News
Features & Analytics
Podcasts
Oct. 16, 2023 at 4:52 p. m. EDT
The Euro 2024 qualifier between Belgium and Sweden was abandoned at half-time after Swedish citizens were shot dead in Brussels.
Belgian police told The Associated Press that two Swedes were killed in what European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, called a “suspected terrorist attack. “
The match between Sweden and Belgium took place at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. Swedish fans were asked to remain in the stadium after the match was suspended.
Further down
GO FURTHER
The confrontation between Belgium and Sweden is deserted after the death of Swedish citizens shot in Brussels
Advertising
October 16, 2023 at 3:28 PM EDT
fake images
Manchester United defender Gabby George has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
The 26-year-old was sent off nine minutes after her side’s 1-1 draw with Leicester City at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday.
She fell to the turf after chasing a stray ball and was dragged off the field through two staff members.
George will undergo surgery and is expected to be sidelined for an extended period.
More main points below
GO FURTHER
Manchester United defender Gabby George suffers ACL injury
October 16, 2023 at 2:50 p. m. EDT
fake images
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen suffered a hamstring injury while abroad with Nigeria.
The 24-year-old was sent off in Nigeria’s 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Osimhen was examined and underwent tests on Monday to determine the extent of the injury and will now undergo treatment at Napoli’s educational base.
Napoli will return to action against Verona on Saturday and play two Champions League matches against Union Berlin over the next four weeks, in addition to the match against Serie A leaders AC Milan on Oct. 29.
October 16, 2023 at 12:52 pm EDT
fake images
David Alaba and Arda Guler finished the squad for the first time on Monday as the two Real Madrid players intensify their recovery from injuries.
Alaba finished the consultation at a faster rate and may only be looking to get back into action against Sevilla on Saturday.
The 31-year-old defender has been sidelined since suffering a groin injury against Las Palmas in September.
Guler has yet to play for Madrid following his departure from Fenerbahce this summer. The 18-year-old suffered a quadriceps injury in September, as he was about to return from knee surgery in August.
Although Güler has a chance of being part of the squad for the next matchday, Real Madrid’s resources suggest that he wants to continue training to be in top form.
Madrid will face Sevilla on Saturday in the Clasico on October 28.
October 16, 2023 at 11:51 a. m. EDT
England manager Gareth Southgate says he understands why other people think Jordan Henderson’s decision to play in Saudi Arabia “doesn’t fit” with his for the LGBTQ network, but he doesn’t think that’s an explanation for booing him.
Henderson was booed by the Wembley crowd when he was substituted in England’s 1-0 friendly over Australia on Friday.
Asked if it would still be decided whether Henderson would be booed, Southgate replied: “Yes, 100 per cent, I will pick the players who I think are the most productive to form the team, who give us the biggest chance to win. “. unless there’s something that doesn’t seem right to me.
“In this case, other people may disagree with Jordan’s decision, given the stance he’s taken in the future toward the LGBTQ community, but I don’t think that’s an explanation for why he shouldn’t choose him. Actually, I don’t think that’s an explanation for why I boo him. “
Further down
GO FURTHER
Gareth Southgate: Jordan Henderson’s Saudi resolution after LGBTQ stance ‘not an explanation for booing’
October 16, 2023 at 11:44 a. m. EDT
fake images
England can qualify for Euro 2024 with a draw against Italy tomorrow at Wembley.
Gareth Southgate, in his pre-match press conference, said: “At the end of the day, the first objective is to qualify for the tournaments. Our previous performances in the organization put us in a very strong position, although the first thing we think about is to play well and win the game, but we know that if it’s the 87th minute and we’re tied, we don’t want to throw the goalkeeper into the box at the end of the game. “
England beat Italy at Wembley in the Euro 2020 final, which Italy won on penalties.
Asked how his side have progressed since then, Southgate replied: “The joy, the joy of winning big games, consistent performances, being ranked in the top five globally since 2018, so I don’t think there’s been any progress. ” at other times in the last 30, 40 years where that’s been the case.
“These guys are constantly producing wonderful, unforgettable nights and exciting performances and we have to keep doing that. “
Advertising
October 16, 2023 at 11:14 a. m. EDT
fake images
Liverpool have asked fans who still have tickets and plan to attend this weekend’s Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield to bring them back to the club so they can be “isolated” for fans affected by additional delays at the Anfield Road stand.
Tickets for the Anfield Road Upper Ground had to be cancelled after Liverpool announced that part of the stand would be open until 2024.
The club handed out a voucher to the first 4,000 fans who returned their tickets by noon on Oct. 18.
They will receive a full refund for the returned ticket and a £10 voucher corresponding to the returned ticket, which can be used in place of online retail purchases before the end of November.
October 16, 2023 at 10:51 a. m. EDT
Additional reporting via Mark Critchley
Manchester United’s board of directors will meet this week after British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe decided to secure a minority stake in the club.
The 12-member board of directors must vote on the sale of a 25-cent stake to Ratcliffe, but a deal will first need to be struck with the owners, the Glazer family, after Sheikh Jassim’s Qatari company said it had withdrawn from the race.
