Archive soccer news from around the world
Owen keen for more action (Sep 30, 2004)
Michael Owen hinted at his frustration at being left on the bench so often since joining Real Madrid from Liverpool for 12 million euros in the summer. . . . more . . .
Shearer hat-trick takes Newcastle through (Sep 30, 2004)
Alan Shearer grabbed a hat-trick and Patrick Kluivert scored twice as Newcastle brushed past Arab-Israeli rookies Bnei Sakhnin 5-1 to book their place in the UEFA Cup group stage. . . . more . . .
Roman's victorious troops lined up for Champions League battle (Sep 30, 2004)
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich emerged victorious not just once but twice as Jose Mourinho guided Chelsea to a 3-1 victory over the Portuguese coach's former club Champions League holders FC Porto. . . . more . . .
UEFA Cup defeat unthinkable for Rangers (Sep 30, 2004)
Rangers play host to Portuguese side Maritimo in the UEFA Cup and manager Alex McLeish knows failure to overturn the one goal deficit from the first leg is likely to signal the end of his Ibrox career. . . . more . . .
Klinsmann calls up Aston Villa star Hitzlsperger (Sep 30, 2004)
Jurgen Klinsmann has called Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger into the German squad for the first time ahead of the friendly match with Iran in Tehran on October 9. . . . more . . .
Quickfire Lazio ease through (Sep 30, 2004)
Serie A side Lazio booked their place in the inaugural group stages of the UEFA Cup after comfortably winning their first round, second leg tie at home to Metalurg Donetsk. . . . more . . .
Brawling Millwall fans in Hungary (Sep 30, 2004)
Two brawling Millwall fans were arrested ahead of the English club's UEFA Cup match with Ferencvaros. . . . more . . .
Let's not get physical says Newcastle boss Souness (Sep 30, 2004)
Newcastle boss Graeme Souness urged his side to keep their heads and play their own game at Israeli Cup winners Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin in the UEFA Cup first round second leg clash. . . . more . . .
Away day blues undermining Liverpool revival (Sep 30, 2004)
Xabi Alonso says Liverpool's Spanish revival under new coach Rafael Benitez can only get properly underway once they learn how to play away from Anfield. . . . more . . .
Wenger frustrated as Gunners European stagefright strikes again (Sep 30, 2004)
Arsene Wenger made his frustration clear after a hesitant display against Norwegian champions Rosenborg left Arsenal with everything still to play for in their Champions League group. . . . more . . .
Crowd trouble mars Millwall UEFA Cup tie (Sep 30, 2004)
A fan was stabbed and left fighting for his life after crowd trouble marred the UEFA Cup tie between Ferencvaros and Millwall here which spelled the end of FA Cup finalist Millwall's European dream. . . . more . . .
Chelsea United the key for Mourinho (Sep 30, 2004)
Jose Mourinho is amazed by the team spirit amongst his Chelsea stars and insists it is making them unbeatable. . . . more . . .
Greek hero Charisteas the man for the big occasion (Sep 30, 2004)
Greek international Angelos Charisteas seems to love playing football on the big stage, with his late strike for Werder Bremen securing a sensational 2-1 Champions League win over ten-man Valencia. . . . more . . .
Nigeria still looking for foreign coach (Sep 30, 2004)
Nigeria Football Association (NFA) have approved a new two-year deal for coach Christian Chukwu but are still hoping to sign a foreign coach. . . . more . . .
O'Neill remains defiant despite Milan setback (Sep 30, 2004)
Celtic coach Martin O'Neill believes his side can still qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League despite suffering their second successive defeat in Group F. . . . more . . .
Domenech sticks with Henry, Pires as Wiltord, Silvestre return to fold (Sep 30, 2004)
France coach Raymond Domenech gave a vote of confidence to Arsenal veterans Thierry Henry and Robert Pires by naming them for international duty in 2006 World Cup qualifers next month. . . . more . . .
Inamoto ends four-month injury lay-off (Sep 30, 2004)
Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto made his first appearance since suffering a broken leg against England in June with a 45-minute run out as West Bromwich Albion reserves lost 4-1 to Liverpool in Wrexham. . . . more . . .
Rangers need penalties to see off Maritimo (Sep 30, 2004)
Rangers clinched a place in the lucrative group stages of the UEFA Cup with penalties deciding their first round match against CS Maritimo. . . . more . . .
Bayern set for Chinese trip (Sep 29, 2004)
German giants Bayern Munich have rescheduled their football trip to China which were cancelled last year because of the SARS virus, general manager Uli Hoeness said. . . . more . . .
