Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola made clear on Friday his belief Claudio Bravo is happy at Manchester City, amid reports the Chilean goalkeeper could be on his way back to Spain. The 33-year-old, Chile's most-capped player who skippered them to two successive Copa America titles, left Barcelona to join City for £17m ($22 […]

London (AFP) – The new-found spending power of Chinese clubs is a danger to teams all over the world, even the Premier League, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte warned on Friday. The Italian, whose side will try to make it 11 league wins on the bounce against Crystal Palace on Saturday, made the remarks when asked […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has performed so well that he has made himself virtually undroppable this season according to manager Jose Mourinho. The 35-year-old former Swedish international has found the net 14 times in all competitions for United this season after he joined from French champions Paris St Germain on a […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Defender Rafinha has extended his contract with Bayern Munich by a year until June 2018, the German giants said on Friday, as they tie down their stellar names. The 31-year-old Brazilian has played 186 matches for the Bundesliga champions and scored four goals since joining in 2011 from Genoa. His contract […]

London (AFP) – Former England international Gareth Barry looks set to break Ryan Giggs's Premier League appearances record after he signed an extension to his present contract with Everton on Friday. The 35-year-old midfielder — capped 53 times — has 609 Premier League games under his belt, only 23 shy of Welsh legend Giggs's mark, […]

Yokohama (Japan) (AFP) – Japan's Kashima Antlers plan to unleash a secret weapon to strike terror into Spanish giants Real Madrid when they meet in this weekend's Club World Cup final: a sharp-toothed crocodile. Though relative minnows on the world stage, a voracious predator with a deadly bite lurks in the Kashima side in the […]

Yokohama (Japan) (AFP) – Real Madrid ironed out some of the kinks with a gentle workout Friday after booking their place in the Club World Cup final in Japan. The European champions, who are chasing a second world title in three years, went through their paces in chilly Yokohama, watched by shivering wives and girlfriends […]

London (AFP) – Premier League leaders Chelsea and fellow London side Crystal Palace dismissed a police warning about a scout who had been convicted for importing child-abuse images, the detective who alerted them told The Times on Friday. Clive Driscoll, who rose to the rank of chief inspector before retiring, said he might as well […]

Paris (AFP) – A court on Friday rejected a request from Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema to drop the investigation into alleged blackmail over a sex tape featuring international teammate Mathieu Valbuena. The case, which cost Benzema a place in France's Euro 2016 squad on home soil, is now expected to go to […]

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – Most of the world's leading football clubs were formed a century ago, but in the United States new teams continue to be created and next year will see Atlanta United become the latest club to be born into Major League Soccer. Club president Darren Eales, who played in the United States […]

Paris (AFP) – Lyon will be the latest team to try to stop Monaco's lethal attack as the two sides meet in Ligue 1 in their penultimate match of the year at the Stade Louis II on Sunday. Leonardo Jardim's Monaco are the top scorers in Europe's big five leagues with 53 goals in 17 […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona will have to end Espanyol's 10-game unbeaten run if the Spanish champions are to close to within three points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid in Sunday's Catalan derby. Barca have the chance to end the year within striking distance of their eternal rivals with Madrid not in Liga action due […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich need a win at bottom-side Darmstadt on Sunday to be sure of finishing the weekend top of the Bundesliga ahead of their pre-Christmas showdown against second-placed RB Leipzig. Bayern's 5-0 hammering of Wolfsburg last Saturday allowed them to regain top spot on goal difference from Leipzig, who suffered a shock […]

Milan (AFP) – Roma's Diego Perotti has tipped compatriot Paulo Dybala for a big future but hopes the Juventus starlet is left disappointed after their top-of-the-table clash on Saturday. Juventus, bidding for a record sixth consecutive title this season, play host in Turin on Saturday when a home win would stretch their lead over Roma […]

London (AFP) – Cesc Fabregas believes he has shown he can be an integral part of Antonio Conte's Chelsea side having until recently been thought to be surplus to requirements. The 29-year-old midfielder has taken a more prominent role since returning to the side at the start of this month after a two-month absence. Having […]