Archive soccer news from around the world
English Premiership stars in gang rape probe (Sep 30, 2003)
Eight English Premiership soccer stars are at the centre of investigations into the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl. . . . more . . .
Sociedad resist Turkish onslaught (Sep 30, 2003)
Real Sociedad soaked up intense pressure from Galatasaray before stealing a 2-1 victory to record their second win in as many Champions League matches. . . . more . . .
Resign call for Colombian boss Maturana (Sep 30, 2003)
Former Colombia coach Luis Augusto Garcia said current coach Francisco 'Pacho' Maturana should resign if the team do not get four points from two 2006 World Cup qualifiers in November. . . . more . . .
Rosicky and Baros miss Czechs' Vienna date (Sep 30, 2003)
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Tomas Rosicky, who is sick, and injured Liverpool striker Milan Baros have been ruled out of the Czech Republic side to play Austria in their Euro 2004 qualifier on October 11. . . . more . . .
Deportivo surge past stuttering PSV (Sep 30, 2003)
Deportivo La Coruna earned an important 2-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven and put themselves back in the driving seat to earn qualification from Group C. . . . more . . .
Tunisia to present joint World Cup bid with Libya (Sep 30, 2003)
Tunisia Football Federation president Hamouda Ben Ammar said his country had reached agreement with Libya for a joint bid to stage the 2010 World Cup soccer finals. . . . more . . .
Magath emphasises finance ahead of United showdown (Sep 30, 2003)
VfB Stuttgart coach Felix Magath has stressed the financial importance of the money-spinning Champions League to his club ahead of the clash with Manchester United at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium. . . . more . . .
Father of Argentine footballer kidnapped (Sep 30, 2003)
The father of Argentine footballer Christian Traverso has been kidnapped in broad daylight as he was drove through a suburb in the north-west of the capital. . . . more . . .
Police pursue probe into Premiership rape claim (Sep 30, 2003)
Police pursued their investigation into claims by a 17-year- old girl that she was raped and sexually assaulted by a group of English Premiership football players in a chic London hotel. . . . more . . .
Santa hands 10-man Bayern an unexpected present of a point (Sep 30, 2003)
German champions Bayern Munich fought back from being a man down and a goal down to secure a 1-1 draw with Belgian outfit Anderlecht in their Champions League Group A clash. . . . more . . .
Sponsorship deals boost Manchester United profits (Sep 30, 2003)
English soccer champions Manchester United unveiled a 22 percent jump in annual profits, a figure boosted by lucrative new sponsorship deals as well as the millions received for David Beckham's transfer to Real Madrid. . . . more . . .
Saints keeper Niemi desperate (Sep 30, 2003)
Southampton's Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi is desperate to return to English Premiership action since sustaining a calf injury during the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal. . . . more . . .
Real captain Raul gets Porto clearance (Sep 30, 2003)
Real Madrid captain Raul has come through a fitness test on a niggling hip injury and will line up against Porto in the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Murphy injury blow for Liverpool (Sep 30, 2003)
Danny Murphy has been ruled out of action for three to four weeks after injuring ankle ligaments following a late tackle by Kevin Campbell in a reserve match against Everton. . . . more . . .
Lokomotiv fail to derail Arsenal's Champions League hopes (Sep 30, 2003)
Arsenal steadied their Champions League campaign holding out for a 0-0 draw with Russian outfit Lokomotiv Moscow in their Group B clash. . . . more . . .
Saints keeper Niemi desperate to return after long-term injury (Sep 30, 2003)
Southampton's Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi is desperate to return to English Premiership action since sustaining a calf injury during the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal. . . . more . . .
Arsenal must make headway in Moscow (Sep 30, 2003)
Injury-hit Arsenal go into their Champions League match with Lokomotiv Moscow knowing that defeat could deal a fatal blow to their hopes of qualifying from the group stage. . . . more . . .
Sponsorship deals boost United profits (Sep 30, 2003)
English soccer champions Manchester United announced that pre-tax profits, boosted by sponsorship deals, had risen 22 percent to 39.3 million pounds (65.6 million dollars) in the past year. . . . more . . .
Real Mallorca coach Pacheco sacked (Sep 30, 2003)
Real Mallorca coach Jaime Pacheco has been sacked because of their poor start to the season, club president Mateo Alemany revealed. . . . more . . .
Celtic supersub Miller stuns Lyon (Sep 30, 2003)
Substitute Liam Miller's second-half goal ensured Celtic's Champions League campaign got back on track as they went on to beat French title holders Lyon 2-0 in their Group A tie at Parkhead. . . . more . . .
Paris weigh up Barthez move (Sep 30, 2003)
Paris St Germain are considering making a bid for Manchester United's out-of-favour French keeper Fabien Barthez to solve their own goalkeeping crisis. . . . more . . .
Nedved at the double in Greece (Sep 30, 2003)
Two touches of brilliance from Pavel Nedved lifted Juventus to a 2-1 win over Olympiakos in a European Champions League Group D match. . . . more . . .
Paris play down Barthez move (Sep 30, 2003)
Paris St Germain president Francis Graille played down reports the French club would make a bid for Manchester United's out-of-favour French keeper Fabien Barthez. . . . more . . .
Sonetti appointed new Ancona coach (Sep 30, 2003)
Ancona have appointed Nedo Sonetti as their new coach following the sacking of Leonardo Menichini, the newly-promoted Serie A club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Supersub Vieri lifts Inter (Sep 30, 2003)
Christian Vieri came of the bench to head the winning goal a minute from time as Inter Milan defeated Dynamo Kiev 2-1 for their second successive Champions League victory. . . . more . . .
United put faith in Ferguson (Sep 30, 2003)
Manchester United chief executive David Gill said the English Premiership champions were negotiating a new deal with manager Alex Ferguson. . . . more . . .
Matteo defends beleaguered Reid (Sep 30, 2003)
Leeds skipper Dominic Matteo jumped to the defence of under-fire manager Peter Reid and instead blamed his players for the club's English Premiership slump. . . . more . . .
Beckham out and Raul doubtful for Porto clash (Sep 30, 2003)
Real Madrid have already lost David Beckham and could be deprived of Raul for Wednesday's Champions League match at UEFA Cup holders FC Porto. . . . more . . .
Aussies tie with China remains highlight of World Cup (Sep 30, 2003)
Australia showed bursts of energy and skill but it was their inability to put together a full 90 minutes of solid soccer that cost them in the long haul. . . . more . . .
Morientes makes most of mission for Monaco (Sep 30, 2003)
Former Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Morientes produced a brace of goals for Monaco which helped secure a crushing 4-0 win over AEK Athens in their Champions League group C clash. . . . more . . .
