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English National Team
FA continues 'racist chanting' investigation (Mar 29, 2013 17:01 GMT)
The Football Association is to continue reviewing footage of England supporters at the World Cup qualifier in San Marino as it investigates alleged racist chants directed at Rio and Anton Ferdinand.

Ferdinand blasts fans over abuse (Mar 29, 2013 07:00 GMT)
England have been reported to FIFA by Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) over alleged racist chanting by their supporters towards Rio Ferdinand and his brother Anton during last Friday's World Cup qualifier with San Marino.

Hodgson and Fergie to hold Ferdinand talks (Mar 28, 2013 13:08 GMT)
Roy Hodgson will hold talks with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson before deciding whether to offer Rio Ferdinand a way back into the England picture.

Roy Hodgson: England have a chance (Mar 28, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Coach Roy Hodgson has attempted to calm concerns about England's chances of qualifying for next year's World Cup finals but accepted the play-offs could be in store.

Montenegro face sanctions over England clash (Mar 28, 2013 07:00 GMT)
FIFA are gathering information which could lead to disciplinary action for Montenegro after reports of abusive behaviour from a section of their fans toward England players after their 1-1 World Cup qualifier draw surfaced.

Sunderland winger Johnson targets England recall (Mar 27, 2013 17:23 GMT)
Sunderland winger Adam Johnson is hoping to get back to top form and win a place in the England squad as the race for a place in the World Cup finals enters the final straight.

Gerrard: England deserved to be held to draw (Mar 26, 2013 23:27 GMT)
Steven Gerrard believes England "deserved" to drop two points away to Montenegro following their second-half slump in Podgorica on Tuesday evening.

Campbell defends Rio withdrawal (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has defended Rio Ferdinand's decision to withdraw from the England squad, insisting the 34-year-old will bounce back to revive his international career.

Gerrard silences Montenegro jibes (Mar 26, 2013 01:40 GMT)
England captain Steven Gerrard has silenced the vocal Montenegro camp, insisting pre-match jibes from coach Branko Brnovic and striker Mirko Vucinic have proved the Three Lions are on the frontfoot ahead of their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

Hodgson shrugs off Brnovic 'mind games' (Mar 25, 2013 19:35 GMT)
Roy Hodgson has dismissed claims by Montenegro coach Branko Brnovic that England are a long-ball team, suggesting that the comments were just pre-match "mind games" from his opposite number.

Brnovic lashes out at 'long ball' England (Mar 25, 2013 15:34 GMT)
Montenegro manager Branko Brnovic has hit out at England, labelling them a route-one team who believe their place in next year's World Cup is already guaranteed.

Ox wary of Montenegro environment (Mar 25, 2013 07:44 GMT)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is braced for a "hostile" atmosphere against Montenegro in Podgorica on Tuesday but is confident England have what it takes to overcome their opponents.

Cleverley: Scholes still influences England (Mar 25, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Tom Cleverley says he hopes to emulate the feats of Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes for club and country as he aims to make an impact for England in their World Cup qualifier against Montenegro.

Rio Ferdinand criticises England and Hodgson (Mar 23, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand's England future has darkened after he publicly criticised the current England squad and its style of play under manager Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson hails 'professional England performance' (Mar 22, 2013 22:51 GMT)
England manager Roy Hodgson was impressed with his players' "professional performance" against San Marino as they eased to an 8-0 win in Serravalle.

Greg Dyke to replace Bernstein as FA chairman (Mar 21, 2013 11:46 GMT)
The Football Association has announced that former BBC director general Greg Dyke will become the governing body's new chairman in the summer.

England game faces TV blackout (Mar 21, 2013 07:58 GMT)
Uncertainty surrounds the broadcast rights for Tuesday night's key World Cup qualifier between Montenegro and England - and there is an outside chance that the match will not be shown in Britain.

Joe Hart will battle for England No. 1 spot (Mar 20, 2013 14:08 GMT)
England goalkeeper Joe Hart has admitted his season has "not been brilliant'' by his own standards, but claims that he will battle to keep the No. 1 jersey.

Taylor: Capello thought that I was a midfielder (Mar 20, 2013 11:56 GMT)
Newcastle defender Steven Taylor has revealed that he never had a chance of an England call-up under Fabio Capello as the Italian thought he was a midfielder.

Phil Neville joins England Under-21 coaching staff (Mar 19, 2013 18:30 GMT)
Everton captain Phil Neville has been appointed as part of the England Under-21 coaching staff for this summer's European Championships.

Houllier, Lamps lead praise for Owen (Mar 19, 2013 17:42 GMT)
Former England boss Glenn Hoddle has labelled Michael Owen one of the country's "greatest ever finishers" after the striker announced his intention to retire from the game at the end of this season.

Lampard: Ferdinand could still have England future (Mar 19, 2013 15:00 GMT)
Frank Lampard remains hopeful that Rio Ferdinand's England career has not come to an end despite the Manchester United defender having to withdraw from the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro.

Ex-England star Shilton admits drink-driving charge (Mar 19, 2013 13:31 GMT)
Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton has admitted a charge of drink-driving after he was found with more than double the legal amount of alcohol in his system.

Cahill misses San Marino (Mar 19, 2013 10:37 GMT)
England will be without Gary Cahill for the World Cup qualifier with San Marino as a result of a knee problem.

Oxlade-Chamberlain: Arsenal can help England (Mar 19, 2013 08:56 GMT)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain believes Arsenal's 'English core' can only be a good thing for the Three Lions.

Ferdinand forced to withdraw from England squad (Mar 18, 2013 13:23 GMT)

Rio Ferdinand has been forced to withdraw from the England squad "due to the detailed pre-planned training and medical programme he must follow", manager Roy Hodgson has said.

Vidic: Ferdinand deserves his England recall (Mar 18, 2013 10:31 GMT)
Nemanja Vidic believes Rio Ferdinand merits his England recall but suggested he is worried about the consequences for Manchester United if the 34-year-old plays in both of the World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro.

Lennon, Dawson out of qualifiers (Mar 17, 2013 19:54 GMT)
Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon will miss England's World Cup qualifying games against San Marino and Montenegro because of injury, while defender Michael Dawson is also unlikely to be able to play.

Ferguson urges England caution with Rio (Mar 15, 2013 13:22 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he was shocked when he heard that Rio Ferdinand had got an international recall, and has hinted the defender's fitness may yet prevent him from returning to the England fold.

Hodgson: Rio, Cole must get on (Mar 15, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Roy Hodgson has called on Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole to end their ongoing feud while in camp together with the England national team.

Hodgson: Missing Wilshere in England squd is a blow (Mar 14, 2013 16:57 GMT)
Roy Hodgson has lamented the absence of Jack Wilshere from his latest England squad after the Arsenal midfielder was ruled out for three weeks with an ankle injury.

Rodgers: Downing deserves England recall (Mar 14, 2013 08:38 GMT)
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers feels that Stewart Downing's transformation in fortunes at club level deserves to be crowned with a return to the England set-up.

Hodgson ponders Rio call-up (Mar 12, 2013 08:30 GMT)
England manager Roy Hodgson is "torn" over whether to recall Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, according to a report in the Sun.

Beckenbauer backs Rooney to join Bayern (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has thrown his support behind rumours linking Wayne Rooney with a move to Bayern Munich in the summer.

Don't do work for the FA, Ferguson tells Rooney (Mar 10, 2013 15:32 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has said striker Wayne Rooney should stop doing promotional work for the Football Association when he is on England duty.

Ryan Shawcross eager for second England chance (Mar 8, 2013 15:26 GMT)
Ryan Shawcross fears he faces a major struggle to avoid being left as a one cap wonder at England level.

No Wilshere and Welbeck for U21 Championship (Mar 5, 2013 17:32 GMT)
England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce has confirmed he will not be taking Jack Wilshere or Danny Welbeck to this summer's European Under-21 Championships.

Foster: 'Negative' Capello behind my England exit (Mar 4, 2013 11:22 GMT)
Recalled England goalkeeper Ben Foster says his decision to retire from international football two years ago was because of the "serious" restrictions imposed on the players by Fabio Capello.

Ashworth to start England role early (Mar 1, 2013 15:56 GMT)
Dan Ashworth has been released from his West Bromwich Albion contract to start work early as the Football Association's director of elite development.

Clarke: Rafa did nothing wrong (Mar 1, 2013 08:00 GMT)
West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Clarke believes Rafael Benitez "didn't do a lot wrong" as the Spaniard attacked the Chelsea's supporters on Wednesday night, suggesting that most Premier League managers are little more than "interim" appointments.


English Premier League
Sunderland hires Di Canio to coach (Mar 31, 2013 20:51 GMT)
Sunderland has hired Paolo Di Canio as manager on a 2 1/2-year contract to replace the fired Martin O'Neill.

Di Canio appointed new Sunderland boss (Mar 31, 2013 20:37 GMT)
Sunderland have appointed Paolo Di Canio as their new manager on a two-and-a-half year deal, just 24 hours after sacking Martin O'Neill.

Gerrard rolls back years to inspire Reds (Mar 31, 2013 16:28 GMT)
Richard Jolly saw the old and new inspire Liverpool, as Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho starred in the victory at Villa.

Rodgers: Gerrard 'remarkable' (Mar 31, 2013 16:25 GMT)
Brendan Rodgers hailed Steven Gerrard for a match-winning performance as Liverpool beat Aston Villa and revealed his captain cut short his summer holiday last year to welcome him to Anfield.

Team of the Week (Mar 31, 2013 15:40 GMT)
The much maligned Gervinho and Andy Carroll are in our Premier League Team of the Week, but who else makes the cut?

Rodgers hails Reds character after Villa win (Mar 31, 2013 15:36 GMT)
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers was delighted with the spirit his side demonstrated as they came from a goal down to beat Aston Villa 2-1.

Di Canio tipped to become Sunderland boss (Mar 31, 2013 13:56 GMT)
Paolo Di Canio is the surprise early favourite to succeed Martin O'Neill as Sunderland manager.

Mulumbu sorry for booting ball at O'Neil (Mar 31, 2013 09:32 GMT)
Youssouf Mulumbu has apologised for his petulance that led to him being shown a late red card in West Bromwich Albion's 3-1 loss at West Ham United on Saturday.

Van Persie: Chelsea game will lack quality (Mar 31, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Robin van Persie believes Manchester United's FA Cup quarter final replay against Chelsea will be a scrappy affair, admitting he will struggle to regain fitness after helping United defeat Sunderland 1-0 on Saturday.

Moyes to decide future in summer (Mar 31, 2013 07:00 GMT)
David Moyes has confirmed he will not be making a decision on his future until after the season following Everton's 1-0 victory over Stoke.

Benitez defends selections in Chelsea loss (Mar 31, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Rafael Benitez believes he made the correct decision in rotating his players during Chelsea's 2-1 loss to Southampton on Saturday as his side prepares to face Manchester United in the FA Cup on Monday.

Villa's Vlaar prepared for clash with Suarez (Mar 31, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Ron Vlaar is bracing himself for a challenging time against an old foe when Aston Villa aim to take a further step towards safety on Sunday.

Kilbane stunned by Martin O'Neill sacking (Mar 30, 2013 23:48 GMT)
Former Sunderland and Republic of Ireland international Kevin Kilbane has admitted he was left surprised by Sunderland's decision to part company with manager Martin O'Neill at such a late stage in the season.

Relegation-threatened Sunderland sacks O'Neill (Mar 30, 2013 21:51 GMT)
Sunderland parted ways with Martin O'Neill on Saturday after the Black Cats slipped deeper into relegation trouble.

Struggling Sunderland axe boss O'Neill (Mar 30, 2013 21:36 GMT)
Sunderland have confirmed they have "parted company" with manager Martin O'Neill after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United left the club 16th in the Premier League table.

Delaney: Carroll-inspired Hammers buck the trend (Mar 30, 2013 19:36 GMT)
Miguel Delaney watched as Andy Carroll provided the spark for West Ham in their victory over West Brom.

Brewin: Arsenal show Adkins size of task ahead (Mar 30, 2013 18:56 GMT)
Reading's rout by Arsenal showed Nigel Adkins the mountainous task he faces to lead the Royals to survival, writes John Brewin.

Jolly: Kompany comeback fires City (Mar 30, 2013 18:39 GMT)
Richard Jolly watched Vincent Kompany's comeback set City on their way to a convincing win.

Brassell: Spurs' left fires them back on track (Mar 30, 2013 18:13 GMT)
Andy Brassell was at the Liberty Stadium to see Spurs get back on track aganst Swansea.

United bury demons as Sunderland flounder (Mar 30, 2013 18:03 GMT)
Kristan Heneage watched Man Utd tighten their grip on the Premier League title against lacklustre Sunderland.

EPL: Wigan wins again; Carroll boosts Hammers (Mar 30, 2013 18:01 GMT)
Wigan's survival bid gathered pace Saturday as Arouna Kone's solitary goal against Norwich nine minutes from time made it three wins in a row for Roberto Martinez's side.

Bale, Tottenham up to 3rd (Mar 30, 2013 17:40 GMT)
The latest instalment of the Gareth Bale show helped Tottenham climb to third in the Premier League table with victory at Swansea.

Chelsea's CL hopes take hit in loss (Mar 30, 2013 17:28 GMT)
Rafael Benitez saw his hopes of steering Chelsea back into the Champions League suffer a serious blow as Southampton claimed another prize Premier League scalp with a 2-1 win Saturday.

Arsenal keeps up in race for 4th with win (Mar 30, 2013 17:17 GMT)
Arsenal kept up the pressure in the race for Champions League qualification with a 4-1 win over Reading at Emirates Stadium, which sent the Royals bottom of the Barclays Premier League.

City eases by Newcastle in 4-goal rout (Mar 30, 2013 17:08 GMT)
Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany was among the scorers as the Blues recorded their biggest Premier League win since November, 4-0 over Newcastle on Saturday.

Prem: Spurs climb above beaten Chelsea (Mar 30, 2013 17:01 GMT)
Manchester United need ten points to clinch the Premier League title after both they and champions City won on Saturday, but the real story of the afternoon came at Southampton where Chelsea suffered a huge setback in their fight for Champions League

Own goal enough to lift United (Mar 30, 2013 15:11 GMT)
Titus Bramble's unfortunate own goal allowed Manchester United to tighten their stranglehold on the Premier League title with a narrow 1-0 victory at Sunderland on Saturday.

Giroud: We must keep hold of best players (Mar 30, 2013 11:38 GMT)
Olivier Giroud believe it is vital Arsenal retain the services of their best players if they are to progress as a team and end their trophy drought.

Goal shy Stoke could still surprise Everton (Mar 30, 2013 10:59 GMT)
Ahead of Everton v Stoke, Kevin Keegan thinks a top-four finish is beyond the Toffees, and feels Michael Owen can be proud of his career.

Torres wants 'crazy' fixture schedule looked at (Mar 30, 2013 10:57 GMT)
Chelsea striker Fernando Torres believes his side are being asked to fulfil a "crazy" fixture list, as they prepare for three crucial games in the space of just six days.

MatchDay LIVE - Goals, updates and chat (Mar 30, 2013 10:46 GMT)
MatchDay LIVE - March 30

Lambert expects Benteke, Weimann to stay (Mar 30, 2013 08:45 GMT)
Paul Lambert insists Aston Villa will hang on to Christian Benteke and Andreas Weimann into next season, amid rumours both players could be sold in the summer.

Benitez concerned by selection issues (Mar 30, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Rafael Benitez has conceded Chelsea will not be at full strength when they face Manchester United in an FA Cup quarter-final replay on Monday as he prepares to name a strong line-up against Southampton on Saturday.

Rodgers: Sturridge can learn from Suarez (Mar 30, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has backed Daniel Sturridge to flourish at Liverpool under the tutelage of Luis Suarez, insisting the Uruguayan is a driving force at Anfield.

Wenger fires warning to Arsenal players (Mar 30, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger insists that every player at Arsenal is playing for their future at the club for the remainder of the season.

Fergie: I don't care how Man Utd win title (Mar 30, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson insists he does not care how Manchester United win the Premier League title, he is simply desperate to do so.

Redknapp baffled by Zamora abuse from Fulham fans (Mar 30, 2013 00:25 GMT)
Harry Redknapp has confirmed that Bobby Zamora will be fit to face the wrath of his former club's fans when QPR travel to Fulham on Monday night.

PSG beats Montpellier to claim eight-point lead (Mar 29, 2013 23:38 GMT)
Barcelona will be the next visitor to the Parc des Princes, but Paris Saint-Germain put thoughts of Lionel Messi and company to one side Friday to beat Montpellier 1-0 and take a step closer to the Ligue 1 title.

Chelsea, Man City set to play in St. Louis in May (Mar 29, 2013 20:36 GMT)
Chelsea and Manchester City will play an exhibition game May 23 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, according to the stadium's usual residents, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rodgers: Players must not discuss club issues (Mar 29, 2013 17:45 GMT)
Brendan Rodgers has warned his Liverpool players to avoid discussing club business on international duty - or risk the sort of controversy currently surrounding Luis Suarez.

Moyes taking his time over decision on his future (Mar 29, 2013 17:05 GMT)
David Moyes wants to make sure the conditions are right before committing his future to Everton, but insists he will not destabilise the club.

Wenger voices faith in 'keeper Szczesny's future (Mar 29, 2013 16:17 GMT)
Arsene Wenger has reiterated his belief that goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has "a great future" and said even long-serving Arsenal No. 1 David Seaman suffered blips in form.

Vidic: United using City pain to spur to title (Mar 29, 2013 15:50 GMT)
Nemanja Vidic says Manchester United are taking nothing for granted in the Premier League title race after the dramatic manner of Manchester City's victory last season.

Samba: We care about results more than money (Mar 29, 2013 14:32 GMT)
Chris Samba has hit out at the view that Queens Park Rangers' singings are only at the club for the money.

Mancini demands Man City show of strength (Mar 29, 2013 14:18 GMT)
Manchester City must target FA Cup glory and finish their Premier League programme as strongly as possible, manager Roberto Mancini has said.

O'Neill backing McClean to perform for Sunderland (Mar 29, 2013 13:31 GMT)
Martin O'Neill remains hopeful that winger James McClean can transfer his recent good form at international level onto the pitch for Sunderland.

Cabaye: Manchester City don't play as a team (Mar 29, 2013 12:28 GMT)
Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye has said he believes Manchester City are 15 points behind the Premier League leaders because they do not play like a team.

Clarke targets record points haul for West Brom (Mar 29, 2013 12:25 GMT)
Steve Clarke has promised a powerful finish to the season at West Bromwich Albion as he looks to write his name into the club's history books.

Pochettino: Southampton are not just giant-killers (Mar 29, 2013 12:22 GMT)
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino is adamant his side are capable of performing against the Premier League's lesser lights  they just haven't shown it yet.

Ramsey calls for perfect end to the season (Mar 29, 2013 11:46 GMT)
Aaron Ramsey believes Arsenal must "treat every game as a cup final" if they want to beat rivals Tottenham to a Champions League spot.

Villa boosted by return of striker Darren Bent (Mar 29, 2013 10:03 GMT)
Aston Villa have been boosted by Darren Bent's recovery from a foot injury - and the striker could be involved when they play Liverpool at Villa Park on Sunday.

Man United trio set for comeback (Mar 29, 2013 09:33 GMT)
Manchester United have received a triple injury boost with Nani, Phil Jones and Paul Scholes all back in training as they prepare for two games in 48 hours.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis plays down talk of exit (Mar 29, 2013 09:22 GMT)
Tony Pulis is adamant he still has the passion and the drive to manage Stoke City, amid suggestions he is considering his future at the Britannia Stadium.

Kenwright hopes David Moyes will stay at Everton (Mar 29, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has not given up hope he can convince manager David Moyes to extend his contract beyond the end of the season.

Mancini: Kompany put Belgium before City (Mar 29, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Roberto Mancini has told Vincent Kompany to sort out his priorities after accusing the Manchester City captain of putting his country before his club.

Benitez blames Chelsea woes on blogger (Mar 29, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Chelsea interim boss Rafael Benitez believes his troubled reign as Stamford Bridge chief has been undermined by the interference of a solitary teenage blogger hailing from the Czech Republic.

Harry Redknapp reneged on Ukraine to coach QPR (Mar 29, 2013 07:00 GMT)
QPR manager Harry Redknapp has admitted to reneging on a deal with the Ukraine national team to coach the Premier League relegation battlers.

Premier League Spotlight: Weary Tottenham in danger of fading (Mar 29, 2013 07:00 GMT)
In this week's Premier League Spotlight, James Dall wonders if the wheels are coming off at Tottenham and feels it is difficult to be positive about Sunderland right now.

Allardyce wants safety before contract (Mar 28, 2013 22:33 GMT)
Sam Allardyce has said he will not sign a new contract with West Ham United until the club are mathematically safe from relegation.

Stoke boss Pulis sweating on Jones return (Mar 28, 2013 21:50 GMT)
Tony Pulis' plans to try to end the club's miserable away record may have been disrupted by the loss of Kenwyne Jones.

Coaching staff fined over DW Stadium clash (Mar 28, 2013 19:40 GMT)
Newcastle coach John Carver and Wigan counterpart Graham Barrow have each been fined for their conduct in the wake of Callum McManaman's challenge on Massadio Haidara.

Clarke 'bored' with Peter Odemwingie episode (Mar 28, 2013 17:40 GMT)
West Bromwich Albion head coach Steve Clarke has confirmed Peter Odemwingie is facing another two-week fine for his latest Twitter rant and has ordered the striker to express any more complaints directly to him.

Chelsea boss Benitez: Busy schedule a positive (Mar 28, 2013 17:07 GMT)
Rafael Benitez has insisted Chelsea's fixture congestion is a good thing, because it means the club is making progress.

Football Association told to challenge FIFA (Mar 28, 2013 16:35 GMT)
The Football Association has been urged by a number of MPs to take action to try to prevent FIFA reforms from turning into a "sham''.

Abou Diaby suffers injury blow (Mar 28, 2013 16:11 GMT)
Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby has been ruled out for up to nine months with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Jagielka: Everton not out for revenge against Stoke (Mar 28, 2013 15:53 GMT)
Everton defender Phil Jagielka insists there will be no bad feeling when Stoke City visit Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday.

Villa boss Lambert buoyed by momentum (Mar 28, 2013 15:30 GMT)
Paul Lambert has told his buoyant Aston Villa squad to forget the euphoria of their pre-Christmas victory at Anfield when they square up to Liverpool in search of a slice of club history this weekend.

Cisse: Toon are targeting top ten finish (Mar 28, 2013 15:26 GMT)
Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse has said the Magpies are aiming for a top ten finish and a place in the Europa League final.

O'Neill: Injury to Fletcher is a big blow for us (Mar 28, 2013 15:09 GMT)
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill believes the international break has cost the club dearly after Steven Fletcher was ruled out of action for the rest of the season.

Villas-Boas sets Champions League points target (Mar 28, 2013 14:55 GMT)
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas believes another 16 points will be enough to secure his side a top-four finish in the Premier League this season.

Gerrard could have years left at top with Liverpool (Mar 28, 2013 14:19 GMT)
Steven Gerrard can continue leading Liverpool into his mid-30s, according to the club's medical experts.

Mancini: Premier League title is Man United's (Mar 28, 2013 12:54 GMT)
Roberto Mancini has admitted that the Premier League title race is over, but insists he plans to stay at Manchester City despite reported interest from Monaco.

Mancini hits out at Wilmots over Kompany fitness (Mar 28, 2013 12:34 GMT)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has criticised Belgium coach Marc Wilmots for playing Vincent Kompany in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

Wenger: 'Very good chance' of top four (Mar 28, 2013 11:37 GMT)
Arsene Wenger has said Arsenal "have a very good chance" of finishing ahead of North London rivals Tottenham and claiming a top-four finish.

Martinez: McManaman criticism has been unfair (Mar 28, 2013 11:25 GMT)
Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez believes Callum McManaman is not deserving of the criticism that has come his way following his challenge on Newcastle's Massadio Haidara.

Arsenal blow as Wilshere injury return delayed (Mar 28, 2013 10:39 GMT)
Jack Wilshere's latest return from injury has been delayed on medical advice, with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger saying it was "very difficult" to know for sure when the midfielder was likely to be back.

IPCC slams Bettison over Hillsborough disaster (Mar 28, 2013 10:35 GMT)
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has revealed that former chief constable Sir Norman Bettison would have a case to answer for gross misconduct regarding his dealings with his police authority following the publication of a damning

Ask Norman: Against the penalty rate (Mar 28, 2013 09:50 GMT)
Norman Hubbard answers your questions on penalties, Lancashire clubs and championship winning squads.

Hazard relishing his football in Prem Lge (Mar 28, 2013 09:16 GMT)
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard has told L'Equipe he is enjoying his maiden Premier League season and feels English football has taught him to show his prodigious ability more often.

Van Persie delighted to end title 'pain' (Mar 28, 2013 09:12 GMT)
Robin van Persie says he will be delighted to end the "pain" of not winning trophies as Manchester United close in on the Premier League title.

Richards signs new contract at Swansea (Mar 28, 2013 08:47 GMT)
Swansea defender Jazz Richards has signed a new three-year deal at the Welsh club.

Manchester United eye Black Cats revenge (Mar 28, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Manchester United players and staff are heading to Sunderland on Saturday with only one thing on their minds  revenge.

RVW: Norwich City looking up the table (Mar 28, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Norwich have been given a vote of confidence from new striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel with the Dutchman believing he has joined a club on the move up the Premier League.

Carragher, Reina in line for Reds return (Mar 27, 2013 21:22 GMT)
Experienced Liverpool pair Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher are both in contention for a return to action against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Arnesen: Chelsea failing their youngsters (Mar 27, 2013 18:28 GMT)
Frank Arnesen has accused Chelsea of stunting the progress of their home grown stars and has suggested that the hard work he put in as the club's sporting director has gone to waste.

Giggs expecting new members in over-40s club (Mar 27, 2013 16:45 GMT)
Ryan Giggs believes it is only a matter of time before more Premier League players are able to go on into their 40s.

Van Persie: Man United may be my last club (Mar 27, 2013 15:29 GMT)
Manchester United striker Robin van Persie admits he may end his career at Old Trafford.

Fletcher out for the season with ligament damage (Mar 27, 2013 15:03 GMT)
Sunderland's bid to secure their Premier League status has suffered a serious blow with the news that striker Steven Fletcher is out for the rest of the season with ankle ligament damage.

Magpies announce profits for year ending June 2012 (Mar 27, 2013 15:01 GMT)
Newcastle United have recorded a profit for the year ending June 2012, the club has revealed.

Lindegaard: United must not get complacent (Mar 27, 2013 14:15 GMT)
Goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard says Manchester United must keep their feet on the ground and play each game as it comes as they look to seal the Premier League title.

Haidara working hard to recover from injury (Mar 27, 2013 14:10 GMT)
Newcastle defender Massadio Haidara says he will continue to work hard as he looks to recover from the horror tackle that almost ended his career.

Sunderland fan hit with racism charge (Mar 27, 2013 13:47 GMT)
A Sunderland fan who claimed he was doing a 'chicken dance' has been charged with a racially aggravated offence for allegedly making a monkey gesture towards West Brom striker Romelu Lukaku.

Duffy ready to accept punishment for tweet (Mar 27, 2013 13:44 GMT)
Everton defender Shane Duffy says he will have to accept his punishment if he is punished by the club over a pro-IRA tweet that appeared on his Twitter account.

Phil Neville prepared to play at lower level (Mar 27, 2013 12:51 GMT)
Everton captain Phil Neville says he would be happy to drop down the divisions in order to continue his playing career.

Derry: QPR have missed Barton this season (Mar 27, 2013 12:51 GMT)
Queens Park Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry believes the club could have done with the services of Joey Barton this season.

West Brom wait on James Morrison fitness (Mar 27, 2013 12:50 GMT)
West Bromwich Albion are sweating over the fitness of James Morrison for Saturday's Premier League game at West Ham United.

Carragher happy to prove doubters wrong (Mar 27, 2013 12:07 GMT)
Jamie Carragher insists he has proved his doubters wrong by becoming a Liverpool regular under Brendan Rodgers.

Wilkinson desperate for Stoke away win (Mar 27, 2013 11:00 GMT)
Andy Wilkinson wants to put a stop to Stoke City's woeful away form in the Premier League this season in a bid to help ease the club's relegation concerns.

Allardyce confident of securing new Hammers deal (Mar 27, 2013 09:53 GMT)
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce claims he is on the verge of extending his stay at the Premier League club.

Johnson backs Graham to find goalscoring form (Mar 27, 2013 08:40 GMT)
Danny Graham can find the goalscoring form to help Sunderland get over the loss of Steven Fletcher for the rest of the season, winger Adam Johnson has said.

Kompany passes Belgium test; fit for City (Mar 27, 2013 08:27 GMT)
Vincent Kompany is finally set to make his Manchester City comeback after completing 90 minutes in Belgium's 1-0 victory over Macedonia.

Oscar: We won't sacrifice League (Mar 27, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Brazilian midfielder Oscar believes Chelsea will not make any sacrifices in the Premier League to accommodate a busy period of fixtures, despite featuring in three competitions in nine days.

Fergie shocked at scale of United's lead (Mar 26, 2013 15:03 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken of his surprise at his Manchester United side's 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Chelsea defender David Luiz: I love to play games (Mar 26, 2013 15:02 GMT)
Chelsea defender David Luiz has dismissed ideas that a fixture pile-up could derail the club's season as they push for the top four and two cup competitions.

Mourinho keeping quiet on his future (Mar 26, 2013 13:42 GMT)
Jose Mourinho has dampened speculation that his presence in London means he is set for a summer move to the Premier League, but admits he hopes to return to England one day.

Cabaye: I suffered post-Euros depression (Mar 26, 2013 13:25 GMT)
Yohan Cabaye has admitted he suffered a form of depression after Euro 2012, but has since rekindled his love of football thanks to Jonny Wilkinson and Rafael Nadal.

Fletcher sidelined for Sunderland with ankle ligament damage (Mar 26, 2013 11:55 GMT)
Sunderland have been dealt a significant blow with the news that striker Steven Fletcher has suffered ankle ligament damage.

Brad Jones: It's been a decent season for me (Mar 26, 2013 11:37 GMT)
Brad Jones admits he has had more first-team games than he expected for Liverpool this season  as he prepares to return to the bench.

Reading chief expresses regrets over transfer failings (Mar 26, 2013 10:46 GMT)
Reading owner Anton Zingarevich has admitted that the club should have spent more money during Brian McDermott's time at the club.

Reds boss Rodgers gives backing to Henderson (Mar 26, 2013 10:01 GMT)
Brendan Rodgers has given Jordan Henderson reassurance by insisting that can always rely on the Liverpool midfielder.

Halsey dropped from Premier League referees' list (Mar 26, 2013 08:34 GMT)
Mark Halsey has been removed from the list of referees for this weekend's Premier League fixtures following his failure to spot Callum McManaman's heavy challenge on Massadio Haidara during Wigan's defeat of Newcastle earlier this month.

Adkins appointed new Reading manager (Mar 26, 2013 08:18 GMT)
Reading have appointed Nigel Adkins as their new manager just two months after he was sacked by fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton.

QPR owner Fernandes eases financial fears (Mar 26, 2013 07:35 GMT)
Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes has insisted he has no fears over the club's financial future should they be relegated from the Premier League.

Holtby: International break can help Spurs (Mar 26, 2013 07:34 GMT)
Tottenham midfielder Lewis Holtby thinks that his side can use the international break to get themselves back on track in the race for the top four.

Newcastle's Cheikh Tiote still fears relegation (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Newcastle midfielder Cheikh Tiote believes the club is not yet safe from the threat of relegation and needs 'four or five' more wins to ensure Premier League survival.

Abramovich camp denies arrest reports (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Roman Abramovich's rarely quoted spokesman has been forced to issue a statement to deny rumours that his high profile client has been arrested by American police in New York.

Jovetic talks up Arsenal move (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic is looking to shoot down England and put himself in the frame for a move to Arsenal this summer.

Manager Profile: Nigel Adkins (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Robin Hackett on Nigel Adkins, the new manager of Reading.

Manager Profile: Brian McDermott (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Dale Johnson profiles the man who masterminded Reading's return to the top flight.

Adkins set to be appointed new Reading manager (Mar 25, 2013 22:28 GMT)
Reading are set to appoint Nigel Adkins as their new manager just two months after he was sacked by fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton, ESPN understands.

Sunderland wait on Fletcher injury news (Mar 25, 2013 17:32 GMT)
Sunderland are awaiting the results of scans of an ankle injury suffered by top scorer Steven Fletcher on international duty last week.

Kompany: City will bounce back (Mar 25, 2013 15:11 GMT)
Vincent Kompany believes Manchester City will come back stronger after learning the lessons from their likely failure to defend the Premier League title.

Hugo Lloris tipped for greatness (Mar 25, 2013 14:49 GMT)
The man who helped turn Hugo Lloris from promising talent into France captain believes his one-time protégé will soon be recognised as one of the world's greatest goalkeepers.

PFA chief Taylor backs retrospective action (Mar 25, 2013 14:10 GMT)
Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor is to call for the use of video evidence to punish dangerous challengers and diving.

Alcaraz not thinking about Wembley (Mar 25, 2013 14:07 GMT)
Antolin Alcaraz has insisted Wigan's match with Norwich is more important than their FA Cup semi-final against Millwall at Wembley.

Villa's Agbonlahor wants survival, not record (Mar 25, 2013 13:33 GMT)
Gabriel Agbonlahor has said breaking Dwight Yorke's Premier League scoring record for Aston Villa will count for little if he cannot help save the club from relegation.

Sunderland face anxious wait on Fletcher fitness (Mar 25, 2013 12:42 GMT)
Sunderland are sweating on the fitness of key striker Steven Fletcher after he picked up an ankle injury on international duty with Scotland.

Huth to return from suspension for trip to Everton (Mar 25, 2013 12:31 GMT)
Stoke City will welcome back defender Robert Huth from suspension for their Premier League trip to Everton on Saturday.

Owen clarifies contract comments (Mar 25, 2013 11:34 GMT)
Michael Owen has moved to clarify his Twitter comments about his contract situation at Newcastle United.

Liverpool's Lucas: I nearly left Anfield (Mar 25, 2013 10:29 GMT)
Lucas Leiva said he nearly left Liverpool in 2010 and believes Roy Hodgson signed Christian Poulsen to replace him in midfield at Anfield.

Recovering Paul Gascoigne looks to the future (Mar 25, 2013 09:59 GMT)
Paul Gascoigne has said he is looking to the future after finishing another spell of treatment as he continues his battle against alcoholism.

