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Guardiola signs off from Barcelona with trophy in hand

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:10:08 GMT

So Pep Guardiola's incredible winning streak with Barcelona ends where it began – with a Spanish Cup final victory over Athletic Bilbao.

Are the Euro 2012 top dogs ready for action?

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Spain: The holders are in some disarray

Euro 2012: Meet the pub boar, visit Chernobyl... and maybe even watch some football

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Never mind the pub bore – meet the pub boar. A Ukrainian bar with a porcine pet is one of the startling recommendations from the Foreign Office in its advice to England football fans heading for the Euro 2012 tournament next month.

The Last Word: Terry's hijacking of centre stage was desperate

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

No wonder the English can't win Wimbledon. Their scandalised reaction, on learning that the Prime Minister indulges in an occasional game of tennis, implied the most infamous misuse of catgut since Rome burned. A saner view, surely, is that his cathartic thrashing of "The Clegger" offers a prototype that might be usefully adapted by others. If christened "JT", for instance, the same machine might cause such a proliferation of unplayable forehands throughout Europe that Djokovic himself would be overwhelmed, overnight, by a Bavarian butcher, Catalan baker and Neapolitan candlestick-maker. Come to that, you might even see a Wimbledon wild card for Frank Lampard.

Egil Olsen: Wise old head plotting a fresh England defeat

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Young Norwegian managers may be in vogue at present, with Wolves hiring Stale Solbakken and Aston Villa interviewing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but it is a veteran compatriot England will be facing tonight.

James Lawton: No easy feat for Hodgson to sort this mess out

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

As Roy Hodgson and the "bantering" Gary Neville conducted their amiable training session in the Manchester sunshine before flying off to Oslo it didn't do a whole lot of good speculating on how much further down the road were the likes of Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.

Are Euro 2012 top dogs ready for action?

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Spain: The holders are in some disarray

Dempsey hints at leaving Fulham for Champions League

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

The American striker Clint Dempsey has maintained that he wants to play in the Champions League, which casts further doubt over his future at Fulham.

Levein pleased with Scotland squad

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Scotland manager Craig Levein has every faith in his players to return home with a positive result against the United States - despite being without 11 players for the match.

Liverpool deny Martinez job offer despite talks in Miami

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Roberto Martinez is set for further talks with Liverpool next week, despite claims from Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan that he has already been offered the job.

Coach Prandelli backs Balotelli

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

The Italy coach, Cesare Prandelli, yesterday expressed his faith in controversial Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli.

Ranieri closer to West Brom job

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

West Bromwich Albion have held a second round of talks with the former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri about becoming Roy Hodgson's successor at the club.

Tantrums and dentist's chairs: How England have prepared for major tournaments

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

1996 European Championship

Chamberlain: Racism means I'll miss my son in Ukraine

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Mark Chamberlain, the father of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, believes it would be "prudent" for him to stay away from England's Euro 2012 matches in Ukraine amid concerns over black and Asian supporters facing the possibility of racist abuse in the country.

Trapattoni sends Dunne into action

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

The Republic of Ireland manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, having spent the week saying that Shay Given, John O'Shea, Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger would not play against Bosnia-Herzegovina today, yesterday named both Dunne and St Ledger in his starting XI.

Gerrard revels in landing role as full-time leader

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

It is 25 years, give or take, since he tore through Huyton's Ironside estate in his Gazza England shirt and "stuck the ball between two dustbins", as he once remembered it, but here, at long last, was the moment that Steven Gerrard says he had recently given up on. "I'm sitting here as England captain," he said, in an Oslo press conference last night as if he needed to try on the title for size.

England worry over Welbeck but Parker will start

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

Roy Hodgson last night admitted that taking Danny Welbeck to the European Championship as part of a depleted strike force could be a gamble but that he had to trust medical staff who say the Manchester United forward will be fit.

Being Gary Lineker: The clean-cut anchorman is this summer's Mr Sport

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

A cold wind blows across the concrete desert of the new BBC TV centre that taxi drivers know as MediaCityUK. On the edge of the Salford Docks, the Corporation has leased three big adjacent buildings – Bridge House, Dock House and Quay House – whose reflective skin of glass, chrome and steel reflect the chilly sunlight with a hard glitter.

Hodgson will take loss on the chin: Will the nation?

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:00:01 GMT

This is no place for an England manager trying to make his way. At the Ullevaal Stadium, to which the national side return tonight, Ron Greenwood hit the bottom in a defeat to Norway remembered less for the 2-1 scoreline, 31 years ago, than Norwegian broadcaster Bjorge Lillelien's ecstatic audit of the spirits who had been vanquished: Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper and Lady Diana. “Maggie Thatcher, your boys took one helluva beating.”

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez says 'conscience is clear' in race row with Patrice Evra

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:05:13 GMT

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has reopened the racism row which dogged his - and the club's - season by describing his eight-match ban as strange and insisting his "conscience is clear".

QPR captain will not contest 12-match ban

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:24:04 GMT

QPR have announced midfielder Joey Barton will not appeal against his 12-match ban for being sent off and reacting violently at Manchester City on the final day of the Barclays Premier League season.

Notts County footballer Lee Hughes fined for assaulting woman in hotel room

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:53:14 GMT

Notts County footballer Lee Hughes has been fined after admitting assaulting a woman at a hotel, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Andy Carroll and Rob Green to start against Norway reveals Roy Hodgson

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:48:14 GMT

England manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed both Andy Carroll and Rob Green will start tomorrow's friendly against Norway in Oslo.

Rangers start proceedings over transfer embargo

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:13:59 GMT

Rangers today took their battle against a 12-month transfer embargo to the law courts.

Liverpool make Roberto Martinez offer to become manager, claims Wigan chairman

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:13:34 GMT

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan claims manager Roberto Martinez has been made an offer by managerless Liverpool but will await a further meeting before making his decision.