Football betting: Chelsea cup win a priority against under-strength Manchester City February 18, 2016 It might be over-selling things to say that Chelsea’s season rests on Sunday’s FA Cup fifth round match against Manchester City, but it means a lot more than it would in any other year. Premier League failings and Champions League struggles means the most realistic chance of silverware for the Blues this term comes in the [...]
Heavyweight Anthony Joshua joins Andy Murray, Saul Alvarez and Steph Curry at Under Armour after signing three-year deal February 18, 2016 British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with US sportswear brand Under Armour. Joshua, who is set for his first world title fight against American Charles Martin in April, joins a roster of athletes that also includes fellow countryman Andy Murray and American football icon Tom Brady. But it is the [...]
Football betting: up-for-the-FA Cup West Ham fancied to run riot against Blackburn February 18, 2016 West Ham boss Slaven Bilic never won the FA Cup as a player, but he’s got it firmly in his sights as a manager. The Hammers overcame Liverpool in the last round after Angelo Ogbonna’s 120th-minute winner, and Bilic has said he’d rather win the cup than qualify for the Champions League. Standing in his [...]
Cricket spot-fixer Mervyn Westfield admits he is “a bit rusty” as former Essex bowler wins appeal to be allowed to return to professional game a year early February 18, 2016 Jailed fixer Mervyn Westfield has been granted permission to return to professional cricket this season despite having a year still to serve on a five-year ban from the game. Former Essex bowler Westfield will be permitted to be play for a county’s second XI or for minor counties following a ruling by an England and [...]
Millwall chief executive says club has “gone into extra time” with fight against Lewisham council over land around the Den February 18, 2016 Millwall will continue to fight Lewisham council over its regeneration plans for land surrounding its stadium in South Bermondsey, after a decision on its sale was deferred. The League One club claimed its survival was under threat by the Labour-led council's plans to use a compulsory purchase order to take land currently on lease to [...]
Fifa is poised to elect Sepp Blatter’s replacement, but don’t hold your breath for real reform February 18, 2016 Ever since the long arm of the FBI swept into Zurich’s plush hotels to arrest high-ranking Fifa officials nine months ago, the house has come crashing down on Sepp Blatter and many of his cronies. With president Blatter and Michel Platini, his counterpart at European confederation Uefa, all but banished from the game after Fifa’s [...]
Leicester City’s owner will be able to sell club for more than 10 times what he paid for it if Foxes win the Premier League February 18, 2016 A debt-laden, second tier club who had never won the top-flight title may have not appeared to be the most failsafe investment when Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha bought Leicester City for £39m in 2010. But if the Foxes, who have provided the story of the season so far with an unlikely charge to the top of the [...]
Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid transfer faces European probe after British MEP Daniel Dalton demands investigation into possible use of taxpayers’ money in world record £86m transfer February 18, 2016 Real Madrid’s world record £86m signing of Gareth Bale from Tottenham could come under investigation from the European Commission after concerns were raised over the role of bailed-out Spanish banks. Conservative Daniel Dalton and two fellow MEPs have formally asked the Commission to probe the 2013 deal in light of leaked documents purporting to relate [...]
Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo issues perfect riposte in away goals row February 17, 2016 Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo provided the perfect riposte to criticism of his away goalscoring record as his side took a giant stride towards the Champions League last eight with a 2-0 victory against Roma . Former Manchester United attacker Ronaldo stormed out of a pre-match press conference on Tuesday after being quizzed about his [...]
Dyke confirms FA backing for Infantino in Fifa president battle February 17, 2016 Football Association chiefs yesterday confirmed their intention to support acting European boss Gianni Infantino’s candidacy for the presidency of crisis-hit world governing body Fifa at next week’s election. European governing body Uefa’s general secretary Infantino is one of five candidates bidding to replace outgoing president Sepp Blatter, who announced in June that he would stand down [...]