Lescott weighing up City departure (Mar 25, 2013 09:31 GMT)
Joleon Lescott has hinted that he may leave Manchester City to secure a place in England's World Cup squad, but says he will address the issue of his future at the end of the season.

Holtby eager to win place in Tottenham team (Mar 25, 2013 09:24 GMT)
Lewis Holtby is determined to win a place in Tottenham's starting line-up for next season, and says he can play in a deeper role for the club if needed.

Luiz: Chelsea can still have strong finish (Mar 25, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Chelsea defender David Luiz believes the club still can fight for silverware despite not 'playing at the level' expected of them.

Under-fire Szczesny: I don't want to leave Arsenal (Mar 24, 2013 16:06 GMT)
Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has ruled out a move away from the club, despite recently being dropped for high profile games against Bayern Munich and Swansea.

Watford boss Zola plays down Chelsea job links (Mar 24, 2013 15:55 GMT)
Watford boss Gianfranco Zola claims he has not been approached by Chelsea as rumours grow that the Italian is being lined up to become the new manager of the Blues.

Sturridge feeling settled at Liverpool (Mar 24, 2013 11:56 GMT)
Daniel Sturridge has admitted he did not fulfil his ambitions at Chelsea, even though the Blues won the Champions League last season.

Distin happy without international recognition (Mar 24, 2013 09:50 GMT)
Sylvain Distin insisted he has no regrets that he has never earned international recognition with France.

Coutinho eyes long-term Liverpool stay (Mar 24, 2013 08:47 GMT)
Philippe Coutinho has set his sights on staying at Liverpool for a long time and making a major impression for his new club.

RVP: Utd can win title against City or Arsenal (Mar 24, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Robin van Persie has revealed his goal was to win three trophies in his first season with Manchester United, but will settle for winning the Premier League title away to Arsenal next month.

Mourinho drops Chelsea hint (Mar 24, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Jose Mourinho has hinted to a return to Chelsea, claiming his future after Real Madrid "could be a destination where I have coached before".

De Guzman hoping for Swansea stay (Mar 23, 2013 17:03 GMT)
Jonathan de Guzman is aiming to extend his stay at Swansea beyond the end of the season in the hope of establishing himself in the Netherlands national side.

Wilfried Zaha keen to shake off 'over-rated' tag (Mar 23, 2013 16:38 GMT)
Wilfried Zaha is looking forward to dispelling the notion that he is "over-rated" at the Under-21 European Under-21 Championship this summer.

Owen: Newcastle lied over new contract in 2009 (Mar 23, 2013 16:14 GMT)
Michael Owen claims that Newcastle lied about offering him a new deal in 2009, as he hit back at Toon fans who criticised his leaving of the club after they were relegated.

Eastick: Liverpool right to rest Sterling (Mar 23, 2013 14:34 GMT)
England Under-21s coach Brian Eastick believes Raheem Sterling is benefiting from Brendan Rodgers' decision to rest him at Liverpool.

Defoe: Lampard is irreplaceable to Chelsea (Mar 23, 2013 13:50 GMT)
Jermain Defoe has told Chelsea they must tie Frank Lampard to a new contract as soon as possible as he is irreplaceable.

Pepe Reina cools Rodgers feud talk (Mar 23, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has dismissed reports he is unhappy at Anfield due to a strained relationship with manager Brendan Rodgers.

Ferdinand continues to defend Doha trip (Mar 23, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Rio Ferdinand has launched another defence of his decision to fly to Qatar after opting to pull out of the England squad for fitness reasons.

Phil Jagielka: Don't doubt Fellaini's commitment (Mar 22, 2013 13:55 GMT)
Marouane Fellaini proved his commitment to Everton by playing with an ankle injury last weekend, team-mate Phil Jagielka has said.

Haidara could be back in April (Mar 22, 2013 13:48 GMT)
Newcastle United have announced that defender Massadio Haidara has not suffered "any significant bone or ligament damage" following the challenge that saw him stretchered off in the defeat to Wigan.

Saints fans racially abused me, says 'keeper Boruc (Mar 22, 2013 13:08 GMT)
Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc has said he had been racially abused by the club's fans when he threw a water bottle into the stands during his home debut in October.

Borini could return from injury before end of season (Mar 22, 2013 12:57 GMT)
Liverpool striker Fabio Borini could play again this season after making significant progress in recovering from injury.

Scudamore blames FA over McManaman (Mar 22, 2013 12:13 GMT)
The Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has said he believes Wigan's Callum McManaman should have been disciplined by the FA for his tackle on Newcastle's Massadio Haidara.

Newcastle supporters accused of wreaking havoc (Mar 22, 2013 10:11 GMT)
Up to 300 Newcastle fans have been accused of causing trouble outside the DW Stadium prior to their 2-1 loss at Wigan on Sunday.

Manchester City CEO Soriano backs Mancini (Mar 22, 2013 08:02 GMT)
Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has offered his backing to manager Roberto Mancini.

Owen: Lack of action led to retirement (Mar 22, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Michael Owen admits a lack of game time this season was a decisive factor in his decision to retire from football this summer.

Stoke fans seek success as a norm (Mar 22, 2013 07:00 GMT)
The small-club mentality is waning from the Britannia Stadium as Stoke fans increase their expectations of a growing club, David Instone writes.

Russia boss Fabio Capello denies Chelsea link (Mar 21, 2013 22:01 GMT)
Fabio Capello has denied reports linking him as a possible candidate to succeed Rafa Benitez as Chelsea manager next season.

Lambert signs Southampton contract extension (Mar 21, 2013 19:19 GMT)
Southampton striker Rickie Lambert has signed a contract extension until 2016 and expressed his desire to end his career at the club.

Pearce: Man United deal hasn't changed Zaha (Mar 21, 2013 17:05 GMT)
Wilfried Zaha's move to Manchester United hasn't changed him, says England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce.

Rodwell eyeing up a return for Manchester derby (Mar 21, 2013 16:19 GMT)
Jack Rodwell could be in contention to play in the Manchester derby on April 8 after revealing that he is a fortnight away from fitness.

Ex-Spurs captain Mabbutt undergoes op (Mar 21, 2013 15:43 GMT)
Tottenham have confirmed former captain Gary Mabbutt is recovering following an emergency procedure to remove a circulation blockage in his left leg.

Daniel Agger dreaming of finishing his career at Anfield (Mar 21, 2013 15:15 GMT)
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger says it would be a "dream" to finish his career at the club.

Szczesny apologises for father's Wenger criticism (Mar 21, 2013 14:31 GMT)
Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has distanced himself from the "disrespectful" comments his father made about Arsene Wenger, insisting he wants to stay at the club.

Ashley Young frustrated by injury-hit season (Mar 21, 2013 14:06 GMT)
Manchester United winger Ashley Young is hoping he can stay fit for the rest of the season after a frustrating, injury-hit campaign.

Johnson believes criticism of Sunderland is natural (Mar 21, 2013 13:36 GMT)
Sunderland winger Adam Johnson believes recent criticism of the club is a natural consequence of their poor run of form.

Gardner: O'Neill best boss for Sunderland (Mar 21, 2013 12:51 GMT)
Sunderland midfielder Craig Gardner believes that manager Martin O'Neill is among the best in the game and is convinced he will lead the club out of relegation trouble.

Wes Brown recovering from knee injury slowly (Mar 21, 2013 12:41 GMT)
Sunderland defender Wes Brown will not be rushed back into first-team action after having completed a development squad game, according to manager Martin O'Neill.

Fulham extend Martin Jol contract - report (Mar 21, 2013 12:26 GMT)
Martin Jol will stay in charge of Fulham in 2013-14, after the club reportedly took up the option to extend his contract for another season.

Steve Harper to leave Newcastle this summer (Mar 21, 2013 12:10 GMT)
Veteran Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper has confirmed he will leave the Magpies this summer after two decades with the club.

Gutierrez hopeful over Coloccini (Mar 21, 2013 12:10 GMT)
Fabricio Coloccini will return to the Newcastle starting line up before the end of the season, according to Argentine compatriot Jonas Gutierrez.

Baggies boss Clarke feels for Markus Rosenberg (Mar 21, 2013 12:05 GMT)
Markus Rosenberg has been told not to give up on the dream of making it at West Bromwich Albion after failing to make an impression in his first season in English football.

Myhre: Mucha must make his mark at Everton (Mar 21, 2013 11:32 GMT)
Jan Mucha must take the chance to secure his Everton future after being given a long-awaited chance in the Premier League, according to former first-choice keeper Thomas Myhre.

De Gea: Man United move has helped me mature (Mar 21, 2013 10:41 GMT)
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea believes he has come of age since moving to the Premier League 18 months ago.

'I have made mistakes,' admits Vermaelen (Mar 21, 2013 09:36 GMT)
Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen has defended his form this season by suggesting it is only normal for players to suffer peaks and troughs in their form.

King: Spurs can win Prem Lge title in two years (Mar 21, 2013 08:28 GMT)
Former Tottenham captain Ledley King thinks it is realistic for the club to aspire to win the Premier League within two years if they continue their current development.

Haidara feared for Magpies career (Mar 21, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Newcastle United defender Massadio Haidara has revealed he feared Callum McManaman's ugly tackle had ended his career and ruined his life.

Joe Hart: United are a 'killing machine' (Mar 21, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has described arch-rivals Manchester United as a "killing machine" as the Premier League leaders storm their way to a 20th league title.

Eden Hazard: Chelsea building for UCL assault (Mar 21, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard believes his dethroned European champions are building a squad capable of launching another challenge for glory in next season's Champions League.

Shola Ameobi agrees with FA procedure change (Mar 21, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi believes the Football Association (FA) needs to changes its stance on retrospective action in the wake of Callum McManaman's dangerous challenge on United's Massadio Haidara.

The case for the defence (Mar 21, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Richard Jolly on the demise of the centre-back leaving few credible candidates for team for the year.

Szczesny Snr blasts Wenger's treatment of his son (Mar 21, 2013 06:59 GMT)
The father of Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny believes Arsene Wenger must take some of the blame for his son's recent drop in form.

Aguero returns to Manchester to continue rehab (Mar 20, 2013 20:51 GMT)
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has confirmed he is returning to Britain to continue his recovery from a knee injury.

Newcastle's Haidara escapes serious injury (Mar 20, 2013 18:36 GMT)
Newcastle will have to wait until next week before discovering the full extent of Massadio Haidara's injury.

Reading to speak to Brighton boss Poyet - report (Mar 20, 2013 15:34 GMT)
Reading have been given permission to talk to Brighton and Hove Albion boss Gus Poyet about their vacant managerial position, according to a Sky Sports report.

Mata: AVB good enough to succeed Mourinho (Mar 20, 2013 15:28 GMT)
Juan Mata says he could see Andre Villas-Boas again stepping into his former mentor Jose Mourinho's shoes to take over at Real Madrid someday.

Allen out for the season due to shoulder surgery (Mar 20, 2013 14:45 GMT)
Joe Allen is set to undergo an operation on his left shoulder on Thursday and will miss the remainder of the season, Liverpool have confirmed.

Carragher never wanted Owen to leave Anfield (Mar 20, 2013 13:44 GMT)

Jamie Carragher has revealed that he pleaded with Michael Owen not to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid in 2004, and tried to get him to come back to Anfield five years later.

Cattermole likely to miss rest of season (Mar 20, 2013 11:37 GMT)
Martin O'Neill is preparing himself for the final eight games of the season without captain Lee Cattermole.

Pulis: Owen signing was not a gamble (Mar 20, 2013 10:29 GMT)
Stoke City manager Tony Pulis believes Michael Owen still has the ability to sign off in style at the club and ease their relegation concerns.

Rodgers: Sterling can benefit from U21s (Mar 20, 2013 10:18 GMT)
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes teenager winger Raheem Sterling will benefit from being at the European Under-21 Championships this summer if he makes it into Stuart Pearce's England squad.

Larsson relishing taking on his team-mates (Mar 20, 2013 09:55 GMT)
Sebastian Larsson is looking forward to coming up against a number of his Sunderland team-mates when Sweden welcome Ireland to Stockholm for Friday's World Cup qualifier.

Lambert: Bannan needs to maintain form (Mar 20, 2013 09:37 GMT)
Barry Bannan's recall to the Scotland squad has been underpinned by encouraging words closer to home from his manager at Aston Villa, Paul Lambert.

Fergie impressed by Michu and Swans (Mar 20, 2013 08:20 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the signing of Michu, while lavishing praise on Swansea's own exploits this season.

Liverpool's Luis Suarez: 'It's my fate to score' (Mar 19, 2013 18:59 GMT)
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has underlined his confidence by saying he feels it is his "fate to score".

Richards closing in on Manchester City return (Mar 19, 2013 18:02 GMT)
Micah Richards is targeting the Manchester derby for his comeback after five months on the sidelines.

FA upholds Norwich keeper Bunn's ban (Mar 19, 2013 17:02 GMT)
Norwich City goalkeeper Mark Bunn will serve a one-match ban for the red card he received in Sunday's draw at Sunderland after the FA rejected the Canaries' appeal.

Newcastle irate as McManaman avoids action (Mar 19, 2013 16:04 GMT)
Newcastle United have slammed the current disciplinary procedures as " not fit for purpose" after the Football Association announced that Wigan forward Callum McManaman will face no retrospective action for his horror challenge on Massadio Haidara.

Terry: Lampard is Chelsea's greatest-ever player (Mar 19, 2013 14:50 GMT)
John Terry has hailed Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard as the greatest player in the club's history.

Townsend won't give up on QPR survival hopes (Mar 19, 2013 14:35 GMT)
Andros Townsend insists Queens Park Rangers' squad still believe they can stay up, despite going seven points off safety with just eight games left.

Pulis denies he is unhappy over Stoke budget (Mar 19, 2013 14:07 GMT)
Tony Pulis has denied claims he is considering his future as manager of Stoke City because of a lack of investment in the first-team squad.

Sunderland under pressure - Vaughan (Mar 19, 2013 14:04 GMT)
Sunderland midfielder David Vaughan has said the Black Cats are under pressure in the battle for Premier League survival.

Odemwingie threatens to buy out contract (Mar 19, 2013 13:20 GMT)
Peter Odemwingie is considering buying out his contract at West Bromwich Albion in a bid to leave The Hawthorns at the end of the season.

Gutierrez happy to help out Newcastle at full-back (Mar 19, 2013 13:13 GMT)
Jonas Gutierrez says he is ready to fill in at full-back if needed, following a spate of defensive injuries at Newcastle United.

Owen to retire at end of the season (Mar 19, 2013 09:48 GMT)
Former England striker Michael Owen has announced that he will be retiring from football at the end of the season.

West Ham's Taylor played with fractured jaw (Mar 19, 2013 09:06 GMT)
West Ham United midfielder Matt Taylor has revealed he played in the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at the weekend with a fractured jaw.

Everton's Duffy denies posting pro-IRA tweet (Mar 19, 2013 09:00 GMT)
Shane Duffy could be disciplined by Everton after a post appeared on his Twitter account expressing support for the IRA.

Valencia cites injuries for drop in form (Mar 19, 2013 08:41 GMT)
Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia has admitted he has been disappointed by his performances this season.

Mark Halsey considering future as referee - report (Mar 19, 2013 08:30 GMT)
Mark Halsey is reported to be considering his future as a referee after receiving threats over his failure to penalise Wigan's Callum McManaman for the tackle that left Newcastle defender Massadio Haidara with suspected ligament damage.

Lampard: Hazard can emulate Zola (Mar 19, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has backed Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard to emulate Gianfranco Zola and become a hero at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal: No Wilshere injury setback (Mar 19, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Arsenal have moved to dismiss suggestions that midfielder Jack Wilshere is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, insisting he should return to action in their next Premier League game against Reading at the end of this month.

Rosicky desperate for more game time (Mar 19, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky has revealed his frustration over a lack of game time, but says he will do all he can to help the Gunners clinch a top-four finish.

Ruiz: Fulham form is down to teamwork (Mar 18, 2013 22:13 GMT)
Bryan Ruiz is angered by accusations that Fulham rely too heavily on Dimitar Berbatov, claiming that the Bulgarian represents just one facet of the side's strengths.

Sunderland's Premier League trip to Chelsea rearranged (Mar 18, 2013 19:12 GMT)
Chelsea's Premier League clash with Sunderland has been rearranged due to the Blues' involvement in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Villa captain Vlaar hails 'unbelievable' Weimann (Mar 18, 2013 19:00 GMT)
Ron Vlaar has spelled out the importance of Aston Villa hanging on to Andreas Weimann well beyond the resolution to this season's tense Premier League survival battle.

Szczesny happy to stay at Arsenal (Mar 18, 2013 17:33 GMT)
Wojciech Szczesny insists his long-term future is still with Arsenal despite losing his place to Lukasz Fabianski.

Sigurdsson: Top four place is still in Spurs' hands (Mar 18, 2013 16:19 GMT)
Gylfi Sigurdsson has said he is still confident that Tottenham can claim a top-four Premier League finish.

Canaries' Martin: Sunderland draw felt like win (Mar 18, 2013 15:38 GMT)
Norwich defender Russell Martin has said his side's 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Sunday felt like a win after they were down to ten men for more than an hour.

Dolan unsure of future but wants Reading stay (Mar 18, 2013 15:07 GMT)
Reading caretaker boss Eamonn Dolan does not know how long he will remain in charge of the club, but he says he is sure he wants to stay at the Madejski Stadium.

Hard to switch off from relegation fight - Mignolet (Mar 18, 2013 15:00 GMT)
Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet says there is no respite from the pressure of the relegation fight despite the impending international break.

Odemwingie may be fined for Twitter rant (Mar 18, 2013 14:14 GMT)
Peter Odemwingie is facing the prospect of another fine from West Bromwich Albion chairman Jeremy Peace following his latest Twitter rant.

Hammers supporters arrested over alleged racism (Mar 18, 2013 13:33 GMT)
Two men have been arrested over alleged racially-aggravated offences following Sunday's game between Chelsea and West Ham, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed.

Whelan stands by McManaman over tackle (Mar 18, 2013 13:14 GMT)
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has backed Callum McManaman following his heavy challenge on Massadio Haidara during Wigan's 2-1 victory against Newcastle on Sunday as the FA awaits the official's report before deciding whether to take disciplinary action

Callum before the storm (Mar 18, 2013 12:10 GMT)
The Fifth Official discusses Callum McManaman's horror tackle and Manchester City's feeble title defence.

Allardyce confident West Ham can avoid drop (Mar 18, 2013 11:04 GMT)
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has conceded that his side have been sucked into the relegation battle but is confident of getting two wins from the club's final nine games to secure their Premier League status.

Platt: Mancini City job is safe (Mar 18, 2013 10:44 GMT)
Manchester City first-team coach David Platt believes manager Roberto Mancini still has the support of the club's owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

Heitinga issues rallying call to his Everton team-mates (Mar 18, 2013 10:40 GMT)
John Heitinga has told his Everton team-mates they must keep up the intensity that powered them to victory over Manchester City in order to qualify for Europe.

Allen withdraws from Wales squad due to shoulder problem (Mar 18, 2013 09:15 GMT)
Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen is set for shoulder surgery after pulling out of the Wales squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Scotland and Croatia.

Odemwingie lashes out at West Brom again (Mar 18, 2013 08:59 GMT)
http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/westbromwichalbion/id/488?cc=5739

Comedian charged over Goodison pitch invasion (Mar 18, 2013 08:51 GMT)
A comedian accused of going onto the Goodison Park pitch and warming up with the Manchester City team before their game against Everton on Saturday has been charged.

Martinez defends McManaman tackle (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has defended striker Callum McManaman by insisting the player did not have a"nasty bone" in his body as the furore over his horror tackle on Massadio Haidara continues to rage.

Villas-Boas confident Spurs can stop the rot (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas is confident his side can return to winning ways despite recording three straight defeats after losing 1-0 to Fulham on Sunday.

Frank Lampard hails 'landmark' goal (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard hailed his 200th goal for the club as a "landmark" achievement in his career.

Pardew irate at 'awful' McManaman tackle (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Newcastle United midfielder could be ruled out for the rest of the season if he has to undergo surgery on his hamstring.

Vidic: United won't let 15-point lead slip (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has warned the club's title rivals that the Red Devils have learnt from past mistakes and will not let their 15-point Premier League lead slip through their fingers.

Villa's Guzan plays down keeping heroics (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Brad Guzan has modestly brushed aside the latest round of plaudits aimed at him in his extraordinary breakthrough season at Aston Villa.

Mertesacker: Defence heeds wake-up call (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Per Mertesacker admits Arsenal's defensive showing has improved thanks to footage of the Gunners' frailties at the back in last week's 2-1 loss to Tottenham.

Lambert praises 'phenomenal' Weimann (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Paul Lambert has heaped praise on Andreas Weimann after the striker scored one goal and created another to enable Aston Villa to snatch an unlikely victory against basement rivals Queens Park Rangers.

Redknapp: Home form not enough for survival (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Harry Redknapp admits that home victories alone won't be enough to save his Queens Park Rangers side from relegation.

Police probe West Ham coin-throwing (Mar 17, 2013 21:36 GMT)
Police have said they are investigating after coins were thrown by West Ham fans during the Hammers' 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Team of the Week (Mar 17, 2013 21:10 GMT)
Eden Hazard and Andreas Weimann are in our Premier League Team of the Week, but who else makes the cut?

Delaney: Blues cruise as sense of fun returns (Mar 17, 2013 21:01 GMT)
Miguel Delaney was at Stamford Bridge as an in-the-mood Chelsea brushed aside West Ham.

Brewin: Jol gives Tottenham a familiar fright (Mar 17, 2013 19:11 GMT)
It's deja vu for Tottenham as they suffer a home defeat to Fulham. John Brewin was at the Lane.

Lampard nets 200th Chelsea goal in win (Mar 17, 2013 18:54 GMT)
Frank Lampard scored his 200th Chelsea goal as the Blues climbed to third in the Barclays Premier League with a 2-0 win over his old club in the London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Heneage: Handy decisions help Black Cats to point (Mar 17, 2013 18:01 GMT)
Kristan Heneage saw Sunderland struggle to create as ten-man Norwich took a point from the north-east.

Prem: Fulham shock Spurs, Chelsea third (Mar 17, 2013 17:13 GMT)
Dimitar Berbatov came back to haunt his former club as Tottenham's chances of Champions League qualification took a huge blow with a shock 1-0 defeat against Fulham.

Parker keen on making move into management (Mar 17, 2013 13:12 GMT)
Scott Parker is keen on making the step into management when his playing career comes to an end.

Irwin: Mourinho the man to replace Fergie at United (Mar 17, 2013 12:41 GMT)
Manchester United legend Denis Irwin believes Jose Mourinho is the only manager capable of succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.

Walcott: Top four failure would be tragedy (Mar 17, 2013 12:08 GMT)
Theo Walcott has claimed it would be a tragedy if Arsenal were to miss out on a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Premier Showdown - Mar 16-17 (Mar 17, 2013 11:58 GMT)
Take on Dale Johnson and Tommy Smyth in our predictions game.

Redknapp targets four or five wins for QPR safety (Mar 17, 2013 10:14 GMT)
Harry Redknapp is targeting four or five wins for Queens Park Rangers if they are to win their battle against relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs' Dembele 'embarrassed' by Europa loss (Mar 17, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele admits he was 'embarrassed' by his side's display in their 4-1 Europa League defeat against Inter Milan on Thursday night and has urged them to bounce back in style against Fulham on Sunday.

Fergie: Utd not complacent in title race (Mar 17, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted that Manchester United will not get complacent despite taking a 15-point lead in the title race.

Jolly: Ferdinand worthy of final jaunt in Rio (Mar 16, 2013 21:34 GMT)
Richard Jolly watched Rio Ferdinand turn back the clock for Man United on the eve of a return to the international fold with England.

Arsenal stops Swansea behind Monreal (Mar 16, 2013 17:26 GMT)
Arsenal kept themselves firmly in the race for Champions League qualification with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Swansea on Saturday.

Ferguson makes eight changes to starting lineup (Mar 16, 2013 17:07 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson made eight changes to his Manchester United starting line-up as they looked to tighten their grip on the Premier League title against Reading at Old Trafford.

Prem: Utd 15 clear as City are beaten (Mar 16, 2013 17:03 GMT)
A potentially decisive day in the Premier League saw massive results at the top and bottom of the table, as Manchester City's title defence was effectively ended by Everton as Aston Villa gave themselves some breathing room with a dramatic triumph ov

Man City assistant Platt hints title race is over (Mar 16, 2013 16:09 GMT)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini refused to face a media cross examination after his side's faint hopes of retaining their title all but disappeared after a 2-0 defeat at Everton, leaving his assistant David Platt to answer the critics.

Everton fan attempts to join City warm up (Mar 16, 2013 13:33 GMT)
An Everton fan dressed in full Manchester City kit attempted to warm up with the Premier League champions at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Coutinho bodybuilding to adapt to Premier League (Mar 16, 2013 12:27 GMT)
Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho has taken to the gym in a bid to develop the strength to go with his skill.

Royals throne a poisoned chalice (Mar 16, 2013 12:10 GMT)
Kevin Keegan fears Reading may resemble lambs to the slaughter when they head to Man Utd on Saturday.

MatchDay LIVE - Goals, updates and chat (Mar 16, 2013 11:44 GMT)
MatchDay LIVE - March 16

O'Neill says Sunderland lack 'real true ability' (Mar 16, 2013 11:09 GMT)
Martin O'Neill has said his Sunderland squad lacks "real true ability" and that he has felt as though his team have been in a relegation battle throughout the course of the season.

Martinez: Toughest survival fight this season (Mar 16, 2013 08:28 GMT)
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez believes this season's relegation dog-fight is the toughest he has ever faced.

David Moyes expecting attacking Manchester City (Mar 16, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Everton boss David Moyes believes the visit of Manchester City on Saturday will be an all-out attacking affair as both teams look to secure a top-four finish.

Lambert: Relegation battle is wide open (Mar 16, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert insists even clubs in mid-table may have cause to fear the Premier League relegation battle this season.

Mancini rues failure to bolster defence (Mar 15, 2013 23:20 GMT)
Roberto Mancini believes Manchester City made a mistake by not signing another defender in the January transfer window and said they would have bought someone had they known the full extent of Vincent Kompany's calf injury.

Jagielka a faces delayed wait on the sidelines (Mar 15, 2013 17:40 GMT)
Phil Jagielka may have to wait until April for his Everton comeback after manager David Moyes revealed the defender was making slow progress in recovering from a gashed ankle.

Saints fined £20,000 for failing to control players (Mar 15, 2013 17:30 GMT)
The Football Association has fined Southampton £20,000 after the club admitted a charge of failing to control their players during last weekend's draw with Norwich.

Moyes: Cup exit has no effect on Everton future (Mar 15, 2013 17:05 GMT)
David Moyes has said Everton's FA Cup exit against Wigan will make no difference to his thinking as he weighs up his future.

Lambert accuses Redknapp of playing mind games (Mar 15, 2013 15:42 GMT)
Paul Lambert believes Harry Redknapp is playing mind games by suggesting that Aston Villa are the club with the biggest weight on their mind going into Saturday's crucial basement clash with Queens Park Rangers.

Ben Arfa blow for Newcastle (Mar 15, 2013 15:38 GMT)
Newcastle United midfielder could be ruled out for the rest of the season if he has to undergo surgery on his hamstring.

Ferguson: Benitez snub claim is nonsense (Mar 15, 2013 14:33 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has described Rafa Benitez's claim that the Manchester United boss refused to shake his Chelsea counterpart's hand before Sunday's FA Cup tie as "absolute nonsense".

Nani, Jones to miss Reading game (Mar 15, 2013 14:20 GMT)
Nani and Phil Jones have been ruled out of Manchester United's game against Reading on Saturday.

Kompany and Aguero out of Everton clash (Mar 15, 2013 12:47 GMT)
Vincent Kompany has been ruled out of Manchester City's trip to Everton on Saturday as he still has not recovered from his calf injury.

Wenger calls for a bigger clampdown on racism (Mar 15, 2013 12:32 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes clubs who do not come down hard on supporters that are found guilty of racist chanting should be threatened with suspension from European competition.

Mancini rubbishes Zenit job link (Mar 15, 2013 11:37 GMT)
Roberto Mancini has denied that he will leave Manchester City to become Zenit St Petersburg's next manager.

Deschamps: Diaby left out of France squad due to fitness (Mar 15, 2013 11:26 GMT)
Abou Diaby's fragile fitness cost him a call-up for France's crucial upcoming World Cup qualifying double-header, said national team boss Didier Deschamps.

I'm staying put, says Stoke City boss Pulis (Mar 15, 2013 10:36 GMT)
Stoke manager Tony Pulis has said he has no intention of quitting and told disgruntled fans they will not force him out.

Wenger: Every game a cup final now (Mar 15, 2013 10:25 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has told his players that they have ten 'cup finals' left to play in the Premier League this season, as he has urged them to draw inspiration from their heroic performance against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.

Lukaku set for Chelsea chance next season (Mar 15, 2013 08:16 GMT)
Chelsea are ready to give young striker Romelu Lukaku a shot at claiming a first-team place with them next season following his impressive current spell at West Bromwich Albion, according to Bagies manager Steve Clarke.

Premier League Spotlight: Are Everton on the brink of collapse? (Mar 15, 2013 07:33 GMT)
In this week's Premier League Spotlight, James Dall asks if Everton's season is breaking down and looks ahead to the 'sixty-six' pointer at Villa Park.

Di Canio plays down Reading job speculation (Mar 15, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Paolo Di Canio has hosed down speculation linking him to the vacant managerial position at Reading, claiming "it was just coincidence" that he watched the Royals take on Aston Villa at the Madejski Stadium.

Shane Long battling to be fit for Stoke return (Mar 14, 2013 18:34 GMT)
Shane Long is again a doubt as West Bromwich Albion aim to prove they have cracked their Britannia Stadium jinx on Saturday.

On-loan midfielder Ryo Miyaichi to have surgery (Mar 14, 2013 16:51 GMT)
Wigan winger Ryo Miyaichi is set to undergo surgery on the ankle injury that has ended his season.

Stoke's Tony Pulis seeking lucky break (Mar 14, 2013 16:16 GMT)
Tony Pulis believes Stoke City will cope with the growing frustration at the Britannia Stadium and is hoping for a change of fortune to end a disappointing recent run.

Rodgers gives Allen blessing (Mar 14, 2013 15:58 GMT)
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will allow Joe Allen to join up with the Wales squad next week even though the midfielder is due to have surgery on a long-term shoulder problem.

O'Neill in no rush to offer new contracts (Mar 14, 2013 15:52 GMT)
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed he will wait until the end of the season before coming to a decision on the futures of Matthew Kilgallon and Titus Bramble, whose contracts are due to expire in the summer.

Nani keen to prove himself again at United (Mar 14, 2013 13:37 GMT)
Nani is determined to show Sir Alex Ferguson his worth as he tries to secure a new contract at Manchester United.

Injured Aguero out of Everton clash (Mar 14, 2013 12:58 GMT)
Sergio Aguero will miss Manchester City's Premier League clash with Everton on Saturday after the striker returned to his native Argentina for treatment.

City plan Tevez talks (Mar 14, 2013 09:51 GMT)
Carlos Tevez is happy at Manchester City and talks about extending his contract will take place at the end of the season, the club's administration officer Brian Marwood has said.

Ask Norman: Continental hat-tricks (Mar 14, 2013 09:39 GMT)
Norman Hubbard answers your questions on Premier League hat-tricks and the origin of German team names.

Gerrard: Best yet to come from Coutinho (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Steven Gerrard insists January recruit Philippe Coutinho will show his full potential next season, despite the midfielder already proving successful in the Reds' attack.

Tevez is charged with using suspended license (Mar 13, 2013 20:04 GMT)
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has been charged by police with driving with his license suspended and without insurance.

Kolo Toure: Self-belief kept me going (Mar 13, 2013 18:58 GMT)
Kolo Toure always had faith his ability would help him regain a regular starting berth in Manchester CIty's side.

Police charge Tevez with motoring offence (Mar 13, 2013 18:08 GMT)
Cheshire Police has announced that Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez has been charged with driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Vlaar rallies Villa fans ahead of QPR game (Mar 13, 2013 18:05 GMT)
Ron Vlaar wants the volume turned up to maximum when Aston Villa attempt to claim another crucial three points at home to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

O'Shea ready for pressure of relegation scrap (Mar 13, 2013 17:46 GMT)
John O'Shea believes Sunderland are facing nine potential 'cup finals' as they look to avoid the threat of relegation.

Protests against Pulis won't help, Wilkinson says (Mar 13, 2013 17:22 GMT)
Andy Wilkinson has urged Stoke City supporters not to desert the team in protest against manager Tony Pulis.

Chelsea to face Man Utd in cup replay on April 1 (Mar 13, 2013 15:44 GMT)
The FA Cup replay between Chelsea and Manchester United will take place at 12.30pm at Stamford Bridge on Monday April 1, the FA has finally confirmed.

West Brom's Myhill delighted with Clarke faith (Mar 13, 2013 13:58 GMT)
Boaz Myhill has revealed the Steve Clarke factor persuaded him to sign a new two-year contract with West Bromwich Albion.

Silverware in sight for Young (Mar 13, 2013 13:54 GMT)
Manchester United winger Ashley Young hopes his long wait for a major trophy is finally coming to an end.

Rodwell optimistic over Man City return (Mar 13, 2013 12:26 GMT)
Manchester City midfielder Jack Rodwell is confident his season is not over and hopes to return to training before the end of March.

Ankle injury rules on-loan Miyaichi out for season (Mar 13, 2013 10:55 GMT)
Wigan's Japan international Ryo Miyaichi has been ruled out for the season after suffering an ankle injury in Saturday's 3-0 FA Cup win over Everton.

Paolo Di Canio raises hand for Reading job (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Paolo Di Canio insists he is ready to become a Premier League manager, adding to rumours that he could take over the reigns at Reading.

Enrique: Luis Suarez is Liverpool's Messi (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Jose Enrique has compared the influence of Luis Suarez at Liverpool to that of Lionel Messi at Barcelona, insisting the Reds can always rely on the striker.

Cole warns Rooney to stick with United (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has urged Wayne Rooney not to leave Old Trafford in the summer, citing his own decision to leave the club in 2001 as a mistake.

Reading reveal anguish of McDermott sacking (Mar 12, 2013 18:31 GMT)
Reading owner Anton Zingarevich has described his decision to sack manager Brian McDermott as the hardest of his life.

