London (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp says he is relishing the heat of the battle as quadruple-chasing Liverpool prepare to face Manchester City for the second time in a week, this time in the FA Cup semi-finals. The two teams played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Sunday, which left leaders City […]

Milan (AFP) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic is once again out of action for AC Milan, the veteran striker falling victim to the latest in a string of injuries as the Serie A leaders battle with a goalscoring problem ahead of Friday's match with Genoa. At 40 years old Ibrahimovic's body appears to be giving up on […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United have appointed the architects behind the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to draw up plans for a redevelopment of their ageing Old Trafford ground. Architects Populous and management consultants Legends International will work jointly on plans to update Britain's biggest club stadium with the aim of increasing capacity further. Both companies worked […]

Madrid (AFP) – Diego Simeone aimed a thinly veiled dig at Pep Guardiola on a feisty and bad-tempered night at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday, where Manchester City's advance to the semi-finals was overshadowed by a brawl on the pitch and in the tunnel. Simeone was asked after the match if he felt Guardiola had […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Prosecutors investigating the 2020 death of Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona have asked that the medical staff who treated him be tried for negligent homicide. In their request Wednesday, the prosecutors said "omissions" and mismanagement by eight medical professionals in charge of Maradona placed him in a "situation of helplessness" and […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Andres Iniesta won pretty much everything with Barcelona and Spain but the legendary midfielder risks seeing out the tail end of his glittering career in the mire of a relegation dogfight. The 37-year-old joined big-spending Vissel Kobe in Japan in 2018 after making more than 600 appearances for Barcelona, where he won […]

Madrid (AFP) – Manchester City secured the goalless draw they needed to edge out Atletico Madrid and advance to the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday but the match was marred by a mass brawl late in the game that continued to rage in the tunnel after full-time. Police were seen in the tunnel at the […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp admitted he was relieved to see Liverpool book a Champions League semi-final showdown against Villarreal as the quadruple chasers survived a late collapse in Wednesday's 3-3 draw against Benfica. Klopp's side already had one foot in the last four after winning 3-1 in the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon. They […]

Madrid (AFP) – Manchester City defender John Stones praised his team's "incredible" composure in a fiery goalless draw away to Atletico Madrid as Pep Guardiola's side set up a blockbuster Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. Kevin De Bruyne scored the only goal of the tie in the first leg in Manchester and City held […]

Madrid (AFP) – Manchester City held off a late surge by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday as a bad-tempered stalemate at the Wanda Metropolitano saw Pep Guardiola's side safely through to the Champions League semi-finals. Kevin De Bruyne's first-leg strike last week at the Etihad Stadium proved enough for City to claim a 1-0 victory on […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool booked a Champions League semi-final showdown against Villarreal as the quadruple chasers survived a late collapse in Wednesday's 3-3 draw against Benfica. Jurgen Klopp's side already had one foot in the last four after winning 3-1 in the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon. They were on cruise control for long spells […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Virgil Van Dijk were all rested for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Benfica. With Liverpool leading 3-1 from the first leg, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp opted to make seven changes to the team that drew 2-2 at Premier League leaders Manchester City on […]

Paris (AFP) – At a time when a clique of super clubs has cemented its grip on the Champions League and the riches that go with it, Villarreal's surprise progress to the semi-finals of Europe's elite competition is to be savoured. The Spaniards followed their stunning victory over Italian giants Juventus in the last 16 […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn has dismissed as "nonsense" reports that their top-scoring striker Robert Lewandowski could leave when the season finishes next month. Lewandowski chalking up his 47th goal this season in Tuesday's 1-1 draw at home to Villarreal which saw Bayern knocked out of the Champions League with a […]

Tehran (AFP) – Iran announced Wednesday that it will waive visa fees for spectators of the 2022 World Cup finals, as it hopes to attract some of the football fans flocking to nearby Qatar. "The cabinet agreed to make visas free for spectators of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar who wish to visit Iran," […]