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English National Team
England rule out Scotland game before 2011 (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The oldest international fixture seems certain to remain on the backburner until 2011, it emerged on Sunday.

Capello hails Sir Bobby's brave cancer fight (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
England manager Fabio Capello paid tribute on Friday to the courage of former national team boss Sir Bobby Robson who has raised more than £1.2million for cancer research while battling the disease for a fifth time.

FA appoint Watmore as new chief executive (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Ian Watmore has been announced as the new chief executive of the English Football Association, replacing Brian Barwick whose decision to quit the role at the end of 2008 was revealed during England's friendly with the Czech Republic last August.

Lord Seb Coe joins England 2018 team (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Lord Coe has been confirmed as a non-executive board member of England's 2018 World Cup bid team.

English FA appoint new chief executive (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Football Association have confirmed Ian Watmore is to be their new chief executive.

Beckham disappointed despite equalling record (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham admitted any personal glory was outweighed by England's 2-0 defeat in Spain.

Settled role wins versatile Jaglieka England place (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Phil Jagielka is no longer jack of all trades - being master of one has brought him an England call.

Carrick kept England faith (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Michael Carrick insists he never got depressed when he was left out of the England squad.

Casillas hails Capello's transformation of England (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas believes England now have exactly the right man as manager in his former mentor Fabio Capello, who has provided much needed discipline.

Rio: England must learn from Capello's experience (Feb 10, 2009 17:00 GMT)
Rio Ferdinand feels England's players must 'suck up' all Fabio Capello can teach them if they are to end their 43-year trophy drought.

Milner ready to make the step up (Feb 10, 2009 16:51 GMT)
James Milner intends to prove he can cut it in the senior England squad if handed a first full cap against Spain on Wednesday night.

Past meetings (Feb 10, 2009 16:43 GMT)
England's friendly with Spain in Seville will serve as a good gauge of the progress of the Three Lions under the leadership of Fabio Capello.

Terry - England will walk if racism is repeated (Feb 10, 2009 16:37 GMT)
England would support a decision to abandon Wednesday's friendly against Spain if there was a repeat of the racism that marred a meeting between the teams in Madrid in 2004, captain John Terry said on Tuesday.

Capello not involved in Beckham's Milan bid (Feb 10, 2009 16:37 GMT)
Fabio Capello insists he will not tell David Beckham what to do as the midfielder seeks a permanent move to AC Milan, but the England manager did hint that playing in Italy would give him a better chance of staying in the national team squad.

Chelsea's Terry shocked by Scolari sacking (Feb 10, 2009 16:37 GMT)
Chelsea and England captain John Terry has admitted that he was extremely surprised by the sacking of his club coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Pearce upbeat as England U-21s are beaten (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce insists the experience of playing a senior Ecuador side was more important than his youngsters' long unbeaten run, which was ended in Malaga.

England by the numbers (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
If stats determined the England team then Carlton Cole would be first choice, says Dom Raynor.

Rio hoping to gauge England's progress (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
England defender Rio Ferdinand believes Wednesday's friendly against Spain will provide a yardstick to determine the national team's standing on the world stage.

Puyol ruled out of friendly against England (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Carles Puyol has been ruled out of Spain's friendly against England on Wednesday after picking up a thigh injury in Sunday night's Primera Liga clash with Sporting Gijon.

Milner - Villa are taking nothing for granted (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
New England call-up James Milner has insisted the Aston Villa players ''will not rest on their laurels'' despite being strongly placed to secure a Champions League spot.

Capello relishing Spanish test (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fabio Capello is confident Euro 2008 winners Spain will offer resurgent England the perfect test in Seville on Wednesday.

Sir Alex happy for Rooney to travel to Seville (Feb 6, 2009 21:00 GMT)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he will have no issue with Wayen Rooney linking up with the England squad next week despite the fact he has not played since January 14.

Capello sees Spain test as perfect preparation (Feb 5, 2009 18:58 GMT)
England coach Fabio Capello is looking forward to returning to Spain next week as he begins the preparations for the upcoming World Cup qualifying games.

Capello backs England bid for World Cup 2018 (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
England coach Fabio Capello has declared it is time for football "to come home" and thrown his weight behind the country's bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

Villa boss O'Neill pleads for Capello sympathy (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Martin O'Neill has urged England coach Fabio Capello to be mindful of the heavy schedule endured by Aston Villa's players when he selects his side for next week's friendly international in Spain.


English Premier League
Figo: Ronaldo should quit United to join Real (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo has repeated his belief that his fellow countryman Cristiano Ronaldo should quit Manchester United and move to Real Madrid.

FIFA boss Blatter: Football is at a crossroads (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sepp Blatter has launched a fresh diatribe against Premier League clubs' love of foreign players and warned that football is "at a crossroads".

Platini joy as extra ref plan gets green light (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
UEFA president Michel Platini is certain that two extra assistant referees behind the goal-line will become part of football after the game's rulemakers gave the go-ahead for further trials.

Klinsi ''flattered'' with City link, but content in job (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bayern Munich coach Jurgen Klinsmann says he is ''flattered'' to be linked with a move to Manchester City, but remains focused on his job with the German champions.

Hughton hails impact of defender Bassong (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chris Hughton admits Sebastien Bassong's emergence as a genuine first-team regular has come as a real bonus for Newcastle.

Agbonlahor plays down Villa fatigue concerns (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has insisted fatigue will not be a problem for the Aston Villa players as they try to hold onto a Champions League spot during the final third of the season.

United striker Rooney targets quadruple haul (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United can win the quadruple as they are stronger than last season when they won the Champions League and Premier League double.

Pavlyuchenko brands Berbatov an ''arrogant snob'' (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Tottenham ace Dimitar Berbatov has been branded an "arrogant snob" by current Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Credit crunch could kill Cisse Sunderland switch (Feb 27, 2009 22:54 GMT)
Sunderland's hopes of signing top-scorer Djibril Cisse on a permanent basis have been hit after the player's asking price increased by as much a £3m as a result of the global economic climate.

Thailand hunt AWOL Thaksin in bid to extradite (Feb 27, 2009 20:54 GMT)
Thailand's prime minister said authorities will attempt to extradite the country's fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra if they can locate the globe-trotting tycoon.

Liverpool chief executive Parry to leave club (Feb 27, 2009 17:47 GMT)
Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry is to leave the club at the end of the season, according to reports.

City play down links with Klinsmann (Feb 27, 2009 16:29 GMT)
Mark Hughes believes the results of Manchester City's multi-million pound investment are beginning to show after the UEFA Cup victory over FC Copenhagen.

Hughes claims City's plan is paying off (Feb 27, 2009 16:29 GMT)
Mark Hughes believes the results of Manchester City's multi-million pound investment are beginning to show after the UEFA Cup victory over FC Copenhagen.

O'Neill plans to make Villa stronger for next season (Feb 27, 2009 16:27 GMT)
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill will be looking to strengthen the side significantly in the summer if they qualify for their holy grail of the Champions League.

Torres set to sit out Reds' trip to Middlesbrough (Feb 27, 2009 16:24 GMT)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has revealed Fernando Torres is almost certain to miss Saturday's trip to Middlesbrough.

Chelsea stars hail impact of interim boss Hiddink (Feb 27, 2009 16:22 GMT)
Chelsea's top stars have come out in support of Guus Hiddink as they look to keep their season alive.

Sbragia: Home form must continue against Spurs (Feb 27, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia is targeting a minimum four points from the club's next two Premier League games as the Wearsiders seek to ensure their top-flight survival.

Hiddink: "Nothing new" on Chelsea role (Feb 27, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Guus Hiddink has refused to be drawn on reports he will take on a permanent role as Chelsea boss while Dutch compatriot Dick Advocaat steps into his role as Russia coach.

Man Utd's Rafael out for a month with fracture (Feb 27, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Manchester United right-back Rafael Da Silva will be out of action for a month as he recovers from a fractured ankle.

Advocaat key to Hiddink staying with Chelsea (Feb 27, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea are close to agreeing a permanent deal with interim manager Guus Hiddink after it emerged Dick Advocaat is being lined up to succeed him as coach of Russia, according to reports in the UK press.

The week that was: Feb 20-26 (Feb 27, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Dominic Raynor on a week when Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas began the auction for Karim Benzema.

Mascherano leads calls to back Benitez (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has led the calls for boss Rafael Benitez to stay at the club.

Fabregas turns focus from title, to top four (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Francesc Fabregas accepts it is ''not realistic'' for Arsenal to think about winning the Premier League this season - but maintains his team can force themselves back into the top four.

The flaws of 6+5 (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Dale Johnson believes there are too many questions for FIFA's 6+5 to be workable in Britain.

Drogba hails Hiddink's impact (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Striker Didier Drogba believes he is getting back to his best form thanks to the faith shown in him by the club's new interim coach Guus Hiddink.

Portsmouth confirm rejection of Vega bid (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Portsmouth have revealed they rejected a buy-out approach from former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega because of fears it could impact on the club's long-term future.

EU and FIFA clash over 6+5 rule (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The European Commission has dismissed the findings a new report commissioned by FIFA which backed the world governing body's controversial ''6+5'' rule designed to limit the number of foreign players in domestic leagues and warned that pursuing the l

Kalou keen on a move to Arsenal (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou has said he would consider joining Arsenal at the end of the season after being told that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger apparent interest in him.

Highbury proving a millstone for Arsenal's finances (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
There was good news and bad news on Thursday as Arsenal reported their half-yearly financial results.

Hull keeper Duke extends deal ahead of cup tie (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hull City goalkeeper Matt Duke has signed a one-year contract extension, tying him to the club until 2011.

Southgate wants Boro to transfer cup form (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Gareth Southgate called on his Middlesbrough players to take their FA Cup form into the battle for Premier League survival as they set their sights on Wembley.

Hubbard: Unhappy marriage can deliver success (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool need their manager rather more than he needs them, says Norman Hubbard.

Liverpool brand Benitez exit talk as "ridiculous" (Feb 25, 2009 20:08 GMT)
Liverpool have denied rumours that Rafael Benitez is on the brink of leaving the club.

Evans happy to push pain barrier for United cause (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jonny Evans will be happy to have more pain-killing injections this weekend in a bid to get through his first major final for Manchester United.

Southgate hopes greatest hits video will fire Boro (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate his turned to the archives to try and inspire his crestfallen squad ahead of Wednesday night's FA Cup fifth round replay against West Ham United.

Accused King appears before court (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Middlesbrough striker Marlon King has appeared in a London court to face allegations he sexually assaulted and punched a 20-year-old woman in a nightclub.

Stoke striker Fuller detained by cops (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller has been arrested by police on suspicion of a motoring offence.

Cisse likely to be able to make Anfield return (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia is keeping his fingers crossed that striker Djibril Cisse will be fit for next week's tough trip to Liverpool.

Setback could end Baggies captain's season (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
West Brom manager Tony Mowbray will resist the temptation to rush skipper Jonathan Greening back into action - for fear of sidelining him for the remainder of the season.

Holland: On the lookout for a bargain (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Phil Holland on an ex-player taking over at Pompey, rule changes and World Cup tickets.

Newcastle to stick with caretaker managers (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle United director Derek Llambias has confirmed that the struggling club will not appoint another manager as Joe Kinnear recovers from heart surgery and the temporary duo of Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood will continue until the end of the

Kranjcar prepared for Portsmouth summer exit (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Croatian international Niko Kranjcar expects Portsmouth to cash in on him in the summer if no contract extension is forthcoming before the end of the season.

Wenger won't risk Fabregas (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will not rush captain Cesc Fabregas back to action, after the midfielder claimed that he is fit to play again.

Everton star Arteta heads home for knee op (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Everton's Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta will return to his homeland next week to undergo surgery on the ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee which has ended his season.

Wenger backs Arsenal's "golden generation" (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger insists his struggling Arsenal side will become the best in England within the next few seasons.

Ronaldo relishing Inter battle (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo is looking forward to a "titanic" battle with Inter Milan at the San Siro in Tuesday night's Champions League last-16 clash.

Harry slams fixture list (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp again slammed his side's "crazy" fixture list after guiding them to a crucial win at Hull City on Monday night.

Fantasy Focus: An enforced change (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Dale Johnson considers the fantasy options to replace the crocked Mikel Arteta.

Premier Showdown - Feb 21-23 (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Premier Showdown is back for another season - do you want to take on Dale Johnson and Tommy Smyth in our predictions game?

Struggling Boro lose Digard's services (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Middlesbrough midfielder Didier Digard faces 12 weeks on the sidelines with the injury suffered in Saturday's goalless draw against Wigan.

Shawky keen to quit Boro, hits out at Southgate (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Middlesbrough midfielder Mohamed Shawky has admitted he is keen to leave the club as soon as possible.

Everton suffer blow as Arteta ruled out for season (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured knee ligament, the Premier League club have confirmed.

Fifth official: February 23 (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Fifth Official pulls out the pretty, the puzzling and the downright ugly from the weekend.

Milan boss Ancelotti plays down Chelsea links (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed reports linking him with the manager's job at Chelsea next season.

Chelsea keeper Cech denies dressing room unrest (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Petr Cech has dismissed reports of divisions within the Chelsea dressing room.

Toon's Hughton: No need for Nolan to change (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle midfielder Kevin Nolan will not be ordered to rein himself in after adding a red card to the 10 yellows he has received this season.

Benitez: Liverpool must win at Old Trafford (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Rafa Benitez has conceded that Liverpool must win at Manchester United to claim the Premier League title.

Owen set to return to action next month (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle skipper Michael Owen remains on target to return to action next month despite undergoing groin surgery as he continues his recovery from ankle ligament damage.

Jolly: Liverpool's chances ended by City? (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Richard Jolly was at Anfield as Man City sounded the death knell for Liverpool's title dream.

Team of the Week, February 22, 2009 (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Check out the cream of the crop from the weekend's action in our Team of the Week.

Allardyce admits to anxiety over Rovers survival (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sam Allardyce is getting anxious about Blackburn Rovers' Premier League plight.

O'Neill to prioritise league over UEFA Cup (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Martin O'Neill has hinted he may have to sacrifice Aston Villa's bid for UEFA Cup glory to ensure they stay on course to achieve a Champions League spot.

Ronaldo baffled by booking for diving (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo has questioned why he got a yellow card but Morten Gamst Pedersen escaped during Manchester United's Premier League win over Blackburn Rovers.

Redknapp focussed on Hull not Wembley date (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp is preparing his squad for the Carling Cup final next weekend but admits the trip to Hull is ''massive'' in terms of surviving the Premier League.

FA oppose plan to extend half-time (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Football Association will oppose plans to introduce a 20-minute half-time if they are raised at an International Board meeting in Belfast next week.

Premier League chief cools talk of salary cap (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has rejected UEFA president Michel Platini's call for a salary cap, insisting he ''can't really ever see it happening'' in England.

Bolton deny plan to axe Megson to appoint Coyle (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bolton Wanderers have dismissed a report claiming Gary Megson will be axed and replaced by Burnley manager Owen Coyle at the end of the season.

Real's Higuain turns focus to beating Liverpool (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain is confident the in-form Spanish giants can build a first-leg advantage when they host Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Man Utd's Evans in fitness race for Inter test (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jonny Evans suffered a recurrence of his ankle injury during Manchester United's win over Blackburn Rovers.

The Insider: Sunderland celebrate mediocrity (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Insider was at the Emirates to see a Sunderland side achieve all they could in the circumstances.

Premier League: Hiddink reign begins with win (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Guus Hiddink's Chelsea reign began in earnest with a 0-1 victory at Villa Park which sent the Blues into third place in the Premier League table above their opponents and nearest rivals.

Investor's arrival lead Keane to quit Sunderland (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Sunderland manager Roy Keane has claimed the arrival of American financier Ellis Short as the club's majority shareholder was a crucial factor in his decision to resign.

Stoke striker Pericard joins Millwall on loan (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Stoke City striker Vincent Pericard has joined Coca-Cola League One side Millwall on a three-month loan deal.

Moyes - Newcastle can learn from Everton (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Moyes has told Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley he should follow the example of Everton if he wants to make the Magpies successful.

Juve boss Ranieri keen on Premier League return (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri would relish a return to England and the chance to build another title-winning side.

Bellamy backed to prove a point at Anfield (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy is being tipped to give his former club Liverpool a hard time on Sunday.

Tevez admits his Man Utd future is uncertain (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez admits he is ''not sure'' if he will remain at the club beyond this season.

Van Persie sends contract warning to Arsenal (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Robin van Persie insists he is keen to sign a new contract with Arsenal but has sent a warning to the club insisting he will only do so if he is convinced the club share his ambition.

Ang. - Hiddink ne restera pas à Chelsea (Feb 20, 2009 11:39 GMT)
Guus Hiddink, le sélectionneur de la Russie et désormais manageur de Chelsea jusqu'à la fin de la saison, a confirmé vendredi lors d'une conférence de presse qu'il ne prolongera pas son aventure chez les Blues mais que son arrivée impliquait néanmoi

Anelka: Hiddink unlikely to pair duo up front (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka claims he would be surprised if new manager Guus Hiddink pairs him and Didier Drogba up front at Aston Villa on Saturday.

Benitez taking no chances with hamstrung Gerrard (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will not make his return to action against Manchester City on Sunday as hoped.

Ronaldo faces £20,000 claim from Ferrari crash (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester Airport is pursuing an insurance claim against Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo for the damage he caused when he crashed his Ferrari in a tunnel, airport bosses confirmed on Friday.

Man United are not untouchable, insists Allardyce (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce does not agree with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger's "untouchable" assessment of Manchester United.

