AIFF must back new fan-based clubs: Bhutia
Indian captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Friday said the shutting down of Mahindra United should serve as a wake-up call for All India Football Federation who need to encourage fan-based clubs. I-League: Sporting hold East Bengal 1-1
East Bengal wasted opportunities galore as bottom-rung Sporting Clube de Goa held the local side 1-1 in their round 23 I-League match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday. AIFF to discuss impact of Mahindra's departure
All India Football Federation will discuss in its executive committee meeting on May 7 the impact on the next I-League of Mahindra United's decision to disband itself from competitive football. Mahindra United Football Club to be disbanded
In a major blow to football in Mumbai, Mahindra United Football Club will be disbanded at the end of current I-League season, the parent company shifting its focus towards developing talent at school level. Tevez can leave Man City if he is unhappy: Mancini
Roberto Mancini has told Carlos Tevez he can leave Manchester City if he is unhappy at the Premier League club. Rooney is Football Writers Player of the Year
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney claimed his second award of a remarkable season on Friday when he was named Player of the Year for the first time by the Football Writers Association. Atletico oust Liverpool to enter Europa final
Diego Forlan's extra-time effort sent Atletico Madrid into the Europa League final on away goals at the expense of Liverpool after a 2-2 aggregate draw on Thursday. Atletico will meet Fulham in the May 12 final in Hamburg where they will bid to win their first major European trophy since the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1962. Kuwait SC thrash Churchill in AFC Cup
Churchill Brothers, having already made it to the next round, suffered a humiliating 1-7 thrashing at the hands of defending champions Kuwait SC in their last AFC Cup group match in Kuwait City on Wednesday night. Chhetri scores for Kansas in friendly match
Indian striker Sunil Chhetri returned among goals in Kansas City Wizards' 7-1 thrashing of Baker University in a friendly match at the Swope Park Training Center in Kansas City, US. SA claim rare win over Jamaica in friendly
World Cup hosts South Africa recorded a rare win on Wednesday, beating Jamaica 2-0 in a friendly. Ribery banned for Champions League final
Bayern Munich will be without influential midfielder Franck Ribery in next month's Champions League final after UEFA imposed a three-match ban on the Frenchman on Wednesday. India maintain status quo in world FIFA rankings
Indian football team remained static at 132nd in the world rankings but moved up one place among Asian countries to the 21st spot in the latest FIFA chart issued on Wednesday. Bayern Munich meet Inter Milan in Champions final
Inter Milan battled for more than an hour with 10 men to eliminate Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate to advance to next month's Champions League final. The second leg ended 1-0 in favour of the Spaniards. I-League: Dempo thrash Mohun Bagan 4-1
Dempo made a spectacular second half comeback to demolish Mohun Bagan 4-1 in a round 23 I-League match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday. Liverpool chase Europa League tonic
Dismal domestic and Champions League campaigns have left Liverpool seeking Europa League salvation but they must first overturn a 1-0 semi-final first-leg deficit against Atletico Madrid on Thursday. CL: Olic's hat-trick fires Bayern into final
Croatian striker Ivica Olic's superb hat-trick fired an unflinching Bayern Munich into their first Champions League final since 2001 on Tuesday as the German side demolished 10-man Olympique Lyon 3-0. Beckham expects November return from injury
David Beckham will not be fit to play again until November as he continues to recover from surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon, the injured England midfielder said on Monday. Rooney scoops PFA award
Wayne Rooney's glittering season continued when he was named English soccer's players' player of the year on Sunday. CL: Lyon need spirit of Bernabeu to see off Bayern
The spirit, which saw off Real Madrid earlier in the competition will be revived if Lyon are to fell Bayern Munich on Tuesday and book their place in a first Champions League final. Rampant Chelsea return to summit
Chelsea swept aside Stoke City 7-0 to swagger back to the top of the Premier League and leave themselves two wins away from their first title since 2006. Liverpool in talks for Real's Van der Vaart
Liverpool are reportedly considering a summer move for Real Madrid and Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart. Mourinho's gamble pays off with Inter victory
Inter Milan climbed back to the top of Serie A with a 3-1 home win over Atalanta on Saturday after Jose Mourinho's gamble with their title hopes paid off. Inter's Sneijder is a doubt for Barca clash
Inter Milan's influential playmaker Wesley Sneijder is a doubt for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg in Barcelona due to a thigh problem. Super sub Kaka keeps Real on Barca's heels
Kaka came off the bench after six weeks out injured and produced a clinical finish from Cristiano Ronaldo's assist to keep Real Madrid hot on the heels of leaders Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday. After Barca's nervy 3-1 win at home to basement side Xerez in the earlier kickoff, Brazil's World Cup-bound playmaker Kaka struck eight minutes from time to fire Real to a nail-biting 2-1 victory at 10-man Real Zaragoza. Man U see off Spurs 3-1 to seize lead from Chelsea
Two penalties by captain Ryan Giggs led Manchester United to a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur that took them two points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League despite being without Wayne Rooney on Saturday. Ferguson denies retirement reports
After 23 years in charge at Old Trafford Alex Ferguson has no intention of easing away. The Manchester United manager on Friday dismissed suggestions that he is considering retirement as "absolute rubbish". India get tough group for Asian Cup football
India were handed the worst possible draw for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals in Doha, Qatar, as they were clubbed with Australia, South Korea and Bahrain in Group C. India got a tough group featuring Australia and South Korea -- two sides have qualified for 2010 World Cup from Asia -- and Bahrain, who just missed out on the showpiece event in South Africa via a play-off against New Zealand. Air India rally to hold Salgaocar
A late goal by Ndubuisi Opara helped Air India hold Salgaocar to a 1-1 draw in their Round 22 I-League match at the Nehru stadium in Margao on Friday. Salgaocar, who held territorial advantage in the first half, scored through Ekene Ikenwa. No way France will win World Cup, says Platini
Former champions France are not among the top three teams at the World Cup and will not lift the trophy on July 11, UEFA president Michel Platini said on Friday. Platini believes Spain, England and Brazil are favourites for the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa. Call girl backs Ribery in prostitution scam
The teenage call girl, who was accused of sleeping with at least three French football stars including Franck Ribery, has broken her silence saying she 'loved them all'. Europa League: Weary Fulham hold Hamburg in first
Fulham shrugged off the effects of 17 hours travelling on a coach to hold Hamburg SV to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday. Europa League: Atletico edge past Liverpool
Diego Forlan scrambled an early goal to give Atletico Madrid a deserved 1-0 win over a lethargic-looking Liverpool in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday. Beaten Roma limp into Italian Cup final
AS Roma edged closer to a first ever league and cup double by limping into the Italian Cup final after a 1-0 defeat at Udinese in Wednesday's second leg tie. Benzema to be questioned in prostitution probe
France striker Karim Benzema will be questioned as a witness by police investigating a prostitution network, a police source close to the case said on Wednesday. EPL: Villa register easy win at Hull City
Aston Villa kept alive their slim hopes of Champions League qualification with an easy 2-0 Premier League win at relegation-threatened Hull City on Wednesday. Robben wins it for Bayern after Ribery red card
Bayern overcame the dismissal of French playmaker Franck Ribery to beat Olympique Lyon 1-0 with a deflected second-half goal from Arjen Robben in their Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday. Bagan shatter Mahindra's I-League title hopes
Mahindra United's title hopes went up in smoke on Wednesday when Mohun Bagan defeated the Mumbai outfit 3-1 in an I-League match in Kolkata. Mahindra's loss meant that table-toppers Dempo, who have 41 points from 21 matches, are virtually assured of the title. East Bengal lose to Al Ittihad
Kolkata giants East Bengal lost 1-2 to Syrian powerhouse Al Ittihad and suffered their fifth straight defeat in the AFC Cup, in Aleppo, Syria. 'Ribery and Govou innocent at this stage'
Franck Ribery and Sidney Govou must be presumed innocent at this stage after being heard as witnesses by police investigating a prostitution network, the French Football Federation (FFF) said on Tuesday. Ribery fit to start against ambitious Lyon
Bayern Munich's talismanic playmaker Franck Ribery is fit to start in the Champions League semi-final against Olympique Lyon on Wednesday after skipping training because of muscular problems. Chelsea's Essien set to miss rest of season
Chelsea's Ghana midfielder Michael Essien could miss the rest of the season as he struggles to recover from a knee injury sustained at the African Nations Cup in January, the London club said on Tuesday. Inter Milan sink Barca in first-leg semi-final
Inter Milan produced a rip-roaring home performance to overpower Barcelona 3-1 and leave the holders in real trouble after an awe-inspiring Champions League first-leg semi-final on Tuesday. Soccer match-fixing trial hots up in Italy
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti was unable to be heard as a witness at Serie A's match-fixing trial on Tuesday but that did not stop a significant development in a saga worrying Inter Milan fans. EPL: Liverpool stroll past West Ham
Liverpool enjoyed a leisurely 3-0 stroll past a lifeless West Ham United at Anfield on Monday, ideal preparation before their marathon journey to Spain for this week's Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid. I-League: Sporting Clube appeal player bookings
Sporting Clube de Goa on Monday appealed to the match commissioner to reconsider the red card given by referee P Bhaskar to defender Samananda Singh and yellow card to Junior Obagbemiro in their I-League match against Churchill Brothers on Saturday. Serie A : Vucinic brace sinks Lazio
Mirko Vucinic was the toast of half the Eternal City on Sunday after his double sent AS Roma back to the top of Serie A with a 2-1 comeback win over rivals Lazio. La Liga: Higuain reignites Real's title hopes
Real Madrid made the most of Barcelona's slip-up to close to within one point of the La Liga leaders on Sunday with a 2-0 win over third-placed Valencia at the Bernabeu. Spurs floor Chelsea, answer Man U prayers
A fast and fluid Tottenham Hotspur floored Premier League leaders Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday in a lively London derby to give a massive boost for Manchester United's hopes of retaining the title. Barcelona take bus for Inter Milan semi-final
Barcelona will travel by bus to play Inter Milan in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, the European Cup holders said on Sunday. The La Liga leaders will travel in two buses the 634 kilometres to Cannes on Sunday and stay overnight before covering the last 351 kilometres to Milan on Monday, the club said on their website. I-League: Junior guides Sporting to victory
