Archive soccer news from around the world
New Wembley will not host first match until 2007 (Mar 31, 2006)
The new Wembley will not host its first football match until 2007, nine months after this year's FA Cup final was due to be played in the 757 million pound ($1.3 billion) stadium, the English Football Association revealed. . . . more . . .
Benfica to offer Pires dream contract in Portugal (Mar 31, 2006)
Portuguese giants Benfica are confident of signing Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires at the end of the season, the A Bola sports daily reported. . . . more . . .
Kiwi star now fishing for Scottish Cup glory (Mar 31, 2006)
It took a close encounter with a shark to make up his mind but Hibernian striker Chris Killen has never regretted swapping the life of a fisherman for a football career on the other side of the world. . . . more . . .
Horror injury rules Pogatetz out for season (Mar 31, 2006)
Middlesbrough defender Emanuel Pogatetz will sit out the rest of the season after suffering serious facial injuries in the club's 2-0 UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg defeat by FC Basel. . . . more . . .
Australian firm pushes Wembley completion day back again (Mar 31, 2006)
Construction group Multiplex has confirmed that its problem-plagued 1.3-billion-US-dollar redevelopment of London's Wembley Stadium will not be "substantially" completed until the end of June, three months after a deadline that fell on Friday. . . . more . . .
Wenger happy with Henry promise on Arsenal future (Mar 31, 2006)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisted he'd no problems with star striker Thierry Henry's announcement that his club future would be resolved before the World Cup finals get underway in Germany in June. . . . more . . .
I'm not going anywhere says Monaco coach (Mar 31, 2006)
Monaco coach Francesco Guidolin insisted he was staying at the French club amid persistent speculation that he is set to be replaced by Lille boss Claude Puel. . . . more . . .
Dutch coach Van Basten calls for joint Dutch-Belgian football league (Mar 31, 2006)
Netherlands coach Marco van Basten has called for a joint Dutch-Belgian Football league to be set up to counter the gap between the Netherlands and the big European football nations. . . . more . . .
Two-thirds of Scots will support England during World Cup in Germany: poll (Mar 31, 2006)
Two-thirds of Scottish football fans will support England at the World Cup finals in Germany, dispelling the stereotype they will cheer on their southern neighbour's opponents, a survey showed. . . . more . . .
Solskjaer gets new United deal (Mar 31, 2006)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has signed a new two-year contract with Manchester United aimed at easing the Norwegian forward's transition into coaching, the club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Henry promises decision on future before World Cup (Mar 31, 2006)
Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has insisted his club future will be resolved before the World Cup finals get underway in Germany in June. . . . more . . .
Lyon rest players before Milan game (Mar 31, 2006)
Four of Lyon's first team players will be rested from Saturday's French league action, coach Gerard Houllier confirmed, because of their big return match at AC Milan next week. . . . more . . .
Bayern join chase for Argentine teen Aguero (Mar 31, 2006)
German giants Bayern Munich have joined the chase for Argentine teen striker Sergio Aguero by offering a reported 15.7 million euros (19m dollars) to his club Independiente. . . . more . . .
Middlesbrough continue European glory run (Mar 30, 2006)
The impressive UEFA Cup run of Middlesbrough continues at Swiss side FC Basel with Steve McLaren's men among the favourites for the title following prior victores over Roma and Stuttgart. . . . more . . .
Aussies no World Cup cannon fodder: Cahill (Mar 30, 2006)
Australia is not going to this year's World Cup finals to make up the numbers and will be competitive in Germany, according to midfielder Tim Cahill. . . . more . . .
Blatter slams G14 greed over player compensation (Mar 30, 2006)
FIFA president Sepp Blatter hit out at the G14 group, a collection of the 18 richest clubs in Europe, saying their stance on compensation for players injured on international duty was just motivated by greed. . . . more . . .
Poulsen set for AC Milan switch (Mar 30, 2006)
Schalke 04 and Denmark midfielder Christian Poulsen will join AC Milan at the end of the season on a free transfer. . . . more . . .
England stars to be excused United's South Africa tour (Mar 30, 2006)
Wayne Rooney and Manchester United's other England stars will be left out of the club's pre-season tour of South Africa if Sven-Goran Eriksson's side reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup, Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed. . . . more . . .
Exhausted Parker out for season (Mar 30, 2006)
Newcastle midfielder Scott Parker is set to miss the rest of the season after succumbing to exhaustion brought on by a suspected case of glandular fever. . . . more . . .
Blatter to run for re-election in 2007 (Mar 30, 2006)
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has revealed that he intends to run for re-election in 2007, providing he is still in good health. . . . more . . .
US football league finds money, growth entering 11th season (Mar 30, 2006)
Major League Soccer opens its 11th season on Saturday with the 12-team US football league seeing signs of growth and stability despite major changes for two founding clubs. . . . more . . .
We'll go down fighting says Sunderland boss (Mar 30, 2006)
Sunderland could finally be put out of their Premiership misery on Saturday -- but caretaker boss Kevin Ball want to see the Black Cats go down snarling. . . . more . . .
Olympiakos renews contract with Rivaldo (Mar 30, 2006)
Olympiakos president Socrates Kokkalis announced that Brazilian superstar Rivaldo will remain with the club for another season. . . . more . . .
Divers could face trial by television (Mar 30, 2006)
Players who dive to win penalties or simulate injury in a bid to get opponents booked could soon face disciplinary action based on video reviews of their actions. . . . more . . .
Japan beat Ecuador 1-0 in World Cup warm-up game (Mar 30, 2006)
Substitute striker Hisato Sato scored five minutes from time to give Asian champions Japan a 1-0 win over Ecuador in a warm-up game for the World Cup in June. . . . more . . .
Argentine starlet Aguero invites Liverpool bid (Mar 30, 2006)
Independiente's Argentine teenage sensation Sergio Aguero says he would prefer to join his boyhood club and Champions League holders Liverpool rather than German champions Bayern Munich. . . . more . . .
Wenger tips Pires to resurrect international career (Mar 30, 2006)
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes rejuvenated midfielder Robert Pires ought to be in France's World Cup squad. . . . more . . .
Brazil's World Cup secret -- plenty of sex (Mar 30, 2006)
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira wants his team to play with a smile on their faces at this year's World Cup -- so has ruled out imposing a sex ban. . . . more . . .
Germany may tighten border controls for World Cup (Mar 30, 2006)
German Minster of the Interior Wolfgang Schaeuble has revealed that the German governement are considering overruling the Schengen agreement for the duration of this summer's World Cup and reimposing border controls to combat hooliganism. . . . more . . .
Jol confident Mido will not be lured away from Spurs (Mar 30, 2006)
Martin Jol believes Tottenham are in pole position to secure the permanent signing of Mido before the end of the season, despite growing interest in the Egyptian striker from rival clubs. . . . more . . .
Nedved downbeat about Juve's Champions League hopes (Mar 30, 2006)
Pavel Nedved fears Juventus' 2-0 defeat away to Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final may have left them with too much to do to reach the last four. . . . more . . .
FIFA ban all players from betting on World Cup (Mar 30, 2006)
Football's governing body FIFA has decided to introduce a strict betting ban for all players at this summer's World Cup finals in Germany. . . . more . . .
Bayern to replace Kahn with youngster Rensing (Mar 30, 2006)
German champions Bayern Munich have said that their German Under-21 goalkeeper Michael Rensing will take over from veteran Oliver Kahn when he hangs up his gloves in 2008. . . . more . . .
Shevchenko dismisses talk of Chelsea deal (Mar 30, 2006)
AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko has dismissed English media reports that he has agreed to join big-spending Premiership club Chelsea this summer. . . . more . . .
Keane set for United testimonial (Mar 30, 2006)
Manchester United will play Celtic in Roy Keane's testimonial match at Old Trafford on May 9. . . . more . . .
Boro get Swiss rolled as Basel head for UEFA Cup semis (Mar 30, 2006)
Middlesbrough's dreams of European glory were ripped to shreds after a two-goal burst by Swiss side Basel left Steve McLaren's men staring down the barrel of a UEFA Cup exit. . . . more . . .
Bachini banned for life after second positive drugs test (Mar 30, 2006)
Siena midfielder Jonathan Bachini has been given a life-long ban after twice testing positive for cocaine, the Italian football league's disciplinary commission revealed. . . . more . . .
Honours even as Lyon hold Milan to draw in quarter-finals (Mar 29, 2006)
French league leaders Lyon held Serie A giants AC Milan to a goalless draw in their Champions League quarter-final, leaving the Italians marginal favourites to go through. . . . more . . .
Spurs drop off pace in race to sign Mido: agent (Mar 29, 2006)
Tottenham are showing a surprising reluctance to sign on-loan striker Mido, the Egyptian forward's agent claimed. . . . more . . .
Liverpool confirm talks with investors (Mar 29, 2006)
Liverpool have confirmed they are in discussions with potential investors which may lead to the sale of the club. . . . more . . .
Ferguson wants refs to red card diving cheats (Mar 29, 2006)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes referees should be given more power to punish diving cheats. . . . more . . .
Defiant Deisler calms career fears (Mar 29, 2006)
German international midfielder Sebastian Deisler claims his career is not over following the serious cruciate ligament injury that has ruled him out of the World Cup in June and July. . . . more . . .
Ronaldo 'D-Lists' fiancee (Mar 29, 2006)
It was only a fleeting engagement but model Daniella Cicarelli quite literally left her mark on Brazilian football star Ronaldo. . . . more . . .
Record crowd watch van Nistelrooy return in style (Mar 29, 2006)
Ruud van Nistelrooy made an immediate impact on his return from a five-match exile, producing the only goal in Manchester United's 1-0 win over West Ham in front of a record Premiership crowd at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Chelsea announce deal to break into US market (Mar 29, 2006)
Chelsea have signed a ground-breaking deal with an American sports conglomerate that they hope will help them become the most popular European football club in the United States. . . . more . . .
Succeeding Klinsmann is not my aim says Sammer (Mar 29, 2006)
Germany's new sporting director Matthias Sammer insists he is not interested in becoming the next coach of the German national team and offered his full backing to current manager Jurgen Klinsmann. . . . more . . .
Eriksson the Real deal says Beckham (Mar 29, 2006)
David Beckham believes England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is the "obvious choice" to take over at Real Madrid after this summer's World Cup. . . . more . . .
Beckenbauer ends marathon World Cup welcome tour (Mar 29, 2006)
Germany icon Franz Beckenbauer concluded his marathon FIFA World Cup welcome tour when he arrived at Frankfurt airport following a 24-hour return flight from Australia. . . . more . . .
Inter bounce back after early scare to edge Villarreal (Mar 29, 2006)
Inter Milan recovered from the shock of going a goal down inside the first minute to beat Spanish side Villarreal 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
We must beat Australia, says Japan's Zico (Mar 29, 2006)
Japan coach Zico admits the Asian champions are under huge pressure to defeat Australia in their first World Cup match, in a tough group that also includes Brazil and Croatia. . . . more . . .
Darcheville keen to join Le Guen at Rangers (Mar 29, 2006)
Bordeaux striker Jean-Claude Darcheville is keen to join up with former Lyon coach Paul Le Guen at Rangers. . . . more . . .
Cesc is absolutely Fabregas says Henry (Mar 29, 2006)
Arsenal skipper Thierry Henry has hailed 'amazing' Cesc Fabregas, the Spanish teenager instrumental in plotting Juventus' downfall at Highbury. . . . more . . .
It's back to the future as Koeman eyes Barcelona upset (Mar 28, 2006)
Benfica coach Ronald Koeman is plotting the downfall of Barcelona in the Champions League Tuesday -- 14 years after inspiring the Catalan giants to their greatest victory in European football. . . . more . . .
Villa confirm Baros buy-out clause (Mar 28, 2006)
Milan Baros can walk away from Aston Villa in the close season as long as a potential buyer comes up with enough cash to activate his buy-out clause at Villa Park. . . . more . . .
Come and get me Giannakopoulos tells Reds: report (Mar 28, 2006)
Greek international Stelios Giannakopoulos is ready to ditch Premiership strugglers Bolton if a bigger club, such as Liverpool, come in with an offer. . . . more . . .
Stambouli to coach FAR Rabat (Mar 28, 2006)
French coach Henri Stambouli has signed a 16-month contract to train Moroccan first division club The Royal Armed Forces (FAR) Rabat. . . . more . . .
Wenger wary of Juve French connection he helped create (Mar 28, 2006)
If Juventus wreck Arsenal's dream of Champions League glory this season, Arsene Wenger will have only himself to blame. . . . more . . .
Belgian coach denies admitting match-rigging (Mar 28, 2006)
Former La Louviere coach Gilbert Bodart on denied admitting that he rigged a football match while with the Belgian first division side. . . . more . . .
Barcelona held to goalless draw (Mar 28, 2006)
Benfica's 0-0 draw against a Ronaldinho-inspired Barcelona here at the stadium of Light has left the Catalonians favourites to move into the Champions League semi-finals. . . . more . . .
