Tag: Football

BREAKING: Champions League draw for 2025/2026 season confirmed [Full fixtures]

August 28, 2025 (updated August 28, 2025) Published by

The draw for the league phase for the 2025/2026 Champions League have been conducted on Thursday.

This year, the competition will continue to use the ‘Swiss-style’ league phase rather than the group stage to which fans had become accustomed.

That means that 36 teams will again take part in the competition.

Then the top eight sides will then qualify automatically for the knockout stages, while the teams that finish in ninth to 24th place will be drawn in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16 of the competition.

Teams ranked 25-36 are eliminated from all competitions.

Here are some of the fixtures:

Bayern Munich will face Chelsea (H), PSG (A), Club Brugge (H), Arsenal (A), Sporting CP (H), PSV (A), Union SG (H), Pafos (A)

Chelsea will play Barcelona (H), Bayern Munich (A), Benfica (H), Atalanta (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qarabag (A)

Real Madrid take on Manchester City (H), Liverpool (A), Juventus (H), Benfica (A), Marseille (H), Olympiacos (A), Monaco (H), Kairat Almaty (A)

Inter Milan have been drawn against Liverpool (H), Dortmund (A), Arsenal (H), Atletico Madrid (A), Salavia Praha (H), Ajax (A), Kairat Almaty, Union SG

Borussia Dortmund will face Inter Milan (H), Manchester City, Villarreal, Juventus, Bodo/Glimt, Tottenham, Athletic Club, Copenhagen (A)

Liverpool play Real Madrid (H), Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Frankfurt, PSV, Marseille, Qarabag, Galatasaray (A)

Barcelona take on PSG (H), Chelsea, Frankfurt, Club Brugge, Olympiacos, Slavia Praha, Copenhage, Newcastle (A)

Everton beat Brighton 2-0 in first match at Hill Dickinson Stadium

August 24, 2025 (updated August 24, 2025) Published by

Everton’s new era at the Hill Dickinson Stadium got off to a bright start with a 2-0 win over Brighton in front of a crowd of just under 52,000 on Sunday.

Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner struck for the Toffees either side of half-time as Jack Grealish claimed two assists on his first Everton start.

Brighton were left to rue a series of wasted chances, including a missed penalty by Danny Welbeck, as the Seagulls remain without a win this season.

Everton are a work in progress with David Moyes desperate to make more additions to his squad in the final week of the transfer window.

But the green shoots of a brighter future were on show on a day that has been years in the making.

Only four clubs have won more English top-flight titles than Everton’s nine.

However, they have not won a major trophy for the past 30 years and spent their final seasons at Goodison Park, the club’s home since 1892, battling relegation.

Lakuku Could miss action Unti November,Napoli confirm

August 18, 2025 (updated August 18, 2025) Published by

Romelu Lukaku will miss Napoli’s opening fixture of their Serie A title defence after suffering a thigh injury which could keep the Belgium striker out for months, the Italian champions said on Monday.

Napoli, who travel to promoted Sassuolo on Saturday, said in a statement that Lukaku had suffered a “serious” tear in his left thigh during Thursday’s pre-season friendly with Olympiakos.

No indication over how long Lukaku would be sidelined was given by Napoli, but Italian media reported that he could be out of action until November.

Napoli suggested that Lukaku, 32, might have to undergo surgery.

Lukaku was key to Napoli winning their fourth league title last season, setting up 10 Serie A goals to go with the 14 he scored under coach Antonio Conte.

Two Players Are Not Nigerians: Morocco Drag Super Falcons To CAF After Defeat In WAFCON Final

July 28, 2025 (updated July 28, 2025) Published by

Morocco have filed a petition to CAF questioning the eligibility of two players who played for the women’s team of Nigeria in the final of the WAFCON, which Nigeria won 3-2 on Saturday.

The host were two goals up going into the half time break , but a second half rally by the Nigerian team helped them to a 3-2 win, and also the title for the tenth time in their history.

Before the game, there was a protest lodged by Morocco on the eligibility of two of the Nigerian players in Ashleigh Plumptre and Michelle Alozie. Both players were born outside Nigeria but made the decision to play for Nigeria at senior level.

