Winning the UEFA Champions League requires a clutch of different qualities. Teams who go all the way are supremely talented, yet underscoring all their ability is diligence, intensity and a steely mentality. Champions League success can be circumstantial too. In 2016, Real Madrid were a mess under Rafael Benitez in the early stages of the […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool plan to leave their longtime Melwood training ground and move their practice facilities to the Kirby area of the city instead, the Premier League club said Wednesday. The Reds have trained at Melwood since Bill Shankly took over as manager in the late 1950s and started the process that saw five-times […]

Adelaide (Australia) (AFP) – Japan's former winners Gamba Osaka dominated their AFC Champions League Group H match, outclassing Australia's Adelaide United 3-0 in Adelaide on Wednesday. Gamba, the last Japanese club to lift the trophy with their final victory over Adelaide in 2008, were too organised and skilful for the inexperienced Reds team. Tall striker […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – A penalty miss by Radamel Falcao left Monaco with plenty of Champions League regrets after they let a 2-1 lead at Manchester City turn into a devastating 5-3 defeat, according to coach Leonardo Jardim. Some of the Ligue 1 leaders said they had gifted the game to City and despite […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City's Yaya Toure says his side must score at least two more goals against Monaco if they are to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. City twice came from behind to defeat the Ligue 1 leaders in a stunning 5-3 win in the first leg of their last […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Under fire Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has called on his players to show the courage of "matadors" to cause a huge Champions League shock against high-flying Spaniards Sevilla during their last-16 first leg Wednesday. A year on from winning the Premier League title against all the odds, Ranieri's men lie […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola pledged that Manchester City will continue to fight fire with fire when they take a 5-3 lead to Monaco in their Champions League last 16 tie. City procured a two-goal advantage after a remarkable first-leg match at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday in which they fought back from […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said the experience of Tuesday's exhilarating 5-3 Champions League victory over Monaco would stand his side in good stead in the competition. City are in control of the last-16 tie ahead of the return leg on March 15, but at several moments during the first […]

Leverkusen (Germany) (AFP) – Antoine Griezmann was among the scorers for Atletico Madrid as they weathered a late storm against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday to claim a 4-2 victory in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. Saul Niguez and Griezmann put the Spanish side two goals up at the interval, but Leverkusen […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Raheem Sterling conceded Manchester City must improve defensively after they edged Monaco 5-3 in the madcap first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday. City took a 26th-minute lead through Sterling, found themselves 2-1 and then 3-2 down, but rallied to win thanks to late goals from Sergio […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Sergio Aguero starred as Manchester City beat Monaco 5-3 in a breathless and dizzyingly end-to-end Champions League last 16 first-leg encounter at a rocking Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. Raheem Sterling put City ahead, only for Kylian Mbappe to level and Radamel Falcao to score twice — the second goal a […]

Marseille (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain fans have been barred from Sunday's Ligue 1 trip to Marseille, local police said on Tuesday. Champions PSG are due to play bitter rivals Marseille at the Velodrome on Sunday evening. Previous matches between the sides have been marred by trouble between opposing fans. Local police prefect Laurent Nunez thus […]

Saint-Étienne (France) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was coy on questions over Wayne Rooney's future at the club as he confirmed the striker was still not fit enough to return for their Europa League clash with Saint-Etienne. There have been rumours that Rooney, who is no longer an integral part of the United […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Under fire Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri on Tuesday called on his players to show the courage of "matadors" to cause a huge Champions League shock against high-flying Spaniards Sevilla. A year on from winning the Premier League title against all the odds, Ranieri's men lie just a point above the […]

Leverkusen (Germany) (AFP) – Kevin Gameiro comes into the Atletico Madrid starting line-up for Tuesday's Champions League last 16, first leg against Bayer Leverkusen after coming off the bench to score a hat-trick at the weekend. The Frenchman played less than half an hour away to Sporting Gijon on Saturday but he scored the second-fastest […]