China beat Russia to finish top of Group D (Sep 29, 2003)
China kept alive their hopes of improving on their 1999 Women's World Cup runner-up finish, closing out the first round with a 1-0 victory over Russia to finish top of Group D. . . . more . . .
Nigerian officials meet Bryan Robson to discuss coaching job (Sep 29, 2003)
Senior Nigerian football officials were in London to sound out former England and Manchester United captain Bryan Robson over becoming their national team coach. . . . more . . .
Agathe wants to make French impression (Sep 29, 2003)
Celtic winger Didier Agathe is keen to show his fellow Frenchmen just how good Scottish football really is when French champions Lyon visit Parkhead for a Champions League group match. . . . more . . .
United prepared for Stuttgart says Ferguson (Sep 29, 2003)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted his team will be ready for anything VfB Stuttgart could throw at them when his English title-holders travel to Germany to take on the Bundesliga leaders in Wednesday's Group E Champions League clash. . . . more . . .
Milan decide to keep Rivaldo until end of the year (Sep 29, 2003)
European champions AC Milan performed a dramatic U-turn on their decision to release Brazil international Rivaldo and opted to retain him until the end of the year. . . . more . . .
Parreira calls in big guns for Jamaica friendly (Sep 29, 2003)
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira named a 20-strong squad including a strike force of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho Gaucho and Rivaldo for a football friendly against Jamaica on October 12. . . . more . . .
African bidders minus Nigeria to make World Cup plea (Sep 29, 2003)
Five African countries -- South Africa, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Libya -- make their formal presentations to world football's governing body FIFA in their first step to staging the 2010 World Cup. . . . more . . .
Vieira heads Arsenal injury glut (Sep 29, 2003)
Patrick Vieira heads Arsenal's list of absentees for their Champions League match away to Lokomotiv Moscow. . . . more . . .
Lechantre out of tune at Al-Ahli (Sep 29, 2003)
Olympic and African Nations Cup winning coach Pierre Lechantre left his post as coach of Saudi side Al-Ahli by mutual consent after just two months in the job it was announced. . . . more . . .
African bidders make World Cup plea (Sep 29, 2003)
Six African countries -- South Africa, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Libya and Nigeria -- make their formal presentations to the international football federation (FIFA) in their first step to staging the 2010 World Cup. . . . more . . .
Partizan throw down Marseille gauntlet (Sep 29, 2003)
Champions League newcomers Partizan Belgrade have warned French side Olympique Marseille to expect a surprise on Wednesday. . . . more . . .
English Premiership stars in gang rape probe (Sep 29, 2003)
Eight English Premiership soccer stars are at the centre of investigations into the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl, the Sun newspaper reports. . . . more . . .
'Legless' Rivaldo won't find home in Newcastle (Sep 29, 2003)
AC Milan's Brazilian World Cup winning discard Rivaldo will not be moving to English Premiership strugglers Newcastle United the club said, despite claims to the contrary by the player. . . . more . . .
Nigeria drops bid to host 2010 World Cup, backs South Africa (Sep 29, 2003)
Nigeria dropped what most observers felt was its unrealistic bid to host the 2010 World Cup football finals and threw its weight behind South Africa's rival claim. . . . more . . .
Japanese football team set to be next import for Singapore league (Sep 29, 2003)
Japanese side Albitrex Niigata looks set to become the second foreign team to join Singapore's premier football league, following China's Sinchi FC debut season this year, officials said. . . . more . . .
Spanish giants suffer Euro hiccup (Sep 29, 2003)
Spanish giants Real Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna endured miserable defeats to plunge their Champions League assaults this week into chaos. . . . more . . .
Liverpool facing "make or break" Gunners clash: Houllier (Sep 29, 2003)
Gerard Houllier has billed Arsenal's visit to Anfield on Saturday as a match that could "make or break" Liverpool's season. . . . more . . .
Birmingham's Belgian keeper Vaesen to return (Sep 29, 2003)
Birmingham's Belgian keeper Nico Vaesen is set to return from cruciate ligament injury this week and start training with his teammates. . . . more . . .
Injured Beckham out of Porto match (Sep 29, 2003)
England captain David Beckham has been ruled out of Real Madrid's Champions League match against FC Porto on Wednesday after injuring his right foot in the Spanish champions' 2-0 defeat to Valencia. . . . more . . .
Rangers striker Thompson faces six months on sidelines (Sep 29, 2003)
Rangers' Scotland international striker Steven Thompson could be out of action for six months after damaging knee ligaments, the Scottish champions announced. . . . more . . .
Silvestre set to give United boost for Stuttgart clash (Sep 29, 2003)
French international defender Mikael Silvestre looks set to return to the Manchester United line-up in their Champions League clash with German league leaders VfB Stuttgart after coming through a training session. . . . more . . .
Japanese squad for Tunisia, Romania football friendlies (Sep 29, 2003)
Japan coach Zico announced his squad for friendly games against Tunisia in Tunis on September 8 and against Romania on September 11 in Bucharest. . . . more . . .
Never mind the lack of quality - look at the results: Pleat (Sep 29, 2003)
Tottenham's stand-in manager David Pleat was taking a positive approach after his beleaguered side's dour goalless draw against Manchester City moved them out of the Premiership relegation zone. . . . more . . .
Strasbourg player Drobny tests positive for morphine (Sep 29, 2003)
Strasbourg's Czech defender Vaclav Drobny has tested posItive for the pain-killing drug morphine following a league game last May, the French first division club said. . . . more . . .
South Korea demolish Nepal, Oman cruise past Vietnam (Sep 29, 2003)
South Korea demolished Nepal 16-0 in their Asian Cup qualifier while Oman scored a 6-0 win over Vietnam. . . . more . . .
Tigana wins Fulham pay-out (Sep 29, 2003)
English Premiership club Fulham have been ordered to pay former manager Jean Tigana 455,000 pounds (750,000 dollars) by an employment tribunal. . . . more . . .
Scotland's Elliot aims for Spurs return (Sep 29, 2003)
Leicester captain Matt Elliott is aiming to make his competitive return from injury for their Premiership home game with Tottenham next month. . . . more . . .
Bruce says he's staying at Birmingham (Sep 29, 2003)
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce insisted he was staying with the high-flying English Premiership side despite reports linking him with other jobs. . . . more . . .
Elementary for Watson and Everton (Sep 28, 2003)
A Steve Watson hat-trick helped Everton to a 4-0 win over a shell-shocked Leeds as the Toffees finally gave their fans a glimpse of the form that made them Champions League contenders last season. . . . more . . .
