Page 55 - Football

Kylian Mbappe named Ligue 1 Player of the Year for fourth consecutive time

Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe takes home the trophy -- Ligue 1 Player of the Year -- for the record fourth consecutive year.

Serie A: AC Milan beats Juventus 1-0 to secure spot in Champions League

AC Milan secured its spot in next season's Champions League by winning 1-0 at Juventus -- barring any off-field developments. Olivier Giroud's goal late in the first half on Sunday was enough for Milan to secure a spot in the top four in Serie A as it left the Rossoneri six points above fifth-place Atalanta with just one match remaining. Milan also moved eight points above Juventus. However, the Bianconeri could still appeal the 10-point penalty it was given for false accounting. Coming into the match, Juventus was the only side that could possibly replace Milan in the top four in the Italian league. But its hopes had imploded last week after the points deduction and a 4-1 loss at Empoli. Milan knew a point would be enough and both sides had chances before Giroud broke the deadlock, five minutes before the break, when he peeled away from his marker to head Davide Calabria's cross into the far bottom corner. Juventus almost snatched an equalizer late on as Danilo's volley from a c

PSG goalkeeper Sergio Rico hospitalized after being hit by a loose horse

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Sergio Rico was hospitalized with a head injury after being hit by a loose horse in an accident in Spain. The player's representatives said in a statement that the accident happened near the southern Spanish city of Seville on Sunday, where Rico used to play for Sevilla. Sergio is in good hands, fighting to recover, the statement said, adding that the next 48 hours will be important to determine the progress of his recovery. The statement said Rico had just arrived from France and was headed to a mass with his relatives when the accident happened. Earlier media reports said Rico was horse-riding at the time of the accident. French champion PSG said it remains in constant contact with his loved ones. PSG won the French league on Saturday. Several clubs and players sent messages of support for the 29-year-old Spanish keeper.

High-spending kicks

Today, the Red Devils are a tragic shadow of their former selves, but during Sir Alex Fergusson's 26 years in charge, they won the Premier League 13 times

Football: India qualify for FIFAe Nations Cup for second straight season

The tournament is considered the pinnacle event of FIFA esports among the Member Associations of the governing body of world football

AIFF to avoid holding competitions in hot months of April and May in future

The Super Cup and Indian Women's League (IWL) were held in April and May this year but the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Wednesday said it will try to avoid holding competitions in these two hot months in future. The Super Cup, competed among I-League and Indian Super League clubs, were held in Kerala from April 3 to 25 while the ongoing IWL in Ahmedabad began on April 26 and will end on Friday. "This month, after the end of women's league (IWL), the football season will end. It will be our endeavour how, considering the weather in our country, we can avoid holding football competitions in April and May," AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey said here during the draw ceremony of next month's SAFF Cup to be held in Bengaluru. "We do not want our players to struggle against the tough weather." Another AIFF official told PTI that the 2022-23 season spilled over to May as the calendar was crowded due to the coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chaubey said by the end of the South A

India set for Round 2 draw for AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament

The Indian women's football team has been placed in Pot 4 along with Iran and North Korea for the final draw of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Round 2

AIFF takes strategic steps to reform grassroots football in India

As per the AFC definition, grassroots football is defined as "all football that is non-professional and non-elite"

Pakistan will participate in SAFF football tournament in Bengaluru

Pakistan has confirmed its participation in the South Asian Football Federation Championships in Bengaluru in June-July and the AIFF does not see any problem with the players of the neighbouring country travelling to India. The international tournament will also see participation of Lebanon and Kuwait as the SAFF executive committee in March decided to feature teams from outside the south Asian region with a view to make the championship more competitive. "We don't see any problem in the coming of players from Pakistan to India to participate in the SAFF Championships," All Indian Football Federation secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran told PTI. He was asked if there could be any problem on the issue of granting visas to the Pakistani players in view of the political tension between the two countries. "I think the Indian bridge team recently took part in a regional tournament in Pakistan and so we don't expect any issue on their (Pakistan's) participation," he added. The eight-tea

AIFF's Shaji Prabhakaran elected as AFC's executive committee member

Dr Prabhakaran, on being elected an AFC Executive Committee member, expressed his gratitude, and shared his vision to take Asian football forward

English Premier League: Relegation rivals Leicester and Everton draw 2-2

Leicester and Everton remained in serious relegation danger in the English Premier League after their thrilling 2-2 draw. Alex Iwobi's 54th-minute volley on Monday secured a point for Everton, which stayed in next-to-last place with four matches left to play as the team bids to extend its 69-year stay in the top division. Leicester, the league champion only seven years ago, moved out of the bottom three but only on goal difference ahead of Leeds and Nottingham Forest, with all three teams a point clear of Everton. Forest dropped into the relegation zone. Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a penalty he won himself after getting barged in the back by Timothy Castagne to put Everton ahead in the 15th minute. Caglar Soyuncu equalized in the 22nd, hooking in a finish as he slipped after fellow center back Wout Faes headed the ball back across the face of goal. Leicester took the lead for the first time in the 33rd when James Maddison slipped in Jamie Vardy, who ran behind Everton's defens

Serie A: Salernitana postpone Napoli's title celebration after drawing 1-1

Napoli should have secured their third Scudetto on Sunday night, but the celebrations were ruined by Salernitana as the Partenopei were held to a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

