Liverpool set out for a must-win Champions League clash with Debrecen without injured striker Fernando Torres but with captain Steven Gerrard insisting they can still turn their season around. A run of one win in ten matches has left the Reds floundering in the Premier League and on the brink of going out of the Champions League. To survive among Europe's elite, Rafael Benitez's side must beat Hungarian champions Debrecen in Budapest on Tuesday and hope that Fiorentina fail to beat Lyon in... Read Full Story
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called an extraordinary general meeting for December 2 following the Thierry Henry handball incident and an ongoing investigation into match-fixing in Europe. A FIFA statement released by world football's ruling body said Monday: "Due to recent events in the world of football, namely incidents at the play-offs for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, match control (refereeing) and irregularities in the football betting market, the FIFA President has called an... Read Full Story
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp believes Jermain Defoe has made an unanswerable case for inclusion in England's World Cup squad by becoming only the third player to score five times in a Premier League match. Defoe's five-star show came in Tottenham's 9-1 hammering of Wigan on Sunday and Spurs boss Redknapp believes it will have convinced Fabio Capello to take the striker to South Africa. Defoe has not started a match for England this year and, with Capello set to take only four... Read Full Story
Arsene Wenger has told his Arsenal stars to forget about a looming showdown with Chelsea and the absence of injured striker Robin van Persie as they look to book their place in the knockout stage of the Champions League. A point at home to Standard Liege on Tuesday will ensure the Gunners of progression to the last 16 while victory over the Belgian champions would guarantee them top spot in group H. That outcome would provide a welcome tonic five days ahead of Chelsea's visit to the Emirates... Read Full Story
Czech champions Slavia Prague's captain Marek Suchy is heading to Russia's nine-time champions Spartak Moscow on a one-year loan, his team said on Monday. The 21-year-old defender, who was a member of the Czech Under-20 side that reached the under-20 World Cup final in 2007, is expected to sign a loan deal for the next Russian league season beginning next Spring. "I can confirm the talks with Spartak Moscow are close to a formal conclusion," said Ondrej Zlamal, spokesman for the two-time... Read Full Story
Germany striker Steffan Kiessling hit a first-half equaliser on Sunday which put Bayer Leverkusen back to the top of the Bundesliga and sealed a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich. The single point allows Leverkusen to regain top spot from temporary leaders Werder Bremen who had hammered Freiburg 6-0 on Saturday while Bayern are seventh in the table. Kiessling made his first appearance for Germany for nine months in last Wednesday's 2-2 draw with the Ivory Coast and he scored his third goal in his... Read Full Story
Jermain Defoe scored five goals as Tottenham Hotspur thrashed Wigan Athletic 9-1 in one of the most lopsided Premier League results at White Hart Lane here on Sunday which was a record victory for the hosts in the top-flight. Spurs were only 1-0 up at the break, thanks to a goal by Peter Crouch before fellow England striker Defoe ran riot after half-time with Aaron Lennon, an own-goal by Chris Kirkland and Niko Kranjcar's 90th minute effort adding to the North London club's tally. Their haul... Read Full Story
Palermo on Monday sacked coach Walter Zenga, a day after their 1-1 home draw against Sicilian rivals Catania. Zenga, a former coach at Catania, becomes the sixth Serie A coach to be sacked this season while Luciano Spalletti also quit as AS Roma boss. His sacking comes as a surprise as Palermo were having a reasonable season and some had been suggesting that Zenga, a former Italy goalkeeper, would be in the running to be the next Inter Milan boss. Palermo had not won in four games but one of... Read Full Story
AC Milan moved up to second in Serie A following a sensational 4-3 victory against game Cagliari at the San Siro on Sunday. Juventus could regain second place behind leaders Inter Milan, who won 3-1 at Bologna on Saturday, if they beat Udinese in the day's late game. But Milan coach Leonardo's continued gamble in playing an attacking 4-3-3 formation paid off as his increasingly exciting team edged a wonderful game full of free-flowing action. The first half at the San Siro was exhilarating... Read Full Story
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refused to blame the absence of Robin van Persie as his team failed to score for the first time this season in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland. But the evidence of a below-par performance suggests the loss of the Dutch striker for up to six weeks because of an ankle injury could be a major handicap to Arsenal's title prospects. They are now eight points behind Chelsea and the leaders' visit to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (November 29) is looking like a contest the... Read Full Story
