Spain return to action in Women’s Nations League, plus England v Scotland: football news – live

Updates in the run-up to another hectic programme of gamesGet in touch! Email John or tweet him with your thoughtsDavid Moyes has also provided a health check on his squad, with West Ham heading to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday. Jarrod Bowen has a virus and Aaron Cresswell has tweaked his hamstring, so both will need a late assessment to decide whether or not they should be involved.“They can challenge for the title,” Moyes said, when asked for his thoughts on Jürgen Klopp’s side. “People say we’ve made a good start to the season but Liverpool definitely have as well. They’ve won all their games and they’re introducing new players into their squad. From a distance, they look like they’re getting back into their best form.” Continue reading...

David de Gea may retire if he does not get offer to be No 1 at major club

Goalkeeper left Manchester United in summer at end of contractSpaniard has turned down offers, including from Saudi ArabiaDavid de Gea may retire if he does not receive an offer to be the first-choice goalkeeper at a major club. The former Manchester United and Spain No 1 has rejected several approaches, including from Saudi Arabia, with money not a prime motivator.De Gea is retaining fitness in the hope of an offer from the right club and from a manager who views him as being in his prime. After departing United in the summer De Gea, who will be 33 in November, would like to play for a club capable of competing for major honours. Continue reading...

Martin Odegaard's contract renewal at Arsenal is met with joy as Piers Morgan leads tributes to the club captain on social media

The Norwegian midfielder arrived at the Emirates initially on loan during the January transfer window in 2021 before making his move permanent in the summer that same year.

Germany appoint ‘unanimous choice’ Nagelsmann as manager for Euro 2024

Hosts sacked Hansi Flick after poor run of results in charge‘We want to play football with specific idea,’ says managerJulian Nagelsmann has been appointed as Germany’s head coach until after next year’s Euro 2024 on home soil, replacing Hansi Flick, the German Football Association (DFB) said on Friday.Germany parted ways with Flick this month, a day after their 4-1 home loss to Japan in a friendly. The four-time world champions struggling for form in recent years, failing to get out of their groups at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, on the latter occasion under Flick. Continue reading...

'Unacceptable things happened': Putellas and Paredes call for zero tolerance on abuse – video

Spain's Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes demanded 'zero tolerance' for abuses after La Roja’s World Cup win was overshadowed by the unsolicited kiss planted on the footballer Jenni Hermoso by the country’s former football chief Luis Rubiales. The uproar over Rubiales’s behaviour laid bare the players’ longstanding fight for equality; a battle that took a fresh twist this week after 15 players from the World Cup-winning squad were called-up despite their decision to boycott the national team until changes are made to the federation leadership. However, the government orchestrated a seven-hour marathon meeting between players, the federation and country’s high council for sports and all but two of the 23 players who had been called up ended their boycott after the federation promised “immediate and profound changes”.‘We had to fight to be heard’: Spain stars Putellas and Paredes speak outContinue reading...

Martin Ødegaard: ‘At Arsenal I’ve always had this special feeling’

Captain has signed a new contract and discusses dealing with hard times, what makes Arteta special and the buzz before facing Spurs‘Experience is not just about age,” Martin Ødegaard reflects. “It’s also about what you’ve done.” He is talking about a precocious Arsenal side but, consciously or otherwise, has picked a turn of phrase that could sum up his entire career. Ødegaard does not turn 25 until December but has amassed the experience, good and somewhat more complicated, of a veteran. It has all coalesced to form the Premier League’s best playmaker, a blindingly assured talent who at once radiates freshness and sagacity and means there was never any doubt surrounding the latest milestone he has passed.Ødegaard has just signed a new five-year contract at Arsenal, where he is hitting the heights predicted when he was barely in his teens. When he joined on loan in January 2021 there were questions to answer: years of being shipped around by Real Madrid had stifled him and, by his own admission, some of the spark had gone. But Mikel Arteta found a player who had become sufficiently hardened to throw off any baggage, quickly securing him to a longer deal and making him captain the following year. He has put down roots, buying a house close to Arsenal’s base, and the serenity suits him. Player, manager, club and surroundings sit sweetly in harmony and nobody was going to break the spell. Continue reading...

