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Juventus wrapped up top spot in their Champions League group as second-half goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Daniele Rugani secured a 2-0 home victory over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.

Higuain broke the deadlock with a powerful effort seven minutes after the restart for his first goal in any competition since the start of November.

Rugani headed home from Miralem Pjanic&#39;s corner with 17 minutes remaining to wrap up victory and seal the Italian champions&#39; position as Group H winners, three points clear of Sevilla.

It was another dismal night for Dinamo, who became only the third team not to score a goal in the competition&#39;s group stages.

(Reuters)

Second-half goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Daniele Rugani secured a 2-0 home victory

Juventus wrapped up top spot in their Champions League group as second-half goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Daniele Rugani secured a 2-0 home victory over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday. Higuain broke the deadlock with a powerful effort seven minutes after the restart for his first goal in any competition since the start of November. Rugani headed home from Miralem Pjanic's corner with 17 minutes remaining to wrap up victory and seal the Italian champions' position as Group H winners, three points clear of Sevilla. It was another dismal night for Dinamo, who became only the third team not to score a goal in the competition's group stages. (Reuters)

Juve wrap up top spot with Dinamo victory

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane criticised his players for switching off against Borussia Dortmund and throwing away a two-goal lead that cost the European champions top place in Champions League Group F on Wednesday.

Just as in Dortmund in September, Real conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 with Thomas Tuchel&#39;s side, although they still equalled a club record 34-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Karim Benzema scored in each half to put Real in a comfortable position to win the group, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang responded and Marco Reus levelled in the 88th minute.

&quot;When you see how the second half went you get a bit angry. We had the game in our hands but this is football. You need to carry on right until the end,&quot; Zidane told a news conference.

&quot;We created a lot of chances to score the third goal. Instead, we allowed Dortmund back into the game. Dortmund deserved first place. They demonstrated how strong they are.&quot;

Real failed to finish top of their group for the first time since 2012-13, when they also came second to Dortmund.

Finishing second could yet prove to be a blessing for Real, who will avoid fellow runners-up Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain as well as fellow Spaniards Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, but could meet Zidane&#39;s former side Juventus.

&quot;I haven&#39;t thought about the draw, I wanted us to finish top and we did everything to do that but I&#39;m not going to keep going over it. We&#39;ll see who we get on Monday,&quot; the coach said.

&quot;I don&#39;t want to get Juventus for two reasons, but there&#39;s nothing we can do about that.&quot;

The coach praised Benzema for becoming the sixth player to score 50 Champions League 50 goals and paid tribute to his players for matching Leo Beenhakker&#39;s side&#39;s run of 34 games without defeat in 1989-90.

&quot;For any player it&#39;s important to score and I&#39;m very happy with Benzema, his goals, his work and the team&#39;s work. He&#39;s happy and we&#39;re happy with him and the run goes on,&quot; Zidane said.

&quot;I have to congratulate the players because they&#39;re the ones that fight and work so hard. Our aim is to keep this run going, because there&#39;s still a long way to go in the season.&quot;

(Reuters)

The European champions threw away a two-goal lead against Dortmund that cost them top place in Group F

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane criticised his players for switching off against Borussia Dortmund and throwing away a two-goal lead that cost the European champions top place in Champions League Group F on Wednesday. Just as in Dortmund in September, Real conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 with Thomas Tuchel's side, although they still equalled a club record 34-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Karim Benzema scored in each half to put Real in a comfortable position to win the group, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang responded and Marco Reus levelled in the 88th minute. "When you see how the second half went you get a bit angry. We had the game in our hands but this is football. You need to carry on right until the end," Zidane told a news conference. "We created a lot of chances to score the third goal. Instead, we allowed Dortmund back into the game. Dortmund deserved first place. They demonstrated how strong they are." Real failed to finish top of their group for the first time since 2012-13, when they also came second to Dortmund. Finishing second could yet prove to be a blessing for Real, who will avoid fellow runners-up Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain as well as fellow Spaniards Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, but could meet Zidane's former side Juventus. "I haven't thought about the draw, I wanted us to finish top and we did everything to do that but I'm not going to keep going over it. We'll see who we get on Monday," the coach said. "I don't want to get Juventus for two reasons, but there's nothing we can do about that." The coach praised Benzema for becoming the sixth player to score 50 Champions League 50 goals and paid tribute to his players for matching Leo Beenhakker's side's run of 34 games without defeat in 1989-90. "For any player it's important to score and I'm very happy with Benzema, his goals, his work and the team's work. He's happy and we're happy with him and the run goes on," Zidane said. "I have to congratulate the players because they're the ones that fight and work so hard. Our aim is to keep this run going, because there's still a long way to go in the season." (Reuters)

Champions League: Zidane 'angry' as Real surrender lead and top spot

Real Madrid are targetting a second Club World Cup triumph in three years to complete a sensational year of renewal under former midfield great Zinedine Zidane.

The 11-times European champions are the top attraction at this year&#39;s tournament in Japan and can overtake arch-rivals Barcelona as the team with the most international trophies in world football.

Real were in a state of upheaval when they watched Barcelona stroll to a 3-0 win over River Plate in last year&#39;s final, having been expelled from their domestic cup competition for fielding an ineligible player and with coach Rafael Benitez on the brink of being sacked.

Their turn of fortunes under Zidane has been remarkable, the Frenchman quickly galvanising a demotivated squad and masterminding their march to glory in last season&#39;s Champions League and lifting the UEFA European Super Cup.

They are also guaranteed to be top of the league standings in Spain when they embark for Japan.

&quot;Zizou has that kind of magic that dazzles you,&quot; Real captain Sergio Ramos said of Zidane.

&quot;He&#39;s taken the group in the right direction and we&#39;re going places. There&#39;s a lot of harmony, he&#39;s more sympathetic than our last coach and everyone can see what he has achieved.&quot;

While Zidane&#39;s first full season will be judged on whether Real remain top of the league come the end of May and how far they go in their Champions League defence, the Frenchman is taking the Club World Cup seriously.

He is expected to bring an almost full strength squad, minus the injured Gareth Bale, to Japan as Real target a record 21st international title to take them past Barca and Egyptian side Al-Ahly.

Real&#39;s first game in Yokohama will be a semi-final on December 15 against South Korea&#39;s Jeonbuk Motors or Mexican side Club America. The final is scheduled for December 18.

(Reuters)

They are also guaranteed to be top of the league standings in Spain when they embark for Japan

Real Madrid are targetting a second Club World Cup triumph in three years to complete a sensational year of renewal under former midfield great Zinedine Zidane. The 11-times European champions are the top attraction at this year's tournament in Japan and can overtake arch-rivals Barcelona as the team with the most international trophies in world football. Real were in a state of upheaval when they watched Barcelona stroll to a 3-0 win over River Plate in last year's final, having been expelled from their domestic cup competition for fielding an ineligible player and with coach Rafael Benitez on the brink of being sacked. Their turn of fortunes under Zidane has been remarkable, the Frenchman quickly galvanising a demotivated squad and masterminding their march to glory in last season's Champions League and lifting the UEFA European Super Cup. They are also guaranteed to be top of the league standings in Spain when they embark for Japan. "Zizou has that kind of magic that dazzles you," Real captain Sergio Ramos said of Zidane. "He's taken the group in the right direction and we're going places. There's a lot of harmony, he's more sympathetic than our last coach and everyone can see what he has achieved." While Zidane's first full season will be judged on whether Real remain top of the league come the end of May and how far they go in their Champions League defence, the Frenchman is taking the Club World Cup seriously. He is expected to bring an almost full strength squad, minus the injured Gareth Bale, to Japan as Real target a record 21st international title to take them past Barca and Egyptian side Al-Ahly. Real's first game in Yokohama will be a semi-final on December 15 against South Korea's Jeonbuk Motors or Mexican side Club America. The final is scheduled for December 18. (Reuters)

Real Madrid eye record 21st international title in Japan

The true value of Arsenal&#39;s table-topping display against Basel will not become clear until Monday&#39;s draw for the Champions League last 16 but a 4-1 win proved they are starting to punch&nbsp;their weight again in the competition.

Despite 19 consecutive group stage campaigns, defeat at the last 16 stage for the past six seasons has reduced Arsenal to members of the supporting cast.

While the A-listers -- the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich -- march into Spring eyeing Europe&#39;s most prized club trophy, Arsenal have sloped away for domestic chores. Not even a title chase, rather just grinding out a top-four spot in the Premier League.

Things might just be different this season though.

Beaten only twice in 23 matches in all competitions so far, Arsenal look far more resilient than in recent seasons, without losing any of their customary flair.

Hat-trick man Lucas Perez&#39;s second goal on Tuesday was the end product of a 33-pass move -- the longest sequence to goal so far in this season&#39;s Champions League. Arsenal went through Group A undefeated, the first time they had managed that since the 2005/06 season, and qualified for the last 16 as group winners for the first time since 2011/12.

That will guarantee they are spared a meeting with Lionel Messi&#39;s Barcelona in the last 16, although Bayern Munich or any two from Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Sevilla could be blocking their path after Christmas.

Arsenal will also enjoy a home second leg in the last 16, an advantage they have not had since 2012, although that year they were thumped 4-0 by Milan in the San Siro leaving them mission impossible in the return.

&quot;It&#39;s difficult to know (the advantages of finishing top) you feel a bit less guilty,&quot; Wenger said. &quot;At least we have done our job and let&#39;s see what happens.&quot;

In some respects the Champions League winter break may have come at the wrong time for Arsenal.

Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez, scorer of a hat-trick in Saturday&#39;s 5-1 thrashing of West Ham United, is playing some of his best football since joining the club, while Mesut Ozil in also in a rich vein of form.

On Tuesday, Wenger left the talents of Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench while Lucas, a 17 million pounds ($21.54 million) signing from Deportivo La Coruna in August, grabbed his chance to shine.

Captain Laurent Koscielny said Arsenal&#39;s win maintained the momentum.

&quot;We needed to finish the group stage well to have no regrets and we started the game well by scoring two early goals,&quot; he said. &quot;It was a good win for us to have after our big win on Saturday. It&#39;s important to finish first because we have the second game at home.&quot;

(Reuters)

Arsenal went through Group A undefeated, the first time they had managed that since the 2005/06 season

The true value of Arsenal's table-topping display against Basel will not become clear until Monday's draw for the Champions League last 16 but a 4-1 win proved they are starting to punch their weight again in the competition. Despite 19 consecutive group stage campaigns, defeat at the last 16 stage for the past six seasons has reduced Arsenal to members of the supporting cast. While the A-listers -- the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich -- march into Spring eyeing Europe's most prized club trophy, Arsenal have sloped away for domestic chores. Not even a title chase, rather just grinding out a top-four spot in the Premier League. Things might just be different this season though. Beaten only twice in 23 matches in all competitions so far, Arsenal look far more resilient than in recent seasons, without losing any of their customary flair. Hat-trick man Lucas Perez's second goal on Tuesday was the end product of a 33-pass move -- the longest sequence to goal so far in this season's Champions League. Arsenal went through Group A undefeated, the first time they had managed that since the 2005/06 season, and qualified for the last 16 as group winners for the first time since 2011/12. That will guarantee they are spared a meeting with Lionel Messi's Barcelona in the last 16, although Bayern Munich or any two from Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Sevilla could be blocking their path after Christmas. Arsenal will also enjoy a home second leg in the last 16, an advantage they have not had since 2012, although that year they were thumped 4-0 by Milan in the San Siro leaving them mission impossible in the return. "It's difficult to know (the advantages of finishing top) you feel a bit less guilty," Wenger said. "At least we have done our job and let's see what happens." In some respects the Champions League winter break may have come at the wrong time for Arsenal. Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez, scorer of a hat-trick in Saturday's 5-1 thrashing of West Ham United, is playing some of his best football since joining the club, while Mesut Ozil in also in a rich vein of form. On Tuesday, Wenger left the talents of Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench while Lucas, a 17 million pounds ($21.54 million) signing from Deportivo La Coruna in August, grabbed his chance to shine. Captain Laurent Koscielny said Arsenal's win maintained the momentum. "We needed to finish the group stage well to have no regrets and we started the game well by scoring two early goals," he said. "It was a good win for us to have after our big win on Saturday. It's important to finish first because we have the second game at home." (Reuters)

Arsenal punching their weight again in Europe

South American football confederation CONMEBOL agreed Monday to award the Copa Sudamericana to Brazilian club&nbsp;Chapecoense, whose team was wiped out in a plane crash while heading to the final.

The body issued a statement announcing the posthumous honor to the previously unsung club, which was having a fairy tale season until the disaster a week ago.

Chapecoense&nbsp;vice-president Ivan Tozzo hailed the decision as &quot;justice.&quot;

&quot;We were sure that &#39;Chape&#39; would be champions. It is a beautiful tribute,&quot; he told a news conference.

The charter plane flying the team to the biggest match in its history ran out of fuel and crashed into the mountains in northwestern Colombia.

A total of 71 people died -- most of the club members, including players, management and staff. Three players, two crew members and a journalist survived.

The side was heading to play the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against Colombian club Atletico Nacional in the city of Medellin.

Fair play

Nacional responded to the crash by calling for&nbsp;Chapecoense&nbsp;to be granted the Copa Sudamericana, the second highest club football title in South America.

The Paraguay-based confederation said Monday it had heeded Nacional&#39;s request in deciding to hand the title to&nbsp;Chapecoense.

&quot;CONMEBOL awards the title for the 2016 Copa Sudamericana championship to&nbsp;Chapecoense,&quot; including the $2 million in prize money, the confederation said in a statement.

It awarded Nacional its $1 million CONMEBOL Centenary Fair Play award.

&quot;There is no greater demonstration of the spirit of understanding and fair play... than the consideration and respect shown by Atletico Nacional to its brothers in&nbsp;ChapecoenseFootball Club,&quot; the statement said.

Starting over

The small Brazilian city of Chapeco held a massive funeral on Saturday for its team after the victims&#39; coffins arrived home, each draped in the club&#39;s green and white flag.

A minute&#39;s silence for the team was scheduled to be held before every Champions League and Europa League game this week.

Chapeco awoke meanwhile to the steep task of rebuilding a top-flight team from virtually nothing.

&quot;We have lost practically all our assets,&quot; said Tozzo last week.

He took over from president Sandro Pallaoro, who died in the crash.

