Glasgow (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers says it's a sign of how far Celtic have progressed this season that the club's supporters believe they can defeat Barcelona. It is a belief that would have seemed preposterous just two months ago when they watched their side trudge off the pitch at the Nou Camp after suffering a 7-0 […]

Seville (Spain) (AFP) – Sevilla have a golden opportunity to seal their return to the Champions League last 16 for the first time in seven years when a Juventus side lacking firepower visits the Sanchez Pizjuan on Tuesday. Despite winning three consecutive Europa League titles, Sevilla have struggled to take the step up to Europe's […]

London (AFP) – Flying full-back Hector Bellerin, who had been linked with big-money moves to Manchester City and Barcelona, has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, the Londoners said on Monday. Arsenal did not disclose the precise length of the Spain international's new deal but British media reported that the 21-year-old right-back had extended […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich head to Russia for Wednesday's Champions League clash against Rostov without goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and with a trio of other stars also out injured. Germany's captain is suffering from a calf problem picked up in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund and missed training on Monday, the German champions said. […]

Paris (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo says he feels confident of winning a fourth Ballon d'Or title after a stellar year in which Portugal wiped the smiles off French faces at Euro 2016. The 31-year-old Real Madrid striker said in an interview published in Tuesday's edition of France Football that 'Les Bleus' "thought they were going […]

London (AFP) – Gareth Southgate took another step towards becoming England's next full-time manager following a formal interview with Football Association officials on Monday. Barring a late change of heart or the kind of damaging revelation that forced predecessor Sam Allardyce out of the job, Southgate could now be confirmed as England's new permanent manager […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud faces an anxious wait to see if his last-gasp equaliser against Manchester United was enough to get him back in Arsene Wenger's plans on a permanent basis. Giroud is a polarising figure in north London after a lengthy spell of erratic displays, but he is hoping to be […]

West Bromwich (United Kingdom) (AFP) – West Bromwich Albion climbed into the top half of the Premier League after scoring three times in the first half in a clinical 4-0 home victory over Burnley on Monday. Matt Phillips struck after just four minutes at The Hawthorns after Dean Marney inadvertently rolled the ball into his […]

Chicago (AFP) – Former Germany player and coach Jurgen Klinsmann was fired Monday as coach of the United States after losing two 2018 World Cup qualifying matches. The 52-year-old, who won the World Cup as a player with Germany in 1990, had been in charge of the US since 2011. US Soccer Federation president Sunil […]

Had Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane had a full cast of players to choose from in Saturday’s showdown with Atletico Madrid, Isco wouldn’t have featured from the start. The Frenchman’s blueprint in marquee matches in the past has included Casemiro prowling at the base of the midfield, adding an additional defensive foundation to an otherwise […]

Sunil Gulati is entering perhaps the most critical three-week period of his tenure as US Soccer Federation (USSF) President today. Gulati, who has served since 2006 as the leader of the governing body for the sport in the United States, faces three separate and distinct challenges he must navigate through. 1- US Women’s Equal Pay […]

A new report from one of the most respected analyst firms in the world has sent a loud and clear message to the US Soccer Federation — by preventing promotion/relegation from happening in the United States, the USSF is holding back the growth of soccer in this country. The Deloitte report suggests that as the MLS […]

While Manchester City's financial might and excessive spending are without a doubt the primary forces behind their rise to the top of English football, both Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini deserve credit as well. Though both were dismissed by the club, the two managers were able to build excellent sides and to guide City to numerous […]

There is a common urban myth in soccer that La Liga has always been ruled by the two Madrid powers (Real, and Atleti) as well as Catalan club Barcelona. If you look back at the history of Spanish soccer, that is not the case. In fact, there have been many other clubs that have been powerful in Spain […]

With the upcoming release of two new investigative journalism pieces by HBO and CBS, don't be surprised if there'll be some nervous days ahead at the headquarters of the US Soccer Federation in Chicago, Illinois. First up is an interview with several US Women's National Team players, which will appear on CBS' 60 Minutes on Sunday […]