Neville signs up for another year at Man United (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Gary Neville has signed a new one-year contract which will keep him at Manchester United until June 2010, the club have confirmed.

Inter a perfect place for Tevez to settle (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jon Carter says Carlos Tevez should leave Man Utd and join Inter Milan.

Lyon chief reveals Man City bid for Benzema (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas has revealed that Manchester City failed with a bid to sign star striker Karim Benzema in January.

Kia considering Tevez options (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The saga over Carlos Tevez's future at Manchester United has taken another twist as his representative Kia Joorabchian has said he is ''studying other options'', with regard to the Argentine's long-term plans.

Hiddink rules out contract extension at Chelsea (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
New Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink used his first press conference at Stamford Bridge to reiterate that he would not extend his short-term contract with the Premier League side beyond the end of the season.

Hull chief: Injured Bullard still value for money (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hull City chairman Paul Duffen has defended the club's decision to spend a club record £5million on Jimmy Bullard last month.

Chelsea aren't special any more, says Petrov (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Aston Villa midfielder Stiliyan Petrov claims Chelsea are "not the team they used to be under Jose Mourinho" - but still expects a stern test in Saturday's Premier League clash at Villa Park.

Russian playmaker Arshavin to make Gunners bow (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger has confirmed Andrei Arshavin will make his Arsenal debut against Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on Saturday as the Gunners look to maintain their bid for a top-four place.

Eduardo faces two weeks on sidelines (Feb 19, 2009 23:49 GMT)
Arsenal striker Eduardo has been ruled out for two weeks with a hamstring injury just days after returning from a broken leg.

Wigan await permit news for new Korea move (Feb 19, 2009 23:46 GMT)
Wigan manager Steve Bruce is keeping his fingers crossed red tape will not scupper his bid to sign South Korea midfielder Cho Won-hee.

Rodwell puts pen to paper on new Everton deal (Feb 19, 2009 22:34 GMT)
Highly-rated Everton youngster Jack Rodwell has signed a new five-year contract at Goodison Park.

Kinnear to leave hospital after heart op (Feb 19, 2009 19:56 GMT)
Joe Kinnear is hoping to leave hospital on Sunday following a triple heart bypass operation.

Bullard ruled out for rest of season after knee op (Feb 19, 2009 19:56 GMT)
Hull City midfielder Jimmy Bullard has been ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery in the United States.

Villa face anxious wait over Heskey and Milner (Feb 19, 2009 19:31 GMT)
Aston Villa duo Emile Heskey and James Milner are battling to be fit for Saturday's crunch Premier League encounter with Chelsea at Villa Park.

Sir Alex hails evergreen Scholes after Fulham win (Feb 19, 2009 16:47 GMT)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has heaped praise on veteran midfielder Paul Scoles after he scored the opening goal in Wednesday night's victory over Fulham.

Gunners CEO confident of riding out financial crisis (Feb 19, 2009 16:34 GMT)
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis maintains his club's commitment to remaining self-sufficient is as resolute as ever, as the Gunners seek to ride out the credit crunch.

Hodgson hits out at FA over fixture congestion (Feb 19, 2009 16:31 GMT)
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has attacked the fixture schedule that threatens to derail his side's FA Cup bid.

Carragher: It's a two horse title race (Feb 19, 2009 16:27 GMT)
The battle for this season's Premier League title is close to becoming a two horse race, according to Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.

On that day: King Kenny abdicates his throne (Feb 19, 2009 08:00 GMT)
John Brewin marks Dalglish quitting Anfield as when Liverpool FC changed forever.

Ramos: I can't believe Rafa sold cut-price Keane (Feb 19, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid manager Juande Ramos, who was manager of Tottenham Hotspur when Robbie Keane was sold to Liverpool, has told Rafa Benitez that he made a big mistake in letting the striker leave Anfield.

Jolly: United take full control (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Richard Jolly was at Old Trafford to watch United take control of Fulham and the title race.

Ref Clattenburg wins reprieve over sacking (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Mark Clattenburg has been reinstated as a Select Group Referee but has been suspended for eight months from August 6, 2008, for ''issues relating to his private business affairs'', the Premier League have confirmed.

Tevez hopeful over stay, but must wait until June (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Carlos Tevez is hopeful of staying at Manchester United beyond the current season.

Injured Essien hoping to be back in a month (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Michael Essien hopes to be back in action for Chelsea next month after making encouraging progress in his recovery from knee ligament damage.

Fergie: ''You've blown it, Chelsea'' (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson claims Chelsea have played right into Manchester United's hands with their sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Hubbard: Hiddink reputation on the line (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Norman Hubbard says Guus Hiddink will face his toughest test yet at faltering Chelsea.

Platini continues fight against big spenders (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
UEFA president Michel Platini has revealed that European football's governing body has accelerated discussions over a salary cap because of the "astronomical bids" of a noveau rich club, believed to be Manchester City, during the January trans

Eduardo still waiting for leg-break apology (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal striker Eduardo has revealed that he is still waiting for an apology from Martin Taylor, the Birmingham City player whose mistimed tackle last February left the Croatian with an injury he has only just recovered from.

Luckless Bojinov back in City reckoning (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Luckless Manchester City striker Valeri Bojinov has hit the comeback trail again.

Gerrard set to make early return from injury (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard could make an earlier-than-expected return from a hamstring injury against Manchester City on Sunday.

Injured Anderson set to miss out on Wembley (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has virtually dashed any hope Anderson had of making next week's Carling Cup Final while ruling out Gary Neville and Wes Brown of Wednesday's match with Fulham.

Toffees to go for Glory on Aussie tour (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Everton will play a pre-season friendly against Perth Glory if the Premier League side can organise a second match in Australia, the A-League club have announced.

Agbonlahor: Barry must stay at Villa Park (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has urged Gareth Barry urging him to sign a new contract with the midlands club.

Vidic: Tonight's the night to increase pressure (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Nemanja Vidic feels Manchester United can land a major psychological blow by winning their game in hand against Fulham on Wednesday night but admits he barely has time to enjoy the success he has enjoyed at Old Trafford

Holland: Boardroom blitz (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Phil Holland reports on the stand-off developing at Arsenal and Abramovich's lost £6.3bn.

Everton wait on Anichebe injury (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Everton forward Victor Anichebe will have to wait to find out the full extent of the injury he sustained in the horror tackle from Kevin Nolan at the weekend.

Petrov's Aston Villa future linked with Barry's (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Stiliyan Petrov admits whether Gareth Barry stays or goes will have ''a big influence'' on his own future with Aston Villa.

Two footballers charged in Gerrard assault case (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Two footballers were charged today in connection with the same nightclub brawl which saw Steven Gerrard accused of assault.

Rare praise as Wenger labels M.Utd "untouchable" (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger has conceded that Sir Alex Ferguson's current Manchester United side appear to be ''untouchable''.

Hiddink could turn to Chelsea's youngsters (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink said he could turn to promising young players to get the London club's Premier League title challenge back on track.

Rooney set to return for Man Utd after injury (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Wayne Rooney will return to the bench for Manchester United on Wednesday as the Red Devils look to open up a five-point lead at the Premier League summit by beating Fulham at Old Trafford.

Pellegrino insists Liverpool have title credentials (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool first team coach and three-time Spanish title winner Mauricio Pellegrino believes the Anfield club have the character to battle back and win the Premier League.

Numancia sack coach Kresic, appoint Pacheta (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Struggling Numancia sacked their coach Sergio Kresic and appointed Jose Rojo Martin 'Pacheta' in his place until the end of the season, the Primera Liga club said on Tuesday.

Man City keen to reunite Terry and Scolari? (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City could reunite Luiz Felipe Scolari and John Terry at Eastlands this summer as the Abu Dhabi-backed club look to improve their flagging on pitch fortunes by exploiting disharmony at Chelsea.

Madrid chief Boluda confident of signing Ronaldo (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid's interim president Vicente Boluda is confident the club will sign Manchester United midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo.

OM president sets sights on Drogba return (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Didier Drogba could be in line for a return to Olympique Marseille after the French club's president insisted he would do everything he can to bring the 30-year-old striker back to the Stade Velodrome.

Eduardo earns Wenger praise on injury return (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger heaped praise on Arsenal striker Eduardo after he completed his return from a broken leg last year with a match-winning performance against Cardiff City in the FA Cup on Monday evening.

Hull rocked by news that Bullard needs knee op (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hull City hopes of retaining their Premier League status have been hit by the news that midfielder Jimmy Bullard will undergo surgery on a knee injury in America on Wednesday.

Toffees agree new deal with starlet Rodwell (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Teenage midfielder Jack Rodwell has agreed a new five-year deal with Everton and is likely to sign his contract by the weekend.

Usmanov raises Gunners shareholding above 25% (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Red and White Holdings - an Alisher Usmanov-owned company chaired by David Dein - has increased its share in Arsenal to over 25%.

Abramovich suffers $9bn losses - report (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has seen his fortune slashed by around US dollars nine billion in the financial crisis, according to a Russian business magazine.

Trio return to boost Newcastle's injury woes (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins and Alan Smith are poised to give Newcastle some welcome good news and could return for Sunday's meeting with Everton at St James' Park.

Voronin in talks over extending Hertha move (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Andriy Voronin claims he has opened talks with Hertha Berlin over extending his loan spell from Liverpool.

Hammers get good news over Cole ankle injury (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
West Ham have been boosted by the news that Carlton Cole has not broken his ankle after limped off during their FA Cup fifth round draw with Middlesbrough at the weekend.

Fifth official: February 16 (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Fifth Official pulls out the pretty, the puzzling and the downright ugly from the weekend.

Robinho: Chelsea wrong to sack Scolari (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Robinho believes Chelsea were wrong to sack Luiz Felipe Scolari after just seven months in charge.

Rooney close to return, Clough talks up Utd haul (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson must decide whether to risk Wayne Rooney on the bench for Manchester United's Premier League encounter with Fulham on Wednesday.

''I should start every game,'' claims Bendtner (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Nicklas Bendtner does not believe Andrei Arshavin's arrival at Arsenal has dislodged him as the club's top striker - but admits he never saw the Russian play before his move to the Emirates Stadium.

Nic: We could have saved Phil (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has suggested that he and Didier Drogba could have saved Luiz Felipe Scolari's job had the Brazilian played them in tandem.

Rafa wants end to contract talks (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has called for his contract negotiations to be brought to a positive conclusion after denying he wants total control of transfers.

Hiddink to retire after 2010 World Cup finals? (Feb 15, 2009 21:32 GMT)
Russia and Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink has said he plans to retire from football after the 2010 World Cup but also contradicted himself slightly by suggesting he could be at Chelsea beyond this season.

Hughes angry as City slump to another defeat (Feb 15, 2009 21:29 GMT)
Mark Hughes has demanded more from his Manchester City players after they slumped to a dispiriting defeat at the hands of managerless Portsmouth.

Grant ready to take over at Portsmouth? (Feb 15, 2009 21:27 GMT)
Former Chelsea manager Avram Grant is desperate to return to English football and has hinted that he would be willing to take over the vacant manager's position at Portsmouth.

Anelka desperate to find form after hat-trick (Feb 15, 2009 21:26 GMT)
Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka claims he is "not happy'' with his form at the moment despite his hat-trick against Watford.

Mourinho expects to be back at Stamford Bridge (Feb 15, 2009 19:28 GMT)
Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho expects to return to Chelsea as manager one day.

Terry staying at Chelsea after City interest leaked (Feb 15, 2009 19:26 GMT)
Chelsea coach Ray Wilkins believes Guus Hiddink will stay on as the Stamford Bridge boss after the summer - and insists captain John Terry is going nowhere.

Team of the Week, February 15, 2009 (Feb 15, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Check out the cream of the crop from the weekend's action in our Team of the Week.

Santa Cruz still eyeing move away from Rovers (Feb 14, 2009 23:06 GMT)
Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz hopes to keep Rovers in the Barclays Premier League - and secure himself a move to a bigger club in the process.

Pompey were right to sack Adams, says James (Feb 14, 2009 21:14 GMT)
David James accepts his share of the "guilt'' for Portsmouth's plight - but believes the majority of the blame lies squarely at the door of former manager Tony Adams.

Storrie re-arrested in football corruption probe (Feb 14, 2009 18:51 GMT)
Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie has been re-arrested as part of the probe into alleged football corruption, the club has confirmed.

Wenger: We must focus on our own problems (Feb 14, 2009 18:49 GMT)
Arsene Wenger maintains Arsenal must stay focused on producing "outstanding performances'' for the rest of the campaign rather than worry about what might be going on with their rivals.

O'Neill's squad to be tested to its limits (Feb 14, 2009 18:45 GMT)
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has admitted his entire first-team squad will come into contention for a crucial run of three games in six days which could define their season.

Jose says he'll return to Chelsea one day (Feb 14, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jose Mourinho believes he will return to Chelsea sometime in the future.

Drogba slams Scolari (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has hailed Guus Hiddink's arrival at Stamford Bridge and hit out at predecessor Luiz Felipe Scolari for dividing the dressing room at Stamford Bridge.

United's Anderson making steady progess (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United living legend Ryan Giggs, already their longest serving player of all time, as well as the club's record appearance holder has been rewarded for his recent Indian summer with a new one-year extension to his Manchester United contrac

O'Neil annoyed by Heskey's England start (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is to make his feelings known to England counterpart Fabio Capello after expressing "surprise'' at striker Emile Heskey starting the friendly international with Spain when not fully fit.

Hammers star Parker signs new deal until 2013 (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
West Ham midfielder Scott Parker has signed a new contract to keep him at Upton Park until 2013, the Premier League club have confirmed.

Spurs' January bid for Love rejected by CSKA (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
CSKA Moscow's Brazilian striker Vagner Love has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur made an offer for him during last month's transfer window. Talking to Globesporte, Love confirmed that "our president rejected it because it was not sufficient ac

Wenger: Adams needed time (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Portsmouth moved too early to sack his former captain Tony Adams as boss at Fratton Park - and has also revealed the dismissal of Luiz Felipe Scolari by Chelsea came as a ''massive surprise''.

Scolari lifts lid (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sacked Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari admitted that he had no relationship with his players away from training and matches, before he was sensationally axed by Roman Abramovich on Monday.

Torres warning for Gerrard, as Aurelio hits out (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fernando Torres has warned Steven Gerrard not to rush back from his hamstring injury.

Losses of £65.7m mean Chelsea must sell first (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has warned that any signings in the summer will have to be financed by selling players after the club announced losses of £65.7m for the last financial year.

Wenger weighing up Eduardo FA Cup inclusion (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger must decide whether to take a gamble on Eduardo and throw the striker back into action for Arsenal's FA Cup fourth-round replay against Cardiff on Monday night.

Hiddink to return to Russia in the summer (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
New Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink has admitted it is unlikely he will stay at the club on a permanent basis.

Bent issues warning over Tottenham future (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham striker Darren Bent has warned he will look for a way out of White Hart Lane in the summer if he remains on the fringes of the first team under manager Harry Redknapp.

James hoping Eriksson opts to take Pompey job (Feb 12, 2009 23:44 GMT)
Portsmouth goalkeeper David James wants Sven-Goran Eriksson to take the reigns at Fratton Park and believes the former England boss can steer the club to Premier League safety.

Hiddink will stick with the same system - Alex (Feb 12, 2009 23:42 GMT)
Brazilian defender Alex believes caretaker coach Guus Hiddink will stick with the playing system which failed to work under Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Real Madrid top rich list, pound slows Man Utd (Feb 12, 2009 08:13 GMT)
Real Madrid remained the world's richest club and English clubs were hit by the declining value of the pound, according to an annual survey by accountancy firm Deloitte released on Thursday.

The week that was: Feb 06-12 (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Dominic Raynor on a week when Real Madrid prepared a £64million swoop for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Newcastle confirm heart operation for Kinnear (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle United have confirmed that manager Joe Kinnear will undergo heart bypass surgery on Friday which will sideline him for at least eight weeks.

Hiddink jets in and declares: Chelsea can win title (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
New Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink met the first-team squad and watched his first training session at the Premier League club's Cobham training ground on Thursday.

Modern football is rubbish (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Simon Wilson on a book that bemoans how much the game of football has changed over the years.

Agger saga adding to Liverpool woes (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jon Carter on the future of Daniel Agger at Liverpool.

On that day: The eleven ages of Kevin Keegan (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
John Brewin shares the Valentine's Day love for birthday boy Kevin Keegan.

Boro striker charged over nightclub incident (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Middlesbrough striker Marlon King has been with attacking a woman in a nightclub.

New Toon blow as Xisco breaks his foot (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle striker Xisco has been ruled out for up to three weeks after the club confirmed he broke the big toe in his left foot during Monday's reserve match against Wigan.

Giggs pens deal to stay until end of 2009-10 (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United living legend Ryan Giggs, already their longest serving player of all time, as well as the club's record appearance holder has been rewarded for his recent Indian summer with a new one-year extension to his Manchester United contrac

Barry happy that Villa kept hold of him (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry has spoken of his "respect" for manager Martin O'Neill and the midlands club.

Weak pound stops United topping rich list (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid remain the world's richest soccer club while English clubs have been hit by the declining value of the pound, according to accountancy firm Deloitte's annual survey.

Elano happy to be able to show off talents (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Brazil midfielder Elano insists he has nothing to prove to Manchester City.

Kalou: Players must get behind Hiddink (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou insists the club's under-performing players must help to ease the workload on new boss Guus Hiddink.

