The absence of a minnow makes Group D a very tight fitting, with Bangladesh capable of beating Pakistan and New Zealand. ...
08:42 AM, Sep 16, 2012
Monte Carlo: Defending champion Chelsea will take on Juventus, while Real Madrid will face Manchester City in this season's Champions League group stage. Thursday's draw pitched the holders against a Juventus side that stormed to the Serie A title and was unbeaten in all competitions last season apart from the Italian Cup final. Group E also includes Shakhtar Donetsk and Champions League debutants Nordsjaelland. Real have been handed the toughest...
10:19 PM, Aug 30, 2012
Paris: France is looking for a new coach after Laurent Blanc turned down a new contract offer, and former World Cup-winning captain Didier Deschamps is touted as the favorite to replace him. Blanc stepped down on Saturday after a European Championship campaign that ended in the quarterfinals and with his players again being questioned about their behavior. Blanc informed the French Football Federation of his decision following lengthy negotiations with...
10:52 AM, Jul 01, 2012
London: Ray Wilkins believes England could have had their own Andrea Pirlo at Euro 2012 had Paul Scholes been convinced to play. The Manchester United midfielder was capped 66 times by the Three Lions, scoring 14 goals, before retiring from international football in 2004 at the age of just 30 following the European Championship in Portugal. Despite rumours of a return both under Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello, Scholes never...
01:22 AM, Jun 29, 2012
Krakow: Top Italian daily newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport has apologised for printing a cartoon portraying black Italy striker Mario Balotelli as King Kong. Media reports said Balotelli's agent Mino Raiola had reacted with fury at the depiction, which comes after the 21-year-old has battled racism in his homeland and abroad for years. The cartoon of the Manchester City forward on top of London's Big Ben swatting away footballs was meant...
06:32 PM, Jun 27, 2012
Paris: France midfielder Samir Nasri on Tuesday issued an apology for insulting a journalist after his team was knocked out of the Euro 2012 quarter-finals by Spain last Saturday. "Too many untruths circulate at the moment. May the fans, and the children in particular, know that I regret sincerely that my words may have shocked," he said on his Twitter feed. Nasri, who was a second-half substitute in France's 2-0...
05:10 PM, Jun 27, 2012
Krakow: Injured Italy players Daniele De Rossi, Ignazio Abate and Giorgio Chiellini are undergoing intensive physiotherapy to try to be fit for Thursday's Euro 2012 semi-final with Germany. Team doctor Enrico Castellacci refused to rule any of the three in or out on Tuesday, even remaining cautious on Chiellini's chances despite the centre back training normally after a thigh problem. "We are doing eveything possible," Castellacci said. Chiellini would probably...
10:54 PM, Jun 26, 2012
Paris: Samir Nasri could face a two-year ban from international duty, as the French Football Federation (FFF) prepare to discuss the midfielder's behaviour at Euro 2012, L'Equipe reports. The Manchester City man made the headlines for all the wrong reasons when he celebrated his goal against England with an outburst toward the French press, before challenging a journalist to a fight during a heated exchange in the mixed zone after...
04:04 PM, Jun 26, 2012
London: Police authorities in the UK have launched an investigation into a series of alleged racist tweets against England football players Ashley Cole and Ashley Young after the pair missed penalty kicks during the Euro 2012 quarter-final against Italy won 4-2. The use reportedly posted racist remarks against Cole and Young, which incited other Twitter users. In response to those who flayed his Tweets, the user replied: "All I got...
12:38 PM, Jun 26, 2012
CNN-IBN's panel of experts said that Italy were a better side than England and deserved to win the quarterfinal. ...
04:16 PM, Jun 25, 2012
Kiev: Roy Hodgson has hailed the effort and commitment of his England players after they were knocked out of Euro 2012 on penalties at the hands of Italy. The Three Lions managed to hold out for 120 minutes against an Italian side that dominated much of the game, but they were condemned to more penalty heartache with Alessandro Diamanti converting the winning kick. However, despite the defeat, Hodgson was keen...
10:23 AM, Jun 25, 2012
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10:14 AM, Jun 25, 2012
Kiev: England suffered yet more penalty heartbreak, this time at the hands of Italy as they succumbed to an agonising 4-2 defeat on spot kicks in a goalless Euro 2012 quarter-final here. Italy dominated the match but wasted a host of chances in normal time thanks to some brave last-ditch Three Lions defending, and Roy Hodgsons side managed to see out the extra 30 minutes before the inevitable shoot-out many...
03:12 AM, Jun 25, 2012
CNN-IBN's football experts Novy Kapadia and Karim Bencherifa preview the England-Italy quarter-final in Euro 2012 on Sunday night. ...
09:16 PM, Jun 24, 2012
CNN-IBN's panel of experts said that France played too defensive football in their Euro quarter-final match against Spain. ...
01:31 PM, Jun 24, 2012
Kiev: Mario Balotelli has grown up and is no longer like Peter Pan, the Italian striker told a news conference on Saturday ahead of Italy's Euro 2012 quarter-final against England. Balotelli was responding to comments made by his agent Mina Raiola, who compared his client to the fictional character created by JM Barrie who could fly and refused to grow up. "I think these are metaphors for Mario the person,...
12:04 PM, Jun 24, 2012
Donetsk: France coach Laurent Blanc remained tightlipped over his future after the team's 2-0 loss to Spain on Saturday in the European Championship quarter-finals. Blanc's contract with the French Football Federation expires at the end of the month. He wanted a new contract before Euro 2012, but FFF President Noel Le Graet preferred to wait until after the tournament before making a decision. "We're out of the competition and we're...
09:05 AM, Jun 24, 2012
Donetsk: France midfielder Samir Nasri reportedly aimed an expletive-laced rant at a journalist following Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Spain in the European Championship quarter-finals. Nasri was walking through the post-match interview area when the heated exchange took place after the journalist asked him for a reaction to the defeat. Reports added that Nasri, as the row escalated, then challenged the journalist to take their argument further. Nasri, who came on...
08:59 AM, Jun 24, 2012
Donetsk: Spain set up an all-Iberian semi-final with Portugal as they earned a 2-0 win over France with a workmanlike display in the last eight at the Donbass Arena. France rarely posed a threat as La Furia Roja bossed the game in large parts, opening the scoring midway through the first half as Xabi Alonso headed in as he completed a century of international appearances. Despite an improved performance in...
02:00 AM, Jun 24, 2012