Luis-Louis combo sinks Blackburn (Sep 28, 2003)
Goals from Luis Boa Morte and Louis Saha condemned Blackburn to a third straight home defeat and extended Fulham's bright start to their first full season under Chris Coleman. . . . more . . .
Eriksson calls for England fans to stay at home (Sep 28, 2003)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has again pleaded with England fans not to travel to Turkey for next month's crucial Euro 2004 qualifier. . . . more . . .
Ranieri: My Chelsea babies still learning to walk (Sep 28, 2003)
Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri likened his "suffering" as his team stumbled to an unconvincing 1-0 victory against Aston Villa to a father watching his baby trying and failing to take his first steps. . . . more . . .
Tottenham escape relegation zone (Sep 28, 2003)
Managerless Tottenham escaped from the relegation zone after riding their luck to earn a point with a goalless draw against a Manchester City side that squandered chance after chance. . . . more . . .
Ruud let his boots do the talking says Ferguson (Sep 28, 2003)
Alex Ferguson paid tribute to the maturity of his Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy who ended a torrid week by scoring the fourth hat-trick of his Manchester United career as the champions demolished Leicester. . . . more . . .
Milan and Roma follow Juve's lead (Sep 28, 2003)
AC Milan and Roma joined Juventus at the top of Italy's Serie A after securing comfortable 3-0 victories at home to Lecce and Ancona respectively. . . . more . . .
Lisbie hat-trick halts Reds in their tracks (Sep 28, 2003)
Liverpool's Premiership revival was stopped in its tracks as Kevin Lisbie's first senior hat-trick gave Charlton victory in a five-goal thriller at The Valley. . . . more . . .
Bright sparks Milan and Roma lift the gloom (Sep 28, 2003)
AC Milan and Roma joined Juventus at the top of Italy's Serie A after securing comfortable 3-0 victories at home to Lecce and Ancona respectively as the nations' footballers helped lift the gloom and misery caused by the country's worst ever power cut. . . . more . . .
Iran suffer Asian Cup setback (Sep 28, 2003)
Three-time winners Iran suffered an embarrassing setback in their Asian Cup qualifying campaign on a weekend when the unpredictable nature of football on the continent was on show. . . . more . . .
Stevens frustrated as Hertha wait for victory (Sep 28, 2003)
Hertha Berlin are still waiting for their first Bundesliga victory after SV Hamburg snatched a late point in a 1-1 draw at the Olympic Stadium. . . . more . . .
Nine-man Barcelona hold Atletico Madrid (Sep 28, 2003)
Barcelona ended their Spanish League clash at Atletico Madrid with nine men on Sunday but they still managed to hold on for a 0-0 draw to maintain their unbeaten record. . . . more . . .
Beckham could miss Porto match with injury (Sep 28, 2003)
David Beckham could miss Real Madrid's Champions League match against FC Porto after injuring a foot in the Spanish champions 2-0 defeat to Valencia. . . . more . . .
Rivaldo keen on Chelsea switch (Sep 28, 2003)
Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo could become the latest big name addition to Chelsea's payroll after being released by AC Milan in midweek. . . . more . . .
North Koreans critical of ref, poor training fields (Sep 27, 2003)
The subject of much international political tension with the United States in recent months, North Korea is a mystery to most of the world. . . . more . . .
Rivaldo's Brazil shirt hanging by a thread says Parreira (Sep 27, 2003)
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has admitted that star midfielder Rivaldo will have to get playing quickly if he wants to hang on to his Brazil shirt. . . . more . . .
Eriksson will see out contract: FA (Sep 27, 2003)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will see out his contract despite the cool-headed Swede admitting he wants to return to club management some time in the future, the Football Association affirmed. . . . more . . .
Ruud response as United close in on Arsenal (Sep 27, 2003)
Ruud van Nistelrooy produced the perfect response to his critics with a hat-trick as Manchester United thrashed Premiership newcomers Leicester 4-1 to close in on Arsenal at the top of the Premiership. . . . more . . .
Snappy snake rules out Deportivo defender Romero (Sep 27, 2003)
League leaders Deportivo La Coruna will be without their defender Enrique Romero for their match at Osasuna after the Spanish international was felled by a snake bite. . . . more . . .
Deportivo lose 100 percent record in dramatic fashion (Sep 27, 2003)
Spanish league leaders Deportivo La Coruna lost their 100 percent record and opened the door to either Valencia or Real Madrid after going down 3-2 at Osasuna. . . . more . . .
Valencia beat Real Madrid to go top in Spain (Sep 27, 2003)
Valencia went to the top of the Spanish first division with a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid as Deportivo La Coruna lost their 100 percent record by going down 3-2 at Osasuna. . . . more . . .
Wenger is Sol searching as Gunners' injuries mount (Sep 27, 2003)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is praying that defender Sol Campbell can return to training this weekend to help ease a growing injury crisis ahead of the Gunners' Champions League match on Tuesday. . . . more . . .
Liverpool count on Owen streak to keep revival running (Sep 27, 2003)
Liverpool travel to Charlton hoping Michael Owen's current scoring form can help them extend a run of three successive Premiership victories. . . . more . . .
Fate signals end of the road for Brazilian keeper Taffarel (Sep 27, 2003)
Former Brazil goalkeeper Claudio Andre Taffarel has decided to hang up his gloves after being sent a "message from fate", he announced unexpectedly on Italian radio. . . . more . . .
Seven-up for Rangers (Sep 27, 2003)
Rangers extended their perfect start to the season to seven matches thanks to a late, late show against Dundee at Ibrox. . . . more . . .
Juve take top spot as Inter hang on for a draw (Sep 27, 2003)
Reigning champions Juventus went top of Series A after battling their way to a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Reggina while title rivals Inter Milan were held to a goalless draw at Udinese. . . . more . . .
Rummenigge hits out at German football for neglecting youth (Sep 27, 2003)
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has criticised the German Football Federation (DFB) for not investing in German youth and insists champions Bayern must think of themselves and not the welfare of the German national team. . . . more . . .
Monaco win easily as Lyon hit four (Sep 27, 2003)
Monaco stayed top of the pack in France when they fired three goals past Toulouse while Lyon warmed up to face Celtic in the Champions League with a 4-0 demolition of Lens. . . . more . . .
Wolves made to wait for first win (Sep 27, 2003)
A late equaliser from Bolton striker Kevin Davies denied Wolves the chance to end their 19-year wait for a victory in the top flight. . . . more . . .
Stuttgart stay top as Makaay saves Bayern (Sep 27, 2003)
VfB Stuttgart maintained their lead in the Bundesliga with a 3-0 win over 1860 Munich at the Olympic Stadium, while reigning champions Bayern needed another Roy Makaay strike to net a 2-1 win over Hansa Rostock. . . . more . . .