Agger issues ultimatum to Reds (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger could walk out on the club if he remains on the fringes of the first team at Anfield.

Jolly: What became of the likely lads (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Richard Jolly tracks the stars of Leeds from 2001 and finds few have lived up to their promise.

Credit crunch hitting Kirkby stadium plans (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Everton chief executive Robert Elstone has admitted the credit crunch is making it harder for the club to find investment for their proposed move to Kirkby.

Seedorf: Hiddink is the man for Chelsea (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Clarence Seedorf believes Guus Hiddink is just the man to revitalise Chelsea's season after the Dutchman was confirmed as Luiz Felipe Scolari's successor.

Brian Kidd named Pompey assistant manager (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Brian Kidd has joined Portsmouth to assist caretaker manager Paul Hart following the sacking of Tony Adams.

Sunderland and Spurs agree to move match (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sunderland's home clash with Tottenham Hotspur as been re-arranged for Saturday, March 7.

Chelsea confirm Hiddink as boss (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea have confirmed that Guus Hiddink will take control of the club on a temporary basis until the end of the season.

Villa skipper Laursen targets mid-April return (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Skipper Martin Laursen has urged his Aston Villa team-mates to keep alive his dream of playing at Wembley in the FA Cup final as he starts rehabilitation work after knee surgery.

Newcastle boss Kinnear set for heart operation (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle United manager Joe Kinnear is set to undergo heart bypass surgery after being hospitalized four days ago.

Blame the players not Scolari, says Ballack (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Michael Ballack insists Chelsea's underperforming players should take the blame for Luiz Felipe Scolari's sacking as he attmepts to quash speculation that he was one of the players pushing for the coach's exit.

Brazil boss Dunga hails Manchester City pair (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Brazil coach Dunga praised Manchester City duo Robinho and Elano after they fired the Selecao to a 2-0 win over Italy on Tuesday night.

Premier League considers homegrown quota (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Premier League may follow the Football League in imposing quotas of 'home-grown' players, Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has revealed.

Llambias: Villa path will lead to Toon success (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Managing director Derek Llambias insists Newcastle United will go from strength to strength under controversial owner Mike Ashley by following the example set by Aston Villa.

Eriksson rejects Pompey (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former England and Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson intends to fulfil his current contract with Mexico until after the 2010 World Cup despite speculation linking the Swede with the vacant post at Portsmouth.

Holland: Premier League windfall brings relief (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Phil Holland predicts a £3bn windfall for the Premier League and questions Chelsea's logic.

Hughes frustrated over Wright-Phillips ban (Feb 10, 2009 22:01 GMT)
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is disappointed no "leeway'' was shown towards Shaun Wright-Phillips after the England winger was hit with a three-match ban.

Walcott closing in on return to first team action (Feb 10, 2009 19:58 GMT)
England winger Theo Walcott hopes to be back in action for Arsenal by the end of the month.

Rijkaard interested in Chelsea (Feb 10, 2009 17:02 GMT)
Frank Rijkaard's agent insists the Dutchman would "consider'' the Chelsea manager's job and would not be scared off by the ruthless reputation of club owner Roman Abramovich.

Nugent: New Pompey boss must be a fighter (Feb 10, 2009 16:56 GMT)
Portsmouth begin the search for their third manager of the season, with striker David Nugent warning whoever takes the post must be "up for the scrap'' of a relegation battle.

Chelsea: The contenders (Feb 10, 2009 16:45 GMT)
Following Chelsea's decision to sack coach Luiz Felipe Scolari less than a year into his tenure, we take a look at the possible candidates to take over from the Brazilian at Stamford Bridge.

Sacking Scolari could cost Chelsea £15m (Feb 10, 2009 16:41 GMT)
Luiz Felipe Scolari could collect as much as £15m in compensation after being sacked as Chelsea coach.

Hiddink in talks to replace Scolari (Feb 10, 2009 16:37 GMT)
Guus Hiddink appears set to take over from Luiz Felipe Scolari as the manager of Chelsea until the end of the current season, after being granted permission by the Russian Football Union to talk to the club.

Hiddink expects Arshavin to be a hit at Arsenal (Feb 10, 2009 16:34 GMT)
Andrei Arshavin's move to Arsenal will benefit the playmaker, his club and his country, said Russia manager Guus Hiddink.

Adebayor named African Footballer of the Year (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor was named African Footballer of the Year on Tuesday.

Clubs quash salary cap but mull player quota (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Premier League clubs have restated their opposition to the introduction of a salary cap and are considering a quota for a minimum number of 'homegrown' players in a bid to stave-off attempts to impose spending controls.

Hiddink can be the man to right Chelsea ship (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
John Brewin feels Chelsea's choice of Guus Hiddink is the correct one in the circumstances.

FIFA board considers sin bins and more subs (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
A plan to experiment with sin-bins for yellow card offences will be discussed this month by soccer's law-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

Raul wants one last international chance (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Record-breaking Spain striker Raul has spoken of his desire to end his time in the international wilderness, even if it is just to represent his country on one last occasion.

Di Matteo rejects Chelsea return talk (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Roberto Di Matteo has rejected speculation linking him with the vacant managerial position at Chelsea and insists he has unfinished business with MK Dons.

International FA Board to consider sin-bins (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Football's rulemakers will be asked to consider imposing sin-bins for yellow-card offenders later this month.

Palacios targets top ten finish with Tottenham (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Wilson Palacios is determined to get his new club into the top half of the Premier League following his positive start under Harry Redknapp.

Spain play down Rafa rift (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Spain coach Vincente del Bosque has played down reports of a rift with Rafael Benitez - and claimed Fernando Torres might return to Liverpool in better shape than he arrived.

Fantasy Focus: The movers and shakers (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Dale Johnson ponders the January moves and their fantasy league worth.

Hiddink on Chelsea: Nothing to see here (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Russia coach Guus Hiddink has rebuffed suggestions that he will be the next Chelsea manager.

Fergie: Blues showed Scolari no patience (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has expressed his shock at Chelsea's sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari but believes the sudden end of the Brazilian's tenure is a "sign of the times".

Losing Robinho cost Big Phil Chelsea job (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Luiz Felipe Scolari the failure to sign Robinho last summer was key to his failure to rejuvenate Chelsea's "old" squad.

Scolari a victim of ''instant success'' philosophy (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jon Carter on the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Scolari sacked as Chelsea manager (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Luiz Felipe Scolari has been sensationally sacked by Chelsea.

Van Persie - Things are "not really working" (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Joe Kinnear fully intends to be back in the Newcastle United dug-out for their next game.

Kinnear hoping for Toon return after health scare (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Joe Kinnear fully intends to be back in the Newcastle United dug-out for their next game.

Voronin keen on Liverpool return after Keane exit (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool outcast Andriy Voronin is hoping that Rafa Benitez's decision to offload Robbie Keane will resolve the uncertainty surrounding his career and perhaps pave the way for a return to Anfield.

Board to blame for Adams debacle (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jon Carter points the finger of blame at the Portsmouth board for their current plight.

Healy - Keeping Kenwyne the key staying up (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sunderland striker David Healy believes the club's decision not to sell Kenwyne Jones could prove decisive in their bid to stay in the Premier League.

Man City's Wright-Phillips handed three-game ban (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has been suspended for three league games after being found guilty of violent conduct by the Footballn Association, the club have announce

Unsettled Drogba admits Chelsea are struggling (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Unsettled Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has admitted that the club are finding things ''a little difficult at the moment'' but has cooled talk of a potential move away from Stamford Bridge and vowed to help the Blues get back on track.

Fifth official: February 09 (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Fifth Official pulls out the pretty, the puzzling and the downright ugly from the weekend.

"Proud" Ferguson refusing to get carried away (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United might have gone more than 20 hours without conceding a Premier League goal but a proud Sir Alex Ferguson believes the title is still far from won.

Portsmouth sack manager Adams (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tony Adams has admitted that he was surprised that his tenure as Portsmouth manager came to an end on Monday morning despite a disastrous run of nine Premier League games without a win.

Ardiles: Tevez will leave United if he doesn't play (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Argentine legend Ossie Ardiles believes that Carlos Tevez will leave Manchester United in the summer if he is not offered the guarantee of first-team football.

Premier Showdown - Feb 7-8 (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Premier Showdown is back for another season - do you want to take on Dale Johnson and Tommy Smyth in our predictions game?

Pompey set to announce Adams sacking (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Reports suggest that Portsmouth have parted company with manager Tony Adams. The former England captain, who only took over at Fratton Park in October has presided over a disastrous run of nine league games without a win.

Striker Torres hails 'irreplaceable' Gerrard (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres insists his team-mates have to look at the positives if they are to drag themselves out of their recent blip.

Team of the Week, February 8, 2009 (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Check out the cream of the crop from the weekend's action in our Team of the Week.

Eboue aplogises over red card (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Eboue has apologised for his kicking out against Tottenham but insists referee Mike Dean was wrong to issue one of his two yellow cards - and to disallow his early strike at White Hart Lane.

Referee cost Arsenal derby win, says Wenger (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger blamed referee Mike Dean for seeing an "illusionary foul" that he said cost his team victory in a typically passionate north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Everton striker proves he is no ordinary Jo (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Everton's new signing proved himself to be no ordinary Jo as he was an instant at his new temporary home at Goodison Park.

Liverpool still in it to win it, insists Carragher (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jamie Carragher has told Liverpool's Premier League rivals that Rafael Benitez's comeback kings will fight to the end this season.

Ramos: I warned Tottenham not to sell strike duo (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Juande Ramos claims he warned chairman Daniel Levy that selling Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov was "too risky".

Jolly: Bruce building on solid foundation (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Richard Jolly was at the JJB Stadium to see Steve Bruce's begin to build a new Wigan team.

Premier League: Hull hold Chelsea, Toon triumph (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea dropped yet more points at Stamford Bridge as a resilient Hull City side enforced another shutout.

Man City appeal against Wright-Phillips charge (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City have asked the FA to change the violent conduct charge which threatens to land Shaun Wright-Phillips with a three-match ban.

The Insider: Chelsea's winter of discontent (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Insider was at Stamford Bridge as the fans began to turn against Luiz Felipe Scolari.

United's Tevez has £140k Bentley siezed by police (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez had his £140,000 Bentley seized after it was found he did not have a full UK driving licence, Greater Manchester Police said on Saturday.

Crouch support for Keane over Rafa methods (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch has sympathy with Robbie Keane over his treatment at Liverpool, labelling Rafael Benitez's methods as "frustrating".

Toon boss Kinnear taken to hospital after falling ill (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle United manager Joe Kinnear is being treated in hospital after falling ill.

Wenger weighing up Arshavin inclusion for derby (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger insists his Arsenal team have enough quality to overcome the challenge of rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's north London derby at White Hart Lane, regardless of whether new signing Andrei Arshavin makes his debut or not.

More matches called off as big freeze hits Britain (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The freezing weather across Britain has continued to hit the sporting fixture list on Saturday with another six football matches called off in the morning.

Jilted Keane not interested in Liverpool medal (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Robbie Keane has revealed he would give his medal away if Liverpool were to win the Premier League.

Benitez faces Torres dilemma, Gerrard hope (Feb 7, 2009 00:23 GMT)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has admitted playing Fernando Torres against Portsmouth on Saturday would be a risk, but also indicated Steven Gerrard could return to action sooner than expected.

Premier League confirm new UK TV deal (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
BSkyB have secured the rights to five of the British six packages of live Premier League football from the 2010-11 season to the end of 2012-13, with Setanta claiming the sixth.

Ferguson: VDS record bid added United caution (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
For the first time, Sir Alex Ferguson detected Manchester United were trying to protect their impressive run of clean sheets last Saturday.

Santa Cruz on Rovers: I love this club (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz has insisted he never tried to engineer a move from Ewood Park and that he loves playing for Rovers.

Barca ready to release Henry in the summer? (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Thierry Henry could be set for a sensational return to the Premier League, regardless of his improved form this season.

Alonso: ''Tug of war'' between Rafa and owners (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has claimed that there is a "tug of war" at the club between boss Rafa Benitez and American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Keane: Hello, hello, it's good to be back (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Robbie Keane admits he needed no convincing to rejoin Tottenham after the "dream" he was chasing at Liverpool turned into a nightmare.

Platini rails against City, Beckham and English (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
UEFA president Michel Platini will step up his efforts to bring in financial controls on top clubs after being stunned by Manchester City's "ridiculous" £100million bid to sign Kaka.

Benitez positive in face of Gerrard absence (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is hoping Steven Gerrard's injury-enforced absence does not derail the team's challenge for the title.

Ardiles: Derby win can kickstart Spurs' season (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jon Carter talks to Spurs legend Ossie Ardiles ahead of the North London derby.

The week that was: Jan 30 - Feb 5 (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Snowed-in transfers, Robbie's return and Fowler's Fury in The week that was.

Hughes angry as SWP set for three-match ban (Feb 5, 2009 23:37 GMT)
Mark Hughes has attacked the disciplinary system that is likely to hand Shaun Wright-Phillips the same three-game ban as his assailant, Rory Delap, picked up at Stoke on Saturday.

Andrei Arshavin Timeline (Feb 5, 2009 23:34 GMT)
Andrei Arshavin's move to Arsenal proved to be the most drawn out saga of the January transfer window. Here's how the drama unfolded.

Liverpool's up and down season (Feb 5, 2009 23:15 GMT)
A run-down of Liverpool's dramatic season to date.

Dalla Bona unlikely to get deal at West Ham (Feb 5, 2009 22:43 GMT)
West Ham sporting director Gianluca Nani insists the Premier League side are not interested in signing Sam Dalla Bona.

Given slams Newcastle after joining Man City (Feb 5, 2009 20:52 GMT)
Shay Given has hit out at Newcastle United over his exit from the club, claiming his last six months at St James' Park simply "fizzled out" and highlighting the 5-1 loss to Liverpool as "a low point in my career".

Hull striker Cousin ruled out with knee injury (Feb 5, 2009 19:08 GMT)
Hull striker Daniel Cousin will be out of action for at least 10 days after being told he requires minor knee surgery.

Villa deny making Arshavin complaint (Feb 5, 2009 18:41 GMT)
Aston Villa have refuted newspaper reports that they will lodge a complaint over Arsenal's deal to sign Russia international Andrei Arshavin.

Hughes voices support for arrested Richards (Feb 5, 2009 17:38 GMT)
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has offered Micah Richards his full support after the England defender was arrested over an alleged assault.

Gerrard out for three weeks (Feb 5, 2009 16:53 GMT)
Liverpool have learned that Steven Gerrard's hamstring injury will keep him out of action for three weeks, after the player underwent a scan.

FA clear Wright-Phillips to face Middlesbrough (Feb 5, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips has been cleared to play against Middlesbrough on Saturday after the FA delayed taking disciplinary action against the midfielder.

N'Zogbia puts Magpies exit down to Kinnear rift (Feb 5, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Wigan Athletic midfielder Charles N'Zogbia has admitted he was desperate to leave Newcastle United after falling out with manager Joe Kinnear, but has denied he is a trouble-maker or sulker.

FA charge Wright-Phillips after Delap clash (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association.

Premier League allow Stoke to seal Kelly loan (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Stoke City have signed defender Stephen Kelly on loan from Birmingham City after being granted special dispensation by the Premier League.

Boro admit FA charge (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Middlesbrough have admitted a charge of failing to control their players during the Premier League match against West Brom on January 17.

Ex-Chelsea midfielder hoping for Zola reunion (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola has held talks with former Chelsea colleague Sam Dalla Bona about training with the Hammers.

Boro's bad run 'draining belief', says Wheater (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Defender David Wheater concedes Middlesbrough's long winless streak is starting to have an effect on the squad.

Criticism of Brown "disgraceful", says Hull chief (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hull City chairman Paul Duffen has hit out at the "disgraceful" fans who have publicly criticised manager Phil Brown.

Albion have injury worries following Cup defeat (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
West Bromwich Albion are sweating over the fitness of three key players ahead of Saturday's Premier League relegation clash with Newcastle at The Hawthorns.

Bayern's Hoeness delights in Man City struggles (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has revealed his pleasure at seeing Manchester City fail to challenge for honours despite spending large sums of money in strengthening their squad this season.

Rovers considered Kuranyi as Roque replacement (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sam Allardyce has admitted having considered German striker Kevin Kuranyi as a possible replacement for Roque Santa Cruz.

Tottenham striker Defoe up on speeding charge (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jermain Defoe will appear in court on Wednesday for speeding and other driving offences.

Wenger banking on Arshavin to boost Arsenal (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger hopes Arsenal's £15m club record signing Andrei Arshavin can prove to be the "influential force" which kick-starts Gunners' season.

Fantasy Focus: January Squad of the Month (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United players dominated the fantasy game in January, reveals Dale Johnson.

Holland: What credit crunch? (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Phil Holland transfer window spending and FIFA's 11 World Cup candidates.

Peters: Bullard sets the record straight (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hull City's Jimmy Bullard talks to Jerrad Peters about injuries and his desire to play for Germany.

Raynor: Quaresma trading on reputation (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Ricardo Quaresma is yet to prove he can perform outside of Portugal, says Dominic Raynor.

Quaresma vows to make impact at Bridge (Feb 4, 2009 05:03 GMT)
Ricardo Quaresma is determined to put his nightmare spell at Inter Milan behind him and help reignite Chelsea's drive for silverware this season.

Keane to take over as captain at Tottenham (Feb 4, 2009 05:01 GMT)
Harry Redknapp has confirmed Robbie Keane will captain Tottenham after completing his move back to White Hart Lane.