Ronaldinho on the spot for Barcelona (Sep 29, 2004)
Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho marked his Champions League home debut for Barcelona by scoring a second-half penalty to give the Spanish giants a 3-0 victory over a gutsy Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk in their Champions League Group F clash. . . . more . . .
AC Milan's late show denies brave Celtic (Sep 29, 2004)
AC Milan scored twice in the last two minutes to beat Celtic 3-1 in a dramatic Champions League clash which edged the Italians closer to the knockout stages. . . . more . . .
Lethargic Gunners firing blanks (Sep 29, 2004)
Arsenal's capacity for shooting themselves in the foot in Europe surfaced again as the English champions laboured to a 1-1 draw with Rosenborg. . . . more . . .
Del Bosque hangs on at Besiktas (Sep 29, 2004)
Spanish coach Vincente Del Bosque insisted he was staying at the helm of Turkish first division side Besiktas amid reports the club was seeking a replacement following their disastrous start to the league. . . . more . . .
Benitez loses patience as Liverpool surrender (Sep 29, 2004)
Rafael Benitez has finally lost patience with his players after Liverpool surrendered to Greek side Olympiakos in the Champions League in Piraeus. . . . more . . .
Wenger happy to steer clear of penguins (Sep 29, 2004)
Arsenal go into their Champions League clash with Norwegian champions Rosenborg looking to melt away the memories of their last visits to chilly climes. . . . more . . .
No friends re-united act for Mourinho (Sep 29, 2004)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insists there will be no love lost when he comes face to face with Porto, the Champions League winners he quit. . . . more . . .
Ronaldinho delivers perfect birthday present for his mum (Sep 29, 2004)
Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho gave his mother the perfect birthday present when he scored a second-half penalty to give the Spanish giants a 3-0 victory over a gutsy Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk in their Champions League Group F clash. . . . more . . .
Mourinho's old boys no match for Chelsea (Sep 29, 2004)
Jose Mourinho led Porto to Champions League glory but there was no love lost when his new side Chelsea crushed them 3-1 at Stamford Bridge. . . . more . . .
Giggs warns of Rooney burnout (Sep 29, 2004)
Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs warned against pressures which could lead to the premature burnout of the Premiership side's new teenage star Wayne Rooney. . . . more . . .
Charisteas strikes as Bremen take 10-man Valencia's scalp (Sep 29, 2004)
German champions Werder Bremen recorded their first Champions League victory for over a decade with a 2-1 Group G win over ten-man Valencia. . . . more . . .
AC Milan hardman Gattuso braced for Scottish scrap (Sep 29, 2004)
AC Milan hardman Gennaro Gattuso will be rolling up his sleeves and gritting his teeth for the mouth-watering Champions League clash against Celtic. . . . more . . .
Chelsea coach Mourinho faces his Champions League winners Porto (Sep 29, 2004)
Jose Mourinho's Chelsea host FC Porto, whom he led to the Champions League title last season, with the self-confident Portuguese handler saying there is no room for emotional links in football. . . . more . . .
From Russia with Love (Sep 29, 2004)
Goals from Brazilian Vagner Love and substitute Sergei Semak handed CSKA Moscow a 2-0 Champions League win over powerless Paris Saint Germain. . . . more . . .
Inexperienced Bremen face Valencia test (Sep 29, 2004)
German champions Werder Bremen face a stern examination of their credentials when seasoned European campaigners Valencia visit the Weserstadion for the Champions League Group G clash. . . . more . . .
Rooney, Roy and Raul are the toast of their teams (Sep 29, 2004)
Manchester United may have no money left after signing Wayne Rooney but it was well worth it if his debut was anything to go by as the teenage star hit a hat-trick to see his team to a 6-2 trouncing of Turkish side Fenerbahce in the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Wonderkid Wayne walking on water (Sep 29, 2004)
Sir Alex Ferguson admits he has never seen a player make as impressive a debut as Wayne Rooney did on his hat-trick night for Manchester United in the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Lethargic Gunners fail to tie up loose Strands (Sep 29, 2004)
Arsenal's capacity for shooting themselves in the foot in Europe surfaced again as the English champions laboured to a 1-1 draw with Rosenborg. . . . more . . .
