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* Fears that France midfielder has ruptured his ACL * Leon Bailey signs new contract to stay at Villa Park Aston Villa have revealed midfielder Boubacar Kamara suffered a “significant knee ligament injury” against Manchester United. The 24-year-old sustained the problem in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Villa Park and was replaced in the 65th minute by Moussa Diaby. A club statement on Monday read: “Aston Villa can confirm Boubacar Kamara has suffered a significant knee ligament injury. The midfielder sustained the damage during yesterday’s fixture with Manchester United and has subsequently undergone a scan this morning. Kamara’s condition will be reviewed ahead of a further consultation with a knee specialist.” Continue reading...

Giallorossi pushed Inter to the limit and the manager’s words in defeat contrasted wildly with his ever-feuding predecessor Don’t tell Daniele De Rossi that his team played well against Inter. “I’m a footballing son of Luciano Spalletti,” said the Roma manager at the end of Saturday’s 4-2 defeat. “He would never accept compliments after a loss because that’s how you fall into mediocrity.” Still, we can probably get away with saying it here. For 45 minutes on Saturday, Roma were excellent: standing toe-to-toe with the Serie A leaders like few have all season. The game had barely started when Stephan El Shaarawy forced Yann Sommer into a fingertip save. Inter subsequently took the lead through a Francesco Acerbi header, but goals from Gianluca Mancini and El Shaarawy put Roma in front at the break. Continue reading...

Hammers count the cost, Wilder ditches the maths while Elliott and Sarr are providing the numbers that matter The academies of Manchester United and Chelsea have a decent reputation for bringing through highly talented and technical players. Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi both got a taste of Premier League football with their first clubs but for various reasons were allowed to leave in the summer to join Nottingham Forest. Aged 21 and 23, respectively, the duo have time on their side. Against Newcastle Elanga’s pace was a constant danger, helping him kick dust into Dan Burn’s face as he sprinted beyond the full-back, who had no answer to the Swede’s pace. Hudson-Odoi’s threat comes from cutting in from the left, which brought him his goal on Saturday. Nuno Espírito Santo was eager to bring in a winger in January, acquiring Gio Reyna, another 21-year-old, from Borussia Dortmund because he thinks counterattacking football could be key to Forest’s success. Will Unwin Match repo

It turns out the zombie team really couldn’t be killed after all. The dead kid doesn’t fear the knife. Ghosts don’t feel pain. There was no way to prevent Ivory Coast from winning the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time. League formats excepted, no side had won a major tournament after losing twice, but it was more than those defeats by Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea in the group phase. Three times in the knockout stage they were behind and each time Emerse Faé’s side came back to prevail. Nobody could pretend this Ivory Coast team is one of the great sides, but this was one of the great tournament wins. Nobody would set out to win a tournament this way, qualifying from their group as the fourth of four best third-place sides, sacking the coach, doing – at least if almost every player interview since is to be believed – a lot of looking in the mirror. But maybe this is the most fun way to win, amid chaos and disbelieving laughter and an inextinguishable will. Continue reading...

The Coventry manager, Mark Robins, joked he was “going to kill” Haji Wright and Callum O’Hare over their unconventional way of deciding who would take a penalty in their 2-1 victory against Millwall. Wright won an impromptu game of rock paper scissors between the two before converting the spot-kick that cancelled out Romain Esse’s early opener. The USA international then struck the winner to lift the Sky Blues up to sixth in the Championship and leave Millwall, who began as the better side, four points clear of the relegation zone. Continue reading...

There was redemption at Meadow Park for the goalkeeper Khiara Keating as Manchester City won 1-0 and knocked the 14-time FA Cup winners Arsenal out of the competition in the fifth round. Keating weathered a late Arsenal charge, including pulling off a stunning save from a header destined for the top corner in added time, pushing over Lotte Wubben-Moy’s effort and clawing away a shot that looked to have crossed the line to atone for her errors for both goals in City’s 2-1 defeat here in the league that left her in tears. Continue reading...

We take a look at some of our favourite images from the tournament before Sunday’s final between Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast Continue reading...

