FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura wants to eradicate doping in football and has underlined the governing body s zero-tolerance policy on the problem.
The issue was thrust back into the spotlight this week when a report in the English press claimed all 23 members of Russia s 2014 World Cup squad were under investigation for alleged drug offences.
FIFA confirmed that, along with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), it is still investigating unnamed footballers who were mentioned in the 2016 report by lawyer Richard McLaren, which alleged that more than 1,000 Russian sportspersons benefited from a state-sponsored doping programme.
McLaren told German broadcaster ARD that 155 samples relating to Russian footballers have been handed to FIFA and Germany head coach J…
Chelsea midfielder Willian is closing on a new four year deal with the club, .
The Brazil international had been linked with a move to Manchester United with the Red Devils having appointed former Blues boss Jose Mourinho as their new manager last month.
However, he now looks set to commit himself to the 2015 Premier League champions until the end of the 2019/20 campaign.
Willian was named Chelsea’s Player of the Year as they endured a tough campaign, only managing to finish in tenth place.
Since signing from Anzhi Makhachkala in the summer of 2013, the twenty-seven year old has racked up one hundred and thirty-seven appearances in all competitions, scoring nineteen goals.
As well as lifting the Premier League trophy just over twelve mont…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola backed Raheem Sterling despite the forward s dip in form to begin 2020.
Sterling is without a goal in seven games this year, having last netted against Wolves on December 27.
The forward has scored 20 goals in all competitions this season and Guardiola said he was unconcerned about Sterling s form heading into Sunday s trip to Tottenham.
Raheem defended incredibly well against [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka in the last game and he had the clearest chances that no other player can create for himself and unfortunately he could not score a goal, he said.
But he was there and so I am more than delighted with the performance he made against United.
A month ago, people were talking about his statistics, the goals, the assis…
Melbourne City 4 Western Sydney Wanderers 3: Hosts edge thriller with two goals in last six minutes
Melbourne City scored twice in the final six minutes to beat 10-man Western Sydney Wanderers 4-3 in a thrilling A-League contest on Tuesday.
The Wanderers had looked on track to end a five-match losing streak after going 3-2 up early in the second half, but Keanu Baccus sending off for two bookable offences gave City the initiative and they downed their visitors late on.
Ritchie de Laet scored the first of his two after just 31 seconds, skipping past goalkeeper Nick Suman before tapping into an empty net.
Roly Bonevacia levelled from the spot just before the half-hour mark after Curtis Good brought Jaushua Sotirio down in the box, but Luke Brattan s sensational 25-yard strike 10 minutes later saw City go into the break ahead.
However, within eight minutes…
Antonio Conte s Tottenham tenure got off to a winning start as Spurs held on for a 3-2 victory against Vitesse in an action-packed Europa Conference League game that saw three red cards.
Life after Nuno Espirito Santo began brilliantly for Spurs, with Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and an own goal from Jacob Rasmussen giving them a firm grip on the game after just 28 minutes.
However, Rasmussen atoned for his error and Matus Bero brought Vitesse – who won the reverse fixture 1-0 – back to within a goal of restoring parity before half-time, with a previously jubilant Tottenham Hotspur Stadium falling flat.
Romero s second booking with 30 minutes remaining increased the pressure on Conte s men, but Danilo Doekhi and Markus Schubert also received their marchi…
Bayern Munich solidified their position atop the Bundesliga as they ended Freiburg s unbeaten start with a 2-1 win at the Allianz Arena.
Freiburg were the sole team yet to taste defeat in the league this season, but they were always second best against Julian Nagelsmann s side on Saturday.
Leon Goretzka opened the scoring on the half hour and Bayern saw several chances to pad their lead go begging.
But Robert Lewandowski could hardly miss as he eventually made it 2-0, Bayern at least temporarily going four points clear of Borussia Dortmund in second despite Janik Haberer s late consolation.
2-1
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN)
Freiburg s defence had conceded only seven goals going into this game, but Bayern found consistent joy in carvi…
Championship outfit Leicester City have confirmed that Nigel Pearson will be the club s new manager.
Pearson, who managed Leicester between 2008 and 2010, has re-joined the
King Power Stadium outfit on a contract that will keep him at the club
until the end of the 2013-2014 season.
Leicester sacked former manager Sven-Goran Eriksson last month before a
lengthy period of negotiation followed with Pearson s former club, Hull
City, until an appropriate compensation package was agreed.
Assistant managers Craig Shakespeare and Steve Walsh have also joined
Pearson at Leicester, with the trio to start at their new club with
immediate effect.
Craig, Steve and I are all extremely excited to be re-joining Leic…
Rolando Mandragora’s wonder strike gave Fiorentina a slender 1-0 advantage in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Atalanta.
The 26-year-old lashed home a spectacular shot from outside the penalty area in off a post in the first half and that was all the home side had to show for their dominance.
Sixth-placed Atalanta are currently four places and seven points better off than Fiorentina in Serie A, but will be relieved to have left the Stadio Artemio Franchi with just a one-goal deficit.
Fiorentina, who beat Bologna 5-4 on penalties in the quarter-finals, wasted a string of chances either side of half-time.
Victory in the first leg
— ACF Fiorentina English (@ACFFiorentinaEN)
Nicolas Gonzalez had an early shot bl…
Javier Mascherano has put pen to paper on a new four-year deal at Barcelona.
The Argentina international agreed fresh terms at Camp Nou in June before heading to the World Cup in Brazil, where he helped his country reach the final.
However, the versatile 30-year-old continued to be linked with a move away from the Catalan club, with Serie A outfit Napoli and former club Liverpool touted as possible destinations.
Barca quickly dismissed speculation of a possible exit and revealed earlier this month that Mascherano would sign his new contract imminently.
And the club announced on Tuesday that Mascherano will be staying until at least 2018, with the option of a further 12-month extension also included in the agreement.
I am very happy to continue at…
Javier Hernandez will be a hit at Real Madrid according to former Manchester United team-mate David de Gea.
Hernandez signed a season-long loan deal from United and will add depth to a Real attack bursting at the seams with talent.
And although the Mexico international is likely to play a support role to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez, United goalkeeper de Gea has backed him to shine.
He is a great person – one of the best people I have met in football, De Gea is quoted as telling Marca.
He will do very good things in Madrid.
He doesn t play very often but he scores a lot of goals.
Hernandez joined United in 2010 from Guadalajara and quickly established himself as a fans favourite.
…