Junior Obagbemiro struck twice as Sporting Clube de Goa ended Churchill Brothers' hopes of retaining the title with a 2-1 victory in an I-League match at Nehru stadium on Saturday. I-League: Barreto double sinks Air India
Jose Barreto sparkled with a double strike to help Mohun Bagan blank Air India 4-0 and snap six-match winless streak in the I-League at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday. EPL: Late Scholes goal saves United
Manchester United stayed in the Premier League title chase by the skin of their teeth on Saturday thanks to a last-gasp goal from Paul Scholes that condemned bitter rivals Manchester City to a 1-0 defeat. I-League: Dempo beat Chirag to stay on top
With this win, Dempo, who head the table with 41 points from 21 matches, are now four points clear of second-placed Mahindra United. Chirag United have 31 points from 21 matches. Liverpool up for sale, new chairman appointed
Premier League club Liverpool went up for sale Friday after American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett appointed Barclays Capital to find a buyer. Man dies in scuffle for football WC tickets in SA
South African police used pepper spray to stop scuffles on Thursday and a pensioner died in a queue as thousands of fans rushed to buy 500,000 World Cup tickets being sold over the counter for the first time. Dutch league: Ajax register 2-0 win over Tilburg
Ajax closed the gap with Dutch league leaders Twente Enschede to one point after Luis Suarez and Marko Pantelic earned them a 2-0 win at struggling Willem II Tilburg on Wednesday. Late Mbia goal sends Marseille five points clear
Stephane Mbia struck two minutes from time to give Olympique Marseille a 1-0 win at lowly Sochaux which sent them five points clear at the top of Ligue 1 on Wednesday. La Liga: Barca thrash Depor 3-0, extend lead
Barcelona took another step towards retaining their La Liga title when goals from Bojan Krkic, Pedro and Yaya Toure fired them to a 3-0 home win over Deportivo Coruna on Wednesday. Spurs crush Arsenal's title hopes with derby win
Tottenham Hotspur dealt a potentially fatal blow to north London rivals Arsenal's Premier League title hopes with a 2-1 win at White Hart Lane on Wednesday. Russia's Usmanov not ruling out Arsenal bid
Red & White Holdings, the investment vehicle of Russian steel magnate Alisher Usmanov, has left the door ajar for a takeover of Premier League soccer club Arsenal, saying it will keep all options open. In a statement on Tuesday, Red & White, which currently holds a 26 percent stake in the north London-based club, said it remains a "committed long-term investor". Chhetri disappoints on debut for Kansas
Indian striker Sunil Chhetri made a disappointing debut for Kansas City Wizards as he failed to score and was also shown a yellow card for a reckless tackle in his side's 1-2 loss to Colorado Rapids in the US Open Cup qualifier in Kansas City. Two goals from Wells Thompson were enough for the Colorado Rapids to advance to the next play-in stage of the Cup and eliminate the Wizards from the competition on Tuesday night. World Cup tickets to sell at supermarkets
South African fans will be able to snap up half a million unsold World Cup tickets in cash after FIFA agreed on Wednesday to drop a ruling that they could only be bought online or through a ballot procedure. The final phase of sales for the month-long tournament beginning in June will see ticket selling points in shopping malls in the nine host cities plus a network of popular supermarkets. Eto'o puts Inter into Italian Cup final
Inter Milan kept alive their dreams of landing a treble after they stormed into the Italian Cup final with a 2-0 aggregate win over Fiorentina on Tuesday. Samuel Eto'o fired home a second half goal to give Inter a 1-0 second leg win at Fiorentina to make sure they stayed in the hunt for the Cup, Serie A and Champions League trophies. Anelka heads Chelsea closer to title
Chelsea closed on the Premier League title when a first-half header from Nicolas Anelka secured a gritty 1-0 win over a fiercely resilient Bolton Wanderers side on Tuesday. Mexico-Portugal WC warm-up scrapped over hotel row
Mexico's World Cup warm-up against Portugal scheduled for May 30 has been cancelled due to a row between the two countries over accommodation at the finals in South Africa, the Mexican federation has said. Pass-master Xavi hitting his stride for World Cup
Good news for Barcelona and Spain, bad news for all their rivals. Xavi says he is in the best form of his life. The diminutive playmaker put in a match-winning performance against Real Madrid on Saturday, setting up both Barcelona goals in a 2-0 victory at the Bernabeu that put the champions top and made them favourites to retain their league title. Uruguayan teenager eyes debut at World Cup
Making an international debut at a World Cup is a rare occurrence that could happen to Uruguayan teenager Sebastian Coates in South Africa in June. Coates has a good chance of being included in coach Oscar Washington Tabarez's squad for the finals after being on the bench against Costa Rica in the two-leg qualifying playoff -- when he almost came on. 'Rich past can help Uruguay in World Cup'
Uruguay's 2010 World Cup coach Oscar Washington Tabarez is adamant his team, representing a small country of 3.5 million people, would not dwell on that past when they head to South Africa for the June 11-July 11 finals. Arsenal could be target of takeover bid
One of Arsenal's biggest shareholders decided to sell her stake in the Premier League club on Monday raising the possibility of a takeover bid for the north London side. Adebayor quits international football
Manchester City and Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor has announced his retirement from international football. Difficult to finish fourth now: Benitez
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez reckons that Liverpool's Champions League dream is now in ruins after Sunday's draw against Fulham. Only machine gun can halt Messi: Stoichkov
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is in such magical form that opposition defences would need a machine gun to stop him, said former European Footballer of the Year Hristo Stoichkov. Messi's remarkable season continued when he set Barcelona on their way to a 2-0 win at Real Madrid in Spain's Clasico on Saturday, four days after the Argentine's brilliant four-goal Champions League haul against Arsenal. Barclays to oversee sale of Liverpool FC - source
The US owners of Premier British League Football team Liverpool are looking to sell the club and have appointed Barclays Capital to find a buyer, a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday. American businessmen Tom Hicks and George Gillett are facing a demand to repay 100 million pounds ($153 million) of the club's 237 million pounds debt to its lenders, Royal Bank of Scotland and US bank Wachovia, in July. Panathinaikos land first Greek title in six years
Panathinaikos won the Greek title for the first time in six years by beating Iraklis 2-0 on Sunday. Serie A: Roma sink Atalanta, claim top spot
AS Roma took a big step forward in their drive for a surprise Serie A title on Sunday when they beat relegation-threatened visitors Atalanta 2-1 to take the top spot from champions Inter Milan. Mallorca beat Valencia to stay in Europe hunt
Surprise package Real Mallorca stayed in the hunt for a spot in next season's Champions League when they won 3-2 at home to Valencia on Sunday to draw level on 51 points with fourth-placed Sevilla. Lively Lucho inspires crushing Marseille victory
Playmaker Lucho Gonzalez produced a dazzling display to steer Olympique Marseille to a 4-1 home win over Nice that took the Ligue 1 leaders two points clear on Sunday. Chhetri still awaiting clearance from MLS
Sunil Chhetri did not play in Kansas City Wizards' second Major League Soccer match against Colorado Rapids but the Indian striker is expected to take the field in his side's qualification game for Lamar Hunt US Open Cup against the same opponents on Tuesday. Portsmouth shock Tottenham to reach FA Cup final
Portsmouth will have an FA Cup final to look forward to at the end of a tortuous season after a shock 2-0 semi-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur Sunday. Goalless draw dents United's title hopes
Manchester United suffered a third major blow in eight days on Sunday when a 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers damaged their hopes of claiming a fourth consecutive Premier League title. I League: Churchill beat Shillong Lajong
Churchill Brothers held on gamely to their first half goal when they got the better of fighting Shillong Lajong by a solitary goal win to close the gap at the top in the 20th round of the I-League, played at Nehru stadium, Fatorda, Margao. Inter's top spot exposed by draw at Fiorentina
Serie A top spot is AS Roma's for the taking this weekend after leaders Inter Milan were held to an exciting 2-2 draw at Fiorentina on Saturday. Bayern extend lead despite draw with Leverkusen
Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to two points despite drawing 1-1 at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, keeping their dreams of winning a treble on track. Messi strikes again as Barca win Clasico 2-0
Lionel Messi's exquisite finish set Barcelona on their way to a potentially decisive 2-0 win at Real Madrid on Saturday to lift the champions three points clear of their arch-rivals at the top of La Liga. Holders Chelsea sweep back into FA Cup final
Holders Chelsea beat Aston Villa 3-0 to sweep into the FA Cup final for the third time in four seasons on Saturday and keep alive their dream of a first FA Cup and League double. All three goals came late in the game with Didier Drogba breaking Villa's resistance after 67 minutes before Florent Malouda (89th) and Frank Lampard, deep in stoppage time, gave Chelsea an ultimately comfortable victory. Rooney ruled out of Blackburn clash
Wayne Rooney will miss Manchester United's Premier League game away to Blackburn Rovers on Sunday after re-injuring his ankle in the Champions League quarter-final exit against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Fulham's Cinderella story continues
Fulham, languishing in the lowest division only 13 years ago, marched into the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday to keep their Cinderella story on course for a fairy-tale ending. With Liverpool joining the unheralded Londoners in the last four, along with Hamburg SV and Atletico Madrid, Fulham's lack of European pedigree was clear, but they produced an impressive performance to beat VfL Wolfsburg 1-0 and 3-1 on aggregate. Real, Barca brace for 'Game of the Millennium'
A win for Real Madrid or a draw for Barcelona in Saturday's El Clasico at the Bernabeu could be the deciding act in the La Liga title race this year. Messi doesn't play alone, says Ronaldo
Saturday's 'Clasico' between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be more than a duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the Portuguese forward said on Thursday. Cole, Essien return to boost Chelsea's title hopes
Chelsea's title hopes were boosted on Thursday when they learned that injured defender Ashley Cole was likely to return for the last three games of the season. Europa: Two-goal Torres to face old club Atletico
Fernando Torres will face his former club Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-finals after scoring twice to help Liverpool beat Benfica 4-1 at Anfield on Thursday. I am not going to join Vancouver Whitecaps: Paul
India international goalkeeper Subrata Paul will not be going for trials at Canadian football club Vancouver Whitecaps. Rooney suffers burst blood vessel in ankle
Wayne Rooney re-injured his ankle on Wednesday after making a surprise return as Manchester United were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League by Bayern Munich. Ferguson angry over red card