Fabregas wrecks Vieira homecoming (Mar 28, 2006)
Patrick Vieira ensured a torrid return to Highbury on Tuesday as Arsenal produced one of their most exhilarating European performances to beat Juventus 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. . . . more . . .
Young stars Lennon and Dawson commit to Spurs (Mar 28, 2006)
Champions League hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur have moved to secure the long-term futures of two of their brightest young talents Michael Dawson and Aaron Lennon. . . . more . . .
Come and get me Giannakopoulos tells Reds (Mar 28, 2006)
Greek international Stelios Giannakopoulos is ready to ditch Premiership strugglers Bolton if a bigger club, such as Liverpool, come in with an offer. . . . more . . .
World Cup doubt as Vieri sidelined for four weeks (Mar 28, 2006)
Italian international striker Christian Vieri's participation in the World Cup this summer has been thrown into doubt as the veteran was ruled out of action for up to a month on Tuesday after injuring his left knee in weekend French league action. . . . more . . .
Ferguson primes young guns for Hammers visit (Mar 28, 2006)
Sir Alex Ferguson has called up three youngsters to his squad ahead of the Premiership visit of West Ham this Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Beckham in doubt for Barcelona game (Mar 28, 2006)
Real Madrid star David Beckham is a doubt for Saturday's Spanish Primera Liga classic against Barcelona after injuring his right ankle in training. . . . more . . .
Match-rigger feared for wife and children's lives (Mar 28, 2006)
Ex-La Louviere coach Gilbert Bodart claimed he rigged a match to save his wife and children from "taking a bullet in the head". . . . more . . .
Spanish league referees threaten strike (Mar 28, 2006)
Barcelona's long-awaited league fixture with Real Madrid this Saturday could be postponed along with other Primera Liga matches if a planned strike by referees over unpaid salaries goes ahead. . . . more . . .
Stubbs hits out at falling legion (Mar 27, 2006)
Everton defender Alan Stubbs has hit out at the Premiership's legion of foreigners, whom he says is largely responsible for play-acting and bringing the game into disrepute. . . . more . . .
Ex-Leverkusen official asked to explain financial dealings (Mar 27, 2006)
Cologne prosecutors started their investigation into the finanical dealings of former Bayer Leverkusen general manager Reiner Calmund amid speculation that players were bribed to stop the club being relegated from the Bundesliga in the 2002/03 season. . . . more . . .
Vietnamese journalists attacked while reporting on graft scandal (Mar 27, 2006)
Vietnamese journalists have been beaten while covering a corruption scandal over the looting of state funds in which the deputy transport minister has been questioned. . . . more . . .
No regrets for Vieira over Juve move (Mar 27, 2006)
Patrick Vieira returned to Highbury insisting he'd no regrets regarding his pre-season move from Arsenal to Juventus. . . . more . . .
World Cup tickets now on sale via online portal (Mar 27, 2006)
The 2006 World Cup Organising Committee opened the internet ticket portal providing fans with the chance to return match tickets or legally transfer them to other supporters. . . . more . . .
Courbis faces two-year jail term (Mar 27, 2006)
Former Marseille coach Rolland Courbis is facing a two-year jail term for allegedly accepting transfer bungs between 1997 and 1999 after prosecutors recommended the sentence. . . . more . . .
Strachan poised for first SPL success (Mar 27, 2006)
Gordon Strachan is preparing to uncork another bottle of champagne as manager of Celtic, who need just one more win to take back the Scottish Premier League title from Rangers. . . . more . . .
Metatarsal won't affect my World Cup plans says Owen (Mar 27, 2006)
England striker Michael Owen expects to go to the World Cup 100 percent fit despite an unexpected setback in his bid to return from a similar injury which affected David Beckham four years ago. . . . more . . .
Shevchenko insists Chelsea is not an option (Mar 27, 2006)
AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko has scuppered Chelsea's hopes of securing his services for next season by claiming he is happy to finish his career with the Milan giants. . . . more . . .
Campbell out of Juventus clash (Mar 27, 2006)
Sol Campbell has been ruled out of Arsenal's Champions League clash against Juventus at Highbury with a bruised toe. . . . more . . .
Mourinho springs to Drogba's defence (Mar 27, 2006)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted that star striker Didier Drogba is a "fighter" not a diver after the Ivory Coast international faced renewed criticism about his on-field conduct. . . . more . . .
Keane double does for Baggies (Mar 27, 2006)
Robbie Keane scored twice as Tottenham came from behind to stay in the Champions League qualification driving seat with a 2-1 win at home to West Bromwich Albion at White Hart Lane. . . . more . . .
Midfield supremacy the key: Wenger (Mar 27, 2006)
Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger said the battle for supremacy in midfield will be the key in Arsenal's home Champions League match against Juventus on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Fratton faithful will roar Pompey to safety says Mandaric (Mar 27, 2006)
Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric is banking on Fratton Park's famously noisy fans to roar their team to Premiership survival. . . . more . . .
Wenger tells Arsenal fans to 'respect' Vieira (Mar 27, 2006)
Arsene Wenger has pleaded with Arsenal fans to give Patrick Vieira the respect he deserves when the midfielder returns to Highbury as a member of the Juventus side for Tuesday's Champions League clash. . . . more . . .
Van Nistelrooy could end exile against Hammers (Mar 27, 2006)
Dutch international Ruud van Nistelrooy could end his spell of warming the substitutes' bench on Wednesday when Manchester United face West Ham. . . . more . . .
Wenger defends Vieira sale (Mar 27, 2006)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted selling Patrick Vieira was the right move for the long-term future of the club. . . . more . . .
Blatter threatens G14 with 'war' over international player release (Mar 27, 2006)
FIFA chief Sepp Blatter declared "war" on G14 during a visit to Tunisia and reiterated his threat to expel any of their members from international competitions if they refused to release players for international matches. . . . more . . .
Germany line up cannon fodder to boost World Cup confidence (Mar 27, 2006)
Host nation Germany want their next friendly match to be against against minnows Luxembourg or Liechtenstein in a bid to boost confidence ahead of this summer's World Cup finals. . . . more . . .
Struggling Messina sack Mutti (Mar 27, 2006)
Struggling Serie A side Messina have sacked their coach Bortolo Mutti. . . . more . . .
Del Piero ruled out of Arsenal clash (Mar 26, 2006)
Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero has been ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final, first leg away to Arsenal. . . . more . . .
Real Madrid get back to winning ways (Mar 26, 2006)
Real Madrid notched up their first win in four games and moved back up to second place in La Liga after comfortably beating Deportivo La Coruna 4-0 in the Spanish Primera Liga. . . . more . . .
Oddo double boosts Lazio's UEFA Cup bid (Mar 26, 2006)
Lazio took a step towards qualifying for the UEFA Cup after defeating Sampdoria 2-0 at the Olympic stadium where Massimo Oddo scored both goals for the Rome club. . . . more . . .
Late Sevilla win gives them Champions League chance (Mar 26, 2006)
Sevilla left it late but a Jordi Lopez header two minutes into injury time gave them a 1-0 win over 2004 champions Valencia in the Spanish Primera Liga. . . . more . . .
Reading's Royals looking forward to Premiership coronation (Mar 26, 2006)
The promised land of the Premiership awaits Reading after the Berkshire outfit secured a place in English football's top division for the first time in the club's 135-year history. . . . more . . .
G14 call for expanded Champions League (Mar 26, 2006)
Europe's 18 richest clubs have denied they are plotting to set up their own rebel super league but concede that they would like to see UEFA expand the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Boro dent Bolton's Euro chances (Mar 26, 2006)
Bolton Wanderers' charge towards a top-six English Premiership finish was given a severe jolt by Middlesbrough after an injury-time goal saw them crash to a 4-3 defeat. . . . more . . .
Fans want homegrown successor to Sven: Allardyce (Mar 26, 2006)
Bolton boss Sam Allardyce says the fans want to see an Englishman replace Sven-Goran Eriksson as manager of the national side after the World Cup. . . . more . . .
Ancelotti coming to Madrid insist Spanish press (Mar 26, 2006)
The Spanish sporting press insisted on that Carlo Ancelotti will be Real Madrid's coach next season although he has just signed a contract extension until 2008 with AC Milan. . . . more . . .
Hoyzer scandal prompts FIFA to watch World Cup betting (Mar 26, 2006)
Football's governing body FIFA will monitor dubious betting at all future World Cups, starting with this summer's finals in Germany, following the Robert Hoyzer match-fixing scandal. . . . more . . .
Lyon's attack blunted ahead of crucial Champions League tie (Mar 26, 2006)
Lyon's strikers were in erratic form as the French champions warmed up for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final against Italy's AC Milan with a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Toulouse. . . . more . . .
Germany's goalkeeping World Cup duel settled in May: Bierhoff (Mar 26, 2006)
Germany goalkeeping legend Oliver Kahn has been warned not to take his place in the host nation's starting line-up at the World Cup finals for granted. . . . more . . .
Giggs double downs Birmingham (Mar 26, 2006)
Ryan Giggs inspired Manchester United to a comfortable 3-0 win over Birmingham City as Sir Alex Ferguson's men made it seven straight victories at Old Trafford to leapfrog Liverpool back into second place in the Premiership. . . . more . . .
Thuram hits out and calls for closer racial integration (Mar 26, 2006)
France's World Cup winner Lilian Thuram has called on his country to open up its troubled ghettos to help generate closer bonds between different social and ethnic factions within French society. . . . more . . .
Bayern monitor Argentine teenager (Mar 26, 2006)
German champions Bayern Munich are looking to swell their South American contingent with the capture of Argentine teenager Sergio Aguero from Independiente. . . . more . . .
Injured Yanagisawa doubtful for World Cup (Mar 26, 2006)
Former Messina striker Atsushi Yanagisawa of Kashima Antlers injured his right foot during a J-League match Saturday, casting doubt on his hopes of joining the Japanese side at the World Cup in June. . . . more . . .
German army beefs up World Cup security (Mar 25, 2006)
The German government are prepared to beef up security at this summer's World Cup finals with Minister of Defence Franz-Josef Jung revealing that the German army would now be able to call upon an additional 5000 soldiers. . . . more . . .
Simplicio strikes as Inter crash at Parma (Mar 25, 2006)
Inter Milan's hopes of gaining direct entry to the group stages of next season's Champions League suffered a setback after they lost 1-0 at in-form Parma. . . . more . . .
Queiroz hails captain fantastic (Mar 25, 2006)
Manchester United number two Carlos Queiroz has hailed Gary Neville, who makes his 500th appearance for the club in Sunday's Premiership game against Birmingham, as a "fantastic" captain. . . . more . . .
Bayern on cloud nine as Hamburg falter (Mar 25, 2006)
Bayern Munich moved closer to their 20th Bundesliga title with a 3-1 comeback win over MSV Duisburg, stretching their lead at the top to nine points with just seven games to go. . . . more . . .
Kewell hails Reds digger spirit (Mar 25, 2006)
Harry Kewell paid tribute to the resilience of his Liverpool team-mates after they bounced back from losing Steven Gerrard to a red card to beat Everton 3-1 in the Merseyside derby. . . . more . . .
Rovers' roar too loud for sorry Sunderland (Mar 25, 2006)
Sunderland are homing in on new unwanted Premiership records after losing for the 25th time this season with a 1-0 reverse to Blackburn at the Stadium of Light. . . . more . . .
Barca draw bore at Malaga (Mar 25, 2006)
Barcelona's seemingly unstoppable march towards their second successive league title had the brakes put on it by Malaga when they were held to a 0-0 draw by the bottom club. . . . more . . .
O'Leary feels the heat as Villa draw with Fulham (Mar 25, 2006)
Aston Villa and Fulham both edged a little further away from the relegation zone but that was not enough to spare Villa boss David O'Leary the wrath of his club's frustrated supporters. . . . more . . .
Reo-Coker robs Wigan of point (Mar 25, 2006)
West Ham captain Nigel Reo-Coker's stoppage time-goal sealed the Londoners come-from-behind 2-1 win away to Wigan at the JJB Stadium. . . . more . . .
Kyrgiakos keeps Gers on Hearts' tails (Mar 25, 2006)
A solitary Sotirios Kyrgiakos goal gave Rangers a narrow 1-0 win at home to Dunfermline in the Scottish Premier League to keep them in the hunt for second place. . . . more . . .
Owen World Cup fears mount after new operation (Mar 25, 2006)
Fears Michael Owen will not be fully fit in time for England's World Cup campaign have mounted after the Newcastle forward underwent follow-up surgery on the broken metatarsal bone which has kept him sidelined since New Year. . . . more . . .
Roma stall Juve's title charge (Mar 25, 2006)
Juventus' march towards retaining the Serie A title stalled after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Roma. . . . more . . .
Lyon held at home ahead of crucial Champions League tie (Mar 25, 2006)
Lyon were held 1-1 at home against a spirited Toulouse side just four days before the league leaders' biggest match of the season. . . . more . . .
Urawa beat Yokohama 3-1 to take J-League lead (Mar 25, 2006)
Urawa Red Diamonds skipper Nobuhisa Yamada scored the opening goal in his side's 3-1 victory over Yokohama Marinos to push them to the top of the J-League. . . . more . . .