In their protest, Morocco say the manner of their switch of nationality is faulty citing some irregularities in their claims to be Nigerians. They expressly want Nigeria to lose the title by virtue of fielding both players in the tournament.

Plumptre was granted approval by FIFA to play for Nigeria in 2021 after it was established that her paternal grandfather is a Nigerian. Alozie’s case is more straightforward as he was born in the USA to immigrant parents from Nigeria.

Nigeria are however not losing sleep over the protest with a top member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) terming it as dead on arrival.

SportCWC: Trump put your medal in his pocket, took it to White House – Cucurella tells Madueke

July 24, 2025 (updated July 24, 2025) Published by

Chelsea star, Marc Cucurella, has told his former teammate, Noni Madueke that President of the United States of America, Donald Trump collected his FIFA Club World Cup medal, put it in his pocket and took it to the White House.

The Spaniard said it was strange to him that the England international opted to join Arsenal before playing in the final against Paris Saint-Germain.

ObasEmpire reports that Madueke, born to Nigerian parents but represents England internationally, left the Chelsea team in the United States just hours after the semifinal win over Fluminense.

He returned to London to for his medical and to put finishing touches on his move to Arsenal.

Speaking to Gerard Moreno, Spanish full-back Cucurella, said the England player has missed a golden opportunity to have the FIFA Club World Cup medal

Cucurella wondered why Madueke failed to delay his move to Arsenal by a couple of days.

As quoted by ObasEmpire, the Spain international said, “He[Trump] put it in his pocket. He has it there in the White House, very well placed.

Yes, I think so. I think he missed a good opportunity…

In the end, I think it could have delayed him a couple of days since he left a day early or something like that. ”

The left-back said it would not have cost Madueke anything to wait until the final match of the competition

“I think he missed a pretty good opportunity.”

EPL apologizes to Arsenal, Man Utd, others over fixtures postponement

July 24, 2025 (updated July 24, 2025) Published by

The Premier League have apologized to clubs for a two-week delay, after it confirmed which games will be televised in September.

Fans had been assured they would be informed of the exact dates and kick-off times for matchweeks four, five and six by July 9.

However, the league body has insisted that the late announcement still falls in line with their commitment to giving fans at least six weeks’ notice.

A statement read: “While the Premier League’s fixture announcement dates advised that September’s fixtures would be released on 9 July, delays in local approvals for fixtures unfortunately meant only August fixtures were announced on this date.

The Premier League would like to apologise for not being able to confirm these fixtures until now. However, today’s announcement is in line with our commitment to give at least six weeks’ notice for fixture announcements before January.”

Some of the changes will see Manchester United travel to Manchester City at 4:30pm on Sunday, September 14.

That Manchester Derby comes after Liverpool’s trip to Burnley, kicking off at 2pm.

Arsenal are also scheduled to host Nottingham Forest at 12:30pm on Saturday, September 13.

WAFCON 2024: Super Falcons pip South Africa, zoom into final

July 22, 2025 (updated July 22, 2025) Published by

The Super Falcons of Nigeria booked a spot in the final of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after a hard-fought 2–1 win over holders South Africa.

Nigeria came close to scoring in the opening 12 minutes through Chiwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo. Ihezuo was set up by a superb pass from Ashleigh Plumptre in the 11th minute, but South Africa goalkeeper Andile Dlamini produced a superb save to deny the striker. Dlamini also stopped Okoronkwo’s goal-bound effort one minute later.

South Africa barely tested Chiamaka Nnadozie despite their smooth play in midfield.

The Super Falcons were awarded a penalty one minute before the break after Bomgeka Gamede handled the ball inside the box. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade calmly slotted the ball into the net, with Dlamini getting a hand on it.

Linda Motlhalo equalised for South Africa from another penalty on the hour mark.

The right-back won the game for the Super Falcons with a long-range effort in stoppage time.

Arsenal goalkeeper ‘willing to accept’ La Liga move, as Gunners begin fire sale: report

July 16, 2025 (updated July 16, 2025) Published by

Arsenal have spent heavily this summer, with big sales expected before the end of the transfer window

Arsenal are looking make sales, to offset the investment they’ve made in the transfer window thus far.

