Madrid (AFP) – Villarreal kept their hopes of Champions League football next season alive as Samu Castillejo's 93rd minute winner secured a vital 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Sunday. Just a second win of 2017 moves sixth-placed Villarreal to within two points of Sociedad and six of Atletico Madrid in fourth. The visitors suffered […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich's Carlo Ancelotti could be in hot water with the German FA (DFB) after admitting showing the middle finger towards Hertha Berlin fans who he claims spat at him. "Yes, I made the gesture after being spat at," Bayern's coach told broadcaster ARD. Hertha fans were enraged after Bayern equalised with […]

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid received a massive boost ahead of their Champions League last 16, first leg at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday as goalkeeper Jan Oblak was included in Diego Simeone's squad for the trip to Germany. The Slovenian international, who kept eight clean sheets in 13 Champions League games as Atletico reached the […]

Lille (France) (AFP) – Iconic Argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa, known as 'el Loco' for his intense 'all in' style, will be back in France as manager of Lille as of July, the newly bought out Ligue 1 club said on Sunday. "Lille and the Argentine coach have signed a two years deal which comes into […]

Burnley (United Kingdom) (AFP) – The manager of non-league Lincoln City said his club had been on a "life-changing" run in the FA Cup after they knocked Premier League Burnley out of the competition in one of the all-time great upsets. Sean Raggett's 89th-minute header secured a famous 1-0 win for Lincoln at Turf Moor […]

Huddersfield (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted Vincent Kompany had not suffered a serious injury setback after the captain missed Saturday’s goalless FA Cup draw at Huddersfield Town. The Belgian centre-back, who has played just six times this season because of a series of injury problems, had been expected to figure […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers watched his side beat Motherwell to claim their 20th league victory in a row before slamming the state of the pitch at his club's Parkhead ground. A first-half penalty from in-form French forward Moussa Dembele and a James Forrest goal helped Celtic to a 2-0 win that extends […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Antonio Conte has warned his players to avoid complacency as they seek to become just the third club in the history of English football to win the Premier League and FA Cup 'Double' on two separate occasions. A 2-0 fifth round win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday took Chelsea […]

London (AFP) – A plastic pitch, a vulnerable heavyweight and minnows with giant-killing pedigree could conspire to produce one of the great FA Cup shocks when Arsenal visit non-league Sutton United on Monday. Arsenal approach the fifth-round tie reeling from Wednesday's 5-1 humiliation by Bayern Munich and with manager Arsene Wenger closer to the exit […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger has revealed he wants to stay in football management long-term and has indicated for the first time he would like to extend his spell as Arsenal's manager. The Frenchman's future is up in the air, with his contract expiring at the end of the season and events on the pitch […]

Milan (AFP) – Senegal striker Keita Balde came off the bench to hit a late winner in a 2-1 defeat of Empoli that boosted Lazio's Europa League hopes on Saturday. Lazio remain in fifth place at 16 points behind Juventus, who saw Paulo Dybala hit a brace in a 4-1 win over former club Palermo […]

Paris (AFP) – Mario Balotelli was sent off on his return to the Nice team but Lucien Favre's side held on for a 1-0 win at Lorient on Saturday which sees them close the gap on Ligue 1 leaders Monaco. Wylan Cyprien scored the only goal of the game in Brittany, collecting Arnaud Souquet's pass […]

Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Second-half goals from Pedro and Diego Costa earned Premier League leaders Chelsea a 2-0 win in a difficult FA Cup fifth-round tie at second-tier Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. Pedro headed in after 65 minutes following an intricate build-up involving Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Willian. Costa sealed a place in the […]

Madrid (AFP) – Gareth Bale hopes three tough months on the sidelines will have their recompense by helping Real Madrid's bid for La Liga and Champions League glory and Wales' hopes of reaching the World Cup. Bale made an instant impact on his first taste of action for 88 days after damaging ankle ligaments as […]

Berlin (AFP) – Hertha Berlin coach Pal Dardai slammed the six minutes of added time as "Bayern's bonus" after Robert Lewandowski scored a last-minute goal to secure a 1-1 draw for Bayern Munich on Saturday. "I think this is a Bayern bonus", the Hungarian fumed to Sky as Lewandowski's 96th-minute winner at Berlin's Olympic Stadium […]