London (AFP) – Cesc Fabregas marked his 300th Premier League appearance with the opening goal in Chelsea's 3-1 victory over Swansea as the runaway leaders moved 11 points clear at the top on Saturday. Fabregas's first half goal was cancelled out by an equaliser from Fernando Llorente on the stroke of half time at Stamford […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – A second-half comeback saw Sevilla take the spoils once more in the Seville derby with a 2-1 win over Real Betis on Saturday to move joint top of La Liga. Danish defender Riza Durmisi's well-struck free-kick gave Betis a deserved first-half lead. However, the hosts' porous defending at set-pieces was exposed […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea surged 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League as Pedro inspired a 3-1 win over Swansea, while Leicester's gloom deepened as the troubled champions plunged into the relegation zone on Saturday. Antonio Conte's leaders won for the 17th time in their last 20 league games to push them […]

Paris (AFP) – Former All Black Ali Williams and Australian international James O'Connor were arrested in Paris on Saturday in possession of cocaine, police said. The pair, currently playing for French clubs Racing 92 and Toulon respectively, were stopped at around 3:00 am (0200 GMT) outside a nightclub near the city's Champs Elysees avenue and […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone insisted Barcelona remain the best team in the world despite their recent struggles ahead of the sides third meeting this month on Sunday. A poor opening first 45 minutes in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie cost Atletico dear as wonder goals from […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane believes opponents raise their game when facing the European champions after suffering a shock defeat to Valencia in midweek. Madrid spurned the chance to extend their one-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the table as they conceded twice to a Valencia side languishing in the […]

London (AFP) – Claudio Ranieri visited Leicester City's training ground on Saturday to say farewell to his former players and staff after his shock sacking. Ranieri had visited the club's Belvoir Drive headquarters to clean out his office on Friday following his dismissal 24 hours earlier. But the 65-year-old Italian was unable to say goodbye […]

Milan (AFP) – Serie A side Roma can look forward to playing in a new purpose-built stadium after city officials finally gave their backing to an amended project. Rome mayor Virginia Raggi last year ended Rome's hopes of bidding to host the 2024 Olympic Games. But after months of uncertainty over Roma's bid to move […]

In recent La Liga seasons, matches between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon have felt like decisive occasions. Earlier in the week, the upcoming meeting didn’t feel quite so crucial. But on the cusp of the contest, with Real Madrid losing to Valencia on Wednesday, it’s a match that could breathe life back […]

The first piece of silverware in the English football season will be awarded at Wembley Stadium on Sunday in the League Cup final, with Manchester United, looking to make it five wins in this tournament, taking on Southampton, who are seeking to win only the second major title in the club’s history. And while the […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur will begin the task of repairing their faltering season when Stoke City visit White Hart Lane this weekend. Mauricio Pochettino's side have seen their Premier League title hopes fade in recent weeks and were hit by another blow on Thursday when their failure to beat Gent at Wembley ended their […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho has challenged Manchester United's stars to prove his revolution is on track by winning the first major silverware of his reign in Sunday's League Cup final against Southampton. Given his remarkable success in 17 years as the world's most fascinating and polarising manager, it's understandable Mourinho labels the League Cup […]

London (AFP) – Having spectacularly exploded doubts about his age since joining Manchester United, Zlatan Ibrahimovic approaches Sunday's League Cup final against Southampton seeking a second triumph of the season at Wembley Stadium. The 35-year-old made his first official United appearance at Wembley in August's Community Shield against Leicester City, a towering late header giving […]

London (AFP) – Manolo Gabbiadini has all the tools to be Southampton's League Cup final hero against Manchester United after completing a remarkable journey from a garage in Italy to Sunday's Wembley showpiece. Just eight years after dreaming of becoming a mechanic, Gabbiadini will walk onto the Wembley turf as one of Southampton's main hopes […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Leicester caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare claims he feels like a pantomime villain after taking over following the shock sacking of Claudio Ranieri. Shakespeare is in temporary charge and will pick the team for Monday's crucial meeting with Liverpool after Ranieri was sacked on Thursday just nine months on from leading […]