Allen wants shoulder operation out the way (Mar 12, 2013 18:24 GMT)
Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen is eager to undergo a shoulder operation that will keep him sidelined for three months so that he can be fully fit for next season.

Saints hit by FA charge for failing to control players (Mar 12, 2013 17:22 GMT)
Southampton have been charged by the Football Association for failing to control their players following the awarding of a penalty to Norwich on Saturday.

Solskjaer: Giggs wants United job (Mar 12, 2013 15:59 GMT)
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has his eye on Sir Alex Ferguson's job when the long-serving manager calls it a day, according to his former team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Pardew defends Cisse's lack of goals (Mar 12, 2013 14:46 GMT)
Alan Pardew believes Papiss Cissé has still been great for the club, despite failing to match his lethal form of last season.

West Brom boast £66 million record turnover (Mar 12, 2013 14:44 GMT)
West Bromwich Albion have reported a record turnover in excess of £66 million in their latest set of accounts at The Hawthorns.

Rooney: Success can breed success for United (Mar 12, 2013 14:37 GMT)
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes winning a major trophy this season will be a springboard for further silverware for the Red Devils.

Butland calls for Stoke response (Mar 12, 2013 13:57 GMT)
Jack Butland is hoping some of his derby-day success rubs off on his Stoke City colleagues when they aim to disperse the Britannia Stadium gloom in Saturday's clash with West Bromwich Albion.

Park Ji-Sung: We believe QPR can survive (Mar 12, 2013 13:36 GMT)
Park Ji-Sung feels that Queens Park Rangers finally have the belief - as well as the quality - to survive after successive wins over Southampton and Sunderland.

Gerrard seeks 'perfect finish' to reach top five (Mar 12, 2013 09:58 GMT)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says the club must deliver "the perfect finish" to the season if they are to finish in the top five.

Koeman unaware of Man City link (Mar 12, 2013 09:36 GMT)
Feyenoord boss Ronald Koeman says he knows nothing of reported interest in him from Manchester City.

Paolo Di Canio favourite for Reading job (Mar 12, 2013 07:58 GMT)
Former Swindon Town manager Paolo Di Canio is a contender to succeed Brian McDermott as Reading's new manager, according to the Times.

Lucas: Liverpool can dream of UCL (Mar 12, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva says the recent Tottenham victory has allowed the Anfield club to start dreaming of a Champions League berth.

Charlton rebuffs Ronaldo links (Mar 12, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton has played down speculation linking Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo with a return to Old Trafford.

Premier League bosses honour Laudrup, Michu (Mar 12, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Swansea's success has been recognised by Premier League managers who have voted Michael Laudrup the coach of the year and Michu the signing of the season respectively.

Rio: Carrick most underrated player in PL (Mar 11, 2013 22:39 GMT)
Michael Carrick believes tiredness was no excuse for Manchester United after they lost a two-goal lead in Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea.

Everton captain Neville embarrassed after cup exit (Mar 11, 2013 20:29 GMT)
Everton captain Phil Neville has admitted that he was embarrassed by own performance during Saturday's 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at home to Wigan.

Reading announce McDermott departure (Mar 11, 2013 17:35 GMT)
Reading have announced the departure of manager Brian McDermott.

Liverpool fans' group responds to price hike (Mar 11, 2013 16:14 GMT)
Liverpool fans' group Spirit of Shankly has hit out at the Merseyside club's hike of up to 9% in Anfield ticket prices for next season, labelling it "an insult to long-standing supporters".

Carrick: Fatigue no excuse for Chelsea draw (Mar 11, 2013 15:28 GMT)
Michael Carrick believes tiredness was no excuse for Manchester United after they lost a two-goal lead in Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea.

Mikel: Rafa taunts not helping us (Mar 11, 2013 14:40 GMT)
John Obi Mikel has admitted that the anti-Rafa Benitez chants sung by Chelsea supporters are having a negative effect on the team.

Lambert: Dunne injury not career-threatening (Mar 11, 2013 14:30 GMT)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has insisted centre-back Richard Dunne's long-term groin problem is not career-threatening.

Black Cats still in a battle, says boss O'Neill (Mar 11, 2013 14:00 GMT)
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has said the Black Cats are where he expected them to be in the Premier League table as the season enters its closing stages.

Wilkins backs Gus Poyet for Chelsea job (Mar 11, 2013 13:56 GMT)
Ray Wilkins has backed Guy Poyet to become the next manager of Chelsea, with the post set to be vacant in the summer.

Marveaux sees importance of Stoke win to Newcastle (Mar 11, 2013 13:14 GMT)
Newcastle midfielder Sylvain Marveaux says victory over Stoke on Sunday was a big step towards securing Premier League football for the club next season.

Whelan apologises for his error at Newcastle (Mar 11, 2013 11:24 GMT)
Glenn Whelan has apologised to Stoke City manager Tony Pulis for costing him a crucial victory against Newcastle United which would have eased the growing unrest amongst Potters supporters.

Lambert: We've blown relegation battle open (Mar 11, 2013 10:36 GMT)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert feels the Midlanders have blown the relegation scrap wide open with their victory at Reading, dragging other teams into the battle for survival.

Gerrard: Suarez award snub would be unjust (Mar 11, 2013 10:04 GMT)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes that striker Luis Suarez would be "the best player ever not to win an award" if he does not claim an individual honour this season.

Reina in fitness race for Southampton Premier League clash (Mar 11, 2013 09:44 GMT)
Pepe Reina is on course to make Liverpool's Premier League trip to Southampton on Saturday as he recovers from a calf injury.

Rafa's revenge; Tevez in the driving seat (Mar 11, 2013 09:04 GMT)
The Fifth Official on the spat between Rafa and Fergie, QPR's redemption and some dodgy decisions this weekend.

Barry: Tevez unfazed by off-field issues (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Gareth Barry insists Manchester City team-mate Carlos Tevez has been unperturbed by his latest off-field dramas after being arrested for driving whilst disqualified last week.

Pardew eyes end to trophy drought (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has vowed to put all his efforts into ending the club's 44-year wait for a major trophy, suggesting his side's Premier League relegation fears have come to an end.

Allen likely to require shoulder surgery (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed midfielder Joe Allen is likely to require surgery after injuring his shoulder in Sunday's 3-2 win over Tottenham.

Laudrup planning for European success (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup is already planning how to strengthen his squad for their assault on the domestic and European stages next season.

Morrison: We're not used to success (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
James Morrison admits West Bromwich Albion are in unfamiliar territory as they approach the final two months of the season.

Clarke coy on Europa League hopes (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
West Brom manager Steve Clarke believes a Europa League place is likely to be beyond the scope of his in-form side.

Team of the Week (Mar 10, 2013 22:58 GMT)
Carlos Tevez and Andros Townsend are in our league and Cup Team of the Week, but who else makes the cut?

AVB frustrated as Reds snatch the spoils (Mar 10, 2013 20:13 GMT)
Mike Whalley witnessed Liverpool recover from a 2-1 deficit to seal a thrilling win over Andre Villas-Boas' Spurs.

Timing everything again for Toon (Mar 10, 2013 19:55 GMT)
Late drama was the order of the day again for Newcastle as they battled back to beat Stoke, writes Kristan Heneage.

Suarez wins duel with Bale to spark Liverpool (Mar 10, 2013 18:11 GMT)
Luis Suarez won the battle of the player of the year contenders as he scored and earned the match-winning penalty to eclipse Gareth Bale and keep Liverpool's top-four hopes alive with a 3-2 win.

Townsend: QPR players relishing battle to stay up (Mar 10, 2013 13:31 GMT)
Queens Park Rangers winger Andros Townsend says the players are relishing the battle to avoid the drop after coming from behind to beat Sunderland 2-1 at Loftus Road.

Luis Suarez: We need to stop Gareth Bale (Mar 10, 2013 13:00 GMT)
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is wary of the threat posed by Tottenham Hotspur forward Gareth Bale as the two sides prepare to go head to head on Sunday.

Paul Gascoigne: 'I thought I was on my way out' (Mar 10, 2013 09:55 GMT)
Former England international Paul Gascoigne has revealed he thought he was dead after suffering a reaction to detox in rehab.

Clarke: We were lucky to beat Swansea (Mar 10, 2013 08:00 GMT)
West Brom manager Steve Clarke has admitted his side were fortunate to claim a 2-1 win over Swansea on Saturday after Swans substitute Roland Lamah had a late goal incorrectly ruled out for offside.

AVB: We will ruin Reds' top-four hopes (Mar 10, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Andre Villas-Boas is hoping to end Liverpool's hopes of a top-four finish when Tottenham travel to Anfield on Sunday, insisting his side will not be weakened following their midweek Europa League fixture.

Harry Redknapp: We need more Sunderland victories (Mar 10, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp has urged his side to repeat their 3-1 victory over Sunderland as they fight to escape relegation.

Rodgers hails versatility of Suarez (Mar 9, 2013 23:32 GMT)
Brendan Rodgers praised the versatility of Luis Suarez after Liverpool's 3-2 triumph over Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday.

Whelan: Martinez pay rise if Wigan win Cup (Mar 9, 2013 23:11 GMT)
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has promised manager Roberto Martinez a pay rise if his side win the FA Cup and stay in the Premier League.

Brassell: Villa victorious in war of nerves (Mar 9, 2013 20:39 GMT)
Andy Brassell saw Aston Villa claim a valuable three points from their relegation scrap with Reading.

Premier Showdown - Mar 9-10 (Mar 9, 2013 19:18 GMT)
Take on Dale Johnson and Tommy Smyth in our predictions game.

Brewin: Salvation in sight for Redknapp's Rs (Mar 9, 2013 18:51 GMT)
John Brewin was at Loftus Road as QPR kept their hopes of a great escape alive with victory over Sunderland.

Villa, QPR grab crucial victories in relegation fight (Mar 9, 2013 17:15 GMT)
Ryan Giggs will sit out Manchester United's FA Cup quarterfinal with Chelsea on Sunday.

Prem: QPR and Villa rally for vital victories (Mar 9, 2013 17:12 GMT)
Queens Park Rangers' Premier League survival bid is well-and-truly alive after they earned only their fourth win of the season against Sunderland on Saturday. However, Reading remain in deep trouble following defeat in the big relegation six-pointer

James Milner: Hard to hate Mario Balotelli (Mar 9, 2013 12:07 GMT)
James Milner has said he misses the "crazy" but "harmless" character of Mario Balotelli in the Manchester City dressing room.

MatchDay LIVE - Goals, updates and chat (Mar 9, 2013 10:55 GMT)
MatchDay LIVE - March 9

Suarez targets Champions League berth (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez believes victory over Tottenham on Sunday can keep his side's hopes of Champions League qualification alive.

Tevez set for FA Cup start despite arrest (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Carlos Tevez could take his place in the starting line-up for Manchester City's FA Cup quarter-final clash with Barnsley on Saturday, despite facing charges of driving whilst disqualified.

Ivanovic: Chelsea lack 'fighting spirit' (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic has urged his team-mates to revive the fighting spirit that led them to Champions League glory last sesaon as they prepare to face Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

Redknapp tips Bale to remain at Tottenham (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp believes Gareth Bale will not look to seal a big money move away from White Hart Lane this summer, describing him as "a dream" to manage.

Sigurdsson: I was right to snub Liverpool (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Gylfi Sigurdsson believes Tottenham's lofty position in the Premier League proves he made the right decision to turn down Liverpool in favour of a move to Spurs last summer.

West Brom boss Clarke praises Yacob impact (Mar 9, 2013 01:32 GMT)
Steve Clarke has hailed Claudio Yacob as West Bromwich Albion's own discovery of the season as they prepare to face up to Swansea striker Michu - the find who has spearheaded his side's historic campaign.

U.S., Everton's Howard has broken back bones (Mar 8, 2013 23:48 GMT)
Everton and United States goalkeeper Tim Howard will miss several weeks after breaking two bones in his back, Everton manager David Moyes said Friday, according to multiple repor

Roberto Mancini labels Nani red card a 'mistake' (Mar 8, 2013 23:05 GMT)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has accused Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir of making "a big mistake" when he sent Manchester United winger Nani off against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Mancini baffled by Richards woes (Mar 8, 2013 23:05 GMT)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says it is "strange" that Micah Richards is still not fit to return to first-team football for the club.

Roberts out for the season after hip surgery (Mar 8, 2013 19:26 GMT)
Reading striker Jason Roberts is likely to miss the rest of the season after he was told that his hip injury requires surgery.

Man charged over banana thrown at Gareth Bale (Mar 8, 2013 18:32 GMT)
A man has been charged with throwing a banana on to the pitch at last Sunday's north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal.

Rodgers able to strengthen his squad in the summer (Mar 8, 2013 17:28 GMT)
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists he has the full backing of the owners to strengthen his squad this summer, despite an increase in the club's debt.

Laudrup signs new one-year Swansea deal (Mar 8, 2013 17:12 GMT)
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has signed a one-year contract extension that keeps him at the Liberty Stadium until June 2015, the club have confirmed.

Seb Larsson: Victory at Loftus Road is vital (Mar 8, 2013 16:34 GMT)
Sebastian Larsson believes Sunderland's visit to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday is likely to define the club's season.

Lambert feeling confident about beating the drop (Mar 8, 2013 16:31 GMT)
Paul Lambert enters his most crucial week as Aston Villa manager confident that his side are equipped to handle the pressure of two vital matches that could go a long way to deciding their Premier League fate.

Villa star wants to avoid relegation showdown (Mar 8, 2013 16:23 GMT)
Gabriel Agbonlahor has said Aston Villa are prepared for their relegation battle to go to a final-day decider at Wigan but believe they can avoid such a tense scenario.

Stoke boss Pulis: Criticise me, not the players (Mar 8, 2013 15:56 GMT)
Tony Pulis is prepared to keep taking the flak from Stoke City fans - to help protect his players.

Redknapp: 37 points is enough to survive (Mar 8, 2013 14:33 GMT)
Harry Redknapp has stated he would take 37 points now in order for Queens Park Rangers to stay up, but says the team need to win back-to-back games in order to generate sufficient momentum.

Redknapp not worried by QPR finances (Mar 8, 2013 14:17 GMT)
Harry Redknapp has reiterated his faith in both the Queens Park Rangers owners and the club's financial situation should they get relegated, despite the club's huge debt.

Cazorla hails Arsenal team-mate Wilshere (Mar 8, 2013 13:38 GMT)
Santi Cazorla has revealed he has settled with Arsenal in the Premier League since joining the club last summer.

Jagielka ruled out of Everton clash (Mar 8, 2013 13:21 GMT)
Phil Jagielka will miss Everton's FA Cup quarter-final against Wigan on Saturday, but manager David Moyes hopes the defender's absence will be a short one.

Cortese speaks out against FFP regulations (Mar 8, 2013 13:03 GMT)
Southampton executive chairman Nicola Cortese has hit out at the Premier League's plans to introduce Financial Fair Play regulations.

Man City striker Carlos Tevez arrested (Mar 8, 2013 12:21 GMT)
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has been arrested for allegedly driving while disqualified, police sources have confirmed.

Carragher stands by retirement decision (Mar 8, 2013 11:36 GMT)
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher's recent run in the team will not be enough to make him reverse his decision to retire at the end of the season.

Rangel agrees new Swansea deal (Mar 8, 2013 09:35 GMT)
Swansea defender Angel Rangel has signed a new three-year contract at the Liberty Stadium, the Capital One Cup winners have announced.

Ferguson backed over Rooney treatment (Mar 8, 2013 08:31 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to drop Wayne Rooney for Manchester United's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid has been backed by an influential fan group, as would a potential sale of the England forward.

Suarez rewarded with pay rise - reports (Mar 8, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Luis Suarez has been rewarded with a pay rise that will see him earning in excess of £100,000-a-week at Liverpool, according to several newspapers reports.

Arsenal chairman denies takeover talk (Mar 8, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has denied any knowledge of a potential £1.5 billion takeover of the club by a Middle East consortium.

Odemwingie remains in West Brom plans (Mar 8, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Steve Clarke has revealed that Peter Odemwingie could yet have a long-term future at West Bromwich Albion.

Premier League Spotlight: Anfield test for confident Spurs (Mar 8, 2013 08:00 GMT)
In this week's Premier League Spotlight, James Dall doubts that Liverpool can wipe the smile off Andre Villas-Boas' face and considers some pivotal games at the wrong end of the table.

Wes Brown unlikely to play this season (Mar 7, 2013 23:39 GMT)
Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill has revealed that defender Wes Brown is unlikely to play any further part in the Black Cats' season.

Davis pens new Southampton deal until 2016 (Mar 7, 2013 18:20 GMT)
Kelvin Davis has signed a new contract at Southampton, keeping him at St Mary's until 2016.

Southampton captain Davis signs extension (Mar 7, 2013 17:38 GMT)
Club captain Kelvin Davis has become the latest Southampton player to commit his future to the club by signing a new deal until 2016.

Begovic focused on playing for Stoke City (Mar 7, 2013 16:55 GMT)
Asmir Begovic insists he is focused on playing for Stoke City despite the speculation linking him with a move away from the Britannia Stadium.

Clarke wants a final push from his West Brom side (Mar 7, 2013 16:52 GMT)
Steve Clarke has demanded to see more from his West Bromwich Albion side over the final two months of the season - starting with Saturday's visit of Swansea City.

Gardner tips QPR to win survival fight (Mar 7, 2013 15:54 GMT)
Sunderland midfielder Craig Gardner believes Saturday's opponents Queens Park Rangers will win their battle against relegation.

Stoke's Shawcross backs under-fire boss Pulis (Mar 7, 2013 15:32 GMT)
Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross has told fans that the players, not manager Tony Pulis, are to blame for an alarming slump in form.

Defoe willing to bet Spurs will outplay Arsenal (Mar 7, 2013 15:15 GMT)
Jermain Defoe is so sure Tottenham will finish above Arsenal that he is willing to enter into another charity bet with Gunners midfielder Jack Wilshere.

On-loan Gomes expects Tottenham return (Mar 7, 2013 14:56 GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is glad that his loan to Hoffenheim has got him playing regularly again, but he plans on returning to Spurs in the summer.

Defoe: Authorities must be tough on racism (Mar 7, 2013 14:28 GMT)
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has urged the game's authorities to come down hard on supporters who chant racist abuse inside football stadiums.

Delph determined to repay Lerner faith (Mar 7, 2013 14:07 GMT)
Fabian Delph is driven to save Aston Villa from relegation in order to thank owner Randy Lerner for not showing him the door at the club.

Suarez showing Messi-like skill - Enrique (Mar 7, 2013 13:44 GMT)
Jose Enrique believes his Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez shows similarities to Lionel Messi in his ability to go past defenders.

Newcastle's Coloccini may miss up to 7 weeks (Mar 7, 2013 13:34 GMT)
Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini could be out of action for up to seven weeks, a major blow for manager Alan Pardew's squad.

Coloccini facing up to seven weeks out (Mar 7, 2013 12:43 GMT)
Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini could be out of action until the final month of the season, manager Alan Pardew has said.

Ronaldo hits back at Fergie's 'fat and old' jibe (Mar 7, 2013 09:45 GMT)
Former Brazil striker Ronaldo said Real Madrid's 2-1 Champions League win over Manchester United on Tuesday served to shut Alex Ferguson's mouth, after the United boss called him 'fat' in the build-up to the game.

Queens Park Rangers' debts rise to £89m (Mar 7, 2013 09:03 GMT)
Queens Park Rangers' debt has risen from £56 million to £89 million, accounts covering the club's first season back in the Premier League reveal.

Scudamore slams Hammers over Tevez (Mar 7, 2013 09:02 GMT)
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has hit out at those who caused the third-party ownership scandal involving of Carlos Tevez at West Ham.

Crouch ready for Coloccini rematch (Mar 6, 2013 15:22 GMT)
Peter Crouch is determined to lead a Stoke City revival against Newcastle United this weekend - despite having to relive the horrific clash with Fabricio Coloccini.

Defoe: Bale morphs into world best (Mar 6, 2013 15:11 GMT)
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe believes team-mate Gareth Bale has "transformed himself" into one of the world's best players and he believes fatherhood has been central to his coming of age.

Villas-Boas: Hard work starts now (Mar 6, 2013 14:49 GMT)
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has admitted his club's long-term future will be dependent on what transpires in the final few weeks of this season.

Bramble keen to earn new deal at Sunderland (Mar 6, 2013 14:10 GMT)
Titus Bramble remains optimistic he can earn a new contract with Sunderland, despite continued uncertainty surrounding his future at the Stadium of Light.

Clarke: Popov has to prove himself at West Brom (Mar 6, 2013 14:02 GMT)
Steve Clarke has challenged defender Goran Popov to win a permanent move to West Bromwich Albion during the remainder of the season.

Montpellier set to hold Maradona talks (Mar 6, 2013 09:49 GMT)
Montpellier owner Louis Nicollin has said he is ready to meet Diego Maradona to hold talks about the possibility of the Argentina legend taking over as coach of the Ligue 1 champions next season.

City can still win the title, says Garcia (Mar 6, 2013 09:41 GMT)
Manchester City midfielder Javi Garcia has said he believes the Premier League champions can retain their title despite being 12 points adrift of Manchester United.

Ramires: Past success drives Chelsea (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea midfielder Ramires has pointed to last season's Champions League and FA Cup success as proof the club are not done yet in the fight for silverware.

Fabian Delph banned for six-pointers (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Fabian Delph has spoken of how disappointed he is that suspension will force him to sit out the critical next two games in Aston Villa's Premier League survival battle.

Wright: Arsenal owner must talk takeover (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has urged the club's majority shareholder Stan Kroenke to end his silence and "start answering some questions", amid reports that he is about to sell his shares to a Middle East consortium.

Cole regrets Liverpool move (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Joe Cole admits his decision to join Liverpool in 2010 was a mistake, claiming his only other option was an unthinkable move to Tottenham.

Zabaleta: Tevez incident was 'difficult' for City (Mar 6, 2013 02:53 GMT)
Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has described last season's stand-off between Carlos Tevez and Roberto Mancini as a minor incident that turned into a "crazy" situation.

Laudrup: Wieghorst could replace me at Swansea (Mar 5, 2013 18:30 GMT)
Morten Wieghorst could be the perfect replacement for Michael Laurup, according to Swansea's manager.

Jordan: March crucial for QPR's survival chances (Mar 5, 2013 16:41 GMT)
Queens Park Rangers first-team coach Joe Jordan says March will be "crucial" in determining whether or not the Hoops can avoid relegation this season.

Stoke chief voices support for Pulis after recent criticism (Mar 5, 2013 13:27 GMT)
Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has urged supporters to be more realistic at the Britannia Stadium, in the wake of their growing frustration with manager Tony Pulis.

Lloris not getting carried away by Arsenal victory (Mar 5, 2013 12:34 GMT)
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has warned his team-mates that their hopes of a Champions League return could slip away unless they retain their focus following Sunday's win against Arsenal.

Liverpool chief: No pressure for club to sell players (Mar 5, 2013 11:37 GMT)
Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre has made it clear there is no pressure to sell their star players despite an increase in the club's debts to £87.2 million.

Olsson desperate for McAuley to commit to West Brom (Mar 5, 2013 10:43 GMT)
Jonas Olsson believes it is crucial for West Bromwich Albion to persuade Gareth McAuley to sign a contract extension at the club.

Dawson: Bale playing better than Messi, Ronaldo (Mar 5, 2013 10:03 GMT)
The Gareth Bale bandwagon continues to gather pace with Michael Dawson claiming his Tottenham team-mate is a better player on current form than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

West Ham owners reveal £35m loan (Mar 5, 2013 08:55 GMT)
West Ham United's owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, injected £35 million into the club following their relegation to the Championship in 2011.

Liverpool's Daniel Agger hails 'world class' Reina (Mar 5, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger believes Pepe Reina showed glimpses of his "world class" abilities in Saturday's 4-0 win over Wigan.

Mertesacker laments weary Arsenal (Mar 5, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Per Mertesacker has lamented Arsenal's lack of concentration in the first half of matches this season which he claims has prevented them from cementing a top four position.

Reina urges Reds to recruit in the summer (Mar 5, 2013 03:44 GMT)
Pepe Reina has warned Liverpool could fall further behind Champions League qualification next season if the club's board fail to recruit new players in the summer.

Man City suffer Aguero, Rodwell blows (Mar 5, 2013 00:08 GMT)
Roberto Mancini has revealed Sergio Aguero will miss Manchester City's FA Cup quarter-final at home to Barnsley on Saturday, while Jack Rodwell faces up to a month on the sidelines.

Brassell: Brittle Villa fall short again (Mar 4, 2013 23:58 GMT)
Andy Brassell watched a brittle Aston Villa side crumble under pressure from Manchester City.

Mancini: City will fight Utd to the end for title (Mar 4, 2013 22:44 GMT)
Roberto Mancini is remaining defiant about Manchester City's chances of overturning Manchester United at the top of the Premier League after cutting their lead to 12 points with victory over Aston Villa.

Tevez goal keeps alive City's faint title hopes (Mar 4, 2013 22:22 GMT)
Carlos Tevez kept alive Manchester City's slim hopes of retaining its Barclays Premier League title with the only goal at relegation-threatened Aston Villa.

Premier Showdown - Mar 2-4 (Mar 4, 2013 17:34 GMT)
Take on Dale Johnson and Tommy Smyth in our predictions game.

Police search for fan who threw banana at Bale (Mar 4, 2013 16:41 GMT)
Police are trying to trace an Arsenal fan who threw a banana at Tottenham's Gareth Bale during Sunday's north London derby at White Hart Lane.

Hammers close to Olympic Stadium agreement (Mar 4, 2013 16:29 GMT)
West Ham are on the verge of agreeing a move to the Olympic Stadium, according to co-chairman David Gold.

Ferguson on Mourinho (Mar 4, 2013 16:25 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has played down talk that Jose Mourinho will succeed him as manager of Manchester United by reiterating that he does not know when he will leave Old Trafford.

Giggs in line for 1,000th appearance (Mar 4, 2013 14:28 GMT)
A proud Ryan Giggs has prepared for his 1,000th senior game by thanking the Real Madrid supporters for applauding him on to the pitch for the first leg of their Champions League clash with Manchester United.

Sessegnon: We need to win our games (Mar 4, 2013 13:39 GMT)
Stephane Sessegnon believes that Sunderland must start to win their games if they are to dispel close-season nerves.

Coloccini ruled out of Anzhi Europa League clash (Mar 4, 2013 13:31 GMT)
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew hopes to see captain Fabricio Coloccini return for the club's home game against Stoke on Sunday, conceding that Thursday's Europe League trip to Anzhi Makhachkala will come too soon for the defender.

Capello plays down Chelsea link (Mar 4, 2013 13:25 GMT)
Russia coach Fabio Capello has denied that he has been offered the opportunity to take over as manager of Chelsea.

Gibson hopes injury woes are behind him (Mar 4, 2013 12:59 GMT)
Darron Gibson is hopeful that he can avoid a summer thigh operation as he bids to help Everton qualify for Europe.

Collison finally able to look to future (Mar 4, 2013 11:52 GMT)
Jack Collison has insisted after his match-winning weekend heroics that he is in good shape to enjoy a fruitful end to the season with both West Ham United and Wales.

Neville: England wants Mourinho to make a return (Mar 4, 2013 11:24 GMT)
Gary Neville says that Jose Mourinho would be welcomed back to English football with open arms when he leaves his current job as Real Madrid coach.

Arsenal's Titanic task; QPR's boozeathon (Mar 4, 2013 11:23 GMT)
The Fifth Official talks North London supremacy, Benitez bile and Cristiano Ronaldo's house of mirrors.

Majority of players 'will go broke', survey claims (Mar 4, 2013 10:50 GMT)
A charity that helps former professional footballers in the UK and Ireland has found that a majority of top-division players go broke within five years of ending their careers.

Liverpool debts increase to £87.2 million (Mar 4, 2013 10:32 GMT)
Liverpool's debts rose to £87.2 million last season, but managing director Ian Ayre has told the club's fans there is no reason to be alarmed.

Rangers figures reveal £7 million loss (Mar 4, 2013 09:58 GMT)
Rangers made a loss of £7 million in the final seven months of 2012, figures released by the Glasgow club show.

Remy: I didn't want to leave Marseille (Mar 4, 2013 09:40 GMT)
Queens Park Rangers striker Loic Remy has admitted he never wanted to leave Marseille in January, and was "a little disappointed" the Ligue 1 club decided to sell him "behind [his] back".

Wenger ignoring Arsenal takeover talk (Mar 4, 2013 08:58 GMT)
Arsene Wenger has refused to be drawn into a discussion about a possible takeover at Arsenal.

Nicklas Bendtner penalised for drink driving (Mar 4, 2013 08:27 GMT)
On-loan Juventus striker Nicklas Bendtner has received a police caution for "a mild case of drink driving".

Rooney ready to peak as 200th goal looms (Mar 4, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Wayne Rooney feels his best years are ahead of him as he closes in on the 200-goal mark for Manchester United.

Purslow: Benitez doomed to fail at Chelsea (Mar 4, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez was never going to succeed at Stamford Bridge according to former Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow.

Downing: Judge Suarez on talent (Mar 4, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Stewart Downing believes the controversies which have enveloped Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez should be forgotten when deciding on the Player of the Year.

Villa boss: Lambert says beating City is possible (Mar 4, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Paul Lambert insists it would be a massive boost for his relegation-threatened side if they could beat Manchester City at Villa Park on Monday night.

Pulis: You have to accept criticism (Mar 4, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Tony Pulis insists he can put up with the criticism that is accompanying Stoke City's struggle to get over the finishing line in securing a sixth successive season in the Premier League.

Adam: We must stick together (Mar 4, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Charlie Adam believes Stoke City's players need to be mentally resilient to overcome the criticism that is blighting their season.

Mancini defends public criticism of players (Mar 3, 2013 23:11 GMT)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has defended his outspoken approach to management and said that top players should be able to cope with public criticism.

Cech wants managerial stability at Chelsea (Mar 3, 2013 23:00 GMT)
Petr Cech would favour the return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge but said that the most important requirement for Chelsea is to finally bring managerial stability after this season.

Spurs assert derby dominance (Mar 3, 2013 19:40 GMT)
John Brewin watched Tottenham leave Arsenal trailing in their wake in the North London derby.

Wenger: Sloppy defending cost Arsenal (Mar 3, 2013 19:35 GMT)
Arsene Wenger lamented Arsenal's defending as two goals in two first half minutes consigned his side to a 2-1 derby defeat to North London rivals Tottenham.

Brilliant Bale lifts Spurs past Arsenal (Mar 3, 2013 19:11 GMT)
Tottenham moved seven points clear of Arsenal after it came out on top 2-1 in a pulsating north London derby at White Hart Lane.

AVB and Dawson hails Spurs' victory (Mar 3, 2013 18:43 GMT)
Andre Villas-Boas believes Tottenham have helped send Arsenal into a "negative spiral" following their 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the north London derby.

Team of the Week (Mar 3, 2013 18:31 GMT)
Hat-trick heroes Luis Suarez and Shinji Kagawa are in Team of the Week, but who else makes the cut?

Tevez wants to be City idol (Mar 3, 2013 12:20 GMT)
Carlos Tevez says he is still fighting to win back the affection of the Manchester City fans but stresses that he is a changed man after walking out on the club last season.

Arsenal: Kroenke not interested in £1.5bn takeover (Mar 3, 2013 11:24 GMT)
Arsenal have insisted that majority shareholder Stan Kroenke would have no interest in selling his stake amid reports of a potential £1.5 billion bid from the Middle East.

Suarez blames United for Evra incident (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez insists his "conscience is clear" following last season's incident with Patrice Evra where he was found guilty of racially abusing the Manchester United defender.

Mancini warns players of uncertain future (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has warned his players that their performances over the remainder of the season could decide their future at the club.

Agbonlahor fears Aston Villa relegation (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has admitted that it's difficult not to be frightened by the prospect of relegation at his home-city club.

Wenger suggests Wilshere can outshine Bale (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed Jack Wilshere to steal the limelight away from Gareth Bale in Sunday's north London derby, insisting the Welshman is little more than "the flavour of the moment".

Holtby: Spurs was the right move for me (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Lewis Holtby could have been pulling on an Arsenal shirt in Sunday's North London derby at White Hart Lane, but the Germany international is convinced he made a shrewd move when he opted to sign for their rivals Tottenham in January.

Consortium set to bid £1.5bn for Arsenal - report (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
An Arab consortium is considering making a bid for Arsenal in the near future, according to reports in The Sun on Sunday and Sunday Telegraph.

Jolly: Latin link-up has Reds purring (Mar 2, 2013 21:09 GMT)
Richard Jolly watched Luis Suarez and Coutinho help Liverpool to dismantle a sorry looking Wigan side.

FIFA: Goal-line technology to cost only £100,000 (Mar 2, 2013 20:28 GMT)
Goal-line technology will cost as little as £100,000 to install in a stadium,

EPL: Suarez lifts Liverpool with hat trick (Mar 2, 2013 19:51 GMT)
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez steamed ahead in the race for the golden boot with a hat trick Saturday as woeful Wigan was dispatched 4-0 at the DW Stadium.

Heneage: Sunderland suffering lack of creativity (Mar 2, 2013 19:33 GMT)
Kristan Heneage watched Sunderland fight back against Fulham, as they struggled for creativity.

Delaney: Benitez beats the boo-boys (Mar 2, 2013 19:18 GMT)
Miguel Delaney saw Rafa Benitez emerge from the Stamford Bridge cauldron smiling following victory over West Brom.

Redknapp fumes over 'disgusting' story (Mar 2, 2013 18:24 GMT)
Harry Redknapp was incandescent with rage after the 2-1 win over Southampton, accusing an agent of leaking false information in a bid to destabilise the club in a weekend paper report.

Benitez praises Chelsea fans for support (Mar 2, 2013 18:15 GMT)
Interim Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez refused to rise to the bait offered by reporters who goaded him in his post-match press conference following his side's 1-0 win against West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge.

Everton defender Phil Jagielka to have surgery (Mar 2, 2013 17:43 GMT)
Everton defender Phil Jagielka is to have surgery on a badly gashed ankle, manager David Moyes has confirmed.

Ba's goal enough to give Chelsea win (Mar 2, 2013 17:20 GMT)
Chelsea claimed a routine 1-0 win over West Brom on Saturday as Rafael Benitez made a victorious Stamford Bridge return following his midweek criticism of Blues supporters.

