Most Recent

Los Angeles FC striker Olivier Giroud's home was burglarized, police say
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 18 - 8:38 p.m. | Save Story
Los Angeles FC striker Olivier Giroud's home was the target of a burglary earlier this month. Los Angeles police say they responded Feb. 5 in the afternoon to a report of a window smash at a home in west LA. The caller reported an upstairs bedroom window broken and their home burglarized. LAFC spokesperson Seth Burton declined to comment on behalf of Giroud and the organization beyond confirming the burglary report. The 38-year-old French soccer star moved to Los Angeles last year after signing with LAFC in May.

Neymar is among the players protesting the use of artificial turf pitches in Brazil
Mauricio Savarese, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 18 - 7:42 p.m. | Save Story
Neymar, Memphis Depay and Thiago Silva are among the leading Brazilian footballers protesting against using artificial turf for league matches instead of natural grass. They all campaigned online Tuesday about the fear of increased injury risk on the artificial surfaces. Some clubs in Brazil's top divisions are using artificial turf to allow for multiple uses for stadiums while minimizing damage to the playing surfaces.

Feyenoord knocks AC Milan out of Champions League and Bayern advances on late Davies goal
The Associated Press | Updated Feb. 18 - 4:38 p.m. | Save Story
AC Milan was to left rue Theo Hernandez's sending off for diving as Feyenoord progressed to the Champions League last 16 at the former European champion's expense with a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their playoff. Hernandez earned his second yellow card for a dive in the 51st minute when Milan was dominating after forward Santiago Giménez's first-minute goal. Feyenoord had won the first leg 1-0. Julián Carranza scored for Feyenoord in the 73rd. It gave the Dutch team a 2-1 win on aggregate. Bayern Munich, Club Brugge and Benfica also won their playoffs on Tuesday, eliminating Celtic, Europa League winner Atalanta, and French team Monaco respectively.

Monaco's Takumi Minamino becomes top Japanese scorer in Champions League
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 18 - 4:35 p.m. | Save Story
moving him one ahead of both Shinji Kagawa and Daizen Maeda as the Japanese player with the most goals in Europe's elite club competition (group stage onwards) according to UEFA.

Alphonso Davies shows Bayern some love after sending team into last 16 in Champions League
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 18 - 4:13 p.m. | Save Story
Alphonso Davies has finally shown Bayern Munich some love after his goal sent the Bavarian powerhouse through to the last 16 of the Champions League. The Canada wing back bundled the ball over the line in the fourth minute of stoppage time for 1-1 draw with Celtic, sparing Bayern the ordeal of extra time in the second leg of the playoff. Bayern won the first leg 2-1 in Glasgow, and so progressed 3-2 on aggregate. Davies only recently committed his future to Bayern by signing a new contract. He kissed the Bayern crest on his jersey and then pointed to it after he scored the goal.

Rising star Chemsdine Talbi impresses again for Club Brugge in Champions League
The Associated Press | Updated Feb. 18 - 3:36 p.m. | Save Story
Chemsdine Talbi has impressed again. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder for Club Brugge has scored twice in the second leg of the Champions League playoff against Atalanta. That's after his man-of-the-match performance that helped Club Brugge to a 2-1 win over Atalanta in the first leg. Brugge won 5-2 on aggregate and reached the last 16 of the tournament at the expense of the Europa League holders. Atalanta captain Rafael Toloi lost his temper in the closing stages and was shown a red card after angrily chasing down and bumping into Maxim De Cuyper.

Ill-stricken Carranza avoids extra time at Milan by scoring goal to send Feyenoord to last 16
Daniella Matar, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 18 - 3:22 p.m. | Save Story
Feyenoord forward Julián Carranza is recovering from illness and knew that even after coming on as a late substitute he would struggle to play extra time against AC Milan. And he managed to avoid that by scoring the goal that sent his team through to the Champions League last 16. Carranza's 73rd minute header secured a 1-1 draw at 10-man Milan and saw Feyenoord advance 2-1 on aggregate. He says he still feels "really sick," and "just needed to score (so) there was no extra time." Feyenoord could be making a swift return to San Siro as it will play either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the round of 16.

