Returning Liverpool could be dark horses, says Scholes

Champions League winner Paul Scholes believes Liverpool could be dark horses to win this season’s competition. Five-times European champions Liverpool will return to the elite event after a five-year absence when they face Bulgarian champions Ludogorets at Anfield on Tuesday and will also play holders Real Madrid in Group B. Scholes, a member of the … Read more

European giants spend more than $3 billion on transfers

Londres, Royaume-Uni The English Premier League dominated as Europe’s top clubs spent more than $3 billion on new players in the two month transfer market that ended with a frantic burst of deals, according to a study released Tuesday. The 20 Premier League clubs spent about £835 million ($1.38 billion, €1 billion) on players, with … Read more

Conduct clause key to Balotelli move

Mario Balotelli will have to agree to Liverpool’s code of conduct if his proposed £16 million ($27 million, 20 million euros) transfer from AC Milan is to be completed, according to reports in the British press on Friday. Speculation over Balotelli’s future intensified Thursday after AC Milan acknowledged the temperamental Italy striker was on his … Read more

Five things to know about the English Premier League

By STEVE DOUGLAS One round of Premier League games has already backed up many pundits’ pre-season predictions, notably that Chelsea and Manchester City are title favorites and Manchester United needed more than just a change of manager to arrest its slump. Strengthened by new attacking signings Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea delivered the best … Read more

Balotelli shock move to Liverpool imminent

Mario Balotelli is on the brink of a shock move to Liverpool, media in England and Italy reported Thursday, two weeks after Reds boss Brendan Rodgers ruled out a bid for the controversial striker. According to sports channel Sky Italia, AC Milan have agreed to let the 24-year-old move to Anfield and a transfer worth … Read more

Suarez debuts for Barca, pledges not to bite again

Luis Suarez made his first appearance for Barcelona after his move from Liverpool for a reported 95 million euros (£75 million, $127 million) as the Catalans hammered Mexican side Club Leon 6-0 in a friendly on Monday. The Uruguayan striker, who won’t be able to play in a competitive game for Barca until October after … Read more

“I’m paying for a mistake I made” – Suarez

Barcelone, Espagne | AFP | Luis Suarez trained with his Barcelona team-mates for the first time on Friday and then admitted he was still paying for his “mistake” in biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup. After getting the green light from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the Uruguayan striker was the … Read more

CAS upholds Suarez’s 4-month playing ban

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld Luis Suarez’s four-month ban for biting an opponent at the World Cup, but cleared him to train with Barcelona. CAS says FIFA’s sanctions against Suarez are “generally proportionate to the offence committed.” Suarez cannot play for Barcelona until Oct. 26, and he remains banned for Uruguay’s next … Read more