Tigers play down fears over Bullard knee injury (Feb 4, 2009 01:52 GMT)
Hull City have moved to quash specualtion that new £5m record signing Jimmy Bullard could be out long-term with a knee injury by insisting he will be back to face Spurs on February 23.

Arshavin transfer finally gets the go ahead (Feb 4, 2009 00:53 GMT)
The Premier League have confirmed Andrei Arshavin is an Arsenal player after approving his move from Zenit St Petersburg.

Lampard card appeal upheld (Feb 3, 2009 15:38 GMT)
The Football Association have upheld Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard's claim for wrongful dismissal following his red card in Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Bosingwa apologises for Benayoun tackle (Feb 3, 2009 15:38 GMT)
Jose Bosingwa has apologised for his actions after the Football Association confirmed no action will be taken over his kick at Liverpool substitute Yossi Benayoun during Chelsea's 2-0 defeat at Anfield on Sunday.

Keane in, Defoe injury blow (Feb 3, 2009 15:38 GMT)
There was mixed news for Tottenham after Robbie Keane's return was followed by the news that Jermain Defoe will be ruled out for up to 10 weeks.

Chelsea could tempt Ancelotti (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan admit their coach Carlo Ancelotti may be persuaded to take over at Chelsea in the summer.

Nolan shocked over Bolton exit (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Kevin Nolan admits he was stunned to hear Bolton were willing to sell him to Newcastle but is looking forward to an exciting career at St James' Park.

Rafa: We had to cut our losses on Keane (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has claimed he had no option but to sell Robbie Keane back to Tottenham.

Newcastle confirm Butt has signed new deal (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle have confirmed midfielder Nicky Butt has signed a contract extension, committing him to the club until the end of next season.

Swiss striker Derdiyok turns down Toffee move (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
FC Basel striker Eren Derdiyok insists he will reject any future interest from Everton and join Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season.

Redknapp happy with Spurs signings (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp declared himself happy with his transfer dealings.

Alonso: Reds have ''best chance'' for title (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Xabi Alonso insists he sees no reason why Liverpool cannot end their 19-year title drought this season following Sunday's 2-0 win over Chelsea.

Cech: Chelsea need to keep clean sheets (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea keeper Petr Cech says the team's inability to shut out opposing sides is now affecting the team's confidence.

Barry has no regrets over failed Reds move (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Gareth Barry has insisted he is happy at Aston Villa and no longer thinks about last summer's transfer saga when he seemed set to join Liverpool.

Zenit claim Arshavin deal is done, as Gunners wait (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal remain hopeful of completing the dramatic signing of Russian playmaker Andrei Arshavin after a frenetic day of negotiations in north London, while Zenit claim the deal is already done.

Liverpool and Spurs agree deal for Keane transfer (Feb 2, 2009 19:48 GMT)
Robbie Keane has completed his sensational return to Tottenham Hotspur after six months at Liverpool - making him the third player Harry Redknapp has brought back to White Hart Lane in this transfer window.

Premier League agree deadline day extension (Feb 2, 2009 19:41 GMT)
England's top-flight clubs have been granted a conditional extension to the transfer window deadline, the Premier League said in a statement on Monday.

Premier League in talks over deadline extension (Feb 2, 2009 19:41 GMT)
The Premier League have confirmed they are in talks with the FA and FIFA over whether an extension to the transfer window deadline can be given to allow time for medicals and personal terms to be agreed.

Quaresma joins Chelsea (Feb 2, 2009 19:09 GMT)
Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Portugal winger Ricardo Quaresma from Inter Milan in a deadline-busting loan move.

Deadline day deals: Keane, Arshavin, Quaresma? (Feb 2, 2009 18:34 GMT)
Liverpool have confirmed a deadline-day agreement with Tottenham for the return of Robbie Keane to White Hart Lane.

No late Santa Cruz bid from City (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Mark Hughes resisted the temptation to make a deadline-day attempt to sign Roque Santa Cruz even though the Manchester City manager feels his side badly lack a target man.

Loans deal buoy Baggies (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
West Bromwich Albion have completed a beat-the-deadline loan swoops for winger Juan Carlos Menseguez from Argentine Primera Division champions San Lorenzo and Youssouf Mulumbu from French club Paris St Germain.

Wigan sign N'Zogbia as Newcastle sign Taylor (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Charles N'Zogbia's colourful Newcastle career has finally come to an end after his swap deal with Wigan's Ryan Taylor<

Pompey refute claims that Adams will be sacked (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie has quashed speculation that manager Tony Adams is on the brink of being sacked.

Cisse ready to commit (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Djibril Cisse has denied he is ready to turn his back on Sunderland and follow Pascal Chimbonda and El-Hadji Diouf out of the club.

Fulham sign Dacourt on loan from Inter Milan (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Fulham have signed France midfielder Olivier Dacourt on loan from Inter Milan until the end of the season.

Stoke sign Camara on loan (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Stoke City have signed Wigan Athletic striker Henri Camara on loan until the end of the season.

Sunderland recruit Ben Haim on loan (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Tal Ben Haim has set his sights on helping to drag Sunderland away from the Premier League relegation zone after completing his loan move from Manchester City.

Man City's Jo joins Everton on loan (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Everton have agreed a deal to loan Brazilian striker Jo from Manchester City until the end of the season.

Blackburn hit by season-ending injury to Emerton (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Blackburn Rovers midfielder Brett Emerton has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament problem.

Arsenal's Walcott could be back in four weeks (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Arsenal and England winger Theo Walcott could be ready to make his comeback from a dislocated shoulder in a month, according to Arsene Wenger.

Pompey sign AEK's Basinas (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Portsmouth have strengthened their midfield with the signing of Greek veteran Angelos Basinas from AEK Athens.

Former Aston Villa star loses cancer battle (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Former Aston Villa and Wolves midfielder Paul Birch has died at the age of 46 after a battle with cancer.

Man City's Given revelling after £6m move (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Manchester City new boy Shay Given has admitted he did not sleep on Sunday night because of his excitement at the prospect of his first day at training.

Chelsea lodge appeal against Lampard red card (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Chelsea have appealed against the red card shown to midfielder Frank Lampard in Sunday's 2-0 Premier League defeat to Liverpool.

Injured Defoe to miss Wembley again (Feb 2, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe will endure more Wembley misery after being ruled out for up to 10 weeks with a stress fracture to his right foot.

Chelsea loan starlet Tejera to Mallorca (Feb 2, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Mallorca have swooped for Spain Under-17 international Sergio Tejera from Chelsea.

Sunderland sign defender Davenport on loan (Feb 2, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sunderland have signed West Ham defender Calum Davenport on loan until the end of the season.

Today's newspaper headlines (Feb 2, 2009 08:00 GMT)
What's making the football news in the UK tabloids and broadsheets. Click here to find the latest gossip.

Premier Showdown - Jan 31 - Feb 1 (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Premier Showdown is back for another season - do you want to take on Dale Johnson and Tommy Smyth in our predictions game?

Sunderland secure Ben Haim on loan for season (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sunderland have signed Manchester City defender Tal Ben Haim on loan until the end of the season.

Kinnear insists club 'bent over backwards' for Given (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear revealed the club did all they could to persuade Given to stay on Tyneside.

Benitez expects Keane to remain at Anfield (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Rafael Benitez believes Liverpool are back in the title race and that striker Robbie Keane will still be at the club when the transfer window closes tomorrow.

Manchester City seal Given signature (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City have signed goalkeeper Shay Given from Newcastle for an undisclosed fee.

Wenger: Arsenal do not need ''instant saviour'' (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger maintains Arsenal do not need an "instant saviour" in the shape of Andrei Arshavin or anybody else.

Team of the Week, February 1, 2009 (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Check out the cream of the crop from the weekend's action in our Team of the Week.

Marshall: Au revoir, pet (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Paul Marshall talks to former Newcastle and Anderlecht defender Philippe Albert.

Fulham in talks with McBride, Dacourt medical (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fulham are currently in talks to bring veteran striker Brian McBride back to the club on loan, according to Sky Sports News.

Everton close to bringing in City's Jo on loan (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Everton are poised to add Manchester City striker Jo to their squad before the transfer deadline.

Ex-chief Dein: Arsenal struggles prove me right (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein believes the club face a challenge to maintain their status as Champions League regulars but has backed Arsene Wenger to put the Gunners back on track.

Given having City medical after fee is agreed (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Shay Given is undergoing a medical at Manchester City as he closes in on a move away from Newcastle, after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee.

Liverpool striker Keane suffers fresh snub (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Robbie Keane could make a dramatic return to Spurs amid reports suggesting that he is not in Liverpool's squad to play Chelsea on Sunday.

Premier League: Torres stars, United stay top (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fernando Torres grabbed two late goals as Liverpool reclaimed second place in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday.


English League Championship
Championship: Plymouth record shock Wolves win (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Struggling Plymouth increased their hopes of survival as they recorded a shock 1-0 win at Championship leaders Wolves.

Mawhinney ''encouraged'' by drop in agent fees (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney is ''encouraged'' after the latest report showed a drop of almost 30% in fees paid to agents.

League want compo from double-booked Wembley (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Football League are seeking compensation from Wembley after a double-booking for the Champions League final and the play-off finals at the stadium on the same day in 2011.

Birmingham snap up Carr on one month deal (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Birmingham have signed former Republic of Ireland defender Stephen Carr on an initial one-month contract.

Wolves celebrate as Birmingham slip-up (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Championship leaders Wolves enjoyed their best day for several weeks without taking to the field.

League Review: Doncaster keep up fine form (Feb 18, 2009 06:13 GMT)
Doncaster continued their great run of form with victory over Bristol City on what was a poor night for clubs with ambitions at the top of the Championship.

Birmingham chief rallies behind re-arrested Brady (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The continuing police investigation surrounding Birmingham managing director Karren Brady is "contrary to natural justice", the club's chairman said on Wednesday.

City's Brady re-arrested in corruption probe (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Birmingham City managing director Karren Brady was arrested on Tuesday by London police investigating alleged corruption in English soccer.

Traore joins Birmingham on three-month loan (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Portsmouth defender Djimi Traore has joined Birmingham on a three-month loan deal.

Struggling Charlton dismiss administration fears (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Charlton Athletic chairman Richard Murray has denied the struggling Championship club are in danger of going into administration.

Tykes' Hume progressing after fractured skull (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Barnsley striker Iain Hume is making good progress in his recovery from the serious head injury he suffered in November, the club have confirmed.

Championship: Canaries battle to hold Wolves (Feb 4, 2009 06:29 GMT)
Wolves missed the chance to go seven points clear at the top of the Championship as a hat-trick from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was only enough to secure a 3-3 draw against Norwich.

Wolves snap-up Hearts skipper Berra (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Wolverhampton Wanderers have completed the signing of Hearts captain Christophe Berra on a four-and-a-half-year contract.


English League One
Leicester march toward Championship return (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Leicester continued their march towards promotion from League One as a narrow 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers sent them 12 points clear at the top.

Yeovil part company with manager Slade (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Yeovil have parted company with manager Russell Slade with immediate effect.


English League Two
League Two Darlington forced into administration (Feb 25, 2009 22:03 GMT)
League Two play-off hopefuls Darlington have entered administration and will be deducted 10 points by the Football League.

Brentford go clear at the top of League Two (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Andy Scott's Brentford went three points clear at the top of League Two with a hard-fought 2-1 win at promotion rivals Rochdale.


English Conference
Internet-run club in dire need of new signings (Feb 19, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The future of the world's only football club owned by an online community, Ebbsfleet United, face an uncertain future unless 3,000 people subscribe on Thursday.


English FA Cup
Fulham boss Hodgson targets success in FA Cup (Feb 25, 2009 23:54 GMT)
Roy Hodgson has warned that his Fulham side will not lay down and die when they face Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-final.

Fulham boss reiterates schedule frustrations (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Roy Hodgson says Fulham "tried every avenue" to get on Tuesday night's FA Cup fifth round replay against Swansea moved to give his players time to prepare for the match.

Jolly: Running on reserves (Feb 16, 2009 01:56 GMT)
Richard Jolly was at Goodison to experience the resilience of Everton's depleted squad.

FA Cup Quarter-final draw (Feb 15, 2009 08:00 GMT)
FA Cup Quarter-final draw

Hulse planning another Ram raid on United (Feb 14, 2009 23:08 GMT)
Striker Rob Hulse is convinced Derby can end Sir Alex Ferguson's dream of Manchester United winning an unprecedented five trophies this season.

Bothroyd gunning for Cup shock at Emirates (Feb 14, 2009 18:46 GMT)
Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd is desperate to showcase his goalscoring prowess against former club Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night.

FA Cup: Anelka treble, Samba saves Rovers (Feb 14, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Christopher Samba took advantage of a mistake by Coventry goalkeeper Andy Marshall to earn Blackburn a last-gasp 2-2 draw in their FA Cup fifth-round clash at Ewood Park.

United won't risk Rooney for FA Cup clash (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United will not jeopardise Wayne Rooney's fitness by rushing him back to action for Sunday's FA Cup tie at Derby.

Jolly: Everton edge Liverpool in Merseyside derby (Feb 5, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Richard Jolly was at Goodison Park as Everton left it late to beat Liverpool in the FA Cup.

Everton deny Reds in extra-time (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Teenager Dan Gosling scored deep into extra time to give Everton a 1-0 win over city rivals Liverpool in their FA Cup fourth-round replay on Wednesday.

FA Cup 5th Round Draw: Chelsea get Hornets (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The FA Cup's fifth ounds ties will be played on the weekend of February 14/15.

Anichebe in F-word bust up with Everton boss (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Everton manager David Moyes dismissed striker Victor Anichebe from a training session on the eve of Wednesday nights' FA Cup replay against arch-rivals Liverpool after the youngster told him to "f*** off".


English Carling Cup
Ferguson: Evans will play in Carling Cup Final (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
After confirming yesterday that Darron Gibson and Danny Welbeck would face Tottenham in the Carling Cup Final, the Manchester United boss added the name of Jonny Evans this evening, after revealing the Northern Ireland international has suffered no r

O'Shea expecting youngsters to be tested (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
John O'Shea is expecting a much tougher Carling Cup battle against Tottenham than many are predicting.

Skipper King has warning for Tottenham (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham skipper Ledley King has warned his team-mates they cannot let the Carling Cup affect their campaign like it did last season.

Redknapp looking to Modric (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is hoping Luka Modric enjoys a happy return to Wembley when he faces Manchester United in the Carling Cup final.

On that day: In a League Cup Final of their own (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
John Brewin looks back on the history of Spurs and Man Utd in League Cup Finals.

Woodgate gives Spurs Wembley boost (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur defender Jonathan Woodgate has declared himself fit for Wembley this weekend and believes his side are poised to upset the odds and defeat Manchester United in the Carling Cup.


Scottish National Team
Scotland boss Burley demands SPL rethink (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Scotland manager George Burley has hit out at the Scottish Premier League for starting the new league campaign just four days before a World Cup qualifier against Norway.

Rae expresses shock at Scotland recall (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Gavin Rae has expressed shock at his Scotland recall for next week's training camp at St Andrews.


Scottish Premier League
SPL: Nakamura hits hat-trick in 7-0 hammering (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura hit a hat-trick as Celtic thrashed 10-man St Mirren 7-0 on Saturday to close within four goals of Rangers at the top of Scottish Premier League.

Brown hoping to persuade Nakamura to stay (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Scott Brown has urged Celtic to do everything they can to convince Shunsuke Nakamura to stay for one more season.

Talks held over Celtic 'B' team to play in SFL (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir has confirmed he has spoken to Celtic counterpart Peter Lawwell about the club entering a team in the Third Division.

Nakamura still to make decision on Celtic future (Feb 19, 2009 20:51 GMT)
Shunsuke Nakamura could yet be a Celtic player next season after claiming he has yet to make final decision over his future.

SPL given go-ahead for second division (Feb 19, 2009 19:56 GMT)
The Scottish Premier League have been given the green light to try to create a second division - two and a half years after first proposing it.

Miller hits out at ref over Old Firm penalty denial (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Rangers striker Kenny Miller hit out at referee Calum Murray for failing to award him a second-half penalty during yesterday's goalless Old Firm derby against Celtic at Parkhead.

SPL agree to postpone 2009-10 season by a week (Feb 14, 2009 23:10 GMT)
The Scottish Premier League have agreed to George Burley's request for the start of next season to be postponed until August 15.

Strachan shrugs off concerns over Boruc (Feb 14, 2009 20:01 GMT)
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has no fears about Artur Boruc's state of mind going into Sunday's Old Firm derby at Parkhead.

Naismith predicts close finish ahead of Old Firm (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Rangers forward Steven Naismith has predicted another dramatic climax to the Premier League season, regardless of the outcome of Sunday's Old Firm derby.

Boruc breaks silence on training-ground bust-up (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Artur Boruc has broken his silence on his training-ground altercation with Celtic team-mate Aiden McGeady.

Harte turns down St Mirren, but keen on Hoops (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Leeds star Ian Harte has decided against joining SPL side St Mirren and is still looking for a new club after leaving Blackpool earlier this month after a short spell at Bloomfield Road.

On that day: A very Scottish revolution (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
John Brewin looks back on a time when a Scottish club could outspend the English.

Flood enthusiasm won him move to Celtic (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Willo Flood is determined to keep impressing Gordon Strachan after the Celtic manager revealed his drive and enthusiasm had won him a move to Parkhead.


French National Team
Defender Sagna pleads for French fans' patience (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bacary Sagna has implored France's fickle fans to take a leaf out of Arsenal supporters' book and get behind the team in their hour of need.