&quot;After everything we have achieved, now we have to start again from scratch,&quot; Tozzo said.

&quot;We will have to start to think, because we do not have 11 players to put on the field.

&quot;We will need a great deal of help from the Brazilian Football Federation and the broadcaster Globo,&quot; which owns the rights to screen the matches, he added.

Including the title award and winnings from earlier rounds,&nbsp;Chapecoense&nbsp;will take home just under $4 million from the tournament.

By taking the Sudamericana title,&nbsp;Chapecoense&nbsp;will be allowed to compete next season in the region&#39;s top club tournament, the Copa Libertadores.

They will also face Atletico Nacional in the Recopa Sudamericana, a fixture between the title-holders of the Sudamericana and Libertadores cups.

New members

Chapecoense&nbsp;said 13,000 people had applied in just two days for membership of the club, which previously had just 9,000 members.

Other Brazilian football teams have offered to farm out their players to&nbsp;Chapecoense.

Ten of the team&#39;s players did not travel on the doomed flight. The club also has an under-20 squad with potential new first-team players.

Italian champions Torino took three decades to win a trophy again from an air crash that killed 18 of its players in 1949.

In England, Manchester United waited a decade to recover fully by winning the European Cup following the Munich air disaster in 1958 that killed 23 people, including eight players.

(AFP)

Chapecoense lost 71 people -- including players, management and staff -- while the team was heading to play the final against Nacional

South American football confederation CONMEBOL agreed Monday to award the Copa Sudamericana to Brazilian club Chapecoense, whose team was wiped out in a plane crash while heading to the final. The body issued a statement announcing the posthumous honor to the previously unsung club, which was having a fairy tale season until the disaster a week ago. Chapecoense vice-president Ivan Tozzo hailed the decision as "justice." "We were sure that 'Chape' would be champions. It is a beautiful tribute," he told a news conference. The charter plane flying the team to the biggest match in its history ran out of fuel and crashed into the mountains in northwestern Colombia. A total of 71 people died -- most of the club members, including players, management and staff. Three players, two crew members and a journalist survived. The side was heading to play the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against Colombian club Atletico Nacional in the city of Medellin. Fair play Nacional responded to the crash by calling for Chapecoense to be granted the Copa Sudamericana, the second highest club football title in South America. The Paraguay-based confederation said Monday it had heeded Nacional's request in deciding to hand the title to Chapecoense. "CONMEBOL awards the title for the 2016 Copa Sudamericana championship to Chapecoense," including the $2 million in prize money, the confederation said in a statement. It awarded Nacional its $1 million CONMEBOL Centenary Fair Play award. "There is no greater demonstration of the spirit of understanding and fair play... than the consideration and respect shown by Atletico Nacional to its brothers in ChapecoenseFootball Club," the statement said. Starting over The small Brazilian city of Chapeco held a massive funeral on Saturday for its team after the victims' coffins arrived home, each draped in the club's green and white flag. A minute's silence for the team was scheduled to be held before every Champions League and Europa League game this week. Chapeco awoke meanwhile to the steep task of rebuilding a top-flight team from virtually nothing. "We have lost practically all our assets," said Tozzo last week. He took over from president Sandro Pallaoro, who died in the crash. "After everything we have achieved, now we have to start again from scratch," Tozzo said. "We will have to start to think, because we do not have 11 players to put on the field. "We will need a great deal of help from the Brazilian Football Federation and the broadcaster Globo," which owns the rights to screen the matches, he added. Including the title award and winnings from earlier rounds, Chapecoense will take home just under $4 million from the tournament. By taking the Sudamericana title, Chapecoense will be allowed to compete next season in the region's top club tournament, the Copa Libertadores. They will also face Atletico Nacional in the Recopa Sudamericana, a fixture between the title-holders of the Sudamericana and Libertadores cups. New members Chapecoense said 13,000 people had applied in just two days for membership of the club, which previously had just 9,000 members. Other Brazilian football teams have offered to farm out their players to Chapecoense. Ten of the team's players did not travel on the doomed flight. The club also has an under-20 squad with potential new first-team players. Italian champions Torino took three decades to win a trophy again from an air crash that killed 18 of its players in 1949. In England, Manchester United waited a decade to recover fully by winning the European Cup following the Munich air disaster in 1958 that killed 23 people, including eight players. (AFP)

Brazilian team wiped out in plane crash awarded Copa Sudamericana

Chelsea came from behind to secure a dramatic 3-1 win at Manchester City and forge clear at the top of the Premier League as their top-of-the-table clash ended in a mass brawl and two City players were sent off on Saturday.

Diego Costa, the league&#39;s leading marksman, scored his 11th of the season on the hour to equalise, substitute Willian notched on the counter-attack 10 minutes later and Eden Hazard sealed Chelsea&#39;s eighth straight win in the 90th minute.

Gary Cahill had given City a deserved lead just before halftime, slicing the ball into his own net with a clumsy attempted clearance, and the home side had chances to wrap up the points after the break as Kevin De Bruyne missed from three metres when it seemed easier to score.

In stoppage time, with Chelsea already guaranteed a four-point lead at the top, mayhem broke out following a terrible tackle by Sergio Aguero on David Luiz.

The Argentine was shown a red card and, as players piled in, Fernandinho was also dismissed for pushing Cesc Fabregas over the advertising hoardings.

It was the first time a team had finished a game with nine men in the Premier League for eight years yet, for large parts, it had looked as if it could be the end of Chelsea&#39;s purple patch with City largely dominating until Pep Guardiola&#39;s men were again found out defensively.

Several times, Aguero came close, thwarted by a brilliant Cesar Azpilicueta block and heading wide from De Bruyne&#39;s pinpoint cross.

Yet City&#39;s goal was a soft one with Cahill displaying technical deficiency, trying to clear Jesus Navas&#39;s cross with his right foot when he needed to use his left.

City piled on the pressure after the break with De Bruyne forcing a fine save from Courtois and more comedy defending almost gifting a goal for Aguero before De Bruyne&#39;s open-goal miss from Navas&#39;s cross.

It was a costly error as Fabregas found Costa with a lovely, long ball which he controlled on his chest before outsmuscling Nicolas Otamendi and firing the equaliser.

Costa then put Willian clean through, the Brazilian firing across Claudio Bravo into the corner before he marked his goal with an emotional raising of his black armband to honour those who died in the Chapecoense air crash.

After Hazard had latched on to a long ball from Marcos Alonso to sprint clear of Aleksandar Kolarov and net the third, City&#39;s frustration got the better of them as Aguero&#39;s wild knee-high lunge on Luiz resulted in furious scenes with all 22 players and staff being involved in a melee.

Luiz, with his knee bandaged afterwards, refused to be drawn on Aguero&#39;s challenge.

&quot;I don&#39;t like to speak about these type of things. Aguero is an amazing player who does a lot for football,&quot; he told Sky Sports.

&quot;I want to dedicate this win to the people who died in Brazil. It was difficult to get my head together as I had some friends there. We just need to pray for the victim&#39;s families.&quot;

(Reuters)

The top-of-the-table clash ended in a mass brawl that saw two City players sent off

Chelsea came from behind to secure a dramatic 3-1 win at Manchester City and forge clear at the top of the Premier League as their top-of-the-table clash ended in a mass brawl and two City players were sent off on Saturday. Diego Costa, the league's leading marksman, scored his 11th of the season on the hour to equalise, substitute Willian notched on the counter-attack 10 minutes later and Eden Hazard sealed Chelsea's eighth straight win in the 90th minute. Gary Cahill had given City a deserved lead just before halftime, slicing the ball into his own net with a clumsy attempted clearance, and the home side had chances to wrap up the points after the break as Kevin De Bruyne missed from three metres when it seemed easier to score. In stoppage time, with Chelsea already guaranteed a four-point lead at the top, mayhem broke out following a terrible tackle by Sergio Aguero on David Luiz. The Argentine was shown a red card and, as players piled in, Fernandinho was also dismissed for pushing Cesc Fabregas over the advertising hoardings. It was the first time a team had finished a game with nine men in the Premier League for eight years yet, for large parts, it had looked as if it could be the end of Chelsea's purple patch with City largely dominating until Pep Guardiola's men were again found out defensively. Several times, Aguero came close, thwarted by a brilliant Cesar Azpilicueta block and heading wide from De Bruyne's pinpoint cross. Yet City's goal was a soft one with Cahill displaying technical deficiency, trying to clear Jesus Navas's cross with his right foot when he needed to use his left. City piled on the pressure after the break with De Bruyne forcing a fine save from Courtois and more comedy defending almost gifting a goal for Aguero before De Bruyne's open-goal miss from Navas's cross. It was a costly error as Fabregas found Costa with a lovely, long ball which he controlled on his chest before outsmuscling Nicolas Otamendi and firing the equaliser. Costa then put Willian clean through, the Brazilian firing across Claudio Bravo into the corner before he marked his goal with an emotional raising of his black armband to honour those who died in the Chapecoense air crash. After Hazard had latched on to a long ball from Marcos Alonso to sprint clear of Aleksandar Kolarov and net the third, City's frustration got the better of them as Aguero's wild knee-high lunge on Luiz resulted in furious scenes with all 22 players and staff being involved in a melee. Luiz, with his knee bandaged afterwards, refused to be drawn on Aguero's challenge. "I don't like to speak about these type of things. Aguero is an amazing player who does a lot for football," he told Sky Sports. "I want to dedicate this win to the people who died in Brazil. It was difficult to get my head together as I had some friends there. We just need to pray for the victim's families." (Reuters)

EPL: Chelsea come from behind to beat Man City 3-1, top league

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique believes his side remains the team to beat in Spain but admits that victory over leaders Real Madrid in El Clasico on Saturday is paramount to their title chances.

With millions watching around the world Madrid travel into enemy territory in Catalonia on the back of a 32-game unbeaten run and boast a six-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

However, despite describing Barca&#39;s last league performance in a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad as the worst of his three-season tenure, Enrique insists the reigning champions have the talent to be considered the best team in the world.

&quot;There are good teams at a high level but none of them are better than us. That is what makes me optimistic,&quot; he said on Friday.

Barca received a huge injury boost on Friday when captain Andres Iniesta was cleared to make his return after six weeks out with a knee injury.

&quot;Iniesta is our captain and a reference point for Barca&#39;s style,&quot; said Enrique.

&quot;It is great news for the person that he is and what he represents as captain.&quot;

Defenders Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba also look set to shrug off injuries to start and Enrique may be able to name his strongest side for the first time since September.

Injuries have been a key factor in the Catalans&#39; worst league start for nine years, but midfielder Arda Turan also claimed they remain the world&#39;s best once they hit top form.

&quot;Barca are the best team and when we play like we know how, we are unstoppable,&quot; the Turkish international told Barca TV.

&quot;I have a very good feeling ahead of the Clasico.&quot;

Madrid high in confidence

Madrid, under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane, might be in red-hot form but the former midfield general wants to see his side perform more like they did in swatting aside Atletico Madrid 3-0 two weeks ago than on their last trip to the Camp Nou -- when they registered a shock 2-1 win in April.

&quot;Tomorrow will be totally different,&quot; said the Frenchman.

&quot;Last term we went there with our buttocks clenched, I apologise for the language, but we need to have the same mentality.

&quot;I want us to be just as prepared as we were last year, but play like we are now.&quot;

Real are not so lucky on the injury front as Gareth Bale and Toni Kroos remain sidelined.

However, the visitors can rely on an on-form Cristiano Ronaldo fresh from scoring five times in his last two outings.

&quot;He is very important for the rest of the team because he has tremendous energy,&quot; Zidane added.

&quot;He still has the hunger to win and that is good for the group.&quot;

The biggest match in club football, which kicks off at 15:15 GMT, is expected to capture an audience of 650 million people worldwide, according to figures released by La Liga.

&quot;I am not going to say it is just another game, it is a very important match, it has a special meaning.... a special taste,&quot; Real president Florentino Perez told AFP.

&quot;No one hides that is has a worldwide impact, it is seen by millions of people across the world, like the World cup final.&quot;

Barca defender Javier Mascherano also made little attempt to play down the significance of the clash.

&quot;Despite there being just three points at stake, like in the rest of the matches, the attention before and after the game makes it a special match,&quot; the Argentine told Barca TV.

(AFP)

Barca received an injury boost on Friday when captain Andres Iniesta was cleared to make his return after six weeks out with a knee injury.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique believes his side remains the team to beat in Spain but admits that victory over leaders Real Madrid in El Clasico on Saturday is paramount to their title chances. With millions watching around the world Madrid travel into enemy territory in Catalonia on the back of a 32-game unbeaten run and boast a six-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga. However, despite describing Barca's last league performance in a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad as the worst of his three-season tenure, Enrique insists the reigning champions have the talent to be considered the best team in the world. "There are good teams at a high level but none of them are better than us. That is what makes me optimistic," he said on Friday. Barca received a huge injury boost on Friday when captain Andres Iniesta was cleared to make his return after six weeks out with a knee injury. "Iniesta is our captain and a reference point for Barca's style," said Enrique. "It is great news for the person that he is and what he represents as captain." Defenders Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba also look set to shrug off injuries to start and Enrique may be able to name his strongest side for the first time since September. Injuries have been a key factor in the Catalans' worst league start for nine years, but midfielder Arda Turan also claimed they remain the world's best once they hit top form. "Barca are the best team and when we play like we know how, we are unstoppable," the Turkish international told Barca TV. "I have a very good feeling ahead of the Clasico." Madrid high in confidence Madrid, under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane, might be in red-hot form but the former midfield general wants to see his side perform more like they did in swatting aside Atletico Madrid 3-0 two weeks ago than on their last trip to the Camp Nou -- when they registered a shock 2-1 win in April. "Tomorrow will be totally different," said the Frenchman. "Last term we went there with our buttocks clenched, I apologise for the language, but we need to have the same mentality. "I want us to be just as prepared as we were last year, but play like we are now." Real are not so lucky on the injury front as Gareth Bale and Toni Kroos remain sidelined. However, the visitors can rely on an on-form Cristiano Ronaldo fresh from scoring five times in his last two outings. "He is very important for the rest of the team because he has tremendous energy," Zidane added. "He still has the hunger to win and that is good for the group." The biggest match in club football, which kicks off at 15:15 GMT, is expected to capture an audience of 650 million people worldwide, according to figures released by La Liga. "I am not going to say it is just another game, it is a very important match, it has a special meaning.... a special taste," Real president Florentino Perez told AFP. "No one hides that is has a worldwide impact, it is seen by millions of people across the world, like the World cup final." Barca defender Javier Mascherano also made little attempt to play down the significance of the clash. "Despite there being just three points at stake, like in the rest of the matches, the attention before and after the game makes it a special match," the Argentine told Barca TV. (AFP)

Desperate Barca primed to end Madrid's unbeaten streak

Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho could have been involved in a multimillion-euro system of &quot;tax evasion and money laundering&quot;, according to leaked documents obtained by a number of media outlets.

