Crowd trouble at the Euro 2020 final at Wembley could have led to tragedy if England had won the game, the stark findings of an independent review suggested on Friday. A 128-page report into the chaos at the showpiece game on July 11 concluded there were real fears thousands of ticketless fans could have stormed … Read more
Eddie Howe has urged Newcastle to make history by recovering from their winless start to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Newcastle have gone 14 games without a victory and sit bottom of the table heading into Saturday’s match against fellow strugglers Burnley. The struggling Magpies are just the fourth team to fail to win … Read more
Horst Eckel, the last remaining member of the West Germany team which won the World Cup in 1954, died Friday at the age of 89, the German FA (DFB) has confirmed. Eckel was the youngest member of a German team which came from two goals down to beat favourites Hungary 3-2 to win the 1954 … Read more
Borussia Dortmund legend Karl-Heinz Riedle says the Bundesliga club is ‘praying’ star striker Erling Haaland stays next season as they fend off interest from the Premier League. “We’re praying he will stay another year at Borussia Dortmund,” Riedle told international media on Friday. “It will be very difficult to keep him after this season, but … Read more
Players in the Gaza Strip used crutches and prosthetic legs Thursday to stretch, run and dribble as part of the first-ever Palestinian national team that hopes to qualify for the Amputee Football World Cup. The team trained at the Palestine Stadium in Gaza City under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross. … Read more
Kemar Roofe’s late penalty fired Rangers to a 1-0 win at Hibernian on Wednesday as Giovanni van Bronckhorst maintained his perfect start as the Scottish champions’ new manager. Roofe netted from spot after Ryan Kent was fouled by Ryan Porteous, giving Van Bronckhorst three successive victories since he replaced Steven Gerrard at Ibrox. While Gerrard … Read more
Simon Kjaer is expected to be out for months after AC Milan announced on Thursday the Denmark centre-back had damaged ligaments is in left knee. Kjaer was stretchered off early on in Milan’s 3-0 win at Genoa on Wednesday and the Serie A giants revealed in a statement he would be going under the knife … Read more
Karim Benzema applauded Real Madrid’s fans after they chanted “Karim, Ballon d’Or” as his goal against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday sent Madrid seven points clear at the top of La Liga. Benzema’s 20th goal in 24 games this season proved the difference in a 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu that puts Madrid firmly in … Read more
Thomas Tuchel admitted Chelsea rode their luck as the Premier League leaders survived a spluttering display to snatch a 2-1 win against Watford on Wednesday. Tuchel’s side were well below their best at Vicarage Road, but Hakim Ziyech bagged the 72nd minute winner to extend their unbeaten run to 12 games in all competitions. Mason … Read more
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri says Rafael Benitez will be given time to turn things around after a heavy defeat against neighbours Liverpool intensified pressure on the Spanish manager. The Goodison Park club, who started the season brightly under their new boss, are now winless in eight Premier League matches after their 4-1 drubbing on Wednesday … Read more
Christian Eriksen took part in his first training session since an on-pitch heart-attack while playing for Denmark at the Euros, Danish media reported on Thursday. Eriksen’s plight shook the football world in June when the 29-year-old had a brush with death after collapsing during a game televised live around the world. Eriksen remains under contract … Read more
Pep Guardiola said Bernardo Silva was “on another level” after the Portugal forward’s sublime strike inspired a 2-1 win against Aston Villa on Wednesday. City’s trip to Villa Park was billed as Jack Grealish’s return to the club he left to join the English champions in a club record £100 million ($132 million) move in … Read more
Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool showed no mercy on former manager Rafael Benitez to leave the Spaniard clinging to his job as Everton boss after losing the Merseyside derby 4-1. The Reds had won just one of their previous nine visits to Goodison, but were in complete control from the first whistle against Benitez’s … Read more
Napoli have the Milan giants breathing down their necks in the Serie A title race after throwing away a two-goal lead late at Sassuolo to draw 2-2 on Wednesday. Luciano Spalletti’s side looked set to maintain their three-point lead at the top following second-half strikes from Dries Mertens and Fabian Ruiz. But a superb finish … Read more