France to bid for Euro 2016, but not with Italy (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
France will apply to organise Euro 2016 and there would be no joint bid with Italy, the soccer federation president was quoted as saying on Friday.

Henry blasts French fans for booing boss (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Thierry Henry has hit out at a France's supporters for failing to get behind the national side during Wednesday's 2-0 defeat to Argentina in Marseille.

Maradona: Argentina must keep France trio quiet (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Argentina must neutralise the attacking threat from Franck Ribery, Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry in Wednesday's friendly against France, said coach Diego Maradona.

St Etienne's Dabo called up to France squad (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
St Etienne defender Mouhamadou Dabo has been called up to the France squad to face Argentina in a friendly on Wednesday (2000 GMT) in Marseille, the French federation (FFF) said on Monday.

Toulouse goalkeeper Carrasso gets shock call (Feb 5, 2009 22:31 GMT)
Toulouse goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso has been handed a surprise call-up by France coach Raymond Domenech for next Wednesday's international friendly against Argentina in Marseille.

Maradona to pick strongest side for friendly (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Argentina coach Diego Maradona has vowed to pick his strongest side to face France in a friendly in Marseille.


French Ligue 1
Ligue 1: Toulouse go second with 1-1 draw (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Toulouse moved up to second place in Ligue 1 after claiming a 1-1 draw away to Auxerre tonight.

Fred signs five-year deal with Fluminense (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fluminense have announced they have agreed a five-year deal with Brazil striker Fred.

Fred leaves Lyon as contract is terminated (Feb 27, 2009 19:06 GMT)
Fred has severed ties with French champions Lyon.

"We are not dead yet", insists Marseille coach (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Olympique Marseille, struggling to keep up with Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyon, refused to write off their title chances ahead of Sunday's trip to Caen (1600).

Ligue 1: Marseille draw prompts fury from fans (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Olympique Marseille suffered a setback to their Ligue 1 title hopes when a 0-0 draw at home by Le Mans left them seven points adrift of leaders Olympic Lyon on Sunday.

Ligue 1: Benzema and Cris increase Lyon lead (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyon moved six points clear with a solid 2-0 win at Nancy on Saturday.

Dopage - "Contrôles oui, localisation, non" (Feb 20, 2009 16:08 GMT)
L'association des syndicats de sportifs professionnels français (Fnass) s'est prononcée vendredi "pour les contrôles, contre la localisation" au sujet de la nouvelle procédure de localisation imposée par l'Agence mondiale antidopage (AMA) depuis le

Ligue 1: Gignac keeps Toulouse dreaming (Feb 19, 2009 16:19 GMT)
Andre-Pierre Gignac's goals have kept Toulouse in the Ligue 1 title hunt and the south-western side should extend their nine-game unbeaten streak when they host strugglers Valenciennes on Saturday.

Ligue 1: Lille miss chance to make up ground (Feb 18, 2009 07:02 GMT)
Lille missed a great chance to close the gap significantly on the pack of clubs behind Ligue 1 leaders Lyon as they were held to a goalless draw by struggling Le Mans.

Marshall: A four-horse race in Ligue 1? (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Paul Marshall asks: Can anybody capitalise on Lyon's mediocrity and win Ligue 1?

Lyon striker Fred close to signing, insist Flu (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Brazilian side Fluminense insist they are close to completing the signing of Lyon forward Fred on a five-year deal.

Ligue 1: Lyon tighten grip after Le Havre victory (Feb 15, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Olympique Lyon tightened their grip at the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 home victory over bottom club Le Havre on Sunday.

PSG's Makelele ponders hanging up boots (Feb 14, 2009 20:09 GMT)
Claude Makelele has revealed there is a 50-50 chance of him quitting football at the end of the season.

France: Bordeaux held while PSG close on Lyon (Feb 14, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Paris St Germain moved within a point of Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyon after a 2-1 home win over struggling St Etienne on Saturday.

France asks Italy to probe Argentine passports (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The French League (LFP) has contacted the Italian authorities to investigate the legitimacy of the dual nationality passports held by Argentine players in Ligue 1, an LFP source told Reuters on Friday.

Heinze happy at Madrid despite PSG link (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid defender Gabriel Heinze insists he has had no contact with Paris St Germain - but may welcome a return to the French capital one day.

Ligue 1: Lyon open up cushion after Nice victory (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jean Makoun netted a double as Olympique Lyon opened a four-point gap at the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 win at Nice on Sunday.

Ligue 1: Giuly double hands PSV win at Nantes (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Paris St Germain moved within one point of Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyon when a Ludovic Giuly double helped secure a 4-1 win at Nantes on Saturday.

Ligue 1: Rivals hit out at champions Lyon (Feb 5, 2009 16:43 GMT)
Olympique Lyon, whose prolonged Ligue 1 domination has recently come under threat on the pitch, are also facing off-the-field attacks from their rivals.

New PSG chief adopts "aggressive" transfer policy (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sebastien Bazin intends to make Paris St Germain more "aggressive" in the transfer market, after taking over as president.

Ligue 1: Lyon leapfrog Bordeaux to go back top (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Girondins Bordeaux moved to the top of the Ligue 1 at least for a few hours after a battling 2-2 draw at home with Lille on Sunday.


France
Achilles injury forces Sagnol into retirement (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
France and Bayern Munich defender Willi Sagnol confirmed on Sunday that he was ending his playing career after failing to recover from an Achilles tendon injury.


German National Team
Frings says ties with coach Loew now restored (Feb 10, 2009 22:00 GMT)
Germany midfielder Torsten Frings, whose public spat with coach Joachim Loew last year led to him being sidelined, said on Tuesday ties had been fully restored ahead of this week's friendly against Norway.

Germany hand call-ups to Ozil and Beck (Feb 5, 2009 20:47 GMT)
Germany coach Joachim Low has awarded first international call-ups to Mesut Ozil and Andreas Beck while Robert Enke and Lukas Podolski have been left out of the 21-man squad to face Norway in a friendly next Wednesday.


German Bundesliga
Bundesliga: Hertha go top with win over Gladbach (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hertha Berlin returned to the top of the Bundesliga table with a 2-1 win over lowly Borussia Moenchengladbach while lacklustre Hoffenheim dropped to third after a 0-0 draw against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Bayern's Klinsmann pressed to win in Bremen (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bayern Munich coach Juergen Klinsmann is under mounting pressure as the champions prepare to take on mid-table Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Hoffe coach told to "back-up" doping claims (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hoffenheim coach Ralf Rangnick has been asked to explain his claims that other Bundesliga clubs have flouted anti-doping rules after two of his players were late for a random test.

A tale of three stripes and family strife (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger on the family drama and intrigue behind adidas shoes.

Monchengladbach appeal over doping tests (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Borussia Monchengladbach have lodged an official appeal over their 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim earlier this month after it emerged two of their opponents' players reported late for a statutory doping test.

Hamburg defender Jansen talks up title chances (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hamburg full-back Marcell Jansen believes his side have what it takes to win the Bundesliga this season following their victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

Bundesliga: Jansen double puts Hamburg top (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hamburg SV climbed to the top of the Bundesliga on Sunday after defender Marcell Jansen scored both goals in a 2-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen.

Hoffenheim go top with 3-3 draw in Stuttgart (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Striker Demba Ba's hat-trick gave Hoffenheim a 3-3 draw at VfB Stuttgart and put them back at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Zenit star Tymoschuk itching to join Bayern (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Future Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoliy Tymoschuk admits he cannot wait for July when he will finally join the German champions and in his mind compete in "one of the best leagues in the world".

Bundesliga: Podolski in spotlight against Cologne (Feb 19, 2009 16:21 GMT)
Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski will be in the spotlight on Saturday when his team entertain Cologne, the club he has agreed to rejoin at the end of the season.

Beckenbauer: Bayern are no longer favourites (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Franz Beckenbauer believes Bayern Munich are no longer favourites to win the Bundesliga title.

Favre revels in Hertha's "beautiful day" (Feb 15, 2009 19:21 GMT)
Hertha Berlin coach Lucien Favre labelled their 2-1 win over Bayern Munich as "the most beautiful day" of his reign.

Bundesliga: Hamburg third after Bielefeld beating (Feb 15, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Hamburg SV moved up to third place in the Bundesliga on Sunday after beating lowly Arminia Bielefeld 2-0 with a goal in each half.

Hoeness fears financial meltdown in Bundesliga (Feb 14, 2009 20:08 GMT)
Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness claims clubs throughout Germany "can only pray" that the global financial crisis leaves them unharmed.

Leverkusen coach delighted with Hoffenheim rout (Feb 14, 2009 20:06 GMT)
Bayer Leverkusen coach Bruno Labbadia revealed his side had a particular motivation for the 4-1 win at Hoffenheim.

Voronin's Bayern double takes Hertha to the top (Feb 14, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Andriy Voronin struck twice to steer Hertha Berlin to a 2-1 win at home to Bayern Munich and take his team top of the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Dortmund's Hummels to miss rest of the season (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels could miss the rest of the season over fears he has torn ligaments in his ankle.

Hoffenheim hoping for a Friday feeling (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bundesliga leaders Hoffenheim can open up a four-point advantage with a win against visitors Bayer Leverkusen on Friday, setting the pace for their four contenders.

Financial crisis looming for 1860 Munich (Feb 11, 2009 00:31 GMT)
TSV 1860 Munich, one of the Bundesliga's founding teams, faces immediate financial problems after the club said on Tuesday that investors brought in to turn it around had provisionally pulled out.

Ribery refuses to be drawn on future at Bayern (Feb 10, 2009 19:52 GMT)
Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery is refusing to commit himself to the club beyond the end of this season but insists he is happy at the Bundesliga club.

Beckenbauer blast for "selfish" striker Toni (Feb 10, 2009 19:50 GMT)
Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer labelled his club's star striker Luca Toni "selfish" after he failed to score in his side's 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.

Monchengladbach coach facing player backlash (Feb 10, 2009 19:46 GMT)
The future of Borussia Monchengladbach coach Hans Meyer is shrouded in uncertainty after it was revealed the squad had written a letter of complaint over the exclusion of several players from a mid-season training camp.

Klinsmann reveals Real Madrid approach for Ribery (Feb 10, 2009 16:37 GMT)
Bayern Munich coach Jurgen Klinsmann has revealed an enquiry has been received from Real Madrid regarding star midfielder Franck Ribery.

Hoffenheim suffer the curse of Meyer (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger on Vedad Ibisevic's injury and the story of Peter Meyer.

Bundesliga: Late Klose brace seals Bayern win (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Striker Miroslav Klose struck twice in the final minutes to hand Bayern Munich a 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Schaaf: Werder's Champions League dream over (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf admits his side's hopes of Champions League qualification are over after they lost 1-0 to Schalke on Saturday.

Bundesliga: Hoffenheim held by lowly M'gladbach (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Newcomers Hoffenheim held on to their slim Bundesliga lead despite drawing 1-1 with bottom-of the-table Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.

Bayern close in on Zenit midfielder Tymoschuk (Feb 6, 2009 20:52 GMT)
Bayern Munich have tied up a deal to sign Ukraine midfielder Anatoliy Tymoschuk.

Bundesliga: Hertha look to take over at the top (Feb 5, 2009 16:45 GMT)
Hertha Berlin will be without striker Marko Pantelic when they bid to go top of the Bundesliga at Arminia Bielefeld on Friday.

Bayern agree deal for rising star Baumjohann (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bayern Munich have signed midfielder Alexander Baumjohann from Borussia Monchengladbach for the start of next season.

Bundesliga high-flyers Hamburg sign five players (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Bundesliga high-flyers Hamburg have snapped up five new players on Monday in an attempt to strengthen their push for the title.

Tymoshchuk will join Bayern for next season (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Ukraine and Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk will join Bayern Munich for next season, Bayern team manager Uli Hoeness said on Monday.

Timoschuk close to finalising deal to Bayern (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bayern Munich are close to completing the transfer of Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Anatoli Timoschuk, according to a report in Germany.


Dutch National Team
No concern for Benelux World Cup bid funding (Feb 18, 2009 02:06 GMT)
Belgium and Netherlands can raise the required one billion-plus euros needed to stage the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, despite the worst economic downturn since World War Two, the man leading the bid said on Tuesday.

Dutch concerned over van der Vaart and Huntelaar (Feb 6, 2009 21:08 GMT)
Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk expressed his concern on Friday that two of his main players, Rafael van der Vaart and Klaas Jan Huntelaar, were not getting enough first-team action at their club Real Madrid.


Dutch Eredivisie
Eredivisie: AZ pull away from the pack (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AZ Alkmaar moved 12 points clear at the Eredivisie summit tonight, courtesy of a 3-0 home hammering of sixth-placed FC Groningen.

Ajax and Feyenoord away fans face long ban (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Away fans will be banned from matches between Ajax and Feyenoord for the next five years, it was announced on Wednesday.

Advocaat rebuffs approach for Holland return (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Dick Advocaat has ruled out a return to the Eredivisie, denting ADO Den Haag's hopes of luring the coach away from Zenit St Petersburg.

Jonker stands down as coach of Willem II (Feb 18, 2009 03:56 GMT)
Andreas Jonker has resigned as Willem II coach, but will remain at the club as technical director.

Timmer heading for Feyenoord exit (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Feyenoord's Henk Timmer is free to look for another club after being told he will not be the first-choice goalkeeper next season.

Misfiring Ajax insist Van Basten's job is safe (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Ajax coach Marco van Basten has received the equivalent of the dreaded vote confidence after the club's latest defeat in what is rapidly becoming a season to forget for the Amsterdam giants.

Eredivsie: Van Basten and Ajax stung by Vitesse (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The pressure on Ajax coach Marco van Basten moved up a notch on Sunday after his side were thrashed 4-1 at Vitesse Arnhem.

Eredivisie: AZ Alkmaar extend lead at the summit (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AZ Alkmaar increased their lead at the top of the Dutch Eredivisie with a 3-1 home win over Willem II.

Zhou joining PSV Eindhoven in "China's Bosman" (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
China midfielder Zhou Haibin looks set to join PSV Eindhoven in a move that challenges the right of Chinese clubs to retain the registration of out-of-contract players.

AZ go nine nine points clear in Eredivisie (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AZ Alkmaar left it late to see off Roda JC 1-0 on Wednesday night and move nine points clear at the top of the Eredivisie table.

Bouwes: AZ to finally get their reward (Feb 4, 2009 06:46 GMT)
Ernst Bouwes on how AZ Alkmaar are set to end the dominance on Holland's "Big Three".

Eredivisie: Ajax drop more points in title race (Feb 4, 2009 06:43 GMT)
Ajax dropped yet more points in the race for the Eredivisie title as they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home to Heracles Almelo.

Eredivisie: AZ extend lead at the top, PSV stroll (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AZ Alkmaar tightened their grip on the Eredivisie trophy as they extended their lead to nine points with victory at Sparta Rotterdam.


Italian National Team
London bears witness as Brazil outshine Italy (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Kevin Palmer was at the Emirates to watch as Brazil turned on the style to beat Italy.

Lippi going for world record against Brazil (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Italy coach Marcello Lippi will set a world record of 32 matches without defeat if the world champions defeat five-times World Cup winners Brazil in Tuesday's friendly international at the Emirates Stadium.

No Del Piero and no surprises in Italy squad (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Striker Alessandro Del Piero was again overlooked by Marcello Lippi on Saturday when the Italy coach named a squad with no surprises for Tuesday's friendly against Brazil in London.


Italian Serie A
Serie A: Juve win keeps pressure on Inter (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Juventus recovered from their Champions League defeat at Chelsea to add to the pressure on Napoli coach Edoardo Reja with a 1-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico tonight.

Inter to target Argentine Aguero in summer (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Inter Milan's technical director Marco Branca has confrmed Atletico Madrid star Sergio Aguero is on their list of targets for the summer transfer window.

Ancelotti denies he's under pressure after exit (Feb 27, 2009 19:13 GMT)
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti insists he does not fear for his job following his team's unexpected elimination from the UEFA Cup at the hands of Werder Bremen.

Juve's Nedved to retire at end of season (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
After twice backtracking on previous statements of intent, Pavel Nedved has announced his intention to retire from football at the end of the current season in order to make way for younger generation of players.

Inter starlet Santon lauded ahead of Roma test (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Inter Milan defender Davide Santon is out to keep proving that if you are good enough, you are old enough when the Serie A leaders entertain AS Roma on Sunday.

Mannini and Possanzini can appeal drugs ban (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Tuesday it would not stand in the way of an appeal by two Italian footballers banned for a year after turning up late for a 2007 drugs test.

Becks hopeful of "good news" on Milan transfer (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham has hinted that transfer negotiations between AC Milan and Los Angeles Galaxy are making progress.

Milan quash sale rumours (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan denied a media report on Tuesday that the Italian club was in discussions about selling a stake to the Abu Dhabi United Group, owners of English Premier League side Manchester City.

Seedorf fires AC Milan past spirited Cagliari (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Injury-hit AC Milan kept their slender Serie A title hopes alive when a second-half Clarence Seedorf goal secured a 1-0 home win over in-form Cagliari on Sunday.

Inter strengthen Serie A lead after Balotelli fluke (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Substitute Mario Balotelli scored a fluke goal moments after coming on to give Serie A leaders Inter Milan a 2-1 win at Bologna on Saturday.

"We won't increase Beckham offer," insist Milan (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan are not going to meet the Los Angeles Galaxy's asking price for David Beckham, according to vice-president Adriano Galliani.