Giménez continues scoring streak in Champions League but this time against team he just left
Daniella Matar, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 18 - 1:02 p.m. | Save Story
Former Feyenoord forward Santiago Giménez has continued his scoring streak in the Champions League this season. But this time against the Dutch club. However, Giménez's early goal for AC Milan was to count for little in the end as teammate Theo Hernandez was sent off in the second half and Feyenoord went on to level the match and advance to the last 16, 2-1 on aggregate. Giménez moved to Milan from Feyenoord last month in a 30 million euro transfer. He scored for the Rossoneri after just 40 seconds of the second leg of their Champions League knockout playoff. It was Giménez's sixth goal in seven Champions League matches.

Ancelotti downplays Guardiola's suggestion Man City has 1% chance of eliminating Madrid in playoffs
Tales Azzoni, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 18 - 12:51 p.m. | Save Story
Coach Carlo Ancelotti is not buying Manchester City rival Pep Guardiola's suggestion that his own side has only a 1% chance of eliminating Real Madrid in the Champions League playoffs on Wednesday. Madrid rallied late to beat City 3-2 in the first leg last week in England to seize control ahead of its home match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Guardiola said after City's 4-0 win over Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday that his team had a "1%" chance of going through to the round of 16. But Ancelotti said Guardiola "doesn't really think that." Guardiola later said he lied a bit when he talked about the 1%. He said he knows City's chances are higher.

Billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's first year at Man United has not gone to plan
James Robson, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 18 - 5:55 a.m. | Save Story
It's been a year since one of Britain's richest men bought into its most famous soccer team and vowed to bring the good times back. So far, it hasn't gone to plan for Manchester United or Jim Ratcliffe. The record 20-time English champion is languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League, losing vast sums of money every year and facing fan unrest. Even head coach Ruben Amorim said recently that this might be the worst team in the club's storied history.

Italian soccer club Parma hires Cristian Chivu as coach for relegation battle in Serie A
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 18 - 4:09 a.m. | Save Story
Relegation-threatened Parma has hired Cristian Chivu as coach with the team 18th in the 20-team Serie A. Parma announced the appointment in a statement that did not specify contract details. According to reports Chivu's deal runs until the end of next season. The former Romania defender had been working as a youth coach at Inter Milan. He will lead the team for the first time when it hosts Bologna on Saturday. Parma lost four straight games before firing Fabio Pecchia on Monday.

Without Ronaldo, Al-Nassr draws 0-0 at Persepolis in last AFC Champions League group game
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 17 - 3:54 p.m. | Save Story
After leaving Cristiano Ronaldo at home, Al-Nassr drew 0-0 away against Iranian club Persepolis in the last round of the AFC Champions League Elite group stage. The Saudi Arabian team had already secured a place in the round of 16 of the continental competition and coach Stefano Pioli took a weakened team to Tehran. Al-Nassr finished third in the West group behind fellow Saudi Arabian clubs Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal. The top eight advance from each of the two 12-team groups, divided into eastern and western geographic zones.

Barcelona returns to top of La Liga with 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 17 - 3:28 p.m. | Save Story
Barcelona returned to the top of the Spanish league on goal difference after Robert Lewandowski's first-half penalty secured a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano. The Catalan club took advantage of weekend slip-ups by Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid to move onto 51 points, the same as Madrid and a point clear of Atlético. Madrid drew 1-1 at Osasuna on Saturday and Atletico was held by the same score at home by Celta Vigo.

Late goals give Genoa 2-0 win over struggling Venezia in Serie A
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 17 - 2:58 p.m. | Save Story
Venezia's winless run ticked up to eight games after the team conceded two goals in the last eight minutes to lose 2-0 to Genoa in Serie A. Venezia last win came against Cagliari on Dec. 22 and it remains in 19th place, two points above last-place Monza and four behind Parma.

Hertha Berlin fires another coach but can't so easily get rid of its troubles
CiarÁn Fahey, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 17 - 11:21 a.m. | Save Story
Hertha Berlin is hoping yet another coaching change will solve the team's ever-recurring problems. After four straight defeats in Germany's second division, Hertha has fired Cristian Fiél and replaced him with former Hannover coach Stefan Leitl. It's the 11th coaching change since Pál Dárdai led Hertha to Bundesliga mediocrity in 2019. Ambition amid a huge spending splurge funded by investor Lars Windhorst prompted the club to try the likes of Jürgen Klinsmann and Felix Magath. But Hertha struggled with relegation battles and financial problems. Hertha was demoted in 2023 and languishes in 14th place in the 18-team second division.