Bayern Munich manager Louis van Gaal praised Arjen Robben for his stunning goal that took his side into the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday, and left Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson fuming. Robben volley takes Bayern past Manchester Utd
Bayern Munich weathered a fierce Manchester United onslaught on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League on away goals after a 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford. AFC Cup: East Bengal suffer fourth straight defeat
East Bengal slumped to their fourth straight defeat in the AFC Cup after a 1-4 drubbing at the hands of Al Qadsia in their away match in Kuwait City. Sporting Clube edge past JCT
Sporting Clube de Goa kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive when they got the better of JCT by a solitary goal in a 20th round I-League match at the Nehru Stadium, in Margao, Goa, on Wednesday. The home side, which had more of the exchanges and scoring opportunities, scored the all-important goal in the 33rd minute through Bisheshwor Singh. Wenger salutes magical Messi after Barca rout
Barcelona magician Lionel Messi mesmerised Arsenal so much over the two legs of their Champions League quarter-finals they were left chasing shadows, manager Arsene Wenger reflected. Churchill beat Al Hilal, enter knock out stage
Churchill Brothers made it the round of 16 of the AFC Cup when they warded off second half challenge to edge past Al-Hillal by a solitary goal win in group 'B' played at Nehru Stadium, Margao, on Tuesday. Magical Messi fires Barca past Arsenal
Lionel Messi netted a brilliant first-half hat-trick and added a late fourth to fire holders Barcelona past Arsenal into the last four of the Champions League on Tuesday. Newcastle win immediate return to Premier League
Newcastle United gained immediate promotion back to the English Premier League without playing on Monday after Nottingham Forest's failure to beat Cardiff City in the Championship (second division). Champions League: Rooney could play against Bayern
Wayne Rooney could make a surprise return to the Manchester United team to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday, British media reported on Monday. Air India hold Viva Kerala with late goal
A late penalty strike by N D Opara helped hosts Air India hold visitors Viva Kerala 1-1 in a 20th round I-League match at the Cooperage in Mumbai on Monday. Skipper M P Sakeer converted a penalty in the fifth minute to give Viva Kerala an early lead, but Opara's strike in the 82nd minute enabled the hosts equalize. Jeepers keepers! Spain spoilt for choice at WC
Victor Valdes is having another outstanding season for Barcelona and his continued absence from Spain's squad underlines the embarrassment of goalkeeping riches for the European champions. Valdes, who was called up once in August 2005 but did not play, has no chance of ousting Real Madrid's Iker Casillas as Spain's number one and if he makes Vicente del Bosque's World Cup squad will be third choice behind Liverpool's Pepe Reina. 'Goose' has Brazil coach Dunga in a stew
Brazil coach Dunga is coming under increasing pressure to include Santos youngsters Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso in his World Cup squad after the pair's electrifying performances for Santos this season. With Brazil heavily dependent on out-of-form Kaka for creativity, many feel the pair should be given a chance by Dunga after scoring 10 goals apiece in helping Santos top the Paulista championship. Totti still undecided about Italy comeback
Francesco Totti has no shortage of obstacles standing in his way if he wants to come out of international retirement and play for Italy at the World Cup finals. The AS Roma striker quit the national team after their 2006 World Cup triumph but coach Marcello Lippi has consistently said he would consider the 33-year-old for the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa if Totti reverses his decision. CL: Krkic, Walcott could impress in second leg tie
Youngsters Theo Walcott and Bojan Krkic could take centre stage when Arsenal visit Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Nou Camp on Tuesday. Artificial pitch won't worry Inter, feels Mourinho
Coach Jose Mourinho believes playing on an artificial pitch will be like child's play for his Inter Milan team as they look to knock out CSKA Moscow in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday. La Liga: Ronaldo puts Real top ahead of 'Clasico'
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain scored in a 2-0 victory away to Racing Santander on Sunday to ensure Real Madrid hold top spot in La Liga before next weekend's visit of title rivals Barcelona. Liverpool's hopes of fourth spot fading fast
Liverpool's chances of playing in the Champions League next season receded further on Sunday when a 1-1 draw at Birmingham City left them four points adrift of fourth spot in the Premier League. Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool the lead two minutes into the second half but they were pegged back nine minutes later when Liam Ridgewell headed the home side level and visiting fans were left exasperated after Spain striker Fernando Torres was substituted. Injured Ibrahimovic out of Arsenal game
Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruled out for the visit of Arsenal in the Champions League next week after picking up a calf injury on Saturday, the club said in a statement. La Liga: Barca sinks Bilbao to reclaim top spot
Barcelona's Bojan Krkic scored twice in a 4-1 home win over Athletic Bilbao that put his side three points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday. Chhetri fashions an easy win for Wizards
Indian striker Sunil Chhetri continued to sparkle for Kansas City Wizards, scoring a hat-trick in the Major League Soccer team's 5-0 win over the University of Evansville in a friendly match at St Louis, United States. EPL: Man City turn on style in the Burnley rain
Manchester City crushed Burnley 6-1 at a sodden Turf Moor on Saturday to move into fourth place in the Premier League, while pushing the home side nearer to relegation after a season in the top flight. Serie A: Inter stay on top after Motta double
Thiago Motta scored twice to help suspension-hit Inter Milan keep their noses in front in Serie A with a 3-0 win over Bologna on Saturday. EPL: Chelsea go top after win at Man United
A controversial goal from Didier Drogba helped Chelsea to a crucial 2-1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday and leapfrog the champions at the top of the Premier League table. Man United striker Rooney out for three weeks
Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney will be out for up to three weeks as he recovers from minor ankle ligament damage, the English Premier League champions said on Friday. Glum Mourinho snubs Italian press
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has again cancelled a news conference ahead of Saturday's home game with Bologna after deciding the Italian establishment wants to stop his side winning a fifth straight scudetto. Chelsea caught in bitter bribery row
English Premier League club Chelsea has been caught up in a bitter row over an alleged £seven million bribery scandal for the transfer of ace Brazilian striker Ronaldinho. Europa League: Benfica beat 10-man Liverpool
Benfica's Paraguay forward Oscar Cardozo converted two second-half penalties to help them come from behind and beat 10-man Liverpool 2-1 as the Europa League dished up more drama in the quarter-finals on Thursday. Rooney suffers minor ligament damage
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney suffered "minor ligament damage" to his ankle during Tuesday's Champions League match against Bayern Munich, the Premier League club said on their website on Thursday. First Look: Chhetri scores on debut
Sunil Chhetri scored on debut as Kansas City Wizards thrashed University of Tulsa 5-1 in a friendly match in Missouri, United States. England nervously waits for news on Rooney injury
Wayne Rooney's ankle dominated the sports pages on Wednesday with England and Manchester United supporters waiting anxiously for news from Old Trafford about their talismanic striker. Champions: Two down Arsenal rally to hold Barca
Arsenal clawed back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Barcelona on Wednesday in a rip-roaring Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates. Lajong rally to hold Air India
Shillong Lajong FC rallied to hold Air India to a 1-1 draw in a 19th round I-League clash at the Cooperage in Mumbai on Wednesday. Striker N D Opara converted a penalty in the 19th minute to give Air India an early lead, but Wailadmi Passah's strike in the 83rd minute restored parity for the north-east club. I am unhappy with Italian football: Mourinho
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho again spoke of his dislike for Italian soccer on the eve of his side's Champions League quarter-final first leg against CSKA Moscow. We paid price for poor possession: Ferguson
Manchester United paid the price for failing to control possession in their 2-1 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League but the tie is still open, coach Alex Ferguson said on Tuesday. Drogba handed two-match European suspension
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been handed a two-match European ban after being sent off in the Champions League defeat by Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, UEFA said in a statement on Tuesday. Champions: Late goal helps Bayern beat Man Utd
Bayern Munich striker Ivica Olic struck deep in stoppage time to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory over Manchester United in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday. Olic scored from close range with virtually the last kick of the match to hand United their first away loss in the competition this season. Champions: Lisandro gives Lyon French advantage
Olympique Lyon's Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez scored twice to help his side beat Girondins Bordeaux 3-1 in a lively first leg of the Champions League's first all-French quarter-final on Tuesday. Drogba gets two-game European ban
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been handed a two-match European ban after being sent off in the Champions League defeat by Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, UEFA said in a statement on Tuesday. Drogba was shown a red card after clashing with midfielder Thiago Motta in the last-16 second-leg game on March 16, which Inter won 1-0 to go through 3-1 on aggregate. Maradona has facial surgery after pet dog bite
Argentina's World Cup coach Diego Maradona was bitten on his face by one of his dogs and had surgery at a clinic, local media reported in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Maradona, taken to Los Arcos clinic during the early hours, was not seriously hurt and is expected to return home later in the day, the broadcaster Cronica said. Auxerre play out dull draw at Monaco
Auxerre failed to move top of Ligue 1 when they were held to a goalless draw in a dull game at Monaco on Monday. EPL: Tevez hat-trick helps Man City beat Wigan
Carlos Tevez grabbed a quickfire hat-trick against 10-man Wigan Athletic to give Manchester City a 3-0 victory and boost their bid to finish fourth in the Premier League on Monday. I League: Ekene's brace sinks East Bengal
Ekene Ikenwa scored two goals as hosts Salgaocar defeated East Bengal 4-1 in the 18th round I-League match at the Nehru Stadium in Margao on Monday. Serie A: Milan draw again, Juve win
AC Milan wasted the latest in a series of chances to boost their Serie A title hopes when a depleted side were held 1-1 at home by Lazio on Sunday. La Liga: Real rally to beat Atletico to go top
