Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos struck another late winner as the European champions usurped Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Real Betis on Sunday. Earlier, Barca boss Luis Enrique accepted his side had struggled to shrug off the euphoria of a remarkable Champions League comeback […]

London (AFP) – Former England manager Steve McClaren was sacked Sunday by Derby County for the second time with the English second-tier side saying the club had lacked "focus, passion and commitment". Friday's 3-0 defeat by Championship high-flyers Brighton left Derby 10 points adrift of the top six in the division and with little realistic […]

Moscow (AFP) – Spartak Moscow went eight points clear in the Russian Premier League on Sunday as Alexander Samedov netted the winning goal in their hard-fought 1-0 win against Anzhi Makhachkala. Reigning champions CSKA Moscow, who trounced bottom-placed Tomsk 4-0 on Saturday, are second equal on points with Zenit St Petersburg, who suffered a 1-0 […]

Berlin (AFP) – US international Bobby Wood scored Hamburg's winner on Sunday as their revival continued with a 2-1 comeback victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach. Hamburg, the Bundesliga's only ever-present side since its inception in 1963-64, have picked up 13 points in their last six games under Markus Gisdol. However, they remain 16th — in the […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Emre Can's superb shot guided Liverpool to a 2-1 home win over Burnley on Sunday and maintained their bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Ashley Barnes, with his club’s first goal at Anfield since 1975, had given Burnley a deserved early lead only for Georginio Wijnaldum to equalise in first-half […]

Paris (AFP) – Memphis Depay scored from near the halfway line as Lyon rode their luck early before crushing Toulouse 4-0 on Sunday to remain in pole position for next season's Europa League. Toulouse struck the woodwork twice through Andy Delort and Corentin Jean in the first half before defender Christophe Jallet hammered Lyon into the […]

Lyon (AFP) – The United States's women's star striker Alex Morgan scored a hat-trick for Lyon on Sunday, her first goals since moving to France on a six-month deal. Morgan's treble inspired Lyon to a 6-0 win over Rodez in the French Cup quarter-finals. The 27-year-old joined the team in December in a deal which […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona suffered a hangover from their remarkable Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain as Alex Bergantinos's winner 16 minutes from time handed Deportivo la Coruna a famous 2-1 win on Sunday. Joselu had fired Deportivo into a first-half lead before Luis Suarez levelled in the first minute of the second period. However, Bergantinos rose highest […]

London (AFP) – Craig Shakespeare has been confirmed as manager of Leicester City until the end of the season after winning his first two games in charge as caretaker boss of the faltering Premier League champions, the club said Sunday. Shakespeare, previously a Leicester coach, took over after Claudio Ranieri was sacked last month — […]

London (AFP) – Son Heung-Min's hat-trick fired Tottenham into the FA Cup semi-finals, but his side's 6-0 victory against Millwall was overshadowed by Harry Kane's potentially serious ankle injury. Kane limped off in the 10th minute at White Hart Lane after his ankle twisted awkwardly. The England striker was sidelined with another ankle problem earlier […]

Berlin (AFP) – Hertha Berlin's Marvin Plattenhardt said Sunday he would take legal action against Germany's right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) for posting a picture on Twitter of him alongside one of their politicans. The 25-year-old's defender happily posed for selfies with Hertha fans after his stunning second-half free-kick sealed Berlin's 2-1 German […]

Berlin (AFP) – Carlo Ancelotti cautiously admits the Bundesliga title is effectively Bayern Munich's to lose after they opened a 10-point lead on Saturday as their two closest rivals slipped further behind. Robert Lewandowski netted twice in a 3-0 home win against Eintracht Frankfurt while second-placed RB Leipzig crashed to a 1-0 defeat at home […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger revealed he hasn't ruled out extending his Arsenal reign after his side eased the pressure on the troubled boss with a 5-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over minnows Lincoln. Wenger has faced calls for his resignation from angry Arsenal fans this week and there were more protests against the beleaguered […]

Middlesbrough (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola insists he is keeping all his options open as he pursues a trophy in his first season at Manchester City. Guardiola's side are still in contention in the Premier League and Champions League, but the City manager appears equally committed to success in the FA Cup. Facing a […]

London (AFP) – Marouane Fellaini insists Manchester United are confident of avenging the worst moment of Jose Mourinho's reign when they return to Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Monday. Mourinho's first visit to Stamford Bridge since his sacking as Chelsea boss last season ended in humiliation as his former club romped to a […]