* United have won every game the two have been paired in * ‘Kobbie is very coachable,’ says Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes playing alongside Casemiro will help the Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo to reach his full potential. Sunday’s visit to Aston Villa is set to be the fourth consecutive time the two have started in tandem since the Brazilian returned from injury against Newport. United have won every game when the duo have been paired together, bringing greater solidity to midfield, but it has taken time for the selection stars to align at Old Trafford. Mainoo missed the first three months of the season with an ankle injury, while Casemiro was absent on his return because of a hamstring problem, meaning they teamed up for the first time only in late January. Continue reading...

“People always go on about space but people forget you can get lost in space.” Bruno Guimarães, however, does not subscribe to Alan Partridge’s mantra, making the most of the acres afforded to him by Nottingham Forest as he scored twice to help Newcastle secure a fourth straight away victory in all competitions. The Brazilian knew exactly where he was when he ghosted at the back post for the opener and completed the scoring in a hectic game when he was gifted the ball in a chasm between Forest’s defence and midfield just outside the area, allowing him time to pick his spot, as the hosts succumbed to their sixth home defeat in seven games to leave them two points above the relegation zone, amid the uncertainty brought by the Premier League charge, that could result in a deduction. Continue reading...

The biggest league crowd in Anfield’s 132-year history lent a sense of occasion to Liverpool’s return to the top of the Premier League following a brief reappearance from Manchester City. The display was far from vintage by Jürgen Klopp’s leaders, and Burnley wasted several chances to dampen their afternoon, but the response to Arsenal was all that mattered to a grateful Liverpool manager. Liverpool’s front three of Diogo Jota, Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez were all on the scoresheet before a record attendance boosted to 59,896 by the full opening of the new Anfield Road stand. The home side were in control by the latter stages but the late dominance was deceptive. Vincent Kompany’s relegation-threatened team had made Liverpool fight their way back to the summit. Continue reading...

As the popularity of women’s football continues to grow, so does the incidence of serious knee injury. What is going on and can the risk be reduced? From the agonising scream of England international Jordan Nobbs, which echoed around Everton’s Southport home as she crumpled to the ground in 2018, to the news last month that Sam Kerr will be out for the remainder of the season after injuring herself during a Chelsea training camp in Morocco, knee injuries – specifically to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) – are dominating headlines in the world of women’s football. Women players are up to eight times more likely to be struck by an ACL injury than men – as many as 37 players are thought to have missed last year’s World Cup because of it. The now retired 2019 Ballon d’Or winner, Megan Rapinoe, suffered three ACL injuries during her career; former Chelsea player and England international Claire Rafferty has had two and there are many players currently out of action, including Gabby

As the Bundesliga’s top two face off, Bayern Munich should manage the pressure better and can win by playing with intelligence This is the Bundesliga equivalent of Manchester City taking on Liverpool and most people in Germany are very happy that after 20 rounds of games Bayern Munich are not top. They are second with 50 points, a record for that position at this stage of the season, but Bayer Leverkusen have been better, unbeaten in 30 games in all competitions. They haven’t been lucky, just very good and their style reminds me of Barcelona when Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta were there. They have good ball control, they dominate possession and in Florian Wirtz they have a special player who can make a difference. Bayern are under pressure and that is why I think they will beat Leverkusen, because they’re at their best when they have big matches like this one. Their players are more focused than for a game against Bochum or Werder Bremen or Union Berlin. They are

* Hamburg and Dortmund games delayed by protests on Friday * Anger over plan to sell Bundesliga stake to private investors Protests against potential outside investment in German football escalated on Friday with incidents halting games in Dortmund and Hamburg. Borussia Dortmund’s 3-0 home win over Freiburg was stopped for a period in each half after home fans threw tennis balls and foil-wrapped chocolate coins on to the pitch at Signal Iduna Park. Continue reading...

Manchester City take on Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday while Arsenal face West Ham at the London Stadium Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Etihad Stadium Continue reading...