Real Madrid climbed back above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when goals from former Liverpool pair Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa helped them to a stirring 3-2 comeback win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Eriksson to coach Ivory Coast at World Cup
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been appointed Ivory Coast coach for this year's World Cup finals, the Ivory Coast Federation (FIF) said in a statement on its website (www.fif-ci.com) on Sunday. EPL: Torres helps Liverpool thrash Sunderland 3-0
Fernando Torres scored twice as Liverpool produced one of their best performances of the season to beat Sunderland 3-0 on Sunday and stay well in the hunt for fourth place in the Premier League. Man Utd, Chelsea sparkle; Arsenal held
Frank Lampard hit four goals for Chelsea in a 7-1 demolition of Aston Villa to put the Londoners briefly on top of the English Premier League with 71 points before United responded with a 4-0 win in an evening game at Bolton Wanderers -- Dimitar Berbatov scoring twice for the champions. Chelsea floor Villa with Lampard's four
Frank Lampard passed the 150-goal milestone for Chelsea on Saturday with four goals in a 7-1 hammering of Aston Villa as Carlo Ancelotti's side roared back to the top of the English Premier League. I-League: Ranty guides Dempo to victory
Ranty Martins scored a goal in each half to guide Dempo to 2-1 victory over JCT to remain at the top of the pole position in the 18th round of the I-League, played at the Nehru Stadium in Margao on Saturday. Red Knights rule out imminent Man Utd bid
Wealthy supporters attempting to mount a takeover of English Premier League champions Manchester United ruled out making a bid during the current football season. The Red Knights, a collection of financial figures including former Football League chairman Keith Harris and Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O'Neill, said they would continue to work on their proposal over the next few weeks but do not expect anything to be finalised before the end of the season in May. Chhetri becomes the first Indian to join MLS
Sunil Chhetri on Friday became the first Indian footballer to join the United States Major League Soccer after he signed a formal contract with MLS side Kansas City Wizards at the club headquarters. Fans to vote on man of the match at football WC
Fans from across the globe rather than FIFA officials will determine the man-of-the-match awards at this year's World Cup in South Africa. Injured Carvalho out for four weeks
Chelsea will be without Ricardo Carvalho for at least four weeks after the Portugal defender damaged ankle ligaments in Wednesday's 5-0 win over Portsmouth, the Premier League club said on Thursday. La Liga: Ronaldo brace fires Real back to top
Real Madrid climbed back above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain both netted twice to seal a convincing 4-2 victory at city rivals Getafe on Thursday. Serie A: Napoli down Turin, go level with Juve
Napoli revived their hopes of claming Serie A's final Champions League qualifying slot and dented Juventus's when they heaped more misery on the Turin side with a 3-1 comeback win on Thursday. Bhutia still recovering from hamstring injury
India captain and East Bengal forward Bhaichung Bhutia, recovering from a hamstring injury, will take two more weeks to be match fit, the red-and-gold coach Philippe de Ridder said in Kolkata on Thursday. Bhutia seeks universal contracts for players
National football skipper Bhaichung Bhutia on Thursday called for overhauling the domestic structure of the sport and said that players should be given universal contracts. La Liga: Barca beat Osasuna 2-0, surge to top spot
Barcelona survived without Lionel Messi with late goals by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bojan Krkic to grab a laboured 2-0 win over Osasuna and go top of La Liga on Wednesday. Messi is world's highest paid footballer
Barcelona's ace player Lionel Messi has overtaken David Beckham as the best-paid footballer in the world. Monaco win thriller to reach French Cup last four
Monaco came back from the brink to beat Sochaux 4-3 at home and book their place in the French Cup semi-finals on Wednesday. Robben helps Bayern enter German Cup final
Bayern Munich reached the German Cup final with a 1-0 win at Schalke 04 on Wednesday courtesy of a spectacular Arjen Robben goal in extra time. Serie A: Inter surge four clear as Milan lose
Inter Milan recovered from a sticky patch to go four points clear at the top of Serie A after Samuel Eto'o's superb double set up a 3-0 home win over bottom side Livorno on Wednesday. FA Cup: Spurs rally to beat Fulham, enter semis
Tottenham Hotspur delivered a second-half surge to come from behind and beat Fulham 3-1 at White Hart Lane to book a place in the FA Cup semi-finals on Wednesday. EPL: Chelsea thrash Portsmouth 5-0
The Premier League continued to hurtle towards its closest three-way finish for years on Wednesday as Chelsea thumped Portsmouth 5-0 away to move above Arsenal and back within a point of leaders Manchester United. Odafe brace guides Churchill to victory
Star striker and captain Odafe Onyeka Okolie struck twice, once in each half, to guide I-League champion Churchill Brothers to a 2-1 victory over Al Hilal of Yemen in a crucial AFC Cup match in Sanaa, on Wednesday. Gritty East Bengal lose to Al Qadsia in AFC Cup
East Bengal fought tooth and nail but still could not avert their third consecutive AFC Cup defeat and went down 2-3 to Al Qadsia of Kuwait in their home leg encounter at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (YBK) in Kolkata, on Wednesday. Chhetri set to sign contract with Kansas
India international striker Sunil Chhetri is all set to sign a contract with Major League Soccer side Kansas City Wizards in next couple of days ahead of the MLS season. All India Football Federation sources, who are closely involved with Chhetri's trial for the American side, said the India international will sign a contract before Kansas City play their first MLS match on Saturday. Houghton wants India to bid for 2022 football WC
National coach Bob Houghton on Wednesday said time has come for India to start building world class football stadium and then bid for 2022 World Cup if the country wants to lift the profile of the game, just like United States did after 1994. 'Rooney can lead England to World Cup win'
Wayne Rooney's brilliant form this season could lead England all the way to victory in the World Cup final in July, Franz Beckenbauer said on Wednesday. Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup with West Germany as both a player and coach, said that although Rooney was universally recognized as a "brilliant player" before this season, he has taken his game to new heights. Ronaldinho would be an asset for Brazil: Pele
Ronaldinho's experience could have a calming effect on Brazil's youthful World Cup side if coach Dunga recalled the 30-year-old to the squad, Pele said on Tuesday. Three-times World Cup winner Pele said in an interview that he would pick Ronaldinho, who turned 30 on Sunday and has played at two finals, helping Brazil win their fifth title in 2002. Wolves claim important win at struggling West Ham
Wolverhampton Wanderers moved seven points clear of the Premier League drop zone with a 3-1 win at relegation rivals West Ham United on Tuesday. Van Gaal's admits Bayern face 'weeks of truth'
Bayern Munich can either move closer to three titles or miss out on them completely in the coming "weeks of truth", their coach Louis van Gaal said on Monday. Brazilian Sandro strikes deal with Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur reached an agreement with Internacional on Monday to sign their international defensive midfielder Sandro for next season, the Brazilian club said. Messi destroys Zaragoza with stunning hat-trick
Lionel Messi netted a superb hat-trick for Barcelona in their 4-2 away win at Real Zaragoza to keep them neck-and-neck with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga on Sunday. Chelsea stutter to allow United breathing space
Chelsea blinked first in the race for the Premier League title on Sunday, letting slip two points in a 1-1 draw at Blackburn as champions Manchester United enjoyed a two-point cushion at the top of the table. Schalke denied top spot by Pitroipa's late goal
Schalke 04 were denied top spot in the Bundesliga when they were held 2-2 at Hamburg SV on Sunday after substitute Jonathan Pitroipa scored a late equaliser for the hosts. Serie A: Milan draw with Napoli
Frustrated AC Milan missed the chance to seize top spot in Serie A when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Napoli at the San Siro on Sunday. United beat Liverpool, top table again
Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1 with goals from Wayne Rooney and Park Ji-sung to send the champions back to the top of the Premier League on Sunday. La Liga: Real win after Van der Vaart 'hand ball'
Rafael van der Vaart admitted to handling the ball in the lead up to Real Madrid's opening goal in their 3-1 victory over Sporting Gijon in La Liga on Saturday. Seria A: Inter Milan draw with Palermo
Exhausted Inter Milan risked surrendering their long-held Serie A lead after drawing 1-1 at fourth-placed Palermo on Saturday. Bundesliga: Frankfurt stun Bayern 2-1
Eintracht Frankfurt stunned Bayern Munich with two late goals to beat the Bundesliga leaders 2-1 on Saturday and leave the top spot up for grabs. Ten-man Arsenal beat West Ham and go top
Arsenal went top of the Premier League when they beat West Ham United 2-0 with goals from Denilson and Cesc Fabregas on Saturday despite playing for more than half the match at the Emirates with 10 men. EPL: Tottenham consolidate fourth place
Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to a possible Champions League place after a 2-1 victory at Stoke City kept them clear of the pack in the race for fourth place in the Premier League on Saturday. Barcelona, Arsenal clash in Champions league QF
Title-holders Barcelona will play Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League as they hope to remain on course for a repeat of last year's final against Manchester United. We want Beckham in South Africa, says Capello
England have accepted injured midfielder David Beckham is out of the World Cup but have asked him to join the squad in South Africa anyway, coach Fabio Capello was quoted as saying on Friday. The 34-year-old midfielder tore an Achilles tendon playing for AC Milan on Sunday and Capello said he would need six months to recover, ruling him out of the month-long tournament that starts on June 11. Europa League: Fulham, Liverpool through
Unfashionable Premier League side Fulham knocked favourites Juventus out of the Europa League after an astonishing 4-1 win over the Italians who finished the last 16 second leg game with nine men on Thursday. AFC Cup: East Bengal thrashed by Lebanese club
Federation Cup champions East Bengal suffered their second consecutive defeat in the AFC Cup after going down 0-3 to formidable Lebanese side Al Nejmeh in a lop-sided football match in Beirut. Bordeaux join Lyon in Champions League quarters
Girondins Bordeaux survived a second-half scare to grab a 2-1 win over Olympiakos Piraeus on Wednesday and give France a second team in the Champions League quarter-finals. Champions League: Messi's brace sinks Stuttgart
Lionel Messi's brilliance sent holders Barcelona through to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 4-0 dismantling of VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday. Premier League docks Portsmouth nine points
Portsmouth face almost certain relegation from the English Premier League after being docked nine points on Wednesday for going into administration last month. The debt-laden south-coast club are the first Premier League team to suffer a points penalty for entering administration. They now have just 10 points and are 17 points adrift of the safety zone with just nine games remaining. Shakira to front World Cup concert