Lionel Messi showed off his latest Ballon d’Or to Paris Saint-Germain supporters on Wednesday but the Argentinian had a quiet night as the Ligue 1 leaders were held to a 0-0 draw by Nice at the Parc des Princes. The 34-year-old had been a pre-match doubt having reportedly picked up a stomach bug after going … Read more
Antonio Conte says getting troubled Tottenham back on track will be the biggest challenge of his glittering managerial career. Conte has quickly realised the size of the task he faces to revive Tottenham after a difficult first four weeks in charge. The Italian was left chastened by an embarrassing Europa Conference League defeat to Slovenian … Read more
Michael Carrick believes Cristiano Ronaldo will flourish in the intense pressing system preferred by Manchester United interim manager’s Ralf Rangnick. It has been suggested United striker Ronaldo does not have the qualities required to thrive in Rangnick’s workaholic game-plan. Rangnick has been hired as United boss until the end of the season after the sacking … Read more
Sydney will stage 11 games, including the final, and Auckland nine at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, officials said Thursday, as the number of host cities was scaled down. Australia and New Zealand were picked as co-hosts ahead of Colombia in June last year for what will be the first 32-team women’s tournament. Back then, … Read more
Ralph Rangnick has been granted a work permit to start his stint as Manchester United interim manager, the Premier League club announced on Thursday. The 63-year-old German will be introduced to the media on Friday and will take charge of the team for the first time at Crystal Palace two days later. “As all paperwork … Read more
Arsenal defender Gabriel fought off a baseball bat-wielding thief who attempted to steal his car in video footage released by the Metropolitan Police. The Brazilian had just returned to his home in Barnet, north London, when he was approached by three men as he got out of his car on August 20. One of the men, Abdi … Read more
Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick says he has not spoken to incoming interim boss Ralf Rangnick as he prepares to take charge of a third match at home to Arsenal on Thursday. United confirmed the appointment of Rangnick as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s short-term replacement this week but the German is still to receive a … Read more
Teemu Pukki denied 10-man Newcastle a first win all season as Norwich earned a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park on Tuesday, but wasted a huge chance to deepen the Magpies’ relegation fears. Newcastle were a man short for more than 80 minutes after Ciaran Clark saw red for pulling down Pukki. However, Norwich were … Read more
Juventus escaped Salernitana with a hard-fought 2-0 win on Tuesday which brought some positivity after a difficult week, while Atalanta are on the heels of Serie A’s leaders following a Mario Pasalic-inspired 4-0 win over Venezia. Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata struck the goals which gave struggling Juve the points at the Stadio Arechi but … Read more
Ellen White broke England Women’s all-time scoring record as the Lionesses recorded their biggest ever victory by crushing Latvia 20-0 in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday. White scored twice early on to take her level with and then past Kelly Smith’s mark of 46 goals, before completing her hat-trick shortly after the break. The Manchester … Read more
Goalkeeper Sean Johnson was the hero as New York City FC upset the top-seeded New England Revolution in a penalty shoot-out Tuesday to advance to Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference finals. Johnson produced a superb stop from New England’s Polish striker Adam Buksa before Alex Callens lashed home the winning spot-kick to complete a 5-3 … Read more
Wayne Rooney’s crisis-hit Derby blew a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 at home to QPR on Monday as Andre Gray scored a brilliant 90th-minute winner for the visitors at Pride Park. Derby have been deducted 21 points in total this season for entering administration and breaking financial rules and sit well adrift at the foot … Read more
John Sillett, who managed Coventry to unexpected FA Cup glory in 1987, died on Tuesday aged 85, his family announced. Sillett was Coventry’s co-manager along with George Curtis when they beat Tottenham 3-2 at Wembley to win the only major trophy in the club’s history. Famous for his broad smile and bubbly personality, Sillett danced … Read more
Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has hit back at a “disrespectful” claim that his only remaining ambition is to win the Ballon d’Or more times than Lionel Messi. Paris Saint-Germain forward Messi won the prestigious award for a seventh time on Monday. Ronaldo, who finished sixth in this year’s voting, has earned the Ballon d’Or … Read more