Julie Ertz bids farewell as USA women stroll past South Africa in friendly

Double World Cup champion retires after 123 appearancesUSA win 3-0 through Lynn Williams (twice), Trinity RodmanErtz cites new priorities: ‘It’s not because Momma can’t play’Two-time Women’s World Cup winner Julie Ertz played her final match for the United States, an emotional 3-0 victory over South Africa in a friendly on Thursday night in Cincinnati.Ertz announced last month that she was retiring after a 10-year career. She started against South Africa, wearing the captain’s armband for her 123th appearance for the United States. Continue reading...

Harry Arter is refusing to terminate his £40k-per-week Nottingham Forest contract despite not playing for two years and the club being desperate to sell the midfielder after he 'returned unfit' for pre-season

EXCLUSIVE: Harry Arter wants to see out the remainder of his existing £40,000-per-week Nottingham Forest contract despite not playing for two-years and the club trying to come to an exit agreement.

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

There’s a north London derby, plus concerns over André Onana and a midfield quandary for NewcastleFifteen points from the opening five Premier League games and a 3-1 win over Red Star Belgrade to start their Champions League campaign: all is going swimmingly for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City. Except, if more of his players join Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic in the treatment room, then Guardiola may have to pray to the medical gods for succour. De Bruyne is out until next year, yet though Guardiola suggested after Tuesday’s victory that only Kovacic has a chance of returning for Nottingham Forest’s visit, there is hope for Grealish, too. Whatever the final medical bulletins, Guardiola still has the fit Matheus Nunes, Phil Foden, Kalvin Phillips (remember him?) and Rico Lewis, who can join Rodri in the team’s creative artistry department. Jamie JacksonManchester City v Nottingham Forest, Saturday 3pm (all times BST)Luton v Wolves, Saturday 3pmCrystal Palace v Fulham, Saturday 3pmBrentford v Everton, Saturday 5.30pmBurnley v Manchester United, Saturday 8pmArsenal v Tottenham, Sunday 2pmBrighton v Bournemouth, Sunday 2pm Continue reading...

Europa League roundup: Abdallah Sima gives Rangers opening win over Betis

Scrappy goal hands Scottish side narrow victoryMarseille hold Ajax; Lukaku helps Roma win at Sheriff TiraspolAbdallah Sima’s second-half goal delivered a 1-0 victory for Rangers against Real Betis in their opening Europa League group match at Ibrox. The forward poked home a shot from close range to settle a competitive match between two of the favourites to progress to the knockout stages.Michael Beale’s side also struck the frame of the goal twice in a strong second-half display and had Jack Butland to thank for making several key saves, especially in the opening period. Continue reading...

Roberto De Zerbi rues Brighton’s lack of experience after AEK Athens defeat

Club’s European debut ends in disappointment after 3-2 loss‘We showed not the right experience but we can learn’Roberto De Zerbi admitted that Brighton’s lack of experience cost them dearly as their European debut ended in a surprise 3-2 defeat at home to AEK Athens.A late goal from the substitute Ezequiel Ponce sealed victory for the Greek champions in the Europa League group stages after João Pedro equalised twice from the penalty spot for the hosts, who were missing the defensive talisman Lewis Dunk through injury. But with a trip to face Marseille up next before Brighton face a double header against the four-time European champions Ajax, De Zerbi acknowledged they must adapt quickly to their new surroundings. Continue reading...

Mohammed Kudus inspires West Ham fightback against TSC

Ponce ruins Brighton’s European debut to snatch victory for AEK Athens

If all Brighton’s matches in Europe are this exciting then it should be some ride. A thrilling spectacle in which João Pedro equalised twice from the penalty spot after AEK Athens had taken the lead through Djibril Sidibé and then Mijat Gacinovic ended in frustration for Roberto De Zerbi as Ezequiel Ponce sealed a smash and grab victory for the Greek champions with a late goal.It was a harsh lesson for Brighton, who badly missed the leadership qualities of defensive linchpin Lewis Dunk as they failed to deal with AEK’s threat on the break all night. But given the journey they and their supporters have been on to get here over the last decade, De Zerbi will know that all is not lost. Continue reading...