Villarreal condemns attack on 2 fans with disabilities after Spanish league game against
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 17 - 10:00 a.m. | Save Story
Spanish soccer club Villarreal condemns the physical assaults on two fans with disabilities after a Spanish league match this weekend. Villarreal says the two fans were taken to the hospital with various injuries, including a contusion and a jaw fracture. The incident occurred outside its stadium following the game Saturday with Valencia, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Villarreal says one of the fans plays for the club's squad for players with intellectual disabilities. The club says it is cooperating with the police and would use all means at its disposal to identify the aggressors.

Harry Kane misses Bayern training with facial injury a day ahead of Celtic game
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 17 - 9:48 a.m. | Save Story
Harry Kane has sat out Bayern Munich's training because of a facial injury, a day ahead of the team's Champions League match against Celtic. Kane needed treatment on his face toward the end of Bayern's 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, though he was able to finish the game. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany says it's "nothing serious" and "we'll see early tomorrow how he feels." Bayern hosts Celtic on Tuesday in the second leg of their Champions League playoff. Kane scored to help the team win the first leg 2-1 in Glasgow last week.

Sports on TV for Tuesday, Feb. 18
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 17 - 8:10 a.m. | Save Story
(All times Eastern)

Fans injured after person falls from stand during Eintracht Frankfurt game
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 17 - 5:55 a.m. | Save Story
A person fell from a stand onto fans in the stand below during Eintracht Frankfurt's Bundesliga game against Holstein Kiel on Sunday. Frankfurt spokesman Bartosz Niedzwiedzki says "Two people were seriously injured, two more had minor injuries. We hope everyone involved will recover quickly and completely." Frankfurt won the match 3-1 to consolidate third place in the Bundesliga.

Shaw performs Black Power salute after goal for Man City Women following racist abuse
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 17 - 3:32 a.m. | Save Story
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw has bowed her head and raised a gloved fist after scoring a goal on her first start for Manchester City Women since pulling out of the team because of racist abuse directed at her on social media. The Jamaica international performed the Black Power salute during City's 4-0 win over Liverpool in the Women's Super League on Sunday. Shaw was targeted by online abuse after a league game against Arsenal on Feb. 2. Shaw says it was "definitely good to get back on the scoresheet after a difficult couple of days."

Neymar scores his first goal since returning to Santos in Brazil
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 16 - 6:58 p.m. | Save Story
Neymar has scored his first goal for Santos since returning to Brazil. Finding the net from the spot in a Sao Paulo state championship match will provide the 33-year-old forward some relief after a tough restart in Brazil. He scored in the 14th minute of Santos' 3-1 win over Sao Paulo-based Água Santa. Thaciano and Guilherme, with an assist by Neymar, netted the other two for Santos. Neymar left Saudi club Al-Hilal earlier this month to rejoin Santos.

Spanish league match briefly interrupted because of racist chants
Tales Azzoni, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 16 - 4:26 p.m. | Save Story
Athletic Bilbao's game at Espanyol in the Spanish league was briefly interrupted because of fans' racist chants. The referee activated the anti-racism protocol and stopped Sunday's match in Barcelona about 20 minutes into the first half. Athletic forward Iñaki Williams denounced the chants after the match, saying they were targeted at his teammate Maroan Sannadi. Williams has previously been subjected to racist chants at Espanyol. The interruption on Sunday lasted about three minutes and a message was broadcast to fans reminding them about punishment under the law for such chants. The game ended 1-1.

Inter misses chance to go top of Serie A after losing at Juventus in Derby d'Italia
Daniella Matar, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 16 - 4:01 p.m. | Save Story
Defending champion Inter Milan has missed its chance to move top of Serie A after losing 1-0 at Juventus, which boosted its hopes of a top-four finish. Francisco Conceição scored the only goal in the 74th minute of a high-tempo Derby d'Italia, or Italy's derby as matches between the two fierce rivals have come to be known. Inter remained two points behind league leader Napoli, which was held to a 2-2 draw at Lazio on Saturday. Juventus is fourth. Teenager Assane Diao could very well prove to be Como's savior. The 19-year-old scored again to set relegation-threatened Como on its way to a 2-0 win at Fiorentina.

Lyon's attack looks sharp under new coach Fonseca. Nice beats Le Havre to reclaim third spot
Jerome Pugmire, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 16 - 3:30 p.m. | Save Story
After 10 goals in three games new coach Paulo Fonseca's pledge to bring attacking soccer back to Lyon is holding firm. The 4-1 win at Montpellier in Ligue 1 on Sunday saw four different Lyon players on target for the second straight game. Georges Mikautadze, Ernest Nuamah, Corentin Tolisso and Alexandre Lacazette scored this time. Lyon stayed sixth after Lille won 2-0 at Rennes to keep fifth spot. It was a poignant moment for Nabil Bentaleb after he scored Lille's first goal. He started training again last month after suffering a cardiorespiratory arrest in June last year. Nice won 3-1 at Le Havre to take back third from Monaco. Strasbourg beat Lens 2-0.