A group of 12 European newspapers said it intends to disclose over the next three weeks the results of investigations into widespread alleged corruption at the heart of football under the banner &quot;Football Leaks&quot;.

Based on leaked documents obtained by German weekly Der Spiegel, the outlets claim that Real Madrid and Portuguese star Ronaldo could have &quot;hidden 150 million euros in tax havens in Switzerland and the British Virgin Islands&quot;.

Ronaldo, it is claimed, benefits from &quot;a system developed by his agent Jorge Mendes&quot;.&nbsp;

They cite two operations related to advertising revenue of the Portuguese star.&nbsp;

The first, between 2009 and 2014, could represent &quot;74.8 million euros via an offshore company called Tollin, registered in the British Virgin Islands&quot;, said the report released Friday.&nbsp;

&quot;He would have eventually declared a part of it,&quot; added the report sent to AFP by the Mediapart organisation.

&quot;The lawyers of the player told the (media) consortium that a Spanish tax audit aimed at Cristiano Ronaldo was still in progress,&quot; the newspapers said.&nbsp;

In the second operation, Ronaldo could have &quot;avoided 31 million euros of taxes&quot; according to these newspapers, making the most of &quot;12 days of an ultra-advantageous tax regime&quot; on his marketing rights for the period 2015-2020.

According to the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) consortium, Manchester United manager Mourinho is said -- again via Mendes -- to have &quot;concealed 12 million euros in a Swiss account owned by a British Virgin Islands company.&quot;&nbsp;

It was &quot;subject to a tax audit in Spain... which resulted in a recovery of 4.4 million euros, penalties included&quot;.&nbsp;

Friday&#39;s first batch of leaks centred on &quot;a system&quot; put in place, according to the newspapers, by Mendes, the super-agent of Ronaldo and Mourinho.

The system overall would have accounted for a loss of &quot;at least 185 million euros of sponsorship income from the tax administrations through a network of offshore accounts and offshore companies in Ireland, the British Virgin Islands, Panama and Switzerland&quot;.

In response, Mendes&#39;s company Gestifute said Friday that Ronaldo and Mourinho had &quot;fully respected their obligations vis-a-vis the Spanish and British authorities&quot;.&nbsp;

The company accused the media consortium of operating in an &quot;insidious&quot; way concerning the stars&#39; tax obligations.&nbsp;

It said that neither Ronaldo nor Mourinho &quot;have been implicated in legal proceedings of the tax evasion commission in Spain&quot;.

(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

German weekly claimed it had obtained documents that the Real Madrid star could have 'hidden 150 million euros in tax havens'

Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho could have been involved in a multimillion-euro system of "tax evasion and money laundering", according to leaked documents obtained by a number of media outlets. A group of 12 European newspapers said it intends to disclose over the next three weeks the results of investigations into widespread alleged corruption at the heart of football under the banner "Football Leaks". Based on leaked documents obtained by German weekly Der Spiegel, the outlets claim that Real Madrid and Portuguese star Ronaldo could have "hidden 150 million euros in tax havens in Switzerland and the British Virgin Islands". Ronaldo, it is claimed, benefits from "a system developed by his agent Jorge Mendes". They cite two operations related to advertising revenue of the Portuguese star. The first, between 2009 and 2014, could represent "74.8 million euros via an offshore company called Tollin, registered in the British Virgin Islands", said the report released Friday. "He would have eventually declared a part of it," added the report sent to AFP by the Mediapart organisation. "The lawyers of the player told the (media) consortium that a Spanish tax audit aimed at Cristiano Ronaldo was still in progress," the newspapers said. In the second operation, Ronaldo could have "avoided 31 million euros of taxes" according to these newspapers, making the most of "12 days of an ultra-advantageous tax regime" on his marketing rights for the period 2015-2020. According to the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) consortium, Manchester United manager Mourinho is said -- again via Mendes -- to have "concealed 12 million euros in a Swiss account owned by a British Virgin Islands company." It was "subject to a tax audit in Spain... which resulted in a recovery of 4.4 million euros, penalties included". Friday's first batch of leaks centred on "a system" put in place, according to the newspapers, by Mendes, the super-agent of Ronaldo and Mourinho. The system overall would have accounted for a loss of "at least 185 million euros of sponsorship income from the tax administrations through a network of offshore accounts and offshore companies in Ireland, the British Virgin Islands, Panama and Switzerland". In response, Mendes's company Gestifute said Friday that Ronaldo and Mourinho had "fully respected their obligations vis-a-vis the Spanish and British authorities". The company accused the media consortium of operating in an "insidious" way concerning the stars' tax obligations. It said that neither Ronaldo nor Mourinho "have been implicated in legal proceedings of the tax evasion commission in Spain". (AFP)

Football: Ronaldo, Mourinho in 'tax evasion, money laundering' claims

England manager Gareth Southgate confirmed Wayne Rooney will remain captain on Thursday as he faced the media for the first time since his appointment on a permanent basis.

Rooney, 31, apologised after being pictured looking the worse for wear as he mingled with wedding guests at the England team hotel in the early hours during the most recent international break.

Southgate had dropped him for a 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw in Slovenia, but recalled him for England&#39;s 3-0 win over Scotland, before injury forced the Manchester United forward to withdraw from the squad.

&quot;Wayne Rooney is the England captain,&quot; Southgate told reporters at Wembley.

&quot;I said that from the beginning of the interim period. What&#39;s also clear is that I&#39;ve only selected him to start in two of the four matches we&#39;ve had.

&quot;It is not a case that Wayne expects to play every game. It&#39;s important we develop more leaders in that group.

&quot;When I played for England at Euro 96, there were leaders throughout the team. Wayne has played an important part up to this point, but we also need to develop others.&quot;

Southgate, 46, was appointed England manager on a four-year contract on Wednesday, having previously been in charge for four games on an interim basis.

Reports suggested Southgate&#39;s contract contained a break clause after the 2018 World Cup, but he said that was not the case.

The former Middlesbrough manager was promoted from his role as England Under-21s coach after Sam Allardyce was forced to depart in the aftermath of a Daily Telegraph sting.

Southgate&#39;s first game as full-time manager will be a friendly against Germany in Dortmund on March 22, followed by a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley four days later.

England, humiliated by Iceland in the last 16 at Euro 2016, top their World Cup qualifying group by two points.

(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Southgate had dropped Rooney for a WC qualifier but recalled him for England's win over Scotland

England manager Gareth Southgate confirmed Wayne Rooney will remain captain on Thursday as he faced the media for the first time since his appointment on a permanent basis. Rooney, 31, apologised after being pictured looking the worse for wear as he mingled with wedding guests at the England team hotel in the early hours during the most recent international break. Southgate had dropped him for a 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw in Slovenia, but recalled him for England's 3-0 win over Scotland, before injury forced the Manchester United forward to withdraw from the squad. "Wayne Rooney is the England captain," Southgate told reporters at Wembley. "I said that from the beginning of the interim period. What's also clear is that I've only selected him to start in two of the four matches we've had. "It is not a case that Wayne expects to play every game. It's important we develop more leaders in that group. "When I played for England at Euro 96, there were leaders throughout the team. Wayne has played an important part up to this point, but we also need to develop others." Southgate, 46, was appointed England manager on a four-year contract on Wednesday, having previously been in charge for four games on an interim basis. Reports suggested Southgate's contract contained a break clause after the 2018 World Cup, but he said that was not the case. The former Middlesbrough manager was promoted from his role as England Under-21s coach after Sam Allardyce was forced to depart in the aftermath of a Daily Telegraph sting. Southgate's first game as full-time manager will be a friendly against Germany in Dortmund on March 22, followed by a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley four days later. England, humiliated by Iceland in the last 16 at Euro 2016, top their World Cup qualifying group by two points. (AFP)

Football: Southgate confirms Rooney as England captain

Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice each to help Manchester United ease into the League Cup semi-finals with a 4-1 home victory over West Ham United on Wednesday as Arsenal suffered a 2-0 home defeat by Southampton.

Martial netted twice in the second half to take the tie at Old Trafford away from West Ham, who had levelled through Ashley Fletcher following Ibrahimovic&#39;s opener after two minutes. The Swede added the fourth deep into stoppage-time.

Southampton clinched their first appearance in the last four of the competition since 1987 with powerful first-half efforts from Jordy Clasie and Ryan Bertrand against a weakened Arsenal, who made 10 changes to their side.

United were then drawn to face Hull City in the semi-finals and Southampton will play Liverpool.

United and West Ham met at the same venue in the Premier League on Sunday when United boss Jose Mourinho let his frustrations boil over and earned a second touchline ban of the season for booting a water bottle.

The Portuguese was banned from the dugout on Wednesday, but would have been delighted with the way United carved open their opponents after just two minutes with a fluent break.

West Ham opened the scoring on Sunday equally early, but they were caught cold as Wayne Rooney, one goal short of Bobby Charlton&#39;s all-time club scoring record, fed Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whose backheel picked out Ibrahimovic to dink the ball into the net.

The Swede should have doubled the lead when he waltzed through the heart of the West Ham defence before twice being denied by keeper Adrian.

That could have proved a costly miss because for all United&#39;s first-half dominance, they were pegged back 10 minutes before the break by one of their former players.

Having come through the youth ranks at United, Fletcher was allowed to join West Ham in the close season and punished his former employers by scoring from close range after David de Gea had spilled a shot from Dimitri Payet.

Payet, however, was the villain two minutes after halftime as his poor clearance was pounced on and fed to Mkhitaryan, who claimed his second assist by laying the ball off for Martial to blast past Adrian.

With 30 minutes remaining, Martial grabbed his second, tapping home Antonio Valencia&#39;s cross before Ibrahimovic added the fourth from close range.

&quot;Goals plus performance means the real happiness,&quot; Mourinho, who would not divulge where he watched the match, told Sky Sports.

&quot;The performance is something we are used to, we are playing very well at home. Today was more of the same.&quot;

The League Cup has not been kind to Arsenal in recent years with the club having now progressed from just one of their previous six quarter-finals, which was perhaps the reason why manager Arsene Wenger chose to make wholesale changes to his side to face Southampton.

The Saints began the brighter and were ahead after just 12 minutes when Dutchman Clasie fired powerfully into the net for his first goal for the club.

The lead was doubled eight minutes before the break when Carl Jenkinson was outmuscled deep in his own half, allowing Sofiane Boufal to break and tee up Bertrand to drill a low finish into the bottom corner.

(Reuters)

Manchester United eased into the League Cup semi-finals with a 4-1 home victory over West Ham United

Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice each to help Manchester United ease into the League Cup semi-finals with a 4-1 home victory over West Ham United on Wednesday as Arsenal suffered a 2-0 home defeat by Southampton. Martial netted twice in the second half to take the tie at Old Trafford away from West Ham, who had levelled through Ashley Fletcher following Ibrahimovic's opener after two minutes. The Swede added the fourth deep into stoppage-time. Southampton clinched their first appearance in the last four of the competition since 1987 with powerful first-half efforts from Jordy Clasie and Ryan Bertrand against a weakened Arsenal, who made 10 changes to their side. United were then drawn to face Hull City in the semi-finals and Southampton will play Liverpool. United and West Ham met at the same venue in the Premier League on Sunday when United boss Jose Mourinho let his frustrations boil over and earned a second touchline ban of the season for booting a water bottle. The Portuguese was banned from the dugout on Wednesday, but would have been delighted with the way United carved open their opponents after just two minutes with a fluent break. West Ham opened the scoring on Sunday equally early, but they were caught cold as Wayne Rooney, one goal short of Bobby Charlton's all-time club scoring record, fed Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whose backheel picked out Ibrahimovic to dink the ball into the net. The Swede should have doubled the lead when he waltzed through the heart of the West Ham defence before twice being denied by keeper Adrian. That could have proved a costly miss because for all United's first-half dominance, they were pegged back 10 minutes before the break by one of their former players. Having come through the youth ranks at United, Fletcher was allowed to join West Ham in the close season and punished his former employers by scoring from close range after David de Gea had spilled a shot from Dimitri Payet. Payet, however, was the villain two minutes after halftime as his poor clearance was pounced on and fed to Mkhitaryan, who claimed his second assist by laying the ball off for Martial to blast past Adrian. With 30 minutes remaining, Martial grabbed his second, tapping home Antonio Valencia's cross before Ibrahimovic added the fourth from close range. "Goals plus performance means the real happiness," Mourinho, who would not divulge where he watched the match, told Sky Sports. "The performance is something we are used to, we are playing very well at home. Today was more of the same." The League Cup has not been kind to Arsenal in recent years with the club having now progressed from just one of their previous six quarter-finals, which was perhaps the reason why manager Arsene Wenger chose to make wholesale changes to his side to face Southampton. The Saints began the brighter and were ahead after just 12 minutes when Dutchman Clasie fired powerfully into the net for his first goal for the club. The lead was doubled eight minutes before the break when Carl Jenkinson was outmuscled deep in his own half, allowing Sofiane Boufal to break and tee up Bertrand to drill a low finish into the bottom corner. (Reuters)

Football: Man United sweep past West Ham, Arsenal ousted by Southampton

Gareth Southgate will lead England towards the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Championship after being appointed permanent manager of the national team by &nbsp;the &nbsp;FA on Wednesday.

The 46-year-old succeeds Sam Allardyce who departed 67 days into his reign after being caught up in a newspaper sting.

In a statement released after a meeting of the Football Association board at St George`s Park, the FA said the former England defender had agreed for a four-year contract.

Southgate, who was in charge of England&#39;s under 21s for 32 games, has overseen two wins and a draw in the three World Cup qualifying games as interim manager, leaving England top of the group. He also saw his side draw with Spain.