Wenger defends Premiership fat cats (Mar 25, 2006)
Arsene Wenger has taken issue with this week's attack by Birmingham boss David Sullivan on the vast wages paid out in the Premiership - as long as the players' have the right attitude. . . . more . . .
Pitch puts paid to Pompey clash with Arsenal (Mar 25, 2006)
Portsmouth's Premier League match at home to Arsenal at Fratton Park was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch. . . . more . . .
Barca draw bore at Malaga but Osasuna lose (Mar 25, 2006)
Barcelona's seemingly unstoppable march towards their second successive league title had the brakes put on it by Malaga when they were held to a 0-0 draw by the bottom club. . . . more . . .
Drogba double gets blues back on track (Mar 25, 2006)
Chelsea have been a magnet for controversy this season and they proved it again during this 2-0 win over 10-man Manchester City. . . . more . . .
Kewell stunner seals Liverpool derby win (Mar 25, 2006)
Harry Kewell's superb strike sealed Liverpool's 3-1 victory over Everton in a stormy Merseyside derby where the European champions were forced to play with 10 men for more than 70 minutes after skipper Steven Gerrard was sent-off at Anfield. . . . more . . .
Beckham counting on fan-power at World Cup (Mar 24, 2006)
David Beckham believes support from the fans will play a major role in how England fare at the 2006 World Cup. . . . more . . .
Unlucky Kirkland facing World Cup KO (Mar 24, 2006)
Chris Kirkland, once rated the most promising young goalkeeper in England, has seen his fading hopes of making Sven-Goran Eriksson's World Cup squad crushed by a broken finger. . . . more . . .
Hiddink to quit PSV (Mar 24, 2006)
PSV Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink is to quit the Dutch giants at the end of the season in a move that will inevitably fuel speculation over his succeeding Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager. . . . more . . .
Game abandoned after Sevilla goalkeeper hit by whisky bottle (Mar 24, 2006)
Atletico Madrid's supporters disgraced themselves again when crowd trouble caused the Spanish first division match against Sevilla to be abandoned after 78 minutes. . . . more . . .
Dinamo Zagreb to collect money for war crimes suspect (Mar 24, 2006)
Croatian first division side Dinamo Zagreb said they would donate the money earned during their last match in the country's championship to the defence of a former general in custody at the UN war crimes court in The Hague. . . . more . . .
Hiddink uncertain over future post PSV (Mar 24, 2006)
PSV Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink, a one-time favourite to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager, is to quit the Dutch giants at the end of the season. . . . more . . .
Lay off bumbling Boumsong says Newcastle boss (Mar 24, 2006)
Newcastle caretaker boss Glenn Roeder is concerned that the flak directed at Jean-Alain Boumsong is starting to affect the hapless French defender's form. . . . more . . .
Taylor hits back at Birmingham chief's swipe at players (Mar 24, 2006)
Players'chief Gordon Taylor has hit back at David Sullivan after the Birmingham chairman branded some of his players mercenaries who are only interested in picking up fat pay cheques. . . . more . . .
O'Leary draws up transfer wishlist after Villa season of woe (Mar 24, 2006)
David O'Leary has already drawn up a list of potential transfer targets he wants to bring to Aston Villa for next season. . . . more . . .
Neville revels in membership of United 500 club (Mar 24, 2006)
Gary Neville will become only the eighth player to make 500 appearances for Manchester United when he skippers Sir Alex Ferguson's side against Premiership strugglers Birmingham on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Atletico offer Borussia's Rosicky four-year deal (Mar 24, 2006)
Atletico Madrid have offered Borussia Dortmund midfielder Tomas Rosicky a four-year deal, the Czech international's agent revealed. . . . more . . .
Rooney dreaming of World Cup glory (Mar 24, 2006)
Wayne Rooney kept his distance from the greatest prize in football but is looking forward to reuniting with the World Cup trophy this summer. . . . more . . .
Chaos as Sevilla down eight-man Atletico after crowd violence (Mar 24, 2006)
Sevilla beat eight-man Atletico Madrid 1-0, to keep alive their hopes of European competition next season, but the game was marred by crowd trouble which saw the match halted for 25 minutes. . . . more . . .
Ballack out of Bayern trip to Duisburg (Mar 24, 2006)
Michael Ballack was ruled out of Bayern Munich's Bundesliga clash with Duisburg after suffering a groin strain in Germany's midweek friendly against the United States. . . . more . . .
Respect will be present says Benitez (Mar 24, 2006)
Rafael Benitez insisted there would be respect between Chelsea and Liverpool in next month's FA Cup semi-final, following the draw, although there has been animosity between the teams in recent matches. . . . more . . .
Toffees will be stickier this time: Benitez (Mar 24, 2006)
Rafael Benitez has warned his Liverpool players they will face a much tougher Everton side on Saturday than the one they demolished 3-1 in the last Merseyside derby in December. . . . more . . .
Angry Spurs slam Benitez over Defoe transfer talk (Mar 24, 2006)
Tottenham have reacted furiously to comments by Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez that Spurs are desperate to sell unsettled England striker Jermain Defoe. . . . more . . .
Chelsea drawn with Liverpool in FA Cup semis (Mar 24, 2006)
Chelsea will cross swords with Liverpool once more after the two biggest clubs left in the FA Cup were drawn to face each other in the semi-finals. . . . more . . .
Woodgate still injured, did not train (Mar 24, 2006)
Injury-prone Jonathan Woodgate did not train and is uncertain for Real Madrid's match against Deportivo La Coruna at the Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday. . . . more . . .
McLaren shrugs off fixture woe after FA cup stalemate (Mar 24, 2006)
Steve McClaren insisted Middlesbrough's season would not be derailed by a surfeit of fixtures, despite his side's FA Cup quarter-final against Charlton going to a replay. . . . more . . .
All smiles for Germany and Klinsmann (Mar 23, 2006)
Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann was smiling again Thursday after his team trounced the United States 4-1 to build confidence ahead of this summer's World Cup finals. . . . more . . .
Former Fiorentina player's death raises doping suspicions (Mar 23, 2006)
The death of a fourth former Fiorentina player has raised suspicions that their fatal illnesses may have been caused by drugs given to them by the club. . . . more . . .
United to offer Solskjaer pay-as-you-play deal (Mar 23, 2006)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the hero of Manchester United's 1999 European Cup win, has been assured he will be kept on by the club after his current contract expires at the end of the season. . . . more . . .
The manager's okay, it's the players I can't stand: Birmingham chairman (Mar 23, 2006)
David Sullivan has become so disillusioned with some Birmingham players that he admits he can't wait to sack them at the end of the season. . . . more . . .
City lose Cole for rest of season (Mar 23, 2006)
Manchester City will be without Andy Cole for the rest of the season after the former England striker underwent his second knee operation in less than a month. . . . more . . .
Capello dreams of coaching in England (Mar 23, 2006)
Juventus coach Fabio Capello says he hopes one day to realise his dream of coaching an English Premiership side. . . . more . . .
City facing injury crisis as Cole ruled out for season (Mar 23, 2006)
Manchester City will be without Andy Cole for the rest of the season after the former England striker underwent his second knee operation in less than a month. . . . more . . .
Game abandoned after Sevilla goalkeeper hit by whisky bottle (Mar 23, 2006)
Atletico Madrid's supporters disgraced themselves again when crowd trouble caused the Spanish first division match against Sevilla to be abandoned after 78 minutes. . . . more . . .
O'Neill gets Robson backing for England job (Mar 23, 2006)
Sir Bobby Robson has said Martin O'Neill cannot be overlooked when the Football Association consider who should succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England coach. . . . more . . .
Punter pays million-pound penalty for fluffed spot-kick (Mar 23, 2006)
A British man missed out on a one million pound (1.74 million dollar) payday after a penalty blunder scuppered what would have been a remarkable football betting coup. . . . more . . .
Real Sociedad sack Arconada (Mar 23, 2006)
Struggling Spanish side Real Sociedad have sacked their manager Gonzalo Arconada in a last ditch effort to stave off relegation. . . . more . . .
Bore draw sees Charlton and Boro face FA Cup replay (Mar 23, 2006)
The identity of the fourth FA Cup semi-finalists remains undecided after Charlton and Middlesbrough ground out a dour goalless draw at the Valley. . . . more . . .
UEFA takes stand against G14 (Mar 23, 2006)
UEFA adopted a resolution firmly condemning the activities of the renegade G14 group of clubs at its congress in Budapest. . . . more . . .
Europe superclubs could face Champions League shutout: UEFA (Mar 23, 2006)
European football's governing body UEFA warned it could bar the continent's top clubs from its competitions next season if they refused to abide by the organisation's rules. . . . more . . .
Chelsea face second charge for failing to control players (Mar 23, 2006)
Chelsea have been charged with failing to control their players for the second time in as many weeks following a mass player protest over the sending-off of William Gallas in Sunday's 1-0 defeat by Fulham. . . . more . . .
German newspaper says sorry over corruption story (Mar 23, 2006)
A Munich newspaper which wrongly alleged that German international Bastian Schweinsteiger had been questioned by police investigating a match-fixing scandal apologized. . . . more . . .
Sewer trouble will not flush Wembley down the drain: builders (Mar 23, 2006)
Broken sewers beneath the new Wembley Stadium will not result in further delay to the opening of England's long-awaited national football venue, construction firm Multiplex said. . . . more . . .
Kahn or Lehmann? Decision time for Klinsmann (Mar 23, 2006)
After rotating his two leading goalkeepers for 20 months Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann must now make a final decision before naming his 23-man World Cup squad on May 15. . . . more . . .
Europe superclubs deny split plans after UEFA criticism (Mar 23, 2006)
The G14 grouping of Europe's top football clubs denied it was planning to set up a breakway superleague following stinging criticism from governing body UEFA. . . . more . . .
Will the Real Ronaldo please stand up? (Mar 23, 2006)
Real Madrid's three-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo couldn't hide his relief after finally finding the net following 36 barren days in which the Spanish giants have gone into a downward spiral. . . . more . . .
French coach Troussier and wife convert to Islam (Mar 23, 2006)
Frenchman Philippe Troussier and his wife Dominique have converted to Islam in the Moroccan capital where they live, sources close to the couple confirmed. . . . more . . .
Neville revels in membership of United 500 club (Mar 23, 2006)
Gary Neville will become only the eighth player to make 500 appearances for Manchester United when he skippers Sir Alex Ferguson's side against Premiership strugglers Birmingham on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Fourth man charged in Belgian football scandal (Mar 23, 2006)
A players' agent has become the fourth person charged in a fraud and bribery trial in Belgium, according to local press quoting the public prosecutor. . . . more . . .
Charlton calls for FIFA ref rage crackdown (Mar 22, 2006)
Bobby Charlton has urged world football governing body FIFA to tackle the problem of players hounding referees. . . . more . . .
Celtic boss in plea to Keano (Mar 22, 2006)
Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has called on Roy Keane to think twice before hanging up his boots, urging the Irish midfielder to carry on for at least another season. . . . more . . .
Plucky Palermo recover from early setback in Italian Cup (Mar 22, 2006)
Palermo recovered from going a goal down inside the first minute to beat Roma 2-1 in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final. . . . more . . .
Sissoko completes amazing comeback (Mar 22, 2006)
Mohamed Sissoko has completed one of the most remarkable comebacks in football after helping Liverpool into the last four of the FA Cup only a month after being temporarily blinded in his right eye. . . . more . . .
England will suit me better says Ballack (Mar 22, 2006)
Michael Ballack has his heart set on a move to the Premiership -- and reckons he can emulate Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane. . . . more . . .
Ronaldo saves Real blushes but Osasuna move up to second (Mar 22, 2006)
An injury-time goal from Brazilian striker Ronaldo salvaged a point for Real Madrid as the Spanish giants slipped further out of title contention in La Liga. . . . more . . .
Terry keeps lacklustre Chelsea on double silver trail (Mar 22, 2006)
John Terry kept Chelsea's bid for a league and Cup double on track with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Newcastle in their FA Cup quarter-final. . . . more . . .
Traumatised Bruce refuses to quit after Reds massacre (Mar 22, 2006)
Steve Bruce has vowed he will not quit in the wake of relegation-threatened Birmingham's seven-goal humiliation by Liverpool in their FA Cup quarter-final. . . . more . . .
Greedy G14 are wide of the mark; say Platini, Johansson (Mar 22, 2006)
French legend Michel Platini has poured scorn on the supposed influence and motivations of the G14 group which is currently trying to sue world football's ruling body FIFA. . . . more . . .
Bruce vows to carry on after Cup humiliation (Mar 22, 2006)
Steve Bruce insisted he was still the right man to lead Birmingham City in their fight against relegation after his club crashed out of the FA Cup in a 7-0 thrashing by Liverpool. . . . more . . .
UEFA chief tightlipped on future (Mar 22, 2006)
UEFA president Lennart Johansson remained tightlipped on his future at the head of European football's governing body. . . . more . . .