Wenger vows to fight charges (Sep 26, 2003)
Arsene Wenger has insisted that Arsenal will fight all of the 12 misconduct charges brought against them following the ugly scenes which disfigured their English Premiership clash at bitter rivals Manchester United last weekend. . . . more . . .
Wenger defence of Gunners "an insult to the intelligence": Irwin (Sep 26, 2003)
Arsene Wenger's defiant defence of his Arsenal players has been condemned as "an insult to people's intelligence," by former Manchester United fullback Denis Irwin. . . . more . . .
Sackey's start streak for Ghana ends (Sep 26, 2003)
Alberta Sackey saw her streak of 44 consecutive starts for Ghana came to a startling halt when coach Okoe Aryee benched her. . . . more . . .
Ranieri bans title talk in Chelsea dressing room (Sep 26, 2003)
Claudio Ranieri has banned title talk from the Chelsea dressing room, despite growing signs his expensive new squad are set to mount a sustained challenge to Manchester United and Arsenal. . . . more . . .
Garriock competes for Australia with a heavy heart (Sep 26, 2003)
Those who follow Australia's womens soccer team on a regular basis know by now that Heather Garriock has a knack for scoring huge goals against China. . . . more . . .
Scolari has no chance of winning Euro 2004 for Portugal (Sep 26, 2003)
Nearly two in three Portuguese doubt World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari will be able to lead Portugal to victory during the Euro 2004 finals which the country will host, a poll showed. . . . more . . .
Milan release Brazil World Cup winner Rivaldo (Sep 26, 2003)
Disillusioned Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo has been released by his Italian club AC Milan. . . . more . . .
Hamm scores twice as US thrash Nigeria (Sep 26, 2003)
Only two games into the Women's World Cup, one thing is certain about the United States: Just about everything Mia Hamm touches turn to goal. . . . more . . .
Stadium breakthrough boost Gunners (Sep 26, 2003)
Arsenal received a much-needed boost when it emerged that financing for a new 60,000-seater stadium has finally been put in place after months of uncertainty. . . . more . . .
Turkey-England game sold-out (Sep 26, 2003)
Turkey has sold all 42,000 tickets for their Euro 2004 qualifer against England next month for record gate receipts of 1.8 million dollars. . . . more . . .
Scholes set for Leicester return (Sep 26, 2003)
England midfielder Paul Scholes will play for the first time in a month in Manchester United's Premiership clash with Leicester, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said. . . . more . . .
Arsenal not paranoid but Newcastle are out to get them (Sep 26, 2003)
Arsenal fans could be forgiven for thinking the world is conspiring against them at the moment. . . . more . . .
Henry penalty gives Arsenal the edge over plucky Newcastle (Sep 26, 2003)
Thierry Henry made sure Arsenal will stay top of the English Premiership for at least another week with a late penalty which condemned Newcastle United to a 3-2 defeat at Highbury. . . . more . . .
I owe it all to France, says Ronaldinho (Sep 26, 2003)
Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho says he owes his success as a player to the two seasons he spent in France. . . . more . . .
Brazil stun Olympic champions Norway in Women's World Cup (Sep 25, 2003)
Brazil scored two goals in each half as they stunned Olympic champions Norway 4-1 in the first-round action in the Women's World Cup. . . . more . . .
Wenger apologises over United brawl, slams "over-reaction" (Sep 25, 2003)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has apologised for his players' behaviour at the end of Sunday's ill-tempered clash with Manchester United. . . . more . . .
England fans to face blockade for Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey (Sep 25, 2003)
England and Turkey agreed to try to stop English fans getting into Turkey for the potentially explosive Euro 2004 qualifier between the two teams in Istanbul next month. . . . more . . .
Gunners ponder defensive tactics as bans threaten title challenge (Sep 25, 2003)
Arsenal are contemplating a tactical retreat in a bid to soften the impact of bans that threaten to wreck the club's Premiership challenge. . . . more . . .
Zidane in doubt for Valencia test with adductor strain (Sep 25, 2003)
Real Madrid's French international midfield star Zinedine Zidane is doubtful for his side's match at Valencia on Saturday with a strained left adductor muscle which forced him to curtail training. . . . more . . .
Kahn ready to go if not at his best (Sep 25, 2003)
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn says he will hang up his gloves if he doesn't feel he is playing at the top of his game. . . . more . . .
Gers boost as McLeish signs new deal (Sep 25, 2003)
Rangers boss Alex McLeish has signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at the Scottish treble winners until 2007. . . . more . . .
Addo fears for career after knee injury (Sep 25, 2003)
The career of Borussia Dortmund striker Otto Addo is in doubt after the Ghanaian suffered a recurrence of an injury to his right knee during Wednesday's 2-1 UEFA Cup win over Austria Vienna. . . . more . . .
England and Turkey to block English fans from Euro 2004 qualifier (Sep 25, 2003)
England and Turkey agreed to try to stop English fans getting into Turkey for the potentially explosive Euro 2004 qualifier between the two teams in Istanbul next month, after a meeting at UEFA headquarters. . . . more . . .
Sagnol blow for Bayern (Sep 25, 2003)
Bayern Munich must do without the services of French international Willy Sagnol for three to four weeks with the defender going under the surgeon's blade to cure a meniscus injury in his right knee. . . . more . . .
Kelly quits Ireland squad (Sep 25, 2003)
Leeds United fullback Gary Kelly has announced he will no longer be playing for the Republic of Ireland in a bid to prolong his club career. . . . more . . .
Rangers boost as McLeish signs new deal (Sep 25, 2003)
Rangers boss Alex McLeish has signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at the Scottish treble winners until 2007. . . . more . . .
Inzaghi injury blow for Milan (Sep 24, 2003)
AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi has been told to rest for up to 10 days following the neck and jaw injuries he suffered at the weekend, the Italian Serie A club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Solskjaer out for three months (Sep 24, 2003)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be out of action for three months after the Norwegian international underwent surgery on his right knee, Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson confirmed. . . . more . . .
FA throws the book at Arsenal over battle of Old Trafford (Sep 24, 2003)
The English Football Association has thrown the book at Arsenal and, to a lesser extent, Manchester United over the clashes that erupted at the end of their goalless draw at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Owen breaks Rush's record as Liverpool toil in Slovenia (Sep 24, 2003)
Michael Owen became Liverpool's leading goalscorer in European competition but the Premiership side were held 1-1 by Slovenian minnows Olimpia Ljubljana in the UEFA Cup first round. . . . more . . .