Kagawa scores 3 as Man United wins (Mar 2, 2013 17:11 GMT)
Shinji Kagawa scored his first Manchester United hat trick as the Red Devils warmed up for their Champions League duel with Real Madrid by brushing aside Norwich 4-0 to open up a 15-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

Prem: Blues beat Baggies, Man Utd win (Mar 2, 2013 16:56 GMT)
Chelsea eased the pressure on interim manager Rafael Benitez with a victory at home to West Brom, while Manchester United secured a comfortable win over Norwich thanks to a Shinji Kagawa hat-trick.

Sunderland exploring naming rights options (Mar 2, 2013 13:58 GMT)
Sunderland would be open to selling the naming rights to the Stadium of Light in a bid to increase revenue streams, according to the club's chief executive.

QPR tight-lipped on players' Dubai 'stag party' (Mar 2, 2013 13:34 GMT)
QPR have declined to comment on astory in the Daily Mirror newspaper that claimed their recent training camp in Dubai turned into a glorified "stag party".

MatchDay LIVE - Goals, updates and chat (Mar 2, 2013 12:43 GMT)
MatchDay LIVE - March 2

Ferguson: Giggs and Scholes not ready for Utd job (Mar 2, 2013 12:02 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has told L'Equipe Magazine that he does not expect Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes to succeed him at Manchester United.

Ferguson laughs off Mancini's 'lucky' jibe at Utd (Mar 2, 2013 11:37 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has laughed off a recent suggestion from Roberto Mancini that Manchester United have been lucky this season.

Gibson playing through the pain to help Everton (Mar 2, 2013 11:12 GMT)
Everton midfielder Darron Gibson is ready to soldier on with a thigh injury that needs surgery in order to help the club's push for Europe.

AVB a 'different person' after Blues axe (Mar 2, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Andre Villas-Boas claims he feels like a "different manager and different person" as the first anniversary of his departure from Chelsea looms.

Aston Villa need to embrace relegation scrap (Mar 2, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Paul Lambert has urged his Aston Villa players to embrace the challenge of the Premier League survival battle  and not be daunted by it.

Fergie confident of new Ferdinand deal (Mar 2, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Rio Ferdinand will follow Ryan Giggs in signing another contract extension with Manchester United.

Coutinho: Kick me and I'll score goals (Mar 2, 2013 08:00 GMT)
New Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho has laughed off worries the Premier League's physicality will batter him into submission by declaring every time he gets kicked he will "score some goals".

Rodgers hopeful that Suarez will stay (Mar 2, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is trying not to obsess too much about hanging on to Luis Suarez this summer, but remains confident his star striker will not be tempted by the bright lights of the Champions League.

Wenger: There's only one Gareth Bale (Mar 1, 2013 23:48 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has suggested Tottenham are playing a dangerous game by relying so heavily on Gareth Bale in their push for a Champions League return.

Rafa: Chelsea players support me (Mar 1, 2013 23:28 GMT)
Rafa Benitez claims that many of Chelsea's players have been offering private support in the midst of a difficult spell at Stamford Bridge.

Rewards for Roberto around the corner (Mar 1, 2013 21:48 GMT)
Kevin Keegan says Roberto Martinez is destined for bigger things and that Jamie Carragher's retirement will be keenly felt at Anfield.

Jason Puncheon signs new Southampton deal (Mar 1, 2013 21:33 GMT)
Jason Puncheon has ended speculation over his future by signing a new contract with Southampton until 2016.

Pardew keeping faith with Newcastle youth (Mar 1, 2013 21:10 GMT)
Alan Pardew has admitted his attempts to incorporate the club's young players into the first team this season has failed.

Wenger warns focus can't be on Bale (Mar 1, 2013 21:07 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned his side to concentrate on their own performance against Tottenham on Sunday, rather than worrying about what Gareth Bale might produce at White Hart Lane.

O'Neill keen to extend Mignolet contract (Mar 1, 2013 19:26 GMT)
Martin O'Neill has confirmed his intention to offer goalkeeper Simon Mignolet a new contract at the club as the goalkeeper continues to be linked with a move away from Wearside.

Nile Ranger leaves Newcastle (Mar 1, 2013 19:10 GMT)
Newcastle striker Nile Ranger has left the club by mutual consent the club have confirmed on their official website.

Philippe Senderos extends Fulham deal until 2014 (Mar 1, 2013 18:40 GMT)
Philippe Senderos has signed a one-year contract extension at Fulham, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2014.

Tim Howard's Everton record attempt under threat (Mar 1, 2013 18:19 GMT)
Tim Howard's chances of beating Neville Southall's Everton record for consecutive league appearances is under threat because of injury.

Moyes: Jelavic and Mirallas are key (Mar 1, 2013 18:07 GMT)
David Moyes has backed Nikica Jelavic and Kevin Mirallas to fire Everton back into European contention.

FIFA: Fans to see goal-line decisions on screen (Mar 1, 2013 16:46 GMT)
Goal-line technology decisions will be shown on big screens in stadiums and to television viewers, FIFA have announced.

Benitez: We can finish second (Mar 1, 2013 15:58 GMT)
Rafa Benitez feels that Chelsea still have a chance of finishing second in the Premier League this season.

Rafa Benitez backtracks on recent 'interim' comment (Mar 1, 2013 15:56 GMT)
Rafa Benitez has claimed that the title of 'interim manager' is no longer an issue for him, despite suggesting otherwise during his outburst on Wednesday.

Defoe could return to face Gunners in derby (Mar 1, 2013 15:31 GMT)
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe is set to return to action in Sunday's north London derby at White Hart Lane.

AVB: We can build around Bale (Mar 1, 2013 15:26 GMT)
Andre Villas-Boas has said he wants to build Tottenham's future around Gareth Bale after again dismissing speculation that the Welshman could join Real Madrid in the summer.

Mancini: Villa game a must win for City (Mar 1, 2013 14:25 GMT)
Roberto Mancini concedes the title race will be over if Manchester City fail to beat Aston Villa on Monday.

Kompany doubt for Villa (Mar 1, 2013 14:22 GMT)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has said that Vincent Kompany is unlikely to be fit to face Aston Villa on Monday.

Chelsea's Benitez stands by angry remarks (Mar 1, 2013 13:42 GMT)
Chelsea's interim manager Rafa Benitez has defended the comments he made in the wake of his side's 2-0 FA Cup victory at Middlesbrough on Wednesday.

Pulis defends poor Stoke run (Mar 1, 2013 13:28 GMT)
Tony Pulis has launched a passionate defence of Stoke City's season in response to growing criticism of the club's lack of progress this season.

Wenger: Success not just about money (Mar 1, 2013 11:44 GMT)
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has said spending big money is not necessarily the key to success and that Chelsea or Manchester City would win the title every year if it was.

RVP fit, Jones 'fighting' for Real tie (Mar 1, 2013 11:11 GMT)
Robin van Persie has been passed fit for Manchester United's game against Norwich on Saturday, while Sir Alex Ferguson believes Phil Jones has "a fighting chance" of being available to face Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Wenger: We're not scared of Bale (Mar 1, 2013 10:36 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said the Gunners do not fear Tottenham's in-form Gareth Bale.

North London rivals warn fans (Mar 1, 2013 09:59 GMT)
Tottenham and Arsenal are to warn their fans ahead of Sunday's North London derby that they will adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards abusive chanting.

Giggs pens new deal to play past 40th birthday (Mar 1, 2013 09:45 GMT)
Ryan Giggs has signed a one-year contract extension at Manchester United to ensure the most decorated player in the history of English football will go on into his 40s.

Upton Park needs major work, report says (Mar 1, 2013 09:30 GMT)
West Ham need to make "substantial repairs" to their Upton Park home even if they confirm their move to the Olympic Stadium in nearby Stratford, a report has said.

Zola not ruling out return to Chelsea as manager (Mar 1, 2013 08:51 GMT)
Gianfranco Zola has hinted that he could be tempted by a return to Chelsea as manager at some stage in the future.

Premier League Spotlight: Bale's battle for supreme status (Mar 1, 2013 08:18 GMT)
Premier League Spotlight: Jon Carter wonders if Bale can be compared to Messi/Ronaldo and if Lukaku can beat the Blues.

Ferguson wants director role at United (Mar 1, 2013 08:14 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed his intention to take an upstairs role at Manchester United when he eventually retires from managing the club.

Sunderland partner with Nelson Mandela Foundation (Mar 1, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Sunderland have announced an 18-month partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation aimed at supporting global fundraising initiatives.

Ferguson: United can succeed without me (Mar 1, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson insists Manchester United's success will extend well beyond his career at Old Trafford and believes the involvement of former players has aided the club in recent years.

Vertonghen not focused on revenge (Mar 1, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has warned his side the thirst for revenge over Arsenal cannot be the primary focus for Spurs in Sunday's crucial North London derby at White Hart Lane.


English League Championship
Championship: Cardiff wobbling, Wolves boosted (Mar 30, 2013 17:48 GMT)
Malky Mackay's Cardiff continued to suffer serious promotion jitters as two late penalties from Grant McCann gave resurgent Peterborough a dramatic 2-1 win at London Road.

Champ: Palace thrashed, Watford held late (Mar 29, 2013 17:02 GMT)
Hull City's hopes of a return to the Premier League were boosted on Friday as their nearest rivals for second place, Crystal Palace and Watford, both missed the chance to climb above them.

Leeds owners sell 10% stake to Bahrain bank (Mar 28, 2013 11:05 GMT)
The owners of Leeds United, GFH Capital, have sold a 10% stake in the club to the Bahrain-based International Investment Bank.

Birmingham emails reveal Pannu payments (Mar 28, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Birmingham City's financial difficulties are set to worsen with fears acting chairman Peter Pannu has been paid large amounts of money by the club according to the Blackburn's Singh: I'm not to blame for poor results (Mar 26, 2013 08:05 GMT)
Blackburn's global advisor Shebby Singh said he should not be held responsible for Rovers' poor results during Michael Appleton's brief reign at Ewood Park.

Vydra named Football Lge Player of the Year (Mar 24, 2013 10:01 GMT)
Watford striker Matej Vydra has been named Football League Player of the Year for the 2012-13 season.

Leeds owners GFH backtrack over 'sale' reports (Mar 21, 2013 07:37 GMT)
Leeds United owners Gulf Finance House (GFH) have contradicted statements made in its own annual accounts by claiming that they do not want to sell the whole club, just a stake in it.

Leeds United put up for sale by current owners GFH (Mar 20, 2013 13:05 GMT)
Leeds United owners Gulf Finance House (GFH) have confirmed that they are looking to sell the club.

Zaha gets one-match ban for obscene gesture (Mar 19, 2013 19:39 GMT)
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has been handed a one-match ban for making a obscene gesture to Leeds fans.

Appleton becomes Venky's latest casualty (Mar 19, 2013 17:40 GMT)
Richard Jolly explains why Michael Appleton becomes the latest victim of the malaise at Blackburn Rovers.

Appleton sacked by Blackburn (Mar 19, 2013 11:49 GMT)
Blackburn Rovers have confirmed the sacking of manager Michael Appleton after just two months in charge at Ewood Park.

Ikeme set for spell on sidelines after punching wall (Mar 19, 2013 10:33 GMT)
Carl Ikeme may miss a large part of Wolves' battle to avoid a second successive relegation after damaging his hand in a dressing-room argument with manager Dean Saunders.

Promotion-chasing Watford avoid points deduction (Mar 18, 2013 14:08 GMT)
Watford have avoided the possibility of a points deduction but been hit by a partial transfer embargo after former owner Laurence Bassini was banned from any involvement in football for three years.

Leeds begin planning for life after Neil Warnock (Mar 17, 2013 10:34 GMT)
Leeds United have already begun preliminary discussions about replacing manager Neil Warnock.

Brassell: Boro struggle to find a way out (Mar 16, 2013 20:06 GMT)
Andy Brassell saw two former Premier League sides in Middlesbrough and Birmingham battle for scraps in English football's second tier

Champ: Wolves claim vital win in relegation scrap (Mar 16, 2013 17:44 GMT)
Wolves came from behind to beat fellow strugglers Bristol City at Molineux, with Kevin Doyle's first goal in 16 appearances proving to be the difference for Dean Saunders' side.

Brighton striker Barnes banned for seven games (Mar 16, 2013 10:40 GMT)
Brighton striker Ashley Barnes will serve a seven-game ban over his trip on referee Nigel Miller during the 1-0 defeat to Bolton at the weekend.

Holloway fined £2,000 for improper conduct (Mar 15, 2013 12:38 GMT)
Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has accepted his Football Association charge of improper conduct.

Brighton striker Barnes charged over 'referee trip' (Mar 13, 2013 17:00 GMT)
The Football Association has charged Brighton striker Ashley Barnes over his apparent trip on referee Nigel Miller during the 1-0 defeat to Bolton at the weekend.

Champ: Cardiff rescue late point against Leicester (Mar 12, 2013 22:13 GMT)
Cardiff striker Rudy Gestede nodded home a dramatic late equaliser to earn the Championship leaders a point after a 1-1 draw against Leicester.

Zaha charged by FA for alleged obscene gesture (Mar 12, 2013 16:32 GMT)
The Football Association has charged Wilfried Zaha for improper conduct after the Crystal Palace forward made an alleged obscene gesture towards Leeds United supporters during the Championship clash on Saturday.

FA investigates Brighton striker over 'ref trip' (Mar 11, 2013 16:42 GMT)
The Football Association has begun an investigation into the incident that saw Brighton striker Ashley Barnes sent off after appearing to trip referee Nigel Miller.

Zaha sorry for middle finger gesture (Mar 11, 2013 07:33 GMT)
Manchester United-bound forward Wilfried Zaha has apologised for making an obscene gesture during Crystal Palace's meeting with Leeds United on Saturday.

Champ: Hornets miss chance to close gap (Mar 9, 2013 17:56 GMT)
Watford failed to take the opportunity to close the gap on Championship leaders Cardiff to two points as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Blackpool.

West Yorkshire Police lose appeal case against Leeds United (Mar 7, 2013 16:03 GMT)
West Yorkshire Police have been forced to repay Leeds United around £1 million after it lost its appeal case regarding the costs of policing matches at Elland Road stadium.

Eriksson 'didn't deal with Leicester money' (Mar 6, 2013 09:55 GMT)
Former Leicester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has distanced himself from taking responsibility for the club's near £30 million losses.

Championship: Cardiff maintain lead at summit (Mar 5, 2013 22:37 GMT)

Wolves set for financial troubles if relegated from to League One (Mar 5, 2013 11:31 GMT)
Wolves manager Dean Saunders is battling to prevent the club from facing the prospect of major financial problems if they are relegated.

King ruled out for the season due to kneee surgery (Mar 4, 2013 12:47 GMT)
Birmingham City striker Marlon King will not play again this season after having to undergo knee surgery.

Championship: Hull cut Cardiff's lead, Brighton win (Mar 2, 2013 18:04 GMT)

Cardiff owner Tan vows not to change club's name (Mar 1, 2013 09:29 GMT)
Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan has moved to allay supporters' fears by insisting he will not change the club's name.


English League One
League One Coventry hit with ten-point deduction (Mar 28, 2013 16:34 GMT)
League One Coventry City have been deducted ten points after part of the club was put into administration last week, the Football League has confirmed.

Southend hire Phil Brown to replace Sturrock (Mar 25, 2013 20:08 GMT)
Southend have confirmed Phil Brown's appointment as manager following the sacking of Paul Sturrock on Sunday.

Coventry hearing postponed until Tuesday (Mar 22, 2013 11:54 GMT)
Troubled League One club Coventry City will continue to play at the Ricoh Arena despite the announcement that part of the club is in administration.

Stevenage sack manager Smith after dismal run (Mar 20, 2013 12:53 GMT)
Stevenage have announced the departure of manager Gary Smith.


English FA Cup
Blackburn 'devastated' after FA Cup exit (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Blackburn Rovers manager Michael Appleton said his players were "devastated" after falling 1-0 to Millwall in the FA Cup.

Jolly: Rovers vanquished by hungry Lions (Mar 13, 2013 22:45 GMT)
Richard Jolly was at Blackburn as a rough-and-ready Millwall battled their way to an FA Cup semi-final.

Dann braced for Millwall battle (Mar 13, 2013 10:19 GMT)
Blackburn Rovers captain Scott Dann is confident his side have what it takes to overcome Millwall in their FA Cup quarter-final replay, live on ESPN UK on Wednesday.

Ferdinand avoids FA action (Mar 12, 2013 16:27 GMT)
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand will not be punished for his trip on Chelsea's Fernando Torres during their FA Cup quarter-final draw at Old Trafford.

FA to take time over replay date decision (Mar 11, 2013 15:12 GMT)
A date for the FA Cup quarter-final replay between Manchester United and Chelsea is not expected to be announced by the Football Association until later this week.

Martinez: McManaman ready step up for Wigan (Mar 11, 2013 12:55 GMT)
Roberto Martinez has said Callum McManaman is in contention to start a Premier League game after the winger starred as Wigan reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time.

Moyes denies his contract saga is affecting his players (Mar 11, 2013 10:36 GMT)
David Moyes insists that the uncertainty over his long-term Everton future had no bearing on their 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at home to Wigan.

Rio may face FA action over Torres (Mar 11, 2013 08:57 GMT)
The Football Association may choose to take action on Rio Ferdinand after the Manchester United defender was involved in an incident with Chelsea striker Fernando Torres during Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final.

Fergie handshake 'snub' angers Benitez (Mar 10, 2013 20:52 GMT)
Interim Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez poured scorn on Sir Alex Ferguson's suggestion that Manchester United's tiredness accounted for Chelsea's comeback in their 2-2 FA Cup quarter-final draw at Old Trafford.

Rafa response brings Blues a replay (Mar 10, 2013 20:42 GMT)
He hasn't won over the fans but Rafa Benitez's tactical changes won Chelsea a replay with Man Utd, writes Richard Jolly.

Cup draw pairs Chelsea or United with City (Mar 10, 2013 18:54 GMT)
Manchester United or Chelsea will face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, with Millwall or Blackburn taking on Wigan.

Bruised Rovers claim replay from Lions' Den (Mar 10, 2013 17:49 GMT)
Miguel Delaney watched a physical FA Cup quarter-final between Millwall and Blackburn yield a replay.

Shittu confident of semi-final berth (Mar 10, 2013 16:27 GMT)
Millwall captain Danny Shittu believes his side can see off Blackburn at Ewood Park after a goalless draw in their FA Cup quarter-final.

Victor Moses wants treble over United (Mar 10, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea winger Victor Moses will be looking to complete a unique treble over Manchester United when the two sides meet in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Mancini: No problem with ht-trick hero Tevez (Mar 9, 2013 21:34 GMT)
Roberto Mancini insisted there was no problem between him and hat-trick hero after the pair appeared to exchange words after the strike was substituted in the 5-0 victory over Barnsley.

Boot Room: Man United vs. Chelsea (Mar 9, 2013 18:36 GMT)
The Boot Room

Underdogs have their day at Goodison (Mar 9, 2013 17:10 GMT)
Richard Jolly was at Goodison Park to see Wigan reach their first FA Cup semi-final with a 203-second salvo against Everton.

Cech: Chelsea can re-launch at United (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech believes Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United is the ideal opportunity for the Blues to re-launch their stuttering season.

Howard ruled out of FA Cup clash (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has been ruled out of the FA Cup quarter-final clash against Wigan at Goodison Park.

Fergie refuses to kick Benitez when down (Mar 8, 2013 18:45 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has refused to put the boot into ailing Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez, with the Manchester United chief insisting it was not his style to kick a man while he was down.

Delap wants revenge on City for final woe (Mar 8, 2013 09:28 GMT)
Barnsley's on-loan Stoke midfielder Rory Delap has said he wants to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals to erase the memory of losing the final to them with the Potters in 2010.

Luiz: Chelsea duty to win Europa Lge (Mar 7, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Chelsea defender David Luiz has sounded a rallying call to his team-mates ahead of Thursday night's Europa League game against Steaua Bucharest by insisting they have a duty to win a trophy this season.

Martinez boosted by 'strongest' squad for cup tie (Mar 7, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Roberto Martinez believes Wigan will have their strongest squad of the season available for the FA Cup quarter-final against Everton this weekend.

Rewind to 2008: Barnsley upset the odds (Mar 7, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Jon Carter rewinds to 2008 when Barnsley upset the odds and beat both Liverpool and Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Webb to take charge of United-Chelsea (Mar 6, 2013 08:40 GMT)
Howard Webb has been selected as the referee for Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford.

Scharner calls for Wigan improvement (Mar 5, 2013 16:08 GMT)
Paul Scharner has warned Wigan that they must tighten up their defence if they are to stand a chance of making FA Cup history.


England
Jolly: England slip up after second-half salvo (Mar 27, 2013 22:23 GMT)
England continued their demise on the competitive stage with a disappointing draw in Montenegro, Richard Jolly writes.

England U21 4-0 Austria U21: Young Lions cruise (Mar 26, 2013 22:08 GMT)
England Under-21s continued their record-breaking winning streak on Monday, but overcoming nine-man Austria was hardly the test Stuart Pearce would have hoped for in the last scheduled match ahead of this summer's European Championships.

Taylor confident of England's U-20 WC chances (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
England under-20 coach Peter Taylor is confident his side can 'go a long way' in this year's World Cup after drawing Chile, Iraq and the yet unidentified African champions.

Vucinic: Montenegro will test Rooney's temper (Mar 25, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Montenegro international Mirko Vucinic believes the intense atmosphere of the Podgorica City Stadium will test Wayne Rooney's composure as the striker returns to the scene of his infamous sending off.

United's Chris Smalling eyes England WC spot (Mar 25, 2013 07:00 GMT)
England defender Chris Smalling is eyeing a coveted starting spot in the Three Lions' back four for Brazil 2014 after finally overcoming an injury plagued season.

'Mature' Rooney backed to shine for England (Mar 24, 2013 15:19 GMT)
Joleon Lescott has backed Wayne Rooney to overcome his nightmare trip to Montenegro two years ago and help England seize control of their World Cup qualifying group.

Hodgson no to Terry's England return (Mar 24, 2013 11:12 GMT)
Roy Hodgson has moved to dismiss any idea that John Terry could be given an England recall.

Steven Gerrard backs fans booing Rio Ferdinand (Mar 24, 2013 07:00 GMT)
England captain Steven Gerrard has supported the national team's travelling supporters who were heard abusing Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand in the 8-0 thrashing of San Marino.

Hart: England must perform against Montenegro (Mar 23, 2013 14:17 GMT)
Joe Hart has underlined the importance of England's World Cup qualifying game against Montenegro on Tuesday by telling his team-mates they have got to perform.

Walcott ruled out for England with groin injury (Mar 22, 2013 16:38 GMT)
Theo Walcott has been ruled out of England's World Cup qualifying double header with San Marino and Montenegro and is set to fly back to London for treatment on a groin injury.

Gerrard: I will never have Rio dilemma (Mar 22, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Steven Gerrard insists his ambition to take England to the 2014 World Cup will prevent him from putting club duties before his country like Rio Ferdinand did by stepping down this week.

United youngster Zaha singled out for praise (Mar 21, 2013 23:04 GMT)
England Under-21s coach Brian Eastick singled Wilfried Zaha out for praise after his man-of-the-match performance against Romania.

England U21 3-0 Romania U21 (Mar 21, 2013 21:28 GMT)
Wilfried Zaha's first goal for England Under-21s set Stuart Pearce's side on

Hodgson: Door open for Ferdinand (Mar 21, 2013 17:52 GMT)
England manager Roy Hodgson has not shut the door on Rio Ferdinand's international career, despite the player's withdrawal from the squad to face San Marino and Montenegro.

Rio heads to Qatar as TV pundit (Mar 21, 2013 08:02 GMT)
A report in the Daily Mail has highlighted that Rio Ferdinand, who pullled out of the England squad due to a back injury, is set to travel to Dubai in a 15-hour trip to commentate on the game for TV station Al Jazeera.

Gerrard: A generation has failed England (Mar 21, 2013 07:00 GMT)
England captain Steven Gerrard admits his generation of Three Lions players has failed their country in attempting to win silverware in a major tournament.

Richards bemoans Ferdinand's decision (Mar 20, 2013 22:55 GMT)
Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards claims the latest development in the Rio Ferdinand saga embroiling England's preparation for the World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro has brought "the game into a little bit of disrepute".

Paul Gascoigne blames himself for relapse (Mar 20, 2013 17:30 GMT)
Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne has blamed boredom for the latest setback in his efforts to beat alcohol addiction.

Smalling holds out fitness hope for team-mates (Mar 20, 2013 08:02 GMT)
Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is praying that his team-mates come back from international duty unscathed so that they can continue their march towards the Premier League title.

Hodgson warns Rooney must expect provocation (Mar 17, 2013 14:21 GMT)
Roy Hodgson has told Wayne Rooney to be ready for provocation as he prepares to return to Montenegro with England for a World Cup qualifier.

Roy Hodgson: Hart will start (Mar 17, 2013 07:00 GMT)
England boss Roy Hodgson has shot down returning Ben Fosters hopes of starting for the Three Lions in the World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro after declaring Joe Hart remains his number one goalkeeper.

Fergie: Ferdinand will join England squad (Mar 16, 2013 20:28 GMT)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that defender Rio

Rio Ferdinand recalled to England squad (Mar 14, 2013 15:01 GMT)
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has been recalled to the England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro.


Scottish National Team
Strachan ready to ring changes for Scotland (Mar 26, 2013 09:37 GMT)
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has said he will make changes to his line-up in Serbia and wants to see how some of his players handle an intimidating away atmosphere.

Bale plays down fears over ankle injury (Mar 23, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Wales star Gareth Bale confirmed he hopes play in next Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Croatia, despite being withdrawn from the action after just 45 minutes on Friday night's game against Scotland at Hampden Park.

Coleman hits out at 'Neanderthal' remarks on Bale (Mar 22, 2013 10:12 GMT)
Wales manager Chris Coleman has criticised Dundee manager John Brown after he indicated that Scotland should target winger Gareth Bale when the sides meet at Hampden on Friday.

Gareth Bale misses Wales training (Mar 20, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Gareth Bale is expected to recover from a minor injury in time for Wales' World Cup qualifier against Scotland, despite missing training with the national team on Tuesday.

Scotland not planning to man-mark Gareth Bale (Mar 19, 2013 09:00 GMT)
Scotland have a plan to contain Wales' Gareth Bale but they will not resort to man-marking him during Friday's World Cup qualifier, according to assistant coach Mark McGhee.

Strachan hands first Scotland call-up to three (Mar 7, 2013 17:41 GMT)
Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Liam Bridcutt, Dundee United winger Gary Mackay-Steven and Hull City winger George Boyd have won Scotland call-ups in Gordon Strachan's first competitive squad.


Scottish Premier League
SPL: Caley continue Euro push, Motherwell win (Mar 30, 2013 17:42 GMT)
Inverness kept up their pursuit of European football with a 2-1 win over Hibernian at Easter Road in the Premier League.

Celtic to be without Brown for up to six weeks (Mar 29, 2013 14:39 GMT)
Celtic skipper Scott Brown has undergone surgery on an abductor problem during the international break and will be out for four to six weeks, manager Neil Lennon has confirmed.

McCall aims for second after signing new deal (Mar 29, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Motherwell manager Stuart McCall wants to use his new contract as the catalyst for the club to finish second in the Scottish Premier League.

SFL wants SPL merger delayed by a year (Mar 28, 2013 20:46 GMT)
The Scottish Football League has told the Scottish Premier League it wants plans for a radical revamp of Scottish football to be put on hold for a year.

Bleak times for Strachan's Scotland (Mar 27, 2013 13:24 GMT)
In this week's North of the Border, Scotland fail in their World Cup quest and Dunfermline have some serious financial problems.

McInnes to take over from Brown at Aberdeen (Mar 25, 2013 13:17 GMT)
Derek McInnes has been appointed as Aberdeen's next manager and will take over following the Scottish Premier League split in a fortnight's time.

Kelvin Wilson finally enjoying life at Celtic (Mar 20, 2013 13:29 GMT)
Celtic defender Kelvin Wilson has said he is finally enjoying life at Parkhead and would relish the chance to cap off his fine campaign with a second Scottish Premier League title.

Buddies make friends with success (Mar 20, 2013 07:00 GMT)
North of the Border: On St Mirren's victorious League Cup campaign and the race for the golden boot.

Hearts appoint Gary Locke on permanent basis (Mar 16, 2013 13:05 GMT)
Hearts have confirmed the appointment of Gary Locke as the club's manager until the end of next season.

Brown to step down as Aberdeen manager (Mar 14, 2013 16:11 GMT)
Aberdeen manager Craig Brown has announced that he will stand down at the end of the season but is to remain with the club as a non-executive director.

Over the line and an alternate ending (Mar 13, 2013 12:13 GMT)
North of the Border: a potentially season-defining moment of goal-line controversy and why an alternate ending could be on the horizon.

Mulgrew would welcome Gers back into SPL (Mar 11, 2013 21:06 GMT)
Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew has said he would like to see Rangers back in the Scottish Premier League next season.

Scottish FA rules out goal-line technology (Mar 11, 2013 20:53 GMT)
The Scottish Football Association has said that goal-line technology is too expensive and that funds will instead be directed into training officials.

SPL clubs to vote on league changes on April 15 (Mar 11, 2013 20:41 GMT)
The Scottish Premier League has confirmed that top-flight clubs will vote on a league reconstruction package on April 15.

SPL: Late Ross County goal shocks Celtic (Mar 9, 2013 20:29 GMT)
Ross County came from two goals down to claim a shock 3-2 win over runaway SPL leaders Celtic, while St Johnstone were 2-0 winners over Kilmarnock and the three others games ended all square.

Forster reveals desire to play in Premier League (Mar 8, 2013 20:21 GMT)
Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster admits he harbours ambitions of playing in the Premier League, but only if he is guaranteed to be playing first-team football.

Rangers seek advice over Prem move (Mar 8, 2013 08:32 GMT)
Rangers chief executive Charles Green has claimed that denying the Scottish club the chance to play in England is a breach of European law.

SPL: Dundee snap four-month winless streak (Mar 6, 2013 22:28 GMT)
Dundee's four-month winless streak in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League came to an end as they came from behind to beat St Mirren 2-1 at Dens Park.

Fire and brimstone; Romanov ruin (Mar 6, 2013 11:00 GMT)
In this week's North of the Border, newco Rangers get to keep their trophies but oldco get a hefty fine, while Vladimir Romanov has some financial issues.

Hearts dismiss Romanov departure 'speculation' (Mar 5, 2013 15:27 GMT)
The Hearts board has stated it has no information that Vladimir Romanov has relinquished control of the club.


Scottish Division One
Cash-strapped Dunfermline release top earners (Mar 28, 2013 19:56 GMT)
Dunfermline's highest-earning players have been made redundant by interim administrator Bryan Jackson as talks continued over the cuts needed to keep the club functioning in the short term.

Dunfermline put into interim administration (Mar 27, 2013 13:53 GMT)
Scottish First Division club Dunfermline have gone into interim administration after being presented with a winding-up order over a £134,000 tax bill, which was due to be paid on Tuesday.

Dunfermline apply for voluntary administration (Mar 26, 2013 15:17 GMT)
Scottish First Division club Dunfermline are applying to go into voluntary administration after being presented with a winding-up order over a £134,000 tax bill, which was due to be paid on Tuesday.

Fears grow over Pars as takeover bid withdrawn (Mar 15, 2013 21:31 GMT)
The fans' group bidding to take over Dunfermline has terminated discussions with the club, raising fears over the Pars' survival.

Sir Alex vows to help cash-strapped Dunfermline (Mar 12, 2013 10:29 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has promised to send a strong Manchester United team to play a money-spinning friendly against Dunfermline in a bid to aid his former club's financial plight.


Scottish Division Three
McCoist keeping quiet on Murray suspension (Mar 29, 2013 15:20 GMT)
Rangers manager Ally McCoist has refused to comment on why chief scout Neill Murray has been suspended from the club.

Charles Green: Rangers to England in five years (Mar 25, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Rangers chief executive Charles Green has vowed to take the club into the English league set-up within the next five years and he expects Old Firm rivals Celtic to follow his lead.

Rangers suspend Sandaza after hoax phone call (Mar 22, 2013 14:08 GMT)
Rangers have suspended striker Fran Sandaza after comments he made in a hoax telephone call.

McCoist: Rangers deserve promotion to second tier (Mar 21, 2013 14:19 GMT)
Rangers manager Ally McCoist has called for the club to be promoted to Scotland's second tier should the proposed 12-12-18 league format be implemented.

Green: Rangers must be promoted in reform (Mar 19, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Rangers chief executive Charles Green believes the club should be promoted to the First Division if league reform is decided upon before the start of next season.

Rangers fans 'could boycott over revamp' (Mar 14, 2013 10:02 GMT)
Rangers fans could boycott away games next season if the Scottish Football League votes for a restructuring that would see them staying in Scottish Division Three, a supporters chief has warned.


Scotland
WCQ: Scotland's Bale plan doesn't stop Wales (Mar 23, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Scotland's plan to stop Gareth Bale did not hinder Wales from claiming a World Cup qualifying win reports Ri chard Jolly.


French National Team
Leboeuf backing Varane to shine at Real (Mar 27, 2013 11:38 GMT)
Frank Leboeuf believes Raphael Varane could surpass the achievements of Fernando Hierro at Real Madrid and carve out his own place in the Spanish club's pantheon of legends.

Deschamps rues missed chances (Mar 27, 2013 08:32 GMT)
Didier Deschamps was left to rue France's wastefulness in front of goal as Les Bleus slipped to defeat to Spain and left them trailing La Roja on the road to Brazil 2014.

Del Bosque: Spain silenced critics (Mar 26, 2013 23:46 GMT)
Vicente Del Bosque believes Spain have dispelled any doubts about their current form with a 1-0 win away to France on Tuesday evening.

Spain handed Xavi fitness boost (Mar 26, 2013 10:57 GMT)
Spanish playmaker Xavi Hernandez is set to start Tuesday evening's key World Cup qualifier against France.

Deshamps firmly behind out-of-form Benzema (Mar 26, 2013 09:36 GMT)
Didier Deschamps has expressed his "total confidence" in Karim Benzema despite the France striker having failed to score for his country in more than 900 minutes of international football.

Busquets: Pressure on for Spain in France (Mar 25, 2013 15:01 GMT)
Sergio Busquets says Spain have little room for error when they take on France on Tuesday, while he hopes their opponents do not "park the bus" in front of goal during the crucial World Cup qualifier.

Spain have no room for error, says Monreal (Mar 25, 2013 11:24 GMT)
Nacho Monreal has said Spain have "no margin for error" in Tuesday's crucial World Cup 2014 qualifier against France.

