Page 107 - Football

Messi scores 700th goal but Barca's La Liga title hope hangs by a thread

Lionel Messi scored his 700th career goal for club and country before Atletico Madrid came back to draw 2-2 in the Spanish league and deal Barcelona's title hopes a major blow. Barcelona's third draw in four rounds left it in second place, one point behind leader Real Madrid. Madrid hosts Getafe on Thursday with a chance to open up a four-point lead with five more matches remaining. Barcelona was two points ahead of Madrid when the league was halted in March because of the coronavirus outbreak. While Madrid has won five of five since the resumption after a three-month stoppage, Barcelona has only won three of six. The pressure is increasing on coach Quique Setin, who took over the team in mid-season with the task of rekindling its attacking spirit. "It is too bad because we keep dropping points and getting further and further away from the title," Setin said on Tuesday. "But we have to keep fighting." Barcelona struck first in the 11th minute on Tuesday when Atltico striker Diego

Serie A: Cristiano Ronaldo's rocket powers Juventus to 3-1 win at Genoa

Juventus still lead the Serie A table with 72 points after Tuesday's games, four points ahead of second-placed Lazio

Premier League: Fernandes nets twice in Man United's 3-0 win at Brighton

Bruno Fernandes scored twice to lead Manchester United to a 3-0 victory over Brighton to maintain its push for Champions League qualification

Covid-19: Peru postpones football restart to August over hygiene protocols

The Liga 1 Apertura tournament - suspended on March 12 - will now restart on August 7, league boss Victor Villavicencio said

Spanish club Valencia fires coach Albert Celades after poor streak

The announcement came a day after a 2-0 loss at Villarreal, the team's third Spanish league defeat following the pandemic break

Juventus' Pjanic shares heartfelt message after signing contract with Barca

After signing a contract with Barcelona, Juventus' Miralem Pjanic has penned a heartfelt goodbye to the club, thanking everyone involved during his four years' stay.Pjanic took to Instagram and wrote: "Breathe Mire, this is the refrain that I repeat in my mind, in the decisive moments of a game. And that's what I keep telling myself now, as I try to write what I'm feeling right now. I arrived four years ago to try and win everything. Because even when you can't, this is what an @Juventus player should always try to do.""They have been four intense years, lived alongside great professionals but above all true friends, with whom I shared victories and records, but also bitter defeats one step away from the finish. Those were years in which I matured as a man and as a father. This is the city where Edin grew up, becoming the first fan of this team, and where with my family we have built the best memories of our life," he added.Pjanic is set to make a move from Juventus to Spanish club ...

Real Madrid moves to top of La Liga after 1-0 victory over Espanyol

Real Madrid secured a 1-0 win over Espanyol in La Liga to move two points clear at the top of the league

Woke in progress

Global sport displays a social conscience

Gerrard pays tribute to Liverpool captain Henderson after EPL title

Former Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard paid a heart-warming tribute to current captain Jordan Henderson after the latter guided the club to a historic Premier League title.

Henderson 'one of the best captains in Liverpool's history': Luis Suarez

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has labelled Jordan Henderson as 'one of the best captains in Liverpools history while expressing his delight at seeing his former club win the Premier League.

Liverpool fans flood Anfield stadium as 30 years of title-drought ends

The sun had just set over Anfield and on a 30-year wait to be champions of England again when the fireworks started to explode into the twilight. A signal went out across Merseyside. The drought was finally over for Liverpool. At first there were just a dozen supporters who watching on phones and listening on radios outside this hallowed stadium. They were soon surrounded by a sea of thousands snaking from the entrance to the Kop past the The Albert Pub to the Hillsborough memorial. And as darkness eventually engulfed Liverpool's home on this mid-summer's evening, a red haze of smoke began to light the skies. Waving flares and flags, Liverpool's faithful found a way to share this moment together on Thursday, even in a pandemic. It's hard to stay apart when a three-decade mission has been accomplished, even though the crowning moment came without Liverpool players being on the field. The squad had to watch on television, just like the fans, as second-place Manchester City lost 2

Germany to begin Nations League campaign vs Spain on Sep 3, confirms Uefa

The tournament which saw its first edition being played in 2018-19, has moved the dates for its group stages due to the coronavirus pandemic

Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski named as Bundesliga's Player of season

Lewandowski won more than 50 per cent of the votes and defeated the likes of Timo Werner, Jadon Sancho, Amine Harit, Erling Haaland, Kai Havertz and Serge Gnabry

Serie A: Ronaldo scores hat-trick as Juventus beats 10-man Lecce 4-0

Ronaldo had struggled since soccer resumed in Italy, but his return to form pushed Juventus seven points clear of second-placed Lazio, which hosts Fiorentina on Saturday

French football set to return on July 24 with Coupe de France finals

Up to 5,000 supporters are expected to be allowed into the Stade de France to watch the two cup matches.

Why footballing Africans have the best chance of escaping racism in India

As the world erupted in protest, we stayed silent. Ritwik Sharma speaks to footballing Africans in India about their experience of racism in the country

Couldn't be more proud of boys, says Klopp as Liverpool ends 30-year-wait

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is over the moon as his side brought an end to a 30-year-old wait for a Premier League title.

Fifa approves $1.5 billion Covid-19 relief fund for world football

Fifa said that each of the 211 member associations will get a one million dollars payment, part of which will be granted in July this year, while the rest in January next year

Manchester City manager congratulates Liverpool after his team's reign ends

It was a day Pep Guardiola saw coming a long time ago, as early as the first weeks of the longest season in the history of English football

Australia, New Zealand win joint bid to host 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup

The island neighbours beat Colombia 22-13 on Thursday in a vote by the Fifa Council