Three-goal Inter thrive without Vieri (Sep 29, 2004)
Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini saw his controversial decision to drop superstar striker Christian Vieri pay dividends when his side eased past Anderlecht 3-1 in the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Del Neri appointed Roma coach (Sep 29, 2004)
Luigi Del Neri has been appointed coach of AS Roma, the troubled Serie A club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Japan's Takahara proves Toppmoller's white knight (Sep 28, 2004)
Japanese international striker Naohiro Takahara was handed a rare start for German side SV Hamburg on Sunday and repaid the faith of manager Klaus Topmmoller with a sensational brace to down Hertha Berlin 2-1. . . . more . . .
Scottish giants hoping Romanov's heart is in the right place (Sep 28, 2004)
Lithuanian businessman Vladimir Romanov is expected to buy his first tranche of shares in ailing Scottish Premiership giants Hearts on Thursday. . . . more . . .
Rooney eyes Champions League dream (Sep 28, 2004)
England teenage star Wayne Rooney looks set to make his eagerly-awaited Manchester United debut in Champions League action against Fenerbahce though England teammates at Real Madrid David Beckham and Michael Owen are doubts for the Spanish giants' clash with Roma. . . . more . . .
Keane home in firework attack (Sep 28, 2004)
Manchester United captain Roy Keane's home was attacked by youths armed with fireworks three days after Keane appeared before magistrates accused of assaulting a 16-year-old boy. . . . more . . .
Dynamo retain 100 percent record as they down Bayer (Sep 28, 2004)
Ukrainian champions Dynamo Kiev beat German side Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in a thrilling Champions' League Group B encounter to lift themselves to top of the group with a 100-percent record after two matches. . . . more . . .
Rovers land Djorkaeff (Sep 28, 2004)
France's 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning midfielder Youri Djorkaeff signed for Premiership outfit Blackburn Rovers. . . . more . . .
Injury worries pile up for Juventus (Sep 28, 2004)
Juventus coach Fabio Capello could be without three of his most influential players for the Group C Champions League match at home to Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv. . . . more . . .
United look to future with Rooney (Sep 28, 2004)
Wayne Rooney, the 18-year-old who broke Manchester United bank, was set to start repaying Sir Alex Ferguson's 27 million pound investment against Turkish side Fenerbahce in the Champions League. . . . more . . .
Rangnick new Schalke boss (Sep 28, 2004)
Schalke 04 have made Ralf Rangnick their new coach to replace Jupp Heynckes who was sacked two weeks ago. . . . more . . .
Arena miffed at MLS games during World Cup qualifying (Sep 28, 2004)
United States football coach Bruce Arena is upset that Major League Soccer has scheduled games next month during a key World Cup qualifying period. . . . more . . .
Liverpool boss Benitez on alert for Brazilian dangermen (Sep 28, 2004)
Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez has picked out Brazil's Rivaldo and Giovanni as the key players to watch in the Champions League Group A match at Olympiakos. . . . more . . .
Beira-Mar's English coach resigns after four games (Sep 28, 2004)
English coach Mick Wadsworth, a former assistant to Bobby Robson at Newcastle and with England, has resigned as Beira Mar manager for personal reasons, the Portuguese first division club revealed. . . . more . . .
Former Real boss Del Bosque faces axe in Turkey (Sep 28, 2004)
Troubled Turkish first division side Besiktas have decided to part ways with Spanish coach Vicente Del Bosque and former Real Sociedad coach Raynald Denouix has been lined up to replace him, according to an Istanbul daily. . . . more . . .
Besiktas denies Del Bosque sacked -- for now (Sep 28, 2004)
Turkish side Besiktas denied a newspaper report that it had sacked embattled Spanish coach Vicente Del Bosque and would replace him with former Real Sociedad coach Raynald Denoueix. . . . more . . .
Bolton skipper Okocha fit for West Brom (Sep 28, 2004)
Nigeria skipper Austin Jay Jay Okocha has declared he will be fit for Bolton Wanderers' Premiership match at West Brom on Saturday after missing last weekend's 1-1 home draw with Birmingham with a groin strain. . . . more . . .
FIFA pursues anti-doping cases against French, Italian, Dutch federations (Sep 28, 2004)
World football's governing body FIFA said it will pursue disciplinary action against the French, Italian and Dutch football federations over their alleged failure to implement minimum doping sanctions. . . . more . . .
Greek tragedy for Liverpool (Sep 28, 2004)
Olympiakos pulled off a shock 1-0 victory over English Premiership giants Liverpool in their Champions League Ggroup A clash to hand them their first ever defeat at the hands of Greek opposition. . . . more . . .
Ajax look to dampen Oktoberfest party with Munich win (Sep 28, 2004)
European giants Bayern Munich and Ajax lock horns in a crucial Champions League Group C match at the Olympic Stadium. . . . more . . .
