SPORTS

Pep Guardiola’s horrendous injury list at Bayern Munich is “no accident or misfortune”, but down to the wrong training structure at the German giants, says one of Germany’s leading sports scientists. Bayern face Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League in Turin next Tuesday with Guardiola’s squad so decimated by injury that he did not have a single ...

A goal will perhaps have been especially sweet for Ronaldo, who had walked out of a news conference on Tuesday after being questioned about his record in away matches this season. He had not netted away from the Bernabeu since 29 November and, although he was quiet for large periods of Wednesday’s game, a clever bit of skill produced the ...

Former Ivory Coast boss Herve Renard has been appointed as the new coach of Morocco on a three-year deal, replacing Badou Zaki. Renard led Ivory Coast to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2015, three years after winning it with Zambia. After his Nations Cup victory with the Elephants Renard left to take over at French club Lille in ...

Manchester City may come to regret their decision to announce Pep Guardiola’s appointment as manager four months before Manuel Pellegrini relinquishes charge of the Premier League club.City are still in contention to win four trophies but their form in the two weeks since they confirmed Guardiola’s arrival in July has raised questions about their ability to mark Pellegrini’s departure with ...

Lionel Messi returned to training with Barcelona on Thursday after receiving treatment for kidney stones which affected his participation in December’s Club World Cup. The Argentine superstar had tests “to assess the development of kidney stones,” Barca reported. Messi missed Wednesday’s 1-1 Copa del Rey semifinal second-leg draw with Valencia, with the Catalan side prevailing 8-1 on aggregate. The five-time ...

Zesco United begin their 2016 Caf Champions League campaign this Saturday when they host Al Ghazalla in a preliminary round, first leg tie at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. This is the first time a Zambian club will face a South Sudan opponent in continental club action since the visiting nation joined Caf in 2012. Zesco goalkeeper Jacob Banda said ...

Stoke City forward Bojan Krkic has signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with the Premier League club. The 25-year-old Spain international joined the Potters from Barcelona for an undisclosed fee in July 2014. Bojan, who missed the second half of last season with a knee injury, has scored 10 goals in 41 games for Stoke. Chief executive Tony Scholes said: “Bojan ...

An under-strength Barcelona set a new club record of 29 games unbeaten to progress to the Copa del Rey final with a 1-1 draw at Gary Neville’s Valencia on Wednesday for an 8-1 aggregate win. Barca’s place in a fifth final in six years was assured after a 7-0 first-leg rout last week and without their star attacking trio Lionel ...

Premier League side West Bromwich Albion won a penalty shootout 4-3 to beat third tier Peterborough United in a dramatic FA Cup fourth-round replay on Wednesday. The game finished 1-1 after extra time, Peterborough taking the lead having dominated the first half when winger Jon Taylor found space to slot home from 15 metres after 55 minutes. Midfielder Darren Fletcher ...

Sunderland footballer Adam Johnson has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and one charge of grooming. Appearing at Bradford Crown Court, the Sunderland winger also denied two charges of sexual activity with a girl aged under 16. The 28-year-old from Castle Eden, County Durham, who has 12 England caps, was arrested in March 2015. His ...