Arsenal on trial over Old Trafford fiasco (Sep 24, 2003)
Arsenal and five of their players were set to be charged with misconduct by the Football Association over Sunday's Old Trafford fiasco. . . . more . . .
Brazil top FIFA rankings (Sep 24, 2003)
World champions Brazil remained top of the FIFA rankings narrowly ahead of European champions France. . . . more . . .
Rivaldo and Ronnie plotting Real move: media (Sep 24, 2003)
Disillusioned Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo is courting Real Madrid with a view to ending his misery with AC Milan, Spanish media reported. . . . more . . .
Seaman all at sea in multi-lingual City (Sep 24, 2003)
Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan says goalkeeper David Seaman needs time to settle in and overcome a language barrier at the English Premiership side. . . . more . . .
FA charges six Arsenal, three Man Utd players over Old Trafford battle (Sep 24, 2003)
The English Football Association charged six Arsenal players and two from Manchester United over the clashes that erupted at the end of Sunday's goalless draw between the two clubs at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Birmingham get the Blues as Charlton cling on (Sep 24, 2003)
Premiership sides Birmingham and Fulham were dumped out of the English League Cup by lower league opponents, although fellow Premiership side Charlton managed to cling on after a penalty shoot-out. . . . more . . .
Blackburn fans in UEFA Cup peace mission to Turkey (Sep 24, 2003)
Blackburn's UEFA Cup trip to Genclerbirligi on Wednesday has become more than a fixture in Europe's second-tier competition with fans determined to make a good impression before Turkey host England next month. . . . more . . .
Ranieri shuffles the cards to keep Chelsea on track (Sep 24, 2003)
Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri admits his rotation policy is not popular but has told his all-star team to be intelligent. . . . more . . .
Improved global rivals threaten US hold on Women's World Cup (Sep 24, 2003)
Defending champion United States will begin the Women's World Cup as a favorite playing on home soil, but improved global rivals threaten the Americans' reign when the football showdown opens Saturday. . . . more . . .
Wenger told to explain van Nistelrooy cheat claims (Sep 24, 2003)
The Football Association has asked Arsene Wenger to explain his verbal onslaught against Ruud van Nistelrooy after Sunday's goalless draw with Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Dortmund triumphant in Vienna (Sep 24, 2003)
Borussia Dortmund put their injury woes behind them to record a 2-1 win at Austria Vienna in the UEFA Cup first round and now have a good chance of progression in the second leg at the Westfalen Stadium. . . . more . . .
Turkish, British fans in show of good-will (Sep 24, 2003)
Turkish and British fans played a friendly match to shrug off their violent image and foster good-will ahead of an UEFA Cup game between Blackburn Rovers and Genclerbirligi later in the day. . . . more . . .
Second-string Roma still too strong for Vardar (Sep 24, 2003)
AS Roma took a giant step towards the second round of the UEFA Cup after thumping Vardar Skopje of Macedonia 4-0 in their first round, first-leg tie. . . . more . . .
Fowler sparks City comeback (Sep 24, 2003)
Robbie Fowler spearheaded a Manchester City revival as Kevin Keegan's men came from behind to beat Belgian basement club Lokeren 3-2 in the UEFA Cup first round first leg tie at the City. . . . more . . .
Five-star Newcastle bash Breda (Sep 24, 2003)
Craig Bellamy scored twice as Newcastle United recorded their first home win of the season with a 5-0 win against Dutch side NAC Breda in their UEFA Cup first round first leg tie at St James' Park. . . . more . . .
Beaten Rovers face early UEFA Cup exit (Sep 24, 2003)
Blackburn Rovers' hopes of UEFA Cup glory are in danger of crashing at the first round stage after they slumped to a 3-1 first leg defeat to Turkish side Genclerbirligi. . . . more . . .
Keeper Robinson heads Leeds towards salvation (Sep 24, 2003)
Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson was a hero at both ends of the pitch as he headed a dramatic injury-time equaliser and then starred in a penalty shoot-out victory as the Premiership giants saw off second division Swindon Town in the League Cup second round. . . . more . . .
Spurs linked to Toppmoller (Sep 23, 2003)
Former Bayer Leverkusen coach Klaus Toppmoller was reported to be Tottenham's first-choice to take over from sacked Glenn Hoddle as Spurs manager. . . . more . . .
Swedes face "must win" Cup test with North Korea (Sep 23, 2003)
North Korea can take a major step toward making the Women's World Cup quarter-finals with a victory Thursday over Sweden, which faces a do-or-die showdown to escape the "Group of Death". . . . more . . .
Powerful Steel Roses will need steel nerves against Aussies (Sep 23, 2003)
Chinese coach Ma Liang-xing says they will take it one step at a time at the Women's World Cup but he must have been hoping for a bigger first step on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Injury forces Norway netminder to turn back the clock (Sep 23, 2003)
Norway goalkeeper Bente Nordby came out of retirement to serve as a reserve and guide her replacement, Ingrid Hjelmseth, through the Women's World Cup. . . . more . . .
Arsenal chief blasts "stupid" players (Sep 23, 2003)
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has branded his players "stupid" after the Old Trafford bust-up that followed Sunday's draw at Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Sun says China must do more against Australia (Sep 23, 2003)
With the opening-day jitters out of the way, Sun Wen says people can expect a completely different Chinese team in their next match against Australia. . . . more . . .
Real burst River's banks to lift Santiago Bernabeu Trophy (Sep 23, 2003)
Real Madrid beat River Plate 3-1 to lift the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy, named after the club's late former president. . . . more . . .
Shearer extends stay at Newcastle (Sep 23, 2003)
Former England captain Alan Shearer has signed a new one-year deal with Newcastle. . . . more . . .
Solskjaer injury blow for United (Sep 23, 2003)
Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might be out of action for the rest of the year after the English champions said the Norway international would have a knee operation. . . . more . . .
Ruud was right in Arsenal bust-up, says angry Crerand (Sep 23, 2003)
Former Manchester United great Pat Crerand has praised Old Trafford Striker Ruud Van Nisetlrooy for showing restraint in the face of Arsenal provokation Sunday saying he would have lashed out instead. . . . more . . .
Birmingham get the Blues as Charlton cling on (Sep 23, 2003)
Premiership sides Birmingham and Fulham were dumped out of the English League Cup by lower league opponents. . . . more . . .
Airport subway link flop for Oporto (Sep 23, 2003)
A subway link between Oporto's main airport and the centre of the city, Portugal's second largest, will not be ready in time for the arrival of thousands of football fans for the Euro 2004 finals as planned, a top offical has warned. . . . more . . .