No Marmoush, no problem: Frankfurt beats Kiel 3-1 to consolidate 3rd place in Bundesliga
CiarÁn Fahey, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 16 - 2:04 p.m. | Save Story
Eintracht Frankfurt has snapped its run of three draws and consolidated third place in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 win over relegation-threatened Holstein Kiel. Hugo Ekitiké saw a penalty saved and had a late goal ruled out for offside. But others stepped up to score the goals that showed Frankfurt can live without Egypt forward Omar Marmoush. Hoffenheim came from behind to win 3-1 at Werder Bremen in the early game. Mainz beat Heidenheim 2-0 in the late game.

Man United boss Ruben Amorim says 'my job is so hard' after latest loss
James Robson, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 16 - 1:46 p.m. | Save Story
Ruben Amorim has opened up on "a lot of problems" at Manchester United but says he's not worried about himself after his troubled team lost again. United lost 1-0 to Tottenham on Sunday to leave the 20-time champion 15th in the Premier League. It was the ninth defeat for Amorim since he took over in November. Amorim said "my job is so hard" while vowing to keep going. He has endured a torrid start to his United career with his team just three places above the relegation zone. The last time United lost 12 of its first 25 games in a league season was in the 1973-74 campaign when it was relegated from the top flight.

Liverpool continues Premier League title charge and Man United's season keeps getting worse
James Robson, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 16 - 1:08 p.m. | Save Story
Liverpool has continued its charge toward the Premier League title with a 2-1 win against Wolverhampton. For Manchester United, it just keeps getting worse after a 1-0 loss at Tottenham. The fortunes of England's two most successful teams could hardly be more contrasting. Victory for Liverpool on Sunday saw it restore its seven-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the table and move ever closer to equaling United's record haul of 20 league crowns. United lost for the 12th time in the league this season and is 15th after James Maddison's first-half strike for Spurs. It is turning out to be another miserable campaign for the club that dominated English soccer under former manager Alex Ferguson.

Man United forward Amad Diallo likely to miss the rest of season with ankle injury
James Robson, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 16 - 9:39 a.m. | Save Story
Manchester United forward Amad Diallo has sustained an ankle injury that is likely to rule him out for the rest of the season. Diallo picked up the injury during training this week. Diallo has been one of United's best players in a troubled season for the 20-time Premier League champion. He has scored nine goals including a late winner against Manchester City in December and an equalizer in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool in January. His injury leaves United coach Ruben Amorim short of attacking options after Marcus Rashford and Antony were loaned out in the January transfer window.

US midfielder James Sands suffers serious ankle injury, broken calf bone playing for St. Pauli
The Associated Press | Updated Feb. 16 - 7:30 a.m. | Save Story
United States defensive midfielder James Sands faces a lengthy layoff with a serious right ankle injury and broken calf bone sustained while playing for St. Pauli. Sands had to be helped off the field in stoppage time of the team's 1-0 Bundesliga loss at home to Freiburg on Saturday. The club says he suffered "a complex ankle injury with a torn medial ligament as well as a broken fibula" and that "he will be out for an indefinite period." Sands had made his fifth consecutive start for St. Pauli in his seventh appearance since joining on loan from New York City FC in January.

St. Pauli grapples with stadium hymn because of lyric-writer's alleged Nazi links
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 16 - 5:19 a.m. | Save Story
Bundesliga club St. Pauli is grappling with whether to continue playing its traditional stadium hymn following recent allegations of the lyric-writer's links to Nazis. Lyrics to the song, "Das Herz von St. Pauli," or the Heart of St. Pauli, were written by Josef Ollig, whose previously unknown war-time activities were documented in a podcast by the St. Pauli Museum. St. Pauli opted not to play the song before its Bundesliga match against Freiburg on Saturday, a decision that has caused division among fans. The club says it will conduct more research into the song before a final decision is taken on whether to resume playing it.