&quot;I am extremely proud to be appointed England manager. However, I`m also conscious that getting the job is one thing, now I want to do the job successfully,&quot; the former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough player said.

&quot;I`ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the players over these past four games and I think there`s huge potential.

&quot;For me, the hard work starts now.&quot;

His first match in permanent charge will be away to Germany in a friendly in March, followed by a World Cup qualifier at home to Lithuania later that month.

(Reuters)&nbsp;

Southgate signed a four-year contract which includes England's campaigns for the 2018 World Cup and the 2020 European Championship

Gareth Southgate will lead England towards the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Championship after being appointed permanent manager of the national team by the FA on Wednesday. The 46-year-old succeeds Sam Allardyce who departed 67 days into his reign after being caught up in a newspaper sting. In a statement released after a meeting of the Football Association board at St George`s Park, the FA said the former England defender had agreed for a four-year contract. Southgate, who was in charge of England's under 21s for 32 games, has overseen two wins and a draw in the three World Cup qualifying games as interim manager, leaving England top of the group. He also saw his side draw with Spain. "I am extremely proud to be appointed England manager. However, I`m also conscious that getting the job is one thing, now I want to do the job successfully," the former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough player said. "I`ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the players over these past four games and I think there`s huge potential. "For me, the hard work starts now." His first match in permanent charge will be away to Germany in a friendly in March, followed by a World Cup qualifier at home to Lithuania later that month. (Reuters)

Southgate appointed England's football manager

Liverpool starlet Ben Woodburn made history as the teenage striker became the club&#39;s youngest ever goalscorer in Tuesday&#39;s 2-0 win over Leeds in the League Cup quarter-finals.

Aged 17 years and 45 days, Woodburn enjoyed a moment to remember forever in the 81st minute at Anfield when he fired home in front of the famous Kop End to eclipse the previous record set by Michael Owen, who was 17 years and 143 days old when he scored against Wimbledon in May 1997.

Cheshire-born Woodburn, who recently signed a long-term contract with Liverpool, is a Wales Under-19 international, but he still remains eligible to play for England at senior level.

Klopp`s side are through to the League Cup semi-finals for the third successive year thanks to Woodburn and Divock Origi.

Klopp has now won seven of his nine League Cup games with Liverpool, who hope to lift the trophy for the ninth time after losing to Manchester City in the final last term.Before kick-off, Liverpool`s Brazilian captain Lucas and his team-mates, all wearing black armbands, stood for a minutes` silence following the plane crash that killed 71 people, including members of the Brazilian Chapecoense team.

With Philippe Coutinho sidelined for five weeks with ankle ligament damage, Klopp gave starts to teenagers Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ovie Ejaria as the Reds boss selected a team featuring eight changes.

Second tier Leeds, whose last League Cup semi-final appearance was in 1996, should have been ahead early on when Hadi Sacko broke the offside trap and saw his shot saved by Simon Mignolet.

Liverpool gradually took charge and Sadio Mane`s pass slipped Georginio Wijnaldum into the penalty area, but the Dutchman&#39;s shot struck the far post.

Then, in the 76th minute, Alexander-Arnold whipped in a cross from the right and Belgian striker Origi stretched to guide the ball home at the near post for his fourth goal of the season and third in the League Cup.

Woodburn came on in the 67th minute and his dream came to true when he smashed home a flowing move involving Origi, Mane and Wijnaldum in the 81st minute.

(AFP)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Ben Woodburn became Liverpool's youngest scorer as the team beat Leeds 2-0 to reach the semis of the League Cup

Liverpool starlet Ben Woodburn made history as the teenage striker became the club's youngest ever goalscorer in Tuesday's 2-0 win over Leeds in the League Cup quarter-finals. Aged 17 years and 45 days, Woodburn enjoyed a moment to remember forever in the 81st minute at Anfield when he fired home in front of the famous Kop End to eclipse the previous record set by Michael Owen, who was 17 years and 143 days old when he scored against Wimbledon in May 1997. Cheshire-born Woodburn, who recently signed a long-term contract with Liverpool, is a Wales Under-19 international, but he still remains eligible to play for England at senior level. Klopp`s side are through to the League Cup semi-finals for the third successive year thanks to Woodburn and Divock Origi. Klopp has now won seven of his nine League Cup games with Liverpool, who hope to lift the trophy for the ninth time after losing to Manchester City in the final last term.Before kick-off, Liverpool`s Brazilian captain Lucas and his team-mates, all wearing black armbands, stood for a minutes` silence following the plane crash that killed 71 people, including members of the Brazilian Chapecoense team. With Philippe Coutinho sidelined for five weeks with ankle ligament damage, Klopp gave starts to teenagers Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ovie Ejaria as the Reds boss selected a team featuring eight changes. Second tier Leeds, whose last League Cup semi-final appearance was in 1996, should have been ahead early on when Hadi Sacko broke the offside trap and saw his shot saved by Simon Mignolet. Liverpool gradually took charge and Sadio Mane`s pass slipped Georginio Wijnaldum into the penalty area, but the Dutchman's shot struck the far post. Then, in the 76th minute, Alexander-Arnold whipped in a cross from the right and Belgian striker Origi stretched to guide the ball home at the near post for his fourth goal of the season and third in the League Cup. Woodburn came on in the 67th minute and his dream came to true when he smashed home a flowing move involving Origi, Mane and Wijnaldum in the 81st minute. (AFP)

Record-breaker Woodburn helps Liverpool reach League Cup semis

Former coach Barry Bennell, who is at the centre of a scandal rocking English football, was on Tuesday charged with eight counts of child abuse, prosecutors said.

Bennell, who has already served three jail terms for previous child sex offences, has faced a slew of new allegations by at least 20 former footballers spanning three decades beginning in the 1970s when he was working for Crewe Alexandra, Manchester City and Stoke City.

&quot;Following a review of the evidence, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, Mr Bennell, 62, has today been charged with eight offences of sexual assault against a boy under the age of 14,&quot; said a statement from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Bennell, who it was revealed on Monday had to be hospitalised when he was found unconscious in a hotel near London, will appear in court on December 14. &nbsp;

The latest charges stem from Cheshire Police but six other police forces are investigating accusations made against Bennell in a scandal Football Association Chairman Greg Clarke has called &quot;the greatest crisis&quot; in English football he could recall.&nbsp;

Former Newcastle player Derek Bell, who waived his anonymity to the Guardian, claimed he was subjected to &quot;horrendous&quot; sexual abuse at his local boys football club in the 1970s.

&quot;It was pure, unbelievable heartache. Thinking my mam and dad were next door and he was performing these sexual acts. He had groomed us for a couple of years and he thought it was normal,&quot; Bell said.

&quot;Deep down in my mind I knew it wasn&#39;t normal, but I was so scared to speak and come out and say it wasn&#39;t right.&quot;

Former Northern Ireland international Mark Williams spoke out, with Sky News revealing he had waived his anonymity to describe his torment.

&quot;My life has been affected irreversibly both personally and professionally and it has been soul-destroying to carry this burden for 30 years,&quot; he said.

Police Scotland have also confirmed they have launched a probe following abuse allegations north of the border.

The FA has also launched its own internal review appointing leading lawyer Kate Gallafent, an expert in child protection, to head it up.

The British Government announced on Tuesday they will bring the police and the FA together for a meeting on the developing scandal.

Clarke took over as FA chairman in August and has already had to deal with the removal of Sam Allardyce as England coach over comments he made in a newspaper sting and the &#39;poppygate&#39; row with FIFA.

Unacceptable

He told Sky News it was time to finally deal with the issues after they had been ignored.

&quot;It&#39;s certainly the biggest (crisis) I can remember,&quot; said Clarke.

&quot;I think the moral consequences of failing to deal with some of these issues in the past we must get to the bottom of.&quot;

Clarke doesn&#39;t know if the FA at the time deliberately turned a blind eye to the goings on although a reporter who made a documentary about sex abuse in football for Channel Four in 1997 has claimed there is a FA report from 2005 detailing 250 victims and spread over a number of clubs.

&quot;I don&#39;t know if there was a cover-up or not, I really don&#39;t know,&quot; said Clarke.

&quot;I suspect like many big problems, people aren&#39;t drawn towards them. My methodology is, if there&#39;s a problem, run towards it, embrace it, fix it, disclose everything that happened.

&quot;I think institutionally, all organisations in the old days used to protect themselves by keeping quiet and closing ranks.

&quot;That&#39;s completely inappropriate and unacceptable today.&quot;

Clarke told the BBC the FA review would not seek to speak to alleged victims nor would he confer with his predecessors as chairman.

&quot;We&#39;ve agreed with the police that we won&#39;t talk to any of the victims formally, because they have to talk to them, they have to take statements and we&#39;re not allowed to interfere in that process,&quot; said Clarke.

Meanwhile, Chelsea announced they have retained an external law firm to carry out an investigation concerning an individual employed by the club in the 1970s, who is now dead.

&quot;The club has contacted the FA to ensure that all possible assistance is provided as part of their wider investigation,&quot; a Chelsea statement read.

&quot;This will include providing the FA with any relevant information arising out of the club&#39;s investigation.&quot;

(AFP)

The FA chairman has called it the 'greatest crisis' in English football

Former coach Barry Bennell, who is at the centre of a scandal rocking English football, was on Tuesday charged with eight counts of child abuse, prosecutors said. Bennell, who has already served three jail terms for previous child sex offences, has faced a slew of new allegations by at least 20 former footballers spanning three decades beginning in the 1970s when he was working for Crewe Alexandra, Manchester City and Stoke City. "Following a review of the evidence, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, Mr Bennell, 62, has today been charged with eight offences of sexual assault against a boy under the age of 14," said a statement from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Bennell, who it was revealed on Monday had to be hospitalised when he was found unconscious in a hotel near London, will appear in court on December 14. The latest charges stem from Cheshire Police but six other police forces are investigating accusations made against Bennell in a scandal Football Association Chairman Greg Clarke has called "the greatest crisis" in English football he could recall. Former Newcastle player Derek Bell, who waived his anonymity to the Guardian, claimed he was subjected to "horrendous" sexual abuse at his local boys football club in the 1970s. "It was pure, unbelievable heartache. Thinking my mam and dad were next door and he was performing these sexual acts. He had groomed us for a couple of years and he thought it was normal," Bell said. "Deep down in my mind I knew it wasn't normal, but I was so scared to speak and come out and say it wasn't right." Former Northern Ireland international Mark Williams spoke out, with Sky News revealing he had waived his anonymity to describe his torment. "My life has been affected irreversibly both personally and professionally and it has been soul-destroying to carry this burden for 30 years," he said. Police Scotland have also confirmed they have launched a probe following abuse allegations north of the border. The FA has also launched its own internal review appointing leading lawyer Kate Gallafent, an expert in child protection, to head it up. The British Government announced on Tuesday they will bring the police and the FA together for a meeting on the developing scandal. Clarke took over as FA chairman in August and has already had to deal with the removal of Sam Allardyce as England coach over comments he made in a newspaper sting and the 'poppygate' row with FIFA. Unacceptable He told Sky News it was time to finally deal with the issues after they had been ignored. "It's certainly the biggest (crisis) I can remember," said Clarke. "I think the moral consequences of failing to deal with some of these issues in the past we must get to the bottom of." Clarke doesn't know if the FA at the time deliberately turned a blind eye to the goings on although a reporter who made a documentary about sex abuse in football for Channel Four in 1997 has claimed there is a FA report from 2005 detailing 250 victims and spread over a number of clubs. "I don't know if there was a cover-up or not, I really don't know," said Clarke. "I suspect like many big problems, people aren't drawn towards them. My methodology is, if there's a problem, run towards it, embrace it, fix it, disclose everything that happened. "I think institutionally, all organisations in the old days used to protect themselves by keeping quiet and closing ranks. "That's completely inappropriate and unacceptable today." Clarke told the BBC the FA review would not seek to speak to alleged victims nor would he confer with his predecessors as chairman. "We've agreed with the police that we won't talk to any of the victims formally, because they have to talk to them, they have to take statements and we're not allowed to interfere in that process," said Clarke. Meanwhile, Chelsea announced they have retained an external law firm to carry out an investigation concerning an individual employed by the club in the 1970s, who is now dead. "The club has contacted the FA to ensure that all possible assistance is provided as part of their wider investigation," a Chelsea statement read. "This will include providing the FA with any relevant information arising out of the club's investigation." (AFP)

Football: Ex Man City coach Bennell charged with eight counts of child abuse

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was sent off as his side lost more ground in the Premier League title race by drawing 1-1 with West Ham United on Sunday.

After Diafra Sakho&#39;s second-minute opener was cancelled out by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mourinho was sent to the stands for kicking a water bottle in protest at Paul Pogba&#39;s booking for diving.

It was United&#39;s fourth successive home draw in the league -- a first since 1980 -- and left them 11 points below leaders Chelsea in sixth place.

United assistant manager Rui Faria, filling in for Mourinho, told BBC Sport: &quot;We all believe the results will appear.

&quot;The referee explained it to Jose and there is nothing more to say. I think it was frustration from Jose after the yellow card for Pogba.

&quot;It should be a foul for us, but the referee understood it in another way.&quot;

Elsewhere, Alexis Sanchez scored twice as Arsenal kept pace within the leading pack by winning 3-1 at home to Bournemouth.

Mourinho made six changes to his starting XI at Old Trafford, but his bench created the biggest stir as formerly exiled midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger made an unexpected return to the match-day squad.

West Ham needed just 90 seconds to go ahead as Dimitri Payet&#39;s free-kick from the right was headed in by Sakho.

In the 21st minute, Pogba&#39;s deep cross was nodded in by Ibrahimovic, who has now scored seven league goals this season.

Moments later referee Jonathan Moss booked Pogba for diving after the France midfielder took evasive action as Mark Noble moved in to tackle him.

Mourinho reacted by furiously kicking a plastic bottle and was duly sent to the stands for the second time this season.

Wayne Rooney, whose next goal will equal Bobby Charlton&#39;s 249-goal club scoring record, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan came on for United in the second half.

Jesse Lingard saw a goal chalked off for offside after Mkhitaryan had hit the post, while United were indebted to goalkeeper David de Gea for a crucial late save to deny Ashley Fletcher.

