London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger admitted Arsenal endured a disappointing campaign despite securing the runners-up spot, behind champions Leicester, for the first time since 2005. Arsenal's 4-0 victory over Aston Villa combined with Tottenham's disastrous 5-1 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday ensured Wenger's side finished above their local rivals, who had seemed certain to take […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – A fake bomb left behind following a training exercise was responsible for the abandonment of Sunday's match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford, police said. Amid a nerve-jangling scare with much of Europe on alert for militant attacks, the device was blown up by army bomb disposal experts […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – The suspect package that saw Manchester United's Premier League game with Bournemouth at Old Trafford abandoned on Sunday was in fact a dummy device left behind following a training exercise held at the ground four days earlier, police announced. Amid a nerve-jangling scare with much of Europe on alert for […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Besiktas clinched the Turkish Super Lig title with a game to spare on Sunday, topping the league for the first time since 2009 and claiming Turkey's sole automatic Champions League spot. Driven on by over 40,000 fans inside their new stadium on the Bosphorus, Besiktas thrashed Osmanlispor of Ankara 3-1 to gain […]

Palermo (Italy) (AFP) – Palermo secured their Serie A status for next season by beating bottom club Verona 3-2 in an action-packed encounter on Sunday, meaning that Carpi are relegated despite a 2-1 win at Udinese. Palermo chairman Maurizio Zamparini has made eight managerial changes in a turbulent season, but second-half headers from Enzo Maresca […]

Yaoundé (AFP) – The funeral of Cameroon international Patrick Ekeng, who died earlier this month playing for his club Dinamo Bucharest, was held in Yaounde on Sunday. Several hundred people, including Cameroon's minister for sport and physical education, Pierre Ismael Bidoung Mpatt, attended the service at the player's family home in Yaounde. "Nobody can take […]

Madrid (AFP) – Madrid's representation in La Liga was reduced from four to two teams for next season as Getafe and Rayo Vallecano were relegated, while Sporting Gijon saved themselves with a 2-0 win over Villarreal on Sunday. Getafe were the only side with matters in their own hands but succumbed to a 2-1 defeat […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Benfica held off the challenge of bitter rivals Sporting to win a third straight Portuguese title by beating Nacional 4-1 on the final day of the season on Sunday. Captain Nico Gaitan scored twice with top scorer Jonas, with his 32nd league goal of the season, and Pizzi also on target for […]

Southampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Southampton booked their place in next season's Europa League by finishing their Premier League campaign with a 4-1 thrashing of FA Cup finalists Crystal Palace on Sunday. Goals from Sadio Mane, Graziano Pelle, Ryan Bertrand and Steven Davis set up an emphatic win for the hosts, with Jason Puncheon pulling […]

Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Stoke City staged a stirring fightback to beat West Ham United 2-1 on Sunday and leave the visitors facing the possibility of missing out on a Europa League place. Slaven Bilic's side went ahead at the Britannia Stadium through Michail Antonio's 23rd-minute goal. But West Ham were pegged back in […]

Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Watford failed to send off departing manager Quique Sanchez Flores with a victory as Sunderland left Vicarage Road with a 2-2 draw on Sunday. Fresh from securing their Premier League future in midweek with a 3-0 rout of Everton, Sunderland twice took the lead through Jack Rodwell and Jeremain Lens, […]

London (AFP) – Danny Drinkwater struck a stunning late equaliser as Leicester City concluded their fairytale Premier League campaign with a 1-1 draw against outgoing champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Cesc Fabregas's penalty put Chelsea ahead, but Drinkwater crowned his return from suspension by levelling with a dipping 25-yard effort in the 82nd […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Army experts blew up a suspect package at Old Trafford on Sunday after tens of thousands of fans were evacuated from the stadium ahead of Manchester United's final English Premier League game of the season, police said. The emergency was signalled just 20 minutes before the scheduled start of the […]

London (AFP) – Captain John Terry told Chelsea's fans he wanted to stay at the club during an emotional address following their 1-1 draw with Premier League champions Leicester City on Sunday. Terry, 35, announced in January that he would be leaving at the end of the season due to the club's failure to offer […]

Swansea (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manuel Pellegrini's reign as Manchester City manager ended with a 1-1 draw at Swansea on Sunday that was enough to effectively ensure his successor Pep Guardiola will be able to lead the club into the Champions League next season. Pellegrini, whose three-year spell at Eastlands has seen the club win […]