Football is just the best, isn’t it? No game comes close. Eleven v 11, goalposts, jumpers, goals, saves, misses, tackles, dirty fouls, scenes you don’t want to see but really do, b@ntz, anger, joy and pain. It’s not perfect but that’s the way we like it. And yet. There’s always someone who wants to tinker with the game. You know the type. You probably hear them every week. Re: the fuss over fans in Hong Kong being unable to see Lionel Messi stand around on grass in pink shorts (yesterday’s Football Daily). I am reminded of several years ago when I travelled to Atlanta to see Manchester City play on a pre-season tour of the USA USA USA. This was when Roberto Mancini was prowling the sidelines in his calf-length wool overcoat, with sky blue and white scarf neatly tucked inside. Imagine my disappointment when Signor Mancini emerged from the tunnel in shirt sleeves with nary a scarf in sight. Granted this was Atlanta in August, but talk about ‘the greatest letdown of all time’” – Pat Con

Third-tier Nottingham Forest enjoying impressive season with Louanne Worsey hoping to dazzle WSL stalwarts Nottingham Forest go into their FA Cup fifth-round tie against Everton on Sunday as one of two third-tier teams left in the competition. Charged with helping lead the line for them against the Women’s Super League side is the 18-year-old forward Louanne Worsey, the Cup’s joint top scorer with six goals. Worsey has thrived on loan from Birmingham, playing with a freedom that has her relishing the pressure of taking on a team who have won only three WSL games this season. “I thrive off pressure, pressure makes diamonds so I’m going to go there with an open mind and hopefully get even more goals and prove even bigger a point,” she says. Continue reading...

Two of the smallest countries in the tournament meet in the showpiece and the 2019 champions will have their work cut out Given the more than four billion people on the continent, having Qatar and Jordan in the Asian Cup final, countries with a combined population of about 15 million, is not the showpiece the Asian Football Confederation would have chosen before it all started. It is also not the final that anyone expected. Those in Amman or Doha won’t care. On paper, and on home soil, Qatar are favourites and a second successive win would grant entry to the Asian powerhouse club but up to now in this tournament Jordan, ranked 87th in the world, have impressed more. Continue reading...

* Manager wants to focus on winning tournament in Germany * ‘You’ve got to see how the summer goes – it’s as simple as that’ Gareth Southgate says he will consider his future as the England manager only after Euro 2024 with his sole focus being on winning the tournament in Germany this summer. Southgate is under contract with the Football Association until December, an arrangement that will give both parties the chance to reflect on the finals and ensure any handover is not rushed – if one is required at all. Continue reading...

* Southgate: ‘There’s going to be some difficult games for us’ * Scotland will be facing Croatia, Portugal and Poland England and the Republic of Ireland will meet competitively for the first time since 1991 in the next edition of the Nations League. Gareth Southgate’s side and the Republic are also up against the Euro 2004 winners, Greece, and Finland in Group B2. They avoided a long trip to Kazakhstan under Uefa’s excessive travel restriction rules, with the former Soviet republic placed in Group B3 instead. Continue reading...

* Manchester United suffered knee injury against West Ham * Ten Hag seeks consistency from Garnacho, Mainoo and Højlund Erik ten Hag has denied that Lisandro Martínez aggravated the knee problem that has ruled him out for at least two months by playing on against West Ham, with Manchester United’s manager saying it can be a “grey area” to make the correct decision regarding injuries. Martínez was hurt during the second half of Sunday’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford. After receiving treatment the defender re-entered the contest but broke down again almost straight away and was taken off. Continue reading...

The legendary Brazilian speaks exclusively about her hopes for 2024, including playing at another Olympic Games * Moving the Goalposts: sign up for our free newsletter Cristiane Rozeira has entered a different stage of her life – and it is a busy one. Over the past few weeks the all-time Olympic record scorer has been trying to find a place to live with her wife and two-year-old son Bento, as well as settling in at her new club Flamengo, the famous Rio de Janeiro club where, among others, Zico, Romário, Adriano and Vinícius Júnior have played. Her target? To raise the profile of Flamengo’s women’s team and for them to create their own history. “We want to mark the history of the women’s team,” she tells Moving the Goalposts. “I am not the only one who wants to do that but the whole team. I have had some really good times in my career and will try to contribute as much as possible. I realise the history of the male players who have worn this shirt and therefore how important a

* Blues manager defiant after FA Cup win away to Aston Villa * Chelsea fans continue to sing for former owner Abramovich Mauricio Pochettino came out fighting after Chelsea eased past Aston Villa to reach the FA Cup fifth round. Enzo Fernández’s stunning free-kick sealed a 3-1 victory and set up last-16 tie against Leeds at Stamford Bridge, after goals from Conor Gallagher and Nicolas Jackson in the first half. Continue reading...