- Debuchy blow -

United will hope their luck changes when West Ham return to Old Trafford in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Arsenal ended a run of three straight draws in all competitions with victory over Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium.

With England midfielder Jack Wilshere watching from the stands due to the terms of his loan from Arsenal to Bournemouth, the home side took a 12th-minute lead courtesy of a horror moment from Simon Cook.

In seeking to play the ball back to goalkeeper Adam Federici from the right, he undercooked his pass horribly, giving Sanchez the time to pick his spot and put Arsenal ahead.&nbsp;

Bournemouth equalised in the 23rd minute when Callum Wilson netted from the penalty spot after Nacho Monreal was harshly adjudged to have fouled him.

But Arsenal equalised in the 53rd minute when Theo Walcott headed in Monreal&#39;s masterful cross and Sanchez made the game safe in stoppage time by tapping in substitute Olivier Giroud&#39;s cross.

&quot;I felt we started well, but when they equalised we were nervous and that&#39;s where having three consecutive draws played a little bit on our minds,&quot; said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose team trail Chelsea by three points.

Right-back Mathieu Debuchy, making his first Arsenal start for 370 days, was forced off by a hamstring injury in the first half and Wenger expressed fear the problem was &quot;severe&quot;.

Everton manager Ronald Koeman made an unhappy return to former club Southampton as his current side fell 1-0 to his previous employers.

Charlie Austin scored the game&#39;s only goal after just 41 seconds, heading in from close range after 19-year-old debutant Josh Sims helped on Cedric&#39;s cross.

Stoke City climbed to 11th in the table with a 1-0 win at Watford.

A 29th-minute own goal from Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes settled the game, with Charlie Adam&#39;s header hitting the post and bouncing into the net off the unfortunate Brazilian.

(AFP)

Manchester United manager Mourinho was sent to the stands for kicking a water bottle in protest of Paul Pogba's booking for diving

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was sent off as his side lost more ground in the Premier League title race by drawing 1-1 with West Ham United on Sunday. After Diafra Sakho's second-minute opener was cancelled out by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mourinho was sent to the stands for kicking a water bottle in protest at Paul Pogba's booking for diving. It was United's fourth successive home draw in the league -- a first since 1980 -- and left them 11 points below leaders Chelsea in sixth place. United assistant manager Rui Faria, filling in for Mourinho, told BBC Sport: "We all believe the results will appear. "The referee explained it to Jose and there is nothing more to say. I think it was frustration from Jose after the yellow card for Pogba. "It should be a foul for us, but the referee understood it in another way." Elsewhere, Alexis Sanchez scored twice as Arsenal kept pace within the leading pack by winning 3-1 at home to Bournemouth. Mourinho made six changes to his starting XI at Old Trafford, but his bench created the biggest stir as formerly exiled midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger made an unexpected return to the match-day squad. West Ham needed just 90 seconds to go ahead as Dimitri Payet's free-kick from the right was headed in by Sakho. In the 21st minute, Pogba's deep cross was nodded in by Ibrahimovic, who has now scored seven league goals this season. Moments later referee Jonathan Moss booked Pogba for diving after the France midfielder took evasive action as Mark Noble moved in to tackle him. Mourinho reacted by furiously kicking a plastic bottle and was duly sent to the stands for the second time this season. Wayne Rooney, whose next goal will equal Bobby Charlton's 249-goal club scoring record, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan came on for United in the second half. Jesse Lingard saw a goal chalked off for offside after Mkhitaryan had hit the post, while United were indebted to goalkeeper David de Gea for a crucial late save to deny Ashley Fletcher. - Debuchy blow - United will hope their luck changes when West Ham return to Old Trafford in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. Arsenal ended a run of three straight draws in all competitions with victory over Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium. With England midfielder Jack Wilshere watching from the stands due to the terms of his loan from Arsenal to Bournemouth, the home side took a 12th-minute lead courtesy of a horror moment from Simon Cook. In seeking to play the ball back to goalkeeper Adam Federici from the right, he undercooked his pass horribly, giving Sanchez the time to pick his spot and put Arsenal ahead. Bournemouth equalised in the 23rd minute when Callum Wilson netted from the penalty spot after Nacho Monreal was harshly adjudged to have fouled him. But Arsenal equalised in the 53rd minute when Theo Walcott headed in Monreal's masterful cross and Sanchez made the game safe in stoppage time by tapping in substitute Olivier Giroud's cross. "I felt we started well, but when they equalised we were nervous and that's where having three consecutive draws played a little bit on our minds," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose team trail Chelsea by three points. Right-back Mathieu Debuchy, making his first Arsenal start for 370 days, was forced off by a hamstring injury in the first half and Wenger expressed fear the problem was "severe". Everton manager Ronald Koeman made an unhappy return to former club Southampton as his current side fell 1-0 to his previous employers. Charlie Austin scored the game's only goal after just 41 seconds, heading in from close range after 19-year-old debutant Josh Sims helped on Cedric's cross. Stoke City climbed to 11th in the table with a 1-0 win at Watford. A 29th-minute own goal from Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes settled the game, with Charlie Adam's header hitting the post and bouncing into the net off the unfortunate Brazilian. (AFP)

Football: Mourinho sent off in Man Utd draw, Sanchez fires for Arsenal

Chelsea fought back for a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur that cemented their place on top of the Premier League, while title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool kept pace with the leaders on Saturday.

Antonio Conte&#39;s Chelsea had been knocked out of pole position by City&#39;s 2-1 win at Burnley and Liverpool&#39;s 2-0 success against Sunderland earlier in the afternoon.

But they regained their one-point lead over second-placed Liverpool, who are level on points with third-placed City, thanks to a gritty London derby success at Stamford Bridge that made it seven successive league wins for the Blues.

Chelsea hadn&#39;t conceded a league goal since September 24, but Christian Eriksen fired Tottenham ahead in the 11th minute with a ferocious long-range strike.

Despite being outplayed for much of the first half, Chelsea went back to the dressing room on level terms thanks to a sublime curling effort from Pedro just before the interval.

In the 51st minute, Diego Costa picked out Victor Moses at the far post and his shot was deflected into the net off Jan Vertonghen as Chelsea ended Tottenham&#39;s 12-match unbeaten league run.

&quot;These games are difficult, It was a tough game with a lot of intensity,&quot; Conte said.

&quot;It&#39;s important to continue in this way and improve the confidence. It&#39;s too early to talk of the title. This league is very tough.&quot;

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino added: &quot;If we analyse the game, we were better. All the stats are for us but football is not just about stats. You need to be clinical and score.&quot;

Earlier, Sergio Aguero scored two scruffy goals as City saw off Burnley and Liverpool followed suit by downing Sunderland with goals from Divock Origi and James Milner after losing Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho to a worrying injury.

&quot;It was an intense game for us and a deserved win at the end,&quot; said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

&quot;It (Coutinho&#39;s injury) is an ankle injury, but we can&#39;t say any more until we see a scan.&quot;

Swansea City claimed an extraordinary 5-4 win over fellow strugglers Crystal Palace, while champions Leicester City narrowly avoided a seventh defeat of the campaign in a 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough.

Having seen City prevail at Turf Moor in the early game, Liverpool were under pressure to produce the goods against a Sunderland team who had won their two previous matches.

In the first half, the influential Coutinho was stretchered off with his right ankle in a brace after hurting himself in a challenge by Didier Ndong.

Origi took the Brazil international&#39;s place and he gave Liverpool a reward for their dominance in the 75th minute with his first league goal of the season.

Jordan Henderson picked the Belgian forward out on the left and he cut inside onto his right foot and swept a shot inside the far post.

Milner completed the victory from the penalty spot in the first minute of injury time.

Burnley took a shock 14th-minute lead against City when Dean Marney met Nicolas Otamendi&#39;s headed clearance with a thumping 25-yard volley that nestled in the bottom-left corner.

Pardew woe

But Aguero equalised in the 37th minute, stabbing home after Burnley failed to clear a corner, and the hosts&#39; luck continued to desert them as both Marney and Johann Berg Gudmundsson went off injured.

A defensive mix-up allowed City to net the decisive goal on the hour, with Fernandinho&#39;s cross striking Aguero and going in after Ben Mee and Stephen Ward had got in each other&#39;s way.

&quot;We are so satisfied for the points and the performance, especially two days after the Champions League,&quot; said City manager Pep Guardiola, whose side host Chelsea next weekend.

&quot;All of the players showed huge character and a lot of personality.&quot;

Swansea upped the pressure on Palace manager Alan Pardew by condemning the south London club to a sixth straight defeat in a madcap game that gave Bob Bradley his first win since becoming manager.

Palace led 1-0, fell 3-1 down, fought back to go 4-3 up, but eventually succumbed courtesy of a remarkable brace of injury-time goals from Spanish striker Fernando Llorente.

&quot;Crazy, at 3-1 I thought we were in control. That&#39;s one we won&#39;t forget,&quot; Bradley said.

&quot;I&#39;m going to give the players all the credit today. They fought until the end.&quot;

The victory took Swansea off the foot of the table, where they were replaced by Sunderland, and left Palace above the bottom three on goal difference.

Hull City and West Bromwich Albion drew 1-1.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

Chelsea fought back for a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur that cemented their place on top of the Premier League

Chelsea fought back for a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur that cemented their place on top of the Premier League, while title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool kept pace with the leaders on Saturday. Antonio Conte's Chelsea had been knocked out of pole position by City's 2-1 win at Burnley and Liverpool's 2-0 success against Sunderland earlier in the afternoon. But they regained their one-point lead over second-placed Liverpool, who are level on points with third-placed City, thanks to a gritty London derby success at Stamford Bridge that made it seven successive league wins for the Blues. Chelsea hadn't conceded a league goal since September 24, but Christian Eriksen fired Tottenham ahead in the 11th minute with a ferocious long-range strike. Despite being outplayed for much of the first half, Chelsea went back to the dressing room on level terms thanks to a sublime curling effort from Pedro just before the interval. In the 51st minute, Diego Costa picked out Victor Moses at the far post and his shot was deflected into the net off Jan Vertonghen as Chelsea ended Tottenham's 12-match unbeaten league run. "These games are difficult, It was a tough game with a lot of intensity," Conte said. "It's important to continue in this way and improve the confidence. It's too early to talk of the title. This league is very tough." Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino added: "If we analyse the game, we were better. All the stats are for us but football is not just about stats. You need to be clinical and score." Earlier, Sergio Aguero scored two scruffy goals as City saw off Burnley and Liverpool followed suit by downing Sunderland with goals from Divock Origi and James Milner after losing Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho to a worrying injury. "It was an intense game for us and a deserved win at the end," said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. "It (Coutinho's injury) is an ankle injury, but we can't say any more until we see a scan." Swansea City claimed an extraordinary 5-4 win over fellow strugglers Crystal Palace, while champions Leicester City narrowly avoided a seventh defeat of the campaign in a 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough. Having seen City prevail at Turf Moor in the early game, Liverpool were under pressure to produce the goods against a Sunderland team who had won their two previous matches. In the first half, the influential Coutinho was stretchered off with his right ankle in a brace after hurting himself in a challenge by Didier Ndong. Origi took the Brazil international's place and he gave Liverpool a reward for their dominance in the 75th minute with his first league goal of the season. Jordan Henderson picked the Belgian forward out on the left and he cut inside onto his right foot and swept a shot inside the far post. Milner completed the victory from the penalty spot in the first minute of injury time. Burnley took a shock 14th-minute lead against City when Dean Marney met Nicolas Otamendi's headed clearance with a thumping 25-yard volley that nestled in the bottom-left corner. Pardew woe But Aguero equalised in the 37th minute, stabbing home after Burnley failed to clear a corner, and the hosts' luck continued to desert them as both Marney and Johann Berg Gudmundsson went off injured. A defensive mix-up allowed City to net the decisive goal on the hour, with Fernandinho's cross striking Aguero and going in after Ben Mee and Stephen Ward had got in each other's way. "We are so satisfied for the points and the performance, especially two days after the Champions League," said City manager Pep Guardiola, whose side host Chelsea next weekend. "All of the players showed huge character and a lot of personality." Swansea upped the pressure on Palace manager Alan Pardew by condemning the south London club to a sixth straight defeat in a madcap game that gave Bob Bradley his first win since becoming manager. Palace led 1-0, fell 3-1 down, fought back to go 4-3 up, but eventually succumbed courtesy of a remarkable brace of injury-time goals from Spanish striker Fernando Llorente. "Crazy, at 3-1 I thought we were in control. That's one we won't forget," Bradley said. "I'm going to give the players all the credit today. They fought until the end." The victory took Swansea off the foot of the table, where they were replaced by Sunderland, and left Palace above the bottom three on goal difference. Hull City and West Bromwich Albion drew 1-1. (AFP)

Football: Chelsea down Spurs as City, Liverpool keep pace

Police investigations into the sexual abuse of youngsters within English football widened Friday as England captain Wayne Rooney praised victims for speaking out.

Jason Dunford, once a youth player with Premier League giants Manchester City, added to the growing tide of abuse accusations that have rocked the English game by alleging that a football paedophile ring was covered up.

The allegations mainly centre on Barry Bennell, a youth coach with Manchester City, Stoke City, Crewe Alexandra and several junior teams in northwest England.

Andy Woodward last week became the first player to reveal publicly the abuse Bennell inflicted upon him, triggering a stream of similar claims.

Bennell was given a four-year sentence for raping a British boy on a football tour of Florida in 1994 and a nine-year sentence for 23 offences against six boys in England in 1998.

He was jailed for a third time in 2015 when he pleaded guilty to abusing a boy at a football camp in Macclesfield, northwest England, in 1980.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) announced Thursday it had launched a telephone helpline for victims of football abuse.&nbsp;

Rooney urged any player who had been affected to call the hotline and no longer &quot;suffer in silence&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s awful that some of my colleagues have suffered this way whilst playing the sport that I and they love,&quot; the Manchester United forward said.&nbsp;

&quot;Andy (Woodward) has been really brave to come forward and I would encourage anyone who has or is suffering from abuse to call the NSPCC&#39;s new football helpline.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s important that people know that it&#39;s ok to speak out, there is help available and that they don&#39;t need to suffer in silence.&quot;

Allegations increase

Police said the establishment of the hotline and the publicity generated by former players sharing their stories in the media had prompted other potential victims to come forward, with Bennell not the only name under investigation.

