News - Page 1496

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/ 3527 days ago

Ronaldo rested, Zidane seeks quick fix to tax scandals

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane left star forward Cristiano Ronaldo out of his squad for Saturday's clash with Deportivo la Coruna with one eye on the Club World Cup in Japan next week. Ronaldo has had a week to forget off the pitch as stories concerning his tax affairs have dominated the […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Crunch time for Ranieri's struggling champions

London (AFP) – Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri says he does not recognise his out of form players from the team that won the Premier League title last season and they have to pull themselves together. The 65-year-old Italian — whose side are just two points above the relegation places and last won in the Premier […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Granit Xhaka needs to fill Santi Cazorla role in Arsenal’s midfield

Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla may not get the same recognition as his superstar teammates Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Özil, but the Spanish midfielder is surely one of the more important players for the Gunners. The 5’5” playmaker was a quintessential Arsene Wenger buy during the time in which Emirates Stadium was being financed. Cazorla, who was […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Over 80 child sex abuse suspects, nearly 100 clubs: UK police

London (AFP) – Police have identified 83 potential suspects in the child sex abuse scandal that has rocked English football and believe 98 clubs from all levels have been 'impacted', the National Police Chiefs Council revealed on Friday. The scandal — in which two men have been charged with sex abuse although several of the […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Blatter blasts Infantino over lack of respect

London (AFP) – Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter accused his successor Gianni Infantino of showing a lack of respect for him in an interview with the BBC. The 80-year-old — who on Monday lost his appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over a six year ban from football for a two […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Seattle, Toronto set for MLS Cup breakthrough battle

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – Saturday's title-deciding MLS Cup final brings together two of Major League Soccer's best supported and best financed clubs, Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders, each in search of a first ever championship. Both clubs are playing in their first MLS final but their 'barren runs' have been of starkly different character. Until […]

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/ 3527 days ago

NY Cosmos fate uncertain as crisis engulfs US lower leagues

Los Angeles (AFP) – Turmoil in the lower tiers of football in the United States has left one league on the brink of implosion and arguably the most glamorous name in American soccer, the New York Cosmos, facing an uncertain future. Five years ago, the New York Cosmos announced their rebirth after decades of hibernation […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Pressure on Emery as PSG meet Nice in summit clash

Paris (AFP) – Unai Emery is once again a coach under pressure as his Paris Saint-Germain side prepare to face Nice on Sunday looking to close the gap on the surprise Ligue 1 leaders. A 12-game unbeaten run had appeared the perfect response to early-season criticism of Emery at PSG, but in the last week […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Turin derby eyes on United target Belotti

Milan (AFP) – Reported Manchester United target Andrea Belotti could star when Torino host depleted city rivals Juventus who are looking to secure the spoils from a city derby attracting particular interest from Roma and AC Milan. With 10 goals in 13 appearances in only his second season in Serie A, Belotti — who celebrates […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Real eye record back where it began for Zidane

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid can set a club record by extending their unbeaten run to 35 games when Deportivo la Coruna visit the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. Deportivo's last visit to Real was Zinedine Zidane's first match in charge back in January and the 5-0 thrashing of the Galicians was a sign of things […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Relegation fears turn focus on trigger-happy Palermo president

Milan (AFP) – Jokes about Maurizio Zamparini's notoriously twitchy trigger finger abound, but the prospect of relegation for Palermo has switched the focus on the Serie A club owner's penchant for sacking coaches. Barely 15 games into the season Palermo are on their third coach after Zamparini appointed Eugenio Corini last week to replace Roberto […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Top meets bottom as Leipzig head to Ingolstadt

Berlin (AFP) – Bottom faces top on Saturday when basement dwellers Ingolstadt host unbeaten Bundesliga leaders RB Leipzig, who are chasing an eight straight win to keep Bayern Munich off the top. RB Leipzig's coach Ralph Hassenhuettl returns to Ingolstadt, who he left in May having taken them from the bottom of the second division […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Nolito keen to have a go at wounded Foxes

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City forward Nolito admits he has been happy with Pep Guardiola’s rotation policy as he eyes a return to the team to face Leicester City. Guardiola’s side face the defending champions at the King Power Stadium with the City manager forced to make at least one enforced change to his starting […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Cruising Chelsea set eyes on Cloud Nine

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte's Chelsea juggernaut rolls back into action against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday with the Premier League leaders chasing a ninth consecutive win. Chelsea produced the most impressive display of their winning streak last weekend when they came from behind to win 3-1 at Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. They have not […]

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/ 3527 days ago

Arsenal trust in dynamic duo for Stoke test

London (AFP) – Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil will spearhead Arsenal's attack against Stoke City on Saturday as their ongoing contract talks continue to dominate the club's off-pitch agenda. The decisive duo will both be out of contract in 2018 as things stand, prompting fears they could leave the club. Arsene Wenger has vowed they […]