* Congress expected to easily pass reforms in favour of Slovenian * Uefa also wants to increase amount of women on its exco The Football Association will vote against controversial reforms that would allow the Uefa president, Aleksander Ceferin, to run for an unprecedented fourth term. In what will be seen as a rare breaking of ranks, England will signal its opposition at the governing body’s annual congress in Paris on Thursday. All of the continent’s 55 member states are to vote on the statute changes and, while they are expected to pass overwhelmingly, the FA intends to make a stand amid widespread disquiet over Ceferin’s plans. Continue reading...

* FA announces suspension after striker admitted charges * 21-year-old has two goals in 16 appearances this season The Huddersfield striker Kian Harratt has been suspended from football for four months after admitting breaking the Football Association’s betting rules. Harratt, 21, has also been fined £3,200 after placing 484 bets on matches. Huddersfield have said they will support him during his ban. An FA statement read: “Huddersfield Town’s Kian Harratt has been suspended for four months and fined £3,200 following breaches of the FA’s betting rules. It was alleged that the forward had breached FA Rule E8.1 by placing 484 bets on football matches between 30 June 2020 and 3 June 2023, and he subsequently admitted to this charge. An independent regulatory commission imposed his sanctions after a hearing.” Continue reading...

* Tottenham captain will report to training ground on Thursday * Forward will be assessed before Saturday’s league fixture Son Heung-min will report to Tottenham’s training ground on Thursday after South Korea’s shock Asian Cup semi-final loss to Jordan and will be assessed before his club’s Premier League game at home to Brighton on Saturday. Son was devastated by his nation’s 2-0 defeat on Tuesday, not least because they had been so heavily fancied to progress to Saturday’s final; South Korea are ranked 23rd in the world, 64 places above Jordan. Continue reading...

With Ineos sources suggesting a new ‘Wembley of the North’ could be in the works, we assess the options No. Old Trafford is 114 years old and tired with no notable modernisation since Malcolm Glazer bought the club in 2005. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the incoming 25% owner, wishes to address this. One option is to build a new stadium on the land that surrounds the current one which, according to Ineos sources, could be billed as “the Wembley of the North”. Continue reading...

Striker had his doubters after struggling to adapt but he is now more considered in possession and the goals are flowing By Ben McAleer for WhoScored In August 2022, Atalanta took a gamble on Rasmus Højlund. The Italian side signed the young Dane from Sturm Graz for a reported €17m. The risk initially appeared miscalculated. Højlund scored on his second league appearance for La Dea but that was to be his only goal in 11 outings for Atalanta after joining. Any doubts over whether they’d made a mistake on Højlund were quickly put to rest at the turn of the year. The young striker kicked off 2023 with a four-game goal run and ultimately ended the season with nine Serie A goals. For a player that started only20 of 38 Serie A matches, that was a fairly solid return, and enough to convince Manchester United to spend big on him last summer. Continue reading...

* Blues suffered heavy defeats by Liverpool and Wolves * ‘It’s about creating a team. It’s like building a house’ Mauricio Pochettino has claimed Chelsea are “building from zero” and urged supporters to give him time to reverse his team’s poor form. While Pochettino’s position is not under immediate threat, the head coach is under growing pressure after humiliating defeats against Liverpool and Wolves. The fans were mutinous during the Wolves game and the mood around Chelsea’s training ground is low. Questions have been raised about Pochettino’s tactics and the squad’s application in training. Continue reading...

The treble winners’ unparalleled certainties question what legacy they cement and if it is of interest to the football world And so it came to pass. Although it has to be said, and with all due deference to the need for a little dramatic tension, in precisely the way most people watching seem to have expected. As the Premier League season begins to narrow, the frontrunners heading into the home bend will look reassuringly familiar for Manchester City. Whatever chance there might have been of an outsider in the medal spots appears to have been safely reeled in. The remaining challengers are already straining at full capacity. Eyes boggled, hamstrings squeaking as, on their shoulder, a blur of silken shorts and skinny-legged resolve with Pep Guardiola readying himself for the familiar kick to the line. Continue reading...

Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzanne Wrack, Anita Asante and Tim Stillman to examine another busy weekend of WSL action On today’s pod: comebacks, controversial penalties and a shock WSL sacking – it’s been one of those weeks! Arsenal slip up in the title race while West Ham give themselves a survival boost, Chelsea and City take advantage at the top while Manchester United also claw back ground on the top three. Continue reading...

Emma Hayes and Jürgen Klopp are moving on this summer and the pressures of the role have never been greater * Moving the Goalposts: sign up for our free newsletter The recent announcement by Jürgen Klopp that he is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season has made me think again about the extraordinary and energy-sapping jobs managers and head coaches do. A few months ago we had Emma Hayes saying she will leave Chelsea, also at the end of the season, not to have a break but to take over the USA women’s national team. That job will bring incredible pressure too but in a different way to club football. Continue reading...

As if Manchester City were not fearsome enough foes, the midfielder gave a reminder of the weapons at their disposal There was a chilling efficiency to the way that Phil Foden took Brentford apart. Instead of a repertoire of flicks and tricks, all the Manchester City attacker needed to do was think quicker than his opponents, elude his markers with the brilliance of his movement off the ball and display zero uncertainty every time he was in front of goal. The little surges were too much for Brentford to handle. Whereas some forwards stand still and make life easy for defenders, Foden never stops. He does not admire his passes and he does not do anything for show. Nothing is wasted and nothing is frivolous. Other young forwards should take note. Foden is always moving, always hunting for space, and Brentford did not know how to pin him down. Continue reading...

* 40-year-old accused of sexual assault in nightclub * State prosecutors seeking a nine-year prison sentence The former Barcelona and Brazil player Dani Alves went on trial on Monday, a year after he was arrested for allegedly raping a woman at a nightclub. The 40-year-old has been in pre-trial custody for more than a year since he was detained for allegedly sexually assaulting the woman in Barcelona on the night of 31 December 2022. He denies any wrongdoing. State prosecutors are seeking a nine-year prison sentence for Alves if convicted while the lawyers representing his accuser want 12 years. Continue reading...

Jürgen Klinsmann’s side stumbled into the last four but now only Jordan stand between the Taeguk Warriors and the final It has been labelled “zombie football” because South Korea have scored four goals in second-half added time in five Asian Cup games. The never-say-die Taeguk Warriors have stumbled and shuffled towards the semi-finals, arms outstretched, reaching to lift the trophy for the first time since 1960. Just when you think you have them beaten, up pops Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan or Lee Kang-in. The manager, Jürgen Klinsmann, seems to be happy to let his stars do their thing. “Son is a great leader and player and I trust his decisions,” said the German after the latest last-minute escape, a 2-1 win over Australia in the quarter-final that booked Tuesday’s game against Jordan. Fans also trust the captain while being unsure about the coach; for now, though, they are willing to go along for the ride and see where it ends. Continue reading...

With mounting long-term financial concerns, there is no quick fix in sight for the club’s on-field struggles * Sign up to Jonathan’s weekly newsletter here You don’t see much of Todd Boehly these days. In the first weeks after he fronted the Clearlake takeover of Chelsea, he was a regular presence, telling European football what it could learn from US sport, proudly announcing his disruptive intent. Which is a shame: it would be good to know exactly where spending $1bn to transform a Champions League-winning side into one that sits 11th in the Premier League fits into his master plan. There had been a thought around the turn of the year that things might be falling into place for Chelsea. They reached the Carabao Cup final and won three league games in a row to haul themselves into the top half of the table. Maybe Mauricio Pochettino was at last starting to find some order amid a chaotic squad. The last two games have obliterated that idea. This is an extract from Soccer wi

Team showed resilience and maturity to find way past Liverpool, and Ødegaard has brushed off complaints about his celebrations The celebration police were out again for Arsenal and not only because of Mikel Arteta’s adrenaline-fuelled sprint after Leandro Trossard had sealed Sunday’s 3-1 home win over Liverpool in stoppage time. It was Martin Ødegaard’s decision to grab the club photographer’s camera and take pictures of him in front of a triumphant crowd that brought the red mist down on Jamie Carragher, the former Liverpool defender, who was working at the game for Sky Sports. Continue reading...

