Both Chelsea and Southampton will be looking forward to getting back on track after their recent match results which may dim the chances to qualify. Southampton is at 12th spot in the Premier League standings and last registered their victory against Norwich on Feb 24. Since then they have tasted defeat three times in a … Read more
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) thrashed Clermont 6-1 after Kylian Mbappe and Neymar both scored hat-tricks to move a step closer to winning Ligue 1. Mbappe, who has yet to decide whether or not he will stay at PSG beyond this season, scored twice and added three assists in PSG’s 5-1 thrashing of Lorient last weekend. In … Read more
PARIS: Barcelona and tournament specialists Sevilla are hoping to secure spots in the quarter-finals of the Europa League this week with three Spanish teams still in a competition dominated by La Liga clubs in recent years. A rejuvenated Barca head to Istanbul for the second leg of their last-16 tie against Galatasaray on a 10-game … Read more
Haaland prefers move to Real over Man City Borussia Dortmund’s star striker Erling Haaland is preferring a move to Real Madrid despite interest from reigning English champions Manchester City, as per Spanish daily AS. The Norway international has a release clause of €75 million which will be activated in the summer transfer window. It was … Read more
Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid will be hoping to lift their first title on Sunday when they will face Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Los Blancos will be strong favourites going into the match but they will be without a few of their first-team players. Centre-back David … Read more
Paris Saint-Germain return to Ligue 1 action this weekend at struggling Lyon, with Mauricio Pochettino’s men building towards their Champions League clash against Real Madrid. But most of the spotlight at the capital giants is focused off the pitch, with Kylian Mbappe’s future more uncertain than ever, Lionel Messi still returning from a positive Covid test and Neymar … Read more
MADRID, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) — The latest wave of COVID-19 is starting to take its toll on players in La Liga with some games scheduled for the coming weekend in danger of being postponed. 31 top-flight players were confirmed to be infected with the virus on Monday, with Real Sociedad (who are due to play … Read more
BEIJING, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) — China will see 70 percent of its major manufacturing firms basically digitalized and networked by 2025, according to a development plan on smart manufacturing. The plan, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments, also states that all of China’s manufacturing firms above a designated size … Read more
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Ferran Torres is on the brink of a move from Manchester City to Barcelona on Thursday. Despite their financial struggles, the Catalan giants have reportedly agreed on a deal worth an initial 55 million euros ($62 million, £47 million) for the 22-year-old. Torres has scored 16 goals in 43 appearances … Read more
PARIS: Diego Simeone celebrates 10 years in charge of Atletico Madrid on Thursday, an increasingly rare accomplishment in the febrile arena of top level football management. The feat is even more remarkable given Atletico’s track record before the Argentine’s arrival in 2011. The Spanish side’s previous owner, Jesus Gil going through 37 coaches in his … Read more
MADRID: Ronald Araujo struck just before half-time to rescue a point for Barcelona at 10-man Sevilla on Tuesday, a result which benefits La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Papu Gomez put Sevilla ahead after half an hour off a corner in Seville connecting with an Ivan Rakitic cross but Uruguayan defender Araujo headed in the equaliser … Read more
PARIS: Holders Barcelona will face rivals Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of this season’s Women’s Champions League after the sides were paired together in Monday’s draw for the knockout phase. Barcelona, with new Women’s Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, hammered Chelsea 4-0 in last season’s final and also won a domestic league and cup double. … Read more
PARIS: The coronavirus is once again disrupting global sport, forcing the cancellation of English Premier League matches and the scrapping of a one-day cricket series. AFP Sport looks at the state of play around the world as authorities scramble to cope with the surging pandemic. Football Five of the 10 Premier League matches scheduled for … Read more
PARIS: Last season’s beaten finalists Chelsea were sent packing from the Women’s Champions League on Thursday after a 4-0 defeat away to Wolfsburg in Germany in a dramatic final round of group games. Captain Svenja Huth and Tabea Wassmuth, the competition’s leading scorer, both scored twice as the Germans claimed the comprehensive win they needed … Read more
