Roman Abramovich once used a small slice of his 10 billion net worth to throw a New Year's Eve party Former Chelsea chief Roman Abramovich once threw a New Year’s Eve party that is said to have cost in the region of £5million - and included a special performance from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Russian oligarch, who has reportedly opened talks with a Turkish club as he looks for ...Full Story »

Italy manager Roberto Mancini was left with a loss for words following his side's shocking 1-0 defeat to North Macedonia that will leave the Azzurri out of the World Cup for the second straight time. With Italy frustrated for 90 minutes by a heroic North Macedonia defensive performance, Aleksandar Trajkovski struck the only goal of the game in the second minute of added time, inflicting Italy...Full Story »

Portugal fought off a dogged Turkey side en route to a 3-1 win in their UEFA World Cup playoff semifinal to stay alive in their quest to reach the showpiece event in Qatar at the end of the year. With both teams facing a win-or-go-home scenario, Portugal took a crucial early lead through 27-year-old Porto attacker Otavio, who pounced on the rebound from Bernardo Silva's shot as it caromed off...Full Story »

Gareth Bale fired Wales to a 2-1 World Cup play-off semi-final victory over Austria that leaves them in sight of their first appearance in the finals for 64 years.Bale produced two stunning strikes – one in each half – before Wales had to endure anxious moments after Marcel Sabitzer’s deflected effort halved the deficit.Wales will now play Scotland or Ukraine for a place at the...Full Story »

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal says it is "ridiculous" that this year's World Cup is being played in Qatar, accusing FIFA of taking the tournament to the Middle East for money and commercial reasons. Van Gaal said FIFA's reasons for awarding the finals to Qatar, where his side will be competing in the November and December finals, were spurious. "Now, everybody knows that I find that ridic...Full Story »

Manchester City have been drawn to face Liverpool in the FA Cup semifinals, while Chelsea will take on Crystal Palace. The ties will be played on the weekend of April 16 and 17 at Wembley Stadium. City were originally drawn to face the winner of Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp's side edging to a 1-0 victory thanks to a late strike from Diogo Jota. The FA Cup encounter bet...Full Story »

Liverpool left it late to book a Wembley semi-final against Manchester City, but Diogo Jota’s 78th-minute goal was enough to end Nottingham Forest’s valiant FA Cup run.The City Ground has been a graveyard for Premier League sides this season, with Arsenal and Leicester both exiting at the hands of former Reds academy coach Steve Cooper’s entertaining and exciting side.And, whil...Full Story »

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte says his side have nine cup finals left as they try and earn Champions League qualification.Spurs kept themselves firmly in the race for the top four with a 3-1 win over West Ham, which came thanks to Son Heung-min’s brace and a Kurt Zouma own goal.That moved them three points behind Arsenal, who have a game in hand, but have to visit their north London rivals ...Full Story »

Pep Guardiola hailed “brilliant” Phil Foden after his stunning strike capped off Manchester City’s dominant 4-1 FA Cup win over Southampton at St Mary’s.City remain on course for a treble after the emphatic quarter-final victory, capped off by Foden’s strike for their third goal.Raheem Sterling had opened the visitors’ account when he tapped home in the 12th m...Full Story »

Phil Foden’s stunning strike capped off a dominant Manchester City performance as they booked their place in the FA Cup semi-finals with a 4-1 win over Southampton at St Mary’s.Pep Guardiola’s side had failed to win either Premier League game against the Saints this season, but their emphatic victory kept them on course for a treble.Raheem Sterling had handed the league leaders...Full Story »

Patrick Vieira believes anything is possible for Crystal Palace after they emphatically progressed into the FA Cup semi-finals with a 4-0 win over Everton.The Eagles endured a tricky start at Selhurst Park but Marc Guehi’s 25-minute opener helped settle any lingering nerves and Jean-Philippe Mateta added a crucial second before half-time.It put the hosts firmly in the driving seat for a pl...Full Story »

Crystal Palace put Everton to the sword with a 4-0 thrashing in the FA Cup quarter-finals to book their spot at Wembley and help Marc Guehi end the perfect week on another high note.The centre-back shut out Premier League leaders Manchester City on Monday, earned a maiden England call-up three days later and broke the deadlock in the 25th-minute with a deft header to set Patrick Vieira’s s...Full Story »

Romelu Lukaku’s 12th goal of the season set Chelsea on their way to the FA Cup semi-finals in serene fashion as the club’s off-field problems were once again put to one side.A comfortable 2-0 sixth-round victory at Sky Bet Championship Middlesbrough provided a more than satisfactory conclusion to a difficult week, where the Blues’ future ownership and current operational diffic...Full Story »

A Bundesliga game between VfL Bochum and Borussia Monchengladbach was called off on Friday after an assistant referee was struck in the back of the head by a plastic beer cup thrown by someone in the crowd. The match was already noteworthy for being the league's first to be played between teams without coaches as Bochum's Thomas Reis and Gladbach counterpart Adi Hutter have coronavirus infectio...Full Story »

Nottingham Forest will be without Scott McKenna for their FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool.The defender limped off with a hamstring problem late in Wednesday’s victory over QPR and is expected to be sidelined for a month.The news comes as a blow to Forest, who had already lost fellow defenders Steve Cook and Max Lowe.They will both miss at least a month with injuries picked up in the...Full Story »

Giorgos Giakoumakis scored a second-half double as Celtic booked their place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals with a straightforward 3-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice.The visitors, who made it 30 domestic matches in a row unbeaten, were comfortable for most of the evening following Callum McGregor’s early opener, although they were aided significantly by a terrible blunder from United...Full Story »

Rangers cruised into the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win over Dundee at the Kilmac Stadium.Defender Connor Goldson drove the Light Blues ahead in the ninth minute before skipper James Tavernier scored from the penalty spot after 24 minutes and the cinch Premiership’s bottom side had no answer.Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s side controlled the rest of the game w...Full Story »

Motherwell defender Bevis Mugabi was sent off inside the first minute as Hibernian won 2-1 at Fir Park to reach the Scottish Cup semi-finals.Elias Melkersen marked his first Hibs start with two first-half goals – both set up by Sylvester Jasper – as the Leith side joined Edinburgh rivals Hearts in the last four.Motherwell made a game of it after Joe Efford scrambled home late in the ...Full Story »

Robbie Neilson hailed Aaron McEneff after the midfielder came off the bench to inspire Hearts to an absorbing Scottish Cup quarter-final victory over St Mirren.Just 26 seconds after being introduced in the second half, the Irishman restored Hearts’ lead after Saints had fought back from two goals down. He then set up Ellis Simms for the fourth goal in the 4-2 victory.McEneff has been restr...Full Story »

Aaron McEneff grabbed a goal and an assist to send Hearts into the Scottish Cup semi-finals with a 4-2 win against St Mirren.McEneff put the hosts back in front within seconds of coming off the bench after St Mirren battled back from two goals down. He then sent up Ellis Simms for the fourth.Hearts stormed to a two-goal lead through Beni Baningime and Peter Haring before Eamonn Brophy halved Sai...Full Story »