the season against Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup first leg on Sunday. The Catalans travel to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan to face the Europa League winners in a repeat of May’s Copa del Rey final, which […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Outspoken USA women's goalkeeper Hope Solo labelled Sweden "cowards" after the world champions' bid for a fourth straight Olympic gold ended, whilst Brazil edged past Australia in a marathon penalty shootout despite a miss from star Marta in the quarter-finals. Sweden progressed to their first ever Olympics semi-final 4-3 on […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is grappling with a defensive injury crisis ahead of his team's Premier League opener at home to Jurgen Klopp's buoyant Liverpool on Sunday. Wenger is set to be without his three senior centre-backs at the Emirates Stadium and in Liverpool faces a team who put four unanswered goals […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund host champions Bayern Munich for the German Super Cup on Sunday with Mats Hummels and Mario Goetze set to be scrutinised following high-profile returns to each rival team. The showdown between German league and cup champions Bayern and last season's runners-up Dortmund, who finished second to the Bavarians in both […]