Reuters Football - European Football

Gullit named president of Netherlands-Belgium Cup bid

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:04:39 GMT

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Former Netherlands captain Ruud Gullit has been appointed president of the joint Netherlands-Belgium bid to co-host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup finals, the Dutch FA said on Tuesday.

Almeida sends German Cup holders Werder into semis

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:49:36 GMT

BERLIN, Feb 9 (Reuters) - A superb late strike from substitute Hugo Almeida gave holders Werder Bremen a 2-1 win over Hoffenheim and a place in the semi-finals of the German Cup on Tuesday.

Lithuania name Zutautas as national coach

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:22:58 GMT

VILNIUS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Lithuania have appointed Raimondas Zutautas as national coach, the country's soccer federation said on Tuesday.

Hiddink sad that UEFA had to part former Soviet states

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:33:58 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Russia coach Guus Hiddink said he was saddened that UEFA had been forced to keep apart former Soviet states in the draw for the 2012 European championship qualifiers on Sunday.

Big guns get comfortable Euro 2012 draw

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:52:39 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 7 (Reuters) - European champions Spain were handed an easy-looking path to the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine in Sunday's qualifying draw, although coach Vicente Del Bosque said afterwards he was taking nothing for granted.

UEFA to keep ex-Soviet states apart in Euro draw

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:35:48 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The former Soviet Union states of Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan will be kept apart in Sunday's qualifying round draw for the 2012 European Championship.

Vogts expects windfall from Germany game

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:34:33 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan coach Berti Vogts is looking forward to a windfall after his team were drawn against his native Germany in the qualifying tournament for the 2012 European championship.

European champions Spain handed easy draw for Euro 2012

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:34:33 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 7 (Reuters) - European champions Spain will face Czech Republic, Scotland, Lithuania and Liechtenstein in the qualifying competition for the Euro 2012 championship after being the last team pulled out of the bowl at Sunday's draw.

Platini backs Henry handball referee for World Cup

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:09:00 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Swedish referee Martin Hansson, who was at the centre of the Thierry Henry handball controversy in France's World Cup qualification, deserved to be picked for the finals, UEFA president Michel Platini said on Saturday.

Platini gives co-hosts thumbs-up for Euro 2012 progress

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:35:32 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Poland and Ukraine still have minor problems to solve but are otherwise making good progress as they prepare to host Euro 2012, UEFA president Michel Platini said on Saturday.

New contract was never agreed, says Germany coach Loew

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:20:42 GMT

BERLIN, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Germany coach Joachim Loew has denied that there was ever a verbal agreement to extend his contract beyond the 2010 World Cup finals.

Euro 2012 draw a backdrop to top coaches problems

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:19:05 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 5 (Reuters) - The coaches of England, Russia and Germany could all be forgiven for having other things on their minds when they come to the Polish capital for the qualifying round draw of Euro 2012 on Sunday.

World Cup absentees Russia, Croatia top seeds for Euros

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:10:14 GMT

WARSAW, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Russia and Croatia, who have failed to make this year's World Cup finals in South Africa, will be among the top seeds when the draw for the qualifying round of Euro 2012 is made on Sunday.

Rampant Roma take upper hand in Italian Cup semi

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:30:31 GMT

ROME, Feb 4 (Reuters) - AS Roma maintained their formidable form on Thursday with a 2-0 home win over Udinese in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final.

Italy boss Lippi dreams of World Cup final with Capello

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:39:23 GMT

ROME, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Marcello Lippi says he hopes his Italy side meet England in this year's World Cup final so he can see how fellow Italian Fabio Capello would cope with the conflicting emotions.

Deco to quit international football after World Cup

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:20:17 GMT

LISBON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Portugal midfielder Deco has decided to retire from international soccer after the World Cup finals in South Africa.

Russian FA chief to meet Hiddink over contract

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:48:40 GMT

MOSCOW, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Former Zenit St Petersburg president Sergei Fursenko was elected head of the Russian FA (RFU) on Wednesday and his first major task will be to decide whether to extend the contract of national coach Guus Hiddink.

Porto thrash Sporting to reach Cup semi-final

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:53:18 GMT

LISBON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Holders Porto thrashed Sporting 5-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup on Tuesday.

Italy's Lippi at odds with boss over exit strategy

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:38:24 GMT

MILAN, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Italy coach Marcello Lippi contradicted his own boss over his future on Monday, saying whether he stayed in the job could depend on results at the World Cup.

Bulgarian crisis club Botev could be thrown out

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:21:53 GMT

SOFIA, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Cash-strapped Botev Plovdiv could be thrown out of the top division after 16 players asked the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) for free transfers over unpaid wages and bonuses. Bottom club Botev, the country's oldest team, said they had breached contracts by failing to pay players for several months. "It's very possible Botev will disappear from the footballing map," BFU president Borislav Mihaylov told Darik radio.

Dos Santos joins Galatasaray on loan

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:10:40 GMT

LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur's Mexican midfielder Giovani Dos Santos has joined Turkish side Galatasaray on loan until the end of the season, the Premier League club said on its website (www.tottenhamhotspur.com).

Feyenoord end PSV 39-match unbeaten run to reach Cup semi

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:03:04 GMT

EINDHOVEN, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Karim El Ahmadi struck twice as Feyenoord ended PSV Eindhoven's 39-match unbeaten run in all competitions with a 3-0 win in the quarter-finals of the Dutch Cup on Wednesday.

Red cards and De Rossi help Roma into Italian Cup semis

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:52:34 GMT

ROME, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Daniele De Rossi scored with a blistering shot to send in-form AS Roma into the Italian Cup semi-finals with a 1-0 win over a brave Catania side that finished the tie with nine men on Tuesday.

Platini reiterates support for five-officials concept

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:23:22 GMT

VALLETTA, Jan 26 (Reuters) - UEFA president Michel Platini has repeated his belief that the addition of two match officials represents the best way to minimise refereeing mistakes.

Time has come to tackle the debt, says UEFA

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:26:20 GMT

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Half of Europe's leading clubs are losing money with more than 20 percent facing huge deficits, UEFA's general secretary Gianni Infantino has told Reuters in an interview.