The Gunners have overhauled areas of their squad, bringing in two new midfielders in the shape of Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi, adding a backup goalkeeper in Kepa Arrizabalaga, and agreeing deals for Noni Madueke in attack and Cristhian Mosquera in defence.

But there is still work to be done, as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta adds the finishing touches – and sales will have to be made to finalise the squad ahead of the new season

Assuming that Viktor Gyokeres joins in the next week or so, Arsenal could be looking at having spent £200 million before they go on their preseason to Asia – and they’re still linked with the likes of Eberechi Eze and Rodrygo in attack.

With the BBC’s senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel recently claiming that “there needs to be at least one significant outgoing to recalibrate after a busy summer of spending” over the next year or so, Arteta and his sporting director, Andrea Berta, may be looking to wield an axe over squad players in the coming weeks in order to balance their heavy spending.

With the likes of Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Albert Sambi Lokonga all linked with exits, Arsenal may be able to generate funds without an A-lister of Gabriel Martinelli’s calibre leaving

One move that may help matters is that of Karl Hein, with Vamos Mi Sevilla reporting that the 23-year-old goalkeeper is a priority target for Sevilla .

Hein spent last season on loan in La Liga and is said to have taken this recent Andalusian interest, with “great enthusiasm and is willing to accept the offer”, with the North Londoners able to bank the entirety of any fee received for the Estonian, thanks to his status as a homegrown product, satisfying Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

FourFourTwounderstands that Hein is no longer in the plans of Arteta or his goalkeeping coach, Inaki Cana, who has David Raya as no.1, Kepa as cup keeper and a contingent of Tommy Setford, Alexei Rojas, Jack Porter and Lucas Nygaard competing in the youth ranks.

Setford is currently Arsenal’s third-choice keeper but with the former Ajax prodigy potentially looking to leave on loan in the next year or two, the Gunners may yet bring in an experienced glovesman to provide depth behind Raya and Kepa.

Transfer: Asensio to join Mourinho at Fenerbahçe as Gyökeres chooses Arsenal

July 11, 2025 (updated July 11, 2025) Published by

Spain international, Marco Asensio is all set to join manager Jose Mourinho at Fenerbahçe from Paris Saint-Germain.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Fenerbahçe is closing in on a deal with PSG for Asensio’s signature after agreeing on a deal with the player .

Asensio has also been invited to Istanbul for a medical check-up and official signing with Mourinho’s side.

Meanwhile, in another development, Viktor Gyökeres will not show up in training at Sporting Lisbon today, tomorrow or day going forward this summer.

This is because the Sweden international has chosen to join Arsenal this summer transfer window.

Gyökeres has also informed the Sporting president about his decision in the past few days.

The striker wants to move to the Premier League North London club this summer after helping Sporting to win the domestic league title last season.

Pochettino Rules Out Spurs Return Amid Tottenham Managerial Shake-Up

June 8, 2025 (updated June 8, 2025) Published by

Mauricio Pochettino has officially distanced himself from speculation linking him with a return to Tottenham Hotspur following the shock dismissal of Ange Postecoglou on Friday.

Despite leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years, a historic Europa League triumph, Postecoglou, 59, was relieved of his duties in a decision that has stunned most football enthusiasts.

In the wake of his departure, rumours began swirling that Pochettino, who previously managed the North London club for five years before being sacked in November 2019, was being lined up for a sensational return.

However, the Argentine tactician, currently in charge of the United States men’s national team, has firmly shut down those suggestions.

Today it’s not realistic,” Pochettino, 53, said following the USA’s 2-1 loss to Turkey in Connecticut, the team’s third consecutive defeat. “Look where I am. Look where we [his coaching staff] are. The answer is so clear.”

Appointed USMNT head coach in October 2024, Pochettino emphasised his contentment with his current role, especially as preparations intensify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico

I’ve seen the rumours. We have 100 coaches on the list. Don’t be worried about that,” he said with a smile. “If something happens in the future, you will see. But I am so happy in this moment and we cannot talk about this type of thing.”

During his time at Tottenham, Pochettino built a formidable team that reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2019 and finished second in the Premier League in 2016–2017, achievements that cemented his place in the club’s modern history.

As Tottenham begin the search for their next manager, Brentford boss Thomas Frank has emerged as a leading contender. Fulham head coach Marco Silva is also reportedly in the frame

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