Afellay signs Stoke renewal until 2019

Paris Saint-Germain s aggregate lead over Barcelona will not result in a change in Neymar s scheduled return from injury.

Kylian Mbappe made up for the absence of his star team-mate on Tuesday, with his sensational hat-trick propelling Mauricio Pochettino s PSG to a 4-1 victory at Camp Nou in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 tie.

Neymar – who scored twice in Barca s famous 6-5 aggregate triumph over PSG in 2017 – missed the game through an adductor injury sustained in a Coupe de France win over Caen.

The 29-year-old is set to miss four weeks, which would put him in line to be available for the return leg against his former club at the Parc des Princes on March 10.

However, asked if PSG s 4-1 lead heading into the game will mean there is…

On Thursday night, the Netherlands host Northern Ireland in a game that could prove pivotal to both teams’ chances of qualifying for Euro 2020. Both teams are in good positions in the group. However, with Germany also in Group C

Once again punching above their weight

Northern Ireland are once again mixing with the big footballing countries and not looking out of place. At the beginning of the qualification campaign, most would have had Germany and the Netherlands as likely automatic qualifiers from the group. The two giants of the international game may still clinch the top two spots in Group C.

However, Northern Ireland have done what they have done best under Michael O’Neill and punched above their weight during the campaign. They currently sit second in the tabl…

Vaclav Cerny struck the winner as Rangers ground out a 2-1 win over Motherwell at Hampden Park on Saturday to pick up their first victory of the Scottish Premiership campaign.

The Gers, held 0-0 by Hearts in their opening match of the season last week, survived an early scare when Lennon Miller fired wide from a glorious position in the opening minutes.

However, after Scott Wright had an effort stopped on the line, Cyriel Dessers who rescued a late European draw against Dynamo Kyiv in midweek found the net from close range with 13 minutes on the clock.

Motherwell responded instantly as John Souttar failed to cut out a deep delivery and Robin Propper turned into his own net, but fellow new signing Cerny cut inside and curled in a delightful goal seven minutes late…

Niko Kovac has challenged Bayern Munich to match the level of Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund but denied having any interest in poaching their rivals young stars.

Bayern head to Mainz on Saturday ahead of restorative back-to-back wins over Wolfsburg and AEK Athens, Kovac s position having come under scrutiny after they went four games without a win in all competitions heading into the October international break.

The champions slump was made all the more damaging by Dortmund s flying form under Lucien Favre.

After eight games, BVB occupy top spot on 20 points thanks to six wins and pair of draws – three points above nearest rivals Borussia Monchengladbach and Werder Bremen and four better off than Bayern in fourth.

It means the anticipation surroun…

I really like Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino and the style of play his team produces. However, yesterday’s 1-0 defeat at Manchester United maybe sums up why the north London side will not be Premier League champions this season.

Pochettino has built a very impressive team at Tottenham. However, despite challenging for the Premier League title for the last few seasons, there seems to be a lack of confidence in their ability to get the job done.

Never looked like winning at Old Trafford

Watching Tottenham play at Old Trafford, I had the sense that the north London side never really believed that they would record a victory. Granted the absence of star striker Harry Kane no doubt hamstrung their efforts at winning the game.

However, the team from nort…

Eventually breezing past PSG thanks to a 4-1 aggregate win on Tuesday night, reached their first Champions League Final and a meeting against Chelsea for May 29th out in Turkey.

While Pep Guardiola s side might have seen The Blues end their FA Cup adventure at Wembley last month, they re within striking distance of recapturing their Premier League crown and still have a silverware sweep at the top of their agenda.

Although Guardiola might be planning for a domestic meeting against Chelsea at the Etihad this weekend, there remains a string of speculation surrounding the future of some of City s biggest stars this summer.

With it already confirmed that the iconic will be ending his decade-long stay in Manchester, we have taken a look at what could be in store fo…

Villarreal defender Mateo Musacchio is undergoing a medical with AC Milan as he closes in on a move to San Siro.

Milan TV posted footage of the centre-back arriving at La Madonnina clinic and starting his physical tests while wearing club training gear on social media on Monday.

Reports in Italy suggest the Serie A club have agreed a deal that could eventually be worth €18 million to sign Musacchio and plan to give him a four-year contract.

The 26-year-old has been with Villarreal since 2009, when he signed from River Plate.

Exclusive: undergoing his medicals this morning
Esclusiva: le immagini delle visite mediche di Mateo Musacchio  

— AC Milan (@acmilan)

Milan finished the 2016-17 Serie A season sixth, meaning they will play i…

Jack Butland hopes Rabbi Matondo’s terrific Champions League play-off goal against PSV Eindhoven is “a sign of things to come” from the Rangers winger.

The 22-year-old Wales international has been a bit-part player at the Govan club since signing from Schalke in July, 2022.

However, early-season signs of a step-up in impact have been encouraging, none more so than when he came off the bench at Ibrox on Tuesday night with the first leg tied at 1-1, after a strike by Ibrahim Sangare had cancelled out a late first-half goal from Gers attacker Abdallah Sima.

Light Blues midfielder Todd Cantwell began the move which ended with Matondo, drafted into the European squad at the expense of Ianis Hagi, steering in a Cyriel Dessers pass for his first Rangers goal, and …

Christophe Galtier has held talks with Presnel Kimpembe to clarify that the centre-back remains one of Paris Saint-Germain s vice-captains.

Kylian Mbappe wore the captain s armband in Monday s 7-0 Coupe de France win over sixth-tier Pays de Cassel in the absence of regular skipper Marquinhos.

Speaking to reporters after the cup rout, Galtier said Mbappe – who scored five times – deserves to be second captain when Marquinhos is not available.

Kimpembe, who has not played since November due to a heel injury, took to social media on Tuesday to state he had not been previously informed about Galtier s decision.

However, PSG head coach Galtier has since discussed the matter with Kimpembe to dissipate any misunderstanding.

I expressed myself badly …

Monaco set a new Ligue 1 record for consecutive victories with Radamel Falcao securing their 15th in succession via a 1-0 win away to Metz on Friday.

Falcao s classy 78th-minute winner ensured a frustrating night ended on a record-breaking note as Monaco surpassed the 14 straight triumphs accumulated by Bordeaux in 2009.

The champions needed a piece of inspiration from new signing Rachid Ghezzal to unlock Metz s staunch defence as the Algeria international picked out his captain for his fifth goal in three matches.

It appeared as though Kylian Mbappe s absence – which Leonardo Jardim suggested was partially due to him not being in the right frame of mind amid ongoing speculation over his future – would prove costly when substitute Guido Carillo headed aga…