10-man Real Madrid draws at Osasuna after Bellingham red card for cursing at the ref
Joseph Wilson, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 15 - 3:23 p.m. | Save Story
Jude Bellingham has been sent off for cursing the referee and 10-man Real Madrid has failed to hold its lead against Osasuna in a 1-1 draw in La Liga. Kylian Mbappé put Madrid ahead in the 15th minute. Bellingham was red-carded using an expletive while protesting the refereeing five minutes before halftime. Ante Budimir converted the 58th-minute equalizer after a penalty by Eduardo Camavinga. The draw in Pamplona puts Madrid's league lead in jeopardy. Next up for Madrid is a home game against Manchester City on Wednesday when it will try to make good on its 3-2 win in their first meeting of the Champions League knockout rounds playoff.

New signing Gouiri inspires Marseille's big win but PSG stays 10 points clear
Jerome Pugmire, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 15 - 3:11 p.m. | Save Story
Amine Gouiri is proving to be an inspired signing by Marseille. The livewire forward has scored two superb goals and played a part in the other three as second-placed Marseille routed Saint-Etienne 5-1 in Ligue 1. Gouiri also has three assists in the three games he's played since joining from Rennes. The win was spectacular but changed nothing at the top with unbeaten Paris Saint-Germain maintaining its 10-point lead with a 1-0 win at Toulouse thanks to a Fabián Ruiz goal. Marseille's other goals came from Mason Greenwood, Amir Murillo and Adrien Rabiot. Elsewhere, Mika Biereth grabbed another hat trick as third-placed Monaco crushed Nantes 7-1.

Atalanta's hopes of silverware fading after more disappointment and Napoli held again
Daniella Matar, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 15 - 3:03 p.m. | Save Story
Atalanta is losing hope of silverware match by match. It followed up Wednesday's controversial defeat at Club Brugge in the Champions League with a goalless draw at home to relegation-threatened Cagliari in Serie A. Third-placed Atalanta remains five points behind Napoli after the league leader was held to a third straight draw, this time 2-2 at fourth-placed Lazio. That means Inter Milan can move top of Serie A with a win at bitter rival Juventus on Sunday. Atalanta has won just one of its past six matches in all competitions and hosts Brugge on Tuesday in the return leg of the knockout playoff round. Santiago Giménez scored again as AC Milan beat Hellas Verona 1-0.

Real Madrid's Bellingham shown red card after using English expletive to protest referee
The Associated Press | Updated Feb. 15 - 2:46 p.m. | Save Story
Jude Bellingham has been sent off with a direct red card in Real Madrid's 1-1 draw at Osasuna after he used explicit language while protesting the refereeing. Referee José Luis Munuera marched the England midfielder in the 40th minute of Saturday's Spanish league game. Coach Carlo Ancelotti defended his player and claimed that Munuera had made a translation error of Bellingham's use of an English expletive."Bellingham didn't do anything that deserved a sending off," Ancelotti said. "He said '(expletive) off,' not '(expletive) you. I don't think that was meant to be offensive." Bellingham said that his use of the expletive was not meant to target the referee.

American forward Daryl Dike returns from second torn Achilles, plays first match in over a year
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 15 - 2:33 p.m. | Save Story
American forward Daryl Dike returned from his second torn Achilles tendon, playing his first match in just over a year when he entered for West Bromwich Albion in a 1-1 draw at Millwall in England's second-tier League Championship. Dike tore his left Achilles against Ipswich on Feb. 10, 2024, just five games after returning from a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Dike ruptured right Achilles tendon against Stoke on April 15, 2023, and returned on Jan. 7, 2024, when he played the first half in an FA Cup match against Aldershot.

Leverkusen's Alonso admits 'mixed feelings' after a tactical clinic with no goals against Bayern
James Ellingworth, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 15 - 2:20 p.m. | Save Story
Xabi Alonso sank to his knees, leaned back and put both hands over his face when his Bayer Leverkusen side failed to score again. Leverkusen had already hit the bar twice when Florian Wirtz skewed a shot just wide of the post in added time against Bayern Munich on Saturday, prompting his coach's display of frustration. Alonso admits even he was surprised how well his team's tactics worked against a Bayern team which was rendered almost toothless. The only problem was, Leverkusen didn't win and its title defense now looks a faint hope.

Bundesliga title beckons for Bayern after holding defending champ Leverkusen scoreless
CiarÁn Fahey, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 15 - 2:04 p.m. | Save Story
Bayer Leverkusen has done everything but score as Bayern Munich held on for a 0-0 draw that keeps it eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. Bayern was pegged back for the whole game but Leverkusen failed to score for the second consecutive game. Center forwards Patrik Schick and Victor Boniface watched from the substitutes' bench on Saturday. Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz went agonizingly close to winning in stoppage time when he shot just wide of the left post after Manuel Neuer saved Amine Adli's effort. Twelve rounds remain.