A growing number of allegations have been reported in four police force areas, against several individuals.

London&#39;s Metropolitan Police said it had received information relating to &quot;non-recent sexual abuse in football clubs&quot; in the city, without naming the teams involved.

Earlier, Dunford told BBC television: &quot;I believe there was a conspiracy and paedophile ring.&quot;

Dunford added Bennell had attempted to touch him in bed while he had been staying at a holiday camp after winning a football competition.

&quot;There were people at those clubs who had a duty to look after boys coming through their system,&quot; Dunford said. &quot;I think (Jimmy) Savile looks like a choirboy compared to this fellow.&quot;

Following his death in 2011, numerous allegations of sexual abuse stretching back six decades tainted the name of Savile, a BBC radio DJ and television presenter.&nbsp;

As a result of allegations involving Savile and other high-profile figures, but none specifically linked to football, a wide-ranging inquiry into sex abuse in Britain was established two years ago.

The probe has said it is open to examining allegations within football.

A spokeswoman said the investigation&#39;s role is to look at &quot;institutional failure to protect children from child sexual abuse&quot;, adding that its terms of reference &quot;are broad enough to include failures by sports clubs&quot;.

Death threats

Seven former players have come forward to allege abuse by a youth coach.

Former Manchester City and England forward David White, Woodward, Dunford, Chris Unsworth and Steve Walters all allege they were abused by Bennell.

Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Paul Stewart, capped three times by England, said he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by an unnamed man who threatened to kill his family if he told anyone.

The Guardian newspaper said it had been approached by a former Newcastle United player, whose identity it did not reveal, alleging he had been sexually abused while at the northeast club.

The ex-player named George Ormond, who has already had a six-year prison sentence for convictions involving boys from the club&#39;s youth system over a 24-year period.

The English Premier League said it was &quot;very concerned&quot; by the allegations and offered its support to anyone coming forward. It said clubs were regularly visited to check their safeguarding provisions for youth players.

(AFP)

Andy Woodward last week became the first player to reveal publicly the abuse Barry Bennell inflicted upon him

Police investigations into the sexual abuse of youngsters within English football widened Friday as England captain Wayne Rooney praised victims for speaking out. Jason Dunford, once a youth player with Premier League giants Manchester City, added to the growing tide of abuse accusations that have rocked the English game by alleging that a football paedophile ring was covered up. The allegations mainly centre on Barry Bennell, a youth coach with Manchester City, Stoke City, Crewe Alexandra and several junior teams in northwest England. Andy Woodward last week became the first player to reveal publicly the abuse Bennell inflicted upon him, triggering a stream of similar claims. Bennell was given a four-year sentence for raping a British boy on a football tour of Florida in 1994 and a nine-year sentence for 23 offences against six boys in England in 1998. He was jailed for a third time in 2015 when he pleaded guilty to abusing a boy at a football camp in Macclesfield, northwest England, in 1980. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) announced Thursday it had launched a telephone helpline for victims of football abuse. Rooney urged any player who had been affected to call the hotline and no longer "suffer in silence". "It's awful that some of my colleagues have suffered this way whilst playing the sport that I and they love," the Manchester United forward said. "Andy (Woodward) has been really brave to come forward and I would encourage anyone who has or is suffering from abuse to call the NSPCC's new football helpline. "It's important that people know that it's ok to speak out, there is help available and that they don't need to suffer in silence." Allegations increase Police said the establishment of the hotline and the publicity generated by former players sharing their stories in the media had prompted other potential victims to come forward, with Bennell not the only name under investigation. A growing number of allegations have been reported in four police force areas, against several individuals. London's Metropolitan Police said it had received information relating to "non-recent sexual abuse in football clubs" in the city, without naming the teams involved. Earlier, Dunford told BBC television: "I believe there was a conspiracy and paedophile ring." Dunford added Bennell had attempted to touch him in bed while he had been staying at a holiday camp after winning a football competition. "There were people at those clubs who had a duty to look after boys coming through their system," Dunford said. "I think (Jimmy) Savile looks like a choirboy compared to this fellow." Following his death in 2011, numerous allegations of sexual abuse stretching back six decades tainted the name of Savile, a BBC radio DJ and television presenter. As a result of allegations involving Savile and other high-profile figures, but none specifically linked to football, a wide-ranging inquiry into sex abuse in Britain was established two years ago. The probe has said it is open to examining allegations within football. A spokeswoman said the investigation's role is to look at "institutional failure to protect children from child sexual abuse", adding that its terms of reference "are broad enough to include failures by sports clubs". Death threats Seven former players have come forward to allege abuse by a youth coach. Former Manchester City and England forward David White, Woodward, Dunford, Chris Unsworth and Steve Walters all allege they were abused by Bennell. Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Paul Stewart, capped three times by England, said he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by an unnamed man who threatened to kill his family if he told anyone. The Guardian newspaper said it had been approached by a former Newcastle United player, whose identity it did not reveal, alleging he had been sexually abused while at the northeast club. The ex-player named George Ormond, who has already had a six-year prison sentence for convictions involving boys from the club's youth system over a 24-year period. The English Premier League said it was "very concerned" by the allegations and offered its support to anyone coming forward. It said clubs were regularly visited to check their safeguarding provisions for youth players. (AFP)

Football: Probes widen into youth sex abuse at English clubs

Fernando Llorente&#39;s two injury-time goals saw Swansea come from behind to snatch a thrilling 5-4 win over Crystal Palace in an amazing see-saw game at the Liberty Stadium, snapping an 11-game winless streak and handing the Eagles their sixth straight defeat.

Wilfried Zaha opened the scoring for Palace but Bob Bradley&#39;s Swans looked set for their first win since the opening day of the season as a Gylfi Sigurdsson free kick and a brace from Leroy Fer put them 3-1 midway through the second half.

Unbowed, Alan Pardew&#39;s Palace came roaring back, James Tomkins forcing home a corner and Jack Cork deflecting the ball into his own net before Christian Benteke put the visitors 4-3 up with just six minutes left.

But Llorente netted twice in the 91st and 93rd minute to put the home side back on top, and they hung on grimly through seven minutes of injury time for the three precious points that take them off the bottom of the table.

(Reuters)

Bob Bradley's Swans looked set for their first win since the opening day of the season

Fernando Llorente's two injury-time goals saw Swansea come from behind to snatch a thrilling 5-4 win over Crystal Palace in an amazing see-saw game at the Liberty Stadium, snapping an 11-game winless streak and handing the Eagles their sixth straight defeat. Wilfried Zaha opened the scoring for Palace but Bob Bradley's Swans looked set for their first win since the opening day of the season as a Gylfi Sigurdsson free kick and a brace from Leroy Fer put them 3-1 midway through the second half. Unbowed, Alan Pardew's Palace came roaring back, James Tomkins forcing home a corner and Jack Cork deflecting the ball into his own net before Christian Benteke put the visitors 4-3 up with just six minutes left. But Llorente netted twice in the 91st and 93rd minute to put the home side back on top, and they hung on grimly through seven minutes of injury time for the three precious points that take them off the bottom of the table. (Reuters)

Premier League: Swansea stun Palace with last-gasp winner in 5-4 thriller

Manchester United beat Dutch side Feyenoord 4-0, courtesy a record-breaking goal and an assist by captain Wayne Rooney.

Rooney opened the scoring&nbsp;in the 35th minute to become United&#39;s top-scorer in European football history, passing&nbsp;Ruud van Nistelrooy&#39;s 38. Rooney&#39;s opener also means he is a goal shy of&nbsp;Bobby Charlton&#39;s all-time club scoring record of 249.

The first-half saw United dominating possession and laying siege to Feyenoord&#39;s last third but the best chance before Rooney&#39;s goal had fallen to Feyenoord forward Dirk Kuyt.

United started the second-half in the same vein and increased the attacking tempo as the match went along. The second goal was a team effort, capped by Juan Mata&#39;s run into the six-yeard box to tap in a Rooney cross.&nbsp;

The third goal came by&nbsp;when&nbsp;United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich&#39;s cross clipped the inside of Feyenoord goalkeepr Brad Jones&#39; heel from close distance. Jesse Lingaard scored the fourth in the dying stages in the game following a raft of short, sharp passes in the final third.

The win leaves&nbsp;United a point below Group A leaders Fenerbahce in second place ahead of their final game at Zorya Luhansk.&nbsp;United will go into that game knowing a draw will take them into the last 32.

Mkhitaryan goes close

Mkhitaryan, who was playing just his second game for United, looked lively in the match.

The former Borussia Dortmund player sped past five Feyenoord players, only to be denied a free-kick after being clipped by Jens Toornstra, while Mata&#39;s elegant chip drew a finger-tip save from the backpedalling Jones.

Mkhitaryan was soon on the scene again, exchanging passes with Ibrahimovic, stealing past Kuyt -- another Liverpool old boy -- and thrashing a left-foot shot into the side-netting.

Mkhitaryan has had a slow start in England. The former Bundesliga player of the year was starting just the second match for his new team, following a poor performance in the Manchester derby earlier in the season.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Wayne Rooney opened the scoring in the 39th minute and then helped his teammate Juan Mata score in the second half

Manchester United beat Dutch side Feyenoord 4-0, courtesy a record-breaking goal and an assist by captain Wayne Rooney. Rooney opened the scoring in the 35th minute to become United's top-scorer in European football history, passing Ruud van Nistelrooy's 38. Rooney's opener also means he is a goal shy of Bobby Charlton's all-time club scoring record of 249. The first-half saw United dominating possession and laying siege to Feyenoord's last third but the best chance before Rooney's goal had fallen to Feyenoord forward Dirk Kuyt. United started the second-half in the same vein and increased the attacking tempo as the match went along. The second goal was a team effort, capped by Juan Mata's run into the six-yeard box to tap in a Rooney cross. The third goal came by when United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich's cross clipped the inside of Feyenoord goalkeepr Brad Jones' heel from close distance. Jesse Lingaard scored the fourth in the dying stages in the game following a raft of short, sharp passes in the final third. The win leaves United a point below Group A leaders Fenerbahce in second place ahead of their final game at Zorya Luhansk. United will go into that game knowing a draw will take them into the last 32. Mkhitaryan goes close Mkhitaryan, who was playing just his second game for United, looked lively in the match. The former Borussia Dortmund player sped past five Feyenoord players, only to be denied a free-kick after being clipped by Jens Toornstra, while Mata's elegant chip drew a finger-tip save from the backpedalling Jones. Mkhitaryan was soon on the scene again, exchanging passes with Ibrahimovic, stealing past Kuyt -- another Liverpool old boy -- and thrashing a left-foot shot into the side-netting. Mkhitaryan has had a slow start in England. The former Bundesliga player of the year was starting just the second match for his new team, following a poor performance in the Manchester derby earlier in the season. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Europa League: Rooney helps Man United breeze past Feyenoord

Bayern&nbsp;Munich&#39;s hopes of finishing top of their Champions League group were hanging by a thread on Wednesday after they were stunned 3-2 at Russian side Rostov who recorded their first ever win in the competition.&nbsp;

The German champions had already qualified for the last 16, but their chances of topping Group D are now slim with leaders Atletico Madrid needing a point from their final two games to tie up first place.&nbsp;

Atletico took the top spot after beating Eindohoven 2-0 in the other group match.

Rostov, who are merely battling to finish third and get into the Europa League, fell behind when Douglas Costa swept home after 35 minutes, but an excellent finish from livewire forward Sardar Azmoun levelled and Dmitri Poloz&#39;s penalty put the hosts ahead.&nbsp;

Bayern, whose defence was frequently exposed by Rostov&#39;s pace on the break, equalised when Juan Bernat drove the ball into the roof of the net, but Christian Noboa curled in a precise free kick to earn Rostov a famous victory.&nbsp;

The Russian side moved up to four points, provisionally three clear of bottom club PSV Eindhoven, who visit Atletico later on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Bayern, who were beaten by Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Saturday and are winless in their last three in all competitions, stay on nine points, ahead of their final group outing against Atletico.&nbsp;

Bayern, five times European champions and Bundesliga winners for the last four seasons, beat Rostov 5-0 in September in what was the Russian side&#39;s first ever match in the Champions League.

Yet this was always going to be a tougher test for the Germans, especially without injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and playmaker Arjen Robben.&nbsp;

The visitors enjoyed the better start, but should have fallen behind after nine minutes when Alexander Erokhin&#39;s header was cleared off the line.&nbsp;

A mistake from Rostov defender Cesar Navas 10 minutes before halftime, gifted&nbsp;Bayern&nbsp;the lead as his poor clearance fell to Costa who rifled the ball home from close range.

Rostov improved as the half progressed and drew level a minute before the break when Iranian Azmoun, a constant threat with his pace and trickery, left Jerome Boateng on the ground with a sharp turn and calmly finished into the bottom right corner.&nbsp;

Five minutes after halftime, Poloz put Rostov in front from the penalty spot after Noboa was fouled by Boateng, who had a match to forget and was substituted after 58 minutes.

The hosts&#39; advantage did not last long, however, as Bernat latched onto Franck Ribery&#39;s excellent ball into the box and drove home with his first touch.&nbsp;

There was to be no salvation for&nbsp;Bayern&nbsp;though as Rostov re-took the lead on 67 minutes when Noboa curled a wonderfully taken free kick over the wall into the corner.