United’s board is led by co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer, the two brothers who took over Old Trafford in April 2006 after former owner Malcolm Glazer, their father, suffered a stroke.
For more on the other potentially central figures in the Ratcliffe deal and their roles at United, see below. . .
GO FURTHER
Manchester United takeover: The 12 who will do it on Ratcliffe’s bid and voting rules
October 16, 2023 at 9:14 a. m. EDT
(Photo: Getty Images)
Real Madrid defender Nacho will be available for the Clasico against Barcelona on Oct. 28 after having his suspension reduced for his red card in the 3-0 win over Girona earlier this month from three games to two.
The 33-year-old, who signed a new one-year contract with the club this summer, was shown a straight red card late in the game for a challenge against Girona winger Portu.
However, a statement from the Spanish Football Federation indicated that the defender’s suspension will be reduced as the challenge did not result in a “verifiable injury”.
The text read: “The Competition Committee has taken the decision to reduce Nacho’s ban from 3 to two matches for his match against Portu de Girona on matchday 8 of LaLiga.
“This comes after Real Madrid filed an appeal alleging that Nacho could be sanctioned with 3 fites (maximum) as happened at the end of the attack against Girona and that this did mean a ‘verifiable’ injury for Portu.
“The Competition Committee has to accept the appeal and Nacho will be able to play in the Clasico, Madrid-Barcelona, as he has already played one game against Osasuna and will play the other in Seville. “
Asked about the challenge, Ancelotti said: “He (Nacho) doesn’t think clearly. We have apologised and we hope the Girona player is well. Nacho knows he made a mistake, he’s hurt and sad. “
“No one deserves to doubt that he’s a fair player, he has been. “
Real Madrid will play Sevilla on Saturday.
GO FURTHER
LaLiga aims for excess: finishing, attacking football. . . and Jude Bellingham
October 16, 2023 at 8:58 a. m. EDT
(Photo: Getty Images)
Barcelona duo Robert Lewandowski and Pedri are looking to return from injury ahead of the Clasico on Oct. 28, while midfielder Frenkie de Jong remains a doubt for the match.
Athletic had reported in the past that the 35-year-old Lewandowski was the main doubt for the match against Real Madrid after injuring his left ankle in his team’s Champions League win over Porto this month.
De Jong, 26, suffered an ankle injury in the 3-2 win over Celta Vigo in September, and coach Xavi confirmed the Dutch side would be out of action until after the October international break.
He will be in the squad for this weekend’s away game against Athletic Bilbao but is expected to undergo additional tests this week ahead of next weekend’s Clasico.
Pedri will also return after missing his team’s last ten games in all competitions with a ruptured hamstring.
Full story below
GO FURTHER
Barcelona hopefuls Robert Lewandowski and Pedri will return from injuries ahead of the Clasico with Real Madrid.
October 16, 2023 at 7:29 am EDT
Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Arsenal striker Beth Mead is aiming to return to the England squad after recovering from an ACL injury that kept her out of action for 11 months.
Mead secured a pass last November and missed this summer’s World Cup with England, having won the Golden Boot and Ballon d’Or at Euro 2022.
The 28-year-old came on as an 88th-minute substitute in yesterday’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa, in which she set up Alessia Russo for Arsenal’s goal.
Sarina Wiegman will call up her next England squad for this month’s Nations League matches.
“I’m fit to compete,” Mead said after the win in the Emirates.
“Whether Sarina believes it or not is another story, but in my opinion I’m in a position to compete.
“I’m a hopeful person. Hopefully I’ll be able to reach out to Sarina sometime in the next few days and we’ll move on from there.
“Unfortunately, I’m not a brain reader, I don’t know where his brain is right now. “
Advertising
Oct. 16, 2023 at 7:19 a. m. EDT
In his dream world, Sir Jim Ratcliffe would claim a new dawn for Manchester United after all, making a breakthrough after more than 12 months exploring the option of buying his hometown club from the Glazer family.
But could it be a new dawn if United’s board meeting on Thursday ends with the Glazers’ agreement to sell a 25% stake in the club?It would certainly be a cutting-edge compromise for both parties, but the new dawn that enthusiasts and, of course, the staff yearn for?As long as the Glazers retain overall control, not really.
It’s a breakthrough of sorts, theoretically a long-awaited first step towards the exit the Glazers announced last November with the announcement of a “process to explore strategic opportunities for the club. “
A minority investment among the features on offer at the time, but it wasn’t what Ratcliffe and INEOS supporters were hoping for.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, the other major bidder, is not willing to compromise by settling for a minority stake. His representatives said Saturday afternoon that he had fled the process, furious at the Glazers’ refusal to settle for his £5 billion ($6. 08 billion) for the club.
Frustration with the Glazers is a familiar story. It remains to be seen if and how this will be replaced with this new development. Even if INEOS takes control of United’s sporting operations – and does so with far more luck than their combined reports in football with Nice in France and Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland – it’s far from clear whether this is really the first step towards good fortune. Acquisition of scale.
GO FURTHER
Is Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposed investment in Manchester United a change?