Merino relieves Arsenal's attacking woes and Marmoush scores hat trick for Man City
Mattias KarÉn, Associated Press | Updated Feb. 15 - 12:38 p.m. | Save Story
Mikel Merino solved Arsenal's attacking problems with two late goals off the bench to secure a 2-0 win at relegation-threatened Leicester in the Premier League. With Arsenal's makeshift front three struggling to create chances, Merino went on in the 69th minute and quickly got on the end of two good crosses to decide the game. Manchester City has found a new scoring threat, too. January signing Omar Marmoush netted a 14-minute hat trick in the first half of a 4-0 win over Newcastle that lifted Pep Guardiola's team into fourth place. They are only three points behind Nottingham Forest, which lost at Fulham 2-1.

Man United forward Amad Diallo says he will be 'out for some time' with ankle injury
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 15 - 12:25 p.m. | Save Story
Manchester United forward Amad Diallo has added to the club's long injury list after saying he is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with ankle ligament damage. British media reported on Saturday that Diallo could miss the rest of the season. The player posted on social media confirming that "I will be out for some time with an injury." The 22-year-old winger has been one of the few bright spots for United this season, scoring six goals in his last 14 appearances in all competitions.

Hat-trick scorer Marmoush and Gonzalez make Man City look like old self again
Mattias KarÉn, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 15 - 11:59 a.m. | Save Story
Manchester City's new signings have Pep Guardiola's team looking like its old self again. Omar Marmoush netted a first-half hat trick in a 4-0 win over Newcastle in the Premier League and Nico Gonzalez provided a level of midfield control that City has lacked since Ballon d'Or winner Rodri went down with a season-ending knee injury. It was the kind of dominant performance that was a mainstay of Guardiola's side as it won four straight league titles before a string of uncharacteristic losses in the autumn. Guardiola says "we remembered what we were, that we have not been this season."

Haaland appears to hurt knee late in Man City's win over Newcastle
The Associated Press | Updated Feb. 15 - 11:19 a.m. | Save Story
Star striker Erling Haaland has been substituted after appearing to hurt his knee late in Manchester City's 4-0 win over Newcastle in the Premier League. Haaland sat down clutching his right knee but was able to walk off the field unassisted in the 87th minute on Saturday. He took a seat on the team bench. He did not appear to receive any immediate medical attention and seemed unaffected when he shook hands with players on the field after the game. Still, the incident raised concerns about the Norway striker's availability for City's Champions League game against Real Madrid on Wednesday. City trails 3-2 from the first leg of the playoff round, with the winner advancing to the round of 16.

Burnley player says he received 'disgusting' racial abuse from opponent
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 15 - 10:58 a.m. | Save Story
A player for English second-division team Burnley says he received "disgusting" racial abuse from an opponent during a league game. Tunisia international Hannibal Mejbri was involved in a heated exchange with Preston's Milutin Osmajic, a Montenegro native, on Saturday. Mejbri reacted with visible dismay before reporting the incident to referee Andrew Kitchen. After the game ended 0-0, Mejbri wrote on X that "nobody should have to experience this disgusting abuse on the pitch." Preston issued a statement saying Osmajic "strongly refuted the claims of a comment made towards Hannibal Mejbri in a post-match meeting with today's match officials."

Seven players in Mexican soccer suspended for a combined 57 years for fixing matches
Carlos Rodriguez, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 15 - 10:31 a.m. | Save Story
Seven players from two clubs in Mexico's third division have been suspended for a combined 57 years for involvement in sports betting and fixing matches. Six of them played for Real Apodaca and the other for Correcaminos UAT. The Mexican Football Association disciplinary commission and the clubs did not revealed the names of the players and did not say which matches were manipulated. According to local media, the Real Apodaca players lost matches on purpose or by two goals or more.

Man City's Ederson sets assist record for goalkeepers in Premier League
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 15 - 8:47 a.m. | Save Story
Manchester City's Ederson has set a Premier League record for goalkeepers by providing his sixth assist in the competition. Ederson's long ball up the pitch set in the 19th minute fell to Omar Marmoush, who calmly lobbed Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka for the opening goal at the Etihad Stadium. Ederson surpassed former Leeds, Tottenham and Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who delivered five assists in the Premier League. It was Ederson's third assist of this season, which according to stats provider Opta is also a Premier League record. Marmoush completed a first-half hat trick for City to put the hosts 3-0 up by the 33rd minute.