(Reuters)

Atletico Madrid's win against Eindhoven means that Bayern Munich will finish second in the group

Bayern Munich's hopes of finishing top of their Champions League group were hanging by a thread on Wednesday after they were stunned 3-2 at Russian side Rostov who recorded their first ever win in the competition. The German champions had already qualified for the last 16, but their chances of topping Group D are now slim with leaders Atletico Madrid needing a point from their final two games to tie up first place. Atletico took the top spot after beating Eindohoven 2-0 in the other group match. Rostov, who are merely battling to finish third and get into the Europa League, fell behind when Douglas Costa swept home after 35 minutes, but an excellent finish from livewire forward Sardar Azmoun levelled and Dmitri Poloz's penalty put the hosts ahead. Bayern, whose defence was frequently exposed by Rostov's pace on the break, equalised when Juan Bernat drove the ball into the roof of the net, but Christian Noboa curled in a precise free kick to earn Rostov a famous victory. The Russian side moved up to four points, provisionally three clear of bottom club PSV Eindhoven, who visit Atletico later on Wednesday. Bayern, who were beaten by Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Saturday and are winless in their last three in all competitions, stay on nine points, ahead of their final group outing against Atletico. Bayern, five times European champions and Bundesliga winners for the last four seasons, beat Rostov 5-0 in September in what was the Russian side's first ever match in the Champions League. Yet this was always going to be a tougher test for the Germans, especially without injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and playmaker Arjen Robben. The visitors enjoyed the better start, but should have fallen behind after nine minutes when Alexander Erokhin's header was cleared off the line. A mistake from Rostov defender Cesar Navas 10 minutes before halftime, gifted Bayern the lead as his poor clearance fell to Costa who rifled the ball home from close range. Rostov improved as the half progressed and drew level a minute before the break when Iranian Azmoun, a constant threat with his pace and trickery, left Jerome Boateng on the ground with a sharp turn and calmly finished into the bottom right corner. Five minutes after halftime, Poloz put Rostov in front from the penalty spot after Noboa was fouled by Boateng, who had a match to forget and was substituted after 58 minutes. The hosts' advantage did not last long, however, as Bernat latched onto Franck Ribery's excellent ball into the box and drove home with his first touch. There was to be no salvation for Bayern though as Rostov re-took the lead on 67 minutes when Noboa curled a wonderfully taken free kick over the wall into the corner. (Reuters)

Champions League: Faltering Bayern stunned by Rostov

Striker Didier Drogba has indicated he will not return to Montreal Impact next season, with the Major League Soccer club releasing a video on Twitter thanking him for his service.

The 38-year-old former Chelsea striker played his last home game for the club after he came on as a second half substitute in Impact&#39;s 3-2 win over Toronto FC in the first leg of the MLS Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday.

&quot;Everyone knows that it was my last game here,&quot; Drogba said when asked after the match if he would be back next season.

&quot;There is still one, maybe two games to go. Let&#39;s think about next week&#39;s game, I think that is more important than if it&#39;s finished or not.&quot;

Montreal travel to Toronto for the second leg on November 30, knowing either a win or a draw will see them advance to the MLS Cup final in either Seattle or Colorado on December 10.

Drogba joined Montreal in July 2015 and has scored 21 regular season goals in 33 appearances across two seasons.

Injuries resulted in him losing his place in the starting lineup to Italian Matteo Mancosu and a subsequent feud over playing time with manager Mauro Biello extended his spell on the sidelines.

The prolific former Ivory Coast international spent nine seasons with Chelsea before moving to the United States, scoring 164 goals across all competitions and leading the Premier League club to their first ever Champions League title. 
 
(Reuters)

Drogba played his last home game for the club in Impact's 3-2 win over Toronto FC in the MLS Eastern Conference finals

Striker Didier Drogba has indicated he will not return to Montreal Impact next season, with the Major League Soccer club releasing a video on Twitter thanking him for his service. The 38-year-old former Chelsea striker played his last home game for the club after he came on as a second half substitute in Impact's 3-2 win over Toronto FC in the first leg of the MLS Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday. "Everyone knows that it was my last game here," Drogba said when asked after the match if he would be back next season. "There is still one, maybe two games to go. Let's think about next week's game, I think that is more important than if it's finished or not." Montreal travel to Toronto for the second leg on November 30, knowing either a win or a draw will see them advance to the MLS Cup final in either Seattle or Colorado on December 10. Drogba joined Montreal in July 2015 and has scored 21 regular season goals in 33 appearances across two seasons. Injuries resulted in him losing his place in the starting lineup to Italian Matteo Mancosu and a subsequent feud over playing time with manager Mauro Biello extended his spell on the sidelines. The prolific former Ivory Coast international spent nine seasons with Chelsea before moving to the United States, scoring 164 goals across all competitions and leading the Premier League club to their first ever Champions League title. (Reuters)

Football: Drogba bids farewell to Montreal after final home game

Leicester&nbsp;kept their Champions League dreams aflame Tuesday, cruising into the last 16 with a 2-1 win over Belgium&#39;s Club Brugge, where they were joined by Real Madrid -- but not a crestfallen Tottenham.

Joining the hopeful debutants and the holders on the night were Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco.

They join last year&#39;s runners-up Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, who had already booked their tickets to the knockout phase with two group games to spare.

Leicester&#39;s success saw the Foxes advance as Group G winners in their maiden season in the event, giving a major fillip to Claudio Ranieri&#39;s side, who are just two points above the domestic drop zone.

&quot;We&#39;re on another journey. I don&#39;t know where, but we&#39;re excited!&quot; Ranieri said afterwards.

Referring to his side&#39;s poor league form the Italian added: &quot;Maybe we have been more concentrated in the Champions League. Now the group is won, (it is) important to come back in the Premier League.&quot; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Shinji Okazaki netted after just five minutes and a Riyad Mahrez penalty made it 2-0 before Jose Izquierdo notched a second-half consolation for Brugge.

&quot;We wanted to finish first in the group. It wasn&#39;t easy today but we did it,&quot; said Foxes&#39; Algerian star Mahrez.

The Colombian&#39;s strike was the first goal&nbsp;Leicester&nbsp;have conceded in the tournament to date.

As&nbsp;Leicester&nbsp;celebrated, Tottenham in contrast saw their adventure in Europe&#39;s top club competition come to a grinding halt after a 2-1 loss at Monaco, who won Group E in the process.&nbsp;

Spurs had a let off when their French keeper Hugo Lloris saved Radamel Falcao&#39;s early spotkick.

But quickfire goals from Djibril Sidibe and Thomas Lemar just after the break, sandwiching a Harry Kane penalty, did for the Londoners.&nbsp;

In the same group Bayer Leverkusen drew 1-1 at CSKA Moscow to take the Germans into the knockout stages following Spurs&#39; loss.

Kevin Volland put Leverkusen ahead after 16 minutes before Israeli international Bibras Natcho levelled.

Spurs will host CSKA in a final game whose outcome will decide who goes into the Europa League. In any case, &#39;home&#39; advantage at Wembley Stadium has hardly shone on Mauricio Pochettino&#39;s side, given that they succumbed to defeats by Monaco and Leverkusen.

Kane said those games sank them.

&quot;I&#39;m gutted. We wanted to go far but it is something we will have to deal with.

&quot;We will look back and say it was the home games were we should&#39;ve been better,&quot; the striker told BT Sport.

Holders and 11-times winners Real Madrid joined 1997 champions Borussia Dortmund in qualifying from Group F after a 2-1 win at star man Cristiano Ronaldo&#39;s former club Sporting Lisbon.

Raphael Varane gave the &#39;meringues&#39; the lead before Adrien Silva netted a spot-kick for the Portuguese only for substitute Karim Benzema to pop up with the winner for Real.

The Spaniards suffered a huge injury scare, however, just 11 days before facing Barcelona in La Liga as Welsh star Gareth Bale exited with an ankle injury shortly after half-time.

&quot;We knew it would be complicated, but we got the three points,&quot; said Real coach Zinedine Zidane, who won the 2002 title as a player for the Spanish giants and then as coach last May.

&quot;When you concede a goal you can think it will be tough but we continued to play and responded and finally had our reward with Karim&#39;s goal,&quot; Zidane told &nbsp;beIn Sports.

Record goalfest

Dortmund secured the group win with a game to play after swatting Poland&#39;s Legia Warsaw 8-4 -- a record goalfest for a Champions League encounter.

The Germans became one of an elite clique to notch five goals in a single Champions League half having led 5-2 at the interval.

Marco Reus scored a hat-trick and Japanese star Shinji Kagawa netted a brace as Dortmund ran riot.

Two-times champions Juventus are through after defeating previous Group H leaders Sevilla, Europa League champions for the past three seasons, 3-1 in Spain.

Claudio Marchisio with a penalty, Leonardo Bonucci and Mario Mandzucic scored for the &#39;Old Lady&#39; of Turin after Nicolas Pareja had put Sevilla ahead early on. &nbsp;

Perennial challengers Barcelona and Manchester City were hoping to book their tickets Wednesday with wins over Celtic and Borussia Moenchengladbach respectively.

(AFP)

Leicester and Real Madrid join last year's runners-up Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern and Dortmund in the next round

Leicester kept their Champions League dreams aflame Tuesday, cruising into the last 16 with a 2-1 win over Belgium's Club Brugge, where they were joined by Real Madrid -- but not a crestfallen Tottenham. Joining the hopeful debutants and the holders on the night were Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco. They join last year's runners-up Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, who had already booked their tickets to the knockout phase with two group games to spare. Leicester's success saw the Foxes advance as Group G winners in their maiden season in the event, giving a major fillip to Claudio Ranieri's side, who are just two points above the domestic drop zone. "We're on another journey. I don't know where, but we're excited!" Ranieri said afterwards. Referring to his side's poor league form the Italian added: "Maybe we have been more concentrated in the Champions League. Now the group is won, (it is) important to come back in the Premier League." Shinji Okazaki netted after just five minutes and a Riyad Mahrez penalty made it 2-0 before Jose Izquierdo notched a second-half consolation for Brugge. "We wanted to finish first in the group. It wasn't easy today but we did it," said Foxes' Algerian star Mahrez. The Colombian's strike was the first goal Leicester have conceded in the tournament to date. As Leicester celebrated, Tottenham in contrast saw their adventure in Europe's top club competition come to a grinding halt after a 2-1 loss at Monaco, who won Group E in the process. Spurs had a let off when their French keeper Hugo Lloris saved Radamel Falcao's early spotkick. But quickfire goals from Djibril Sidibe and Thomas Lemar just after the break, sandwiching a Harry Kane penalty, did for the Londoners. In the same group Bayer Leverkusen drew 1-1 at CSKA Moscow to take the Germans into the knockout stages following Spurs' loss. Kevin Volland put Leverkusen ahead after 16 minutes before Israeli international Bibras Natcho levelled. Spurs will host CSKA in a final game whose outcome will decide who goes into the Europa League. In any case, 'home' advantage at Wembley Stadium has hardly shone on Mauricio Pochettino's side, given that they succumbed to defeats by Monaco and Leverkusen. Kane said those games sank them. "I'm gutted. We wanted to go far but it is something we will have to deal with. "We will look back and say it was the home games were we should've been better," the striker told BT Sport. Holders and 11-times winners Real Madrid joined 1997 champions Borussia Dortmund in qualifying from Group F after a 2-1 win at star man Cristiano Ronaldo's former club Sporting Lisbon. Raphael Varane gave the 'meringues' the lead before Adrien Silva netted a spot-kick for the Portuguese only for substitute Karim Benzema to pop up with the winner for Real. The Spaniards suffered a huge injury scare, however, just 11 days before facing Barcelona in La Liga as Welsh star Gareth Bale exited with an ankle injury shortly after half-time. "We knew it would be complicated, but we got the three points," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane, who won the 2002 title as a player for the Spanish giants and then as coach last May. "When you concede a goal you can think it will be tough but we continued to play and responded and finally had our reward with Karim's goal," Zidane told beIn Sports. Record goalfest Dortmund secured the group win with a game to play after swatting Poland's Legia Warsaw 8-4 -- a record goalfest for a Champions League encounter. The Germans became one of an elite clique to notch five goals in a single Champions League half having led 5-2 at the interval. Marco Reus scored a hat-trick and Japanese star Shinji Kagawa netted a brace as Dortmund ran riot. Two-times champions Juventus are through after defeating previous Group H leaders Sevilla, Europa League champions for the past three seasons, 3-1 in Spain. Claudio Marchisio with a penalty, Leonardo Bonucci and Mario Mandzucic scored for the 'Old Lady' of Turin after Nicolas Pareja had put Sevilla ahead early on. Perennial challengers Barcelona and Manchester City were hoping to book their tickets Wednesday with wins over Celtic and Borussia Moenchengladbach respectively. (AFP)

Champions League round-up: Leicester continue fairytale run, Real through to last 16

Spain&#39;s public prosecutor has called for Barcelona soccer player Neymar to be sent to prison for two years for his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos to the Liga champions in 2013, said a court filing on Wednesday.

Judge Jose Perals also called for a five-year sentence for former Barca president Sandro Rosell and a fine of 8.4 million euros ($8.9 million) for the club, but called for charges against current president Josep Maria Bartomeu to be dropped.

(Reuters)

The case is related to his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos to the Liga champions in 2013

Spain's public prosecutor has called for Barcelona soccer player Neymar to be sent to prison for two years for his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos to the Liga champions in 2013, said a court filing on Wednesday. Judge Jose Perals also called for a five-year sentence for former Barca president Sandro Rosell and a fine of 8.4 million euros ($8.9 million) for the club, but called for charges against current president Josep Maria Bartomeu to be dropped. (Reuters)

Spanish court wants two-year prison sentence for Barca's Neymar

Former Germany player and coach Jurgen Klinsmann was fired Monday as coach of the United States after losing two 2018 World Cup qualifying matches.

The 52-year-old, who won the World Cup as a player with Germany in 1990, had been in charge of the US since 2011.

US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati announced the &quot;difficult decision&quot; without naming a replacement. The United States does not face another World Cup qualifier until March.

&quot;While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction,&quot; Gulati said.

&quot;With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup.&quot;

Klinsmann went 55-27 with 16 drawn in a coaching tenure that began on July 29, 2011, when Gulati named him to replace sacked Bob Bradley on a team where Bradley&#39;s son Michael was a star midfielder.

&quot;We want to thank Jurgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years,&quot; Gulati said. &quot;He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program and there were considerable achievements along the way.&quot;

Klinsmann guided the Americans on a team record 12-match win streak in 2013 and his 16 triumphs and 76.1 win percentage that year set US calendar-year records.

But the Americans were a disappointing fourth in the 2015 Gold Cup and also lost a playoff to Mexico for a berth in the 2017 Confederations Cup.

Earlier this month, the US stumbled badly in opening the final round of North American (CONCACAF) qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, falling 2-1 at home to arch-rival Mexico and 4-0 at Costa Rica.

In a New York Times story published on Monday, Klinsmann dismissed much of the criticism as &quot;a lot of talk from people who don&#39;t understand soccer or the team&quot; while saying critics were &quot;ignoring the facts&quot; and &quot;being disrespectful.&quot;

Klinsmann has tinkered with lineups and formations but dismissed calls his moves hurt the squad, saying &quot;we are coaching a team through a transitional phase.&quot;

Arena to return?