Kewell, Bresciano doubtful for Confederations Cup qualifier (Sep 28, 2004)
Australia stars Harry Kewell and Marco Bresciano were named in the squad for next month's Oceania Nations Cup football final despite both being in doubt through injury. . . . more . . .
Camoranesi gives lacklustre Juve the edge (Sep 28, 2004)
Juventus moved a step closer to the knockout stages of the Champions League after defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0. . . . more . . .
Crisis clubs Real Madrid and Roma look for Champions cheer (Sep 28, 2004)
Fans of Real Madrid and Roma have not had much to smile about in recent weeks but a victory in their Champions League Group B match would provide a welcome lift for one of them. . . . more . . .
Irrepressible Makaay nets treble as Bayern crush Ajax (Sep 28, 2004)
Dutch international Roy Makaay continues to prove his 18.75 million euro price-tag was a snip, netting a hat-trick as Bayern Munich cruised to a 4-0 Champions League Group C victory over Ajax. . . . more . . .
Rooney guns down Turks with hattrick on Man United debut (Sep 28, 2004)
Wayne Rooney opened his Manchester United career in spectacular fashion, scoring a hattrick as his new team thrashed Turkish champions Fenerbahce 6-2 in a Champions League Group D tie. . . . more . . .
Monaco maintain Deportivo's terrible away record (Sep 28, 2004)
Last season's Champions League finalists Monaco saw off Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna 2-0 in their Group A clash to leave their opponents with just one victory in their last 10 away matches in the tournament. . . . more . . .
Lyon find their Sylvain lining (Sep 28, 2004)
Revitalised former French international striker Sylvain Wiltord hit the winner in Lyon's 2-1 Champions League victory at Sparta Prague in a virtuoso display contrasting sharply with his fruitless time at Arsenal. . . . more . . .
Roma rattle Real before Madrid bounce back (Sep 28, 2004)
Real Madrid bounced back from a two goal deficit to beat Roma 4-2 in their Champions League group B match. . . . more . . .
Kewell back for Liverpool's Euro clash (Sep 27, 2004)
Harry Kewell has travelled with the Liverpool squad for Tuesday's Champions League clash against Olympiakos in Athens. . . . more . . .
Real hope with Zidane set to return against Roma (Sep 27, 2004)
Real Madrid coach Mariano Garcia Remon confirmed that French star Zinedine Zidane would return to the starting line-up in Tuesday's Champions League clash with AS Roma. . . . more . . .
Time for a new start, says Roma coach (Sep 27, 2004)
Rome was not built in a day, as the old saying goes, and it may take a little time to resolve the problems at the football club that has the name of the Italian capital. . . . more . . .
Dowie agrees to settle in Eagles nest (Sep 27, 2004)
English Premiership tailenders Crystal Palace received a boost when highly-rated manager Iain Dowie signed a new four-year contract. . . . more . . .
Man United profits slide, media revenues to decline (Sep 27, 2004)
Manchester United, the world's wealthiest football club, reported a near 30-percent fall in annual profits, hit by a weaker performance on the pitch, and warned that future results would be affected by a drop in media revenues. . . . more . . .
Moyes going to be merrier with new Everton war chest (Sep 27, 2004)
Everton's Premiership title challenge could be enhanced by a massive transfer treasure chest of almost 30 million pounds the club chairman Bill Kenwright told the BBC. . . . more . . .
Liverpool get go ahead for new ground (Sep 27, 2004)
English Premiership giants Liverpool got the green light from Britain's Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to build a new 60,000-seater stadium. . . . more . . .
El Karkouri gives Rovers another headache (Sep 27, 2004)
A first goal for Charlton from Moroccan defender Tala El Karkouri saw them preserve their unbeaten Premiership home record as they beat Blackburn Rovers 1-0. . . . more . . .
Wenger's men ready for heat of battle (Sep 27, 2004)
Arsenal fear the defence of their Premiership crown is being threatened by intimidating tactics by opponents but manager Arsene Wenger believes his players will no longer over-react. . . . more . . .
I protected discon-Sol-ate Campbell admits Wenger (Sep 26, 2004)
England defender Sol Campbell was in such a fragile mental state after their Euro 2004 exit in the quarter-finals that it scared Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. . . . more . . .
Stuttgart crush Leverkusen, Takahara rescues Toppmoller (Sep 26, 2004)
VfB Stuttgart continued their unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium on Saturday. . . . more . . .
Roma begin search for Voller's replacement (Sep 26, 2004)
Roma have begun their search for a new coach following the shock resignation of Rudi Voller. . . . more . . .