Leipzig player misses Bundesliga game after being late for bus
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 15 - 6:05 a.m. | Save Story
Leipzig defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu missed his team's Bundesliga match at Augsburg because he was late for the bus. Leipzig coach Marco Rose told broadcaster DAZN before Friday's 0-0 draw that Bitshiabu was supposed to be in the squad. But the 19-year-old defender failed to show up in time for the team's bus to the airport that morning. Bitshiabu has made 11 league appearances this season for Leipzig. He had good chances of playing in Augsburg with captain Willi Orban suspended for his red card against St. Pauli the week before, and Benjamin Henrichs, Xaver Schlager, Assan Ouedraogo and Antonio Nusa all out with injuries.

Super-sub Mayoral gives Getafe win over Girona in La Liga surprise
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 4:07 p.m. | Save Story
Substitute Borja Mayoral has scored within seconds of taking the field to give Getafe a 2-1 win away at Girona in La Liga. Poor defending allowed Getafe to take the lead in the third minute through Christantus Uche on Friday. Venezuelan Yangel Herrera equalized for Girona early in the second half. He was sent off in the 73rd minute but only after Mayoral put Getafe back in the lead with a poacher's goal. The win lifts Getafe three places into 11th. Girona remains eighth.

Magic Mitoma and Minteh double give Brighton 3-0 win over lackluster Chelsea
The Associated Press | Updated Feb. 14 - 3:54 p.m. | Save Story
Yankuba Minteh has scored twice and Kaoru Mitoma got a superb opener as Brighton demolished Chelsea 3-0 in the Premier League. Japanese striker Mitoma produced a moment of magic to bring down a long ball and fire home the opener after 27 minutes. He then did the hard work in the buildup to Minteh's second 11 minutes later. Minteh put the seal on the victory with a third early in the second half. Chelsea produced little in response and remains in fourth place. Brighton moves up two places into eighth.

Fighting Brest twice comes from behind to salvage draw with Auxerre in Ligue 1
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 3:38 p.m. | Save Story
Brest has come from behind to draw with Auxerre 2-2 in an entertaining match in Ligue 1. Auxerre is winless since November but it took the lead twice through Gaetan Perrin on Friday. Abdoulaye Ndiaye and Ludovic Ajorque fought back to give Brest a deserved share of the points. It is in eighth place on the table. Auxerre has gone 11 games without a win and remains 11th.

Last-minute own goal gives Bologna 3-2 win over Torino in Serie A thriller
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 3:11 p.m. | Save Story
Cristiano Biraghi has scored a last-minute own goal on his first appearance for Torino and given Bologna a 3-2 win in Serie A. A double from Dan Ndoye looked like giving Torino a share of the points before Biraghi's unfortunate late decider on Friday. Ndoye scored in the 20th and 70th minutes, either side of goals from Nikola Vlasic and Eljif Elmas. The result means Bologna is unbeaten in all competitions in a 10-game run dating to Dec. 30. It climbs one spot into seventh. Torino remains in 11th.

Another draw undermines Leipzig's Champions League qualifying hopes
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 2:46 p.m. | Save Story
Leipzig has missed a chance to boost it hopes of a Champions League place next season after a dreary 0-0 draw at Augsburg in the Bundesliga. Neither side was able to get a grip on the game and clear-cut chances were few on Friday. Augsburg will be happier with the point in a battling display. It remains 12th, while Leipzig stays fourth.

Ex-South Korea forward Hwang issued suspended jail sentence for sex tapes
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 11:23 a.m. | Save Story
Former South Korea international Hwang Ui-jo has been handed a one-year suspended prison sentence for filming sexual encounters with a woman without her consent. Hwang was dropped from the national team in September 2023 after being charged with secretly filming two women on four occasions in 2022. The 32-year-old forward who played for South Korea at the 2022 World Cup and scored 19 goals in 62 appearances, was acquitted in the case of one woman and found guilty in the other. Seoul Central District Court accepted Hwang's remorse for his actions but said on Friday a strict punishment was called for.

