Barcelona's Lionel Messi, right, and Javier Mascherano celebrate with the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, London, Saturday, May 28, 2011. (AP-Yonhap News) WEMBLEY, England (AP) _ Barcelona and Lionel Messi put their places among football's all-time greats beyond all doubt Saturday as the Argentina striker scored one goal ...

Korean likely in starting lineup for Champions League final Park Ji-sung is known for never stopping on the pitch, his quick moves have earned him the nickname “Three Lung Park” in England. He is also proving to have an unquenchable thirst for collecting medals and trophies with Manchester United. The UEFA Champions League trophy, the biggest prize in club soccer is on offer on Saturday evening ...

FC Seoul and Suwon Samsung Bluewings of South Korea’s K-League advanced to the quarterfinals of an ongoing Asian club football competition Wednesday. In the round of 16 action at the Asian Football Confederation Champions League, FC Seoul defeated Kashima Antlers of Japan 3-0 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. In Suwon, about 46 kilometers south of Seoul, the Bluewings blanked Nagoya Grampus, also of J...

It’s been just over nine months since Cho Kwang-rae took over the national team, but the manager has acknowledged that he is having a tough time. Cho said Monday that he was having a difficult time cooperating with the Korea Football Association, saying there is too much intrusion by the governing body. National team manager Cho Kwang-rae (Yonhap News) The former Gyeongnam FC manger blamed Lee...

Korea famously had four teams in the last eight of the Asian Champions League in 2010 but that is not going to happen in 2011. Already, Jeju United has fallen by the wayside. Three other K-League clubs survived the group stage and have their round of 16 games this week. It is not a foregone conclusion that Jeonbuk Motors, FC Seoul and Suwon Bluewings will make the quarterfinal as they all have di...

Blackpool's Jason Puncheon, left, vies for the ball with Manchester United's Ji-Sung Park, right, during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Sunday, May 22, 2011. (AP-Yonhap News) MANCHESTER, England (AP) _ Blackpool's adventure in the Premier League came to a heartbreaking end on Sunday as Ian Holloway's side was relegated after a 4-2 loss at champion...

Ki Sung-yueng finds net as Celtic capture cup BARCELONA (AP) ― Cristiano Ronaldo broke the 60-year-old Spanish league scoring record, getting his 39th and 40th goals of the season in Real Madrid’s season-ending 8-1 rout of Almeria. In the fourth minute, Ronaldo beat goalkeeper Esteban Suarez in the 77th. The previous record of 38 league goals was set by Athletic Bilbao’s Telmo Zarra in 1950-51 ...

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― Manchester City is on the verge of qualifying automatically for the Champions League after beating Stoke 3-0 on Tuesday, three days after defeating the same opponent in the FA Cup final to end a 35-year title drought. Carlos Tevez scored twice to take his league tally to 21 goals this season ― equal top with Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov ― as Man City move...

Red Devils get the point they need to win 19th league title LONDON (AP) ― Wayne Rooney secured Manchester United’s record 19th English Premier League title on Saturday, scoring on a penalty kick to salvage a 1-1 draw at Blackburn and overshadow rival Manchester City’s first major trophy in 35 years. Yaya Toure scored at Wembley to give Manchester City’s expensively assembled side a 1-0 win over...

Club rolls to third-straight championship BARCELONA (AP) ― Barcelona players sprayed each other with bubbly and fans celebrated by lighting flares. A title that had appeared inevitable for weeks finally was clinched with two games to spare when Barcelona tied 1-1 at Levante on Wednesday night to win Spain’s La Liga for the third straight season. “We have been very united this year. That has be...

Club looks to join other K-League teams in next round The Asian Champions League has been going well for South Korean teams again this year. In 2010, all four of the nation’s representatives reached the last eight. That is unlikely this time, but there is nothing wrong with that ― such an achievement is unprecedented in Asia. Still, as the group stage of the 32 team competition, made up eight g...

South Korean national team manager Cho Kwang-rae has announced that he will call up his best players, including some of the country’s rising young stars, for two friendly games in June, much to the dismay of U23 team manager Hong Myong-bo. Cho said earlier that he would take the strongest available squad for the home friendly against Serbia on June 3 and also Ghana on June 7 in preparation for 2...

It is becoming almost commonplace but fans in South Korea shouldn’t take it for granted. Park Ji-sung is currently playing in his fourth set of UEFA Champions League semifinals. His two successes should become three with Wednesday’s second leg (3:45 a.m. Thursday Korean time) between Manchester United and Schalke 04 of Germany. The English Premier League team won the first leg 2-0 in Gelsenkirch...