Bruce given Blues lifeline after Liverpool rout (Mar 22, 2006)
Steve Bruce has been told his job as Birmingham City manager is safe for the "foreseeable future" despite the relegation-threatened club's humiliating 7-0 FA Cup exit against Liverpool. . . . more . . .
Dugarry rejected as witness for Courbis (Mar 22, 2006)
Former Barcelona, Birmingham and Marseille striker Christophe Dugarry has been sensationally ruled out as a defence witness for former Marseille coach Rolland Courbis. . . . more . . .
Rix sacked by Hearts (Mar 22, 2006)
Scottish Premier League club Hearts were plunged into fresh turmoil when head coach Graham Rix was sacked, just four months after his appointment. . . . more . . .
Scolari denies England talks (Mar 22, 2006)
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has denied holding talks with the Football Association (FA) for the England manager's job. . . . more . . .
Sledging all part of 'man's game' says Strachan (Mar 22, 2006)
Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has insisted sledging is just as much a part of a "man's game" like football as it is in cricket following accusations of verbal abuse during his team's recent Scottish League Cup final success. . . . more . . .
Klinsmann relief as Germany crush USA (Mar 22, 2006)
World Cup hosts Germany crushed the United States 4-1 for a much-needed morale boost ahead of this summer's footballing extravaganza. . . . more . . .
EU requires Premier League to auction TV rights for top matches (Mar 22, 2006)
The European Commission told the English Premier League to auction television broadcasting rights for top-flight football matches. . . . more . . .
Toni's penalty miss costs Fiorentina dear (Mar 22, 2006)
Fiorentina's hopes of a top-four finish and the chance to play in the Champions League next season suffered a setback after they drew 0-0 at Cagliari in a rearranged Serie A match. . . . more . . .
AC Milan and Juventus want Gallas (Mar 22, 2006)
Serie A giants AC Milan and Juventus reportedly want to sign Chelsea's versatile defender William Gallas. . . . more . . .
Chelsea under siege once more after FA Cup win (Mar 22, 2006)
Chelsea's magnetic attraction for controversy was in evidence once more after skipper John Terry's goal sent the Premiership champions into the last four of the FA Cup at the expense of Newcastle. . . . more . . .
Cheeky Solari gives Inter edge in Italian Cup (Mar 22, 2006)
Santiago Solari's cheeky back-heeled goal gave Inter Milan a 1-0 home win over Udinese in the first leg of the Italian Cup semi-finals. . . . more . . .
Anelka future uncertain as player seeks treatment in Paris (Mar 22, 2006)
Nicolas Anelka's future with Turkish outfit Fenerbache was called into question as the unsettled French international returned to Paris for treatment on a knee injury. . . . more . . .
Beckham glamour types not for Bayern: Magath (Mar 22, 2006)
Bayern Munich manager Felix Magath insists the German champions are not interested in bringing in glamour players, such as Real Madrid ace and England captain David Beckham, as they look to replace Michael Ballack next season. . . . more . . .
Maoulida double fires Marseille into Cup quarter-finals (Mar 22, 2006)
A double strike from Toifilou Maoulida fired Marseille into the French Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory at home to league rivals Sochaux. . . . more . . .
Tottenham could pounce for Cisse (Mar 22, 2006)
Djibril Cisse could leave Liverpool for Tottenham this summer, the player's agent believes. . . . more . . .
Jorge to take over at Saudi club Al-Nasr (Mar 22, 2006)
Portuguese coach Artur Jorge will take over at Saudi club Al-Nasr a fortnight after quitting as coach of Cameroon. . . . more . . .
Two-fingered salute earns Warnock FA charge (Mar 22, 2006)
Neil Warnock, the manager of Championship side Sheffield United, has been charged with improper conduct over a two-fingered gesure he made at his Norwich counterpart Nigel Worthington. . . . more . . .
Celtic close in on title (Mar 22, 2006)
Celtic could be just two wins away from wrapping up their 40th Scottish title after pulling 17 points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Inverness Caley Thistle. . . . more . . .
1966 World Cup final replay: old foes back at Wembley (Mar 21, 2006)
Rival players from the 1966 World Cup final strode out for some extra time at the new Wembley Stadium, nearly 40 years on from the historic encounter when England beat West Germany 4-2. . . . more . . .
Neo-Nazis threaten to massacre Muslims at World Cup (Mar 21, 2006)
The World Cup in Germany is set to become a battleground between facists and Muslims, an Italian member of a new European neo-Nazi movement warned. . . . more . . .
NcNamara ready for Euro 2008 challenge (Mar 21, 2006)
Defender Jackie McNamara confirmed that he would be making himself available to Scotland manager Walter Smith for the 2008 European Championship qualifying campaign. . . . more . . .
Juninho keeps Lyon on course for treble (Mar 21, 2006)
Juninho kept Lyon on course for a historic treble of titles with a goal in their 1-0 French Cup victory over Bastia at the Gerland stadium. . . . more . . .
Judge blows his top in Marseille embezzlement trial (Mar 21, 2006)
Tempers flared during the seventh day of an embezzlement and bribery trial involving former chiefs of Marseille football club as the trial judge blasted defendants for keeping silent. . . . more . . .
Fergie tells United stars to believe in miracle (Mar 21, 2006)
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United could yet pull off a sensational comeback in a Premiership title race that has been considered all over since Christmas. . . . more . . .
Belgian football chiefs vote to continue despite match-fixing scandal (Mar 21, 2006)
Belgian football chiefs have voted to continue the season despite several top flight clubs being implicated in an alleged match-fixing scandal, the national football federation (URBSFA) confirmed. . . . more . . .
Northern Ireland line up Uruguay, Romania friendlies (Mar 21, 2006)
Northern Ireland have announced they will play international friendlies against Uruguay (May 21, New Jersey) and Romania (May 26, Chicago) as part of a short end-of-season tour of the United States. . . . more . . .
Cisse apologises for rude gesture (Mar 21, 2006)
Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse apologised to Newcastle fans for his controversial behaviour after scoring his side's third goal from the spot at the weekend. . . . more . . .
Kahn confident of being number one World Cup goalie (Mar 21, 2006)
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn said he was confident of being selected as Germany's number one goalie for the 2006 World Cup finals. . . . more . . .
No FA Cup blues for seven-star Liverpool (Mar 21, 2006)
Liverpool cruised past Premiership strugglers Birmingham City 7-0 to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup in commanding style at St Andrews. . . . more . . .
We want Eriksson for 2010 say South Africa (Mar 21, 2006)
South Africa have launched an ambitious bid to hire England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. . . . more . . .
Newcastle and Everton quash Moyes rumours (Mar 21, 2006)
Rumours Everton boss David Moyes is in the running to become the new manager of Newcastle have been quashed by both clubs. . . . more . . .
Eto'o double pushes Barcelona closer to title (Mar 21, 2006)
Barcelona had to come from behind after an early goal by Getafe but the Spanish league leaders eventually got into their stride to triumph 3-1 over their visitors from Madrid. . . . more . . .
Palace profit as Leeds slip up (Mar 21, 2006)
Crystal Palace put themselves back in the thick of the race for an automatic promotion after a 1-0 away win at fellow contenders Leeds. . . . more . . .
Sol in line for Gunners comeback (Mar 21, 2006)
Sol Campbell could return to Arsenal's first team squad at Portsmouth on Saturday after coming through his first competitive outing since walking out of Highbury in the middle of last month's match against West Ham. . . . more . . .
Benitez ready for Birmingham battle (Mar 21, 2006)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez remains wary of the challenge posed by Premiership strugglers Birmingham in the FA Cup quarter-final. . . . more . . .
British football fan makes final appeal of 15-year sentence in Bulgaria (Mar 21, 2006)
A Liverpool fan, convicted of attempted murder in Bulgaria, made a final appeal against his 15-year sentence to Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Appeal. . . . more . . .
Keane facing four-week lay-off (Mar 21, 2006)
Roy Keane could miss out on Celtic clinching the Scottish Premier League title after being ruled out of action for up to a month with a torn hamstring. . . . more . . .
McNamara ready for Euro 2008 challenge (Mar 21, 2006)
Defender Jackie McNamara confirmed that he would be making himself available to Scotland manager Walter Smith for the 2008 European Championship qualifying campaign. . . . more . . .
Ancelotti snubs Real Madrid for AC Milan (Mar 21, 2006)
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has snubbed the chance to join Spanish giants Real Madrid by extending his contract with the Italian side. . . . more . . .
Roeder: We can win tie no-one wanted (Mar 21, 2006)
Glenn Roeder has admitted that Newcastle's FA Cup clash with Chelsea was the quarter-final no-one wanted. . . . more . . .
Keane drops retirement hint after Celtic Cup triumph (Mar 20, 2006)
Celtic star Roy Keane has warned he may be forced to retire from the game after his latest injury setback. . . . more . . .
Steel fall prompts evacuation from Wembley stadium site (Mar 20, 2006)
Workers were evacuated from the site of the new Wembley stadium after a piece of steel fell from the roof, construction firm Multiplex revealed. . . . more . . .
Former Marseille chief ignorant of transfer payments destination (Mar 20, 2006)
Former Marseille deputy chairman Jean-Michel Roussier admitted to having completely ignored the final destination of a 450,000-dollar payment for Brazilian player Edson Da Silva. . . . more . . .
Fulham tried to influence referee says Mourinho (Mar 20, 2006)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho accused Fulham's players of influencing the referee after watching his side crash to their third defeat of the season at Craven Cottage. . . . more . . .
Schweinsteiger goes to court over match-fixing report (Mar 20, 2006)
German international Bastian Schweinsteiger has started legal action against the Munich newspaper TZ for defamation, his club Bayern Munich confirmed. . . . more . . .
German World Cup glory not a pipedream says Klinsmann (Mar 20, 2006)
Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann claims the host nation can still lift this summer's World Cup despite looking far from a top team in the build-up to the finals. . . . more . . .
Clemence fronts England fan image campaign in Germany (Mar 20, 2006)
Former England international goalkeeper Ray Clemence, now part of the coaching set-up, was in Cologne as part of a programme geared towards improving the relationship between German and English fans ahead of this summer's World Cup. . . . more . . .
FA to probe Fulham pitch invasion (Mar 20, 2006)
Football Association (FA) chief executive Brian Barwick promised a full probe into the pitch invasion at Craven Cottage which followed Fulham's 1-0 victory over Chelsea at the weekend. . . . more . . .
Wenger gets tough over Pires contract (Mar 20, 2006)
Arsenal star Robert Pires could be heading for the exit at Highbury after Gunners boss Arsene Wenger rejected his request for a longer-term contract. . . . more . . .
G14 launch bid to sue FIFA for 860 million euros (Mar 20, 2006)
The G14 group of Europe's 18 most powerful football clubs launched their bid to sue FIFA for 860 million euros in a Belgian court. . . . more . . .
Former Nazi sites in Nuremberg will be open to England fans (Mar 20, 2006)
The former site of Nazi rallies in the German city of Nuremberg will not be closed to England fans during the World Cup finals this summer, the city's mayor insisted. . . . more . . .
World Cup blow as Kalou's bid for Dutch nationality again rejected (Mar 20, 2006)
Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou's bid for Dutch citizenship has once again been turned down by the country's immigration minister Rita Verdonk. . . . more . . .
Klinsmann loses Huth as Chelsea put foot down (Mar 20, 2006)
Germany coach Jurgen Klinsman must do without giant defender Robert Huth for Wednesday's friendly match with the United States after English champions Chelsea refused to release the player. . . . more . . .
Ashton the hero as Hammers nail FA Cup semi-final spot (Mar 20, 2006)
Dean Ashton capped a sterling striker's performance with two goals in a 2-1 away win at Manchester City to send West Ham into the FA Cup semi finals for the first time in 15 years. . . . more . . .
Chelsea deny FA charge as new penalty looms (Mar 20, 2006)
Chelsea have denied a Football Association (FA) charge of failing to control their players in a Premiership match against West Bromwich Albion earlier this month. . . . more . . .
Scolari in talks for England job (Mar 19, 2006)
The Football Association (FA) have interviewed Portugal's Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for the England manager's job, according to newspaper reports. . . . more . . .
Number seven paves Celtic's path to League Cup glory (Mar 19, 2006)
Celtic lifted their first trophy under Gordon Strachan with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dunfermline in the League Cup Final at Hampden. . . . more . . .
Bayern shrug off controversy to stay six clear (Mar 19, 2006)
German champions Bayern Munich put aside off-pitch problems to defeat Schalke 04 3-0 and restore their six-point cushion at the Bundesliga summit. . . . more . . .
Barcelona edge closer to title as rivals drop points (Mar 19, 2006)
Barcelona's stranglehold on Spain's Primera Liga title race tightened further Sunday after closest rivals Real Madrid and Valencia both dropped precious points. . . . more . . .
Eriksson shows faith in Cole with player of year tip (Mar 19, 2006)
Joe Cole is emerging as one of Englands most important influences ahead of the World Cup Finals and Sven-Goran Eriksson has tipped him, alongside Thierry Henry, as a contender for player of the year. . . . more . . .
Mourinho denies Inter link (Mar 19, 2006)
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho dismissed speculation linking him with a summer move to Italian giants Inter Milan. . . . more . . .
