Barcelona returned to winning ways in La Liga with a 3-0 thumping of Malaga, while Atletico Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 4-2 on Sunday.
The Catalan giants dropped to third in the table after Atleti and Real Madrid won ahead of their Camp Nou fixture, but reclaimed their place at the summit with a thoroughly convincing performance on Sunday.
After consecutive league draws against Atleti and Levante – the first time Barca had gone two league games without winning since May 2011 – Gerardo Martino s side dominated the first half and took the lead through Gerard Pique in the 40th minute, his second goal in as many matches.
Barca would have led by more if it were not for the brilliance of Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero, but goals from Pedro and Alexis Sanchez in the fir…
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has dropped criminal charges brought against former chief constable Norman Bettison for his statements in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster.
The decision was made due to insufficient evidence and confirmed at a hearing at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday.
Bettison, who at the time was an officer with South Yorkshire Police, was charged last year with four offences of misconduct in public office.
The 62-year-old was alleged to have told lies about the culpability of fans in the 1989 tragedy, which saw 96 Liverpool supporters killed in a crush during their team s abandoned FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
CPS director of legal services Sue Hemming said: The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under contin…
Birmingham City have joined the race to sign versatile Japanese international defender Yuto Nagatomo, a report said on Friday.
The speedy 23-year-old left-back has impressed for a Japan side that has stormed to the final 16 of the World Cup for the first time on foreign soil.
Despite offers from several European clubs, the diminutive FC Tokyo defender has long dreamed of playing in the English Premier League, the Sports Nippon newspaper said.
Italian sides Cesena and Bologna, Spain s Real Mallorca and German club Borussia Dortmund have expressed an interest in the player, the report said.
The Nikkan Sports newspaper said FC Tokyo will hold an emergency meeting next week to discuss Nagatomo s possible transfer to Europe.
Although he can play acros…
Giuseppe Rossi is hoping to return from his knee injury in time to play for Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia final against Napoli next month.
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zo Montella s side have been without the striker since he suffered ligament damage to his right knee in a Serie A clash with Livorno in January.
Rossi s career has been hampered by knee problems, as he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in 2011 during his time at Villarreal and only returned to action last May almost four months after his move to Fiorentina.
The Italy international, who scored 14 Serie A goals in 18 appearances before his latest injury, has spent time in the United States as part of his rehabilitation process, and is hopeful of making a return in time for the final on May 2.
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Paul Pogba is ready for an emotional reunion with Juventus in the Champions League.
Manchester United host the Serie A champions on Tuesday, meaning Pogba will face the club he left in a then-world-record deal in 2016.
Pogba began his career at United but initially failed to break through at Old Trafford before rejoining the club after four trophy-laden seasons with Juve.
And the France star, who has been linked with a return to Juve amid speculation over his relationship with United boss Jose Mourinho, has revealed he is settled in Manchester.
I d spoken to my brother about it, Pogba said in a UEFA interview. And we said: Can you imagine what it d be like if we re drawn in the same group as Juventus? That s the way it s panned out and it s really sp…
Bernardo Silva provided a withering response to Liverpool fans goading him on social media, calling them pathetic and urging those involved to spend their time better by getting a partner .
Silva was an unused substitute as Manchester City s 2019-20 season came to an abrupt end on Saturday, when they suffered a shock 3-1 defeat to Lyon in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Having finished 18 points adrift of Premier League champions Liverpool, elimination by Lyon compounded a generally disappointing season for City.
Silva initially addressed the frustrating nature of the 2019-20 campaign in an earlier social post, apologising to City fans.
And to all Liverpool fans that have nothing else to do than to come to a Man City player account, I’m also sorry …
A court jailed 11 hooligans Friday over what the judge called the worst destruction Manchester has seen since the Blitz , when Rangers fans caused mayhem at the 2008 UEFA Cup final.
Thousands of Gers supporters went on the rampage in the centre of Manchester, northwest England, and fought running battles with police during more than five hours of trouble surrounding the showpiece European final.
Two police officers, in separate incidents, were surrounded, knocked to the ground and kicked amid the violence.
Russian side Zenit St Petersburg beat Scottish giants Rangers 2-0 in the May 2008 event.
However, trouble started earlier in the city centre when a giant television screen failed.
At Manchester Crown Court, judge Andrew Blake jailed 11 of the 1…
John Terry admits his failure to reach 100 England caps is the one of the biggest regrets of his career.
The Chelsea captain retired in 2012 after the FA pursued charges against him despite being cleared in court of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in a Premier League game with QPR.
Terry has since watched England skipper Wayne Rooney join England s hundred club and says not reaching three figures is something that eats away at him.
I loved it up until a certain point when everything went on, he told ex-international team-mate Jamie Carragher in an interview with the Daily Mail.
It disappointed me, more than anything. I look back on my 78 caps and I am unbelievably proud. I was captain for two spells. It is the biggest honour you can have in footb…
Philippe Coutinho is special to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and the club must keep him, according to former midfielder Gary McAllister.
The Liverpool star, who captained Brazil for the first time in their 4-0 win over Australia on Tuesday, has been linked with a close-season move to Barcelona.
But McAllister is confident Coutinho wants to stay at Anfield and feels his special bond with Klopp will help ensure the attacking midfielder stays.
He is a fantastic player, McAllister, who worked as a coach under Brendan Rodgers in 2015 before taking up an ambassadorial role, said to Omnisport.
I was very fortunate in that short period I worked with Brendan to work with Phillippe.
It was just a pleasure to train with him and watch him train every…
Manchester United produced arguably their finest display of Erik ten Hag s reign as they beat Tottenham 2-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
The Red Devils were disappointing and often toothless against Newcastle United at the weekend, but Antonio Conte s Spurs were dominated from start to finish.
United tallied 19 shots in the first half alone, which was more than they managed in any previous league game under Ten Hag – although it was still goalless at the break.
That changed within 16 seconds of the restart as Fred s deflected strike found its way in, and Bruno Fernandes gorgeous finish 21 minutes later wrapped up an impressively comfortable win.
United s first-half superiority began with Antony s speculative long-range effort almost catching Hugo Llori…