Cash carrot for Thai players ahead of Asian Champions League final (Sep 23, 2003)
Thai team BEC Tero Sasana's players have been handed a huge cash incentive ahead of the two-leg AFC Champions League final against Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates next month. . . . more . . .
Maldini tells Rivaldo to play for his place (Sep 23, 2003)
AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini said that out-of-favour Brazilian striker Rivaldo must earn the right to play for the European champions like every other member of the star-studded Serie A squad. . . . more . . .
Trezeguet criticises Lippi for negative switch (Sep 23, 2003)
Juventus striker David Trezeguet could find himself in trouble with coach Marcello Lippi for criticising his decision-making in Sunday's 2-2 draw at home to Roma. . . . more . . .
Italian government vows to combat violence after fan's death (Sep 23, 2003)
The Italian government has vowed to introduce tough new measures to combat football violence following the riot at a second division match which left one fan dead and scores of police injured. . . . more . . .
Liverpool and Everton discuss groundsharing (Sep 23, 2003)
City rivals Liverpool and Everton were involved in initial talks over the possibility of sharing a ground. . . . more . . .
Turkey's Fenerbahce hit with one-match ban (Sep 23, 2003)
Fenerbahce, who host England's make-or-break Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey next month, have been hit with a one-match home ban. . . . more . . .
Italian minister threatens to call off matches after fan's death (Sep 22, 2003)
Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu warned he was prepared to call off high-risk matches after violence at a second division match left one fan dead and scores of police injured. . . . more . . .
Fears ease over Milan striker Inzaghi (Sep 22, 2003)
AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi left hospital having spent a night there under observation for a neck injury received in the European champions' 1-1 draw at Perugia. . . . more . . .
US intimidation tactics have desired impact (Sep 22, 2003)
Not resting on an intimidating reputation, defending champion United States opened their Women's World Cup campaign with intimidation tactics. . . . more . . .
Ferguson and Wenger in furious cheat row over van Nistelrooy (Sep 22, 2003)
The venom that marred Manchester United's goalless draw with Arsenal spilled over into bitter post-match recriminations involving the two club's managers. . . . more . . .
Tottenham hunt for Hoddle replacement (Sep 22, 2003)
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has reported to be top of Tottenham Hotspur's list to replace Glenn Hoddle, who was sacked on Sunday. . . . more . . .
"Leverkusen will never be champions" - Beckenbauer (Sep 22, 2003)
Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer has stoked up the flames for this season's title race claiming Bayer Leverkusen will never win the German title. . . . more . . .
Del Piero facing lengthy lay-off (Sep 22, 2003)
Juventus could be without Alessandro Del Piero for up to six weeks after the Italy international suffered a calf strain. . . . more . . .
Ravanelli joins Dundee (Sep 22, 2003)
Italian striker Fabrizio Ravanelli joined Scottish Premier League side Dundee. . . . more . . .
I will be back vows Hoddle (Sep 22, 2003)
Sacked Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle insisted he would manage again at "the highest level" after losing his job at White Hart Lane. . . . more . . .
Wiegmann flattered by Matthaus comparison (Sep 22, 2003)
German women's football star Bettina Wiegmann admits she is flattered to draw comparisons with 1990 World Cup winner Lothar Matthaus as she nears his record haul of 150 international caps. . . . more . . .
Ginola wants Tottenham job (Sep 22, 2003)
Former France international David Ginola said he was ready to return to football as manager of Tottenham following the sacking of Glenn Hoddle. . . . more . . .
Hoddle "absolutely devastated" by Spurs axe says deputy (Sep 22, 2003)
Glenn Hoddle feels "absolutely devastated" after being sacked as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, his longtime deputy John Gorman revealed. . . . more . . .
Zidane the star but Beckham's fighting qualities attract Di Stefano (Sep 22, 2003)
Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano has lauded Zinedine Zidane as the club's biggest star - but adds that David Beckham's fighting qualities have hugely impressed him. . . . more . . .
FA probe United-Arsenal clash (Sep 22, 2003)
Football Association chiefs confirmed they were launching an investigation into last weekend's controversial clash between champions Manchester United and leaders Arsenal at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Vieira brands van Nistelrooy a cheat (Sep 22, 2003)
Patrick Vieira labelled Ruud van Nistelrooy a cheat for his part in the Arsenal captain's red-card at Old Trafford which marred Sunday's top-of-the-table goalless draw. . . . more . . .
Italian fan's death sparks calls for tighter security (Sep 22, 2003)
Italian interior minister Giuseppe Pisanu called for an emergency meeting with the country's football authorities after violence at a second division match left one fan dead and scores of police injured. . . . more . . .
Antic tipped to replace Hoddle at Tottenham (Sep 22, 2003)
Former Barcelona coach Raddy Antic was being heavily backed to succeed the sacked Glenn Hoddle as Tottenham manager. . . . more . . .
Job done at last for battling Boro (Sep 21, 2003)
Cameroon star Joseph Desire Job earned Middlesbrough their first win of the season as Everton's stuttering start to the new campaign continued at the Riverside. . . . more . . .
Deportivo keep winning but Real keep up the pressure (Sep 21, 2003)
League leaders Deportivo La Coruna held on to their 100 per cent record but Real Madrid showed the Galicians why they can't relax by winning 3-1 at Malaga. . . . more . . .
Van Nistelrooy lets Gunners off the hook (Sep 21, 2003)
Ruud van Nistelrooy smashed an injury time penalty against the woodwork as Manchester United's Premiership showdown with Arsenal ended in an acrimonious goalless draw. . . . more . . .
Giuly's winner shoots Monaco to the top (Sep 21, 2003)
Ludovic Giuly's winner shot Monaco to the top of the French football league following their 2-1 victory at Montpellier in a Riviera derby. . . . more . . .
O'Neill in Larsson charm offensive (Sep 21, 2003)
Martin O'Neill has promised an all-out charm offensive in a bid to persuade Henrik Larsson to shelve his long-standing plans to quit Celtic next summer. . . . more . . .
Heskey takes the plaudits (Sep 21, 2003)
Emile Heskey had the rare privilege of hearing his praise sung by both his own and the opposing manager after helping Liverpool to a 2-1 win over his former club Leicester with his first goal of the season. . . . more . . .
Hoddle faces Coventy trial (Sep 21, 2003)
Glenn Hoddle's hold on the manager's job at Tottenham has been left looking extremely shaky after a 3-1 defeat by his high-flying former club Southampton. . . . more . . .
North Koreans impressive in World Cup opener (Sep 21, 2003)
Halfway around the world in the homeland of a political and sporting rival, North Korean forward Jin Pyol-Hui hopes to find some support for her football squad in the Women's World Cup. . . . more . . .