Boumsong presents the points to Liverpool (Mar 19, 2006)
Liverpool kept alive their chances of finishing in second place in the Premiership as goals from Peter Crouch, Steven Gerrard and Djibril Cisse earned them a 3-1 victory at Newcastle. . . . more . . .
Liverpool apologise for fans behaviour (Mar 19, 2006)
Liverpool have apologised to Premiership rivals Manchester United for the behaviour of their fans during last month's FA Cup tie at Anfield. . . . more . . .
Neuville replaces Hanke for USA tie (Mar 19, 2006)
Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann has called up Borussia Monchengladbach striker Oliver Neuville to replace Mike Hanke in Wednesday's 2006 World Cup warm-up against the United States in Dortmund. . . . more . . .
Roeder swaps roles to defend distraught Boumsong (Mar 19, 2006)
Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder stepped forward to defend a distraught Jean Alain Boumsong after the defender conceded a penalty in Liverpool's comfortable 3-1 victory at St James' Park. . . . more . . .
Fulham ambush Chelsea as tempers fray in West London derby (Mar 19, 2006)
Chelsea slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of their neighbours Fulham at Craven Cottage in a game which exploded into controversy with the late sending-off of William Gallas. . . . more . . .
Hearts retain advantage over Gers (Mar 19, 2006)
Hearts retained their six-point lead over Rangers in the Scottish Premier League after a bruising 1-1 draw at Tynecastle. . . . more . . .
Shevchenko double helps AC Milan thrash Udinese (Mar 19, 2006)
Andriy Shevchenko scored twice as second-placed AC Milan thumped Udinese 4-0 to move to within 10 points of runaway Serie A leaders Juventus. . . . more . . .
Henry unfazed by transfer speculation (Mar 19, 2006)
Thierry Henry says he is not letting the 'will-he, won't he' debate over his future at Arsenal bother him. . . . more . . .
French leaders Lyon widen gap (Mar 19, 2006)
The gap between Lyon and the rest widened further this weekend to make a record fifth consecutive French league title more likely as the chasing pack slipped up. . . . more . . .
Ancelotti interested in Real job - but not now (Mar 19, 2006)
Carlo Ancelotti admitted he would be interested in coaching Real Madrid - but not now. . . . more . . .
Milan's mean defence delights Ancelotti (Mar 19, 2006)
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti paid tribute to his back four rather than the goalscorers in Sunday's 4-0 thrashing of Udinese, which left them 10 points behind Serie A leaders Juventus in second place. . . . more . . .
Barcelona extend lead at top after Larsson, Eto'o pounce (Mar 18, 2006)
Barcelona extended their lead at the top of the Spanish Primera Liga after defeating struggling Real Sociedad 2-0. . . . more . . .
Saha double keeps United on track (Mar 18, 2006)
Louis Saha scored both goals as Manchester United strengthened their grip on second place in the Premiership with a 2-1 victory over West Brom at The Hawthorns. . . . more . . .
Homesick Matthaus quits Brazil posting (Mar 18, 2006)
West Germany's 1990 World Cup hero Lothar Matthaus has quit as coach of Brazilian first division side Atletico Paranaense citing personal reasons for his decision. . . . more . . .
Gunners stroll towards Europe (Mar 18, 2006)
Arsenal crushed London rivals Charlton Athletic 3-0 to keep up their pursuit of a Champions League spot at Highbury. . . . more . . .
Lyon motor 11 points ahead in France (Mar 18, 2006)
Sylvain Wiltord scored twice in Lyon's 4-0 awayday victory at Sochaux as Gerard Houllier's European Champions League quarter-finalists motored further ahead in the French league. . . . more . . .
Lennon helps Spurs imagine Champions League place (Mar 18, 2006)
Aaron Lennon chose the perfect time to register his first ever Premiership goal as Tottenham edged another step closer to securing Champions League football. . . . more . . .
Hamburg victory turns up heat on Bayern (Mar 18, 2006)
SV Hamburg cranked up the pressure on reigning champions Bayern Munich moving to within three points of the league leaders thanks to a 1-0 win over VfL Wolfsburg. . . . more . . .
Benitez hails Reds improvement (Mar 18, 2006)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez hailed his side's improvement after already matching their points tally from last season with nine matches still to go. . . . more . . .
Capello hails Trezeguet as Juve close in on title (Mar 18, 2006)
Juventus coach Fabio Capello lavished praise on David Trezeguet after the French striker's double helped the Italian champions to a 3-1 win at Livorno. . . . more . . .
Klinsmann offers support for Schweinsteiger (Mar 18, 2006)
Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann has told Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger that he has his full backing after a Munich newspaper accused the player of being involved in a match-fixing scandal. . . . more . . .
Bellamy at the double as 10-man Rovers down Boro (Mar 18, 2006)
Craig Bellamy struck twice as Blackburn overcame the sending-off of Robbie Savage to down Middlesbrough 3-2 and edge closer to a Champions League berth. . . . more . . .
Pompey start to believe in Great Escape (Mar 18, 2006)
Portsmouth's hopes of survival in the top flight were given a huge shot in the arm by a battling 4-2 win over a weakened West Ham at Upton Park. . . . more . . .
World Cup heartache for Germany's Deisler (Mar 18, 2006)
German international midfielder Sebastian Deisler will miss this summer's World Cup due to a serious knee injury, the German Football Federation (DFB) revealed. . . . more . . .
Calamity strikes again as James blunder hands Wigan points (Mar 18, 2006)
A blunder by Manchester City goalkeeper David James helped Wigan steal the points at the City of Manchester stadium. . . . more . . .
Cahill at the double as Everton demolish hungover Villa (Mar 18, 2006)
Everton racked up their sixth consecutive home win in the Premiership with a 4-1 defeat of an Aston Villa side still nursing a hangover after their midweek FA Cup exit. . . . more . . .
Bolton see off Sunderland (Mar 18, 2006)
Bolton kept their dream of playing in the Champions League for the first time in their history alive with a 2-0 win over strugglers Sunderland. . . . more . . .
German cities vying for European finals (Mar 17, 2006)
Three German cities have thrown their names into the mix in the hope of landing the lucrative Champions League and UEFA Cup finals of 2008 and 2009, according to the German Football Federation (DFB). . . . more . . .
Foreign students attacked by Zenit yobs (Mar 17, 2006)
Six foreign students were beaten by a group of Russian thugs who mistook them for visiting football fans following the UEFA Cup last 16 clash between Zenit St Petersburg and French side Marseille. . . . more . . .
Calf injury sidelines US star Donovan for Germany match (Mar 17, 2006)
US midfielder Landon Donovan will miss next Wednesday's friendly against Germany at Dortmund with a strained right calf, the US Soccer Federation announced. . . . more . . .
German newspaper pulls website report on Schweinsteiger (Mar 17, 2006)
A German newspaper withdrew from its website a claim that international midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was involved in a betting scandal. . . . more . . .
Schweinsteiger 'blameless' says Bayern coach (Mar 17, 2006)
Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath said that German international midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was "totally blameless" in response to newspaper claims that he was involved in a betting scandal. . . . more . . .
FIFA points penalties for racist abuse welcomed (Mar 17, 2006)
Anti-racism campaigners welcomed a move by FIFA to introduce points deductions for clubs whose supporters abuse black players as a positive step towards eradicating racism from football. . . . more . . .
Henry to Barca rumours off target: Wenger (Mar 17, 2006)
Arsene Wenger has poured cold water on claims Barcelona have already done a deal to lure Arsenal skipper Thierry Henry to Spain in time for next season. . . . more . . .
Boro to face Basel in UEFA Cup quarter-finals (Mar 17, 2006)
Middlesbrough were drawn against Swiss side Basel in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals after ousting Italian side Roma in the last 16. . . . more . . .
Japan coach Zico complains about technical zone rules (Mar 17, 2006)
Japan coach Zico complained about FIFA's decision not to allow more than one person to enter the technical zone during World Cup matches in Germany in June. . . . more . . .
Thousands bid final farewell to Celtic legend (Mar 17, 2006)
Thousands of mourners including former players, rock star Rod Stewart and Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson joined the final farewells to Celtic and Scotland football legend Jimmy Johnstone. . . . more . . .
Belgian club president charged with fraud (Mar 17, 2006)
Filippo Gaone, president of Belgian first division side La Louviere, was charged with fraud and embezzlement of club funds by judge Silvania Verstreken. . . . more . . .
Benitez spells out commitment to Liverpool (Mar 16, 2006)
Rafael Benitez effectively confirmed that he would be signing a new contract at Liverpool, crushing Real Madrid and Inter Milan's hopes of luring the manager away from Merseyside. . . . more . . .
Reyes out of Charlton match (Mar 16, 2006)
Jose Antonio Reyes will miss Arsenal's match with Charlton this weekend, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said. . . . more . . .
Schalke sink Palermo to keep German hopes alive (Mar 16, 2006)
Schalke 04 will fly the flag for German football in Europe after crushing ten-man Palermo 3-0 to move into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. . . . more . . .
St Petersburg in UEFA quarters after Marseille draw (Mar 16, 2006)
Russian Premier League club Zenit St Petersburg qualified for the UEFA Cup quarter-finals following a 1-1 draw at home to Franch side Marseille. . . . more . . .
I don't feel like the best coach in the world, says Mourinho (Mar 13, 2006)
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insists he does not feel like the best coach in the world despite being hailed the number one for the second consecutive year. . . . more . . .
US to host Morocco, Venezuela, Latvia in World Cup tuneups (Mar 13, 2006)
United States will play host to Morocco, Venezuela and Latvia in a series of World Cup tune-up friendlies within a week in late May, the US Soccer Federation announced. . . . more . . .
Mourinho wants dream Ballack-Lampard pairing (Mar 13, 2006)
Not content with having one of the largest squads in Europe, English champions Chelsea want to add another top-class midfielder to their ranks by capturing German international captain Michael Ballack. . . . more . . .
Mourinho wants Lampard-Ballack dream pairing (Mar 13, 2006)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admits he is waiting for German international captain Michael Ballack to make a decision on whether he will join the Premiership champions on a free transfer at the end of the season. . . . more . . .
Japan can reach World Cup semis says Zico (Mar 13, 2006)
Japan are capable of upsetting the odds and reaching the semi-finals of this summer's World Cup, according to their Brazilian coach Zico. . . . more . . .
Rooney to become world's best player: Roeder (Mar 13, 2006)
Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has predicted Wayne Rooney will be the best player in the world in three years' time. . . . more . . .
Campbell and Van Persie set for return (Mar 13, 2006)
Arsenal duo Sol Campbell and Robin van Persie are set to make comebacks in a behind-closed-doors game on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Ribery extends Marseille deal (Mar 13, 2006)
Marseille midfielder Franck Ribery extended his deal with the French outfit by an additional year. . . . more . . .
FIFA agrees not to limit freedom of the Press (Mar 13, 2006)
Football's world governing body FIFA has agreed to drop a proposal to restrict the use of photographs on newspaper Internet sites during this year's World Cup. . . . more . . .
Celtic legend Jimmy Johnstone dies (Mar 13, 2006)
Celtic legend Jimmy Johnstone has died aged 61 after a long fight against motor neurone disease. . . . more . . .
Distin a doubt for City ahead of Villa replay (Mar 13, 2006)
Sylvain Distin faces a late fitness test before Manchester City's FA Cup replay against Aston Villa at Eastlands. . . . more . . .
Pearce scotches talk of England interview (Mar 13, 2006)
Stuart Pearce has side-stepped talk of a possible interview for the England job and insisted nothing will distract him from steering Manchester City into the sixth round of the FA Cup. . . . more . . .
Marseille bounce back to close in on Champions League (Mar 12, 2006)
Marseille climbed back up to fifth in the French league table with a comfortable and dominant 2-0 victory over hapless St Etienne at the Stade Velodrome. . . . more . . .
Gerrard error gifts Arsenal victory (Mar 12, 2006)
Steven Gerrard has often proved a saviour for Liverpool, but his wretched error gifted Arsenal a dramatic 2-1 Premiership win at Highbury. . . . more . . .
No decision yet for Curbishley over England job (Mar 12, 2006)
Charlton boss Alan Curbishley insisted that no decision has been made yet following informal discussions he held with the Football Association (FA) regarding the England manager's job. . . . more . . .
We missed some unbelievable chances, admits Ferguson (Mar 12, 2006)
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his Manchester United side had been wasteful despite overcoming Newcastle 2-0 at Old Trafford to strengthen their grip on automatic Champions League qualification. . . . more . . .
Celtic close in on SPL title (Mar 12, 2006)
Celtic came from behind to win 2-1 away to Hibernian to take a huge step towards the Scottish Premier League title. . . . more . . .
Bring Owen back says Gerrard (Mar 12, 2006)
England and former Liverpool striker Michael Owen should be brought back to the club at all costs his good friend and Liverpool playmaker Steven Gerrard said. . . . more . . .
Hamburg cut Bayern gap to six points (Mar 12, 2006)
SV Hamburg cruised to a 3-0 victory over struggling Kaiserslautern to cut Bayern Munich's lead at the top of the table to just six points and resurrect their faint hopes of claiming a first title since 1983. . . . more . . .