Supersub Novo shoots Rangers into second spot (Sep 26, 2004)
Supersub Nacho Novo scored twice late on in a three-minute spell to hand Rangers a 2-0 win at Dundee to propel them into second spot in the Scottish Premier League table. . . . more . . .
Ferguson set to unleash Rooney on Turks (Sep 26, 2004)
England teenage star Wayne Rooney looks set to make his eagerly-awaited debut in Tuesday's Champions League match at home to Turkish side Fenerbahce, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said. . . . more . . .
Shevchenko's double breathes life into 10-man Milan (Sep 26, 2004)
Two goals in four minutes from Ukranian striker Andriy Shevchenko gave AC Milan a 2-1 win away to Lazio and kick-started the Italian champions' title defence. . . . more . . .
You don't bring me flowers moans Mourinho (Sep 26, 2004)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho launched a broadside at the British media accusing them of disliking his side because of the millions spent on players by owner Roman Abramovich. . . . more . . .
Former players pay tribute to Clough (Sep 26, 2004)
Former Nottingham Forest and Derby County stars gathered to pay tribute to their former manager Brian Clough, who died of stomach cancer last Monday aged 69. . . . more . . .
Cahill keeps his shirt on as Everton down Pompey (Sep 26, 2004)
Australian midfielder Tim Cahill kept Everton within two points of leaders Arsenal as his goal saw them to a 1-0 victory over Portsmouth. . . . more . . .
No international rethink by Scholes (Sep 26, 2004)
Sven-Goran Eriksson's hopes that Paul Scholes might change his mind about retiring from international football were effectively dashed as the Manchester United midfielder insisted he would not reconsider. . . . more . . .
Another good job from Valencia's Italian imports (Sep 26, 2004)
Reigning Spanish champions Valencia maintained their unbeaten run this season with a convincing 2-0 win over Racing Santander. . . . more . . .
Troubled Del Bosque to know his fate with Besiktas on Monday (Sep 26, 2004)
Former Real Madrid coach Vicente Del Bosque, who has had a disastrous start this season with Istanbul's Besiktas, will be called to account Monday by the team's executive board, a club official said. . . . more . . .
Valencia and Barcelona stay unbeaten and neck-and-neck (Sep 26, 2004)
Valencia and Barcelona maintained their unbeaten records this season, and remain neck-and-neck at the top of the Spanish first division, after convincing wins. . . . more . . .
King crowns tribute to Clough (Sep 26, 2004)
A superb last minute goal by Nottingham Forest's Marlon King wrapped up a suitable ending on a day dedicated to remembering former manager Brian Clough, who died of stomach cancer last Monday aged 69. . . . more . . .
Supersub Martins rescues shaky Inter (Sep 26, 2004)
Struggling Serie A title hopefuls Inter Milan twice came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Parma. . . . more . . .
Robson still bemused by sacking (Sep 26, 2004)
Former Newcastle United manager Sir Bobby Robson has admitted that he is still "bewildered" by his sacking from the English Premiership side. . . . more . . .
Ten-man Monaco hold on to keep top spot in France (Sep 25, 2004)
French league leaders Monaco held on for a 0-0 draw against Lyon in their top-of-the-table clash at the Gerland stadium although they were down to 10 men for the final half hour. . . . more . . .
Nine-man Bologna pile misery on Roma (Sep 25, 2004)
Roma's start to the Serie A season went from bad to worse after they suffered a devastating 3-1 defeat away to Bologna. . . . more . . .
Voller quits after Roma debacle, Palermo stall Juve (Sep 25, 2004)
Rudi Voller quit as Roma coach after the club's 3-1 defeat away to Bologna, while leaders Juventus dropped their first points of the season in a 1-1 draw at home to Palermo. . . . more . . .
Stuttgart crush Leverkusen, Wolfsburg stay top (Sep 25, 2004)
VfB Stuttgart continued their unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium. . . . more . . .
Gunners stay clear as United revival gathers steam (Sep 25, 2004)
A rare goal from Ashley Cole fired Arsenal to a 1-0 win over Manchester City as the Gunners maintained their slender advantage over Chelsea at the top of the English Premiership. . . . more . . .
Izzet saves Bruce from more punishment (Sep 25, 2004)
Muzzy Izzet struck a second half equaliser to give Birmingham boss Steve Bruce, who was beaten up by two thugs in the early hours of the morning, something to smile about in a 1-1 draw at Bolton. . . . more . . .