Deportivo keep winning and stay top (Sep 21, 2003)
Deportivo La Coruna held on to their 100 per cent record and their leadership of the Spanish first division after turning on the style in the second half and beating bottom club Albacete 3-0. . . . more . . .
Tottenham manager Hoddle sacked (Sep 21, 2003)
Tottenham Hotspur manager Glenn Hoddle has been sacked, the English Premiership club announced. . . . more . . .
Zebina's late show rescues Roma (Sep 21, 2003)
A rare goal from French defender Jonathan Zebina three minutes from time salvaged a point for Roma in a 2-2 draw away to Italian champions Juventus at the Delle Alpi stadium. . . . more . . .
Souness hails "hero" Neill (Sep 21, 2003)
Lucas Neill started the week being branded a coward for the tackle which left Liverpool fullback Jamie Carragher with a broken leg. . . . more . . .
Gerets and Jara handed reprieve with wins (Sep 21, 2003)
SV Hamburg and Kaiserslautern eased the pressure on their respective managers Kurt Jara and Erik Gerets with vital wins in the Bundesliga on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Osasuna thwart Barcelona (Sep 20, 2003)
Osasuna returned from a trip to Barcelona with points in their kit bags after holding the Catalan giants to a 1-1 draw in the Nou Camp. . . . more . . .
Crespo fires five-star Chelsea to top as pressure mounts on Hoddle (Sep 20, 2003)
Hernan Crespo's first goals for Chelsea fired the Blues to the top of the Premiership for the first time since Roman Abramovich launched his Russian revolution at Stamford Bridge. . . . more . . .
Crespo fires Chelsea to top of the Premiership (Sep 20, 2003)
Hernan Crespo scored his first goals for Chelsea as Claudio Ranieri's multi-million-pound squad stormed to the top of the Premiership with a five-goal demolition of newcomers Wolves. . . . more . . .
PSG turn on heroics to claim valuable 2-0 away win (Sep 20, 2003)
A depleted but "heroic" Paris St Germain claimed a morale-boosting 2-0 victory at Guingamp, a win that will restore the capital side's faith after their sloth-like start to the season. . . . more . . .
Vicente and Mista send Valencia to the top (Sep 20, 2003)
Valencia went back on top of the Spanish first division, at least for 24 hours, for the first time in exactly a season after their 3-0 win at Atletico Madrid. . . . more . . .
FIFA paid China one million dollars to move Women's World Cup (Sep 20, 2003)
Football's world governing body FIFA has paid China one million dollars as compensation for losing the 2003 women's football World Cup, a top FIFA official said. . . . more . . .
Heskey helps Liverpool to first home win (Sep 20, 2003)
Liverpool earned their first home win of the season by overcoming Leicester 2-1 as striker Emile Heskey opened his 2003/2004 goal account. . . . more . . .
Don't write off Arsenal, warns Henry (Sep 20, 2003)
Arsenal still have what it takes to win titles at home and abroad star striker Thiery Henry believes despite the 3-0 Champions League thumping at the hands of Inter Milan in midweek. . . . more . . .
Hoddle in trouble as Beattie hits two (Sep 20, 2003)
Glenn Hoddle's position as Tottenham manager looks increasingly precarious after James Beattie struck two superb goals in Southampton's 3-1 defeat of Spurs at White Hart Lane. . . . more . . .
Stuttgart go top as Bayer snatch point at Bayern (Sep 20, 2003)
VfB Stuttgart became the new leaders of the Bundesliga after notching a 1-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium. . . . more . . .
Norwegians blank France in Women's World Cup opener (Sep 20, 2003)
Sydney Olympic hero Dagny Mellgren scored the key goal to give Norway a 2-0 victory over France in the opening match of the Women's World Cup football tournament. . . . more . . .
Birmingham maintain unbeaten run as Leeds curse their luck (Sep 20, 2003)
Birmingham extended their unbeaten start to the season with a controversy-ridden 2-0 win against unlucky Leeds. . . . more . . .
Ronaldo having more fun than ever as Becks takes the pressure off (Sep 19, 2003)
Brazilian superstar Ronaldo said the arrival of David Beckham had taken some of the pressure off him, allowing him to enjoy his football more than ever. . . . more . . .
Makaay steps out of Elber's shadow (Sep 19, 2003)
Roy Makaay is the man of the moment after a late brace saved Bayern Munich's blushes and helped the German champions to a 2-1 Champions League victory over Celtic at the Olympic Stadium. . . . more . . .
Fans will oppose Liverpool groundshare scheme: Sharp (Sep 19, 2003)
Pressure on city rivals Liverpool and Everton to agree to share a stadium, will be fiercely opposed by both sets of fans, former Goodison striker Graeme Sharp warned. . . . more . . .
Monaco begging bowl scoops up princely jewels (Sep 19, 2003)
Cash-strapped Monaco appear to have found the key to the bank in Fernando Morientes and Edouard Cisse. . . . more . . .
West Ham legend Bonds backs Pardew (Sep 19, 2003)
West Ham legend Billy Bonds, who made 663 appearances for the club, said new manager Alan Pardew can take West Ham back into the Premiership big time. . . . more . . .
Henry to remain Arsenal penalty king (Sep 19, 2003)
French star Thierry Henry says he will continue to take the penalty kicks for Arsenal despite his costly Champions League miss against Inter Milan. . . . more . . .
Ear and eye problems for Kahn (Sep 19, 2003)
Bayern Munich's star goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has had eye and ear problems hampering his performance so far this season and awoke with inflamed eyes he could hardly see out of. . . . more . . .
Campbell doubtful for Old Trafford after father's death (Sep 19, 2003)
Sol Campbell has been told he can opt out of Arsenal's showdown with Manchester United on Sunday if he wishes following the death of his father. . . . more . . .
Japan to play Romania in football friendly in October (Sep 19, 2003)
Japan will play Romania in a football friendly in Bucharest on October 11, the Japan Football Association revealed. . . . more . . .
Bayer look to end Olympic Stadium jinx (Sep 19, 2003)
The Bundesliga starts to gather momentum this weekend as leaders Bayer Leverkusen take on reigning champions Bayern Munich at the Olympic Stadium, while Borussia Dortmund look for revenge against VfB Stuttgart at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium. . . . more . . .
Deportivo out to deal a Real blow (Sep 19, 2003)
Real Madrid and David Beckham are grabbing the headlines but it is Deportivo La Coruna who are topping the Spanish first division with a 100 per cent record and they are out to keep their winning streak alive at Albacete on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Improved global rivals threaten US hold on Women's World Cup (Sep 19, 2003)
Defending champion United States will begin the Women's World Cup as a favorite playing on home soil, but improved global rivals threaten the Americans' reign when the football showdown opens Saturday. . . . more . . .