Juve hold AC Milan to move closer to title (Mar 12, 2006)
Juventus took a huge step towards retaining the Serie A title after they drew 0-0 at home to closest rivals AC Milan. . . . more . . .
Barcelona shocked by Osasuna (Mar 12, 2006)
Nine-man Spanish league leaders Barcelona were shocked 2-1 at Osasuna in one of their worse nights on the pitch this season. . . . more . . .
Ronaldo blasts Pele and Platini (Mar 12, 2006)
Troubled Brazil forward Ronaldo launched an astonishing attack on two of football's legends, Pele and Michel Platini, in Sunday's edition of Brazilian newspaper O Globo. . . . more . . .
Bent's late brace overcomes dogged Middlesbrough (Mar 12, 2006)
Charlton Athletic left it late to scramble a 2-1 victory over a weakened Middlesbrough side at the Valley with two sharp strikes from England hopeful Darren Bent. . . . more . . .
Derby stalemate keeps Baggies heads above water (Mar 11, 2006)
Nathan 'Duke' Ellington came off the bench to grab a precious equaliser as West Brom denied local rivals Birmingham an escape from the relegation zone at St Andrews. . . . more . . .
Bayern increase lead to nine points (Mar 11, 2006)
Bayern Munich, held to a 0-0 draw at Wolfsburg, increased their lead at the top of the German league table to nine points thanks to second-placed Werder Bremen being thrashed at home. . . . more . . .
Rovers home in on Champions League (Mar 11, 2006)
Blackburn closed to within three points of Tottenham in the race for the final Champions League spot after a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Ewood Park. . . . more . . .
Adriano ends goal drought as Inter edge Sampdoria (Mar 11, 2006)
Brazilian striker Adriano ended his 10-match goal drought by scoring the winner for Inter Milan in their narrow 1-0 home victory over Sampdoria. . . . more . . .
Gallas breaks Tottenham hearts (Mar 11, 2006)
William Gallas broke Tottenham's resistance in injury-time with a spectacular long-range strike to lift the gloom of Chelsea's Champions League exit in a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge. . . . more . . .
Houllier delighted with collective display (Mar 11, 2006)
Four-time champions Lyon dealt out a footballing lesson to relegation-haunted Metz in a crushing 4-0 demolition at Stade Gerland to maintain their nine-point lead at the top of the table. . . . more . . .
Rangers narrow gap to Hearts (Mar 11, 2006)
Rangers crushed Kilmarnock 4-0 at Ibrox in the Scottish Premier League to narrow the gap on Hearts in the race for Champions League qualification. . . . more . . .
Brilliant Beattie brace beats Fulham (Mar 11, 2006)
Everton injected new life into their UEFA Cup challenge with a resounding 3-1 victory over Fulham at Goodison Park. . . . more . . .
Ronaldo misses penalty as Madrid and Valencia draw (Mar 11, 2006)
Real Madrid star Ronaldo missed a last-gasp penalty in Valencia's Mestalla stadium night for the first goalless draw between the two sides for more than two decades. . . . more . . .
Benitez delight as Sissoko back training (Mar 11, 2006)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez said he was delighted that injured Mali midfielder Mohamed Sissoko had returned to training. . . . more . . .
Stelios revives Bolton's Champions League hopes (Mar 11, 2006)
Two first-half goals from Stelios Giannakopoulos helped boost Bolton's Champions League ambitions as Sam Allardyce's side gained a significant moral advantage over West Ham, five days before the two sides meet in an FA Cup Fifth Round replay. . . . more . . .
Dein backs Wenger over foreign policy row (Mar 11, 2006)
Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has backed manager Arsene Wenger's policy of signing foreign players amid criticism from West Ham counterpart Alan Pardew. . . . more . . .
Last-gasp Mendes double gives Pompey survival hope (Mar 11, 2006)
Two spectacular goals from Portuguese midfielder Pedro Mendes gave Premiership strugglers Portsmouth a priceless 2-1 win against Manchester City at Fratton Park. . . . more . . .
Change of manager brings no respite for beleaguered Black Cats (Mar 11, 2006)
Kevin Ball's spell as caretaker manager of Sunderland kicked off where Mick McCarthy's reign had left off, with Wigan inflicting the Black Cats 23rd defeat of a dismal season. . . . more . . .
MLS's Galaxy president dies (Mar 10, 2006)
Los Angeles Galaxy President and General Manager Doug Hamilton died after suffering an apparent heart attack on a flight from Costa Rica to the United States, the Major League Soccer club said. . . . more . . .
Essien urges blues to shake off Euro misery (Mar 10, 2006)
Chelsea's Ghana midfield star Michael Essien urged his teammates to forget about their European heartbreak and focus on securing the club's first league and FA Cup double. . . . more . . .
One coach will replace Eriksson: FA (Mar 10, 2006)
Sven-Goran Eriksson's replacement will be a full-time head coach of the England team and no joint arrangement for running the national side will be made, the Football Association said. . . . more . . .
Lokomotiv Moscow sign O'Connor (Mar 10, 2006)
Russian Premier League side Lokomotiv Moscow have signed Scotland international Garry O'Connor from Hibernian FC for 2.3 million euro. . . . more . . .
Gunners drawn against Juve (Mar 10, 2006)
English side Arsenal were drawn to play Italian giants Juventus in the quarter-finals of the European Champions League. . . . more . . .
Investigators probing new German football betting allegations (Mar 10, 2006)
German football was rocked by fresh allegations of a betting scandal after investigators confirmed they were probing a possible match-fixing ring. . . . more . . .
Boro spring Euro shock on Roma (Mar 09, 2006)
Middlesbrough dashed Roma's 16-game unbeaten run in the UEFA Cup, an Aiyegbeni Yakubu penalty sealing the English Premiership side's 1-0 win at a rain-soaked Riverside. . . . more . . .
Beckham out of Valencia tussle (Mar 09, 2006)
England skipper David Beckham revealed he had not been fully fit for the Arsenal Champions League encounter which saw Real Madrid crash out of Europe after suffering a right thigh strain in the warm up. . . . more . . .
Austrian group purchase MLS Metrostars (Mar 09, 2006)
Austrian energy drink manufacturer Red Bull, which purchased the Minardi Racing team last year, announced it had purchased the MetroStars of Major League Soccer. . . . more . . .
Czech star Koller harbours World Cup hopes (Mar 09, 2006)
Czech international forward Jan Koller has not given up hope of playing in this summer's World Cup finals despite being sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury. . . . more . . .
Sack Klinsmann, bring in Hitzfeld says Effenberg (Mar 09, 2006)
Former German international Stefan Effenberg has urged the German Football Federation (DFB) to sack manager Jurgen Klinsmann immediately and replace him with former Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. . . . more . . .
Yorke told he can leave Sydney FC halfway through contract (Mar 09, 2006)
Just days after his man-of-the-match performance in Australia's A-League grand final, striker Dwight Yorke has been told he can leave Sydney FC halfway through his lucrative contract. . . . more . . .
Pearce poised to sign contract (Mar 09, 2006)
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce confirmed that he will formally sign his rolling contract next week. . . . more . . .
Former England international Merson retires (Mar 09, 2006)
Former England international and Arsenal star Paul Merson, whose career was dogged by drug, gambling and alcohol problems, has announced his retirement. . . . more . . .
Italian job again as Milan crush Bayern (Mar 09, 2006)
German football was left in a state of mourning after AC Milan thrashed Bayern Munich 4-1 to send the German champions crashing out of the last 16 of the Champions League 5-2 on aggregate. . . . more . . .
Britain sending lawyers and police to tackle World Cup hooligans (Mar 09, 2006)
In a football first, Britain will dispatch a four-strong team of lawyers to Germany to work alongside police to combat acts of hooliganism during the upcoming World Cup. . . . more . . .
Czech Republic v Costa Rica friendly rescheduled (Mar 09, 2006)
A warm-up friendly international between the Czech Republic and Costa Rica ahead of the 2006 World Cup finals has been rescheduled for a day earlier than planned on May 30 in the north western town of Jablonec. . . . more . . .
Owen recovery on track, insist Newcastle (Mar 09, 2006)
English Premiership side Newcastle insisted that England striker Michael Owen had not suffered a setback in his recovery from a fractured metatarsal. . . . more . . .
Savage sure of Wales comeback (Mar 09, 2006)
Robbie Savage believes John Toshack's days are numbered as Wales manager and his departure will allow the Blackburn midfielder return to international duty. . . . more . . .
Tal agrees Bolton deal (Mar 08, 2006)
Maccabi Haifa's Israeli international midfielder Idan Tal has agreed to sign a pre-contract to join English Premiership side Bolton. . . . more . . .
Arsenal, Liverpool face tough European test of mettle (Mar 08, 2006)
European champions Liverpool and fellow Premiership giants Arsenal face a test of their mettle as they battle Wednesday for a place in the last eight of the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Strachan looking to tie up summer signings early (Mar 08, 2006)
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan said that he plans to have his summer signings in place before the World Cup kicks off on June 9. . . . more . . .
Beckham rules out boring management job (Mar 08, 2006)
England captain David Beckham revealed that he is not interested in going down the road of football management when his playing career is over. . . . more . . .
World Cup squad deadline may be extended (Mar 08, 2006)
German organisers are considering extending the deadline for naming World Cup squads after several top coaches pleaded for more time. . . . more . . .
SuperPippo steers AC Milan into last eight (Mar 08, 2006)
Filippo Inzaghi scored twice as AC Milan thrashed Bayern Munich 4-1 to storm into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Injury-plagued Solskjaer sidelined for two months (Mar 08, 2006)
Injury-plagued Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was ruled out of action for two months after fracturing his cheekbone in a reserve-team outing against Middlesbrough. . . . more . . .
World Cup hooligans face swift legal action (Mar 08, 2006)
German courts want to speed up the legal process to mete out swift punishments to suspected hooligans at this summer's World Cup, German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries declared. . . . more . . .
McClaren calls for fresh Boro Euro shock (Mar 08, 2006)
Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren believes his side can create a further European upset by knocking Roma out of the UEFA Cup. . . . more . . .
Inter Milan's Figo to face disciplinary hearing (Mar 08, 2006)
The Italian football league's disciplinary panel said that Inter Milan winger Luis Figo was to face a hearing to explain his comments after the club's Serie A defeat to Juventus last month. . . . more . . .
Ronaldinho artistry is out of Blues' orbit (Mar 08, 2006)
The Barcelona fan with the banner at El Prat airport didn't need to deploy any of the venom which some of his more enthusiastic counterparts reserved for Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. . . . more . . .
Bremen captain Baumann suffers knee injury (Mar 08, 2006)
Werder Bremen must do without their captain Frank Baumann for the next three weeks after the defender injured his knee in Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Juventus. . . . more . . .
Benitez counting on crowd to pull Liverpool through (Mar 08, 2006)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is counting on the passionate Anfield crowd to help the defending champions salvage their Champions League campaign against Benfica. . . . more . . .
Wenger wary of Real danger (Mar 08, 2006)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisted that he remains wary of the danger posed by Spanish giants Real Madrid despite the current upheaval at the club. . . . more . . .
Terry calls for Chelsea double tonic (Mar 08, 2006)
John Terry has urged Chelsea to bounce back from the disappointment of their Champions League exit by completing a Premiership and FA Cup double. . . . more . . .
14 arrested after Chelsea dumped out of Champions League (Mar 08, 2006)
Fourteen people were arrested following clashes overnight after Spanish outfit Barcelona dumped English champions Chelsea out of the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Messi out for a month (Mar 08, 2006)
Barcelona's teenage Argentine star Leo Messi will be out for between four and six weeks after tearing a right leg muscle in the first half of Barca's Champions League return with Chelsea. . . . more . . .
Joy for China but Japanese sides flop in AFC Champions League (Mar 08, 2006)
Chinese giants Dalian Shide got their Asian Champions League campaign off to a winning start but coach Vladimir Petrovic was furious after seeing his side edge Vietnamese minnows Danang 2-0. . . . more . . .
Former striker arrested in Vietnam on bribe charge (Mar 08, 2006)
The former striker of a major Vietnamese football club has been arrested as police probe a bribery scandal that has tainted the game in the communist country. . . . more . . .
Valencia planning Ronaldo move (Mar 08, 2006)
Spanish outfit Valencia are reported to be planning a summer move for Manchester United's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo. . . . more . . .
Chelsea charged by FA over Hawthorns bust-up (Mar 08, 2006)
Chelsea were charged by the Football Association (FA) with failing to ensure that their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the course of their stormy 2-1 win at West Brom last weekend. . . . more . . .
Argentine ready to join Croatia for World Cup (Mar 08, 2006)
Boca Juniors striker Daniel Bilos is ready to switch allegiances and play for Croatia in the World Cup after so far failing to gain a place in Argentina's squad, officials said. . . . more . . .
Wasteful Liverpool go out with a whimper (Mar 08, 2006)
Liverpool's defence of their Champions League title ended on an Anfield night that will go down as one of the most bitterly frustrating in the club's European history. . . . more . . .
