SPORTS

When Barcelona thrashed Santos 4-0 in the Club World Cup final in Japan in 2011, then-Santos forward Neymar admitted the Brazilians had been taught a humbling footballing lesson. Now a key part of the Barca team and on the eve of a Champions League final, Neymar says he is hoping to use what he learned that day in Yokohama, and ...

Both Juventus and Barcelona are looking to cap fantastic seasons by completing rare trebles when they meet in the Champions League final at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on Saturday. Juventus are appearing in their first Champions League final in 12 years as they look to win the European Cup for the third time, but Barcelona, inspired by Lionel Messi, ...

Former All Black Jerry Collins has died in a car crash in France, according to New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Collins, 34, made his New Zealand debut against Argentina in 2001 and played 48 Tests for the All Blacks, captaining them three times. The All Blacks said on Twitter  they are “shocked and saddened” by the news. ...

Juventus on Thursday ruled key defender Giorgio Chiellini out of the Champions League final against Barcelona after he suffered a muscle tear in training. Chiellini had to leave training on Wednesday and scans on Thursday confirmed the bad news for the Italian champions. “The scan revealed a first grade tear of the soleus muscle in his left leg, meaning the ...

Zanaco have opened a seven-point lead at the top of the Faz Super League table after a 2-0 home win on Wednesday in their Lusaka derby clash against Red Arrows. The result left Zanaco as the only unbeaten team in the league this season after second placed Zesco United tumbled at home to Nkwazi in Ndola. Goals from Moses Phiri ...

Former top Fifa official Chuck Blazer has admitted that he and others on the executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the choice of South Africa as 2010 World Cup host. The American said he also helped to arrange bribes over the 1998 event. The admissions come in a newly released transcript from a 2013 US hearing in ...

England captain Alastair Cook says he has seen enough potential in his side to believe they can regain the Ashes against Australia this summer. Cook’s side, including six players who had played 13 Tests or fewer, were beaten by 199 runs by New Zealand at Headingley to draw the series 1-1 – having been set 455 to win. “In our ...

Manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed the 23-man England squad for this month’s European Under-21 Championship. Tottenham defender Eric Dier, Benik Afobe of Wolves, Chelsea forward Patrick Bamford and Cauley Woodrow of Fulham all miss out after being named in the provisional squad last month. Spurs striker Harry Kane is included for the competition in the Czech Republic from 17-30 June. ...

Coach Massimiliano Allegri insists Juventus will be ready for the “fearsome” trio of Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi when the Turin giants face Barcelona in the Champions League final. Juventus’s season has gone almost to perfection under Allegri, who in his first season in charge has led the Bianconeri to a fourth consecutive scudetto and their first league and ...

Fresh from his final match as Borussia Dortmund coach, Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Monday he will take an undetermined break from coaching, despite being linked to Real Madrid, Napoli and Liverpool. After seven years as head coach, the 47-year-old had his last game in charge of Dortmund in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Wolfsburg in the German Cup final at Berlin’s ...