Leicester City coach Claudio Ranieri said on Tuesday that he believed at Christmas his team would win the Premier League, even as he continued to tell the media his only goal was avoiding relegation. "Now I can say it, I always knew we'd win," Ranieri told Italian daily Il Fatto Quotidiano the day after Leicester's triumph. He said he had always denied any championship ambitions until almost the end of the season because "that's the way I am made, I have always preferred doing things rather than talking about them". Asked to pinpoint when he really became convinced Leicester could win, he said: "It was at Christmas. Relegation had been avoided and we gathered together to talk in the changing rooms and we said to each other, 'Let's go for it, we've got nothing to lose'." Ranieri played down his own role in the achievement, saying that teamwork was key to the club's success and his players had no shortage of ability.
IMAGES from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
New AC Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic is known for his hot temper and iron will and fans will hope those traits inspire rather than alienate his players as he bids to turn around the fortunes of Italy's fallen giants.
Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, who is also out of contract at the end of next season, told Sky Sports he would address his future after Saturday's final.
Each Round of 16 game was entertaining. Laxmi Negi/Rediff.com picks the games to remember.
Atletico Madrid have temporarily cut players' and coaches' wages by 70% in order to cope with the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but guaranteed a full salary for their other employees, the Spanish club said
Experienced Argentine official Nestor Pitana will referee the World Cup final between France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday, an uncontroversial decision which rewards his authoritative performances in Russia.
British daily The Times splashed "In the hands of God" with the image of Maradona celebrating after beating West Germany in the final of the 1986 World Cup.
"Chelsea Football Club and Antonio Conte have parted company," the London outfit said on their website.
AS Roma missed the chance to put pressure on Serie A leaders Juventus after playing out a frustrating goalless draw with Inter Milan in front of a half empty Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.
Indian-origin British filmmaker Asif Kapadia says he lived with the idea of making a documentary on Diego Maradona for 25 years, since the 1990s when he was a film student and read a book on the legendary footballer.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Having battled to break down one of Europe's meanest defences in the quarter-finals, Real Madrid will have to do it all over again when they face Juventus in their Champions League semi-final.
Sarri unmoved as Chelsea capitulation harms top-four hopes
At 80 million euros, 23-year-old Kepa Arrizabalaga will become the most expensive goalkeeper in football history, ahead of Liverpool's Alisson Becker.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field...
All India Football Federation (AIFF) chief Praful Patel is hopeful of establishing fruitful relations with new FIFA president Gianni Infantino and work towards the development of the game in the country.
A look at some whacky hairstyles of past and present footballers.
Paolo Rossi described his performance at the 1982 World Cup, where he etched his name into football folklore, as 'personal redemption'
In a letter to the 55 federations in UEFA, president Aleksander Ceferin wrote that any league cancelling its season would need to produce a list of teams that have qualified for European club competitions, also by May 25.
Images from football matches played in the Italian Serie A and the La Liga on Friday.
A round-up of Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Some people come to the football stadium to watch the beautiful game while some come to catch a glimpse of the glamorous WAGS (wife and girlfriends) of the footballers. While the Italian players grab the headlines for their on-field showing, at the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, their WAGS also enjoying a spot in the limelight.
The much-travelled Ranieri won the Premier League title with unfancied Leicester City in 2016 and most recently coached French side Nantes.
Albania qualified for Euro 2016, their first ever major tournament, when a 3-0 away win over Armenia clinched second place in Group 'I' above Denmark on Sunday sparking wild celebrations across the country.
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli apologised on Tuesday for his social media post which appeared to contain potentially racist and anti-Semitic references.
This and more from the happenings in the world of football
Atalanta's Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens scored quickfire second-half goals to give them a comfortable 2-0 win over a toothless Liverpool
The injury will also rule him out of the reigning European champions' two Champions League quarter-final legs against last year's runners-up Paris St Germain, scheduled for April 7 and April 13.
Former France striker Louis Saha celebrated his 35th birthday on Thursday by announcing his retirement from professional football.
A round-up of Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi met Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol on Wednesday to discuss the sale of a stake in Serie A football club AC Milan, which he has owned for almost 30 years.
Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo would like Barcelona's Lionel Messi to leave Spain and rekindle their rivalry by joining him in the Italian top flight.
Bastia forward Brandao has been sentenced to one month in prison for headbutting Paris St Germain midfielder Thiago Motta, a French tribunal said on Thursday.
Juventus rehire Allegri.
A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has reportedly accepted a Football Association (FA) charge following his Instagram post which appeared to contain anti-Semitic and racist references.
The league said last week that the deal, called 'Boost La Liga', would strengthen its clubs and give them funds to spend on new infrastructure and modernisation projects as well as increasing how much they could spend on players' salaries.
Paris St Germain completed a domestic treble as they beat Olympique Lyonnais 6-5 on penalties to lift the French League Cup on Friday with the match ending in a 0-0 stalemate after regular and extra time. Second-half substitute Pablo Sarabia scored PSG's final penalty in the shootout after goalkeeper Keylor Navas had saved Bertrand Traore's spot kick to give the Ligue 1 champions and French Cup winners their ninth League Cup trophy.
Roma didn't expect that Salah and Liverpool would stand between them and a place in the Champions League final.
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