Gunners left to carry English Euro flag (Mar 08, 2006)
Arsenal will be the Premiership's sole representatives in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after Wednesday's goalless draw at Highbury completed a 1-0 aggregate victory over Real Madrid. . . . more . . .
Tiago double gives Lyon perfect revenge over 10-man PSV (Mar 08, 2006)
A double by Portuguese international midfielder Tiago inspired Lyon to a 4-0 victory over Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League last 16 second leg clash and avenge their defeat from last season's quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
Battling Rangers see European dream end (Mar 07, 2006)
Glasgow Rangers saw their Champions League dream come to a heartbreaking end when they were knocked out by Villarreal despite drawing their last 16, second leg tie 1-1. . . . more . . .
Wiese's howler gifts Juve last eight place (Mar 07, 2006)
An awful mistake by Werder Bremen keeper Tim Wiese in the 88th minute gifted Juventus a dramatic 2-1 victory and a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Germany launches charm offensive ahead of World Cup (Mar 07, 2006)
Twenty thousand posters went up around Germany as part of a charm campaign to present Germans as a welcoming nation to football fans coming to the World Cup. . . . more . . .
Bellamy arrested over alleged assault (Mar 07, 2006)
Controversial Welsh international striker Craig Bellamy was arrested in connection with an alleged assault on a young woman in a Cardiff city centre nightclub. . . . more . . .
Turkey's 2002 World Cup star Davala to retire: report (Mar 07, 2006)
Former Turkish international midfielder Umit Davala, who played a key role in helping his country to third place in the 2002 World Cup, is reportedly retiring after failing to recover from a hip injury. . . . more . . .
Ronaldinho trickery downs Chelsea (Mar 07, 2006)
A moment of magic by Ronaldinho handed Barcelona a well-deserved place in the Champions League quarter-finals after they drew 1-1 with Chelsea in their last 16 second leg match and a 3-2 victory on aggregate. . . . more . . .
Real at "war" with each other (Mar 07, 2006)
Real Madrid's stars are at "war" with each other as they head for a third straight season without a trophy, with Brazilian forward Ronaldo and Spanish midfielder Guti having come to blows, according to Barcelona-based sports media. . . . more . . .
McLeish fears flu bug will derail Champions League bid (Mar 07, 2006)
Manager Alex McLeish is sweating over a outbreak of flu in his camp ahead of Rangers' last 16 second leg Champions League clash at Villarreal. . . . more . . .
FA reject Chelsea appeal over Robben red card (Mar 07, 2006)
Chelsea's appeal to the Football Association (FA) over the red card shown to Arjen Robben for a dangerous tackle over the weekend has been rejected. . . . more . . .
Forty British police to travel with England fans to World Cup (Mar 07, 2006)
Forty British police officers will accompany England fans to this year's World Cup finals in Germany, the British embassy in Germany and German officials announced. . . . more . . .
Defiant Koeman confident of silencing Kop (Mar 07, 2006)
Ronald Koeman insisted his Benfica players can silence Liverpool's famous Kop and cause a major shock by advancing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of the holders on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
Mad three minutes just a blip say confident Juve (Mar 07, 2006)
Juventus are confident their "three minutes of madness" won't come back to haunt them when they face Werder Bremen in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 clash. . . . more . . .
Real out to score goals against Arsenal (Mar 07, 2006)
Real Madrid will stay faithful to its attacking philosophy when it meets Arsenal for a place in the last eight of the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Lyon are a tougher nut to crack this time round admits Hiddink (Mar 07, 2006)
Four-time French champions Lyon will be even more difficult to beat this time round in the Champions League last 16 second leg clash admitted PSV Eindhoven coach Guus Hiddink. . . . more . . .
Barca look to dump the Blues (Mar 07, 2006)
Barcelona know they will be made to work by an attack-minded Chelsea when the English champions visit the Nou Camp hoping to lay siege and overturn a damaging 2-1 first leg deficit. . . . more . . .
Jorge claims breach of contract and resigns from Cameroon (Mar 07, 2006)
Portuguese Artur Jorge announced his resignation as coach of Cameroon in a letter to the country's Sports Minister Philippe Mbarga Mboua. . . . more . . .
Real at "war" with each other: media (Mar 07, 2006)
Real Madrid's stars are at "war" with each other as they head for a third straight season without a trophy, with Brazilian forward Ronaldo and Spanish midfielder Guti having come to blows, Barcelona-based sports media reported on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Psyched-up Gunners to go for Real jugular (Mar 07, 2006)
Arsene Wenger has promised that Arsenal, psyched up by sessions with a shrink, will go for Real Madrid's jugular on Wednesday as they seek to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
Former referees fined for match-fixing attempt (Mar 07, 2006)
A Czech court fined two former football referees 70,000 koruna (around 2,400 euros) for their part in trying to fix the result of a Slovak first division league game in November 2003. . . . more . . .
German government gives Klinsmann its backing (Mar 07, 2006)
The German government threw its support behind under-fire coach Juergen Klinsmann as he defended his absence from a pre-World Cup coaches' workshop. . . . more . . .
Mourinho abuse raises temperature for Barca-Chelsea clash (Mar 06, 2006)
Chelsea have been given a taste of the hostility they can expect in Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium after Jose Mourinho was jostled and spat at on his arrival in the Catalan city. . . . more . . .
Doping tests and medical check-ups for World Cup footballers (Mar 06, 2006)
The players of all 32 competing nations at the 2006 World Cup will undergo medical checks for potential heart defects prior to the finals, football's governing body FIFA revealed at the World Cup workshop. . . . more . . .
Under-fire Mourinho happy to take flak (Mar 06, 2006)
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho nonchalantly declared himself happy to take the flak facing the media ahead of the Blues' Champions League crunch with Barcelona at the Nou Camp. . . . more . . .
Sunderland sack McCarthy (Mar 06, 2006)
Mick McCarthy's three-year reign at Sunderland finally came to an end when the former Ireland manager was sacked by the club currently anchored to the bottom of the English Premiership. . . . more . . .
Freak Chimbonda own goal earns victory for United (Mar 06, 2006)
Pascal Chimbonda's freak injury-time own goal gifted Manchester United a 2-1 victory at Wigan as Paul Jewell's team were left to rue a host of missed chances at the JJB Stadium. . . . more . . .
AFC Champions League kicks off amid controversy (Mar 06, 2006)
Asia's premier football competition, the AFC Champions League, kicks off on Wednesday shrouded in controversy after four teams were thrown out, reducing the tournament to 24 clubs. . . . more . . .
Chelsea appeal Robben red card (Mar 06, 2006)
Chelsea have lodged an appeal against the red card shown to Arjen Robben for a dangerous tackle over the weekend. . . . more . . .
Free World Cup tickets for 79 German politicians (Mar 06, 2006)
Seventy-nine German politicians and high-ranking civil servants will be able to attend all 64 matches at the World Cup finals in Germany this year. . . . more . . .
Beckenbauer slams Klinsmann for hiding in USA (Mar 06, 2006)
Franz Beckenbauer, head of the 2006 World Cup Organising Committee, offered some stinging criticism to Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann after he failed to attend the World Cup coaches workshop. . . . more . . .
Little Renacimiento stun Africa Sports in Champions League (Mar 06, 2006)
The tiny Spanish-speaking state of Equatorial Guinea celebrated its finest football feat after Renacimiento stunned Africa Sports of Ivory Coast in the African Champions League. . . . more . . .
Beckenbauer confused by Blatter ticket outburst (Mar 06, 2006)
The head of the 2006 World Cup Organising Committee, Franz Beckenbauer, has countered criticism from FIFA president Sepp Blatter about the lottery-style ticket draw for this summer's finals. . . . more . . .
Rijkaard calls for end to mudslinging (Mar 06, 2006)
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard called for a truce ahead of his sides Champions League showdown with Chelsea after opposite number Jose Mourinho met a barrage of insults on arrival. . . . more . . .
Burke backs Gers to defy odds in Spain (Mar 06, 2006)
Rangers embarked on a tough Champions League mission in Spain with young winger Chris Burke insisting they could defy the odds and progress to the last eight at the expense of Villarreal. . . . more . . .
Hyypia doubt for Benfica after Charlton stalemate (Mar 05, 2006)
Sami Hyypia is a major doubt for Liverpool's Champions League tie with Benfica after sustaining a hamstring injury during a scoreless Premiership home draw against Charlton. . . . more . . .
Keane Spurs stake Champions League claim (Mar 05, 2006)
Robbie Keane rounded off a memorable week by scoring twice in Tottenham Hotspur's 3-2 win over Blackburn Rovers at White Hart Laney, a win that bolstered the club's bid for a Champions League spot. . . . more . . .
Hiddink unlikely to stay Australian coach after World Cup: FFA (Mar 05, 2006)
Dutchman Guus Hiddink is unlikely to remain in charge of the Australian team after June's World Cup finals in Germany, the Australian football federation. . . . more . . .
Materazzi's late header ends Roma's winning streak (Mar 05, 2006)
Roma were denied a 12th league win on the trot and fourth place in Serie A after Marco Materazzi's towering header a minute from time salvaged a 1-1 draw for Inter Milan. . . . more . . .
United target Lille duo (Mar 05, 2006)
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has targetted Lille midfield duo Mathieu Bodmer and Jean Makoun. . . . more . . .
UEFA consider use of two referees (Mar 05, 2006)
European football governing body UEFA is to investigate the use of two referees in matches amid increasing claims of players faking injury. . . . more . . .
FIFA chief criticises World Cup 2006 ticketing (Mar 05, 2006)
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has criticised ticketing arrangements for the forthcoming World Cup finals in Germany, saying the Germans still had to prove they could hold a successful competition. . . . more . . .
Samaras sinks Sunderland (Mar 05, 2006)
Georgios Samaras struck twice in as many minutes as Manchester City beat Sunderland 2-1 to pile on the misery for the Premier League's bottom club at Eastlands. . . . more . . .
Hollins hits out at Drogba (Mar 05, 2006)
Chelsea legend John Hollins has blasted striker Didier Drogba as "disgraceful" for trying to get Jonathan Greening sent off during the London club's 2-1 victory at West Brom. . . . more . . .
Sissoko planning return this season (Mar 05, 2006)
Mohamed Sissoko has insisted he will return this season despite suffering an injury he labelled the "scariest moment of my life" last month. . . . more . . .
Barca eye title after Valencia slip-up (Mar 05, 2006)
Barcelona will go into Tuesday's Champions League clash against Chelsea with one hand on the Spanish title after finishing the weekend 10 points clear at the top of the table. . . . more . . .
Marseille babes steal a point at pitiful PSG (Mar 05, 2006)
Paris St Germain were held to a drab scoreless draw by arch rivals Marseille in a match that had dominated the sports pages all week. . . . more . . .
Cole feeling the heat at Chelsea (Mar 05, 2006)
Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole admitted that his fear of being sold by boss Jose Mourinho has pushed him even harder to prove himself at Stamford Bridge. . . . more . . .
Unsettled Ronaldo under fire in Spanish press (Mar 05, 2006)
Brazilian great Ronaldo has come under fire again from the Spanish press following Real Madrid's 2-1 derby victory over Atletico, a match the former Barcelona and Inter Milan star was not involved in. . . . more . . .
Magnificent Henry sends out Real warning (Mar 04, 2006)
Thierry Henry produced an irresistible performance as Arsenal turned on the style in a 4-0 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage. . . . more . . .
Nedved keeps Juve on course for title (Mar 04, 2006)
Juventus scraped a 1-0 victory at Sampdoria to maintain their 10-point lead at the top of Italy's Serie A with 10 games left to play. . . . more . . .
Hammers fail to gobble up Toffees (Mar 04, 2006)
West Ham's bid to secure European football in their first season back in the Premiership suffered a setback when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Everton. . . . more . . .
Happy return for Shearer as Toon beat Bolton (Mar 04, 2006)
Newcastle record-goalscorer Alan Shearer returned to action after a three-match injury absence to inspire the home side's 3-1 victory against Bolton Wanderers and keep alive the Magpies' hopes of European qualification. . . . more . . .
Viduka turns Birmingham even bluer (Mar 04, 2006)
Mark Viduka's first goal in three months was enough to earn Middlesbrough a third consecutive Premiership victory and leave Birmingham floundering in the relegation zone. . . . more . . .
Cassano and Baptista on target as Real snatch derby win (Mar 04, 2006)
Real Madrid put a turbulent week behind them with a 2-1 derby success over city rivals Atletico Madrid to keep their title hopes alive. . . . more . . .
Time running out for Pompey after Villa reverse (Mar 04, 2006)
Portsmouth's hopes of Premiership survival all but faded away despite a battling display in their 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park. . . . more . . .
Cautious Tusker jet out to Asmara (Mar 04, 2006)
A 25-member delegation of the Kenyan football club Tusker left Nairobi for Eritrea, hoping that their scheduled African Champions League first round return leg match against Red Sea would still go ahead. . . . more . . .