Drogba keeps Chelsea on title track (Sep 25, 2004)
Didier Drogba's second league goal of the season finally broke Middlesbrough's resistance as Chelsea spared their fans a third consecutive goalless draw. . . . more . . .
Struggling Madrid suffer another setback (Sep 25, 2004)
Mighty Real Madrid slumped to their second league defeat of the season when they lost 2-1 to Athletic Bilbao, a team which started the day firmly in the relegation zone. . . . more . . .
Santini kicks up storm over referee (Sep 25, 2004)
Tottenham Hotspur manager Jacques Santini accused referee Peter Walton of entering the Manchester United dressing-room at half-time and "smiling with their players and smiling with their staff" during Spurs' 1-0 defeat at White Hart Lane. . . . more . . .
Blues manager Bruce attacked in street (Sep 25, 2004)
Birmingham City manager Steve Bruce has been attacked outside his home, the English Premiership club said. . . . more . . .
Unsworth aims to teach former club a lesson (Sep 25, 2004)
Former Everton stalwart David Unsworth is determined to show the Merseysiders they were wrong to let him leave when he lines up for Portsmouth against his old team at Fratton Park on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Celtic enjoy easy win before Champions League (Sep 25, 2004)
Celtic enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Dunfermline in the Scottish Premier League to set them up perfectly for their Champions League match against AC Milan. . . . more . . .
Inamoto continues injury fightback (Sep 25, 2004)
Japan midfielder Junichi Inamoto trained for the first time with his new club West Bromwich Albion as he continues his recovery from a broken leg. . . . more . . .
Butt set for England recall (Sep 24, 2004)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said that he is ready to recall Nicky Butt to replace injured Steven Gerrard in the World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Azerbaijan. . . . more . . .
Vieira's 10-year Arsenal pledge (Sep 24, 2004)
Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira, who almost quit the club to join Real Madrid in the summer, wants to lead out his team at the club's new 400-million pound stadium in 2006 to complete a decade in London. . . . more . . .
Rooney ready for Reds debut (Sep 24, 2004)
Manchester United said that Wayne Rooney will not make his debut against Tottenham, despite manager Sir Alex Ferguson declaring the 27 million pound striker fit to play. . . . more . . .
Nedved calls time on Czechs (Sep 24, 2004)
Juventus star Pavel Nedved has told the Czech Republic football federation he has retired at the age of 32 from international soccer after winning 83 caps. . . . more . . .
Man United warning for Portugal over Ronaldo (Sep 24, 2004)
Manchester United have once again warned Portugal against playing teenage winger Cristiano Ronaldo in World Cup 2006 qualifying matches because the player needs to recover fully from injury. . . . more . . .
Nedved retires from international game (Sep 24, 2004)
Juventus star Pavel Nedved has told the Czech Republic football federation he has retired at the age of 32 from international soccer after winning 83 caps. . . . more . . .
Forest plan Sunday Clough tribute (Sep 24, 2004)
Nottingham Forest plan to pay an emotional tribute to former coach Brian Clough when they face West Ham in The Championship on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Barcelona's Eto'o goes from villain to victor (Sep 24, 2004)
African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto'o is a notoriously mercurial talent and he showed both facets of his playing skills in Barcelona's 4-1 win over Real Zaragoza. . . . more . . .
Dyer set to miss England game (Sep 24, 2004)
Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer looks set to miss England's World Cup qualifiers next month as his hamstring injury needs another month of rest. . . . more . . .
Moroccan star Naybet spurred by Tottenham glory days (Sep 24, 2004)
Tottenham's Moroccan defender Noureddine Naybet claims Manchester United's reign at the top of English football is over. . . . more . . .
Fulham bid to land Djorkaeff stalls (Sep 24, 2004)
Fulham's bid to sign veteran French international midfielder Youri Djorkaeff has stalled because the Premiership club and player have failed to agree contract details. . . . more . . .
Robinson strike downs struggling Leeds (Sep 24, 2004)
Sunderland clinched a fourth successive league victory in The Championship when Carl Robinson struck a second half winner to beat Leeds United 1-0 at Elland Road. . . . more . . .
French champions Lyon call for new stadium (Sep 24, 2004)
Reigning French league champions Lyon on Friday called for an upgrade of Gerland stadium or a completely new construction, possibly with the help of private funding, to accommodate their huge support The club claimed they could often fill a 100,000-capacity stadium which is more than twice the size of their current 41,000-capacity structure, listed as a historic monument. . . . more . . .
