London (AFP) – New signing Sadio Mane scored one goal and made another as Liverpool slickly defeated Barcelona 4-0 in a one-sided friendly match at a sun-soaked Wembley on Sunday. A 34 million pounds ($44.5 million, 40.1 million euros) capture from Southampton, Mane struck a 15th-minute opener and then supplied the cross from which ex-Liverpool […]

Naples (Italy) (AFP) – Napoli have moved to quash speculation surrounding the future of Marek Hamsik by extending the Slovakia star's contract by two seasons. "Napoli is proud to release that Marek Hamsik signed a contract extension until 2020," read a brief statement in English on the club's website on Saturday. The 29-year-old Hamsik, who […]

London (AFP) – Scotland international Steven Naismith was among the scorers as Norwich City ran rampant with a 4-1 win at Blackburn Rovers in their opening Championship game on Saturday. Newcastle United, the hot favourites for the title, had slipped to a 1-0 loss at Fulham on Friday. And Norwich, who like Newcastle are aiming […]

London (AFP) – Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has committed his future to the club by signing a new five-year contract, the Premier League champions announced on Saturday. Schmeichel, son of Manchester United and Denmark great Peter, kept 15 clean sheets last season and played every minute as Leicester pulled off a 5,000-1 upset by […]

Glasgow (AFP) – A Martin Waghorn goal midway through the second-half salvaged a point for Scottish giants Rangers as they drew 1-1 with Hamilton on their return to the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox. Rangers, who gained promotion at the end of last season after a four-year hiatus following a financial meltdown, found themselves behind in […]

London (AFP) – Roberto di Matteo has reached the heady heights of winning the Champions League as a manager but on Sunday he hopes for something rather more mundane: winning his first game in charge of Aston Villa. The 46-year-old Swiss born former Italian international — who won the 2012 Champions League when in charge […]

London (AFP) – Teenage Colombian forward Marlos Moreno has joined Manchester City on a five-year contract, the Premier League side announced on Saturday. The 19-year-old arrives from his formative club Atletico Nacional and will spend the 2016-17 season on loan at Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna. He is reported to have cost City 4.75 million […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho locks horns with old adversary Claudio Ranieri as FA Cup winners Manchester United tackle fairytale Premier League champions Leicester City in Sunday's Community Shield at Wembley. Mourinho, who has succeeded Louis van Gaal at United, twice pipped Ranieri to the Serie A title during their time in Italy, where he […]

London (AFP) – Matt Smith's header made a mockery of Newcastle United's status as favourites to go straight back up to the Premier League as Fulham ran out 1-0 winners in their Championship season opener on Friday. Rafael Benitez's side could point to not being given what looked like a penalty for handball against Ryan […]

Monaco (AFP) – Monaco striker Radamel Falcao will miss "several weeks" with a left hamstring injury, his club confirmed on Friday, ruling him out of the start of the French season and the Champions League play-offs. Falcao pulled up injured late in the first half of Monaco's 3-1 home win against Fenerbahce on Wednesday that […]

Swansea (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Spanish striker Fernando Llorente, a member of his country's 2010 World Cup-winning squad, signed for English Premier League side Swansea City from Sevilla on Friday. The 31-year-old — whose only appearance in the 2010 World Cup campaign was as a substitute in the last-16 win over Portugal — signed a […]

Klagenfurt (Austria) (AFP) – The post-Zlatan Ibrahimovic era officially begins for Paris Saint-Germain when they take on Lyon in the French Champions Trophy on Saturday in the unlikely surroundings of the Austrian city of Klagenfurt. PSG have undergone a summer of considerable change since securing a second consecutive clean sweep of France's domestic trophies in […]

London (AFP) – Highly regarded full-back Jon Flanagan will get the chance of regular first-team football after signing a season-long loan with Premier League newboys Burnley from Liverpool on Friday. The 23-year-old, who has one England cap to his name, earned the nickname 'Scouse Cafu' after the legendary Brazilian, and had fought his way back […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool midfielder James Milner has retired from international duty with England at the age of 30, the Football Association announced on Friday. Milner made 61 appearances and scored one goal for his country, featuring at two World Cups and two European Championships. But the versatile former Manchester City player was rarely a […]

London (AFP) – Leicester City's players have been given brand new luxury sports cars by the club in recognition of their extraordinary Premier League title triumph last season. Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and their team-mates led the club to an astonishing 5,000-1 title win and Thai owners King Power have rewarded them each with a […]