Mohammed Kudus makes his mark to help West Ham overcome TSC

After making the mistake of being too passive either side of half-time, this turned into a useful exercise for West Ham. It is rare for David Moyes’s side to dominate possession and they needed to be smart after a dreadful error from Angelo Ogbonna handed TSC Backa Topola a lead to defend at the start of the second half. The pressure was on, particularly as TSC are the weakest team in Group A, and West Ham responded. They moved the ball at greater speed, stretched the play and made a winning start to their Europa League campaign after puncturing TSC’s defence with their ability to load the box and overwhelm opponents with James Ward-Prowse’s threat from a dead ball.What a start Ward-Prowse has made to his time in east London. There were two more assists for the midfielder here, which will delight Moyes. The manager fought to bring Ward-Prowse in from Southampton in the summer, reasoning that his clever passing and set-piece prowess would improve his side, and can take immense satisfaction from how West Ham have recovered from selling Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105m. Continue reading...

Brighton v AEK Athens, West Ham v Backa Topola: Europa League – live

Europa League updates from 5.45pm BST and 8pm matchesLive scoreboard | Send your thoughts to Rob by emailRennes aren’t messing about. The Ligue 1 side are already 1-0 up against Maccabi Haifi as Ludovic Blas feasts on a rebound and slams it home.Peeeeeeeeep … looks like Royale Union SG v Toulouse is starting a little tardily, but the other early Europa League games are off and running. Continue reading...

‘We had to fight to be heard’: Spain stars Putellas and Paredes speak out

Ballon d’Or winner upbeat over new agreement with Spanish FAFederation has sacked secretary-general and pledged reformDecades of “systemic discrimination” have long forced Spain’s female players to shoulder more than football, the Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas said as she and her fellow World Cup winner Irene Paredes for the first time directly addressed the month-long crisis that has engulfed football in the country.“We had to fight very hard to be heard, which comes with wear and tear that we don’t want,” Putellas told reporters on Thursday on the eve of their Nations League match against Sweden. “For many decades – too many – we detected that there was systemic discrimination against women’s football.” Continue reading...

Díaz and Salah strike as Liverpool battle back to beat Lask in Europa League

Short but sweet would be Liverpool’s preference for their return to the Europa League and an assured start was made with victory over Lask in Austria. Another comeback was necessary but, that minor inconvenience aside, this was a performance that again demonstrated the options and quality available to Jürgen Klopp.Victory was Klopp’s 50th in Europe, the most by a Liverpool manager in the club’s illustrious history, and the fifth in succession this season by a team that is developing nicely. And rapidly. Lask took an early lead and played high on adrenaline until confronted by a commanding second-half Liverpool display that brought goals from Darwin Núñez, Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah. The Austrian side had no answers once Núñez levelled from the penalty spot and an uncertain opening 45 minutes from the visitors in Linz was long forgotten by the time Salah nutmegged the goalkeeper Tobias Lawal for Liverpool’s third. Continue reading...

Class ultimately tells for Liverpool in Europa League victory over LASK

Messi says PSG did not honour World Cup win despite video of ceremony

Argentinian says former club did not acknowledge titleVideo shows Messi being presented with trophy by clubLionel Messi has criticised his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, although his attack appears to be built on shaky ground.Messi led his country to victory at last year’s World Cup, but in an interview with ESPN Argentina on Thursday he said he was the only member of the squad not to be honoured by his club for his achievement. Continue reading...

Tottenham are 'set to trigger a one-year extension' clause in Son Heung-Min's contract - in a bid to keep the South Korean at the club until 2026

Following the summer transfer saga that surrounded Harry Kane , who had just 12 months remaining on his deal in the north London, the club will be looking to avoid a repeat in the future.

Tributes paid to Sheffield United’s Maddy Cusack who has died aged 27

Player had competed in more than 100 games for the club, where she was also a marketing executiveTributes have been paid to Maddy Cusack, a Sheffield United footballer, who has died at the age of 27.Cusack had played for the women’s team since 2019, making more than 100 appearances for the club. She also worked for the club as a marketing executive. Continue reading...