France's Evra wants 'arrogance' against Spain (Mar 25, 2013 09:16 GMT)
"A little arrogance" is what Patrice Evra believes France require to face up to the challenge posed by Spain on Tuesday and keep Les Bleus ahead of the reigning world and European champions en route to Brazil 2014.

Alba misses France game through injury (Mar 23, 2013 17:11 GMT)
Jordi Alba will miss the game with France and will return to Barcelona after suffering a hamstring injury in the World Cup qualifying draw with Finland, his club have confirmed.

Lloris calls for focus from France team-mates (Mar 22, 2013 12:33 GMT)
France captain Hugo Lloris has told his international team-mates not to worry about their defeats in recent friendlies, adding he prefers to win "games that count" as Les Bleus prepare to face Georgia in Friday's 2014 World Cup qualifier.

Dugarry: Benzema can't run away from pressure (Mar 21, 2013 11:28 GMT)
World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry has told Karim Benzema to stop moaning about being expected to inspire the French national side to the 2014 World Cup and come to terms with his standing as one Les Bleus' key players.

France's Valbuena aware he has big shoes to fill (Mar 21, 2013 10:14 GMT)
Mathieu Valbuena is conscious that following in the footsteps of Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane as the French national team's creative hub is "a big responsibility".

France's Benzema bemoans criticism (Mar 20, 2013 09:30 GMT)
Karim Benzema has expressed his annoyance at continued criticism of his performances for France as the Real Madrid striker struggles for goals at international level.

Varane in line to make France debut (Mar 19, 2013 11:17 GMT)
France coach Didier Deschamps has suggested Raphael Varane will make his senior international debut in the coming days following the centre-back's recent performances for Real Madrid.

My France career is over, says midfielder Diarra (Mar 19, 2013 10:37 GMT)
Lassana Diarra has told L'Equipe he believes that his international career is over after he again missed out on a France call-up.

Mathieu Debuchy withdraws from France squad (Mar 18, 2013 16:24 GMT)
Mathieu Debuchy is set to miss France's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Spain due to a thigh muscle injury picked up in Newcastle's defeat to Wigan on Sunday.

Deschamps backing Benzema to end his goal drought (Mar 18, 2013 10:35 GMT)
France coach Didier Deschamps hopes Karim Benzema can end his barren spell in front of goal for his country with a crucial World Cup qualifying double-header looming.

Pogba: France call just the start (Mar 15, 2013 09:25 GMT)
Juventus starlet Paul Pogba believes "the hardest part is to come" after being called up by France for the first time as he sets his sights on becoming one of the game's greats.

Deschamps: Evra won't captain France under me (Mar 14, 2013 08:02 GMT)
France coach Didier Deschamps has told Patrice Evra that he will not be restored as captain as long as the former World Cup-winner is coaching the national team.

Court date rules Benzema out of Spain tie (Mar 1, 2013 11:23 GMT)
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema looks set to miss France's crucial World Cup qualifier against Spain next month, having been called to appear in a Madrid court on the day of the game in connection with a speeding offence.


French Ligue 1
Ligue 1: Marseille go second after Lyon slip (Mar 31, 2013 21:56 GMT)
Marseille leapfrogged Lyon into second place in Ligue 1 following an impressive first away win of the year, 1-0 in Nice.

Ligue 1: Nancy beat Rennes to climb off bottom (Mar 30, 2013 23:02 GMT)
Nancy claimed their second win in a week as a 2-0 victory over Rennes saw them move off the foot of Ligue 1 at the expense of Troyes, who also claimed an impressive result by drawing 2-2 with St Etienne.

Francis Gillot hits out at Bordeaux critics (Mar 29, 2013 10:33 GMT)
Bordeaux coach Francis Gillot has claimed his side are being unfairly singled out as the French media's whipping boys, despite enjoying "a better season than last year".

Ancelotti wants to extend Beckham's PSG stay (Mar 29, 2013 10:04 GMT)
Carlo Ancelotti has expressed his desire to keep David Beckham at Paris Saint-Germain beyond the end of this season, but acknowledged the final decision is out of his hands.

Ligue 1: Labrune hits out at supporter over ban (Mar 28, 2013 18:28 GMT)
Marseille president Vincent Labrune has reacted with fury after his club's supporters were banned from travelling to Sunday's hugely important Ligue 1 clash at south-coast rivals Nice.

Paris Saint-Germain wine bottles a no-go (Mar 28, 2013 10:13 GMT)
Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain have ruled out the possibility of limited-edition club bottles of wine being produced.

French footballers not happy with new tax plans (Mar 26, 2013 10:54 GMT)
Despite the French government having to re-think plans to heavily tax high-earners, including footballers, those within the game in France believe the measures taken will do little to encourage high-quality performers to stay in Ligue 1.

Ancelotti lauds 'indispensable' Matuidi (Mar 26, 2013 10:21 GMT)
Carlo Ancelotti has backed Blaise Matuidi to become the best defensive midfielder in the world after taking the Italian by surprise at Paris Saint-Germain where the France international is now "as indispensable as Ibrahimovic or Thiago Silva".

Beckham 'itching' for Paris Saint-Germain return (Mar 25, 2013 10:04 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder David Beckham says he is "itching" to get his boots on again after his whirlwind tour of China.

Ibrahimovic set to star in comic (Mar 21, 2013 11:41 GMT)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to be brought to life as the main protagonist in a series of cartoon strips focussed on Paris Saint-Germain.

Zouma targets UCL but could leave St Etienne (Mar 21, 2013 10:35 GMT)
Kurt Zouma hopes to fulfil "a mad dream" of playing for St Etienne in the Champions League, but admitted his sought-after talents may first lead him to pastures new.

Lucas: I didn't call Zlatan 'arrogant' (Mar 20, 2013 09:41 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lucas has claimed an interview in which he described Zlatan Ibrahimovic as "a bit arrogant" was badly translated, and hailed his team-mate as "a great player".

Malaga quash rumours of takeover by PSG owners (Mar 20, 2013 09:22 GMT)
Malaga have strongly denied speculation that the mega-rich owners of Paris Saint-Germain are set to bail out the financially-stricken La Liga outfit.

Becks tops best-paid footballer list (Mar 19, 2013 11:13 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder David Beckham has topped Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's best-paid footballer.

Gautier admits errors in St Etienne-PSG draw (Mar 19, 2013 10:23 GMT)
Referee Antony Gautier has admitted he made "two mistakes" which led to goals in Sunday's feisty Ligue 1 encounter between St Etienne and Paris Saint-Germain.

Ibra: Beckham has silenced critics (Mar 19, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes David Beckham has defied his critics since moving to France and will be influential in his side's Champions League tie with Barcelona.

Don't blow UCL chance, Cheyrou urges Marseille (Mar 18, 2013 12:54 GMT)
Benoit Cheyrou has urged his Marseille team-mates not to "spoil everything" by dropping out of the qualifying places for next season's Champions League.

Injury rules Evian's Govou out for six months (Mar 18, 2013 10:42 GMT)
Evian Thonon Gaillard's former France international forward Sidney Govou has been ruled out for six months after suffering a serious knee injury against Lille.

Beckham clashes with Brandao as PSG held (Mar 18, 2013 09:55 GMT)
David Beckham had to be held back as tempers flared at the end of Paris Saint-Germain's 2-2 draw at Saint-Etienne on Sunday, with the visitors enraged by Brandao's horrific challenge on Thiago Silva.

Ancelotti bemoans PSG's second-half lapse (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Carlo Ancelotti admits he was "disappointed" in Paris Saint-Germain's inability to hold onto their two-goal lead as St Etienne fought back to claim a 2-2 draw with the Ligue 1 leaders.

Ligue 1: PSG throw away two-goal advantage (Mar 17, 2013 22:20 GMT)
Paris St Germain wasted an opportunity to go seven points clear at the top of Ligue 1 as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw with St Etienne at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

Ligue 1: Lyon thrashed, Kalou has nightmare (Mar 16, 2013 19:03 GMT)
Bastia midfielder Florian Thauvin bagged a brace as Lyon's Ligue 1 title hopes took a hammer blow at the Stade Armand Cesari with a 4-1 thrashing.

Thiago Silva: PSG must keep focus on Ligue 1 (Mar 16, 2013 10:19 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva has said the club must not allow their Champions League dream to derail their Ligue 1 title bid.

Bastia's Rothen given suspended gambling ban (Mar 15, 2013 16:16 GMT)
Former France international Jerome Rothen has expressed his astonishment after being handed a three-month suspended ban for breaking France's strict laws on players' involvement in gambling.

Lucas Moura 'set for swift PSG return' (Mar 14, 2013 15:38 GMT)
Lucas Moura could return to action for Paris Saint-Germain sooner than anticipated, according to reports in France.

Ibra 'should show respect' to PSG fans (Mar 12, 2013 11:04 GMT)
Former Paris Saint-Germain players have rounded on Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the Swede criticised the club's fans at the weekend.

Ligue 1 chief revels in Becks effect (Mar 12, 2013 09:52 GMT)
The president of the French League says the arrival of David Beckham at Paris Saint-Germain has turned the eyes of the world onto Ligue 1.

I'm staying at Lille, insists coach Garcia (Mar 11, 2013 10:27 GMT)
Lille coach Rudi Garcia has told French TV station Canal Plus that he intends to stay at the club until his contract expires at the end of next season.

Ibrahimovic responds to 'demanding' fans (Mar 11, 2013 10:20 GMT)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hit out at those Paris Saint-Germain fans who booed the team during Saturday's 2-1 home win against Nancy at the Parc des Princes.

Montpellier end Maradona interest (Mar 11, 2013 09:47 GMT)
Montpellier president Louis Nicollin has told L'Equipe that he will not be making any moves to appoint Diego Maradona as coach for next season after all, and says that the job is likely to go to a Frenchman.

Ligue 1: Lyon, Marseille lose ground on PSG (Mar 10, 2013 15:35 GMT)
Paris St Germain were the only winners as Lyon and Marseille played out a dull goalless draw at the Stade Gerland on Sunday evening.

Ancelotti: PSG showed signs of fatigue (Mar 10, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted the midweek Champions League match took its toll on his side as a Zlatan Ibrahimovic double salvaged a 2-1 comeback win for the Ligue 1 leaders over Nancy on Saturday.

Ligue 1: Ibrahimovic earns comeback win for PSG (Mar 9, 2013 18:59 GMT)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint Germain came from behind to beat lowly Nancy at the Parc des Princes.

Leonardo set to leave PSG in summer (Mar 8, 2013 10:37 GMT)
French radio station RMC has claimed sporting director Leonardo will leave Paris Saint-Germain at the season's end, with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger favourite to take over as coach from Carlo Ancelotti at the Parc des Princes.

Maradona 'not interested' in managing Montpellier (Mar 8, 2013 09:34 GMT)
Diego Maradona is "absolutely not interested in coaching a Ligue 1 club", according to the Dubai Sport Council for whom the Argentine legend is a global ambassador.

Nice midfielder handed 11-match ban for tackle (Mar 8, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Nice midfielder Valentin Eysseric has been suspended for the remainder of the season following his horror leg-breaking tackle on Jeremy Clement of St Etienne last weekend.

Marseille to file complaint over fan protest (Mar 7, 2013 09:48 GMT)
Marseille are reported to be preparing an official complaint to the city's authorities after protesting fans blocked the team coach on its way to last weekend's home game against Troyes.

Maradona backed for Montpellier job (Mar 7, 2013 09:18 GMT)
Gabriel Heinze has backed compatriot Diego Maradona to be a success if he takes over as coach of reigning Ligue 1 champions Montpellier.

Leboeuf: Leonardo comments are hurting PSG (Mar 6, 2013 10:39 GMT)
Franck Leboeuf has told Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo he is "hurting his own club" after the Brazilian's recent controversial comments.

Bastia-Ajaccio fan trouble row continues (Mar 5, 2013 13:33 GMT)
The fall-out from last weekend's explosive Corsican derby between Bastia and Ajaccio continues with both camps blaming the other for the violent incidents which erupted before and after the match.

Montpellier would hire Maradona 'to annoy PSG' (Mar 5, 2013 10:12 GMT)
Montpellier president Louis Nicollin has revealed he would love to appoint Diego Maradona as coach for next season, but acknowledged Raymond Domenech is a more likely candidate.

Ayew: Balotelli causes a lot more trouble than me (Mar 4, 2013 14:18 GMT)
Marseille striker Jordan Ayew believes he does not deserve his bad-boy reputation, claiming he does not do "half of what [Mario] Balotelli does".

Marseille chief hits out at recent fan protest (Mar 4, 2013 10:42 GMT)
Marseille president Vincent Labrune has claimed there is a campaign to "destabilise" the club, with a fan protest last weekend the latest in a number of recent off-the-pitch controversies surrounding the Ligue 1 outfit.

Ligue 1: Lyon miss chance at Brest, OM third (Mar 3, 2013 15:09 GMT)
Lyon failed to take full advantage of PSG's slip-up against Reims, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brest on Sunday.

No new contract for Montpellier coach Girard (Mar 3, 2013 11:49 GMT)
Montpellier president Louis Nicollin has confirmed that coach Rene Girard will not be offered a new deal at the end of the season.

Leonardo: PSG not made for France (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain director Leonardo has conceded his team are not suited to the style of French football.

Ligue 1: Ten-man Reims shock PSG (Mar 2, 2013 17:58 GMT)
Ten-man Reims beat big-spending PSG 1-0 on Saturday in one of the shocks of the season, thanks to a second half goal from Grzegorz Krychowiak.

Marseille coach Passi: Jordan Ayew has to grow up (Mar 1, 2013 20:39 GMT)
Marseille assistant coach Franck Passi has told tempestuous forward Jordan Ayew that his father and OM legend Abedi Pele would not be proud of him following the youngster's recent ill-tempered outbursts.

Becks hints at longer PSG stay (Mar 1, 2013 10:22 GMT)
David Beckham is already envisaging playing for Paris Saint-Germain beyond the end of this season and even harbours ambitions of outlasting former team-mate Ryan Giggs.


France
Corrigan: Clinical Spain oust Les Bleus (Mar 27, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Spain took control of their World Cup qualifying group with an experienced showing to defeat France, Dermot Corrigan writes.

Didier Deschamps wary of wounded Spain attack (Mar 24, 2013 07:00 GMT)
France manager Didier Deschamps fears his side will face an attacking Spanish side when the reigning world and European champions visit for the glamour Group I World Cup qualifying clash.

Valbuena warns of Spain backlash (Mar 23, 2013 10:42 GMT)
Mathieu Valbuena believes France may face a backlash from Spain after the World Cup holders could only draw 1-1 with Finland on Friday night.

France call up youngsters Pogba, Varane (Mar 14, 2013 14:09 GMT)
France coach Didier Deschamps has included Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba and promising Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane in a 24-man squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Spain.


German National Team
Back 'keeper Neuer, Ozil urges Germany fans (Mar 28, 2013 15:16 GMT)
Mesut Ozil has asked Germany fans to show some support for Manuel Neuer after the Bayern Munich goalkeeper was jeered in the second half of Germany's win over Kazakhstan in Nurnberg.

DFB chief against 'pre-qualification' (Mar 28, 2013 14:13 GMT)
German Football Association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach believes the possibility of a 'pre-qualifying' stage for World Cup and European Championship qualification would cause more damage for smaller countries than it would help bigger nations.

Low hits out at Germany fans for Neuer criticism (Mar 27, 2013 09:16 GMT)
Joachim Low has hit out at Germany supporters after they booed goalkeeper Manuel Neuer following his mistake during the side's 4-1 World Cup qualifying win against Kazakhstan.

Jerome Boateng proud of brother Kevin-Prince (Mar 26, 2013 12:48 GMT)
Jerome Boateng has praised his half-brother Kevin-Prince for making his public stand against racism in football.

Howedes and Gomez out of Germany squad (Mar 26, 2013 10:05 GMT)
Benedikt Howedes and Mario Gomez are out of the Germany squad through injury ahead of the second of two consecutive World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

Ilkay Gundogan to take Schweinsteiger's place (Mar 25, 2013 14:11 GMT)
Germany coach Joachim Low has said Borussia Dortmund's Ilkay Gundogan will take the place of the suspended Sebastian Schweinsteiger for his side's second meeting with Kazakhstan in five days.

Gomez out of Kazakhstan clash due to thigh injury (Mar 22, 2013 13:23 GMT)
Mario Gomez has been ruled out of Germany's World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan on Friday after picking up a thigh strain in training.

Schweinsteiger: Germany reaching peak (Mar 21, 2013 09:35 GMT)
Bastian Schweinsteiger says Germany are nearing perfection and edging closer to the all-round quality of Spain's game in the process.

Germany stick to CET to cope with 12am kick-off (Mar 20, 2013 14:59 GMT)
Germany team doctor Tim Meyer has said the players will keep their watches set to Central European Time for Friday's World Cup qualifier in Kazakhstan, which kicks off at midnight local time.

Germany's Low calls for World Cup pre-qualifying (Mar 18, 2013 12:01 GMT)
Germany coach Joachim Low has called for a pre-qualifying process to be introduced in order to cut down the World Cup qualifying schedule.

Ballack invites Low to his testimonial (Mar 8, 2013 11:24 GMT)
Michael Ballack has invited former foe Joachim Low to participate in his testimonial game in Leipzig on June 5.


German Bundesliga
Klopp: I feared for safety of Dortmund players (Mar 31, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp admits he was concerned for the safety of his players during their 2-1 win over Stuttgart in a physical encounter on Saturday.

Bundesliga: Nine-goal Bayern thrash Hamburg (Mar 30, 2013 19:24 GMT)
Bayern Munich scored nine goals in 76 minutes to hammer Hamburg 9-1 on Saturday, as Claudio Pizarro netted four goals and Arjen Robben a brace.

Hesse: Heynckes mellows to become a record breaker (Mar 30, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Uli Hesse on the colourful career of Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes, a man who has mellowed with time.

Bayern on brink of Bundesliga glory (Mar 28, 2013 13:38 GMT)
Runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich could clinch the title at the weekend and become the first German top flight team ever to do so in March.

Van der Vaart hoping to get in on the goals again (Mar 28, 2013 12:08 GMT)
Hamburg midfielder Rafael van der Vaart is hoping to continue his goalscoring streak when the club take on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday.

Leverkusen's Hyypia set to take UEFA course (Mar 27, 2013 09:52 GMT)
Former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia is set to earn his coaching degree in a special UEFA course next season that would see him meet all requirements to become the only coach at Leverkusen, according to Bild.

Heldt: Manager Veh did not reject Schalke move (Mar 26, 2013 10:50 GMT)
Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt has rubbished reports that Eintracht Frankfurt boss Armin Veh rejected the offer of a contract with the club.

Veh agrees new contract extension at Frankfurt (Mar 25, 2013 11:42 GMT)
Eintracht Frankfurt coach Armin Veh has agreed a one-year contract extension at the club, putting an end to speculation linking him with a move to Schalke.

Rummenigge: Bayern must stay professional (Mar 24, 2013 12:15 GMT)
Bayern Munich will postpone any Bundesliga title celebrations until the end of the season to avoid losing focus on the Champions League.

Hoffenheim players come to the defence of Wiese (Mar 23, 2013 11:16 GMT)
Hoffenheim players have spoken out in support of goalkeeper Tim Wiese who has been told to train alone after being dropped from the first team.

Hesse: Colour schemes (Mar 23, 2013 07:00 GMT)
With Cardiff turning blue from red, Uli Hesse delves into the history of changing colours in German football.

DFL rules out goal-line technology before 2015 (Mar 22, 2013 15:17 GMT)
The German Football League (DFL) has announced that it will not be introducing goal-line technology in the Bundesliga until 2015 at the earliest.

Cacau signs Stuttgart one-year contract extension (Mar 22, 2013 14:53 GMT)
Cacau has signed a one-year contract extension at Stuttgart, despite not being expected to play again this season.

Jermaine Jones opens up on Schalke troubles (Mar 21, 2013 15:39 GMT)
Frankfurt-born United States international Jermaine Jones, deemed as one of the last "bad boys" of the Bundesliga, has exaplined the reasons for his exile from Schalke and his fall-out with the media following a challenge on Germany international Mar

One killed after police helicopter crash in Berlin (Mar 21, 2013 12:47 GMT)
One police officer has been pronounced dead with four others seriously injured after two helicopters collided during an anti-hooligan training exercise near the Olympiastadium in Berlin on Thursday morning.

Hunt staying coy over his Werder Bremen future (Mar 21, 2013 12:20 GMT)
Werder Bremen midfielder Aaron Hunt says he is unsure what the future holds for him when his contract at the club runs out in 2014.

Gomez: Strikers like me are essential in football (Mar 21, 2013 11:16 GMT)
Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez believes a target man like him will always be needed in the game.

Gullit: VDV needs European football to help Dutch (Mar 20, 2013 10:38 GMT)
Former Netherlands star Ruud Gullit has warned Rafael van der Vaart that his international career could come under threat if Hamburg fail to qualify for Europe.

Frankfurt 'keeper breaks hand shooting advert (Mar 20, 2013 08:23 GMT)
Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp broke his hand while shooting an advert while with the Germany Under-21 team.

Robben responds to to Hitzfeld criticism (Mar 19, 2013 10:25 GMT)
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben has labelled Ottmar Hitzfeld's recent comments suggesting that he had no future at the club as "ridiculous".

Hoeness hits back over criticism of Robben (Mar 18, 2013 12:09 GMT)
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness believes winger Arjen Robben has a future at the club despite former coach Ottmar Hitzfeld claiming otherwise.

Schalke sound out Veh about manager's job (Mar 18, 2013 11:21 GMT)
Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has confirmed that he has spoken to Eintracht Frankfurt coach Armin Veh about a potential move to the club.

Bundesliga: Eintracht Frankfurt slip up at Stuttgat (Mar 17, 2013 17:24 GMT)
Eintracht Frankfurt missed the chance to steal a march on Schalke in the race for a Champions League spot after slumping to defeat at home to Stuttgart.

Nuri Sahin: I owed Borussia Dortmund a debt (Mar 17, 2013 09:54 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin was delighted to have delivered the goods in his side's 5-1 win over Freiburg after recent criticism of his performances.

Bayern boss Heynckes' future undecided (Mar 17, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes has hinted this season may not end his career in football after watching his side defeat Bayern Leverkusen 2-1 in the Bundesliga.

Klopp: We could play Chuck Norris (Mar 17, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp insisted he could add American martial arts star Chuck Norris to his line-up after his side dismantled Freiburg 5-1 in the Bundesliga.

Bundesliga: Bayern win (Mar 16, 2013 17:34 GMT)
Bayern Munich gained revenge for a defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen by winning the reverse fixture by the same scoreline, 2-1, at the BayArena.

Hesse: Getting a handle on handball (Mar 16, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Amid calls in Germany to make handball rules clearer, Uli Hesse questions where the uncertainty is coming from.

Bayern chief explains rant (Mar 15, 2013 10:22 GMT)
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has explained the reasoning behind his post-match rant following the club's 2-0 Champions League defeat against Arsenal on Wednesday.

Leverkusen deny Hyypia-Lewandowski rift (Mar 13, 2013 14:48 GMT)
Reports of a rift between Bayer Leverkusen's joint-management team of Sami Hyypia and Sacha Lewandowski are false and are part of a "campaign" against the latter, the club said.

Hyypia, Lewandowski question long-term future (Mar 12, 2013 12:41 GMT)
Bayer Leverkusen joint-management team of Sami Hyypia and Sascha Lewandowski have voiced doubts about their future at the Bundesliga club.

Greuther Furth appoint Kramer as new coach (Mar 11, 2013 17:09 GMT)
Greuther Furth have appointed Frank Kramer as their new coach.

Heynckes offended by boardroom offer (Mar 11, 2013 12:27 GMT)
Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes has hit out at the club after having to find out about a boardroom job offer through the media.

Hoffenheim fans mock banned Wiese (Mar 11, 2013 12:03 GMT)
Hoffenheim supporters mocked banned goalkeeper Tim Wiese during the weekend's 3-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Greuther Furth.

Huntelaar faces up to eight weeks out (Mar 11, 2013 10:27 GMT)
Schalke forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar faces eight weeks on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury as his team completed a derby double over Borussia Dortmund.

Hummels ruled out for a month with ankle injury (Mar 11, 2013 09:36 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund will be without Mats Hummels for four weeks after the defender suffered an ankle injury during the side's 2-1 derby defeat at Schalke.

Bayern's Hoeness: Owners should love the club (Mar 11, 2013 08:33 GMT)
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has told the Sun that the owner of a football club should have an emotional attachment to the side and not just be driven by making money, citing Manchester United owners, the Glazers, as an example.

Bayern Munich reveal Wenger approaches (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness says the Bundesliga giants have tried to lure Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to the Bavarian capital on numerous occasions over the past 18 years.

In-demand Howedes signs new Schalke deal (Mar 10, 2013 09:22 GMT)
Bayern Munich target Benedikt Howedes has ended speculation about his future by putting pen to paper on a new contract with Schalke.

Bundesliga: Boateng earns dramatic late win (Mar 9, 2013 17:31 GMT)
Bayern Munich twice came from behind before finally getting the better of Fortuna Dusseldorf 3-2 at the Allianz Arena.

Hesse: Crisis? What crisis? (Mar 9, 2013 09:21 GMT)
Uli Hesse ponders if there really is a crisis within the English game, particularly when compared to German football.

Schalke, Dortmund ready for fierce derby (Mar 8, 2013 13:52 GMT)
Both Schalke and Borussia Dortmund are in confident mood as they prepare to meet in one of European football's most keenly contested derbies this weekend.

Furth: We haven't offered Matthaus job (Mar 8, 2013 11:25 GMT)
Greuther Furth chief Helmut Hack has denied that the Bundesliga strugglers have offered Germany legend Lothar Matthaus the chance to become their new manager.

Bayern trio await deal talks (Mar 7, 2013 10:53 GMT)
Ageing Bayern Munich trio Daniel van Buyten, Claudio Pizarro and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, who are out of contract at the end of this season, are still waiting to hear from the club about renewals.

Draxler set for Schalke record against Dortmund (Mar 7, 2013 09:48 GMT)
Midfielder Julian Draxler is set to become the youngest ever Schalke player to reach 100 games for the club, and is eyeing his first derby win of his career against Borussia Dortmund this weekend.

Bremen's De Bruyne in Twitter controversy (Mar 6, 2013 13:22 GMT)
Werder Bremen midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has become embroiled in a Twitter controversy, the Syker Kreiszeitung newspaper has reported.

Bayern 'can get better' (Mar 6, 2013 12:19 GMT)
Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber believes Bayern could become the ultimate team in Europe when Pep Guardiola takes over the German giants next season.

Sammer wary of Bayern distractions (Mar 5, 2013 11:47 GMT)
Bayern Munich general manager Matthias Sammer has urged the club to put the focus back on football.

Veh linked with Schalke job for next season (Mar 5, 2013 10:40 GMT)
Eintracht Frankfurt manager Armin Veh has become the latest name linked with the Schalke job for next season, according to kicker.

Pressure builds at Werder Bremen for Thomas Schaaf (Mar 4, 2013 15:25 GMT)
Werder Bremen manager Thomas Schaaf admits he is under mounting pressure, following his side's third consecutive defeat on Saturday.

Bayern chief confident of Treble success (Mar 4, 2013 13:23 GMT)
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes the club can claim a treble trophy haul of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League titles this season.

Bundesliga: Gomez keeps Bayern on course (Mar 3, 2013 16:23 GMT)
Bayern Munich continued their impressive away form in a 1-0 win over Hoffenheim, to extend their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to 17 points once again.

Bundesliga: Dortmund hit back, Schalke win (Mar 2, 2013 17:25 GMT)
Robert Lewandowski put speculation about his long-term future aside with a brace as Borussia Dortmund bounced back from their DFB Pokal loss to Bayern Munich with a 3-1 home victory over Hannover.

Hesse: Giving football a voice (Mar 2, 2013 10:07 GMT)
A silent screening prompts Uli Hesse to delve into the history of commentators and football broadcasting.

Lewandowski ban overturned on appeal (Mar 1, 2013 16:02 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has had the final match of his three-game ban cancelled by the Federal Court of the German Football Association (DFB).


Germany
Bierhoff: Germany can't win the World Cup (Mar 25, 2013 07:00 GMT)
German football chief Oliver Bierhoff believes the German team has an 'almost impossible' chance of winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Sven Bender returns to Germany squad (Mar 23, 2013 10:24 GMT)
Germany coach Joachim Low has added Sven Bender to his squad for Tuesday night's World Cup qualifier with Kazakhstan in Nurnberg.

Ten-month sentence in German match-fixing case (Mar 19, 2013 12:58 GMT)
A man has been sentenced to ten months in prison without probation by a German court for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.

No place for top-scoring German in Low's squad (Mar 14, 2013 14:54 GMT)
The Bundesliga's top-scoring German footballer, Stefan Kiessling, has been left out of his national team's squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan.


Dutch National Team
Robin Van Persie overtakes Cruyff goal record (Mar 27, 2013 07:21 GMT)
Manchester United striker Robin van Persie scored two goals as Netherlands beat Romania 4-0 at the Amsterdam ArenA, to overtake the legendary Johan Cruyff.

Van Gaal expects Sneijder to miss Romania game (Mar 23, 2013 10:01 GMT)
Wesley Sneijder is expected to miss the Netherlands' World Cup qualifier against Romania on Tuesday after limping out of their 3-0 victory against Estonia on Friday night.

Kuyt: Sneijder Netherlands' undisputed captain (Mar 19, 2013 13:48 GMT)
Stand-in Netherlands skipper Dirk Kuyt has said Wesley Sneijder is the team's "undisputed captain" as he returns to the squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Romania.

Galatasaray's Sneijder back in Netherlands squad (Mar 15, 2013 15:59 GMT)
Wesley Sneijder has been recalled to the Netherlands squad after a six-month absence.

Van Gaal recalls Sneijder, three new faces (Mar 6, 2013 15:03 GMT)
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has re-called Wesley Sneijder and included three new faces in his preliminary squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Romania.


Dutch Eredivisie
Eredivisie: Ajax move three clear of PSV (Mar 31, 2013 17:57 GMT)
Ajax moved three points clear at the top of the Eredivisie table with a 4-1 win over NEC Nijmegen at the Amsterdam Arena. Viktor Fischer scored in each half to pave the way for a win that increased the gap on PSV Eindhoven after they could only draw

Eredivisie: Feyenoord miss chance to go top (Mar 30, 2013 23:38 GMT)
Feyenoord missed the chance to go top of the Eredivisie after going down 2-0 at Heerenveen.

Eredivisie: Ajax beat AZ to climb back to summit (Mar 17, 2013 17:57 GMT)
Ajax went back to the top of the Eredivisie with a 3-2 win at AZ Alkmaar on Sunday.

Eredivisie: PSV, Vitesse turn up heat at the top (Mar 16, 2013 22:35 GMT)
PSV Eindhoven and Vitesse Arnhem ramped up the pressure on Ajax in the Eredivisie title race as both advanced their own cases to be champions.

Eredivisie: PEC boost survival hopes with win over Roda (Mar 15, 2013 21:35 GMT)
PEC Zwolle did their hopes of preserving their Eredivisie status the power of good as they battled back from an early goal to run out 3-2 winners against fellow relegation strugglers Roda JC.

Eredivisie: PSV humbled at Heerenveen (Mar 10, 2013 22:42 GMT)
Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven were on the end of a surprise defeat at Heerenveen, opening the door for champions Ajax to replace them at the summit.

Eredivise: Ajax replace PSV at the summit (Mar 10, 2013 18:42 GMT)
Ajax cashed in on PSV Eindhoven's stutter on Saturday to take a one-point lead in the Eredivisie standings.

Eredivisie: Honours even as Groningen and NAC draw (Mar 8, 2013 21:16 GMT)
FC Groningen had to settle for a point from their Eredivisie clash with mid-table rivals NAC Breda.

Eredivisie: Ajax, PSV claim hard-fought wins (Mar 3, 2013 23:18 GMT)
PSV Eindhoven and Ajax both picked up hard-fought victories on Saturday to ensure the gap separating the Dutch powerhouses at the top of the Eredivisie remains at two points.


Holland
Injured Sneijder to miss Romania qualifier (Mar 24, 2013 12:35 GMT)
Holland midfielder Wesley Sneijder has been ruled out of Tuesday's World Cup


Italian National Team
Prandelli impressed by Balotelli's temperament (Mar 27, 2013 08:38 GMT)
Cesare Prandelli has praised the way Mario Balotelli kept his cool under difficult conditions during Italy's 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory in Malta and believes the temperamental striker can finally start to realise his potential.

Prandelli hails in-form Balotelli (Mar 27, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli believes Mario Balotelli has finally come of age after his match-winning performance in a 2-0 win over Malta on Tuesday evening.

Prandelli admits to Italy doubts for Malta clash (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Italy manager Cesare Prandelli has admitted his squad selection is plagued with 'doubts' ahead of the World Cup qualification match against Malta.

Mario Balotelli: Italy increased my popularity (Mar 24, 2013 20:05 GMT)
Italy and AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli says he owes his increased popularity in Italy to the national team.

El Shaarawy backs Balotelli for greatness (Mar 23, 2013 15:38 GMT)
Stephan El Shaarawy insists that he and AC Milan and Azzurri team-mate Mario Balotelli represent the 'young, new' Italy and thinks his strike partner could become one of the best players in the world.

Chiellini to miss Italy clash with Brazil due to ankle injury (Mar 20, 2013 12:33 GMT)
Giorgio Chiellini has been ruled out Italy's friendly against Brazil and looks set to miss the World Cup qualifier against Malta due to an ankle problem.

Totti considers returning to Italy squad (Mar 20, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Roma striker Francesco Totti admits he has not ruled out the possibility of emerging from international retirement and making a push to play for Italy at the 2014 World Cup.


Italian Serie A
Serie A: Juve beat Inter to extend lead (Mar 30, 2013 16:03 GMT)
Juventus beat Inter Milan 2-1 at the San Siro to extend their lead at the top of Serie A thanks to goals from Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri.

Allegri: Balotelli as good as Ibrahimovic (Mar 30, 2013 07:00 GMT)
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri believes Mario Balotelli has already reached the level of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but has urged the Italian to live up to his potential.

Antonio Conte urges league focus for Juventus (Mar 29, 2013 12:16 GMT)
Juventus coach Antonio Conte has called for focus from his team as they prepare for a vital double-header against Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.