Arsenal’s creative trio showed their worth while Pascal Gross and Pedro Neto profited from defensive frailties The critics were lining up to skewer “same old Arsenal” as Kai Havertz – No 9 for the day – was denied by Alisson after being sent through on goal. The Gunners had misfired in this same fixture in the FA Cup, undone by late Liverpool counterattacks. Havertz never looked confident but he was bailed out by Bukayo Saka, alert in turning home the rebound. Gabriel Martinelli did something similar to pounce on a rare misstep by the Liverpool defence later on. And thus a theme of last season was evoked; the productivity of Arsenal attackers who are not out-and-out strikers. Last season, Saka, Martinelli and Martin Ødegaard scored 44 goals between them. This season, the trio had just 15 going into this game. Arsenal are challengers for sure, but those three must provide the bulk of the goals for that to be sustained. Dominic Booth Match report: Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool Match report

The US born midfielder is the youngest-ever player to start a UWCL game. She talks about moving to the Netherlands and dealing with the pressure of being a school-age professional When Lily Yohannes made her Women’s Champions League debut she also became, at the age of 16, the youngest player ever to start a group stage match in the competition. She announced her entrance on the big stage by neatly threading a ball through Paris Saint-Germain’s backline in the build-up to the first goal of a momentous Ajax victory. “I was really excited. Playing in the Champions League was my dream as a kid,” Yohannes says. “It was an experience that I can’t put into words.” Continue reading...

No one expected Xavi to stay next season; not many wanted him to. Yet few anticipated him announcing his exit as he did Most of Barcelona’s players were long gone when they found out that their coach had gone too. As a midfielder Xavi Hernández mastered space and time, controlling everything, but as a manager it is just not the same and on Saturday night he was late. He had watched his team concede five at home for the first time in more than 60 years, falling to a defeat against Villarreal which he called a portrait of their season, self-inflicted and absurd. Immediately after it finished, he had gone on TV and said he felt like he had been hit by a sledgehammer, his task now to lift footballers feeling low; and then, while those he sees as his executioners waited in the Montjuïc press room, he had disappeared. Half an hour passed, an hour, an hour and a half. Another 90 minutes that didn’t feel right. Staff looked at watches and rolled eyes, keen to head off down the hill and hom

* World Cup winner nursing hamstring strain on pre-season tour * Government ‘extremely disappointed’ as fans boo MLS club Hong Kong’s government have spoken of their ‘extreme disappointment’ after an injured Lionel Messi failed to appear in a sold-out game on Inter Miami’s pre-season tour. The MLS side beat a Hong Kong XI 4-1. The Argentinian has a hamstring strain and did not play as fans, who snapped up more than 38,000 tickets within an hour of them going on sale in December, could be heard booing in the late stages of the game and at the final whistle. Continue reading...

Two rivers and 30 miles separate Middlesbrough and Sunderland but there is some debate as to whether the Tees-Wear clash counts as a “real” derby. Judging by the dismissive attitude of the visiting fans as they alternated choruses of “we hate Newcastle” with “you’re just a small town in Yorkshire” it is not a top-rank rivalry. The good news was that no one had seemed to have told the players. If regional bragging rights are not quite the be all and end all, the race for the playoffs most definitely is. The action was nothing if not intense. Continue reading...

* Argentinian says players want to end on high to honour manager * ‘We want to give him a very good season before he leaves’ Jürgen Klopp’s departure will inspire Liverpool to end the season on a high to honour their manager, says Alexis Mac Allister. The German will end his nine-year Anfield reign in the summer, aiming to add to his six major honours, with four trophies still to play for. The Premier League leaders face a potentially pivotal game in the title race on Sunday when they travel to Arsenal. Liverpool have defeated the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium this year, winning 2-0 in the FA Cup third round. Continue reading...

An emotional, troubled Monaco side were down to 10 men in the 11th minute but emerged with an unlikely point By Luke Entwistle for Get French Football News Gennaro Gattuso, as a player and now as a manager, has always worn his heart on his sleeve, but as he ripped off his jacket in anger during Marseille’s 2-2 draw against Monaco, his attempts to conjure an emotional response to the apathy that this season has engendered seemed in vain. It is difficult to dampen the footballing fervour in Marseille. Off the back of two draws in Ligue 1 and an elimination from the Coupe de France, over 63,000 fans still turned out to watch Saturday’s game at the Vélodrome. Continue reading...