Tottenham set to tie up Mido deal (Mar 04, 2006)
Egypt striker Mido is set to follow Republic of Ireland forward Robbie Keane's example by signing a new contract at Tottenham. . . . more . . .
Polticians rap Klinsmann over Italy debarcle (Mar 04, 2006)
Germany's humiliating 4-1 defeat by Italy left coach Jurgen Klinsmann with criticism ringing in his ears and even German politicians are demanding an explanation ahead of this summer's World Cup. . . . more . . .
Fergie abandons hope of Chelsea collapse (Mar 04, 2006)
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has finally abandoned all hope of Premiership leaders Chelsea suffering a title collapse. . . . more . . .
Bayer reveal financial irregularities led to Calmund exit (Mar 04, 2006)
Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen revealed that they parted company with former general manager Reiner Calmund over a dubious 580,000 euro (698,400 dollar) payment to an agent. . . . more . . .
Celtic close in on Scottish title (Mar 04, 2006)
Celtic went 16 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 3-0 victory at home to Aberdeen. . . . more . . .
Robben red card ruins Mourinho century celebrations (Mar 04, 2006)
Jose Mourinho celebrated his 100th game as Chelsea manager with a 2-1 victory against West Brom, but the red card received by Arjen Robben put a dampener on the festivities. . . . more . . .
Cole looking for new Chelsea deal (Mar 04, 2006)
Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has pledged his future to ther Premiership champions by insisting he wants to sign a new contract in the summer. . . . more . . .
Myhre denies shot-shy Liverpool (Mar 04, 2006)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was left lamenting his goal-shy players and goalkeeper Thomas Myhre's commendable efforts for a spirited Charlton side in a goalless draw here at Anfield. . . . more . . .
Leave camcorders at home say World Cup organisers (Mar 04, 2006)
Football fans will not be allowed to tape their team live at this summer's World Cup with German organisers banning supporters from bringing video camcorders into the 12 World Cup stadia. . . . more . . .
Lyon erase league lull with mauling of Ajaccio (Mar 04, 2006)
Lyon produced a commanding second-half display to defeat Ajaccio 3-1 in Corsica and leave Bordeaux with work to do in their determined game of catch-up. . . . more . . .
SuperPippo leads AC Milan's late show (Mar 04, 2006)
Filippo Inzaghi scored twice as AC Milan netted three goals in the last 13 minutes to beat relegation-threatened Empoli 3-0 at the San Siro. . . . more . . .
Riquelme fires up the Yellow Submarine (Mar 04, 2006)
Argentine playmaker Juan Riquelme fired up Villarreal's bid for a Champions League spot next season by scoring a brace in a 3-2 home win over Alaves. . . . more . . .
Celtic close in on SPL title (Mar 04, 2006)
Celtic went 16 points clear in the Scottish Premier League with a 3-0 victory at home to Aberdeen. . . . more . . .
On song De Jong hands Bayern first home defeat of season (Mar 04, 2006)
A first Bundesliga goal from Dutch international Nigel de Jong handed Bayern Munich their first ever defeat at the Allianz Arena as SV Hamburg secured a late 2-1 win. . . . more . . .
Capello's half-time rocket keeps Juve on course for title (Mar 04, 2006)
A half-time dressing-down from coach Fabio Capello helped Juventus to a 1-0 victory at Sampdoria, which maintained their 10-point lead at the top of Serie A with 10 games left. . . . more . . .
Derby days suit Real as Barca power on with Eto'o (Mar 04, 2006)
Real Madrid put a turbulent week behind them with a 2-1 victory over city rivals Atletico Madrid but Barcelona moved on towards a title defense with Samuel Eto'o securing a 3-2 home win over Deportivo La Coruna. . . . more . . .
Disgruntled Marseille to send out reserves to face PSG (Mar 03, 2006)
Marseille have decided to send a reserve team to face bitter rivals Paris St Germain on Sunday as a protest against the club's ticket allocation for the game and over safety concerns. . . . more . . .
Lampard set to miss West Brom match (Mar 03, 2006)
England star Frank Lampard looks set to miss Chelsea's Premiership clash at West Brom on Saturday as he tries to get fit for next week's Champions League match in Barcelona. . . . more . . .
Lord Stevens to lead bung inquiry (Mar 03, 2006)
Lord Stevens will take charge of the English Premier League's inquiry into transfer bungs. . . . more . . .
Ferguson feared losing Saha (Mar 03, 2006)
Alex Ferguson feared Louis Saha would quit Manchester United in the summer if he had left the French striker out of his English Cup final side. . . . more . . .
Pearce demands top 10 finish (Mar 03, 2006)
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce believes a top 10 finish will loosen the purse-strings for a major assault on the transfer market this summer. . . . more . . .
Baggies plan tale of unexpected against Chelsea (Mar 03, 2006)
West Brom manager Bryan Robson is hoping for a strange day on Saturday as he plots the downfall of runaway Premiership leaders Chelsea at The Hawthorns. . . . more . . .
Gunners step up Champions League push (Mar 03, 2006)
Arsenal's faltering hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season need to be resurrected against London rivals Fulham on Saturday, says Gunners defender Philippe Senderos. . . . more . . .
England agree on Euro 2008 schedule (Mar 03, 2006)
England have avoided the possibility of their Euro 2008 qualification fixtures being decided by lots after agreeing a schedule with the six other countries in Group E. . . . more . . .
Don't rule me out says Allardyce (Mar 03, 2006)
Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has slammed suggestions that he does not have enough clout and experience to be manager of England. . . . more . . .
Injury fears ease for Bridge (Mar 03, 2006)
England received a World Cup boost when it was confirmed that the ankle injury suffered by Wayne Bridge during the 2-1 friendly win over Uruguay was not as serious as first feared. . . . more . . .
Agent denies Bayern move for van Bommel (Mar 02, 2006)
Dutch international midfielder Mark van Bommel's agent Rob Jansen has dismissed reports that the Barcelona midfielder is set to join German champions Bayern Munich. . . . more . . .
Real disciplinary commission in pipeline (Mar 02, 2006)
Real Madrid are thinking of creating a disciplinary commission to keep players' behaviour in check, newly-installed club president Fernando Martin revealed. . . . more . . .
Chelsea out in front for Ballack says agent (Mar 02, 2006)
Chelsea are the leading contenders to sign Michael Ballack, according to the Bayern Munich midfielder's agent. . . . more . . .
Blatter wants all leagues reduced to 16 teams (Mar 02, 2006)
Sepp Blatter, president of football's world governing body FIFA, wants a maximum of 16 teams in all of the top football leagues throughout Europe as he bids to restore the balance between club and international football. . . . more . . .
Cole out for at least three weeks, says Wenger (Mar 02, 2006)
England left-back Ashley Cole will be out of action for at least three weeks, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. . . . more . . .
Pele warns Brazil not to take Aussies easy at World Cup (Mar 02, 2006)
Brazilian great Pele has warned Brazil not to take Guus Hiddink's Australian team for granted in their group match at this year's World Cup finals in Germany. . . . more . . .
Larsson promises Swedes will absorb Irish lessons (Mar 02, 2006)
Henrik Larsson is confident that Sweden will have absorbed the lessons of a 3-0 friendly defeat to Ireland before they begin their World Cup campaign this summer. . . . more . . .
Injury fears ease for Bridge (Mar 02, 2006)
England received a World Cup boost when it was confirmed that the ankle injury suffered by Wayne Bridge during the 2-1 friendly win over Uruguay was not as serious as first feared. . . . more . . .
Fortune hits the comeback trail (Mar 02, 2006)
Quinton Fortune has defied predictions that his career could be over by recovering sufficient fitness to return to action for Manchester United, the club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Wright out for the season (Mar 02, 2006)
Relegation candidates Sunderland suffered a fresh blow when full-back Stephen Wright was ruled out for the rest of the season. . . . more . . .
Quickfire Italy humiliate World Cup hosts Germany (Mar 01, 2006)
Italy thrashed World Cup hosts Germany 4-1 in a surprisingly one-sided international friendly. . . . more . . .
Denmark beat Israel as fears of troubles dispelled (Mar 01, 2006)
Denmark recorded an easy 2-0 victory in a friendly international against Israel as police fears of trouble over the Prophet Mohammed cartoons were dispelled. . . . more . . .
Chelsea legend Osgood dies (Mar 01, 2006)
Chelsea legend Peter Osgood, dubbed the "King of Stamford Bridge," died aged 59 after collapsing at a funeral. . . . more . . .
Japan show weaknesses ahead of World Cup (Mar 01, 2006)
Asian champions Japan displayed their weaknesses heading into the World Cup as they finished 2-2 in a warm-up game against Bosnia-Hercegovina. . . . more . . .
India on the ropes while China slip up against Iraq (Mar 01, 2006)
India's Asian Cup dreams lay in tatters after a 3-0 qualifying defeat at home to Yemen, while beaten 2004 finalists China failed to break down a stubborn Iraq. . . . more . . .
South Koreans master Angola 1-0 (Mar 01, 2006)
South Korea, heading for their sixth World Cup finals in a row, confidently mastered fellow qualifiers Angola 1-0 in their final warm-up international. . . . more . . .
Brazil win last warm-up before World Cup (Mar 01, 2006)
Brazil overcame freezing conditions to beat Russia 1-0 in what was the South American giants' last outing before the defence of their World Cup crown begins in three months time. . . . more . . .
FIFA stand firm on World Cup photo rights (Mar 01, 2006)
FIFA boss Sepp Blatter is refusing to relax the severe media restrictions in place at this year's World Cup which include a near-blanket ban on the use of photos appearing on the Internet during matches. . . . more . . .
Porto's Emanuel agrees to play for Angola during World Cup (Mar 01, 2006)
Portuguese side Porto's Angolan-born defender Pedro Emanuel has agreed to play for Angola during the World Cup finals in Germany later this year. . . . more . . .
Lampard uncertain for Barcelona trip (Mar 01, 2006)
Frank Lampard's participation in Chelsea's Champions League match away to Barcelona next week has been called into question by the hamstring injury which forced the midfielder to withdraw from the England squad for the friendly against Uruguay at Anfield. . . . more . . .
Iran beat Costa Rica 3-2 in friendly (Mar 01, 2006)
Iran overcame a key test against Costa Rica, beating the Central American side 3-2 in a World cup warm-up. . . . more . . .
Pope in football anti-racism plea (Mar 01, 2006)
Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to racist chanting and emblems at football matches and urged football fans to adopt "respect and dialogue" ahead of this summer's World Cup in his native Germany. . . . more . . .
Iran will be a hit in World cup: Ahmadinejad (Mar 01, 2006)
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Iran have the ability to reach the second round in this summer's World Cup and go on four years later to be among the top four sides in the world. . . . more . . .
Brazil brave freezing temperatures to beat Russia (Mar 01, 2006)
Brazil overcame freezing conditions to beat Russia 1-0 in a World Cup warm-up, Real Madrid's Ronaldo producing the decisive goal. . . . more . . .
Marseille threaten PSG match boycott (Mar 01, 2006)
Marseille said they would refuse to play at Paris Saint Germain on Sunday if their supporters did not receive their fair share of tickets and if their security was not assured. . . . more . . .
Ireland launch Staunton era with Sweden success (Mar 01, 2006)
Steve Staunton's career as Republic of Ireland manager got off to an ideal start with a 3-0 friendly victory over Sweden at Lansdowne Road. . . . more . . .
Swiss slay Scots at Hampden (Mar 01, 2006)
Switzerland strolled to a 3-1 win at Hampden to continue Scotland's dreadful home record in friendly matches. . . . more . . .
Cole to the rescue for England (Mar 01, 2006)
Joe Cole capped one of his best performances in an England shirt by snatching a stoppage time winner to deliver a 2-1 win over Uruguay in a World Cup warm-up match. . . . more . . .
Ferguson set for ankle op (Mar 01, 2006)
Rangers captain Barry Ferguson has said he may decide to have surgery on his injured right ankle if the Scottish champions are eliminated from the European Champions Cup next week. . . . more . . .
Germany pessimistic after Florence fiasco (Mar 01, 2006)
With 99 days to go until the kick-off of the 2006 World Cup the German football public are in a gloomy mood following Wednesday's 4-1 thrashing by Italy in Florence. . . . more . . .
Paraguay unconvincing against Wales (Mar 01, 2006)
Paraguay's World Cup preparations began in unconvincing fashion in a timid goalless draw with Wales at the Millennium Stadium. . . . more . . .
France stumble in World Cup warm-up (Mar 01, 2006)
Slovakia substitute Jozef Valachovic scored the winner from a freekick in a 2-1 victory over uninspired France in a World Cup warm-up. . . . more . . .
Iran coach says they can beat anyone in the world (Mar 01, 2006)
Iran's World Cup build-up has been hit by the cancellation of friendlies due to the nuclear standoff, but coach Branko Ivankovic insists it hasn't affected them and they can beat anyone. . . . more . . .
Eto'o appeals for support in fight against racism in sport (Mar 01, 2006)
Barcelona's Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, the victim of racial abuse at a weekend game, has appealed for public support in the campaign to stamp out intolerance in sports during an awards ceremony. . . . more . . .