Premier League confident of closing financial redistribution deal with EFL

Deal would funnel £130m a year from top flight to EFL clubsProgress made on longstanding issues after recent meetingThe Premier League is confident of finally agreeing a deal to increase financial redistribution to the English Football League after a meeting between executives of the leagues and club officials this week.Three clubs from the Premier League and three from the EFL joined leadership teams from the leagues to discuss a way of overcoming challenges that have held up progress on a settlement for two years. Continue reading...

Neil Warnock bids emotional farewell to Huddersfield – and sizes up next job

The 74-year-old who kept Town up last season is not finished despite his early exit and has been replaced by Darren MooreIn many ways, it ended how it started seven months earlier for Neil Warnock at Huddersfield Town. Few managers get the chance to leave a club as they arrived, a bona fide hero. Barely any get the chance to do that twice. But Warnock, as we have come to learn over the past four decades, is not a man cut from the same cloth as many of his contemporaries.When he held court with the press for the first time after returning to Huddersfield in February on a short-term deal, it was hard not to feel this was the final act of an unforgettable managerial career. Sure, Warnock has promised each of his past three or four jobs would be his last but this, coming in to save from relegation a club with whom he won promotion in the 1990s, felt like a fairytale ending. Continue reading...

Arsenal run riot with thrashing of PSV Eindhoven on Champions League return

Football Daily | Brighton have come a long way, baby. Next stop: Europe

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Considering it happened less than 30 years ago, there is every chance that plenty of the fans who are in attendance at the Amex Stadium on Thursday night to see Brighton host AEK Athens in their first ever European match will have taken part in the York City “riot” of 1996. More genteel pitch invasion than violent disturbance, it made global headlines when supporters attending what they presumed to be the final game at their club’s then home, the Goldstone Ground, convened on the pitch in protest at having their home for the previous 95 years sold out from under them by unscrupulous club owners. “Rampaging fans turned Brighton into a war zone yesterday in sickening scenes that shamed soccer,” harrumphed the next day’s News of the World, failing utterly to capture the peaceful mood of an occasion in which the only knack inflicted were on both sets of goalposts.Re: Harry Kane (yesterday’s Football Daily). Surely Harry is more like a cane toad than a hungry caterpillar? Caterpillars may have many legs but they don’t move very quickly nor do they gobble up much. Whereas his namesake toad is voracious and can get round most prey’s defences. A pest, no offence Harry” – Jim Arrowsmith.Re: Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s hindsight over Cristiano Ronaldo (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). Hiring a club legend company shill to manage one of the best-supported football clubs in the world ‘felt right but was wrong’” – Harriet Osborn.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...

'Bigger than just the bonus': Millie Bright on pay deal with FA – video

England captain Millie Bright confirmed on Thursday that talks over bonuses and pay had been agreed with the FA. The talks were put on hold for the duration of the World Cup, but have since resumed with a positive outcome. Bright was speaking before England’s Nations League clash with Scotland, to be played on Friday.‘Bigger than just the bonus’ – Lionesses reach agreement with FA over payContinue reading...

The simple truth about Arsenal’s goalkeepers: David Raya is better than Aaron Ramsdale

Spurs chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini leaves with new sporting director due

Gabbanini played key role in summer transfer businessLevy open to selling stake to take Spurs ‘to another level’Leonardo Gabbanini has left his position as Tottenham’s chief scout as the club restructures before the anticipated appointment of a new sporting director.Gabbanini played a prominent role in the club’s summer transfer business, working closely with the chairman, Daniel Levy, and the manager, Ange Postecoglou, afterthe resignation of the managing director of football, Fabio Paratici, in April. Continue reading...

Mohammed bin Salman says he will ‘continue doing sport washing’ for Saudi Arabia

Crown prince ‘doesn’t care’ about claims against countrySaudis have invested heavily in football, golf and other sportsThe crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, has said he “doesn’t care” about accusations of sportswashing against his country.Bin Salman, known as MBS, has presided over unprecedented spending on sport since becoming Saudi’s de facto ruler in 2017. Critics argue the investment is intended to distract attention from his country’s human rights abuses. But in a rare interview Bin Salman said he was not troubled by the accusations. Continue reading...