LA Galaxy chief warns Milan over Beckham (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Los Angeles Galaxy supremo Tim Leiweke has warned AC Milan he "will not be taken for a ride" as the Rossoneri attempt to prise David Beckham away from Major League Soccer.

Milan take "steps forward" in Beckham talks (Feb 19, 2009 22:29 GMT)
David Beckham's permanent move from Los Angeles Galaxy to AC Milan could finally be confirmed by the end of the week with the Italian club revealing they are edging closer to a deal.

Mourinho insists Serie A title is Inter's to lose (Feb 19, 2009 19:56 GMT)
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho believes the only way his team will not win a fourth straight Scudetto is if they ''give it away''.

Serie A: Juve's Amauri vows to respect Palermo (Feb 19, 2009 18:31 GMT)
Juventus striker Amauri has said he will not celebrate if he scores at former club Palermo on Saturday, even if the goal helps boost his side's faltering title challenge.

Milan to offer Beckham a contract until 2010? (Feb 18, 2009 22:18 GMT)
AC Milan director Umberto Gandini is expected to fly out to Los Angeles on Thursday to finally thrash out a deal with LA Galaxy for David Beckham, with sources suggesting the England international will be offered at least an 18-month contract.

Raynor: Juve ready to gamble on Cassano (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Juventus should assess the stakes before taking a gamble on Cassano, says Dominic Raynor.

Beckham's future to be resolved on Friday? (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has said that he expected the David Beckham's future to be decided on Friday.

Milan's Nesta to undergo further back surgery (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Injury-plagued AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta will undergo another back operation on Tuesday to try to save his career.

Juventus confirm interest in Samp's Cassano (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Juventus have confirmed their interest in signing Sampdoria striker Antonio Cassano this summer, after the player was told he could leave the club for €20m.

Becks: It's ''out of my hands'' (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham remains hopeful of extending his stay with AC Milan despite conceding the situation is ''out of his hands''.

Valencia warn Juventus away from Silva (Feb 15, 2009 19:24 GMT)
Valencia president Vicente Soriano has dismissed reports linking Italian giants Juventus with a big-money swoop for David Silva.

Beckham hopes to avoid "difficult" Galaxy return (Feb 15, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham said on Sunday it would be difficult for him to return to Los Angeles Galaxy if his permanent move to AC Milan does not materialise.

Serie A: Dubious Adriano goal seals Milan derby (Feb 15, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Juventus laid siege to the Sampdoria goal for long periods but had to be content with a 1-1 home draw in Serie A on Sunday.

Milan remain hopeful of agreeing deal for Beckham (Feb 14, 2009 22:57 GMT)
AC Milan still hope to sign David Beckham from Los Angeles Galaxy permanently and view the deadline imposed for a deal by Major League Soccer as a "tactic", chief executive Adriano Galliani said on Saturday.

Beckham forced to think again as deadline passes (Feb 14, 2009 18:43 GMT)
David Beckham is set to return to Los Angeles Galaxy next month after head coach Bruce Arena revealed AC Milan failed to produce an "acceptable offer'' before Friday's deadline.

Italy: Late leveller saves point for Lazio (Feb 14, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Serie A top scorer Marco Di Vaio netted his 16th goal of the season to earn lowly Bologna a 1-1 draw at Napoli on Saturday.

Title hopes fire up Maldini for last Milan derby (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini said ambitions to win one more league title have charged him up for Sunday's game against Inter Milan, his last derby before retirement.

Striker Aguero happy to remain with Atletico (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero said he is happy at the Primera Liga club and is not currently thinking about moving on.

Cagliari's Larrivey loaned to Velez for six months (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Cagliari forward Joaquin Larrivey is set to return to Argentina on a six-month loan to Velez Sarsfield.

Beckham waiting for news over permanent move (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham is expected to learn on Friday whether his future lies in Italy or the United States.

Becks will not force Milan switch, says Arena (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Los Angeles Galaxy boss Bruce Arena believes David Beckham will honour his contract if a permanent move to AC Milan fails to come off rather than try to force his way out.

Kaka ready to defy doctors to play in derby (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan playmaker Kaka is bidding to defy medical science to make the squad for a city derby his side almost certainly need to win to keep their dwindling Serie A title hopes alive.

Ancelotti: I won't be joining Chelsea this summer (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Carlo Ancelotti has told Chelsea he will not leave AC Milan to coach the Blues next season.

Zenga gets vote of confidence at Catania (Feb 10, 2009 19:47 GMT)
Catania have given coach Walter Zenga a vote of confidence despite his team's failure to win this year.

Pato still focused on Scudetto despite setback (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato is confident his team can still win the Scudetto despite their latest setback.

Galaxy and Milan begin haggling over Beckham (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan general manager Adriano Galliani admits the Rossoneri's offer for David Beckham is currently a long way off what the Los Angeles Galaxy are demanding.

Serie A: Juve snatch late victory thanks to Poulsen (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Christian Poulsen scored in injury time to give 10-man Juventus a 2-1 win at Catania on Sunday.

Kaka escapes broken foot, but will miss derby (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan playmaker Kaka will miss next weekend's derby against Inter Milan after tests confirmed a foot injury.

Serie A: Figo on target as Inter thrash Lecce (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Luis Figo scored his first goal of the season to help Serie A leaders Inter Milan secure a 3-0 win at struggling Lecce on Saturday.

Galaxy reject AC Milan's opening gambit for Becks (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham will have to return to the Los Angeles Galaxy next month unless AC Milan raise their bid for the England midfielder, according to the chief executive of Galaxy's owners AEG.

Inter: Drogba not part of Quaresma loan (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Inter Milan sporting director Marco Branca has not ruled out a summer move for Didier Drogba and has insisted the club's transfer targets have yet to be identified.

Galaxy boss calm over Beckham exit comments (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena has refused to be drawn on David Beckham's public plea to be allowed to stay at AC Milan.

Serie A: Milan boss wary of upsetting balance (Feb 5, 2009 19:06 GMT)
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti will resist the temptation to move David Beckham into central midfield against Reggina on Saturday as he believes the Englishman is already firing on all cylinders on the right.

Buffon still confident of winning Serie A title (Feb 5, 2009 18:18 GMT)
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes his team can still win the Scudetto despite being seven points adrift of Serie A leaders Inter Milan.

Beckham admits he wants to swap LA for Milan (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
After weeks of speculation David Beckham has finally admitted what many football fans across the globe already suspected: he wants to cut short his time in the MLS with Los Angeles Galaxy and move permanently to Italy's Serie A and European giants AC

Beckham brings in lawyers over Milan move (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan general manager Adriano Galliani has revealed David Beckham's lawyers have started negotiations with Los Angeles Galaxy regarding a permanent move to the San Siro.

Beckham wants to stay, says Milan chief (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan believe David Beckham wants to remain at the club when his short-term loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy comes to end.

''Indispensable'' Mutu praised by Prandelli (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli heaped praised on Adrian Mutu after the Viola striker notched his 100th and 101st Serie A goals.

"Indispensable" Becks in Milan UEFA Cup squad (Feb 2, 2009 16:45 GMT)
AC Milan have confirmed David Beckham has been included on their updated UEFA Cup player list - fuelling speculation they may try to keep him beyond his short-term loan.

Serie A: Beckham stars for Milan, Inter held (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan moved into second place in Serie A on Sunday on the back of a David Beckham-inspired 3-0 victory at Lazio.


Spanish National Team
Del Bosque picks Barca duo for England friendly (Feb 6, 2009 20:49 GMT)
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has named Barcelona youngsters Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets in the national squad for the first time for the friendly against England in Seville on Wednesday.


Spanish Primera División
La Liga: Kanoute bags brace; Real roll on (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Frederic Kanoute scored a stylish double to help third-placed Sevilla to a 2-1 comeback victory at Athletic Bilbao in the Primera Liga on Saturday.

Eto'o eager to sign new contract with Barcelona (Feb 27, 2009 22:49 GMT)
Samuel Eto'o has moved to dampen speculation about his Barcelona future, telling a local TV station he wants to stay at the club beyond the end of his contract in 2010.

Spanish football rocked by cocaine arrests (Feb 27, 2009 20:49 GMT)
Three professional footballers and two football agents have been arrested in Spain after 600 kg of cocaine was seized in Madrid. The arrests were made on Wednesday in Madrid, Valencia and Alicante.

Unpredictable Atletico to test Barca confidence (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Barcelona's creaking confidence has added new life to the Primera Liga title race and all eyes will be on the Calderon on Sunday when the leaders visit the unpredictable Atletico Madrid.

Alvarez: Unexpected hope for Real Madrid (Feb 23, 2009 18:20 GMT)
Eduardo Alvarez on a La Liga weekend when Barcelona showed they are not unbeatable.

La Liga: Villa nets for Valencia then sees red (Feb 22, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Malaga continued their push for a European place with a 3-1 away win at Real Valladolid on Sunday which pushed them up to fifth in the Primera Liga.

La Liga: Real to test Barca's mental strength (Feb 19, 2009 18:26 GMT)
Leaders Barcelona and chasing Real Madrid have spent the week playing mind games with each other after the champions closed the gap on Pep Guardiola's team to 10 points last Sunday.

Laporta shrugs off latest outburst from Eto'o (Feb 19, 2009 18:22 GMT)
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has taken the latest comments from outspoken striker Samuel Eto'o in his stride.

Drenthe plans to stay and fight at Real (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Royston Drenthe insists he is not running scared of playing at the Bernabeu after falling victim to the Real Madrid boo-boys and is adamant he is not looking to quit the Spanish giants.

Barca loses Iniesta's service for a fortnight (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta will be sidelined for around a fortnight, the Primera Liga have confirmed.

Record breaker Raul wants more club success (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Raul has insisted he would happily swap personal acclaim for club success after becoming the leading scorer in Real Madrid history.

Alvarez: New identity for the Armada (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Eduardo Alvarez reports on a change in attitude towards the Spanish national team.

Fan pressure getting to Drenthe (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid winger Royston Drenthe was left out of the last three squads at his own request after being heckled by home fans at the Bernabeu last month, coach Juande Ramos has said.

Ramos: Real not a one-man team (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid coach Juande Ramos praised his side for proving there is life beyond Arjen Robben after dismantling Sporting Gijon to make a slight dent in Barcelona`s lead at the top of the Primera Liga standings.

Betis coach can see green shoots of recovery (Feb 15, 2009 19:22 GMT)
Real Betis coach Paco Chaparro is confident his side are now starting to move in the right direction following a potentially pivotal week.

Guardiola content despite end of winning run (Feb 15, 2009 19:19 GMT)
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola remained in upbeat mood despite seeing his team's winning streak come to an end at Real Betis.

Raul breaks Real Madrid scoring record (Feb 15, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Striker Raul became Real Madrid's all-time top scorer on Sunday when he netted twice for the Primera Liga champions in their 4-0 victory away to Sporting Gijon.

La Liga: Raul breaks Madrid scoring record in rout (Feb 15, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid swept aside Sporting Gijon 4-0 away to cut Barcelona's lead at the top of the Primera back to 10 points on Sunday.

Spain: Eto'o grabs late equaliser at Real Betis (Feb 14, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Samuel Eto'o scored twice to help Barcelona rally from two down to draw 2-2 at Real Betis on Saturday to stretch their Primera Liga lead to 13 points.

Villa focused on Valencia amid transfer talk (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Villa is focused on helping Valencia finish in the top four, amid claims that the striker will be sold in the summer.

Unpaid Valencia try to focus on football (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Valencia's players are keen to prove that money is not their primary concern when Primera Liga upstarts Malaga visit the Mestalla on Saturday.

Van Der Vaart: I will fight on at Madrid (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart admits he has struggled to come to terms with his lack of playing time since his summer move from Hamburg, but has vowed to be patient as he looks to cement a first-team spot.

Huntelaar plays down 'peculiar' exit rumours (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Klaas Jan Huntelaar has dismissed media speculation in Spain that he wants to leave Real Madrid as ''quite peculiar''.

Alvarez: Bread and circuses (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Eduardo Alvarez on how La Liga is providing welcome relief for the people of Spain.

La Liga: Forlan hands Resino perfect Atlético start (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sergio Aguero scored one and created two for Diego Forlan to seal a 3-0 win for Atletico Madrid at Recreativo Huelva on Sunday and give new coach Abel Resino the perfect start in his first match in charge.

La Liga: Higuain strikes as Madrid down Santander (Feb 7, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid continued their impressive winning streak under new coach Juande Ramos tonight, producing another workmanlike performance to see off Racing Santander at the Bernabeu.

La Liga: Betis look to 'saviour' Oliveira for derby (Feb 5, 2009 17:58 GMT)
Real Betis are looking to new signing Ricardo Oliveira to spark a revival, starting with a victory at city rivals Sevilla in the Primera Liga on Saturday.

Real record holder Raul talks about retirement (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid veteran Raul has revealed he will start thinking about when to retire at the end of next season.

Atletico sack Aguirre as Resino comes in (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Atletico Madrid have confirmed they have parted company with coach Javier Aguirre and reached an agreement for Abel Resino to take his place.

Guardiola delighted as Barcelona's run goes on (Feb 2, 2009 17:22 GMT)
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola felt his side were full value for their win over Racing Santander even though the runaway Primera Liga leaders had to do it the hard way before recording their 18th league victory in 19 matches.

Aguirre defiant despite Atletico's struggles (Feb 2, 2009 17:20 GMT)
Atletico Madrid coach Javier Aguirre remains determined to see the job through despite finding himself under increasing pressure following a miserable start to 2009.

Real lack sparkle, says Madrid legend Di Stefano (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid's honorary president Alfredo di Stefano has criticised the team for lacking sparkle despite six consecutive victories in the Primera Liga.

Brazilian striker Oliveira returns to Real Betis (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Betis secured the deadline day signing of Brazilian striker Ricardo Oliveira from Real Zaragoza on Saturday, the Primera Liga club said.


Europe
Advocaat dismisses Russian job speculation (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Dick Advocaat has dismissed speculation he is set to take over from Guus Hiddink as coach of the Russian national team.

Gerets delighted with Marseille after shootout win (Feb 27, 2009 19:09 GMT)
Marseille coach Eric Gerets declared it a "great day for the club" after seeing his side defeat FC Twente on penalties to qualify for the last 16 of the UEFA Cup.

Portugal: Bruised Sporting face acid test at home (Feb 27, 2009 16:21 GMT)
Sporting must put their midweek Champions League thrashing by Bayern Munich behind them to maintain their hopes of wresting the title from Porto when they visit the Portuguese league leaders on Saturday.

UEFA Cup last 16 draw (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Draw for the last 16 of the UEFA Cup.

Norway and Sweden signal Euro 2016 interest (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Norway and Sweden said on Thursday they would notify UEFA of their interest in bidding to host the European soccer championship in 2016.

Iceland stalwart Gudjonsson quits for politics (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Iceland international and Bundesliga player Thordur Gudjonsson announced plans on Wednesday to stand for his country's parliament.

O'Neill to consult fans on 'reserve side' selection (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has defended his decision to axe virtually all of his stars ahead of Thursday's UEFA Cup return with CSKA Moscow.

Sivasspor upsetting the order (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jon Carter considers whether Sivasspor can continue thier incredible rise in Turkey.

Bulgarian clubs fume after league games cancelled (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bulgarian clubs were up in arms over the Bulgarian Football Union's (BFU) decision to postpone the re-start of the domestic championship by one week because of bad weather.

O'Neill hits back at Zico (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Martin O'Neill has insisted Aston Villa are not one-dimensional in the way they play as he hit back at comments from his CSKA Moscow counterpart and UEFA Cup rival Zico.

Villa call on reserves (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has left eight of his regular first team players out of the squad for the UEFA Cup second leg clash away to CSKA Moscow on Thursday.

Turkish champs Galatasaray sack coach Skibbe (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Turkish champions Galatasaray sacked German coach Michael Skibbe on Monday following a disappointing run of results, the club said on their website.

La Liga: Espanyol shock Barca in Catalan derby (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bottom club Espanyol stunned leaders Barcelona 2-1 at the Nou Camp while chasing Real Madrid ran riot with a 6-1 home win over Real Betis in the Primera Liga on Saturday.

Hughes: Euro draw won't dent City confidence (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes believes his side can return to domestic business with confidence after being involved in UEFA Cup action.

Dawson still upbeat despite UEFA Cup defeat (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur defender Michael Dawson is refusing to give up on the club's UEFA Cup hopes despite Thursday night's 2-0 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Werder disappointed not to claim lead over Milan (Feb 19, 2009 19:28 GMT)
Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf claimed his side deserved more out of their UEFA Cup tie with AC Milan.

Depor coach hopeful despite three goal deficit (Feb 19, 2009 18:24 GMT)
Deportivo La Coruna coach Miguel Angel Lotina insists his side's UEFA Cup dream is still intact despite suffering a second half mauling by AaB Aalborg in the first leg of their last-32 tie.

Man City boss Hughes eager for European glory (Feb 19, 2009 16:29 GMT)
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is taking nothing for granted as his side prepare to face Copenhagen in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup.

Redknapp to turn to youth in UEFA Cup (Feb 19, 2009 16:25 GMT)
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is fearful of losing players to injury against Shakhtar Donetsk on a pitch he deems unfit for non-league football.

Solbakken: Hughes has toughest job in Britain (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has been told he has the toughest job in Britain.

UEFA Cup: Zenit shake off rust, Metalist shock (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
UEFA Cup holders Zenit St Petersburg shook off the rust to win the first leg of their last-32 showdown with Stuttgart 2-1.