The Black Eyed Peas, Shakira and Alicia Keys will be among scores of music stars performing at a concert on the eve of the soccer World Cup in South Africa, organisers said on Wednesday. The concert in South Africa's biggest black township Soweto will be on June 10, a day before the start of the month-long World Cup, which is being hosted for the first time in Africa. Barca's Xavi to miss Stuttgart game with injury
Barcelona midfielder Xavi has damaged a calf muscle in his right leg and will miss the Champions League last-16 second leg at home to VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday, the club said. The Spain international picked up the injury during traing on Tuesday and after tests was ruled out of action for around 15 days. EPL: Villa earn crucial win in battle for fourth
Aston Villa moved into the thick of a four-way battle for fourth place in the Premier League with a 2-1 win at struggling Wigan Athletic on Tuesday. Kuwait FC rally to hold Churchill 2-2
Churchill Brothers let in an injury time goal as they played out a 2-2 draw against defending champions Kuwait Sports Club in a Group 'B' AFC Cup match at the Nehru Stadium in Margao. CL: CSKA Moscow spring Sevilla surprise
CSKA Moscow upset Sevilla 2-1 on Tuesday to send the Russian team into the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 17 years. CL: Mourinho's Inter knocks out Chelsea
Jose Mourinho enjoyed a triumphant return to Stamford Bridge with Inter Milan who secured a 1-0 win at his former side Chelsea on Tuesday that sent the Italians into the Champions League quarter-finals. Showman Mourinho takes sideswipe at Chelsea
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho made a theatrical return to Chelsea on Monday with a masterly performance on the eve of their Champions League showdown. The Portuguese proclaimed his love for his former club at the same time as having a dig at their fortunes since he left nearly three years ago. Beckham undergoes surgery, set to miss World Cup
England's David Beckham is set to miss this year's World Cup despite undergoing successful surgery on his torn Achilles tendon on Monday. The 34-year-old suffered the injury in AC Milan's 1-0 win over Chievo on Sunday and flew to Finland for an operation performed by one of the world's top specialists. Hull sack Brown in desperate survival gamble
Phil Brown, the colourful manager who led Hull City to the top flight of English football for the first time, was relieved of his duties on Monday as the club fights to hang on to their Premier League status. Surgeon's prognosis bleak for Beckham
England's David Beckham is set to miss this year's World Cup in South Africa after his surgeon gave his prognosis over a torn Achilles tendon. Beckham set to miss World Cup with torn Achilles
David Beckham's World Cup hopes hung in the balance after the England midfielder went off with a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon late in AC Milan's 1-0 Serie A win over Chievo on Sunday. EPL: Rooney brace puts Man United back on top
Wayne Rooney scored his 31st and 32nd goals of the season to lead Manchester United to a 3-0 home win over Fulham on Sunday that nosed the champions back ahead in the Premier League title race. I-League: Ekene brace sinks Dempo
Title Aspirant Dempo suffered second defeat in a row as they went down to Salgaocar 2-3 in the 16th round of the I-League, played at Nehru stadium on Sunday. EPL: Rooney keeps United ahead of the pack
Wayne Rooney made sure Manchester United ended the weekend as they began it on Sunday with two goals in a 3-0 home win over Fulham to nose the champions back in front in the Premier League title race. We need to buy top-flight players: Torres
Liverpool need to buy several players in order to challenge for honours next season, striker Fernando Torres said on Saturday. Bordeaux hold Monaco to goalless draw
Coach Laurent Blanc was pleased with Girondins Bordeaux's defensive display as the Ligue 1 leaders drew 0-0 at Monaco on Saturday. Robben brace puts Bayern Munich back on top
Dutchman Arjen Robben scored twice in seven minutes to steer Bayern Munich to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Freiburg as they moved back to the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday. Serie A: Gilardino double boosts Fiorentina
Alberto Gilardino boosted Fiorentina's outside chance of a Europa League qualifying spot by scoring with two headers in a 3-1 comeback win at faltering Napoli in Serie A on Saturday. La Liga: Sevilla held at home by Deportivo
Sevilla were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Deportivo Coruna in La Liga as they failed to trim the gap with third-placed Valencia to one point on Saturday. Drogba goals put Chelsea top
Didier Drogba scored twice to lift Chelsea to a 4-1 victory over West Ham United on Saturday and back to the top of the Premier League while Arsenal shadowed them with a last-gasp victory at Hull City. Drogba named African Footballer of the Year
Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba was named African Footballer of the Year on Thursday, beating Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and Ghana's Michael Essien for the 2009 award. Europa League: Liverpool go down to Lille
Five-times European champions Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat at Lille after a late goal by forward Eden Hazard while Juventus beat underdogs Fulham 3-1 in Europa League last 16 first leg matches on Thursday. Injury-time goal helps Churchill hold Viva Kerala
Substitute Vimal Pariyar's injury-time goal helped reigning champions Churchill Brothers, Goa, escape defeat and hold a spirited Viva Kerala to a 1-1 draw in thier ONGC I-League football match in Kozhikode on Thursday. Lyon dump Real Madrid out of Champions League
Big-spending Real Madrid failed to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals for the sixth straight season when Olympique Lyon dumped the Spaniards out 2-1 on aggregate on Wednesday. Champions League: Rooney double sinks Milan
Wayne Rooney scored twice again as Manchester United cruised into the quarter-finals of the Champions League after a 4-0 win over a feeble AC Milan sent them through 7-2 on aggregate on Wednesday. Being England coach has been a challenge: Capello
England is hungrier than any other country and it would be the toughest challenge of his life to take the side in the football World Cup finals in South Africa in June-July, feels manager Fabio Capello. I-League: Mohun Bagan, Pune FC draw
Edeh Chidi-less Mohun Bagan wasted many opportunities against Pune FC as both teams played out a goal-less draw in their round 15 I-League match at Howrah Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday. AFC Cup: Al Ittihad thrash East Bengal 4-1
Al Ittihad of Syria rode on a double strike by Abdulfatah Alagha and pumped in two goals in the dying minutes to drub East Bengal 4-1 in their Group D AFC Cup opening match at the Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday. Champions League: Bayern sneaks past Fiorentina
Arjen Robben's superb strike sent Bayern Munich through to the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals on Tuesday despite a 3-2 defeat by Fiorentina in a thrilling last 16 second leg. Bendtner's hat-trick sends Arsenal into quarters
A hat-trick from Nicklas Bendtner helped Arsenal to a 5-0 thumping of Porto on Tuesday as they overturned a first-leg deficit with nonchalant ease to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. I am excited to play at Old Trafford: Beckham
AC Milan midfielder David Beckham returns to Old Trafford for the first time in seven years on Wednesday and fully expects to face Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. Liverpool shocked by Wigan
Liverpool's Champions League aspirations suffered a serious blow when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat away to Wigan Athletic on Monday. Leverkusen lose first league game of season
Bayer Leverkusen, unbeaten in their first 24 outings, finally lost their first Bundesliga game of the season when they went down 3-2 defeat to lowly Nuremberg on Sunday. Serie A: Genoa hold Inter to goalless draw
Serie A leaders Inter Milan failed to capitalise on the draw between closest rivals AC Milan and AS Roma when they were held 0-0 by Genoa at the San Siro on Sunday. Everton thrash Hull 5-1 after Arteta double
Everton climbed to eighth in the Premier League as Mikel Arteta continued his rehabilitation with two goals in a 5-1 home thrashing of Hull City Sunday. FA Cup: Chelsea cruise, Villa rally into semis
Holders Chelsea advanced to the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a 2-0 home win over Stoke City while Aston Villa joined them after coming from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at Reading with a John Carew hat-trick on Sunday. I League: Odafe hat-trick sinks Chirag
Riding on a hat-trick by Nigerian striker Odafa Okolie, Churchill Brothers defeated Chirag United 4-2 in their 15th round match of the ONGC I-league football championships at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday. Real Madrid win thriller, go top of La Liga
Rafael van der Vaart scored an injury-time winner as Real Madrid came back to beat Sevilla 3-2 and replace Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Saturday, after the champions were held 2-2 in Almeria. Football rule-makers reject video technology
Soccer will continue to rely on human judgement when it comes to disputed goals after the game's rule-makers flatly rejected the use of video and chip technology now and in the foreseeable future. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) voted against two proposed systems on Saturday, and said it would not risk sacrificing the sport's human element. Nigerian footballer dies during Sudan game
Nigerian footballer Endurance Idahor died after collapsing during a game in Khartoum on Saturday, football association officials said. Idahor, 25, who played for Sudan's Al-Merreikh club, clashed with another player minutes after the start of the match, an official from the Sudan's Football Association told Reuters. Man Utd on top after 100th league goal by Scholes
Manchester United took advantage of Chelsea's inactivity on Saturday to reclaim top spot in the Premier League, the 35-year-old Paul Scholes clinching a 1-0 victory at struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers. The champions, without injured striker Wayne Rooney, laboured at Molineux but Scholes pounced for his 100th league goal after 73 minutes to put United on 63 points, two ahead of Chelsea who are in FA Cup action against Stoke City on Sunday. Portsmouth in FA Cup semi-finals
Portsmouth made light of their financial woes to reach the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Birmingham City on Saturday, Frederic Piquionne scoring twice to give their long-suffering fans something to cheer. In the day's other sixth round tie Fulham, bidding to reach the FA Cup final for the first time since 1975, played out a 0-0 draw with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage. Arsenal beat Burnley 3-1 to go second
Arsenal climbed above Manchester United into second place in the Premier League with a 3-1 home win over Burnley on Saturday. China did it for Ronaldo's sake
China took it easy in this week's 2-0 friendly defeat to Portugal for fear of injuring Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo and ruling him out of the World Cup, according to coach Gao Hongbo. Juergen Klinsmann eyes return to coaching
Juergen Klinsmann said he was looking forward to getting back into coaching and optimistic about the right offer coming along after this year's World Cup. Owen ruled out for rest of season with injury
Manchester United striker Michael Owen will miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, manager Alex Ferguson said on Friday. Ranty's double sinks Mumbai FC