Fear not, Luton – there’s still joy to be found in a losing streak | Max Rushden

Love for your club isn’t proportional to success. And there is a sense of pride in supporting a team in the tough timesLuton Town have no points. Four games. Four defeats. There is no shame in that. A question then: would there be a tipping point for Luton fans (not the rest of us), where getting nothing all season could become some kind of badge of honour? A season to remember like no other?Before Hatters supporters accuse me of patronising them or being a jealous Cambridge fan, and Rob Edwards sticks this column to the dressing-room wall, nothing (well, not many things) would give me more pleasure than his side confounding everyone and staying up. Continue reading...

Fernandes defiant but mess in Munich highlights United’s shortcomings | David Hytner

The Manchester United captain was staunch in defence of his teammates but there are problems for Erik ten Hag to solveBruno Fernandes did not like the sentiment and the answer was predictably defiant. Moments earlier, with another Manchester United inquest under way, Erik ten Hag had been asked whether the problems at the club were to do with a lengthy injury list or the mentality. “Both,” he replied.It is never a good look when a manager questions the fight and determination of his players but Ten Hag could not hide the dismay after Wednesday night’s 4-3 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich. Now it was put to Fernandes, the United captain. Was there an issue with the mentality? Because there were numerous moments when United looked so soft and easy to play through. Was it the time for each player to look deep inside himself? Continue reading...

Arsenal vs Tottenham, Premier League: When is it and how to watch on TV

Manchester United slump again as Arsenal return in style – Football Weekly Extra

Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning, Mark Langdon and Archie Rhind-Tutt discuss Manchester United, Arsenal and the Champions LeagueRate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.On the podcast today: Manchester United lose 4-3 away to Bayern Munich. The panel discuss how much blame can be placed at the feet of André Onana. Meanwhile in north London, Arsenal get off to a perfect start in their group as they beat PSV 4-0. Continue reading...

‘Bigger than just the bonus’ – Lionesses reach agreement with FA over pay

Captain Millie Bright says dispute settled after talksRusso to be rested for Nations League game against ScotlandMillie Bright has said England want to be “world leaders on and off the pitch” after reaching an agreement with the Football Association over bonuses and commercial structures.The issue flared up before the World Cup when the Guardian broke the story of the dispute. The players then tweeted a statement expressing their disappointment that the matter had not been resolved before the tournament and said they had decided to pause talks with the intention of revisiting them after. Continue reading...

‘It is going to be strange, emotional’: Andy King relishing Leicester return

Bristol City player-coach goes back on Saturday to club where he spent 16 years, rising from League One to a Premier League titleAndy King knows a cocktail of emotions awaits on Saturday at the King Power Stadium and that his first trip to Leicester, the club that shaped him, as an opposition player is guaranteed to evoke memories. “It is going to be strange,” says the Bristol City midfielder, who this summer assumed a player-coach role. “It will be emotional. I had a lot of happiness in that ground, some sadness as well; Vichai’s helicopter \[crash\] was at that stadium and that guy changed my life. I’m looking forward to going out on to the pitch and in my mind, for a split second, reliving all of those amazing memories that made me who I am. Maybe I’ll go back out there and have a moment with myself after the game.”King’s 16-year association with Leicester, which began in digs on Aylestone Road after impressing on trial as a 15-year-old during February half-term and culminated with him lifting the Premier League trophy, came to an abrupt end in July 2020. Coronavirus restrictions denied him the opportunity to say farewell to the familiar faces who helped him on his journey. “The advice was like ‘travel if absolutely necessary’, wasn’t it? So as much as I wanted to go back, me going back to say bye to the people behind the scenes – those who worked in the kitchen at the training ground for 10 years or the stadium staff – it was not essential.” This weekend though, he stresses, will not be akin to a testimonial. “It is not a sort of parade for me to go back to Leicester. I want Bristol City to win.” Continue reading...