Man City are killing football - Copenhagen boss (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
FC Copenhagen coach Ståle Solbakken has stirred things up ahead of his team's UEFA Cup clash with Manchester City by claiming the Premier League are "destroying football" with their unrealistic ambitions.

Belgium: Standard move clear at the top (Feb 15, 2009 19:12 GMT)
Standard Liege extended their lead at the top of the Jupiler League with a 4-0 victory over AFC Tubize.

Bundesliga: Arminia Bielefeld shock Bremen (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Werder Bremen's erratic season continued on Sunday when they were beaten 2-1 at home by Arminia Bielefeld to remain 10th in the Bundesliga standings.

Bulgarian FA chief charged with embezzlement (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bulgarian champions CSKA Sofia's president Alexandar Tomov has been charged with embezzlement and document fraud.

Beckham: Milan move is all about the football (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham wants to stay with AC Milan for sporting reasons and has said that the financial side of any potential transfer does not concern him.

Larsson agrees to play for Helsingborg in 2009 (Feb 5, 2009 23:31 GMT)
Striker Henrik Larsson has agreed to continue playing for Swedish first division club Helsingborg during 2009, the club said on Thursday.

Bilbao coach Caparros happy with first leg efforts (Feb 5, 2009 19:52 GMT)
Athletic Bilbao coach Joaquin Caparros was in upbeat mood despite seeing his side surrender a half-time lead to lose the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final against Sevilla.

Blanc will not underestimate Vannes in Cup final (Feb 5, 2009 18:16 GMT)
Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc will ensure his team do not underestimate Vannes OC when they meet the tournament's surprise package in the Coupe de la Ligue final in April.

Kezman to face PSG board after shirt rage (Feb 5, 2009 16:39 GMT)
Mateja Kezman has been summoned to appear before the Paris St Germain board to explain his angry shirt-throwing gesture during Wednesday night's 3-0 defeat by Bordeaux in the Coupe de la Ligue semi-final at the Parc des Princes.

Late strike gives Sevilla edge in King's Cup (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Argentine striker Lautaro Acosta scored an injury-time winner to give Sevilla a 2-1 victory at home to Athletic Bilbao in their King's Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

Juve beat Napoli on pens to reach Cup semis (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Juventus beat Napoli 4-3 on penalties at home on Wednesday after a goalless draw to book a meeting with Lazio in the Italian Cup semi-finals.

Bordeaux beat PSG to reach League Cup final (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Girondins Bordeaux reached the French League Cup final with a 3-0 away thrashing of Paris St Germain on Wednesday.

Juventus aim for Coppa joy against Napoli (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Juventus will look to put their Serie A woes behind them when they host Napoli with a place in the Coppa Italia semi-finals up for grabs.

Chamakh back for Bordeaux for French Cup (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh will return from suspension for tomorrow's Coupe de la Ligue semi-final against holders Paris St Germain at the Parc des Princes.

Resurgent Athletic eyeing spot in Cup final (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Striker Fernando Llorente has been at the heart of Athletic Bilbao's resurgence and his goals have filled the Basque club with confidence for their King's Cup semi-final first leg with Sevilla on Wednesday.

La Liga: Messi double gives Barca narrow win (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Lionel Messi came off the bench to score twice in the second half for Primera Liga leaders Barcelona who survived two late dismissals to win 2-1 at Racing Santander on Sunday.

Australia officially announce World Cup candidature (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Australia officially joined the race to host either the 2018 or 2022 soccer World Cups on Sunday.


UEFA Champions League
Rio backing United to get the better of Inter (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Rio Ferdinand admits Manchester United were disappointed not to have scored against Inter Milan but he remains confident they can complete the victory at old Trafford.

Juve's Camoranesi sidelined with fractured rib (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Italy midfielder Mauro Camoranesi is likely to miss the second leg of Juventus's Champions League last 16 tie with Chelsea after fracturing a rib, the Serie A club said.

Gotta: England v Italy, Parte Uno (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Roberto Gotta shares his thoughts on watching Italian teams take on the English.

Real Madird boss Ramos praises Liverpool defence (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid coach Juande Ramos praised Liverpool's defence for a job well done after seeing his side's Champions League hopes take a dive at the Bernabeu.

Shocked Rafa "not thinking of resigning" (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Rafael Benitez is confident of making progress in discussions over his Liverpool contract after Wednesday night's 1-0 Champions League last-16 first-leg victory over Real Madrid.

Buffon optimistic of UCL progress despite loss (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Gianluigi Buffon is hopeful Juventus will reach the Champions League quarter-finals, although he admits they have a tough task ahead of them against Chelsea.

Hiddink warns Chelsea of Juve backlash (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Guus Hiddink has warned Chelsea not to underestimate the challenge that faces them in Turin in the away leg of their Champions League against Juventus despite beating the Italian side 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening.

Ronaldo confident United will finish off Inter (Feb 26, 2009 00:00 GMT)
Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted the club are on track for the Champions League quarter-finals after being held to a 0-0 draw by Inter Milan in the San Siro.

Mourinho: Rearguard action was a necessary tactic (Feb 25, 2009 23:50 GMT)
Jose Mourinho has revealed he had to play a rearguard action against Manchester United at the San Siro to protect his team from conceding a crucial away goals.

Rafa dismisses quit speculation after famous win (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Rafael Benitez moved to end speculation over his future as manager in the aftermath of his side's impressive 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Bernabeu.

Hiddink hails Drogba after battling performance (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Guus Hiddink insists he has never had a problem with goal hero Didier Drogba's commitment or motivation since taking over as interim coach at Stamford Bridge.

The real Cheslea stands up (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Insider watched Drogba do his best to make new boss Hiddink look like a magician.

Benitez's Real "signing" Raúl eyes retirement (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has stoked the Real Madrid furnace ahead of Wednesday evening's Champions League clash at the Bernabeu by taking credit for signing Raúl, Real's club captain and all-time leading scorer.

Puel delighted with Lyon's first-leg showing (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Lyon coach Claude Puel had nothing but praise for his side after seeing them come close to defeating Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last-32 tie.

Resino hopes for better after Porto escape (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Atletico Madrid coach Abel Resino has promised a better performance from his side in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Porto, although he did not believe they were outclassed in the 2-2 first leg draw.

Guardiola takes lesson from hard-won draw (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola feels his side could have learned a valuable lesson from Tuesday's Champions League encounter with Lyon where the Spanish giants were given a first-half footballing masterclass by the French outfit.

Madrid's Pepe looking to outmuscle Torres (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid defender Pepe has issued a warning to Fernando Torres ahead of his trip to the Bernabeu on Wednesday, claiming he loves the physical side of the game.

Ramos focused on Liverpool, not future (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Juande Ramos would not be drawn on speculation that his long-term future at Real Madrid could depend on the outcome of their Champions League last 16 showdown with Liverpool.

Liverpool await decision on Gerrard fitness (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool will know this morning whether Steven Gerrard will be able to lead them into their toughest Champions League clash of the season when they take on Real Madrid on Wednesday evening.

Jose denies he snubbed Fergie at San Siro (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho may not have shaken hands after Tuesday's Champions League tie between their respective clubs and certainly disagreed about the quality of Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo but Inter Milan's boss insists the pa

Ferguson shrugs off missed chances in Milan (Feb 25, 2009 07:47 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson predicted Manchester United will overcome Inter Milan in the return leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Wenger rues Arsenal's profligacy in front of goal (Feb 25, 2009 07:17 GMT)
Arsene Wenger admitted his "regret'' that Arsenal had not finished off Roma in their Champions League last-16 clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Drogba sets sights on final (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba already has his sights set on the Champions League final ahead of Wednesday night's last-16 first-leg clash with Juventus.

Vialli: Hiddink bad news for Juve (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Gianluca Vialli believes the appointment of Guus Hiddink as Chelsea coach makes Juventus' Champions League last-16 clash even more difficult.

Inter skipper Zanetti undaunted by United test (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti believes Manchester United are "one of the strongest teams in Europe", but insists the Italians will be able to compete with them on Tuesday night.

Spalletti dismisses Roma hoodoo in England (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti has backed his side to end their hoodoo on English soil at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

Fergie: Inter tie can be won and lost on Tuesday (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced the decisive blow in Manchester United's eagerly-awaited Champions League tie with Inter Milan will be struck in the San Siro on Tuesday night.

United defensive crisis deepens ahead of Inter tie (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United's injury crisis has deepend ahead of their Champions League last 16 first-leg tie against Inter Milan at the San Siro, as Brazilian defender Rafael Da Silva failed to board the team's flight to Milan.

Gerrard included in Reds' squad (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been included in the squad to face Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

Fergie praise for Benzema (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said that he has great admiration for Lyon striker Karim Benzema.

Palmer: Zlatan not overawed by United riches (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic tells Kevin Palmer he has total faith that Inter can plot a way past Manchester United.

Cannavaro issues rallying cry ahead of Reds tie (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fabio Cannavaro has called on Real Madrid to ''play smart'' in their Champions League last-16 tie against Liverpool.

Lampard: I owe Ranieri for improving my game (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Frank Lampard has said that he owes former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri a debt of gratitude for bringing him to Stamford Bridge and can't wait to meet him again when Juventus visit in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Jose: United not untouchable (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jose Mourinho has laughed off Arsene Wenger's claim that Manchester United are ''untouchable'' on their current form, claiming that his Inter side will beat the Red Devils on Tuesday in their Champions League encounter.

Beckham: United must tame Inter strikers (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham has warned Manchester United to keep an eye on Adriano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic when they face Inter Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday.

Ferguson hails Mourinho (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed Jose Mourinho as one of the best coaches in the world ahead of Manchester United's UEFA Champions League clash with Inter Milan on Tuesday.

Palmer: Messi has a point to prove (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Kevin Palmer speaks to Barca's Lionel Messi ahead of the Champions League's return.

Confident Mourinho reminds United of his 'quality' (Feb 21, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jose Mourinho feels his personal success against Manchester United offers Inter Milan every reason to be confident of knocking the holders out of this season's Champions League.

Alonso targets crucial away goal in Bernabeu (Feb 19, 2009 19:49 GMT)
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has stressed the importance of trying to score an away goal in next week's Champions League showdown with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Liverpool make Hillsborough request to UEFA (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool have asked UEFA to bring forward the date of their potential Champions League quarter-final second leg to avoid a clash with the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

Robben on a revenge mission against Liverpool (Feb 18, 2009 03:52 GMT)
Arjen Robben has some old scores to settle when Real Madrid meet Liverpool in the first knockout round of the Champions League, which returns next week.

Juve keeper Buffon wary of Chelsea backlash (Feb 10, 2009 16:53 GMT)
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes Luiz Felipe Scolari's dismissal will turn Chelsea into even tougher opposition in their Champions League clash.

Spanish court rejects Marseille fan jail appeal (Feb 5, 2009 08:00 GMT)
A Spanish court has rejected an appeal lodged by an Olympique Marseille fan sentenced to jail in Spain for assaulting a police officer during a Champions League match at Atletico Madrid in October.


Global
Antlers pick up season-opening Super Cup win (Feb 28, 2009 08:00 GMT)
J. League champions Kashima Antlers won the season-opening Super Cup after beating Emperor's Cup winners Gamba Osaka 3-0 at Tokyo National Stadium.

Argentina tries high-tech solution to violence (Feb 27, 2009 22:51 GMT)
Argentina is to introduce a high-tech identity card scheme in place of old-fashioned paper tickets and turnstiles in an ambitious attempt to fight the country's notorious soccer hooligans.

Bravo set to return to Tigers from Deportivo (Feb 27, 2009 22:46 GMT)
Deportivo La Coruna forward Omar Bravo is poised for a return to his native Mexico to join Tigres on a four-month loan deal with a view to a permanent move.

FIFA rule makers mull extra refs, sin-bins (Feb 27, 2009 19:04 GMT)
FIFA's lawmakers meet on Saturday to discuss changes to soccer's rulebook including extra referees, sin-bins for yellow card offences and increasing the number of substitutions during a match.

FIFA's International Football Association Board (Feb 27, 2009 19:03 GMT)
FIFA's International Football Association Board (IFAB) will discuss on Saturday changes to soccer's rulebook including extra referees, sin-bins for yellow card offences and increasing the number of substitutions.

Concacaf: Islanders battle back for Marathon win (Feb 27, 2009 16:19 GMT)
Puerto Rico Islanders came back from a goal down to defeat Honduras side Marathon 2-1 in the first-leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final clash.

Libertadores Cup: Libertad maintain perfect start (Feb 27, 2009 16:18 GMT)
Paraguayan champions Libertad recorded their second consecutive Copa Libertadores win with a 1-0 triumph at Mexican side San Luis to move clear at the top of Group Eight.

Brazil: International make it through to state final (Feb 27, 2009 16:17 GMT)
A 2-0 victory over Novo Hamburgo saw Porto Alegre side International qualify for the final of the Rio Grande do Sul's state tournament.

Singapore: Home United ease to 3-0 victory (Feb 27, 2009 16:16 GMT)
Home United scored three second-half goals to beat Balestier Khalsa 3-0 and in the process remain within touching distance of the early S.League leaders.

Victory striker Allsopp wary of Adelaide (Feb 27, 2009 16:15 GMT)
Melbourne Victory forward Danny Allsopp has warned his team-mates not to underestimate opponents Adelaide United when the two sides meet again in the A-League Grand Final.

Luxemburgo praises "crafty" players for bans (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Palmeiras coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo has praised three of his players for getting booked and picking up one-match suspensions.

Cruzeiro held by strike-hit Deportivo Quito (Feb 26, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Strike-plagued Ecuadorean champions Deportivo Quito snatched an injury-time equaliser to hold Cruzeiro to a 1-1 draw in the Libertadores Cup on Wednesday after the Brazilians had two players sent off.

Four in line for poisoned chalice of China (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Four Chinese coaches are being given a three-day grilling to see which one of them will be handed the dubious honour of taking charge of the national team.

Dasey: Adelaide's big ask in Grand Final (Feb 25, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jason Dasey thinks that Melbourne holds the edge over Adelaide in the A-League Grand Final.

Caruso becomes Racing Club's latest coach (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Racing Club named outspoken Ricardo Caruso Lombardi as their new coach on Tuesday, the 16th man to take charge at the hugely popular but troubled Argentine side in the last 10 years.

Simeone turns down chance to join Racing (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Argentina captain Diego Simeone has rejected an offer to return to Racing Club as coach, leaving Ricardo Caruso Lombardi as the favourite for the role.

Gremio coach targets Libertadores as main goal (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Gremio coach Celso Roth has prioritised the Copa Libertadores over the local state championship as he focuses on winning a third title.

Lapuente sacked as UANL coach after defeat (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Mexico coach Manuel Lapuente was fired by Tigres UANL on Sunday, one day after his team lost 3-2 at home to America in the Mexican Clausura championship.

River back on form after win over Banfield (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
River Plate joined Newell's Old Boys, Colon and Godoy Cruz at the top of the Clausura table in Argentina after recording a 2-0 win over Banfield.

Santos win over nine-man Botafogo to go fourth (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fabao scored the only goal as 10-man Santos posted a 1-0 win over nine-man Botafogo to move up to fourth place in the Sao Paulo state championship.

Solano taken to hospital with dehydration (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Peru captain Nolberto Solano was rushed to hospital after feeling unwell following Universitario's 1-0 win over San Lorenzo in the Libertadores Cup on Thursday.

Seven players sent off following Brazilian brawl (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Seven players were sentoff after a ferocious brawl sparked by a goal celebration in a Brazilian match.

Universitario Copa victory (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Nolberto Solano converted a penalty to lead Peruvians Universitario to a shock 1-0 win over Argentina's San Lorenzo in the South American Libertadores Cup on Thursday.

The week that was: Feb 13-19 (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jon Carter on a week where Raul racked up a record and Bendtner made a fool of himself.

Palermo on the verge of Boca Juniors history (Feb 19, 2009 23:35 GMT)
Striker Martin Palermo will make history as Boca Juniors' leading scorer if he nets a goal in Sunday's Clausura's third round meeting with Lanus.

Mexico: Toluca snatch late win, Necaxa red mist (Feb 19, 2009 20:42 GMT)
Holders Toluca continued their excellent run in the Clausura championship by winning 2-1 at Guadalajara while struggling Necaxa finished with eight men in a 3-0 defeat at Monterrey.

Angolan stadium highlights haves and have nots (Feb 19, 2009 16:23 GMT)
In a year in which Angola's two main exports - oil and diamonds - have plunged, a scene on the outskirts of the capital city of Luanda defies the notion of scaling back in bad times.

Copa do Brasil: Vasco romp into second round (Feb 19, 2009 16:17 GMT)
Vasco da Gama advanced to second round of the Copa do Brasil after recording a 4-1 win over Flamengo.

Libertadores: Borges salvages draw for Sao Paulo (Feb 19, 2009 16:15 GMT)
Striker Borges scored with a bicycle kick three minutes into injury-time to help Brazilian champions Sao Paulo salvage a 1-1 draw at home to Independiente Medellin in their opening Libertadores Cup game on Wednesday.

Libertadores: LDU begin defence with victory (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Ecuador's LDU began their defence of the Libertadores Cup title by beating Palmeiras 3-2 on Tuesday, ending their opponents' run of nine straight wins this year.

Koreans demand apology from Asian boss (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
South Korea's soccer federation on Tuesday demanded an apology from Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam for what they interpreted as an insult to one of their top officials.

Bahraini blasts 'unacceptable' AFC chief (Feb 17, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Bahrain's soccer chief has hit back at Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam after being accused of leading a clandestine plot to oust the Qatari.