LONDON: The Premier League on Thursday postponed six more matches due to the wave of coronavirus infections hitting Britain, but said it intended to “continue its current fixture schedule where safely possible” as calls for a circuit break intensified. Leicester’s scheduled match against Tottenham was postponed just hours before kick-off on Thursday. Five more games … Read more
MILAN: Inter Milan will attempt to pull clear of AC Milan as they travel to struggling Salernitana in Serie A this weekend while their title rivals host a Napoli smarting from back-to-back defeats. Champions Inter are one point ahead of Milan who on Sunday face a tricky tie against fourth-placed Napoli, just four points off … Read more
MADRID: Sevilla may be Real Madrid’s most likely challengers in La Liga this season and they have a chance to prove it on Saturday when they face the defending champions Atletico Madrid. Atletico’s defeat last weekend in the Madrid derby leaves them 13 points off the top but Sevilla in second are at least slightly … Read more
MADRID: Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric and defender Marcel have tested positive for Covid-19, the Spanish league leaders announced on Wednesday. “Real Madrid informs that our players Marcelo and Luka Modric have tested positive for Covid-19,” the club said in a statement. Spanish media reported that tests on the rest of the team were all … Read more
MADRID: Carlo Ancelotti was adamant Real Madrid have not sewn up the La Liga title already but beat Atletico Madrid on Sunday and they might not be far away. Madrid are 10 points clear of Atletico heading into the derby at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the chance to extend the gap to 13 points, two weeks before … Read more
Real Madrid will go through as group winners to the Champions League last 16 after Toni Kroos and Marco Asensio each scored in a 2-0 win over Inter Milan on Tuesday. A comfortable victory at the Santiago Bernabeu, aided by Nicolo Barella’s red card in the 64th minute when Inter were one goal down, sends … Read more
PARIS: Atletico Madrid won a bad-tempered game in Porto on Tuesday to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League as Liverpool and Ajax both completed the group stage with 100 per cent records. Diego Simeone’s Atletico, who lost to Real Madrid in the 2014 and 2016 finals, needed to beat Porto in Portugal … Read more
MADRID: No sooner has reality hit than Barcelona have to believe in miracles again as Xavi Hernandez’s team seek a victory away at Bayern Munich on Wednesday to take them into the Champions League last 16. Four weeks after Xavi was appointed, Barca suffered their first defeat under their new coach on Saturday and as Real Betis’ … Read more
MADRID: Real Sociedad will attempt to halt Real Madrid’s march away from La Liga’s chasing pack on Saturday in a battle of first against third at the Reale Arena. Madrid have stormed seven points clear at the top of the table after seven consecutive victories in all competitions, with nine wins and a draw recorded … Read more
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday Karim Benzema is “not crying” about missing out on winning his first Ballon d’Or. Lionel Messi, who left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain last summer, won the Ballon d’Or for a record seventh time on Monday. The 34-year-old Messi led Argentina to the Copa America title in July … Read more
MADRID: Real Madrid will need to capitalise on their excellent run of form to extend their lead at the top of La Liga when they face third-placed Sevilla on Sunday. Madrid have won seven and drawn one of their last eight games in all competitions and look by far the most reliable team in Spain after a … Read more
PARIS: Manchester City beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 on Wednesday but both clubs qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, along with Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Sporting Lisbon. Gabriel Jesus tapped in from Bernardo Silva’s deft knockdown on 76 minutes to settle an absorbing match at the Etihad after Raheem Sterling had cancelled … Read more
LIVERPOOL: Jurgen Klopp saluted Liverpool’s understudies after they dented Porto’s bid to qualify for the Champions League last 16 as Thiago Alcantara’s first goal since May inspired a 2-0 win on Wednesday. Klopp’s side had already booked their place in the knockout stages as Group B winners, but they did not rest on their laurels … Read more
Vinicius Junior scored his 10th goal of the season as Real Madrid thrashed Granada 4-1 on Sunday to shoot back to the top of La Liga. Marco Asensio and Nacho Fernandez put Madrid two up inside the opening 30 minutes at Los Carmenes, where Granada briefly made a game of it when Luis Suarez pulled … Read more