Xabi Alonso and Leverkusen want to prove they're here to stay despite Bayern's 'dominance'
James Ellingworth, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 9:22 a.m. | Save Story
How do you follow up an historic upset? That's the question facing Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen as they seek to prove they belong among European soccer's top teams after ending Bayern Munich's 11-year reign in the German league last season. Leverkusen has kept together almost all of the key players who won the Bundesliga unbeaten last year, lifted the German Cup and nearly the Europa League trophy too. Still, it faces constant questions over how long key figures like Alonso and Florian Wirtz will stay.

US midfielder James Sands hopes St. Pauli move can help him earn a World Cup ticket
CiarÁn Fahey, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 8:20 a.m. | Save Story
United States defensive midfielder James Sands is hoping a mid-season switch to Bundesliga side St. Pauli can help him earn a ticket to the World Cup next year. The 24-year-old Sands joined St. Pauli on loan from New York City FC in January. He has made six league appearances for his new team, and has played the full 90 minutes in his last three games, suggesting he has already become a key player for coach Alexander Blessin. Sands has already made 13 appearances for the U.S., though he hasn't played for the national team since July 2023 and he's keen to get involved again.

Bayern Munich ties star player Jamal Musiala to contract until 2030
The Associated Press | Updated Feb. 14 - 8:02 a.m. | Save Story
Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala has extended his contract with the club through June 2030. The Bavarian powerhouse says the 21-year-old Musiala signed a new deal to extend the one he had that was expiring at the end of next season. Bayern president Herbert Hainer says "People go to the stadium for players like Jamal Musiala. He's a truly exceptional player." Musiala joined the club as a youth from English side Chelsea in 2019. Musiala's extension follows recently announced new deals for teammates Alphonso Davies and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Ancelotti 'not concerned' about reports of Saudi Arabia tempting Vinicius away from Real Madrid
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 7:21 a.m. | Save Story
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says he is not worried that Vinícius Júnior could be lured away by a bigger paycheck to play in Saudi Arabia. The Spanish and foreign sports media have spent weeks speculating that the 24-year-old Brazil international is the target of at least one Saudi Arabian club. Ancelotti tells reporters that he is "not concerned" because he believes the Brazil forward is "happy" at Madrid. Vinícius' current deal with Madrid runs through June 2027.

Deschamps sees Zidane as a 'natural' candidate to take over as France coach
Jerome Pugmire, Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 6:33 a.m. | Save Story
France coach Didier Deschamps sees Zinedine Zidane as a "natural" candidate to take over when he steps down from the national team. Deschamps announced last month that he will stop after the 2026 World Cup, bringing an end to a successful reign which began in 2012 and saw France win the 2018 World Cup and reach the 2022 final. Speculation has been high for several years that Zidane would take over eventually. Many see the former midfield great as the people's choice and Deschamps does not disagree. He says in an interview with sports daily L'Équipe that Zidane is a natural and an expected" candidate. Zidane won three Champions League titles as Real Madrid coach.

Man City defender Manuel Akanji out for 8-10 weeks after needing surgery on muscle injury
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 5:56 a.m. | Save Story
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says defender Manuel Akanji could be out for up to 10 weeks after needing an operation on a muscle injury. Akanji sustained the injury in the first half of the 3-2 loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday. Guardiola says Akanji will have surgery on Saturday and will miss eight-to-10 weeks.

Morning after scoring historic goal, 16-year-old Michael Noonan heads back to school
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 5:34 a.m. | Save Story
Sixteen-year-old Michael Noonan didn't have much time to celebrate his historic goal for Shamrock Rovers. The Irish teenager had school in the morning. Noonan's second-half goal Thursday night gave the Hoops a 1-0 victory over Norwegian club Molde in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League playoff. At 16 years, 197 days, he became the youngest-ever scorer in the competition. But after a flight back to Dublin, he packed his bag for classes Friday morning. His mother, Sandie Noonan posted on X: "And back to school he goes..." with a picture of the teenager headed off to class.

'Accident waiting to happen': Arteta bemoans heavy schedule amid Arsenal injury crisis
The Associated Press | Posted Feb. 14 - 5:22 a.m. | Save Story
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes the accumulation of long-term injuries experienced by some clubs is an "accident waiting to happen" because of the increased demands on players in a busy soccer calendar. Arteta said he felt a "big pain in the tummy" after seeing Kai Havertz pick up a serious hamstring injury that will rule the Germany forward out for the rest of the season. More games have been added to competitions like the Champions League and Club World Cup in recent years. Arteta says it's no surprise to see injury rates soar at Arsenal because of the extra load on his players and the increase in intensity in modern-day soccer.