New Santos boss: Shape up or ship out (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Vanger Mancini took over as coach of Brazil's Santos on Monday, facing the task of bringing order to a team reportedly hit by internal wrangling.

Keirrison talks up Palmeiras' Copa chances (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Palmeiras striker Keirrison insists the Copa Libertadores holds no fear for his team-mates as they prepare to face defending champions Liga Deportiva Universitaria in Group One.

Asia chief Bin Hammam to quit if he loses seat (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam has vowed to step down if he fails to retain his seat on the FIFA executive committee in elections this May.

Flu and Botafogo progress to Taca Guanabara (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Fluminense and Botafogo have joined Flamengo in the semi-finals of the Taca Guanabara - the first of the two tournaments that form the Campeonato Carioca.

River Plate hit back to find form in Clausura (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
River Plate overcame a one-goal deficit to beat Rosario Central 2-1 and remain unbeaten after two rounds of the Argentinian Clausura.

Nacional come from behind to claim Apertura title (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Nacional came from a goal down to beat Danubio 2-1 and in the process clinch the Apertura title.

Corinthians to end stay at the Estadio Morumbi (Feb 15, 2009 23:40 GMT)
Andres Sanches insists Corinthians will not play any more home games at the Estadio Morumbi after he was re-elected as president of the Brazilian giants.

Mexico: Atlas win first game under La Volpe (Feb 15, 2009 21:34 GMT)
Atlas beat Atlante 1-0 in the Mexican Clausura championship to give former Mexico coach Ricardo La Volpe his first win after returning for a second spell at the club.

Board backs Vidmar after amazing outburst (Feb 15, 2009 19:17 GMT)
Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar has recieved the backing of the A-League club's board following his controversial comments after the play-off defeat by Melbourne Victory.

Argentina: Newell's Old Boys down Boca (Feb 15, 2009 19:15 GMT)
Newell's Old Boys claimed their second consecutive win with a 2-0 triumph at defending champions Boca Juniors to go top of the fledgling Clausura table.

Brazil: Evandro seals victory for Palmeiras (Feb 15, 2009 19:13 GMT)
Evandro`s goal helped Palmeiras edge past Paulista 1-0 and record their seventh consecutive win in the Sao Paulo state tournament.

Melbourne march into A-League Grand Final (Feb 15, 2009 00:24 GMT)
A superb performance from Carlos Hernandez helped Melbourne Victory secure a dominant 4-0 win over 10-man Adelaide United to progress to the A-League Grand Final.

Racing blown away by force of Huracan (Feb 14, 2009 19:59 GMT)
Huracan came from behind to destroy traditional Argentinian giants Racing 4-1 to move top of the table after the Clausura second round.

Boca suffer shock defeat to Newell's (Feb 14, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Argentine champions Boca Juniors slumped to a shock 2-0 home defeat by Newell's Old Boys on Saturday as striker Martin Palermo made his comeback after a six-month layoff.

Botafogo through to semis of Taca Guanabara (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Botafogo booked their place in the semi-finals of the Taca Guanabara, the first stage of the Rio de Janeiro state tournament, after destroying Friburguense 5-1 away from home.

Buonanotte saves River in Copa Libertadores (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Diego Buonanotte was the saviour for Argentinian giants River Plate as his stoppage-time winner gave his side a 1-0 win over Nacional of Paraguay in the opening round of the Copa Libertadores.

Eriksson gets full backing from Mexican federation (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Beleaguered Mexico coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was given the full backing of the country's football federation on Thursday, one day after a 2-0 defeat away to arch-rivals the United States in a World Cup qualifier.

Late winner spoils Solano's scoring debut (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Paraguayan champions Libertad netted a late winner in a 2-1 victory over Universitario in a Libertadores Cup tie on Wednesday, the win spoiling Peru captain Nolberto Solano's goal-scoring debut for the visitors.

America name Ramirez to replace Diaz (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Troubled Mexican club America named Jesus Ramirez as their fifth coach in a year on Wednesday after Ramon Diaz was fired a day earlier.

Anyone can claim Copa glory (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sam Kelly previews the Copa Libertadores and says any team has the potential to win it.

Real Madrid the richest soccer team (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid remains the top moneymaking soccer team in the world, beating out European and English champion Manchester United due to the plunging pound, according to the latest review of the sport's finances.

Depor Tachira shock Guarani in Copa opener (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Venezuela's Deportivo Tachira surprisingly beat Paraguay's Guarani 2-1 to kick-off their Copa Libertadores group two campaign in style.

Big-spending Mexicans America fire coach Diaz (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Mexican club America, who spent around $20 million on reinforcements in the mid-season break, fired coach Ramon Diaz on Tuesday after a poor start to the Clausura championship.

Newcastle Jets sign Costanzo on one-year contract (Feb 10, 2009 16:32 GMT)
The Newcastle Jets have signed experienced defender Angelo Costanzo on a one-year deal from fellow A-League side Adelaide United.

Mariners sign Rizzo ahead of Champions League (Feb 10, 2009 16:30 GMT)
Central Coast Mariners have signed former Perth Glory midfielder Nick Rizzo ahead of the upcoming maiden Asian Champions League campaign.

River stuck in unfamiliar territory (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
What turned River from title winners to the worst side in Argentina? Jon Carter finds out.

Galekovic: ''I'm aiming for South Africa'' (Feb 10, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jason Dasey speaks to Socceroo and Adelaide 'keeper Eugene Galekovic.

Palmeiras thrash Santos to maintain perfect start (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Palmeiras won their seventh straight game of the 2009 season by thrashing Santos 4-1 in the Paulista championship on Sunday.

Flamengo through to Taca Guanabara semi-finals (Feb 8, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Flamengo secured a 2-1 victory at Macae to progress to the Taca Guanabara semi-finals in the Campeonato Carioca on Saturday.

Iraq sack coach who won 2007 Asian Cup (Feb 6, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jorvan Vieira, who led Iraq to a surprise Asian Cup triumph in 2007, has been sacked after his team's poor performance at last month's Gulf Cup.

Libertadores: Palmeiras pull off win to progress (Feb 5, 2009 20:48 GMT)
Vanderlei Luxemburgo's Palmeiras qualified for the group stage of the South American Libertadores Cup by winning 2-0 to Real Potosi in a match played at 4,000 metres above sea level.

Ze Roberto on target as Flamengo's run goes on (Feb 5, 2009 16:41 GMT)
Debutant Ze Roberto scored as Flamengo secured their fourth win in as many games by defeating Mesquita 4-1 to take sole lead of Group B of the first stage of the Campeonato Carioca in Rio de Janeiro.

Three more sides seal places in Copa Libertadores (Feb 5, 2009 16:40 GMT)
Argentina's Estudiantes, Brazil's Palmeiras and Universidad de Chile qualified for the Copa Libertadores group stage.

First new stadium ready for World Cup 2010 (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Pretoria stadium Loftus Versfeld will become the first of 10 venues for the 2010 World Cup to open for action when it hosts a South African Premier Soccer League match on Saturday.

Czech coach Lavicka accepts Sydney FC post (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sydney FC have appointed Czech Vitezslav Lavicka as their new coach.

Bahraini in bid to unseat Bin Hammam at FIFA (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam is facing an unprecedented challenge to his reign after Bahrain's soccer chief launched a bid to unseat him from FIFA's executive committee.

Long-serving Iraq coach takes over as Jordan boss (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Former Iraq coach Adnan Hamad has taken over as boss of Jordan after last week's dismissal of Portuguese Nelo Vingada.

Libertadores: Penarol knocked out in preliminaries (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Five-times former champions Penarol were knocked out of the Libertadores Cup in the preliminary round on Tuesday when they were held to a goalless draw at home to Independiente Medellin in the second leg.

Fowler joins A-League new boys North Queensland (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
North Queensland Fury have completed the capture of former England striker Robbie Fowler for their debut A-League season.

UEFA chief Platini backs Olympics age limit change (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
UEFA president Michel Platini has backed FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter's call for the football competition at the 2012 London Olympics to be contested by under-20 squads.

Paraguay postpone fixtures after bus crash (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Paraguayan Football Association have postponed this weekend's Apertura fixtures because of the deaths of a Club 2 de Mayo player and a club official on Saturday.

Dasey: Queensland's old and new (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Jason Dasey previews what promises to be an enthralling climax to the A-League season.

Angola gets $1bn facelift for soccer tournament (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Oil-rich Angola hopes to erase the world's memory of it as a place torn by almost three decades of civil war with a $1bn makeover to host the 2010 African Nations Cup soccer tournament.

Brazil: Kleber hits post four times in 13 minutes (Feb 2, 2009 17:10 GMT)
Santos striker Kleber Pereira hit the post four times in an extraordinary 13 minutes of bad luck as his side went down to a shock 2-0 defeat to Ituano on Sunday.

Paraguay's stadium shut after fatal accident (Feb 2, 2009 17:09 GMT)
Paraguay's national soccer stadium, the Defensores del Chaco, has been closed indefinitely after two policemen were killed in an accident, the head of the country's football association said Monday.

Argentina: Boca defeat nine-man River Plate (Feb 2, 2009 17:07 GMT)
A youthful Boca Juniors side eased to a comfortable 2-0 victory over nine man River Plate in a pre-season Superclasico.

Monterroso resigns as manager of Guatemala (Feb 2, 2009 17:04 GMT)
Benjamin Monterroso has resigned as coach of Guatemala after failing to guide the team to the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Corinthians hammer Oeste to climb to the top (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Corinthians hammered 10-man Oeste 4-1 and climbed to the top of the Campeonato Paulista.

Jordan sack Vingada after poor start to Asian Cup (Feb 1, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Jordan Football Association have announced that they have sacked coach Nelo Vingada following Jordan's disappointing start to their 2011 Asian Cup qualifying campaign.


World Cup 2010
Paraguay could pick Argentina-born Ortigoza (Feb 27, 2009 22:47 GMT)
Paraguay boss Gerardo Martino is interested in calling up Argentina-born midfielder Nestor Ortigoza.

Da Rosa earns call-up back into Bolivia squad (Feb 27, 2009 22:44 GMT)
San Jose forward Alex Da Rosa has earned his first call-up to the Bolivia squad in almost five years.

Joint 2018 bid risky says England marketing chief (Feb 24, 2009 08:00 GMT)
England's rivals to host the 2018 World Cup may be taking a risk by launching a joint bid, according to a senior England bid figure today.

Solskjaer: I turned down Norway job offer (Feb 23, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed he turned down the chance to become Norway coach following the recent resignation of Aage Hareide.

Tickets for 2010 World Cup in S.Africa go on sale (Feb 20, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Tickets for the 2010 World Cup went on sale on the internet and in bank branches around South Africa on Friday, with organisers declaring it was irrevocable proof that the finals would go ahead in the country.

Sven gets vote of confidence from Mexican FA (Feb 20, 2009 00:24 GMT)
Mexican Football Federation president Justino Compean has insisted Sven-Goran Eriksson's position as coach of El Tri is not at risk.

World Cup ticket sellers hope to beat recession (Feb 18, 2009 08:00 GMT)
FIFA is it can buck the global recession by selling out every match for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Saudi Arabia announce Peseiro as new coach (Feb 18, 2009 03:53 GMT)
Saudi Arabia have named Portuguese Jose Peseiro as coach after the resignation of Nasser Al Johar, the official news agency SPA reported on Tuesday.

Pizarro wants to play again for Peru (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Claudio Pizarro still wants to play for Peru despite falling out with national team coach Jose del Solar and the country's football federation.

Sunderland's Yorke chooses country over club (Feb 16, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Dwight Yorke has risked incurring the wrath of Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia after insisting he will take a full part in the build-up to Trinidad and Tobago's World Cup qualifiers next month.

Dasey: Verbeek's luck is in (Feb 15, 2009 23:01 GMT)
Jason Dasey chats to Australia coach Pim Verbeek with a World Cup place in view.

Al Johar quits as coach of Saudi Arabia (Feb 15, 2009 19:29 GMT)
Nasser Al Johar has resigned as coach of Saudi Arabia after a poor run of form in 2010 World Cup qualifiers, the country's soccer federation has announced.

Sporting's Liedson to apply for Portuguese passport (Feb 15, 2009 00:27 GMT)
Sporting Lisbon forward Liedson is to apply for a Portuguese passport which would qualify him to play for national team.

No surprises in Bolivia squad for Mexico match (Feb 14, 2009 19:58 GMT)
Bolivia coach Erwin Sanchez has sprung no majors surprises with his selection of a 21-man provisional squad ahead of the upcoming friendly against Mexico.

Mendoza handed one-year ban for doping (Feb 14, 2009 19:56 GMT)
Honduras international Sergio Mendoza has been given a one-year ban for testing positive for doping, FIFA have announced.

Argentina's Heinze considers retiring after 2010 (Feb 13, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Gabriel Heinze will retire should he be part of a winning Argentina side at next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Trapattoni exciting by improving Ireland side (Feb 12, 2009 23:39 GMT)
Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni admits even he is getting excited about his adopted country's World Cup adventure.

South Africa coach wants tougher tests (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
South Africa's 2-0 defeat to Chile came as no surprise to coach Joel Santana and he wants the team to get used to playing similar opposition if the World Cup hosts are to be competitive at the 2010 finals.

Time running out for Sven as Mexico crash (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Sven-Goran Eriksson admitted time was not on his side after his Mexico team lost 2-0 to the United States in a World Cup qualifier in Columbus.

Bellamy involved in row with Wales fan (Feb 12, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Wales captain Craig Bellamy had to be led away from a row with a fan after his side's 1-0 defeat to Poland.

Friendlies: France and Germany fall to defeats (Feb 11, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Eduardo da Silva marked his return from injury by setting up Niko Kranjcar's winner in Croatia's 2-1 victory over Romania.

Internationals: Queiroz wants players to fight (Feb 10, 2009 22:03 GMT)
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz has reminded his players there are still squad places up for grabs as they begin preparations for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers with a friendly against Finland.

Socceroos to honour bushfire victims v Japan (Feb 10, 2009 19:56 GMT)
Australia's players will wear black armbands when they play Japan in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier to honour the victims of their nation's worst bushfires.

Bellamy faces race to be fit for Wales friendly (Feb 10, 2009 16:48 GMT)
A make-or-break training session on Tuesday will probably decide whether Wales skipper Craig Bellamy figures in the friendly with Poland.

Crunch time for Eriksson as Mexico coach (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Beleaguered Mexico coach Sven-Goran Eriksson faces his toughest game yet when his off-form team visit arch rivals United States on Wednesday for a World Cup qualifier.

Japan's Nakamura out to stop surging Socceroos (Feb 9, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura believes halting the perfect run of Group 1 leaders Australia in 2010 World Cup qualifying this week will be neither easy or pretty.

Platini wants 2018 World Cup finals in Europe (Feb 6, 2009 00:17 GMT)
UEFA president Michel Platini will try to persuade FIFA next month to limit the 2018 World Cup candidates to European bids.

Belgium bow beckons for forward De Camargo (Feb 5, 2009 22:29 GMT)
Brazilian-born Igor De Camargo is set to earn his first cap for Belgium in the friendly against Slovenia next Wednesday.

Fortune favours chance to play in World Cup (Feb 5, 2009 20:45 GMT)
Former Manchester United star Quinton Fortune has set his sights on next year's World Cup after joining Belgian minnows AFC Tubize on a six-month loan.

Nakamura gets rare chance to shake off jet lag (Feb 5, 2009 16:42 GMT)
Japan playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura arrived in Tokyo on Thursday for next week's World Cup qualifier with Australia after being given special permission by Celtic.

Queiroz calls on Manchester United pair (Feb 5, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani have both been named by Carlos Queiroz in his Portugal squad to face Finland in a friendly next Wednesday.

Japan and Australia battle for supremacy (Feb 5, 2009 08:00 GMT)
There is much more at stake than just points when Japan face Australia, says Mike Tuckerman.

Japan crush Finland in qualifying warm-up (Feb 4, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Striker Shinji Okazaki scored two clinical first-half goals to spark Japan to a 5-1 home win over Finland in a World Cup qualifying warm-up on Wednesday.

Egypt denies making bid to host World Cup finals (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) denied on Tuesday that it had expressed an interest in hosting the 2018 or 2022 World Cup finals, despite world soccer's governing body FIFA stating it had.

Verbeek laments loss of injured Emerton (Feb 3, 2009 08:00 GMT)
Australia coach Pim Verbeek has labelled the loss of Blackburn midfielder Brett Emerton for the five remaining World Cup qualifiers as a ''terrible'' blow.

Gillespie dropped from Northern Ireland squad (Feb 2, 2009 18:57 GMT)
Northern Ireland's most experienced player Keith Gillespie has been omitted from the squad for the World Cup qualifier against San Marino on February 11.

Wales hand call-up to Stockport keeper Williams (Feb 2, 2009 17:14 GMT)
Stockport goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams is the only uncapped player named in Wales' squad to face Poland in a friendly to be staged in the Portuguese town of Vila Real St Antonio on February 11.

Off-form strikers called up to Mexico squad (Feb 2, 2009 17:12 GMT)
Mexico coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's selection problems were underlined on Sunday when he called up several off-form forwards for this month's World Cup qualifier away to the United States.

Ten candidates in race to host World Cup (Feb 2, 2009 17:09 GMT)
Up to 10 bids from across three continents are expected to compete for the hosting rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups as the deadline approaches for countries to put their names forward.

China will not bid for World Cup finals (Feb 2, 2009 17:09 GMT)
China will not submit bids to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup finals, local media reports said on Monday.