La Liga: Atletico Madrid tops Valladolid, continues pursuit of Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid won't slow down in its pursuit of Real Madrid for second place in the Spanish league. Atletico continued its strong push on Sunday by picking up its eighth win in nine matches with a 5-2 victory at Valladolid. Third-place Atletico scored three times in the first half and added two late goals in a result that kept Diego Simeone's team two points behind city rival Madrid with six rounds remaining. Madrid beat Almeria 4-2 on Saturday at home. Second place is especially important because it guarantees a spot in the lucrative Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Atletico's only recent setback was a 1-0 loss at leader Barcelona at Camp Nou two rounds ago. Barcelona beat Real Betis 4-0 at home on Saturday and has a comfortable 11-point lead over Madrid entering the final stretch. "We have good momentum, we've been competing very well, Atletico defender Jos Mara Gimnez said. There is still a lot of league left and we have to stay on this path. Atletico scored through Nahuel

English Premier League: Landmark goals for Haaland, Kane; Man City on top

Erling Haaland's goals are propelling Manchester City toward a treble of trophies. Harry Kane, meanwhile, seems powerless to stop Tottenham's slide. English soccer's two most prolific strikers both scored landmark goals on Sunday. But while Haaland's 50th in all competitions this season helped City to go top of the table, Kane's 208th goal in the Premier League could not prevent Spurs from a third loss in four games, albeit in the most dramatic fashion in a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool. Kane is now tied with Wayne Rooney as the Premier League's second-highest scorer of all time, behind only Alan Shearer on 260. Trophies, however, continue to elude Kane, even in a season when he has become the all-time record scorer for England and Tottenham. It is a different story for Haaland, who seems destined to end his first year at City with both silverware and individual honors. The Norwegian's third minute penalty in City's 2-1 win at Fulham saw him score his 34th Premier League goal of the s

Bundesliga: Bayern Munich down Hertha to recapture top spot on the table

Bayern Munich returned to the top of the Bundesliga after overpowering a stubborn Hertha Berlin 2-0, with goals from Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman in the final match of the 30th round on Sunday

India U-17 men's team begin Spain tour against Atletico de Madrid U-16

The India U-17 men's team will begin its preparatory tour of Spain with a match against Atletico de Madrid U-16s at the Alcala De Henares in Madrid on Wednesday. The Indians are preparing for the upcoming AFC U-17 Asian Cup in Thailand, and will play the age group teams of some of the top Spanish clubs during the ongoing tour. Head coach Bibiano Fernandes said, "The boys are very excited to be here, training in this kind of environment and facilities. They have adapted quickly to the conditions and have been working hard, and we are getting better as a team." The match against Atletico de Madrid U-16 will be a challenging affair but Fernandes maintained that the team has its eyes trained on getting up to the proper level to compete in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup. "We are well aware of the level of quality and game insight of the teams we are set to play here. At the same time, we are preparing ourselves the way we want to play in AFC keeping in mind the teams in our group stages," said

AC Milan beats 10-man Napoli 1-0 in UEFA Champions League Qarter Final

AC Milan beat Napoli for the second time in the space of less than two weeks and this time with more at stake as the Rossoneri won 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. Ismal Bennacer scored shortly before the end of a first half that Napoli had dominated for long stretches. Both teams also hit the crossbar before Napoli midfielder Andr-Frank Zambo Anguissa was sent off 16 minutes from time, following two yellow cards in quick succession. The teams will meet again in Naples next Tuesday with the winner to play either Inter Milan or Benfica in the semifinals. Inter won the first leg of their quarterfinal 2-0. While Milan's victory was not as comprehensive as its 4-0 rout of Napoli when the two teams met in Serie A on April 2, it left the club in pole position to reach its first Champions League semifinal since it won the last of its seven titles in 2007. The match pitted the defending Italian champion against the team likely to take its trophy,

Ireland, Turkey and Italy bid to host Euro 2028 and 2032, confirms UEFA

UEFA announced that it received three bids from Britain and Ireland, Turkey and Italy to host the 2028 and 2032 European Championships.

Messi breaks Ronaldo's record, scores 702 goals in top 5 European Leagues

Lionel Messi has gone past Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring his 702nd goal in the top 5 European Leagues. He has also scored his 100th goal in PSG this season

Madrid tops Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou with Benzema hat trick

Barcelona entered the final "clasico" of the season with a chance of earning a fourth straight win against Real Madrid in the same season for the first time. But when it was all over, it had endured one of its worst ever home losses to its archrival. With another hat trick by Karim Benzema, Madrid overturned Barcelona's advantage in the Copa del Rey semifinals with a resounding 4-0 win at Camp Nou Stadium to reach the final for the first time in nearly a decade. Madrid hadn't beaten Barcelona by four goals at Camp Nou since a 5-1 win in 1963. Vincius Jnior also scored as Madrid advanced 4-1 on aggregate after having lost the first leg 1-0 at home. Benzema also had a hat trick in Madrid's 6-0 rout of Valladolid in the Spanish league on Sunday. "It's obvious that after Karim improved, the team improved as well," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "When he is at his best, everything is better for us. And (Luka) Modric and (Toni) Kroos also had great games. In these types of matches,