Gulati addressed the future of US Soccer, which many fans saw as bleak under Klinsmann&#39;s guidance, saying &quot;we look forward to continued progress.&quot;

Bruce Arena, a five-time Major League Soccer champion coach now with the Los Angeles Galaxy, is thought to be a prime candidate to replace Klinsmann.

The 65-year-old American coached the US team to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals and guided a 2006 US lineup that exited in the group stages.

Sports Illustrated reported that Arena was set to take over and an announcement could come as early as Tuesday, when Gulati plans to speak with reporters.

Under Klinsmann in 2014, the Americans matched their 2010 World Cup showing by reaching the last 16 at Brazil after Klinsmann left long-time US striker Landon Donovan off the roster.

&quot;Never want to see someone lose their job,&quot; Donovan tweeted Monday. &quot;I have no doubt that this talented group of players will qualify for Russia &#39;18.&quot;

Gulati sang Klinsmann&#39;s praises even as he swung the axe, saying the German legend&#39;s legacy will have a long-term impact on the squad.

&quot;Many are aware of the historic victories, including leading us out of the Group of Death to the round of 16 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes,&quot; Gulati said.

&quot;He challenged everyone in the US Soccer community to think about things in new ways and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come.&quot;

Eight US matches remain in the North American (CONCACAF) &quot;hexagonal&quot; round-robin qualifying, the next being at home to Honduras on March 24 and four days later at Panama.&nbsp;

The three top teams in the six-nation field advance to the World Cup while the fourth faces a playoff against an Asian team for one of the last berths in Russia.

(AFP)

He lost the job after losing two World Cup qualifying matches. A replacement has not been named

Former Germany player and coach Jurgen Klinsmann was fired Monday as coach of the United States after losing two 2018 World Cup qualifying matches. The 52-year-old, who won the World Cup as a player with Germany in 1990, had been in charge of the US since 2011. US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati announced the "difficult decision" without naming a replacement. The United States does not face another World Cup qualifier until March. "While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction," Gulati said. "With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup." Klinsmann went 55-27 with 16 drawn in a coaching tenure that began on July 29, 2011, when Gulati named him to replace sacked Bob Bradley on a team where Bradley's son Michael was a star midfielder. "We want to thank Jurgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years," Gulati said. "He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program and there were considerable achievements along the way." Klinsmann guided the Americans on a team record 12-match win streak in 2013 and his 16 triumphs and 76.1 win percentage that year set US calendar-year records. But the Americans were a disappointing fourth in the 2015 Gold Cup and also lost a playoff to Mexico for a berth in the 2017 Confederations Cup. Earlier this month, the US stumbled badly in opening the final round of North American (CONCACAF) qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, falling 2-1 at home to arch-rival Mexico and 4-0 at Costa Rica. In a New York Times story published on Monday, Klinsmann dismissed much of the criticism as "a lot of talk from people who don't understand soccer or the team" while saying critics were "ignoring the facts" and "being disrespectful." Klinsmann has tinkered with lineups and formations but dismissed calls his moves hurt the squad, saying "we are coaching a team through a transitional phase." Arena to return? Gulati addressed the future of US Soccer, which many fans saw as bleak under Klinsmann's guidance, saying "we look forward to continued progress." Bruce Arena, a five-time Major League Soccer champion coach now with the Los Angeles Galaxy, is thought to be a prime candidate to replace Klinsmann. The 65-year-old American coached the US team to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals and guided a 2006 US lineup that exited in the group stages. Sports Illustrated reported that Arena was set to take over and an announcement could come as early as Tuesday, when Gulati plans to speak with reporters. Under Klinsmann in 2014, the Americans matched their 2010 World Cup showing by reaching the last 16 at Brazil after Klinsmann left long-time US striker Landon Donovan off the roster. "Never want to see someone lose their job," Donovan tweeted Monday. "I have no doubt that this talented group of players will qualify for Russia '18." Gulati sang Klinsmann's praises even as he swung the axe, saying the German legend's legacy will have a long-term impact on the squad. "Many are aware of the historic victories, including leading us out of the Group of Death to the round of 16 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes," Gulati said. "He challenged everyone in the US Soccer community to think about things in new ways and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come." Eight US matches remain in the North American (CONCACAF) "hexagonal" round-robin qualifying, the next being at home to Honduras on March 24 and four days later at Panama. The three top teams in the six-nation field advance to the World Cup while the fourth faces a playoff against an Asian team for one of the last berths in Russia. (AFP)

Football: US coach Klinsmann fired

Chelsea&nbsp;replaced Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory at Middlesbrough on Sunday.&nbsp;

It was the London side&#39;s sixth successive win without conceding a goal and put them a point ahead of the Merseyside club and Manchester City.

The league&#39;s leading scorer, Diego Costa, hit his 10th goal of the season to put them in front four minutes before halftime.

Middlesbrough, promoted last season, found it hard to make any clear chances. They remain in the bottom six, one point clear of the relegation places.

(Reuters)

Striker Diego Costa scored four minutes before halftime to help his team jump over Liverpool in the league table

Chelsea replaced Liverpool at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory at Middlesbrough on Sunday. It was the London side's sixth successive win without conceding a goal and put them a point ahead of the Merseyside club and Manchester City. The league's leading scorer, Diego Costa, hit his 10th goal of the season to put them in front four minutes before halftime. Middlesbrough, promoted last season, found it hard to make any clear chances. They remain in the bottom six, one point clear of the relegation places. (Reuters)

Chelsea beat Middlesbrough to top Premier League standings

Cristiano Ronaldo&#39;s hat-trick delivered&nbsp;Real&nbsp;Madrid&#39;s first success over Atletico&nbsp;Madrid&nbsp;in La Liga for three years with a 3-0 win in the last meeting between the sides at Atletico&#39;s Vicente Calderon.

Real&nbsp;now lead second-placed Barcelona by four points after the Catalans paid a heavy price for the absence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in a 0-0 draw with nine-man Malaga earlier on Saturday.

A third league defeat in four games leaves Atletico&#39;s title ambitions in tatters in their final season at the Calderon. Diego Simeone&#39;s men are now nine points adrift of&nbsp;Real&nbsp;down in fifth.

Ronaldo struck the decisive spot-kick as&nbsp;Real&nbsp;edged Atletico on penalties in the Champions League final in May and was the match winner once more, albeit with a slight hint of fortune.

The Portuguese&#39;s opener took a wicked deflection on its way past the excellent Jan Oblak.

Ronaldo doubled&nbsp;Real&#39;s lead from the penalty spot 19 minutes from time before a brilliant Gareth Bale cross teed him up for the simplest of finishes to complete his hat-trick.

Real&nbsp;were without six key players in captain Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Alvaro Morata and Karim Benzema, but impressively controlled the first 45 minutes.

Only an incredible save by Oblak prevented Ronaldo opening the scoring with a towering header on 12 minutes that the Slovenian somehow clawed away low to his left.

Oblak made another smart save to deny Luka Modric moments later, but he was helpless for the opener as Ronaldo&#39;s free-kick was deflected behind him via the Atletico wall.

It took Atletico until the start of the second period to get to grips with the European champions, but came out a different side after the break.

Yannick Carrasco curled inches wide from the edge of the area before Antoine Griezmann blasted a shot across goal with no Atletico player waiting to knock to the ball into an unguarded net.

However, any hopes of an Atletico fightback were punctured when Stefan Savic upended Ronaldo inside the area and the three-time World Player of the Year dispatched the resulting spot-kick.

And with Atletico stretched at the back, a brilliant run and low cross from Bale on the counter-attack teed up Ronaldo to prod home at the far post.

(AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 37th hat-trick of his La Liga career to help his team go four points clear of Barcelona

Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick delivered Real Madrid's first success over Atletico Madrid in La Liga for three years with a 3-0 win in the last meeting between the sides at Atletico's Vicente Calderon. Real now lead second-placed Barcelona by four points after the Catalans paid a heavy price for the absence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in a 0-0 draw with nine-man Malaga earlier on Saturday. A third league defeat in four games leaves Atletico's title ambitions in tatters in their final season at the Calderon. Diego Simeone's men are now nine points adrift of Real down in fifth. Ronaldo struck the decisive spot-kick as Real edged Atletico on penalties in the Champions League final in May and was the match winner once more, albeit with a slight hint of fortune. The Portuguese's opener took a wicked deflection on its way past the excellent Jan Oblak. Ronaldo doubled Real's lead from the penalty spot 19 minutes from time before a brilliant Gareth Bale cross teed him up for the simplest of finishes to complete his hat-trick. Real were without six key players in captain Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Alvaro Morata and Karim Benzema, but impressively controlled the first 45 minutes. Only an incredible save by Oblak prevented Ronaldo opening the scoring with a towering header on 12 minutes that the Slovenian somehow clawed away low to his left. Oblak made another smart save to deny Luka Modric moments later, but he was helpless for the opener as Ronaldo's free-kick was deflected behind him via the Atletico wall. It took Atletico until the start of the second period to get to grips with the European champions, but came out a different side after the break. Yannick Carrasco curled inches wide from the edge of the area before Antoine Griezmann blasted a shot across goal with no Atletico player waiting to knock to the ball into an unguarded net. However, any hopes of an Atletico fightback were punctured when Stefan Savic upended Ronaldo inside the area and the three-time World Player of the Year dispatched the resulting spot-kick. And with Atletico stretched at the back, a brilliant run and low cross from Bale on the counter-attack teed up Ronaldo to prod home at the far post. (AFP)

Ronaldo hat-trick helps Real Madrid beat cross-town rivals Atletico

Borussia Dortmund stunned champions and arch-rivals&nbsp;Bayern&nbsp;Munich 1-0 on Saturday in a bad-tempered clash in&nbsp;&quot;Der Klassiker&quot; to leave RB Leipzig the shock Bundesliga leaders.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang prodded in on 11 minutes at a frenzied Signal Iduna Park to propel Dortmund up to third on 21 points, three points behind&nbsp;Bayern, for whom this was a first defeat of the league season.

RB Leipzig are top, unbeaten and three points clear of the mighty&nbsp;Bayern, after a thrilling 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen on Friday signalled another milestone in their fast rise to the top of German football.

Aubameyang scored the only goal of the game -- he should have gone on to grab at least two more -- poking in the ball from close range after ex-Bayern&nbsp;man Mario Goetze&#39;s cross.

The striker celebrated with three push-ups and the home side were on the attack again moments later, the&nbsp;Bayern&nbsp;rearguard creaking as the fans at the intimidating 81,000 arena ratcheted up the volume once more.

The game had simmered to this point, but it threatened to boil over as the half wore on, with Dortmund conceding a series of free-kicks and referee Tobias Stieler struggling to keep a lid on it.

Stieler had a word with Thomas Tuchel after the Dortmund coach protested one challenge and Marc Bartra was booked for a bad challenge on&nbsp;Bayern&#39;s Thomas Mueller.

Soon after Bartra was penalised again for tugging down Robert Lewandowski and was fortunate that Stieler decided to keep his cards in his pocket.

The momentum was now with Carlo Ancelotti&#39;s men and&nbsp;Bayern&nbsp;piled on the pressure, Thiago Alcantara just failing to properly connect with a flying scissor kick five minutes before half-time.

Aubameyang should have put the home side 2-0 up soon after the restart, but he headed feebly over, and then Goetze got away with only a yellow card for a nasty challenge on Franck Ribery that left the Frenchman in agony on the turf.

The visitors were a whisker from equalising around the hour mark when Xabi Alonso let fly from distance, the ball crashing off the crossbar.

On 71 minutes Aubameyang should have sealed the game for Dortmund, but he shot straight at Manuel Neuer after a&nbsp;Bayern&nbsp;lapse at the back.

Ribery was in the thick of it again in the dying minutes and was booked when the two sides clashed once more, the referee&#39;s assistants running onto the pitch to help restore order.

Polish predator Lewandowski should have levelled the score at the death but he inexplicably headed wide when clear and unmarked.

(AFP)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang prodded in on 11 minutes at a frenzied Signal Iduna Park to propel Dortmund up to third

Borussia Dortmund stunned champions and arch-rivals Bayern Munich 1-0 on Saturday in a bad-tempered clash in "Der Klassiker" to leave RB Leipzig the shock Bundesliga leaders. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang prodded in on 11 minutes at a frenzied Signal Iduna Park to propel Dortmund up to third on 21 points, three points behind Bayern, for whom this was a first defeat of the league season. RB Leipzig are top, unbeaten and three points clear of the mighty Bayern, after a thrilling 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen on Friday signalled another milestone in their fast rise to the top of German football. Aubameyang scored the only goal of the game -- he should have gone on to grab at least two more -- poking in the ball from close range after ex-Bayern man Mario Goetze's cross. The striker celebrated with three push-ups and the home side were on the attack again moments later, the Bayern rearguard creaking as the fans at the intimidating 81,000 arena ratcheted up the volume once more. The game had simmered to this point, but it threatened to boil over as the half wore on, with Dortmund conceding a series of free-kicks and referee Tobias Stieler struggling to keep a lid on it. Stieler had a word with Thomas Tuchel after the Dortmund coach protested one challenge and Marc Bartra was booked for a bad challenge on Bayern's Thomas Mueller. Soon after Bartra was penalised again for tugging down Robert Lewandowski and was fortunate that Stieler decided to keep his cards in his pocket. The momentum was now with Carlo Ancelotti's men and Bayern piled on the pressure, Thiago Alcantara just failing to properly connect with a flying scissor kick five minutes before half-time. Aubameyang should have put the home side 2-0 up soon after the restart, but he headed feebly over, and then Goetze got away with only a yellow card for a nasty challenge on Franck Ribery that left the Frenchman in agony on the turf. The visitors were a whisker from equalising around the hour mark when Xabi Alonso let fly from distance, the ball crashing off the crossbar. On 71 minutes Aubameyang should have sealed the game for Dortmund, but he shot straight at Manuel Neuer after a Bayern lapse at the back. Ribery was in the thick of it again in the dying minutes and was booked when the two sides clashed once more, the referee's assistants running onto the pitch to help restore order. Polish predator Lewandowski should have levelled the score at the death but he inexplicably headed wide when clear and unmarked. (AFP)

Dortmund beat Bayern 1-0 to leave new boys Leipzig new league leaders

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