Brazilian Ailton to stay at Bremen (Sep 19, 2003)
Werder Bremen's Brazilian striker Ailton, whose contract expires at the end of the season, is expected to extend his stay at the northern port club till 2006. . . . more . . .
United braced for Gunners backlash after Euro flop (Sep 19, 2003)
Patrick Vieira has warned Manchester United to brace themselves for the backlash from Arsenal's Champions League defeat by Inter Milan. . . . more . . .
Celtic hit by fallout from Munich fiasco (Sep 19, 2003)
Martin O'Neill is struggling to contain a potentially damaging outbreak of bickering within the Celtic squad over who was to blame for Wednesday's Champions League defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich. . . . more . . .
Bad blood threatening to spill over in Turin (Sep 19, 2003)
Whenever Juventus and Roma play sparks fly and Sunday's top-of-the-table clash in Turin promises to be as explosive as ever. . . . more . . .
Royal prices for Real visit (Sep 19, 2003)
Fans of Spanish first division outfit Malaga will have to dig deep to see Real Madrid's stars in town for a league match on Sunday, following ticket price hikes of up to 300 percent. . . . more . . .
Ref backs down over Pompey booking (Sep 19, 2003)
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp backed referee Alan Wiley's decision to rescind the yellow card given to Dejan Stefanovic for bringing down Arsenal's Robert Pires in last weekend's penalty incident at Highbury. . . . more . . .
Dundee is done deal: Ravanelli (Sep 19, 2003)
Italian striker Fabrizio Ravanelli said he will sign for Scottish Premier League side Dundee. . . . more . . .
Portugal's Euro 2004 security questioned (Sep 18, 2003)
Portugal's security preparations for the Euro 2004 finals, with the big kick-off just nine months away, have still not been properly organised. . . . more . . .
West Ham get their man at last (Sep 18, 2003)
Former Reading boss Alan Pardew will be allowed to take over at West Ham from October 18 after the clubs' bitter tug-of-war over one of the most respected young managers in English football was resolved at the High Court in London. . . . more . . .
Arsenal's German goalkeeper takes blame for Inter disaster (Sep 18, 2003)
German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says he was to blame for Arsenal's 3-0 Champions League humiliation at the hands of Inter Milan. . . . more . . .
Turkish fans launch Eriksson internet hate site (Sep 18, 2003)
Turkish fans have launched a website called "I hate Eriksson" to denounce what they see as deliberate attempts by the England football coach to raise tensions ahead of a critical Euro 2004 qualifier between Turkey and England next month. . . . more . . .
Ravanelli says Dundee is done deal (Sep 18, 2003)
Italian striker Fabrizio Ravanelli said that he will sign for Scottish Premier League side Dundee on Monday. . . . more . . .
Giggs warning for Chelsea big spenders (Sep 18, 2003)
Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs believes Chelsea's 111 million pound investment in new players will not secure this year's English Premiership. . . . more . . .
Champions League earns 582 million euros (Sep 18, 2003)
The sale of European Champions League rights should allow for an estimated sum of 582 millions euros (655 million dollars) per season on average to be distributed for the period from 2003 to 2006, UEFA said. . . . more . . .
O'Neill dejected after Bayern defeat (Sep 18, 2003)
Celtic coach Martin O'Neill was distraught after seeing his side go ahead in the Champions League match against Bayern Munich only to lose the tie 2-1 after two late strikes from Dutchman Roy Makaay at the Olympic Stadium. . . . more . . .
Nedved unfazed as Juve lose their sparkle (Sep 18, 2003)
Juventus' Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved said he wouldn't be losing sleep over his side's lacklustre performance in the Champions League win over Turkish side Galatasaray. . . . more . . .
Europe's big clubs threaten world club championship boycott (Sep 18, 2003)
Europe's big football clubs are threatening to boycott the 2005 world club championship, Die Welt reported. . . . more . . .
Dynamo Kiev go Brazilian to upset Lokomotiv (Sep 17, 2003)
Ukrainian champions Dynamo Kiev got off to a winning start in their season's European Champions' League campaign when they beat Lokomotiv Moscow 2-0 in their Group B encounter. . . . more . . .
Inter shoot down Gunners (Sep 17, 2003)
Arsenal's hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League suffered a huge setback on Wednesday as Arsene Wenger's side slumped to a 3-0 home defeat by Inter Milan at Highbury. . . . more . . .
Newcastle keeper Given feared broken neck (Sep 17, 2003)
Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given feared had broken his neck playing for Ireland in last week's Euro 2004 qualifier against Russia. . . . more . . .
Wenger focus on Champions League (Sep 17, 2003)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has urged his team to get over their disappointment at the weekend and focus on the Champions League clash against Inter Milan at Highbury. . . . more . . .
Juve determined to make amends for Manchester misery (Sep 17, 2003)
Juventus begin their Champions League campaign at home to Group D rivals Galatasaray determined to redeem themselves after last season's cruel final defeat. . . . more . . .
Ferguson will fight FA charges (Sep 17, 2003)
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson will contest two misconduct charges brought against him following his team's win at Newcastle in August. . . . more . . .
Iran's struggling national side mull foreign coach (Sep 17, 2003)
Iran's struggling national squad is on the hunt for a foreign coach but the question is the subject of heated debate between sports authorities, press reports in the football-mad Islamic republic said. . . . more . . .
Lyon dig in for the win (Sep 17, 2003)
French champions Lyon boosted their hopes of surviving the group stage of the Champions League by hanging on to beat Anderlecht 1-0 in their opening match of the competition. . . . more . . .
Anelka rallying call for City (Sep 17, 2003)
Nicolas Anelka has urged his Manchester City team-mates to build on their impressive start to the English Premiership. . . . more . . .
Makaay the hero as Bayern triumph over Celtic (Sep 17, 2003)
Roy Makaay repaid a huge slice of his 18.75-million- euro fee with two late strikes to cancel out Alan Thompson's opener and hand Bayern Munich a 2-1 victory over Celtic in the Champions League Group A opener at the Olympic Stadium. . . . more . . .
Eriksson makes direct appeal to Turkey (Sep 17, 2003)
England coach Sven Goran Eriksson has taken the unusual step of making a direct appeal to Turkish fans for calm ahead of next month's potentially high risk Euro 2004 qualifier against England in Istanbul. . . . more . . .
Hoddle faces improper conduct charge (Sep 17, 2003)
Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle's season suffered another setback when he was charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.