Roberto Falcao: Totti 'deserved' Ballon d'Or (Mar 29, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Roma captain Francesco Totti "deserved to win the Ballon d'Or" at least once in his glittering career according to club legend, Roberto Falcao.

Serie A: Juventus face Inter Milan test (Mar 28, 2013 16:42 GMT)

Moratti bins Inter-Mourinho reunion plan (Mar 28, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Inter Milan President Massimo Moratti has dismissed speculation former coach Jose Mourinho will return to the San Siro in the summer.

Stefano Piolo extends Bologna deal (Mar 25, 2013 15:28 GMT)
Bologna head coach Stefano Pioli will remain in charge of the Serie A club for another year after extending his contract to the end of the 2014-15 season.

Pandev backs Mourinho in FIFA vote storm (Mar 21, 2013 08:45 GMT)
Napoli striker Goran Pandev has insisted his vote for FIFA Coach of the Year was changed - backing Jose Mourinho's claim that something untoward had happened.

M'Baye Niang: I want to be better than Thierry Henry (Mar 21, 2013 08:38 GMT)
AC Milan forward M'Baye Niang says he has plans to become better than former France striker Thierry Henry.

Boateng: I was treated like 'an animal' (Mar 20, 2013 12:52 GMT)
AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has told an Italian court he was treated like "an animal" by Pro Patria supporters who racially abused him.

Juve boss Conte aiming to follow Fergie example (Mar 20, 2013 07:42 GMT)
Juventus coach Antonio Conte has told fans that he hopes to follow the example of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

AC Milan boss Allegri shrugs off Roma link (Mar 18, 2013 20:08 GMT)
AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri has dismissed speculation that he could leave to take the reins at Roma this summer.

Mourinho open to Inter return (Mar 18, 2013 13:03 GMT)
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has said he would love to return to coach Inter Milan at some stage.

Juve's Caceres recovering from car crash (Mar 18, 2013 09:47 GMT)
Juventus defender Martin Caceres is recuperating following his involvement in a car crash on Sunday morning.

Balotelli: Milan can reach Barcelona's level (Mar 18, 2013 05:33 GMT)
Mario Balotelli insists AC Milan are capable of restoring their status as a European powerhouse, despite being knocked out of the Champions League in convincing fashion by Barcelona.

Serie A: Napoli, Milan and Fiorentina all win (Mar 17, 2013 16:26 GMT)
The was no change at the top of Serie A as Napoli, AC Milan and Fiorentina all picked up three points on Sunday after runaway leaders Juventus had won on Saturday night.

Bologna boss: Juve and Conte lack respect (Mar 17, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Bologna boss Stefano Pioli believes Juventus counterpart Antonio Conte "exaggerated" a goal celebratoin during a 2-0 win on Saturday, accusing the league leaders of showing a lack of respect to their opponents.

Serie A: Juve stretch lead to 12, Catania climb (Mar 16, 2013 19:14 GMT)
Juventus opened up a 12-point lead at the top of Serie A thanks to a 2-0 win over Bologna at the Stadio Dall'Ara.

Roma stadium investment deal falls through (Mar 15, 2013 08:37 GMT)
Roma have said their plans to move to a new stadium remain unchanged despite the collapse of a proposed deal to bring in new funding from a Middle Eastern investor.

Zapata: We must bounce back from Europe exit (Mar 14, 2013 17:59 GMT)
Cristian Zapata says AC Milan must put their Champions League exit to Barcelona behind them and focus on securing their place in next season's tournament.

Sannino returns to Palermo helm (Mar 12, 2013 09:33 GMT)
Giuseppe Sannino is back in charge of Palermo after being sacked by the club in September.

Moratti: I still have faith in Stramaccioni (Mar 11, 2013 20:03 GMT)
Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has insisted he still has faith in Andrea Stramaccioni but indicated the coach's future may be uncertain if he fails to lead the team into the Champions League.

Palermo sack Gasperini for second time in 2013 (Mar 11, 2013 18:22 GMT)
Palermo are preparing to make their fifth managerial appointment of the season after dismissing coach Gian Piero Gasperini for the second time this year.

Genoa hit with a €30,000 fine for crowd trouble (Mar 11, 2013 16:38 GMT)
Genoa have been hit with a €30,000 fine by the Lega Serie A following crowd trouble during Friday's 2-0 home defeat to AC Milan.

Mazzarri backing Cavani to end his goal drought (Mar 11, 2013 10:43 GMT)
Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri has backed his out-of-form striker Edinson Cavani to return to his goal-scoring ways.

Conte: Juve have not won title yet (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Juventus coach Antonio Conte has refused to concede his side have the Serie A title all but secured after they moved nine points clear of second-placed Napoli on Sunday.

Serie A: Juve extend lead, Napoli slip (Mar 10, 2013 17:22 GMT)
Juventus moved nine points clear at the top of the Serie A table after Emanuele Giaccherini last-gasp goal gave them a 1-0 win at Catania while Napoli's winless run was extended by a 2-0 defeat at Chievo.

Allegri sees red over AC Milan ill discipline (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has bemoaned his side's inability to make light work of Genoa despite the club running away with a 2-0 victory on Friday.

Milan chief Berlusconi convicted over illegal wiretap (Mar 7, 2013 11:58 GMT)
AC Milan president and former Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, has been sentenced to a year in jail over an illegal wiretap after a court found him guilty.

Saha enjoying 'Indian Summer' in Rome (Mar 7, 2013 10:55 GMT)
Louis Saha is determined to make the most of his "unexpected adventure" with Lazio and even harbours ambitions of playing in the Champions League with the Rome club.

Bendtner fined and banned for drink driving (Mar 5, 2013 16:13 GMT)
On-loan Juventus forward Nicklas Bendtner has been fined €112,938 (£96,893) and had his driving licence suspended for three years after admitting to drink driving.

Pjanic sidelined for a month (Mar 5, 2013 14:21 GMT)
Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic has been ruled out of action for a month with an ankle injury.

Napoli fined €20,000 for crowd trouble (Mar 5, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Napoli have been fined €20,000 (£17,300) following crowd trouble during Friday's 1-1 draw with Juventus after a section of fans threw firecrackers and flares towards Juve supporters.

Roma love helps Totti to Serie A goal record (Mar 4, 2013 23:33 GMT)
Roma captain Francesco Totti has hailed his historic 225th Serie A goal as a sign of his "love for the Roma jersey".

Pescara sack coach Bergodi after Udinese loss (Mar 3, 2013 20:46 GMT)
Pescara have sacked head coach Cristiano Bergodi in the wake of their 1-0 Serie A defeat to Udinese.

Serie A: Inter fight back, Totti makes history (Mar 3, 2013 15:14 GMT)
Inter Milan came from two goals down at half-time to roar back to a 3-2 win at Catania that sees them overtake Lazio in fourth place on goal difference.

Cassano apologetic over Stramaccioni bust-up (Mar 3, 2013 14:17 GMT)
Inter Milan forward Antonio Cassano has accepted he was in the wrong following a dressing-room bust-up with coach Andrea Stramaccioni.

Allegri: AC Milan "deserve" third spot (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri says his team to "deserve" to be in third spot on the Serie A table after dismantling rivals Lazio 3-0 on Saturday.

Mazzarri: We deserved victory (Mar 2, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri believes his side should have taken all three-points from the top-of-the-table clash with Serie A leaders Juventus on Friday.

Boateng to meet Sepp Blatter at racism summit (Mar 1, 2013 17:55 GMT)
AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng is set to meet FIFA president Sepp Blatter this month to discuss way of dealing with racism in football.

Balotelli out of Lazio clash (Mar 1, 2013 15:11 GMT)
Mario Balotelli is out of AC Milan's crucial Serie A game against Lazio on Saturday with knee injury picked up in last week's derby.

Galliani: Milan moving forward after El Shaarawy extension (Mar 1, 2013 13:02 GMT)
AC Milan are back-on-track and heading in the right direction following the contract extension of Stephan El Shaarawy, according to vice-president Adriano Galliani.

Moratti ponders future sale of Inter Milan (Mar 1, 2013 10:47 GMT)
Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has not ruled out the possibility of selling the club one day, but says he still has plenty of ambitions to achieve before finding the right investor.


Italy
Neymar a 'fan' of Balotelli (Mar 22, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Santos superstar Neymar admits he is a "big fan" of Mario Balotelli after witnessing the striker's superb equaliser in Italy's 2-2 friendly draw with Brazil on Thursday.


Spanish National Team
Spain boss Del Bosque highlights Arbeloa display (Mar 28, 2013 16:14 GMT)
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque said he made sure to single out right-back Alvaro Arbeloa for praise after Tuesday's key 1-0 World Cup qualifier victory in France, as the Real Madrid player had been a focus for unfair criticism before the game.

Pedro delighted with win over France (Mar 27, 2013 10:39 GMT)
Spain's players were relieved as well as happy after Tuesday evening's tightly fought 1-0 World Cup qualifying win in France set them back on the road to automatic qualification to next year's finals in Brazil.

Pique hits out at 'bipolar' Spain fans and press (Mar 26, 2013 11:42 GMT)
Gerard Pique has said pundits and fans in Spain tend to over-react to any minor setback but the players have learned to ignore the kneejerk criticism they can face.

Cazorla hits back at Spanish decline suggestions (Mar 24, 2013 15:36 GMT)
Santi Cazorla has dismissed suggestions that reigning World and European champions Spain are in decline after they were held to a 1-1 draw against Finland on Friday.

Victor Valdes set to start for Spain (Mar 22, 2013 10:32 GMT)
Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes looks set to get a rare competitive start for Spain in Friday night's World Cup qualifier against Finland at Gijon's El Molinon ground.

Spain's Xavi, Alonso doubtful for qualifier (Mar 21, 2013 10:50 GMT)
Spain look set to start Friday's World Cup qualifier against Finland in Gijon without key midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Xabi Alonso, although both players should return for Tuesday's likely Group I decider against France in Paris.

Rewind to 1950: The roots of La Furia Roja (Mar 21, 2013 07:15 GMT)
Jon Carter rewinds to 1950 to tell the story of the Spanish national team's highest finish at a World Cup before their success in 2010.

Navas defends Del Bosque (Mar 20, 2013 10:48 GMT)
Jesus Navas has responded to Jose Mourinho's allegation of irregularities in Vicente Del Bosque's triumph in FIFA's 2012 Coach of the Year award by saying that nobody can question the achievements of the World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 winning Spanish m

Madrid's Ramos poised for century of Spain caps (Mar 19, 2013 15:44 GMT)
Sergio Ramos has said he is proud to have the opportunity to win his 100th cap for Spain at the age of only 26 when they play Finland on Friday.

Xavi in Spain squad despite injury (Mar 15, 2013 12:32 GMT)
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has named eight Premier League players including David de Gea, Cesar Azpilicueta, Javi Garcia and Nacho Monreal in his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Finland and in France later this month.


Spanish Primera División
La Liga: Deportivo, Osasuna boost survival hopes (Mar 31, 2013 18:31 GMT)
Deportivo La Coruna recorded back-to-back victories for the first time this season after 3-2 win over relegation rivals Real Mallorca.

Mourinho: Casillas faces struggle to displace Lopez (Mar 31, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas faces a struggle to return to the starting line-up after recovering from injury, with manager Jose Mourinho acknowledging the form of Diego Lopez has given him a selection headache.

La Liga: Messi bags another record in Celta draw (Mar 30, 2013 18:50 GMT)
Lionel Messi became the first player in history to score for the 19th consecutive league game as Barcelona were held to a 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo.

Vilanova could return to the bench against PSG (Mar 29, 2013 16:17 GMT)
Tito Vilanova is likely to return to the Barcelona bench for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at Paris Saint-Germain, according to his friend and assistant Jordi Roura.

Canales confident of victory against Atletico (Mar 29, 2013 13:53 GMT)
Young Valencia playmaker Sergio Canales says his side have the quality to overturn the form book and win at Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Sunday evening.

Casillas to miss Real Zaragoza clash (Mar 29, 2013 13:41 GMT)
Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka has said goalkeeper Iker Casillas will not travel to the La Liga clash with Real Zaragoza on Saturday despite returning to full training almost two weeks ago.

Cashflow problems hit Espanyol stars' wages (Mar 29, 2013 12:27 GMT)
Espanyol president Joan Collet has said cashflow problems mean the club cannot pay their players' wages in full and on time, and voiced his appreciation for their understanding of the situation.

ESPN FC Quiniela - Week 29 - A farewell prediction (Mar 29, 2013 08:14 GMT)
In the latest Quiniela, Eduardo Alvarez bids farewell by predicting upsets will rule this week's La Liga results.

Atletico boss Simeone still targeting second place (Mar 28, 2013 15:06 GMT)
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone says splitting Barcelona and Real Madrid in this season's final Primera Division table would be a huge achievement given the difference in resources between his club and Spain's big two.

Pedro adds to Barca injury concerns (Mar 28, 2013 12:28 GMT)
Barcelona's injury problems continue to mount, with the club confirming that winger Pedro Rodriguez is out for ten days with a calf muscle tear, and fears growing that playmaker Xavi Hernandez may miss Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first l

Tello glad to have Vilanova back at Barca (Mar 28, 2013 11:35 GMT)
Barcelona winger Cristian Tello says the team missed Tito Vilanova while he was away, but he accepts the manager needs to ease his way carefully back to full duties.

Montanier remains coy on Sociedad future (Mar 28, 2013 11:31 GMT)
Philippe Montanier has told French media he is in no hurry to discuss his future at Real Sociedad, and urged his team to "focus on what we have to do" as they chase a place in the Champions League.

Vilanova to return to Barcelona after treatment (Mar 25, 2013 12:13 GMT)
Barcelona have announced that coach Tito Vilanova is to return home after more than two months of treatment for a cancer recurrence.

Suspended Ronaldo to travel to Azerbaijan (Mar 25, 2013 11:39 GMT)
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo is travelling to Azerbaijan with the rest of the squad for Tuesday's World Cup qualifier even though he is suspended for the game.

Spain defender Alba out for France qualifier (Mar 24, 2013 13:58 GMT)
Barcelona says defender Jordi Alba will be sidelined at least a week with a leg injury, ruling him out of Spain's World Cup qualifier against France on Tuesday.

Mourinho thanks Pandev for backing him over FIFA (Mar 23, 2013 16:51 GMT)
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has thanked Macedonia captain Goran Pandev for his support over his allegations that FIFA's 2012 World Coach of the Year award was 'fixed.'

Real Madrid deny owing Fuentes money (Mar 22, 2013 18:26 GMT)
Real Madrid say money Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes claims he is owed by the club dates from a 2009 legal case Madrid took to force French newspaper Le Monde to withdraw allegations the club had used Fuentes' controversial medical services.

Calderon: Perez didn't want Ronaldo (Mar 22, 2013 16:16 GMT)
Former Real Madrid President Ramon Calderon has claimed that his successor Florentino Perez did not want Cristiano to sign for the club and tried to put a stop to it.

FIFA releases Pandev vote amid conspiracy talk (Mar 22, 2013 13:51 GMT)
FIFA has released a copy of Goran Pandev's voting paper for the 2012 Coach of the Year award, which appears to disprove the Macedonia captain's backing of Jose Mourinho's claim of "irregularities" in the vote which saw Vicente Del Bosque win the priz

Alves beckons Neymar to Europe one more time (Mar 22, 2013 12:01 GMT)
Dani Alves believes the time has come for his Brazil team-mate Neymar to make the move to Europe.

David Villa plays down potential Barcelona exit (Mar 21, 2013 18:21 GMT)
David Villa says he is just enjoying being back in goalscoring form at the moment, and not thinking about what the future might hold.

Sevilla president criticises Barca recruitment policy (Mar 21, 2013 13:58 GMT)
Sevilla president Jose Maria Del Nido says Barcelona's policy of signing up talented prospects from far and wide is forcing Spain's other clubs to pay salaries to their best young players.

Aspas banned for four games for headbutt (Mar 21, 2013 12:15 GMT)
Iago Aspas has been banned for four games after being sent off for his headbutt on Deportivo's Carlos Marchena during Celta Vigo's 3-1 away defeat in the Galician derby last Friday.

Depor president Lendoiro vows to stay at club (Mar 20, 2013 12:04 GMT)
Deportivo La Coruna president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro has rejected the idea that the beleaguered club can only survive if he leaves.

Mourinho: FIFA coach of year award fixed (Mar 20, 2013 10:01 GMT)
Jose Mourinho says he did not attend January's Ballon d'Or ceremony as the vote had been fixed to allow Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque win the 2012 Coach of the Year award.

Benzema happy at Real despite lack of games (Mar 20, 2013 09:51 GMT)
Karim Benzema insists he is happy at Real Madrid despite his frustrations over a lack of playing time.

Abidal close to return after playing for Barca B (Mar 19, 2013 15:08 GMT)
Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has made his first appearance for the club in 11 months, playing 65 minutes for the B team in a friendly against French second-tier side Istres on Tuesday.

Administrators call for Deportivo chief to stand down (Mar 19, 2013 11:22 GMT)
The administrators currently examining Deportivo La Coruna's accounts have called for the exit of long-serving president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro, saying his financial mismanagement is directly responsible for the shocking state of the club's finances.

Ronaldo focus on Real after winning award (Mar 18, 2013 15:30 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo says he is honoured to pick up the Alfredo Di Stefano trophy for La Liga's best player in 2011-12, but his mind is now focused on winning the Copa del Rey and Champions League with Real Madrid this season.

Diego Simeone with words of advice for Diego Costa (Mar 18, 2013 15:01 GMT)
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes Diego Costa is on the right path but most keep improving, after the club's man of the moment scored both goals in Sunday's 2-0 La Liga win at Osasuna.

Barcelona urge caution from Spain over Xavi (Mar 18, 2013 12:21 GMT)
Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has asked the Royal Spanish Football Federation to think of the club's upcoming schedule when deciding whether or not key playmaker Xavi Hernandez features in La Roja's two upcoming World Cup qual

Ball: Tweet and get beat (Mar 18, 2013 09:10 GMT)
Phil Ball offers a cautionary tale from the Galician derby as Hugo Mallo's attempts to join the fans proved ill advised.

Roura: 'Life is easier' with Messi (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Jordi Roura admits Lionel Messi has lifted a significant burden off his shoulders at Barcelona after the Argentine scored a brace in his side's 3-1 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Adriano set to be sidelined for six weeks (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Barcelona defender Adriano is set to be sidelined for up to six weeks after suffering a hamstring injury in Barcelona's 3-1 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

La Liga: Messi hits two more as Barca beat Rayo (Mar 17, 2013 15:44 GMT)
Lionel Messi and David Villa combined to devastating effect to see off Rayo Vallecano 3-1 and help Barcelona restore their 13-point lead at the top of La Liga.

Higuain: Real will push Barcelona until the end (Mar 17, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Gonzalo Higuain insists Real Madrid will push league leaders Barcelona until the end of the La Liga season after scoring a brace in Saturday's 5-2 triumph over Mallorca.

La Liga: Real Madrid cut gap on Barca to 10 points (Mar 16, 2013 17:09 GMT)
Real Madrid twice fought back from a goal down to beat Real Mallorca 5-2 at the Bernabeu and cut the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to 10 points.

Puyol sidelined after knee surgery (Mar 16, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Carles Puyol is facing an extended period on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery on Thursday, but is likely to return to action before the end of the season.

Corrigan: Pendulum swings in Depor's favour (Mar 16, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Victory in the Galician derby handed Deportivo La Coruna momentum in the race to avoid relegation, Dermot Corrigan writes.

Adriano set to sign new Barcelona contract (Mar 15, 2013 10:14 GMT)
Adriano Correia is close to signing a new contract extension at Barcelona, according to the player's agent.

ESPN FC Quiniela - Week 28 - Best is yet to come (Mar 15, 2013 07:44 GMT)
In the latest Quiniela, Eduardo Alvarez believes the best is yet to come in La Liga as Real Madrid heat the competition up.

Casillas set to return by end of March (Mar 14, 2013 11:20 GMT)
Iker Casillas says he is near "the end of the tunnel" of his recovery from a broken bone in his left hand, and looks set to be ready for a return to the Real Madrid goal in two weeks' time.

Tito Vilanova back this month for Barcelona (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova is expected to return to duties on March 25 according to former Nou Camp manager Carles Rexach.

Confusion over Valencia's financial future (Mar 13, 2013 13:40 GMT)
Valencia's future has been thrown into further confusion after a Spanish court ruled on Tuesday that the club was now owned by its bank, not the Valencian regional government as had been previously thought.

Ronaldo: 2013 could be my best year (Mar 13, 2013 12:33 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo says that 2013 could be shaping up to be the best year of his career.

Barca chief Rosell facing jail over Brazil allegations (Mar 12, 2013 16:49 GMT)
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell could reportedly face up to eight years in jail after Brazilian prosecutors accused his sports company of illegally profiting from a Brazil v Portugal friendly it organised in 2008.

LFP president Jose Luis Astiazaran to leave post (Mar 11, 2013 16:08 GMT)
Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP) president Jose Luis Astiazaran has confirmed that he will not seek re-election when his current term ends in April, leaving current vice-president Javier Tebas a clear run at the top job.

Misfiring Real strike duo backed by coach (Mar 11, 2013 08:58 GMT)
Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka says he is not worried about currently misfiring strikers Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, as he feels so long as they keep making chances and getting into position the goals will eventually come.

Marcelo eyes season-long winning run (Mar 10, 2013 23:49 GMT)
Real Madrid returned to 13 points behind bitter rivals Barcelona at the Primera Division summit after a 2-1 win over a Celta Vigo side who made them work all the way.

La Liga: Ronaldo sends Madrid second (Mar 10, 2013 14:32 GMT)
Real Madrid returned to 13 points behind bitter rivals Barcelona at the Primera Division summit after a 2-1 win over a Celta Vigo side who made them work all the way.

Mourinho future doesn't worry Karanka (Mar 10, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Real Madrid assistant manager Aitor Karanka has admitted he does not care about the speculation surrounding the future of Jose Mourinho.

Roura: Barcelona ready for Milan (Mar 10, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Jordi Roura insists Barcelona have returned to form ahead of Tuesday's Champions League tie with AC Milan after a comfortable 2-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.

La Liga: Messi scores again as Barca cruise (Mar 9, 2013 21:13 GMT)
Barcelona rang the changes ahead of next week's Champions League clash with AC Milan but still picked up a comfortable La Liga win over Deportivo La Coruna at the Camp Cou.

Roura: Barca believe in Milan comeback (Mar 8, 2013 14:01 GMT)
Barcelona's stand-in coach Jordi Roura has said he feels his players are "looking forward to overcoming Milan" as they try to recover from a 2-0 deficit in the Champions League.

ESPN FC Quiniela - Week 27 - Yin and Yang (Mar 8, 2013 09:10 GMT)
In the latest Quiniela, Eduardo Alvarez dissects Real Madrid's rise and Barcelona's fall in recent weeks.

Messi feels hurt by Barcelona setbacks (Mar 7, 2013 11:45 GMT)
Lionel Messi has said Barcelona's recent defeats have hurt him and that everyone at the club needs to "give a little more" to turn things around.

Barca to appeal against four-game Valdes ban (Mar 6, 2013 12:59 GMT)
Barcelona have confirmed that they will appeal against the four-game ban handed to 'keeper Victor Valdes after he insulted referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa following the 2-1 La Liga defeat at Real Madrid.

Simeone signs new Atletico deal, targets stability (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Former Argentina international midfielder Diego Simeone has agreed a new four-year deal to remain in charge of Atletico Madrid until 2017.

Rosell will not chase Laporta for €23m Barca debt (Mar 5, 2013 11:18 GMT)
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell says he will not officially push for payment of the €23 million which the Spanish Supreme Court has ruled is owed to the Catalan club by former board members, but says the matter is out of his hands.

Vilanova return to Barca nears (Mar 5, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova could make his long-awaited return from illness as early as this month, president Sandro Rosell has confirmed.

Barcelona facing 'keeper shortage (Mar 4, 2013 12:31 GMT)
Barcelona could begin Saturday's home game against Deportivo La Coruna with their fifth-choice goalkeeper on the bench after both Victor Valdes and Barca B's Oier Olazabal were sent off at the weekend.

Ball: Clasico conclusions (Mar 4, 2013 10:11 GMT)
Phil Ball considers the repercussions of Real Madrid's Clasico wins and reflects on a six-goal thriller between Betis and Sociedad.

Varane: Jose like a second father (Mar 4, 2013 09:42 GMT)
Promising Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has called coach Jose Mourinho "a second father" with the Portuguese boss playing a fundamental role in his meteoric rise.

Ball: Musho Beti (Mar 4, 2013 09:32 GMT)
Phil Ball takes in a game at Real Betis' Benito Villamarin and puts himself among some of Spain's most passionate fans.

La Liga: Atletico held, Betis hold off Sociedad (Mar 3, 2013 15:13 GMT)
Second-placed Atletico Madrid failed to fully capitalise on the Clasico defeat for Primera Division leaders Barcelona as they were held to a goalless draw at Malaga.

Referee reveals Valdes abuse after Clasico (Mar 3, 2013 09:41 GMT)
Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes told referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa he should be "ashamed" after failing to award the Blaugrana a penalty at the end of their 2-1 defeat at Real Madrid.

Real fringe players hailed after Clasico win (Mar 3, 2013 04:09 GMT)
Real Madrid assistant coach praised the club's fringe players after they beat runaway La Liga leaders Barcelona 2-1 to make it two El Clasico wins in five days for Jose Mourinho's side.

La Liga: Ramos strikes to sink Barcelona (Mar 2, 2013 20:22 GMT)
Real Madrid cut the gap between them and Barcelona to 13 points with a morale boosting 2-1 win over the Catalans at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Roura: Winning La Liga would be 'extraordinary' (Mar 2, 2013 10:50 GMT)
Barcelona stand-in coach Jordi Roura insisted ahead of the latest Clasico that reclaiming the La Liga title should be considered an "extraordinary" achievement.

Atletico's Tiago Mendes facing six-week lay-off (Mar 1, 2013 20:31 GMT)
Atletico Madrid's Tiago Mendes is to miss up to six weeks after a bone in his forearm was broken by a kick from Sevilla's Gary Medel during Wednesday's feisty Copa del Rey clash.

Roura backing Messi to bounce back (Mar 1, 2013 16:34 GMT)
Barcelona stand-in coach Jordi Roura admits Lionel Messi has been affected by his recent poor performances, but backed him to bounce back in Saturday's La Liga meeting with Real Madrid at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Kaka: Real not worried by Barca 'crisis' (Mar 1, 2013 13:40 GMT)
Kaka says Real Madrid are too focused on their own concerns to think about whether another win over Barcelona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga on Saturday would tip the Catalan side into crisis.

Eurovision may force cup final date to be changed (Mar 1, 2013 11:17 GMT)
The two finalists for this season's Copa del Rey final were confirmed this week, but little else about the season's supposed showpiece event has yet been decided amid a bout of very typical Spanish 'morbo'.

ESPN FC Quiniela - Week 26 - A dull finale awaits (Mar 1, 2013 08:00 GMT)
In the latest Quiniela, Eduardo Alvarez anticipates a dull end to the La Liga season with the standings all but finalised.


Spain
WCQ: Del Bosque bemoans 'impossible' draw (Mar 23, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Spanish manager Vicente del Bosque has bemoaned an 'impossible' World Cup qualifying performance after his side were forced to settle for a shock 1-1 draw with Finland.


Europe
Lyon slips eight back of PSG with Sochaux loss (Mar 31, 2013 22:50 GMT)
Sochaux's Cedric Bakambu delivered another major blow to Lyon's title hopes as his 89th-minute winner left them eight points behind Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain.

Heynckes: Bayern rout was 'textbook football' (Mar 31, 2013 17:54 GMT)
Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes thought his squad played "textbook football" in thrashing Hamburg 9-2 on Saturday.

Ajax goes 3 points clear as PSV held to draw (Mar 31, 2013 17:31 GMT)
Ajax moved three points clear at the top of the Eredivisie table with a 4-1 win over NEC Nijmegen at the Amsterdam Arena.

Dzemaili's hat trick helps Napoli rally by Torino (Mar 30, 2013 23:05 GMT)
Napoli remained close on the tail of Juventus after the Azzurri came out on top in a 5-3 thriller at Torino on Saturday.

Real Madrid fails to make up ground with draw (Mar 30, 2013 21:41 GMT)
Real Madrid missed the chance to make things slightly less comfortable for Barcelona at the top of La Liga as after being held to a 1-1 by relegation-fighting Real Zaragoza at La Romareda on Saturday.

Pizarro scores four of Bayern Munich's 9 goals (Mar 30, 2013 19:55 GMT)
Bayern Munich illustrated why it has been named champion-elect as four goals from Claudio Pizarro helped guide it to an awe-inspiring 9-2 demolition of Hamburg on Saturday.

Messi extends goal streak but Barca ends in tie (Mar 30, 2013 19:22 GMT)
Lionel Messi again made history but his goal was not enough to earn Barcelona a win over relegation-threatened Celta Vigo.

Juventus beats Inter to expand lead (Mar 30, 2013 16:35 GMT)
Juventus overcame the first major obstacle on the last leg of its Serie A title defense by edging out 10-man Inter Milan 2-1 in Saturday's Derby d'Italia.

Roura: Vilanova at practice, may coach vs. PSG (Mar 29, 2013 15:58 GMT)
Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova led his first team practice on Friday since returning from a 10-week medical stay in New York to treat a throat tumor.

Real Madrid fans postpone pro-Mourinho march (Mar 29, 2013 11:20 GMT)
Real Madrid fans' groups have postponed a march in support of coach Jose Mourinho which had been set to take place before the home game against Levante on March 6.

Barca's Xavi set to miss PSG clash (Mar 29, 2013 11:20 GMT)
Barcelona could be without Xavi Hernandez when they take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League next week after the playmaker returned from international duty with more hamstring trouble.

Monaco 'stand up' to FFF following law changes (Mar 29, 2013 10:57 GMT)
Monaco have asked the French Football Federation to revoke a decision which would see the principality club lose its privileged position within French football.

Gerard Depardieu set for Jules Rimet film role (Mar 29, 2013 10:47 GMT)
Gerard Depardieu is to play Jules Rimet in an upcoming film recounting the story of how the Frenchman brought the World Cup to life.

Real Madrid-PSG set July 27 friendly in Sweden (Mar 27, 2013 15:18 GMT)
Real Madrid has announced that it will play a friendly against fellow Champions League quarterfinalists Paris Saint-Germain in Sweden this summer.

UEFA stands by Financial Fair Play regulations (Mar 27, 2013 11:42 GMT)
UEFA has insisted its Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations have been introduced to make the game more sustainable and not to force financial equality after a top lawyer questioned its legality.

Pedro lifts Spain to top spot; Dutch roll (Mar 26, 2013 23:15 GMT)
Pedro's second-half strike ensured Spain moved to the top of Group I after claiming a 1-0 victory at World Cup qualification rivals France

Balotelli blasts in 2 more goals as Italy coasts (Mar 26, 2013 23:00 GMT)
Mario Balotelli scored twice as Italy overcame a shaky start to beat Malta 2-0 on Tuesday, extending the Azzurri's lead at the top of their World Cup qualifying group.

England forced to settle for tie at Montenegro (Mar 26, 2013 22:29 GMT)
England survived a second-half battering to claim a precious point from a 1-1 draw in its World Cup qualifier with group leaders Montenegro in Podgorica.

Lucescu signs new Shakhtar contract extension (Mar 25, 2013 14:47 GMT)
Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu has signed a new two-year contract extension with the Ukrainian champions.

Vilanova due back in Spain, no return date set (Mar 25, 2013 12:15 GMT)
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova will return to Spain this week after two months of cancer treatment in New York.

Keane out of Ireland's qualifier against Austria (Mar 24, 2013 21:54 GMT)
Ireland captain Robbie Keane will miss his team's World Cup qualifier against Austria because of a calf injury.

Balotelli: Fans like me more now thanks to Italy (Mar 24, 2013 19:11 GMT)
Italy and AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli says he owes his increased popularity in Italy to the national team.

Hurt Sneijder to miss Dutch qualifier vs. Romania (Mar 24, 2013 16:37 GMT)
Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder has been ruled out of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier with Romania with a groin injury, the Dutch federation (KNVB) has confirmed.

Back to the future for skint Sporting (Mar 24, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Andy Brassell reveals the full extent of the financial and on-pitch problems at Sporting Clube de Portugal.

Sneijder: I knew I had to leave Inter Milan (Mar 22, 2013 16:16 GMT)
Wesley Sneijder has said he knew he had to leave Inter Milan but maintained that he always had a good relationship with the Italian club.

Monaco told to comply with new tax rules (Mar 22, 2013 10:45 GMT)
Monaco risk being kicked out of the French league if the principality club fail to comply with new rules that will end the financial advantages they have enjoyed.

AEK Athens chairman arrested for unpaid taxes (Mar 21, 2013 21:16 GMT)
The chairman of the Greek soccer club AEK Athens chairman has been arrested, with his team accused of not paying $219.5 million in taxes.

UEFA president Platini defends Euro 2020 plans (Mar 20, 2013 21:23 GMT)
Michel Platini has refuted FIFA president Sepp Blatter's assertion that holding the 2020 European Championships across the continent would produce a tournament that lacks "that lacks heart and soul".

Boateng testifies in Pro Patria fans' racism trial (Mar 20, 2013 12:56 GMT)
Kevin-Prince Boateng and AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri are testifying in the racism trial against six fans of lower division club Pro Patria.

Madrid goalkeeper Casillas returns to practice (Mar 20, 2013 12:05 GMT)
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has returned to practice for the first time since breaking his left hand nearly two months ago.

Mourinho: Ronaldo deserved to win Ballon d'Or (Mar 20, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho believes Cristiano Ronaldo was unfairly beaten to the 2012 Ballon d'Or crown, insisting the Portuguese winger was more "decisive" than Lionel Messi last year.

Mourinho denies Drogba Gala scouting reports (Mar 19, 2013 16:26 GMT)
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has rejected media speculation that he departed from Sunday's scouting trip to see Galatasaray unimpressed with Didier Drogba's current state of fitness and form.

Blatter backs FIFA over Barca youth suspensions (Mar 19, 2013 11:12 GMT)
Sepp Blatter has backed the FIFA youth transfer regulations under which six Barcelona youth players are suspended from competitive action.

Chechen leader apologises for outburst at referee (Mar 18, 2013 16:29 GMT)
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has issued an apology after he lambasted the performance of a referee through a microphone.

Barcelona: Roura denies Messi-Villa unrest (Mar 18, 2013 13:25 GMT)
Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura said rumors of a rift between Lionel Messi and David Villa were "absurd" after the pair combined to devastating effect in Sunday's 3-1 win over Rayo Vallecano.

