Paris (AFP) – Marseille slumped to third in the Ligue 1 table after defeat at Rennes on Saturday, while Bordeaux remain on the cusp of relegation after a goalless draw with Lorient. In the penultimate round of matches, Monaco leapfrogged Marseille, 2-0 losers at Rennes, into second with a 4-2 win over Brest. But things […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said his "nails are gone" after his side beat Chelsea on penalties in a final for the second time this season to win the FA Cup. Nothing could split the two teams who finished 0-0 after 90 minutes and extra-time at Wembley on Saturday. Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy […]

London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp hailed his "mentality monsters" as Liverpool held their nerve to win the FA Cup after a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Chelsea kept the quadruple chasers' history bid alive on Saturday. Klopp's side won 6-5 on penalties at Wembley as Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas was the unlikely hero with the decisive […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool held their nerve to win the FA Cup for the first time since 2006 after a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Chelsea as the quadruple chasers kept their history bid alive on Saturday. Jurgen Klopp's side won 6-5 on penalties at Wembley as Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas was the unlikely hero with […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez suggested on Saturday the club’s dire financial situation could force them to consider selling Frenkie de Jong this summer. De Jong joined Barca for 75 million euros from Ajax in 2019 and while he has been a solid performer and a regular starter at Camp Nou, the Dutchman […]

Berlin (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski confirmed Saturday that he wants to leave Bayern Munich this summer amid reports Barcelona are ready to offer the 33-year-old star striker a three-year contract. Lewandowki banged in his 35th league goal this campaign in a 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg on the last weekend of the Bundesliga season, then dropped […]

London (AFP) – Philippe Coutinho is aiming to help Aston Villa return to European football after signing a four-year deal to join the Premier League side from Barcelona. The 29-year-old Brazilian, who has moved for a fee of 20 million euros ($21 million, £17 million) has impressed since arriving at the Birmingham club on loan […]

Berlin (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski banged in his 35th league goal on the final day of the Bundesliga season Saturday as Bayern Munich confirmed their top-scoring striker wants to leave, amid reports he could join Barcelona this summer. Lewandowki scored for the Bundesliga champions in a 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg. Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic […]

Berlin (AFP) – Robert Lewandowski banged in his 35th league goal on the final day of the Bundesliga season Saturday as Bayern Munich contradicted reports their top-scoring striker could join Barcelona this summer. "'Lewy' has a contract until June 2023," Bayern director Hasan Salihamidzic said before Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg. "There have been no […]

London (AFP) – Romelu Lukaku was named in Chelsea's starting line-up for the FA Cup final against Liverpool on Saturday, just 24 hours after his agent said he wanted to talk to the club's new owners about the Belgian striker's future. Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel had insisted the latest controversy involving Lukaku would not be […]

Madrid (AFP) – Eden Hazard will stay at Real Madrid next season as the Belgian is determined to prove his worth after a nightmare three years, Carlo Ancelotti said on Saturday. Hazard was one of the best players in the world when he joined Real Madrid for an initial 100 million euros in 2019 but […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Scottish champions Celtic rounded off their season with a 6-0 hammering of Motherwell at Parkhead on Saturday. The Glasgow giants sealed their 10th Premiership title in 11 seasons at Dundee United on Wednesday and with a title party at home guaranteed, they celebrated in style. Japanese striker Kyogo Furuhashi scored twice in […]

Madrid (AFP) – Sevilla will secure Champions League qualification with a point against Atletico Madrid on Sunday while the winner would be in pole position to finish third in La Liga. A third consecutive draw at home to Mallorca on Wednesday saw Sevilla miss out on the chance to seal their place in the top […]

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – China has withdrawn as the 2023 Asian Cup host due to the coronavirus, football officials said Saturday, with Beijing's strict zero-Covid strategy dealing another blow to the country's sporting ambitions. Authorities in China are pursuing a strategy of stamping out the virus entirely, which includes rapid lockdowns and mass testing, and […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola has hit back at former Manchester United stars Patrice Evra and Dimitar Berbatov for criticising the character of his Manchester City side after their painful Champions League exit. Guardiola was infuriated by comments from the two players after City's defeat over two legs against Real Madrid in the semi-finals of […]