October 16, 2023 at 7:11 am EDT
Photo: Getty Images
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner says the injury suffered by Gabthrough George in yesterday’s 1-1 draw against Leicester City “doesn’t look good”.
The 26-year-old defender, who joined the club from Everton in the summer transfer window, came off in the 9th minute of United’s 1-1 draw with Leicester at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday.
After the match, Skinner gave an update on George’s condition, telling MUTV, “I can’t believe he looks good. “
“We’re going to take care of Gabby. No I thought it was a smart thing to do. I hope he’s okay. “
United will then face George’s former team Everton in the Women’s Super League on Sunday.
GO FURTHER
Beth Mead elevates Arsenal and Manchester City at Roord’s – Full-time with Jessy Parker-Humphreys
Oct. 16, 2023 at 6:08 a. m. EDT
Additional reporting via Mark Critchley
Jim Ratcliffe needs speed in Manchester United’s sporting decisions and is proposing a new design in which INEOS representatives sit on the board of directors, giving them definitive influence on those matters. But the precise nature of this agreement has yet to be determined.
Ratcliffe is expected to make his own appointments on the football side, and plans have already been discussed.
To learn more main points about those projects and some of the names mentioned, read on below. . .
GO FURTHER
Manchester United takeover: The 12 who will do it on Ratcliffe’s bid and voting rules
October 16, 2023 at 5:48 am EDT
(Photo: Getty Images)
Spain coach Luis de los Angeles Fuente praised his team’s expansion after Los Angeles’ win over Norway proved their qualification for Euro 204.
A goal from Gavi in the 49th minute secured victory for Spain, who were crowned ahead of Scotland in Group A. Scotland have also qualified for next summer’s tournament.
Spain bounced back from a rocky start to their qualifying campaign following a 2-0 loss to Scotland in March. Since then, they’ve had one in each and every game, racking up a 2-0 win over Scotland last Thursday.
De los Angeles Fuente praised the “unity” of his team and said: “I’m satisfied because I think the team has grown in an exceptional way. It feels like a united team, a very united team, a team for the future, that’s what we’re most passionate about.
“Learning is constant. There is a lot of reporting of poor conditions and smart ones. But we were sure of it, we didn’t go too far off script.
“What I mean by this is that we’ve corrected what to replace and we’ve understood what to replace. “
GO FURTHER
Nobody cares about the FIFA World Ranking: that’s smart
October 16, 2023 at 5:45 am EDT
When Liverpool’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, sold a minority stake in the club to US-based Dynasty Equity, it ended his long-standing search for new investments.
The deal, worth up to £165 million ($200 million), came with the Boston-based conglomerate’s assurance that it would remain fully committed to Anfield for the long term.
With ownership resolved and Klopp reinvigorated after a summer of radical adjustments to the playing squad, a sense of stability has returned after a season of turmoil on and off the pitch.
However, a resolution is on the horizon: who will be the sporting director when it comes to negotiating the agreements to continue promoting ‘Liverpool 2. 0’?
GO FURTHER
‘Liverpool 2. 0’ is already underway: who will be the next director to oversee it?
Advertising
October 16, 2023 at 4:23 am EDT
(Photo: Getty Images)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta needs his team to play, he doesn’t need to let other groups on the pitch breathe.
When asked what his biggest challenge was this season, he replied: “To drown the opponent more. Create more opportunities. Don’t concede chances and bet further away from our goal. “
That is perhaps the most productive way to describe the direction Arsenal have taken after almost four years under the Spaniard. Arsenal’s defensive line has declined at the top of the pitch season, and its defensive flexibility makes it more imposing.
The risk/reward nature of this technique was evident in the intense clashes with Manchester City.
So how can Arsenal “suffocate” without possession?Find out below
GO FURTHER
How Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal ‘suffocate’ teams without possession
October 16, 2023 at 4:01 am EDT
Alejo Véliz would probably have wondered what all the fuss was about.
The 20-year-old Argentine had just made his debut for Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-1 win over Liverpool last month and it’s possible everyone will communicate about the referee and VAR decisions that overshadowed the match.
But Véliz has been embroiled in even stranger controversies. While playing for Rosario Central in a reserve match against Lanús at home in December 2021, Véliz was the center of the one who let the opposing coach “want to kill him. “
Read more about the new Spurs striker below
GO FURTHER
Alejo Véliz: Tottenham’s new striker has dancing feet and is ‘formidable’ in the air
October 16, 2023 at 3:54 am EDT
Manchester United’s board of directors will meet this week after British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe decided to secure a minority stake in the club.
The 12-member board of directors must vote on the sale of a 25-cent stake to Ratcliffe, but a deal will first need to be struck with the owners, the Glazer family, after Sheikh Jassim’s Qatari company said it had withdrawn from the race.
Sources close to INEOS and the club, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were authorised to speak publicly, told The Athletic on Saturday that an agreement had been reached in principle, subject to ratification.
The next few days, however, may be crucial, even if a lengthy procedure has taught us that, as far as United and Glazers are concerned, nothing is certain.
Here’s what we know about the vote and what the club’s next destination will be.
Full story below
GO FURTHER
Manchester United takeover: The 12 who will do it on Ratcliffe’s bid and voting rules