Greek player given lifetime ban for 'Nazi salute' (Mar 18, 2013 08:53 GMT)
AEK Athens midfielder Giorgos Katidis has been banned from representing all Greek national teams for life after appearing to give a Nazi salute to supporters while celebrating a goal.

Messi goal streak hits 18 in Barca rout (Mar 17, 2013 22:53 GMT)
Lionel Messi and David Villa combined to devastating effect to see off Rayo Vallecano and help Barcelona restore their 13-point lead at the top of La Liga Sunday.

Ibra scores but St Etienne rallies to tie (Mar 17, 2013 22:24 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain wasted an opportunity to go seven points clear at the top of Ligue 1 as it threw away a two-goal lead to draw with St Etienne at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

Altidore strike not enough as Ajax survives AZ (Mar 17, 2013 19:07 GMT)
Ajax went back to the top of the Eredivisie with a 3-2 win at AZ Alkmaar Sunday.

Balotelli brace helps Milan pelt Palermo (Mar 17, 2013 18:38 GMT)
AC Milan maintained its challenge for second by beating struggling Palermo 2-0 on Sunday, with both goals coming from Mario Balotelli

Greece bans player for life for Nazi goal salute (Mar 17, 2013 13:33 GMT)
Greek player Giorgos Katidis has been banned from his national team for life after giving a Nazi salute while celebrating a goal in the topflight league.

AEK's Katidis in trouble after giving Nazi salute (Mar 16, 2013 23:03 GMT)
AEK Athens midfielder Giorgos Katidis has earned rebukes from politicians, fellow athletes and fans after giving a Nazi salute in celebration of a goal he scored in the Greek league.

Juve now 12 points clear after silencing Bologna (Mar 16, 2013 22:47 GMT)
Juventus opened up a 12-point lead at the top of Serie A thanks to a 2-0 win against Bologna at the Stadio Dall'Ara on Saturday.

Madrid rises as Ronaldo nets career 350th (Mar 16, 2013 21:29 GMT)
Real Madrid cut Barcelona's lead at the top of the Primera Division table to 10 points after coming from behind twice to win an exciting 5-2 home game with Mallorca.

Bayern pays back Bayer; 4 points away from title (Mar 16, 2013 18:56 GMT)
Bayern Munich gained revenge for a 2-1 defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen by winning the reverse fixture by the same scoreline at the BayArena on Saturday.

Chelsea, Newcastle into Europa last 8 (Mar 14, 2013 22:30 GMT)
Chelsea staged a thrilling comeback to beat Steaua Bucharest 3-1 and reach the Europa League quarterfinals on Thursday.

Spurs players suffer racial abuse by Inter fans (Mar 14, 2013 21:48 GMT)
Tottenham players were on Thursday subjected to racist chants by Inter Milan supporters, who were also captured on TV waving an inflatable banana.

Spurs barely foil Inter scare to advance (Mar 14, 2013 21:12 GMT)
Tottenham survived a stirring comeback from Inter Milan in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 match to advance to the quarterfinals on away goals after extra time Thursday.

Schweinsteiger back in Germany side after injury (Mar 14, 2013 15:55 GMT)
Fit-again Bastian Schweinsteiger is the only addition to the Germany squad as coach Joachim Low named his group for the World Cup qualifying doubleheader against Kazakhstan later this month.

Barcelona backs Vilanova to coach next season (Mar 14, 2013 13:06 GMT)
Tito Vilanova will remain in charge of Barcelona next season, sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta said Thursday.

FIFA's Blatter hits out at multi-nation Euros plan (Mar 14, 2013 11:05 GMT)
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has condemned UEFA's plan to stage the 2020 European Championship in 13 countries, saying it would rob the tournament of "soul and heart".

Malaga storms past Porto into last 8 (Mar 13, 2013 22:14 GMT)
Malaga's European run continued into the quarterfinals of the Champions League after Manuel Pellegrini's men overcame a one goal first leg deficit to beat 10-man Porto 2-0 at La Rosaleda.

Bayern loses to Arsenal, still advances (Mar 13, 2013 22:01 GMT)
Bayern Munich eliminated Arsenal from the Champions League.

Ex-Arles chief sentenced in match-fixing probe (Mar 13, 2013 10:01 GMT)
Former Arles-Avignon sporting director Fabrice Bertone has been handed a suspended prison sentence for attempting to fix matches in 2009.

Jose Mourinho: United win not so special (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has claimed the club's recent Champions League victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford hardly rates on his list of greatest wins.

Valiant Gala battles past Schalke into quarters (Mar 12, 2013 22:31 GMT)
Galatasaray reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League after edging out valiant Schalke 3-2 at the Veltins-Arena.

Messi, Barca rip Milan in epic comeback (Mar 12, 2013 21:54 GMT)
Barcelona overwhelmed AC Milan 4-0 Tuesday night to reach its sixth straight Champions League quarterfinal.

Boateng to participate in UN anti-racism event (Mar 12, 2013 15:37 GMT)
AC Milan player Kevin-Prince Boateng, who led teammates off the field to protest fan abuse, will take part in a United Nations event on racism in sport.

Juventus' Conte questioned on match-fixing again (Mar 11, 2013 22:18 GMT)
Juventus coach Antonio Conte has been questioned again by the Italian soccer federation's prosecutor about a match-fixing case.

Spartak Moscow chief floating club on stock market (Mar 11, 2013 15:31 GMT)
Spartak Moscow owner Leonid Fedun is set to float the club's shares on the stock market as part of his process of recouping some of the cash he has invested into the side since his arrival.

Shakhtar want AC Milan boss Allegri - report (Mar 11, 2013 13:08 GMT)
Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk are weighing up a big-money attempt to lure AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri to the Donbass Arena, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Lyon loses Ligue 1 ground with Marseille draw (Mar 10, 2013 23:35 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain was the only winner as Lyon and Marseille played out a dull goalless draw at the Stade Gerland Sunday night.

Ronaldo double lifts Real to win over Celta (Mar 10, 2013 20:26 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to give Real Madrid a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Juventus strikes late to move 9 points clear (Mar 10, 2013 16:30 GMT)
Juventus extended its lead atop Serie A to a commanding nine points Sunday with a last-minute 1-0 win over visiting Catania

Messi extends goal streak to 17 in win (Mar 9, 2013 21:31 GMT)
Barcelona made a lot of changes ahead of next week's Champions League clash with AC Milan but still picked up a comfortable 2-0 La Liga win over Deportivo La Coruna at the Nou Camp on Saturday.

Ibrahimovic scores 2 to rally Paris Saint-Germain (Mar 9, 2013 18:46 GMT)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat lowly Nancy 2-1 at the Parc des Princes on Saturday.

Bayern needs to rally twice to beat Fortuna 3-2 (Mar 9, 2013 17:21 GMT)
Bayern Munich twice came from behind before finally getting the better of Fortuna Dusseldorf at the Allianz Arena, 3-2 on Saturday.

Ballack: Guardiola talk 'disrespectful' to Heynckes (Mar 9, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Former Bayern Munich captain Michael Ballack believes the hype surrounding Pep Guardiola's move to the Bavarian giants is "disrespectful" towards current manager Jupp Heynckes.

Pazzini, Balotelli score in Milan's win at Genoa (Mar 8, 2013 22:48 GMT)
Former Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno has been convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.

Rossi to train with Fiorentina after ACL injury (Mar 8, 2013 18:22 GMT)
Giuseppe Rossi will start training with his new club Fiorentina in 10 days after a year and a half layoff caused by a knee injury.

Copa del Rey final moved to avoid Eurovision clash (Mar 8, 2013 15:38 GMT)
The 2013 Copa de Rey final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will be held on Friday, May 17 at Madrid's Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, following a week of speculation and intrigue among the city's footballing community.

Marcelo fined for driving without licence (Mar 8, 2013 11:24 GMT)
Real Madrid defender Marcelo has been fined €6,000 after Spanish police caught him driving without a licence last month.

Comic fined €5,000 for mocking Zidane (Mar 8, 2013 09:42 GMT)
A comedian who called Zinedine Zidane "a billboard with three neurones" has been fined for insulting the former France captain by a Paris court.

Bale leads Spurs to 3-0 win over Inter (Mar 7, 2013 22:14 GMT)
Gareth Bale came back to haunt Inter Milan once again as Tottenham romped to a very impressive Europa League win over the Italian giants at White Hart Lane.

Chelsea stumbles in loss to Steaua (Mar 7, 2013 20:15 GMT)
Rafael Benitez's Chelsea suffered a lackluster defeat to Steaua Bucharest in their Europa League last-16 first-leg clash at the National Arena.

Real winger Di Maria (hamstring) out 2 weeks (Mar 7, 2013 17:11 GMT)
Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria is facing two weeks on the sidelines because of a hamstring injury.

Messi hails Rooney and Bale (Mar 7, 2013 10:19 GMT)
Lionel Messi has said he would relish the opportunity to play alongside Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale in the future.

Klopp hails Dortmund's "extraordinary moment" (Mar 6, 2013 23:32 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has hailed his side's 3-0 defeat of Shakhtar Donetsk in the clubs' Champions League second tie as an "extraordinary moment" for the club.

PSG through with draw after Lavezzi equalizer (Mar 6, 2013 22:33 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain slugged rather than sashayed its way through to the Champions League quarterfinals after drawing with Valencia 1-1 at the Parc des Princes.

Juve halts Celtic for 1st last-8 berth in 7 years (Mar 6, 2013 22:19 GMT)
Celtic's Champions League journey ended at the last-16 stage with a 2-0 (5-0 aggregate) defeat to Juventus.

Messi on Barca's losses: 'We will come back' (Mar 6, 2013 17:06 GMT)
Ahead of Barcelona's La Liga match Saturday vs. Deportivo La Coruna, Lionel Messi made an effort to rally the club on Wednesday.

Madrid's Marcelo 'caught without driving licence' (Mar 6, 2013 12:16 GMT)
Real Madrid full-back Marcelo was caught without a driving licence after being stopped by the city's traffic police, according to reports.

Messi's 'golden left foot' worth $5.25M (Mar 6, 2013 12:11 GMT)
If anyone doubts Lionel Messi has a golden foot, now there's proof.

Ronaldo emotional after Old Trafford triumph (Mar 6, 2013 01:01 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo admitted he felt emotional after putting his old club out of the Champions League.

Stellar Dortmund rolls by Shakhtar into last 8 (Mar 5, 2013 22:36 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund cruised into the quarterfinals of the Champions League with an eye-catching win over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Westfalenstadion Tuesday.

Ronaldo boots 10-man United from UCL (Mar 5, 2013 22:03 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo made a decisive impact on his return to Manchester United, sending Real Madrid into the Champions League quarterfinals by sealing a 2-1 win over 10-man United.

Mascherano gives Barca faithful a pep talk (Mar 5, 2013 15:32 GMT)
In the face of Barcelona president Sandro Rosell's criticism of the club's "defeatist attitude," Javier Mascherano on Tuesday encouraged his teammates to return to the form they had three weeks ago.

Atletico Madrid chief: Copa final will be in Madrid (Mar 5, 2013 13:23 GMT)
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo says he can "guarantee" that this season's Copa del Rey final between his side and city rivals Real Madrid will take place in the Spanish capital.

Klopp responds to Dortmund criticism (Mar 5, 2013 13:09 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has hit out at the German media following a recent article highly critical of the club.

Brazil Cup to set aside seats for obese fans (Mar 4, 2013 22:49 GMT)
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is set to be the first to offer special seats for obese fans.

Neymar hints about move to Europe this year (Mar 4, 2013 18:52 GMT)
Neymar may make his much-anticipated move to European football before his contract with Brazilian club Santos ends after next year's World Cup.

Striker Bendtner suspended from Denmark team (Mar 4, 2013 17:25 GMT)
Nicklas Bendtner has been banned from the Denmark national team for six months after it was confirmed that he would be charged with drink-driving in Copenhagen on Saturday.

Mathieu confident of knocking out PSG from Champions League (Mar 4, 2013 12:45 GMT)
Valencia defender Jeremy Mathieu says his team believe they can overturn their 2-1 first-leg deficit in Wednesday's Champions League last 16 second leg at Paris Saint-Germain.

Kaka: Real Madrid can win at Old Trafford (Mar 4, 2013 10:30 GMT)
Kaka says Real Madrid are confident of winning Tuesday's Champions League last 16 second leg against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Bayern re-establishes 17-point lead atop table (Mar 4, 2013 01:03 GMT)
Bayern Munich re-established a 17-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a 1-0 win Sunday but was made to work hard for the points at struggling Hoffenheim.

Atleti held at Malaga, fails to close gap on Barca (Mar 3, 2013 23:32 GMT)
Second-placed Atletico Madrid failed to fully capitalize on Saturday's Clasico defeat for Primera Division leaders Barcelona as it was held to a goalless draw at Malaga.

Listless Lyon misses chance with draw at Brest (Mar 3, 2013 23:06 GMT)
Lyon was unable to pick up the win it needed to move level with Paris St Germain at the top of Ligue 1 Sunday after drawing 1-1 at Brest.

Inter shakes off Cassano tirade to clip Catania (Mar 3, 2013 19:47 GMT)
Inter Milan came back from two goals down to beat Catania 3-2 in Serie A on Sunday

Altidore tops Dempsey's Europe goals record (Mar 3, 2013 17:24 GMT)

AC Milan dominates Lazio to roll into third place (Mar 2, 2013 22:40 GMT)
Robert Lewandowski scored a brace as Borussia Dortmund bounced back from its midweek cup loss to Bayern Munich with a 3-1 Bundesliga victory over Hannover.

Dortmund's Lewandowski returns, scores 2 (Mar 2, 2013 20:29 GMT)
Robert Lewandowski scored a brace as Borussia Dortmund bounced back from its midweek cup loss to Bayern Munich with a 3-1 Bundesliga victory over Hannover.

Beckham comes off bench in PSG road loss (Mar 2, 2013 18:50 GMT)
Paris St. Germain's Ligue 1 title charge suffered a surprise blow as it slumped to defeat away to the 10 men of relegation-battling Reims.

Ramos, Real Madrid beat Barca again (Mar 2, 2013 17:22 GMT)
Sergio Ramos scored on a header off Luka Modric's corner kick in the 82nd minute, and Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 Saturday in the Spanish league for its second victory in five days over its rival.

Debt-ridden Auxerre face fight for French survival (Mar 2, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Auxerre were playing Real Madrid and AC Milan in the Champions League just three years ago, but now face being banished to the backwaters of the French game after falling into financial difficulty.

Serie A leaders Juventus, Napoli fight to draw (Mar 1, 2013 22:31 GMT)
Gokhan Inler canceled out an early Giorgio Chiellini goal to earn Napoli a draw against Juventus in a top-of-the-table clash at the Stadio San Paolo.

Beckham hints he could stay longer at PSG (Mar 1, 2013 13:38 GMT)
David Beckham could stay on at Paris Saint-Germain after his short-term contract ends in June.

Dortmund-Bayern row erupts (Mar 1, 2013 12:33 GMT)
Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes has hit back at Borussia Dortmund counterpart Jurgen Klopp, who said "money rules the world" after his side lost 1-0 to the Bundesliga leaders in the DFB-Pokal.

Zidane may start coaching away from Real (Mar 1, 2013 12:32 GMT)
Zinedine Zidane has reiterated his desire to take on a coaching role, but has yet to decide on where he will begin life in the dug-out while David Beckham rates the Frenchman as "the best player I've ever played with or ever seen".

Beckham: United return will 'inspire' Ronaldo (Mar 1, 2013 08:00 GMT)
David Beckham has warned Manchester United that Cristiano Ronaldo will be inspired by his return to Old Trafford for the second-leg of Real Madrid's Champions League tie with the Premier League leaders.


UEFA Champions League
Mourinho offers Ancelotti help with Barca - report (Mar 29, 2013 09:05 GMT)
L'Equipe are reporting Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has provided his Paris Saint-Germain counterpart Carlo Ancelotti with the inside track on how to beat Barcelona after masterminding a brace of recent victories over the French club's Champ

Platini: Goal-line tech too expensive for Champs Lge (Mar 29, 2013 07:58 GMT)
UEFA president Michel Platini claims that goal-line technology is too expensive for the Champions League and that the extra two officials used in the competition are working well.

Platini against goal-line tech use for Europe (Mar 28, 2013 17:52 GMT)

Alonso: Real dream of La Decima (Mar 28, 2013 12:58 GMT)
Xabi Alonso says he knows that excitement is rising among Real Madrid fans about claiming a long awaited tenth European Cup trophy this season, but the team must calmly take things step by step, starting with Wednesday's Champions League quarter-fina

Chantome: Our eyes are on Barcelona (Mar 28, 2013 11:18 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Clement Chantome admits Carlo Ancelotti's squad are struggling to keep their minds on Ligue 1 with their Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona fast approaching.

Ibrahimovic delighted with ban reduction (Mar 27, 2013 09:12 GMT)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's agent has spoken of his client's delight at being able to take part in "a unique moment in PSG's season" after UEFA reduced his ban, allowing him to play in next week's Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona.

Ibrahimovic cleared to face Barcelona by UEFA (Mar 26, 2013 18:14 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain's striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is now free to play in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against former side Barcelona after having his two-game ban cut to one by UEFA on Tuesday.

UEFA clears Ibra to play for PSG vs. Barca (Mar 26, 2013 15:53 GMT)
UEFA on Monday reduced the red-card ban against Paris Saint-Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic to one match, opening the door for the star striker to play for the French club in its Champions League quarterfinal vs. Barcelona

Dortmund's Hummels set to miss Malaga game (Mar 26, 2013 08:54 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels has returned to light training but is unlikely to play in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Malaga next week.

Ferguson fined, Nani banned after Madrid loss (Mar 22, 2013 16:51 GMT)
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was fined ¬10,000 ($13,000) by UEFA on Friday for failing to fulfill his post-match media duties after a Champions League match against Real Madrid.

Ferguson fined and Nani banned by UEFA (Mar 22, 2013 16:31 GMT)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been fined £8,500 by UEFA for non-fulfilment of his post-match media obligations following the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, while Nani has been suspended for one match for his dismissal in th

Ex-Turkish ref claims UCL draw rigged by UEFA (Mar 21, 2013 16:57 GMT)
A former Turkish referee has accused UEFA of fixing the Champions League and Europa League quarter-final draws in a bid to keep Europe's biggest clubs apart.

RVP labels UEFA 'cowardly' over Nani red card (Mar 21, 2013 14:58 GMT)
Manchester United striker Robin van Persie could be in hot water with UEFA after branding the organisation 'cowardly' for their support to referee Cuneyt Cakir over the sending off of Nani against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Dortmund treating Malaga like Barca or Real (Mar 21, 2013 09:41 GMT)
Roman Weidenfeller says Borussia Dortmund are viewing their Champions League quarter-final against Malaga as though they were facing Barcelona or Real Madrid.

United duo Ferguson and Nani await UEFA action (Mar 21, 2013 07:25 GMT)
Manchester United duo Sir Alex Ferguson and Nani are set to find out on Thursday what punishments they face from the fall-out of Manchester United's Champions League exit to Real Madrid.

Dortmund fans protest over ticket price hikes (Mar 20, 2013 12:16 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund fans have voiced their anger over a substantial increase in ticket prices for next month's Champions League quarter-final clash with Malaga.

PSG ticket chaos ahead of Barca UCL clash (Mar 20, 2013 10:48 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain fans have been left frustrated after the club was overwhelmed by around a million requests for tickets for their sell-out Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona.

Mourinho: Old Trafford remarks misunderstood (Mar 19, 2013 16:36 GMT)
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has said comments he made after his side's Champions League win have been misinterpreted.

Sneijder tells Mourinho: Galatasaray no pushovers (Mar 18, 2013 10:56 GMT)
Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder has warned his former coach Jose Mourinho that the Turkish side will be no pushovers for Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Ferguson denies English demise on Euro stage (Mar 16, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has denied English teams are no longer a dominant force in the Champions League, insisting Manchester United's performance against Real Madrid proves they are still in touch with Europe's best.

Champions League quarter-final draw (Mar 15, 2013 16:12 GMT)
The draw will take place at around 1100 GMT on Friday, March 15.

Butragueno: Galatasaray a big threat to Real (Mar 15, 2013 15:58 GMT)
Real Madrid are in for a tough test after being drawn against Galatasaray in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, director Emilio Butragueno has said.

Borussia Dortmund won't take Malaga lightly (Mar 15, 2013 15:06 GMT)
The Borussia Dortmund camp have admitted to being wary of taking on Malaga, following the draw for the Champions League quarter-finals on Friday.

Ancelotti: We will try our luck against Barca (Mar 15, 2013 14:08 GMT)
Carlo Ancelotti has admitted Barcelona start favourites against his Paris Saint-Germain side after Friday's Champions League quarter-final draw.

Bayern relishing Juve test (Mar 15, 2013 14:02 GMT)
Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes has said everyone at the club is looking forward to a great European occasion against Juventus in the Champions League.

Europa League draw: Chelsea-Rubin Kazan (Mar 15, 2013 12:13 GMT)
Chelsea drew Rubin Kazan in UEFA Europa League quarterfinals draw on Friday while Tottenham appeared to be handed the easiest matchup after being paired with Swiss side Basel.

Barca to face PSG, Real draw Gala (Mar 15, 2013 11:52 GMT)
Bitter Spanish rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid have been kept apart in the draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

CL: PSG draws Barca; Real vs. Gala (Mar 15, 2013 11:24 GMT)
Real Madrid and Barcelona will not meet in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals after Thursday's draw saw the La Liga powerhouses draw Galatasary and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively.

Goal hero Isco hails 'incredible dream' (Mar 14, 2013 14:26 GMT)
Malaga goalscorer, local boy and all-round hero Isco has hailed as an "incredible dream" the team's achievement in reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.

'Rubbish' Bayern form heavily criticised (Mar 14, 2013 08:45 GMT)
Bayern Munich may have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but their 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal roundly criticised by the club's hierarchy.

Wenger: English exits a 'wake-up call' (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Arsene Wenger has admitted the Premier League is no longer at the forefront of European football after Arsenal were the last English side to be bundled out of this season's Champions League.

Robben: Defeat a lesson for below par Bayern (Mar 13, 2013 22:45 GMT)
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben admitted his team-mates were stunned by Arsenal's fight back in their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday night and hopes their brush with disaster will serve as a wake-up call for the rest of the season.

Familiar regrets for proud Arsene Wenger (Mar 13, 2013 22:22 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted he felt the pain of his side's Champions League demise against Bayern Munich, but he hopes his side's heroic 2-0 second leg win in the Allianz Arena will be the catalyst for their return to Europe's elite compet

Isco delighted after 'deserved' win over Porto (Mar 13, 2013 22:17 GMT)
Malaga star Isco felt his team were worthy winners after seeing off Porto 2-0 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Champs Lge: Arsenal edged out, Malaga through (Mar 13, 2013 21:52 GMT)
Arsenal battled to a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena, but still bowed out of the Champions League on away goals while Malaga made the quarter-finals on their debut in the competition.

Messi: 'We needed a match like that' (Mar 13, 2013 17:48 GMT)
Lionel Messi took to China's social media Tencet Weibo Wednesday to address his fans for the first time since scoring two first-half goals to power Barcelona to a 4-0 Champions League round of 16 win over AC Milan.

Schalke: Gala fans caught digging into stadium (Mar 13, 2013 14:00 GMT)
A group of Galatasaray fans were caught trying to dig their way into Schalke's Veltins-Arena on Monday night in a bid to see their team training in preparation for Tuesday's Champions League encounter.

Mixed emotions for Altintop after Gala beat Schalke (Mar 13, 2013 13:54 GMT)
Galatasaray's Hamit Altintop asked Schalke fans for forgiveness after scoring a goal which helped eliminate his former club from the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Bayern: No let-up for Arsenal in Munich (Mar 13, 2013 12:58 GMT)
Bayern Munich's stars promised to show no mercy when they take on Arsenal on Wednesday night, when the Gunners will need to inflict only a third defeat of the season upon the German champions-elect if they are to progress in the Champions League.

Barca's Xavi: Camp Nou atmosphere a marvel (Mar 13, 2013 11:10 GMT)
Barcelona's players hailed a memorable atmosphere inside the Camp Nou after Tuesday night's stirring 4-0 Champions League last-16 second leg win over AC Milan.

Porto to go on attack at Malaga (Mar 13, 2013 09:53 GMT)
Porto will not sit back and defend their slim aggregate lead when they travel to face Malaga for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, according to manager Vitor Pereira.

Moura worry for PSG ahead of UCL quarters (Mar 13, 2013 09:30 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas Moura faces a race against time to be fit for the Champions League quarter-finals due to an ankle injury suffered against Nancy last weekend.

Giroud wary of 'bad defensive behaviour' (Mar 13, 2013 09:14 GMT)
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud believes an early goal against Bayern Munich is critical to keep his side's Champions League hopes alive, although he also stressed the Gunners must tighten up at the back if they are to stand any chance of reaching the

Wenger admits he 'overplayed' Jack Wilshere (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has conceded he "overplayed" midfielder Jack Wilshere in recent weeks, after confirming his talisman will be out of action for up to a month.

Fatih Terim hails 'important' Galatasaray win (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim has hailed his side's Champions League win over Schalke as an "important victory" for all of Turkey.

Roura: Messi silenced his critics against Milan (Mar 12, 2013 23:44 GMT)
Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura believes Lionel Messi's brace in the 4-0 Champions League win over AC Milan helped to silence critics of the striker's recent form.

Flamini: Niang not to blame for defeat (Mar 12, 2013 23:22 GMT)
Mathieu Flamini insists striker M'Baye Niang is not to blame for AC Milan's Champions League exit after the youngster failed to pounce on a Barcelona error in the 4-0 second leg defeat on Tuesday.

Allegri: Barca are the world's best (Mar 12, 2013 23:02 GMT)
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has praised Barcelona as the "strongest side in the world" after his side were knocked out of the Champions League with a 4-0 defeat to the Catalan giants.

Villa: Poor form forgotten after Milan win (Mar 12, 2013 22:14 GMT)
David Villa claims Barcelona never doubted they would progress to the Champions League quarter-finals after defeating AC Milan 4-0 in the second leg of their tie on Tuesday.

UCL: Messi leads Barca escape, Gala through (Mar 12, 2013 21:52 GMT)
Lionel Messi put in another astonishing display to lead Barcelona to the quarter final of the Champions League following a dominant display against AC Milan at the Nou Camp.

Wenger challenges players to find big win (Mar 12, 2013 18:51 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has challenged his players to produce a performance which will define their careers and turn around a 3-1 deficit to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Heynckes warns Bayern (Mar 12, 2013 16:15 GMT)
Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes has urged his side to treat Arsenal with respect ahead of their Champions League last 16 second leg on Wednesday.

Podolski out for Bayern, Szczesny rested (Mar 12, 2013 15:41 GMT)
Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski has been ruled out of Wednesday night's clash against Bayern Munich with an ankle injury, while goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is rested.

Malaga's Pellegrini bullish for Porto clash (Mar 12, 2013 15:18 GMT)
Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini has called on his players to rediscover their spectacular Champions League group stage form as they look to turn around a 1-0 first leg defeat against Porto in Wednesday's last-16 second leg at La Rosaleda.

Graham: Expectation weighs down Arsene (Mar 12, 2013 13:50 GMT)
Former Arsenal manager George Graham does not believe he would have kept his job with the Gunners if he had gone eight years without winning a trophy but recognises that Arsene Wenger earned the right to stay at the club with his early success.

Altintop: Emotion won't cloud Schalke return (Mar 12, 2013 11:24 GMT)
Galatasaray midfielder Hamit Altintop insists he will be fully focused on the task in hand when he returns to former cub Schalke for Tuesday's Champions League last-16 second leg.

Arsenal to face Bayern Munich without Wilshere (Mar 12, 2013 10:43 GMT)
Jack Wilshere has sustained an ankle injury that will keep him sidelined for the next three weeks, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed

Barca consider tactical changes for Milan test (Mar 12, 2013 10:32 GMT)
Barcelona's coaching team may have a trick up their sleeve for Tuesday night's Champions League last-16 clash with AC Milan as they aim to become the first team ever to overcome a 2-0 first-leg deficit since the competition's format changed in 1992.

Arsenal's Wilshere sidelined for three weeks (Mar 12, 2013 10:18 GMT)
Arsenal have been dealt a blow with the news that Jack Wilshere will be sidelined for three weeks with an ankle injury.

Arteta: Arsenal results 'not good enough' (Mar 12, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has described his side's season so far as "not acceptable" and has conceded the Gunners' chance of making it through to the Champions League quarter-finals are slim ahead of their return match with Bayern Munich.

Allegri: Milan will stand up to Barca (Mar 12, 2013 07:00 GMT)
AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri says his team must "stand up to Barcelona" when the two sides meet in their Champions League round of 16 second-leg match on Tuesday.

Roura urges patience against AC Milan (Mar 11, 2013 19:24 GMT)
Barcelona stand-in coach Jordi Roura says his team must not rush things in Tuesday night's Champions League last-16 second leg against AC Milan, even though they know they must score at least twice to have any chance of progressing.

Schalke playing to win against Galatasaray (Mar 11, 2013 18:48 GMT)
Schalke boss Jens Keller says his team have no intention of playing for a goalless draw in the second leg of their Champions League tie against Galatastarary on Tuesday evening.

Barca's Pique: We'll come back to beat Milan (Mar 11, 2013 18:07 GMT)
Gerard Pique has predicted that Barcelona will overturn their two-goal deficit against AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Kroos not getting complacent about Arsenal return leg (Mar 11, 2013 15:24 GMT)
Toni Kroos says Bayern Munich will not be taking anything for granted when they welcome Arsenal for the Champions League last 16 second leg on Wednesday, despite holding a 3-1 advantage.

Bayern's Ribery ruled out of Arsenal clash (Mar 11, 2013 12:35 GMT)
Franck Ribery will miss Bayern Munich's Champions League last-16 second leg against Arsenal due to an ankle injury.

Malaga boss Pellegrini targets 'perfect game' (Mar 11, 2013 11:41 GMT)
Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini says his side will need a "perfect game" if they are to turn around a 1-0 first-leg deficit in Wednesday's Champions League last 16 tie against Porto at La Rosaleda.

Alves targets 'historic' Barcelona comeback (Mar 11, 2013 11:37 GMT)
Dani Alves says the time has come for Barcelona to add an "historic comeback" to their achievements as they try to overturn a 2-0 first-leg Champions League deficit against AC Milan at the Camp Nou.

Wilshere in doubt for Bayern Munich clash (Mar 11, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Arsenal talisman Jack Wilshere looks set to miss Wednesday night's Champions League last-16 clash with Bayern Munich, as he continues his recovery from an injury sustained in the defeat against Tottenham 10 days ago.

Giggs describes 'shock' of Real Madrid defeat (Mar 10, 2013 10:57 GMT)
Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs has spoken of his disappointment at the club's controversial exit from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid, and confirmed his plans to move into coaching when he finally quits playing.

Wenger aims to make 'impossible possible' (Mar 10, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called on his side to "make the impossible possible" as they look to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the second leg of their clash with Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Sacchi: Barcelona are 'unrecognisable' (Mar 8, 2013 13:14 GMT)
Former AC Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi says the current Barcelona side is "unrecognisable" and that Milan can progress from next Tuesday's Champions League clash at the Camp Nou if they play without fear.

Report: Cakir on Nani red (Mar 8, 2013 13:01 GMT)
Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir, who issued the controversial red card that sent Manchester United's Nani out of the club's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid earlier this week, said he stands by his call, according to a report.

Barca's Xavi could play through injury against Milan (Mar 8, 2013 12:49 GMT)
Xavi Hernandez has said he may not be at 100% for next week's Champions League last 16 second leg at home to Milan but is willing to play with an injection.

Ferguson: Nani red card 'not easy to take' (Mar 8, 2013 11:02 GMT)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has said it is "hard to keep your faith" in refereeing after speaking for the first time since Nani's controversial red card against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Turkish FA denies Cakir interview (Mar 8, 2013 10:53 GMT)
The Turkish FA has insisted that the referee who sent off Nani during Manchester United's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday, has not given any interviews defending his decision.

Buffon: Real Madrid due a win against Juve (Mar 7, 2013 12:39 GMT)
Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon says he would rather avoid Real Madrid in next week's Champions League draw as the law of averages suggest he is bound to lose to them sooner or later.

Ferdinand escapes UEFA punishment (Mar 7, 2013 12:15 GMT)
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand will not face disciplinary action after sarcastically clapping referee Cuneyt Cakir at the end of the Champions League last-16 second leg match against Real Madrid, UEFA has confirmed.

Valencia's Albelda: This was my last UCL game (Mar 7, 2013 10:07 GMT)
Veteran Valencia midfielder David Albelda says Wednesday night's Champions League 1-1 draw at Paris Saint-Germain, which saw the French side progress to the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate, was likely his last in the competition and a painful way to

Forster fears Celtic stars could leave (Mar 7, 2013 09:16 GMT)
Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster has said he fears some of the club's big-name players could be on their way out in the summer.

Ancelotti cools PSG's hopes of CL glory (Mar 7, 2013 00:25 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti has played down his side's chances of winning the Champions League following their round of 16 triumph over Valencia on Wednesday evening.

Lennon: Juventus a class above Celtic (Mar 6, 2013 22:33 GMT)
Celtic boss Neil Lennon said his team had been outclassed over two legs by Juventus but claimed both he and his players have learnt valuable lessons from their Champions League crusade.

UCL: Juventus and PSG secure safe passage (Mar 6, 2013 22:05 GMT)
Paris St Germain slugged rather than sashayed their way through to the Champions League quarter-finals after drawing with Valencia at the Parc des Princes.

UEFA charges Ferguson for media no-show (Mar 6, 2013 18:01 GMT)
UEFA has charged Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson for not attending a mandatory news conference after his team lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League.

UEFA charge Ferguson for no-show (Mar 6, 2013 17:01 GMT)

UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Sir Alex Ferguson after the Manchester United manager refused to attend a post-match press conference following his side's Champions League defeat at the hands of Real Madrid.

UEFA defends ref's red card decision on Nani (Mar 6, 2013 16:00 GMT)
UEFA defended referee Cuneyt Cakir in the face of heavy criticism after Cakir sent off Nani during Manchester United's Champions League loss to Real Madrid.

Gundogan: Dortmund win 'close to perfect' (Mar 6, 2013 14:24 GMT)
Ilkay Gundogan says Borussia Dortmund can make waves in this season's Champions League following their 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in Tuesday's last-16 second leg.