Dempo brushed aside Mumbai Football Club challenge to score a deserving 3-2 win to maintain their top position in the 14th round of the I-League, played at Nehru stadium in Margao on Thursday. Argentina show more bite after Maradona cuts teeth
Wednesday's impressive, albeit unexciting 1-0 friendly win away to Germany showed Argentina coach Diego Maradona's team is at last taking shape. Spain, England and Argentina lifted by wins
World Cup title hopefuls Spain, England and Argentina seized morale-boosting victories in warm-up matches on Wednesday. I-League: Mahindra beat Churchill, move to second
Mohammed Rafi and Murritala Ali scored two goals each to guide Mahindra United to a convincing 4-1 win over defending champion Churchill Brothers in the 14th round of the I-League football tournament played at Nehru Stadium in Margao on Wednesday. Asian Cup: Aus qualify after win over Indonesia
Australia booked a place at the 2011 Asian Cup by beating Indonesia 1-0 with a goal from Mark Milligan in their final Group B qualifier on Wednesday. Robinho on target as Brazil defeat Ireland
Robinho scored one goal and set up the other on his return to England as he led five-times world champions Brazil to a 2-0 win over Ireland in a friendly at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Europe's clubs win financial concessions from UEFA
Europe's top clubs have won concessions from UEFA over the implementation of new rules designed to tighten up football's finances, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on Tuesday. Nakata boots raise $1.5 million for Haiti victims
A pair of football boots belonging to former Japan captain Hidetoshi Nakata has raised almost $1.5 million for Haiti's earthquake disaster relief. Real exceed annual revenues of 400m euros
Real Madrid became the first team in any sport to post revenues in excess of 400 million euros ($540.9 million) in a single year, according to the annual survey of the richest soccer clubs by accountancy firm Deloitte. Owen and Rooney deliver for Manchester United
Wayne Rooney continued his remarkable scoring streak with his 28th goal of the season to seal Manchester United's 2-1 win over Aston Villa in the 50th League Cup final at Wembley Stadium Sunday. Rooney heads winner as United retain Cup
Wayne Rooney continued his remarkable scoring streak with his 28th goal of the season to seal Manchester United's 2-1 win over Aston Villa in the 50th League Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Arsenal's Ramsey sustains double leg fracture
Arsenal's teenage Wales international Aaron Ramsey has had surgery for a double leg break following his horrific injury in Saturday's Premier League match against Stoke City, the club said on Sunday. Shawcross gets England call-up after Ramsey injury
Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross was called into the England squad for the first time on Saturday, hours after he had been sent off for a challenge that left Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey with a serious leg injury. Terry will not captain Eng in my reign: Capello
John Terry will not regain the England captain's armband under Fabio Capello, the Italian was quoted as saying by British media Sunday. Bundesliga: Leverkusen set record but drop points
Leaders Bayer Leverkusen set a Bundesliga record for the longest unbeaten start to the season when they drew 0-0 at home to Cologne on Saturday. La Liga: Barca beat Malaga 2-1, top table
Barcelona restored their two-point lead at the top of La Liga when Lionel Messi finished a slick move to fire the champions to a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Malaga on Saturday. Chelsea lose, Arsenal win on day of high drama
Chelsea lost 4-2 at home to Manchester City and Arsenal closed within three points of the Premier League leaders with a 3-1 win at Stoke City marred by a horrific leg injury to Aaron Ramsey Saturday. City scored a memorable victory at Stamford Bridge where the drama started before kickoff with a first meeting between former Chelsea team mates John Terry and Wayne Bridge since news broke of Terry's alleged affair with Bridge's former girlfriend. Chelsea slump to home defeat against Man City
Manchester City sent Chelsea crashing to a 4-2 defeat to end their 37-match unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge and dent their Premier League title hopes on Saturday. The leaders, beaten at home for the first time in all competitions since November 2008, finished with nine men after having Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack sent off late in the second half. Mourinho's appeal against three-match ban rejected
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho's appeal against a three-match Serie A touchline ban for a controversial handcuffs gesture has been rejected, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said on Friday. Outspoken Mourinho made the gesture during last weekend's home clash against Sampdoria, which the league leaders drew 0-0 despite having defenders Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba sent off in the first half. Control emotion during Pakistan match: Brasa
India coach Jose Brasa has asked his boys to bottle up their emotions when they take on traditional rivals Pakistan in their first match of the hockey World Cup in New Delhi on Sunday. Tevez visits wife after premature delivery
Carlos Tevez flew out of Argentina on Thursday to return to Manchester City after visiting his wife following the premature birth of his second daughter, the sports daily Ole reported. Injured Cech out for a month
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is likely to be sidelined for up to four weeks after injuring his calf in Wednesday's Champions League game at Inter Milan. Shakhtar go out, Liverpool and Juve advance
UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk were knocked out of the Europa League after being held to a 1-1 draw by visitors Fulham in their round of 32 tie Thursday. Former European champions Liverpool and Juventus progressed to the last 16 and Werder Bremen striker Claudio Pizarro scored a hat-trick as his side went through with a 4-1 win over former England manager Steve McLaren's Twente Enschede. Matthews FA Cup final boots fetch £38,400
The boots worn by Stanley Matthews in the 1953 FA Cup final have been sold for 38,400 pounds at auction. The boots were expected to fetch about 8,000 pounds when they went under the hammer at auctioneers Bonhams in Chester but fetched almost five times that amount. Ferdinand to miss England match
Rio Ferdinand will miss England's friendly with Egypt next week because of the back injury that will also keep him out of Sunday's League Cup final against Aston Villa, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said Thursday. Bridge decides not to play with Terry
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge has made himself unavailable for selection by England and will not go to the World Cup finals, he said in a statement on Thursday. His decision comes in the wake of media allegations that John Terry, his former Chelsea team mate who is also in the England squad, had an extra-marital affair with Bridge's former girlfriend. Capello praises 'extraordinary' Rooney
England coach Fabio Capello has rated Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney as one of the three best players in the world, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. South Africa still not ready to host WC: FIFA
FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke has said that South Africa is still not ready to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals, nearly 100 days ahead of the start of the tournament. Serie A: Milan surge to second after Pato winner
Alexandre Pato fired home in injury time to give AC Milan a lucky 2-1 win at Fiorentina on Wednesday to send the Rossoneri up to second in Serie A. Spurs, Villa through to FA Cup quarters
Two goals for Roman Pavlyuchenko and two own goals helped Tottenham Hotspur advance to an FA Cup quarter-final meeting with Fulham after a 4-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers in their fifth-round replay on Wednesday. CL: Sevilla hold CSKA 1-1 in Moscow
Sevilla are favourites to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after holding CSKA Moscow to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their last-16 clash on Wednesday. CL: Inter edge Chelsea 2-1 in thrilling contest
Inter Milan battled to a 2-1 win over an impressive Chelsea to hold a slight advantage after their Champions League last-16 first leg at the San Siro on Wednesday. US strike late to down El Salvador in friendly
The United States needed two late goals, including a stoppage time winner, to beat El Salvador 2-1 in a friendly international on Wednesday. Benfica beat Hertha to reach Europa League last 16
Two goals by Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo helped Benfica to a 4-0 win over Hertha Berlin on Tuesday to clinch a place in the last 16 of the Europa League. Ibrahimovic to the rescue for holders Barcelona
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's second-half equaliser earned holders Barcelona a 1-1 draw at VfB Stuttgart in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday. Bordeaux grab 1-0 victory at Olympiakos
Girondins Bordeaux are on course to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time after Michael Ciani's first-half header earned Laurent Blanc's side a 1-0 victory at Olympiakos Piraeus on Tuesday. Rampant Rooney leads Man United to victory
Two Wayne Rooney headers led Manchester United to a 3-0 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford on Tuesday, taking the champions within a point of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League. Federer lends support to Tiger Woods
Tennis superstar Roger Federer gave his backing to disgraced American golfer Tiger Woods, saying he should now be left alone to repair his marriage. Federer revealed that he has not spoken to Woods since the revelations about his private life, but insists that he remains friends with the American. Inter's Mourinho meets very familiar Chelsea
Chelsea will look extremely familiar to Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho for more reasons than one when the pair meet at the San Siro on Wednesday in their Champions League last 16 first-leg clash. Mourinho won two Premier League titles as manager of the London club while the two sides are very similar in style. Pele defends Maradona over qualification row
Pele defended Diego Maradona on Monday over Argentina's struggle to qualify for the World Cup and laid the blame with officials who appointed him despite little coaching experience. Olympiakos depend on crowd support to down Bordeau
Olympiakos Piraeus winger Jaouad Zairi has told Girondins Bordeaux to expect a red-hot reception from the crowd in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg. Barca wary of counter-attacking Stuttgart
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola believes the Champions League last-16 has been a graveyard round for previous tournament winners, making him doubly wary of Tuesday's first leg at VfB Stuttgart. Villa brace helps Valencia to 2-1 win over Getafe
David Villa struck twice either side of halftime to go top of the La Liga list of leading scorers and fire 10-man Valencia to a 2-1 home win over Getafe on Monday. Eng cannot win World Cup without Rooney: Shearer
England's chances of winning the World Cup in South Africa are 100 percent reliant on striker Wayne Rooney avoiding injury, former captain Alan Shearer said. Brazil's Ronaldo set to hang his boots in 2011
Former Brazil World Cup-winning striker Ronaldo signed a contract extension with Corinthians until the end of 2011 on Monday and announced he would then retire. Ronaldo inspires Real to 6-2 victory
Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Real Madrid to an entertaining 6-2 victory over Villarreal that moved them two points behind leaders Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday. Leverkusen squander chance to go clear at top