Rooney poised for Reds debut (Sep 24, 2004)
Teenage star Wayne Rooney is poised to make his Manchester United debut after manager Sir Alex Ferguson declared the 27 million pound striker was fit to play. . . . more . . .
Wenger pledges future to Gunners (Sep 24, 2004)
Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he intends to sign an extension to his contract at Arsenal, ending speculation that he could be lured away from Highbury to become the new Real Madrid coach. . . . more . . .
FIFA demands reduced schedule (Sep 24, 2004)
Football's world governing body FIFA insisted that they want to see a reduced match schedule to prevent the World Cup and European championships from fizzling out. . . . more . . .
Gers ease pressure on McLeish (Sep 23, 2004)
Rangers eased the pressure on under-fire manager Alex McLeish by emerging from a potentially tricky League Cup third round clash with a 2-0 win over Aberdeen. . . . more . . .
Serbia's Red Star falls from Europe's football heavens (Sep 23, 2004)
Thirteen years after Red Star Belgrade became European club champions and blazed a path for all to follow, the club has sunk to depths few of its die-hard fans would have thought possible. . . . more . . .
Man United skipper Keane in court on assault charge (Sep 23, 2004)
Manchester United captain Roy Keane denied assaulting a 16-year-old boy when he appeared before a magistrates court in Manchester. . . . more . . .
Man United target Chelsea keeper Cudicini (Sep 23, 2004)
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was reported to be set to make a bid for Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini in the January transfer window. . . . more . . .
Giggs back as Wales hold out hope for Savage (Sep 23, 2004)
Ryan Giggs is back in the Wales squad for their World Cup qualifiers against England and Poland next month. . . . more . . .
Barcelona's Eto'o goes from villain to victor (Sep 23, 2004)
African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto'o is a notoriously mercurial talent and he showed both facets of his playing skills in Barcelona's 4-1 win over Real Zaragoza. . . . more . . .
Eriksson gets vote of confidence from FA (Sep 23, 2004)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has been given a vote of confidence from the Football Association with the governing body dismissing suggestions they would be prepared to let the Swede leave for Real Madrid. . . . more . . .
Injury setback puts Forssell season in doubt (Sep 23, 2004)
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce received an early blow to the season with the news that on-loan Chelsea striker Mikael Forssell could be out of action for the next six months. . . . more . . .
Wednesday look to Sturrock to recapture former glory (Sep 23, 2004)
Paul Sturrock has set promotion as his target after being appointed Sheffield Wednesday manager. . . . more . . .
Butt slapped with three-match Euro ban (Sep 23, 2004)
Newcastle midfielder Nicky Butt has been banned for three European matches following his sending off in the Magpies' UEFA Cup first round first leg clash with Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin. . . . more . . .
Liverpool hit by Nunez injury blow (Sep 23, 2004)
Liverpool's Premiership campaign suffered another major injury setback when it was revealed that Spanish midfielder Antonio Nunez faces another six weeks out of action. . . . more . . .
Bridges hopes to rebuild career at Sunderland (Sep 23, 2004)
Injury-plagued striker Michael Bridges returned to former club Sunderland in an effort to rebuild his career. . . . more . . .
Arsenal confident Wenger not tempted by Real (Sep 22, 2004)
English champions Arsenal believe Arsene Wenger will resist any approach by Real Madrid and sign an extension next month to his contract which runs out in 2005. . . . more . . .
Frei winner plunges Marseille into more gloom (Sep 22, 2004)
Swiss striker Alexander Frei returned to haunt Marseille on when he scored the winner in Rennes' 1-0 win which sent the French giants tumbling into midtable and their fans calling for the resignation of president Christophe Bouchet. . . . more . . .
Sad PSG slip into relegation zone (Sep 22, 2004)
French glamour club Paris St Germain slipped into the relegation zone after surrendering a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Lens and pile more pressure on coach Vahid Halilhodzic. . . . more . . .
Valencia go top after thrashing Deportivo (Sep 22, 2004)
Spanish champions Valencia showed that they are not going to give up their crown easily with a 5-1 thashing of fellow Champions League side Deportivo La Coruna, which sent them back to the top of the league. . . . more . . .
Forsell injury blow for City (Sep 22, 2004)
Birmingham City manager Steve Bruce said on-loan Chelsea striker Mikael Forssell would be out for four to six weeks with a knee injury. . . . more . . .
Rio can open new United golden age, says Keane (Sep 22, 2004)
Manchester United captain Roy Keane believes the return of Rio Ferdinand from his eight-month ban can lead to a new golden age at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Hughes honeymoon shattered as Everton enjoy lucky escape (Sep 22, 2004)
Mark Hughes's honeymoon as Blackburn manager came to an abrupt end when the Premiership side were dumped out of the League Cup by League One strugglers Bournemouth. . . . more . . .