It augurs well for Everton’s latest fight against relegation, one that may be decided behind closed doors and not exclusively on the pitch, how they refuse to accept their fate and chase survival to the death. Their character denied Tottenham victory here and brought a valuable point in the bid to remain a Premier League concern. Ange Postecoglou despaired at the final whistle and understandably so. Two superb goals from the former Everton favourite Richarlison had set Spurs on course for a sixth away win of the season. But a combination of Jordan Pickford’s defiance, Everton’s persistence and the visitors’ vulnerability at set pieces produced a thoroughly entertaining draw. Jack Harrison and Jarrad Branthwaite, timing his first goal of the season to perfection in the 94th minute, capitalised to rescue the home side. Continue reading...

Exclusive: in a wide-ranging interview, the Uefa president talks existential threats, football in a time of war and Boban’s exit Aleksander Ceferin is sitting in front of a wall adorned with framed Champions League final programmes. Through the huge glass window at the end of the room, Lake Geneva ripples calmly; the peak of Mont Blanc is visible, more than 50 miles away, now the morning clouds have cleared. Uefa’s headquarters are a vision of heaven on days like this, but the reality has not always been so blessed for its president. During his seven years in charge Ceferin has had to face up to Covid‑19, geopolitical turmoil and serious failings in Uefa’s handling of major finals. At the same time, European football battles to hold a coherent line when faced by growing threats to the status quo and an influx of multibillion investment that is wrecking the sport’s competitive balance. Continue reading...

* Heroic Socceroos concede equalising penalty in added time * Spurs star then scored winner to seal quarter-final 2-1 For 94 minutes Australia looked like they were going to upset the odds and progress to the semi-finals of the Asian Cup at the expense of South Korea’s star-studded team. But despite leading for much of the game through Craig Goodwin’s brilliant first-half volley, two moments of inspiration from Korea’s star man – Son Heung-min – saw the Socceroos eliminated 2-1 in Doha in the cruellest of circumstances. Continue reading...

Everton host Tottenham at Goodison Park on Saturday while Liverpool travel to Arsenal in Sunday’s standout fixture Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Goodison Park Continue reading...

The German united the fanbase and made us feel things. News of his departure landed like a punch to the gut It was Valentine’s Day but I was not feeling the love. We had arrived in Porto that morning and it hadn’t stopped raining since. And it was heavy, relentless rain, the type that soaks you through, leaving you totally wet and truly annoyed. So yes, my mood was not the best as we entered the Estádio do Dragão at about 7pm, and all I really wanted to do was find my seat, watch the game, watch us win, and get back to our hotel. But then I made the decision, somewhat ironically, to buy a bottle of water and on the way I saw a sight that lifted my spirits entirely. Standing in a circle were a group of young lads, as drenched as I was but bouncing as they roared the same chant over and over again. Continue reading...

The former Red has prioritised making decisions at his own pace. That won’t change because of a dream job opening The chronology, you might think, is just too perfect. As the community around Liverpool Football Club digest the bombshell news of Jürgen Klopp’s departure, the emergence of Xabi Alonso as a head coach of genuine substance at the top of the European game seems just right. Like one of his inch-perfect passes as a player (and even now occasionally, unobtrusively impressing his charges in training sessions), it feels like an opportunity may be dropping right at the feet of the Premier League leaders just when they need it. His work since arriving in north-west Germany speaks for itself. Taking over a Bayer Leverkusen team in the relegation zone in October 2022 and taking them close to Champions League qualification and to a Europa League semi-final was impressive. But the continuation of that upward trajectory this season has been mind-blowing. Eighteen games into the Bund

* Planned meeting between rivals spoiled by injury * Hosts thrash MLS visitors 6-0 as Messi comes on as sub What was billed as a potential final meeting between longtime rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t materialize, but there was no doubt which of the superstars enjoyed Al-Nassr’s 6-0 rout of Inter Miami more on Thursday. Messi spent all but the final seven minutes on the Miami bench looking increasingly glum as Al-Nassr, cheered on by Ronaldo sitting high in the Kingdom Arena stands recovering from a calf injury, ran riot in this friendly and scored three goals in the first 12 minutes. Continue reading...