UEFA gives backing to Old Trafford referee (Mar 6, 2013 14:08 GMT)
UEFA has defended referee Cuneyt Cakir after the Turkish official faced heavy criticism for sending off Nani during Manchester United's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.

Modric delighted with Old Trafford impact (Mar 6, 2013 11:25 GMT)
Real Madrid goalscorer Luka Modric has said he enjoyed his crucial role in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford as the La Liga team went through to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Mourinho: I've been victim of a worse red card (Mar 6, 2013 11:09 GMT)
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has said he was on the receiving end of a worse injustice than Nani's red card at Old Trafford on Tuesday, citing Pepe's dismissal in the Champions League against Barcelona two years ago.

Szczesny demands Arsenal response (Mar 6, 2013 08:15 GMT)
Wojciech Szczesny has urged his Arsenal team-mates to use their ten-day gap between matches as a time to refocus ahead of their bid to bounce back from a morale-denting north London derby defeat.

Neil Lennon wishes for Celtic miracle (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has admitted it will take a "minor miracle" to beat European opponent Juventus and qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Ancelotti confident of PSG progressing (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Paris Saint-Germain manager Carlo Ancelotti said he is confident his squad can grab the "great opportunity" of progressing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League when they face Valencia on Wednesday.

Lennon: Ref must 'do his job' (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has urged Turkish referee Firat Aydinus "to do his job properly" during his side's Champions League round of 16 clash with Juventus on Wednesday.

Ronaldo: United fans were unbelievable (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed his gratitude to the Manchester United supporters as he struggled to contain his emotions upon his return to his former side on Tuesday night.

Mourinho: Ronaldo is the 'best ever' (Mar 5, 2013 23:39 GMT)
Jose Mourinho has lauded Cristiano Ronaldo as the world's "best ever" footballer, insisting he has created more of a legacy than South American greats Diego Maradona and Pele.

Mourinho defends Rooney omission (Mar 5, 2013 23:36 GMT)
Jose Mourinho backed Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to leave Wayne Rooney on the bench for Manchester United's Champions League clash with Real Madrid.

United rocked by Nani red (Mar 5, 2013 23:30 GMT)
Richard Jolly watched Man United depart the Champions League in controversial style against Real Madrid.

Phelan: No-show Fergie distraught (Mar 5, 2013 22:48 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson was left "distraught" and "in no fit state to speak" as Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League after Nani's controversial red card against Real Madrid.

Roy Keane: Nani deserved red card (Mar 5, 2013 22:07 GMT)
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane believes referee Cuneyt Cakir "made the right call" when he sent off Nani in Tuesday night's Champions League battle with Real Madrid at Old Trafford.

Mourinho: Real Madrid were second best (Mar 5, 2013 22:03 GMT)
Jose Mourinho admitted Real Madrid did not deserve to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after a controversial 2-1 win over 10-man Manchester United.

UCL: Ronaldo sends United out after Nani red (Mar 5, 2013 21:51 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the goal that sent Manchester United crashing out of the Champions League against Real Madrid, although referee Cuneyt Cakir was the true Old Trafford villain after he sent Nani off as the Spaniards triumphed 2-

Valverde plans for Valencia to attack PSG (Mar 5, 2013 18:56 GMT)
Valencia coach Ernesto Valverde says his side have no choice but to attack in Wednesday's Champions League last 16 second leg at Paris Saint-Germain.

Ancelotti: PSG must forget first leg (Mar 5, 2013 17:57 GMT)
Carlo Ancelotti has warned his Paris Saint-Germain team to "forget about their first leg result" and seize the "great opportunity" they have to reach the Champions League quarter-finals when they face Valencia on Wednesday.

Juve's Conte shrugs off Chelsea and Real links (Mar 5, 2013 17:38 GMT)
Juventus boss Antonio Conte has said he is not surprised to be linked with the Chelsea and Real Madrid jobs.

David Beckham in PSG squad for Valencia tie (Mar 5, 2013 16:00 GMT)
David Beckham has been included in Paris Saint-Germain's 20-man squad for the Champions League last-16 second leg tie with Valencia on Wednesday night.

Sergio Busquets: We miss Tito Vilanova (Mar 5, 2013 12:27 GMT)
Sergio Busquets has admitted that Barcelona miss absent boss Tito Vilanova, but says the team plans to give him a lift by overturning the two-goal deficit in next week's the Champions League last-16 return game against AC Milan.

Roberto Carlos: Ronaldo the difference (Mar 5, 2013 10:59 GMT)
Former Real Madrid left-back Roberto Carlos says Real Madrid's chances in Tuesday night's Champions League last-16 second leg at Manchester United mostly hinge around one man - Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cantona full of praise for Fergie passion and energy (Mar 5, 2013 09:55 GMT)
Eric Cantona believes Sir Alex Ferguson will approach Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Real Madrid "as if it's the first game of his career" with the Manchester United manager's boundless passion for the game still intact.

Fergie hopes for 'best' ref performance (Mar 5, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping for "the best refereeing performance" when Manchester United take on Real Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening.

Juve's Pirlo buoyed by Istanbul upset (Mar 5, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo has urged his side to avoid complacency ahead of their Champions League tie against Celtic on Wednesday, using AC Milan's Champions League final defeat to Liverpool in 2005 as added motivation to remain clinical.

Mourinho: Real will attack United at Old Trafford (Mar 4, 2013 21:24 GMT)
Jose Mourinho has predicted a tight encounter when Real Madrid visit Manchester United in the Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday night.

Mourinho applauds Ferguson's managerial longevity (Mar 4, 2013 19:20 GMT)
Jose Mourinho has paid tribute to the "unique" Sir Alex Ferguson and said he hopes he is still managing at 71.

Alonso: Ronaldo will shine (Mar 4, 2013 19:17 GMT)
Cristiano Ronaldo makes his first return to Manchester United on Tuesday with Jose Mourinho and Xabi Alonso predicting that Real Madrid's top scorer will get a warm ovation from the Old Trafford crowd.

Dortmund's Hummels (flu) may miss Shakhtar (Mar 4, 2013 16:42 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund is hoping that central defender Mats Hummels will recover from the flu in time for Tuesday's Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Ferguson: United won't fear Ronaldo (Mar 4, 2013 16:13 GMT)
Sir Alex Ferguson has told Manchester United not to be afraid of Cristiano Ronaldo as the former World Player of the Year makes his first return to Old Trafford since his £80 million move to Real Madrid in 2009.

Jones out for match vs. Real Madrid (Mar 4, 2013 14:58 GMT)
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson confirmed Monday that Phil Jones has lost his battle to be fit for Tuesday's Champions League clash against Real Madrid.

Jones ruled out of Madrid clash (Mar 4, 2013 12:20 GMT)
Phil Jones has been ruled out of Manchester United's Champions League clash with Real Madrid with the ankle injury he picked up in the FA Cup fifth-round win over Reading.

United's Carrick relishing 'special' Real clash (Mar 4, 2013 12:10 GMT)
Michael Carrick has said he is looking forward to a "special night" when Manchester United take on Real Madrid in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Robert Lewandowski preaches attack for UCL (Mar 4, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has hinted his side will be chasing goals when it hosts Champions League opponent Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

Casillas back in Real Madrid squad for United tie (Mar 3, 2013 20:21 GMT)
Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas is back in the squad for Tuesday night's Champions League last-16 meeting with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Ferguson: Real Madrid peaked too soon (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes Champions League opponent Real Madrid has peaked too soon heading into the clubs' second-tie at Old Trafford.

Real Madrid to prepare for United UCL tie at City (Mar 1, 2013 17:20 GMT)
Real Madrid have altered their pre-match plans for the Champions League last-16 against Manchester United, by confirming they will use Manchester City's facilities.


UEFA Europa League
Rubin-Chelsea Europa tie moved to Moscow (Mar 21, 2013 10:32 GMT)
Chelsea's Europa League quarter-final tie against Rubin Kazan will take place at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, UEFA has ruled.

UEFA charges Inter Milan over fans' racism (Mar 18, 2013 14:00 GMT)
UEFA has charged Inter Milan over the racist behaviour of their fans during last week's Europa League home game against Tottenham.

Gallas calls for tougher racism punishments (Mar 16, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Tottenham defender William Gallas has called on Uefa and Fifa to take a stronger stance on racism following allegations of crowd abuse during Spurs' Europa League defeat against Inter Milan on Thursday.

Inter likely to escape with fine for abuse - FARE (Mar 15, 2013 18:05 GMT)
Anti-discrimination body FARE believes Inter Milan will face no more than a fine for the racist abuse directed at Tottenham players on Thursday night.

AVB full of respect for Europa League opponents Basel (Mar 15, 2013 17:38 GMT)
Andre Villas-Boas believes his Tottenham side have been handed "a difficult draw" after they were paired up with FC Basel in the Europa League quarter-final draw on Friday.

Pardew happy to be paired with Benfica (Mar 15, 2013 16:58 GMT)
Alan Pardew said he was happy his Newcastle United side were paired with Benfica in Friday's Europa League quarter-final draw.

Hazard: Draw not ideal (Mar 15, 2013 16:40 GMT)
Eden Hazard believes Friday's Europa League quarter-final draw, which handed Chelsea a tie against Rubin Kazan, could have been kinder on the Blues.

Europa League quarter-final draw (Mar 15, 2013 16:14 GMT)
The draw will take place at around 1200 GMT on Friday, March 15.

Europa: Chelsea face Rubin, Toon take on Benfica (Mar 15, 2013 12:00 GMT)
Last year's European champions Chelsea have been drawn against Russian club Rubin Kazan in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

Heneage: Newcastle keep trophy dreams alive (Mar 15, 2013 01:36 GMT)
Kristan Heneage watched Newcastle keep dreams of ending their trophy drought alive after a last-gasp winner against Anzhi Makhachkala.

AVB: Each Inter goal like a 'knife in the back' (Mar 14, 2013 23:37 GMT)
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas admitted each goal his side conceded in their 4-1 defeat against Inter Milan felt like a "knife in the back", as he conceded his team had to dig deep to secure a Europa League quarter-final spot after an away goals

Delaney: Stumbling Chelsea march on (Mar 14, 2013 23:21 GMT)
Miguel Delaney watched Fernando Torres personify the ebb and flow of Chelsea's season in their win over Steaua Bucharest.

Pardew hails match-winner Cisse (Mar 14, 2013 22:59 GMT)
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew heaped praise on the finishing ability of Papiss Cisse, after the striker scored his second injury-time winner in five days to secure a 1-0 win over Anzhi Makhachkala in their Europa League clash.

Villas-Boas: Strong Spurs side to face Inter (Mar 14, 2013 22:48 GMT)
Tottenham manger Andre Villas-Boas has scorned the notion he is set to make a number of changes for his side's Europa League second leg duel against Inter Milan.

AVB expects action over racist chants (Mar 14, 2013 22:27 GMT)
Tottenham players were allegedly subjected to racist chants by Inter Milan supporters during the Europa League last 16 second-leg clash at the San Siro on Thursday night.

Europa: Spurs, Chelsea in last eight (Mar 14, 2013 21:45 GMT)
Emmanuel Adebayor scored a decisive away goal on a night that so nearly ended in humiliation for Tottenham as they slipped to a 4-1 defeat at Inter Milan.

Lampard: Steaua tie 'on a knife edge' (Mar 14, 2013 11:43 GMT)
Chelsea's Frank Lampard believes Thursday night's Europa League clash with Steaua Bucharest is 'on a knife edge', as he has predicted a tension-filled night at Stamford Bridge.

Steaua plan to 'annihilate' Chelsea (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Steaua Bucharest will be hoping to "annihilate" Chelsea from the Europa League on Thursday - and may use the Stamford Bridge crowd to serve their purposes.

Guus coy on Prem return (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Anzhi Makhachkala boss Guus Hiddink has said he may consider a return to the Premier League as his side prepares to take on Newcastle United in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie.

Cisse: Newcastle's fans the best in the world (Mar 13, 2013 17:53 GMT)
Papiss Cissé has described Newcastle fans as'the best in the world' - with the Senegal striker expecting a special atmosphere during Thursday night's Europa League tie.

Ben Arfa to miss crunch Anzhi clash (Mar 13, 2013 16:34 GMT)
Alan Pardew has confirmed that Hatem Ben Arfa will miss Thursday's Europa League tie against Anzhi Makhachkala.

Pardew gets Anzhi advice from Rodgers (Mar 13, 2013 16:03 GMT)
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers provided Newcastle manager Alan Pardew with information on Europa League opponents Anzhi Makhachkala.

Shola Ameobi calls for Chelsea spirit (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi has invoked the spirit of Chelsea's Champions League triumph as the Tyneside club look to progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

Lazio left frustrated as UEFA rejects appeal (Mar 11, 2013 22:18 GMT)
Lazio president Claudio Lotito has expressed his frustration after UEFA rejected the club's appeal against a stadium ban.

Bale booked for diving, misses Inter return (Mar 7, 2013 22:43 GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur will be without star man Gareth Bale against Inter Milan in the San Siro next week after he picked up his third booking of the Europa League season.

Benitez upset by 'soft' penalty decision (Mar 7, 2013 21:29 GMT)
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez was left frustrated by the decision to award Steaua Bucharest the 34th-miunte penalty that led to their winning goal in the European champions.

Europa: Spurs stroll past Inter, Blues beaten (Mar 7, 2013 20:56 GMT)
Rafael Benitez's Chelsea suffered a lacklustre 1-0 defeat to Steaua Bucharest in their Europa League last-16 first-leg clash at the National Arena.

Steaua chief taunts 'slow' Chelsea stars (Mar 7, 2013 08:15 GMT)
Outspoken Steaua Bucharest owner Gigi Becali has taunted Chelsea ahead of their clash in the last-16 of the Europa League, claiming they are too slow and don't have the desire to win the competition.

Pardew: Newcastle can lift trophy (Mar 7, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is confident his side can win the Europa League as they prepare to face Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala for a place in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Villas-Boas boasts of Bale brilliance (Mar 7, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has warned Europa League opponents Inter Milan that Welsh superstar Gareth Bale is even more dangerous than when the two sides last met in 2010.

Ben Arfa back for Newcastle Europa clash (Mar 6, 2013 13:39 GMT)
Newcastle have named Hatem Ben Arfa in their squad for Thursday's Europa League game away to Anzhi Makhachkala.

Pardew: Anzhi a step up in class for Toon (Mar 5, 2013 17:26 GMT)
Newcastle will have to raise their game significantly if they are to progress from their Europa League last-16 tie with Anzhi Makhachkala, according to Alan Pardew.

Cisse hails 'idol' Eto'o (Mar 5, 2013 14:09 GMT)
Papiss Cisse has revealed his admiration for 'idol' Samuel Eto'o, but is determined to see Newcastle progress past the Cameroon striker's club Anzhi Makhachkala in the Europa League.


Global
Beasley bags 3rd league goal for Puebla in loss (Mar 31, 2013 23:11 GMT)
American midfielder DaMarcus Beasley scored a tying goal in the 58th minute of Puebla's 2-1 loss at home to Tigres on Sunday in the Mexican first division.

Six injured at World Cup stadium re-opening (Mar 30, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Police used tear gas and smoke grenades in chaotic scenes in Brazil on Friday, as football supporters scrambled to buy tickets at the re-opening of the Arena Fonte Nova in the north-eastern state of Bahia.

Botafogo midfielder Seedorf faces six-game ban (Mar 29, 2013 12:31 GMT)
Botafogo midfielder Clarence Seedorf could be banned for six games after being sent off for leaving the pitch in "an incorrect manner" after being substituted.

Robbie Rogers: I had to quit football to come out (Mar 29, 2013 11:21 GMT)
Robbie Rogers has said he had to step away from football in order to come out as gay because it is "impossible" to do so while within the game.

Seedorf faces 12-match suspension in Brazil (Mar 28, 2013 18:16 GMT)
Clarence Seedorf is facing a suspension of up to 12 matches in Brazil after being red carded for leaving the field the wrong way following a substitution in the Rio de Janeiro state championship last weekend.

Italy seeks Argentina friendly dedicated to pope (Mar 27, 2013 20:05 GMT)
Lionel Messi's Argentina playing Mario Balotelli's Italy in a friendly dedicated to newly elected Pope Francis. That's something Italy coach Cesare Prandelli would like to see.

Asian leader wants Europe to push for winter Cup (Mar 27, 2013 19:50 GMT)
An Asian Football Confederation presidential candidate says European soccer leaders should ask FIFA to move the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to cooler winter months.

Duerden: Fightbacks and late scraps in Asia (Mar 27, 2013 07:00 GMT)
John Duerden reviews a frantic day of World Cup qualifying action in Asia that leaves the road to Brazil wide open.

Bradley's Egypt beats Zimbabwe as fans return (Mar 27, 2013 00:37 GMT)
Egypt beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.

Messi, Argentina held 1-1 at Bolivia in qualifier (Mar 27, 2013 00:03 GMT)
Argentina fought back from a goal down to claim a potentially valuable point from its World Cup qualifier in Bolivia.

Snakes on a pitch at I-League venue (Mar 26, 2013 11:21 GMT)
A match in the Indian I-League narrowly missed the invasion of over a dozen poisonous snakes after Mohun Bagan took on Arrows on Sunday.

Beckham hails China tour as 'big success' (Mar 26, 2013 10:09 GMT)
David Beckham has hailed his recent five-day trip to China as "a big success" - but World Cup-winner Bixente Lizarazu said it showed his impact at Paris Saint-Germain would largely be off the pitch.

Joey Barton: Neymar no better than 'cat piss' (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Marseille midfielder Joey Barton has found himself in controversy after labelling Brazilian superstar Neymar as no better than 'cat piss'.

Scolari unfazed by Russian blip (Mar 26, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Luiz Felipe Scolari denies he is concerned over Brazil's potential to challenge for the 2014 World Cup, despite the Selecao requiring a late Fred goal to salvage a 1-1 draw with Russia on Monday night.

Egypt to allow 10K fans to attend WCup qualifier (Mar 25, 2013 23:19 GMT)
About 10,000 fans will be allowed to watch Egypt's World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

Late Fred goal salvages tie for Brazil vs. Russia (Mar 25, 2013 22:44 GMT)
Fred scored in the 90th minute to give Brazil a 1-1 draw against Russia on Monday.

U.S. gets Spain, France in U20 World Cup draw (Mar 25, 2013 22:36 GMT)
Tournament-favorite Spain will play the United States, France and an African team to be determined in one of toughest groups at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

Scolari wants side to play more in Brazil (Mar 25, 2013 16:17 GMT)
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari believes the national team should be playing more games in their own country, despite it currently being out of their own hands.

Mariners A-League ownership deal completed (Mar 25, 2013 08:03 GMT)
Central Coast have released a statement saying the A-League club's ownership restructure has been officially completed.

Duerden: England test rouses Dejan (Mar 24, 2013 09:14 GMT)
John Duerden sits down with Montenegro international Dejan Damjanovic ahead of the World Cup qualifier against England.

Boateng: Football needs a 'black Mourinho' (Mar 22, 2013 07:00 GMT)
AC Milan striker Kevin-Prince Boateng claims racism can be eradicated from football if there is greater multiculturalism amongst the game's most influential positions, insisting a "black Mourinho" would help to deal with prejudice.

Super Mario burns Brazil with equalizer for Italy (Mar 21, 2013 22:25 GMT)
Mario Balotelli scored a stunning goal as Italy came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Brazil in an entertaining friendly in Geneva on Thursday.

UN joins soccer leaders' racism fight (Mar 21, 2013 22:11 GMT)
The U.N.'s top human rights official has joined some soccer officials and players in calling for an end to racism in sport.

Blatter tips Villar as possible successor for FIFA presidency (Mar 21, 2013 13:14 GMT)
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has suggested Spain's Angel Maria Villar as a possible rival to Michel Platini as his successor.

Italy looks to end 31-year Brazil hex (Mar 20, 2013 22:14 GMT)
Italy head coach Cesare Prandelli is refusing to give Brazil any tactical clues as the Azzurri bid for a first win over the South American nation in over 30 years.

Off-form Drogba dropped from Ivory Coast squad (Mar 20, 2013 20:42 GMT)
Didier Drogba was dropped for Ivory Coast's World Cup qualifier against Gambia

Hogan Ephraim impressed by MLS since move (Mar 20, 2013 20:19 GMT)
Hogan Ephraim has been impressed by the standard of Major League Soccer in the United States since joining Toronto on loan from QPR.

Platini blasts Blatter for attacking European soccer (Mar 20, 2013 20:08 GMT)
Michel Platini has answered FIFA President Sepp Blatter's barbs over UEFA's plan to host the 2020 European Championship in 13 countries.

Beckham targets 'significant year' for China (Mar 20, 2013 09:12 GMT)

Former England captain David Beckham says it will be a 'significant year' for China as he begins his role as the country's first global football ambassador.

Webb urges FIFA to give CONCACAF more clout (Mar 20, 2013 03:50 GMT)
CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb will ask his FIFA executive committee colleagues this week to increase his region's share of influence on the panel, where it has only three of 25 seats.

Barca's Abidal returns to action after surgery (Mar 19, 2013 16:00 GMT)
Eric Abidal on Tuesday played his first match since being cleared to resume his career following liver surgery after featuring for Barcelona's reserve side in a friendly.

Di Stefano and pope: ex-street team-mates? (Mar 18, 2013 18:03 GMT)
Alfredo Di Stefano has said he may have played street football with the new pope when they were youngsters growing up in Argentina.

Africa 'must do more to combat match-fixing' (Mar 18, 2013 15:29 GMT)
African football must do more to combat match-fixing in order to restore people's faith in the game, former FIFA official Chris Eaton has said.

Times admits error over 'Dream Football League' (Mar 18, 2013 07:59 GMT)

The Times newspaper has accepted that its story surrounding a Qatari-backed 'Dream Football League' "appears to have been invented" after an internal investigation.

A-League: Postecoglou named All-Stars coach (Mar 18, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Melbourne Victory's Ange Postecoglou has been chosen by A-League fans to coach of the A-League All-Stars squad set to face Manchester United at ANZ Stadium.

A-League: CCM keep Premier's Plate race alive (Mar 17, 2013 08:45 GMT)
Central Coast Mariners have kept the race for the A-League Premier's Plate alive for another week after defeating Brisbane Roar 1-0 in Gosford.

Kelly: The Saints get their Pope (Mar 17, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Sam Kelly observes the reaction of Argentine football fans to the new Pope and the potential impact on the 2014 World Cup.

A-League: Wanderers notch 10 straight victories (Mar 16, 2013 09:57 GMT)
Western Sydney Wanderers have their eyes set on the Premier's Plate after notching their tenth straight victory with a 3-1 defeat of Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park.

Duerden: Jilong declines AFC presidency (Mar 16, 2013 07:00 GMT)
East Asian football has been left in shock after the 11th hour withdrawal of Zhang Jilong for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation, writes John Duerden.

Copa Lib: Boca keep progression hopes alive (Mar 15, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Copa Libertadores runners-up Boca Juniors clinched a vital 1-0 win over Uruguayans Nacional to maintain their chances alive in the Group One.

U.S. drops to No. 33; Japan inches to 26th (Mar 14, 2013 15:34 GMT)
The United States has fallen one spot to No. 33 in FIFA's rankings while world and European champion Spain remains No. 1.

Mineiro into Copa last 16; Pato paces Corinthians (Mar 14, 2013 14:56 GMT)
Atletico Mineiro became the first team to book a berth in the Copa Libertadores last 16 as the Brazilians earned a 2-1 win over The Strongest in Bolivia.

Mexico includes 'Chicharito' vs. Honduras, U.S. (Mar 14, 2013 14:06 GMT)
Manchester United striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez was included Thursday in Mexico's 23-man Mexico squad for World Cup qualifiers with Honduras on March 22 and the United States at the Azteca on March 26.

First XI: Wild things (Mar 14, 2013 09:39 GMT)
After a pine marten made an unwelcome appearance in Switzerland, we pick out a First XI animal invasions.

New pope's 'suffering' for San Lorenzo (Mar 14, 2013 08:54 GMT)
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, elected as the new pope on Wednesday, is a fan of San Lorenzo who lives in "a permanent state of suffering" for the Argentine club.

Copa Lib: Atletico Mineiro through to last-16 (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Brazil club Atletico Mineiro became the first team to qualify for the Copa Libertadores last-16 after beating Bolivian side The Strongest 2-1.

United lead DFL opposition - report (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Manchester United is reportedly leading a number of English clubs in opposing plans to introduce a "Dream Football League" (DFL) in Qatar, according to The Times.

AFC CL: Al-Ahly top group, Al-Gharafa win (Mar 13, 2013 18:51 GMT)
Al-Ahly top Group C of the AFC Champions League after they won 2-1 at Al-Nasr, while Djibril Cisse's brace saw Al-Gharafa beat Sepahan 3-1.

Qatari FA denies 'DFL' knowledge (Mar 13, 2013 16:27 GMT)
The Qatari Football Association has denied having any knowledge of a 'Dream Football League' that would look to offer major financial incentives to the world's top clubs.

Brazil to play in charity match (Mar 13, 2013 08:59 GMT)
Brazil are to play a friendly against Bolivia in which all proceeds will be donated to the family of a 14-year-old boy who was killed by a flare during a recent Copa Libertadores game.

Qatar 'plans Dream Football League' (Mar 13, 2013 07:42 GMT)
World football could be about to experience a major shake-up with the potential introduction of the "Dream Football League" (DFL), according to The Times.

Copa Lib: Velez Sarsfield down rivals Penarol (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Argentinian champions Velez Sarsfield took sole leadership of Group Four of the Copa Libertadores thanks to a 3-1 home win over Uruguayans Penarol.

Holger Osieck: Socceroos will be ready for Oman (Mar 13, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Socceroos coach Holger Osieck insists his side is "going to be ready" for the battle against Oman after naming his 23-man squad for the crunch World Cup qualifier.

AFC CL: Geilson rescues point for Teraktor Sazi (Mar 12, 2013 19:48 GMT)
A last-minute goal by Soares Geilson moments after coming on as a substitute ensured Teraktor Sazi FC remained at the top of AFC Champions League Group A with a 3-3 draw at El Jaish.

Brazil prosecutors accuse Barca chief of fraud (Mar 12, 2013 15:46 GMT)
Barcelona President Sandro Rosell has been accused in Brazil of illegally benefiting from an exhibition organized by his marketing company in 2008.

Herd blow for Aussies (Mar 12, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Aston Villa's Chris Herd has been ruled out of Australia's World Cup qualifier against Oman after injuring his foot in training.

Egyptian league games to continue after violence (Mar 11, 2013 16:29 GMT)
Egyptian league matches will continue despite further violence in which the headquarters of the Egyptian FA were set on fire, officials in the country have said.

FIFA suspends executive during ethics probe (Mar 11, 2013 15:19 GMT)
FIFA has suspended executive committee member Vernon Manilal Fernando while investigating corruption allegations in soccer.

Provisional ban for FIFA executive Fernando (Mar 11, 2013 15:11 GMT)
FIFA executive committee member Vernon Manilal Fernando has been suspended by world football's governing body while an investigation into corruption allegations is carried out.

Unopposed Hayatou re-elected as CAF president (Mar 11, 2013 13:09 GMT)
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Issa Hayatou has been re-elected without opposition for a seventh and final four-year term in charge of the organisation.

Hayatou retained un0pposed as CAF president (Mar 11, 2013 12:38 GMT)
Issa Hayatou has been re-elected unopposed as president of the African soccer confederation for a final four-year term.

Seedorf lands first trophy in charge of Botafogo (Mar 11, 2013 08:51 GMT)
Clarence Seedorf helped inspire Botafogo to the Guanabara Cup after defeating Vasco da Gama 1-0.

Gazza thinks he was near death, quits drinking (Mar 10, 2013 15:11 GMT)
Former English national team midfielder Paul Gascoigne believes he was on the brink of death when he slipped into a coma while receiving treatment for alcohol addiction in the United States.

Al-Ahly fans riot, set Egypt federation HQ ablaze (Mar 9, 2013 17:00 GMT)
An Egyptian court on Saturday confirmed the death sentences against 21 people for taking part in a deadly soccer riot but acquitted seven police officials for their alleged role in the violence. Suspected fans enraged by the verdict torched the socc

Ex-Flamengo goalkeeper convicted of murder (Mar 8, 2013 16:20 GMT)
Former Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno has been convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.

Brazilian footballer found guilty over murder (Mar 8, 2013 15:50 GMT)
A Brazilian footballer has been sentenced to 22 years in prison after being found guilty of ordering the killing of his ex-girlfriend.

Duerden: China hurtling toward Beckham fix (Mar 8, 2013 08:50 GMT)
John Duerden examines China's move to appoint David Beckham as an ambassador from a grassroots perspective.

Copa Lib: Boca lose, Ronaldinho goal (Mar 8, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Uruguayan giants Nacional claimed a surprise win at La Bombonera as they beat Boca Juniors 1-0 in Buenos Aires to take sole lead in the Copa Libertadores Group 1.

Galaxy play to scoreless draw in Costa Rica (Mar 8, 2013 03:27 GMT)
The Los Angeles Galaxy and Herediano played a scoreless draw in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal on Thursday night.

Europa wrap: Newcastle holds Anzhi to draw (Mar 7, 2013 21:07 GMT)
Lazio put one foot in the quarterfinals of the Europa League with a confident display to beat Stuttgart on their own turf.

PSG owners eye LA Galaxy group takeover (Mar 7, 2013 13:40 GMT)
The Qatari investment fund that owns Paris Saint-Germain is involved in a push to take over the entertainment empire that includes Los Angeles Galaxy, according to L'Equipe.

Messi's golden boot to fetch $US5 million (Mar 7, 2013 08:00 GMT)
A solid gold replica of Lionel Messi's foot could fetch over $US5 million when it goes on sale this week.

Copa Lib: Corinthians slip up in title defence (Mar 7, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Reigning Copa Libertadores champions Corinthians had a bad night in their bid to retain the continental title as they lost 1-0 at Mexico's Tijuana.

Brazilian star denies ordering ex-girlfriend's killing (Mar 7, 2013 01:31 GMT)
Former Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno has acknowledged for the first time that he knew about the death of his ex-girlfriend, but denies ordering her killing.

Davis' goal lifts Dynamo over Santos Laguna (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Brad Davis scored in the 89th minute to give the Houston Dynamo a 1-0 lead over Santos Laguna after the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series Tuesday night.

Copa Lib: Universidad go top with Newell's scalp (Mar 6, 2013 08:00 GMT)

Universidad de Chile went top of Group 7 in the Copa Libertadores with a 2-1 win against Argentinian outfit Newell's Old Boys.

Valcke hints Maracana is FIFA's biggest concern (Mar 6, 2013 06:22 GMT)

Jacques Anouma unable to run for CAF presidency (Mar 5, 2013 15:54 GMT)
Former Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) president Jacques Anouma has failed in appealing against a ruling barring him from running for the presidency of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) next weekend.

Beckham to help boost image of Chinese soccer (Mar 5, 2013 02:14 GMT)
David Beckham will play in an all-star game in China this year as part of a deal to help raise soccer's profile in the world's most populous country.

Uruguay icon Cubilla dies at 72 after cancer fight (Mar 4, 2013 15:34 GMT)
Former Uruguay forward and later national team coach Luis Cubilla has died at the age of 72.

4 nominated in May 2 Asian football chief vote (Mar 4, 2013 14:37 GMT)
Thailand's Worawi Makudi will run against West Asian nominees Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Yousef Al Serkal of the United Arab Emirates and Hafez Al Medlej of Saudi Arabia for the vacant position as president of the Asian Football

Beckham named as China's soccer ambassador (Mar 4, 2013 09:05 GMT)
David Beckham has been appointed as China's first global soccer ambassador in a bid to revive the game's image after it was rocked by a match-fixing scandal and an exodus of internationals from the country's Super League.

Mexico beats U.S. in extra time to win U-20 title (Mar 4, 2013 04:11 GMT)
Mexico scored twice in extra time to beat the United States 3-1 and win the CONCACAF Under 20 Championship final on Sunday night in Puebla.

Football fan killed in Argentina 2nd division match (Mar 3, 2013 08:00 GMT)
A 31-year-old man has been killed during a brawl between fans of Gimnasia and Nueva Chicago ahead of their Argentina second division match on Saturday.

Duerden: Japan's flowers at risk flowers fading (Mar 3, 2013 07:59 GMT)
John Duerden examines the recent demise of Japan as a continental force in club football.

Offside rule tweaked for attackers influencing play (Mar 2, 2013 23:35 GMT)
Soccer's rule-making body sought Saturday to clarify the sport's offside definition in a bid to reduce widespread uncertainty for referees, players and fans.

FIFA's racism chief wants to meet Suarez, Terry (Mar 2, 2013 16:38 GMT)
FIFA's new anti-racism chief Jeffrey Webb believes soccer has failed to support abused players and needs tougher sanctions.

U.S.'s Gomez nets 2 for Santos in win at Chiapas (Mar 2, 2013 16:29 GMT)
American Herculez Gomez scored two goals to lead Santos to a 3-1 win over Chiapas on Friday.

Dwayne De Rosario suspended for head-butt (Mar 2, 2013 08:00 GMT)
D.C. United captain Dwayne De Rosario has been suspended for two league games by Major League Soccer for violent conduct in a pre-season game.

Blatter, Boateng to discuss Milan racism row (Mar 1, 2013 16:27 GMT)
Kevin-Prince Boateng will meet with FIFA president Sepp Blatter this month to discuss ways of dealing with racism in soccer.

FIFA licences goal-line system (Mar 1, 2013 12:25 GMT)
FIFA has announced that it has approved and granted a licence to a fourth goal-line technology system.

Copa Lib: Sao Paulo prove Strongest in Copa (Mar 1, 2013 08:00 GMT)
Brazilian giants Sao Paulo came from behind to defeat Bolivian side The Strongest 2-1 in Group Three of the Copa Libertadores.


World Cup 2006
Coleman: Bale 'passionate' about Wales (Mar 14, 2013 07:00 GMT)
Wales manager Chris Coleman remains confident Gareth Bale is "passionate about playing for Wales", dismissing Chris Waddle's claim the winger should focus on his club career.

FIFA investigator: World Cup bids may be probed (Mar 12, 2013 10:51 GMT)
FIFA's chief investigator has told France Football magazine that he will fully investigate any irregularities into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.

FIFA waiting for Qatar to request winter World Cup (Mar 2, 2013 16:53 GMT)
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has confirmed that playing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar during the winter is a possibility.