Eriksson rules himself out of Real running (Sep 22, 2004)
England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has reiterated that he is not a contender to become the new Real Madrid coach. . . . more . . .
Rush backs Spanish-German axis to shore up Gerrard hole (Sep 22, 2004)
Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes Xabi Alonso and Dietmar Hamann can help the Premiership club overcome the loss of midfield force Steven Gerrard for two months. . . . more . . .
Valdez double helps Bremen shoot down Bayer (Sep 22, 2004)
Paraguayan international Nelson Haedo Valdez enhanced his burgeoning reputation with a quick-fire brace as Werder Bremen downed Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 to move into the last sixteen of the German Cup. . . . more . . .
Gerrard promises speedy comeback from broken foot (Sep 22, 2004)
Steven Gerrard has moved to allay Liverpool fans' fears that he could be out until Christmas after breaking a metatarsal bone in his left foot. . . . more . . .
Flawless Juve lead the way as Milan crash to surprise defeat (Sep 22, 2004)
Juventus maintained their 100 per cent record and held on to first place in Italy's Serie A with a merciless 3-0 victory away to Sampdoria. . . . more . . .
Becks and co get the grief as Real boo boys vent frustrations (Sep 22, 2004)
The freekick was majestic, but the performance was not and if Real Madrid thought their bumpy start to the season was over with the slender win over Osasuna the supporters' verdict rang in their ears via regular bursts of booing. . . . more . . .
Kezman confident he can end goal-scoring drought (Sep 22, 2004)
Mateja Kezman has promised Chelsea fans the goal-scoring drought that has blighted his Stamford Bridge career so far will soon end. . . . more . . .
UEFA pledge to tackle international burnout (Sep 22, 2004)
International and club coaches pledged to do more to protect top players from burnout on the eve of major tournaments. . . . more . . .
Big time charlies Leverkusen flatter to deceive (Sep 21, 2004)
Spanish giants Real Madrid and German powerhouse Bayern Munich can both testify to the fact that Bayer Leverkusen can play exhilarating football, but the 2002 Champions League finalists seem unable to pysche themselves up for the so-called lesser teams. . . . more . . .
City's magnificent seven eases pressure on Keegan (Sep 21, 2004)
Former England manager Kevin Keegan can breathe a little easier after his Manchester City side thrashed Barnsley 7-1 in the second round of the League Cup. . . . more . . .
Lyon get Essien-ce of life at the top (Sep 21, 2004)
Three-time champions Lyon went top of the French league after beating Toulouse 2-0. . . . more . . .
Gerrard hands England injury blow (Sep 21, 2004)
England will be without Steven Gerrard for two 2006 World Cup qualifiers next month after Liverpool confirmed the midfielder broke a metatarsal bone in his foot during the 2-1 Premiership defeat by Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Makaay rescues Bayern from cup humiliation (Sep 21, 2004)
Dutch international Roy Makaay continued his act of rescuing Bayern Munich, scoring in the final seconds to secure a 3-2 second round cup win over regional minnows VfL Osnabruck. . . . more . . .
UEFA come down hard on Roma for Champions League violence (Sep 21, 2004)
UEFA's disciplinary body hit Italian Serie A club Roma with stern punishment for the violent incident that forced last week's Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev to be abandoned. . . . more . . .
Eriksson denies Madrid link (Sep 21, 2004)
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson denied any link with the Real Madrid coaching post after their coach Jose Antonio Camacho resigned after just six games in charge. . . . more . . .
Beckham gives Real a lift up to the top (Sep 21, 2004)
Underfire England captain David Beckham lifted some of the misery hanging over Spanish giants Real Madrid here as a spectacular freekick saw them to a 1-0 victory over Osasuna and to the top of the table. . . . more . . .
Arsenal's Campbell on target for first-team return (Sep 21, 2004)
England defender Sol Campbell is on target to return to Arsenal's first-team line-up after finishing a full reserve match unscathed. . . . more . . .
Ferdinand set for Liverpool comeback (Sep 20, 2004)
Sir Alex Ferguson has all but confirmed he will recall Rio Ferdinand for Manchester United's Premiership clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Real coach Camacho quits (Sep 20, 2004)
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said he had accepted Jose Antonio Camacho's resignation as coach and appointed his deputy Mariano Garcia Remon in a caretaker role. . . . more . . .