Bayer Leverkusen squandered a chance to go two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga on Sunday when they conceded an injury-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Werder Bremen. Spurs and Villa gain ground in battle for fourth
Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa gained ground in the Premier League's increasingly tight battle for fourth place on Sunday as they beat Wigan Athletic and Burnley respectively. Four-star Cacau hands Cologne a mauling
Striker Cacau hit four goals to inspire VfB Stuttgart to a 5-1 Bundesliga victory at Cologne on Saturday while Bayern Munich's 13-match winning run ended with a 1-1 draw at Nuremberg. Serie A: Nine-man Inter register incredible draw
Inter Milan had both centre backs sent off in the first half but the ultra-tough Serie A leaders still battled to a 0-0 home draw with Sampdoria on Saturday. La Liga: Barca thrash Racing 4-0
Thierry Henry was on target as Barcelona cruised to a 4-0 home win over Racing Santander on Saturday to move five points clear at the top of La Liga. Chelsea, Arsenal win; Man United stumble
Chelsea took advantage of Manchester United's slip-up at Everton when they won 2-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday to go four points clear of the champions at the top of the Premier League. Robinho scores twice as Santos win at home
Robinho scored twice as Santos beat Bragantino 6-3 on Thursday in his first home match since returning on loan from Manchester City. Liverpool scrape through against Unirea Urziceni
David Ngog saved Liverpool the blushes as they beat Unirea Urziceni of Romania 1-0 to register their first win at the Europa League campaign on Thursday. Wolves fined for playing weakened team
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been given a suspended £5,000 fine by the Premier League for fielding a weakened team against Manchester United in December, the Midlands club said on Thursday. Vieira charged with violent conduct
Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira was charged with violent conduct by the English FA on Wednesday for a challenge on Stoke City's Glenn Whelan that went unpunished during Tuesday's Premier League match. 'FIFA president's reign should be only 8 years'
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) head Mohamed Bin Hammam will propose that the president of soccer's world governing body FIFA should have a maximum reign of eight years. AFC Challenge Cup: Turkmenistan hold North Korea
North Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Turkmenistan in their opening group game of the AFC Challenge Cup in Colombo on Wednesday. Champions League: Controversial goal sinks Arsenal
A controversial Radamel Falcao effort gave Porto a 2-1 win over Arsenal in their Champions League last-16 first leg but the English side will take heart from Sol Campbell's away goal on his return to the tournament after four years. Bayern snatch late win over defiant Fiorentina
Substitute Miroslav Klose headed an 89th minute goal to give Bayern Munich a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in their Champions League last 16 first leg tie on Wednesday, their 13th straight victory in all competitions. India go down to Kyrgyzstan in AFC Challenge Cup
Holders India paid the price for their defending lapse, goalkeeping error and profligacy by their strikers as they went down 1-2 to a 10-man Kyrgyzstan in their opening match of the AFC Challenge Cup football tournament in Colombo on Wednesday. Hiddink to take over as Turkey coach
Guus Hiddink has agreed to coach the Turkish national team from August 1, the Turkish Football Federation said in a statement on Wednesday. Injured Fellaini ruled out for six months
Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini is likely to be out for six months because of an ankle injury, Everton manager David Moyes said on Tuesday. I'll be pleased with a 1-0 win: Fiorentina coach
Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli has played down the absence of Romanian forward Adrian Mutu, whose suspension for a doping offence has coincided with the team's recent slump. Wenger not concerned by Arsenal's long injury list
Arsenal's long injury list for their Champions League last 16 first leg match at Porto does not worry manager Arsene Wenger, he said on Tuesday. Late Sporting goal gives Everton narrow advantage
Defender Sylvain Distin scored for Everton then conceded a late penalty and was sent off as the Premier League side beat Sporting 2-1 in the first leg of the first knockout round of the Europa League on Tuesday. EPL: Late equaliser puts Man City fourth
Gareth Barry scored five minutes from time to give Manchester City a 1-1 draw at Stoke City on Tuesday and lift Roberto Mancini's men above Liverpool into fourth place in the Premier League. City moved on to 45 points from 25 matches, one ahead of Liverpool who have played one game more. Rooney headers take Man United past Milan
Two Wayne Rooney headers midway through the second half gave Manchester United a slightly fortunate 3-2 win at AC Milan in their pulsating Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday. Seven-times champions Milan, who had never lost to United at home or over two legs, were quickly ahead when Ronaldinho's volley deflected in off Michael Carrick following a free kick from former United midfielder David Beckham. Olympique Lyon sink Real Madrid in first leg
A spectacular goal by Jean Makoun gave Olympique Lyon a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday, handing the Spaniards their first away defeat in this season's competition. Lyon picked up their third successive home win over Real in the Champions League after the Cameroon midfielder drove a stunning 25-metre shot into the top corner of the net in the 47th minute. Fiorentina face Bayern challenge
Bayern Munich and Fiorentina, two teams moving in opposite directions, clash in the Champions League on Wednesday with the Bavarians firm favourites to progress to the last eight. Porto offer stern test for confident Arsenal
Arsenal are brimming with confidence after beating Liverpool but they will have to show consistency to overcome in-form Porto in the Champions League last 16. AC Milan have advantage of experience: Ferguson
Experience will be AC Milan's biggest weapon against Manchester United in Tuesday's Champions League clash and David Beckham has it in abundance, Alex Ferguson said on Monday. Swine flu outbreak threatens at World Cup
South Africa faces a possible health crisis if a swine flu outbreak strikes during the soccer World Cup this year, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told parliament on Monday. Euro 2016 candidates hand over bids
France, Turkey and Italy, the three candidates to stage the 2016 European championship, formally handed over their bids on Monday in a ceremony at UEFA headquarters. FA Cup: Aston Villa draw with Crystal Palace
Aston Villa skipper Stilian Petrov headed an equaliser three minutes from time to force a 2-2 draw at Championship side Crystal Palace in an outstanding FA Cup fifth round tie Sunday. Barca taste season's first defeat, Deportivo lose
Barcelona were handed their first defeat of the season by Atletico Madrid after a 2-1 loss on Sunday. Indian squad leaves for AFC Challenge Cup
A 22-member India Under-23 football squad left the country on Sunday to defend their title in the AFC Challenge Cup to be held in Colombo from February 16-27. Bencherifa set to coach Salgaocar
Moroccan Karim Bencherifa, who parted ways as Mohun Bagan coach recently, will take charge at Salgaocar SC on February 17, club secretary Raj Gomes said. I could return to Old Trafford: Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Manchester United for Real Madrid for a world record 80.0 million pounds transfer fee last year has hinted he could return to Old Trafford in the future. Twente log last gasp win
Twente Enschede struck twice in the last eight minutes to win 2-1 at Vitesse Arnhem on Saturday and join Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven on 58 points. Ronaldo strikes twice in Real win at Xerez
Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice on his return from suspension as Real Madrid crushed bottom side Xerez 3-0 away in La Liga on Saturday and trimmed Barcelona's lead at the top to two points. Chelsea march into FA Cup quarter-finals
Holders Chelsea eased into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 4-1 home victory over Championship (second division) side Cardiff City on Saturday while Portsmouth won by the same score at local rivals Southampton. After a season of shocks, the upsets dried up in the fifth round as Birmingham City came from behind to win 2-1 at Championship side Derby County with a last-minute goal by Liam Ridgewell while Manchester City and Stoke City drew 1-1. FA Cup: Holders Chelsea enter quarters
Holders Chelsea eased into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a straightforward 4-1 home victory over Championship (second division) promotion challengers Cardiff City on Saturday. Huntelaar double helps Milan beat Udinese
AC Milan warmed up for next week's Champions League clash against Manchester United with a patchy 3-2 home win over Udinese in Serie A on Friday. Hiddink says will not extend Russia contract
Guus Hiddink will step down as the national coach of Russia when his contract expires on June 30, the Dutchman said in his column in De Telegraaf newspaper on Saturday. Chelsea defender Cole out for three months
Chelsea's England defender Ashley Cole is expected to be sidelined for about three months after fracturing his left ankle in Wednesday's defeat at Everton, the London club said on their website. Atletico beat Racing to enter King's Cup final
Atletico Madrid set up a King's Cup final against Sevilla when they went through 6-3 on aggregate despite conceding two late goals to lose 3-2 at Racing Santander in their semi-final second leg on Thursday. Chelsea give captain Terry time off
Chelsea have given under-fire captain John Terry several days off and he will miss Saturday's FA Cup fifth round tie against Championship (second division) side Cardiff City at Stamford Bridge. Roy still in talks with Liverpool: report
Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy is still interested in buying a majority stake in Liverpool and discussions are taking place, although they are at an early stage, according to reports published on Wednesday. Drug-tainted Mutu banned for Champions League tie
UEFA has deemed Fiorentina's Adrian Mutu ineligible for next week's Champions League match against Bayern Munich after he was banned by Italian authorities for failing a doping test. Chelsea's lead cut to one point after defeat
Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to one point on Wednesday when they lost 2-1 at Everton with Louis Saha continuing his scoring jinx over them. Second-placed Manchester United drew 1-1 at Aston Villa while Arsenal stayed in the hunt after beating Liverpool 1-0. EPL: Adebayor, Tevez on target as City sink Bolton
Manchester City made ground in the battle for fourth place in the Premier League on Tuesday but looked a long way from Champions League material as they struggled to an forgettable 2-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers. Man U's Ferdinand drops appeal against FA ban
New England captain Rio Ferdinand has withdrawn his appeal against a one-match ban handed down after what the FA termed a 'frivolous' appeal against a violent conduct charge, Manchester United said on Tuesday. Ronaldinho ignored for Ireland friendly
Ronaldinho's hopes of a place in Brazil's World Cup squad faded on Tuesday when he was not picked by coach Dunga for their last warm-up against Ireland in London next month. Reliance denies bidding for Liverpool
A Reliance Industries spokesman denied reports that its chairman Mukesh Ambani is bidding for a 51 per cent stake in Liverpool football club. Mukesh Ambani bidding for Liverpool football club?
Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, and Subroto Roy, chairman of Sahara Group, are reportedly bidding for a 51 per cent stake in Liverpool football club -- one of the most successful clubs in the history of English football. Robinho nets winner in new Santos debut
Robinho marked his return to Santos with a brilliant back-heeled winner in their 2-1 away win over Sao Paulo in the Paulista championship on Sunday. Drogba's brace puts Chelsea back on top
Chelsea moved to the top of the English Premier League after beating Arsenal, two points ahead of Manchester United. Chelsea back to top after beating Arsenal
First-half goals from Didier Drogba earned Chelsea a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, securing them a return to the top of the Premier League, two points ahead of Manchester United. Big guns get comfortable Euro 2010 draw
Spain, who won Euro 2008 with a series of superb performances culminating in their victory over Germany in the final, are ranked number one in the world and were grouped with Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania and Liechtenstein. Juve continue Serie A slump, draw at Livorno
Juventus continued their awful run with a 1-1 Serie A draw at modest Livorno on Saturday, leaving the famous Turin club three points adrift of the fourth Champions League qualifying spot. French league: Leaders Bordeaux lose 4-2 at Rennes
Girondins Bordeaux saw their lead at the top of Ligue 1 cut to three points after going down 4-2 at Stade Rennes on Saturday. La Liga: Nine-man Barca down Getafe
Leaders Barcelona survived red cards for Gerard Pique and Rafael Marquez to complete a 2-1 victory over Getafe in La Liga on Saturday while Real Madrid kept pace with a 3-0 win at home to Espanyol. Bayern win to pull level with leaders Leverkusen
Bayern Munich continued their winning run on Saturday by beating fading champions VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 to draw level on points with Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga. Churchill go down to Al Wahda in ACL play-off
Churchill Brothers missed out a berth in the AFC Champions League as they lost to United Arab Emirates giants Al Wahda 5-2 in the final play-off match in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Rooney on target again as Man United go top
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was on target again to help the hosts crush bottom club Portsmouth 5-0 and return to the top of the Premier League on Saturday. Liverpool overcame the dismissal of Sotiros Kyrgiakos to beat Everton 1-0 in a fierce Merseyside derby at Anfield to move into the top four for the first time since October. Terry must play against Arsenal: Ancelotti
Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti said he never considered leaving out John Terry for Sunday's big game against Arsenal because of his off-the-field problems. All tickets sold for World Cup SF, final: FIFA
Tickets for the World Cup semi-finals and final, as well as two of England's first round matches in South Africa, have sold out, FIFA said on Friday. FIFA said there were no more tickets for England's matches against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12 and Slovenia in Port Elizabeth on June 23. Henry handball referee chosen for World Cup
Swede Martin Hansson, who was at the centre of France's controversial World Cup qualification, was named Friday among the 30 referees for the finals in South Africa in June. Ferdinand gets England captaincy
John Terry's sacking as England skipper Friday opened the door for a significant turnaround in fortune for Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand who will take over the captain's armband. Terry stripped of England captaincy
John Terry has been stripped of England captaincy after a 12-minute showdown with the coach Fabio Capello CAS lifts Chelsea transfer ban
The transfer ban imposed on Chelsea by FIFA has been lifted after the Premier League club reached an agreement with French club Racing Lens over Gael Kakuta, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Thursday. Deco to quit international football post World Cup
Portugal midfielder Deco has decided to retire from international football after the World Cup finals in South Africa. King's Cup: Forlan puts Atletico on brink of final
Diego Forlan scored twice from the penalty spot to help Atletico Madrid to a 4-0 first-leg victory at home to Racing Santander in a King's Cup semi-final on Thursday. Dutch league: Feyenoord beat RKC 1-0
Jon Dahl Tomasson's second-half goal earned Feyenoord a 1-0 away win at bottom side RKC Waalwijk in the Dutch league on Thursday. No IPL-style league possible in football: Houghton
National football coach Bob Houghton on Thursday virtually ruled out any IPL-style football event in India, saying such a concept is not possible because of the exorbitant money involved in buying an international player. Argentine boy dies after gunmen shoot at fans
A 14-year-old soccer fan died on Thursday after being shot along with two men when their bus was attacked on the way back from a match in Buenos Aires, local media reported on Thursday. Bencherifa, Mohun Bagan part ways
Mohun Bagan's Moroccan coach Karim Bencherifa stepped down on Thursday following the club's ongoing poor performance in the I-League this season. Former Mohun Bagan midfielder Satyajit Chatterjee was named the team's coach for the remainder of the season. Hong Kong-based Chainrai takes over Portsmouth
Hong Kong businessman Balram Chainrai has become Portsmouth's fourth owner in less than a year and will soon look to sell on to a fifth, the troubled Premier League club said on Thursday. King's Cup semis: Fabiano puts Sevilla in control
Luis Fabiano's looping header and a Mario Alvarez own goal gave Sevilla a 2-0 win over Getafe in their King's Cup semi-final first-leg on Wednesday. FA Cup: Defoe hat-trick sinks Leeds
A hat-trick by Jermain Defoe sent Tottenham Hotspur into the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday as the Premier League side beat League One Leeds 3-1 away in a pulsating fourth-round replay. Leeds, going well in the third tier of English football, had knocked out Manchester United at Old Trafford in the previous round and snatched a 2-2 White Hart Lane draw in the original game. Viva Kerala halt Mumbai FC's unbeaten run
A spirited Viva Kerala ended Mumbai FC's 10-match unbeaten run with a narrow 1-0 victory over the hosts in a round 13 I-League match in Mumbai on Wednesday. K P Anish scored the all-important goal in the 43rd minute to help the visitors register their first away victory of the season. Shillong Lajong win Manchester United Premier Cup
Shillong Lajong beat JCT 3-2 via the sudden death to win the Nike-Manchester United Premier Cup (under-15) India-leg football final at the Duler ground, Mapuca, in Panaji on Wednesday. Portuguese Cup: Porto book semis berth
Holders Porto thrashed Sporting 5-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup on Tuesday. FA Cup: Notts County stun Wigan
Notts County produced an FA Cup replay shock with a 2-0 win at Premier League Wigan Athletic on Tuesday to earn a place in the fifth round. Leaders Chelsea held to draw by battling Hull
English Premier League leaders Chelsea could only draw 1-1 at relegation-threatened Hull City on Tuesday as they squandered the chance to move four points clear of Manchester United in the title race. Didier Drogba's free kick shortly before halftime cancelled out Hull's opener scored by Steven Mouyokolo but Chelsea could not force the winner after the break despite late pressure. India climb up to 130th place in FIFA rankings
India gained four places to jump to 130th in the FIFA rankings issued on Wednesday. Chettri scores twice as Dempo down Bagan
Sunil Chettri scored a splendid brace as Dempo Sports Club registered a 3-1 victory over Mohun Bagan in a round 13 I-League match at the Nehru stadium in Fatorda, Goa, on Tuesday. Mahindra United, MSSA out of U-15 Premier Cup
Mahindra United were knocked out of the Nike-Manchester United Premier Cup (under-15) India-leg football finals after they went down to Sikkim FC 0-2 in their final Group 'A' match at the Duler ground, Mapuca, in Panaji on Tuesday. MP offers to help Bhutia set up football academy
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said his government had offered Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia to set up his academy in the state. Capello to decide on Terry's future as captain
England manager Fabio Capello will decide whether John Terry remains captain following widespread newspaper allegations about the player's private life, the Italian's FA bosses said on Monday. The Chelsea defender has been the subject of intense media speculation for three days after an interim injunction he brought against a newspaper was lifted by a High Court judge last week. EPL in new transfer spending low
English Premier League clubs' transfer spending dropped to a seven-year low in the January window compared to a record high last year, as financial woes weighed on the market, according to business advisory firm Deloitte. English clubs' spending was around 30 million pounds in the January transfer market, as much as for Italian Serie A clubs, compared to 170 million pounds last year, Deloitte said in a report after the deadline closed Monday. Bhutia seeks land for football academy
India's football captain Baichung Bhutia is looking for 20 to 30 acres of land to start a football academy in any state. Benitez fully committed to Liverpool
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez reiterated his commitment to the English Premier League club on Sunday after media reports in Italy linked him with a move to Juventus. Man United turn on style, Roma stay hot
Champions Manchester United delivered a superb display to win 3-1 at title rivals Arsenal in the English Premier League on Sunday. AS Roma moved level on points with stuttering AC Milan in second spot in Italy's Serie A after a 2-1 win over bottom side Siena. Egypt win third successive African Nations Cup
Substitute Mohamed Nagui scored five minutes from time to hand Egypt an unprecedented third successive African Nations Cup title after a 1-0 victory over Ghana on Sunday. It was a far from impressive performance from the Egyptians but a rare attack near the end of the match gave Nagui his fifth goal of the tournament and snatched a record seventh African championship for his country.