'Don't make it bigger than it is': Ten Hag defends Onana after error at Bayern – video

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag defended goalkeeper André Onana after his error led to Bayern Munich's opening goal in their 4-3 Champions League defeat. 'In football, there will always be mistakes. There was one mistake, so also, don't make it bigger than it is. As I said already, it was not only André that let in that goal, there were more.' ‘I let the team down’: Onana takes blame as Manchester United pain piles upContinue reading...

Orban extends reach across border to make TSC the club for ‘Serbia-Hungary’

West Ham’s Europa League opponents are one of several clubs outside Hungary benefiting from Hungarian assistanceOn the face of it there was nothing unusual when, in October 2018, Viktor Orban attended the opening ceremony of a rural town’s new football academy. Hungary’s prime minister has long pumped vast amounts of money into his favourite sport, modernising its infrastructure while other elements of the government’s activity regress deeper into authoritarianism, and he was present to see the fruits of another new project. Orban watched a tournament between under-14 teams at the €9.5m facility, staying long enough to hand the winners their trophy.The twist: Orban was in a different country. He was visiting Backa Topola, a small town in northern Serbia nearly 30 miles from the border with Hungary, to show his backing for its local side TSC. The surrounding region, Vojvodina, contains nearly 185,000 ethnic Hungarians and many are eligible to apply for citizenship, voting in the country’s elections. At the last count they made up 58% of the club’s surrounding municipality. Continue reading...

Ezri Konsa puts pen to paper on new five-year deal at Aston Villa as he moves into the club's top pay bracket after impressing boss Unai Emery

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN WARSAW: Mail Sport revealed on September 19 that Konsa was in line for a new deal and the announcement was made 24 hours later on the eve of their clash in Poland.

Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba exit early with injuries in Inter Miami win

Messi and Alba subbed off in first half of Miami’s 4-0 winTata Martino offers no specifics on Apple TV broadcastMiami entering daunting stretch of six matches in 17 daysLionel Messi returned to Inter Miami’s lineup on Wednesday night. It was a short-lived comeback, and his team rallied after he departed.Messi was subbed off in the 37th minute of Inter Miami’s match against Toronto, after spending a few minutes laboring with what appeared to be a leg issue. Miami came up big without him, winning 4-0 to move within five points of the final playoff spot in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. Continue reading...

‘I let the team down’: Onana takes blame as Manchester United pain piles up

Ten Hag defends Onana saying poor defending allowed chances‘The first goal was so easy and it was not only André’Erik ten Hag questioned the fight and determination of his Manchester United players as their traumatic start to the season continued with a 4-3 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich – their fourth loss in five matches.André Onana accepted the blame for the result, saying he had “let the team down” with his handling error for Leroy Sané’s opening goal, which came after United had been the better side for the first 20 minutes or so. Continue reading...

Manchester United find hope in Højlund despite Kane’s dominant display | Barney Ronay

Erik ten Hag’s team may have found a young striker who can rouse them from their miserable start to the seasonIt is a measure of where Manchester United are in this toxic early season, an early season where things just keep on happening, and where those things are divided into three distinct types, bad things, very bad things and really terrible things, that by the end a 4-3 defeat in Munich really didn’t seem like much of a disappointment.At times it almost felt like the green shoots of something. Or at least it did when Rasmus Højlund was scoring his first goal for the club; or in the early moments when United pressed well; and then towards the end when they refused to die and kept on coming in relentless zombie waves. Continue reading...

Championship: Leicester fell Norwich as Warnock bids farewell with Stoke draw

Iheanacho and McAteer goals make it six wins from sevenLeeds held at Hull after Rodon red, Sunderland go fourthLeicester climbed to within a point of Championship leaders Preston with a 2-0 win at promotion rivals Norwich.Kelechi Iheanacho fired Leicester in front from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time after Christian Fassnacht’s challenge on Stephy Mavididi and Kasey McAteer added his fifth goal of the season in the closing stages. The Foxes made it back-to-back victories after their recent home defeat to Hull and have won six of their first seven league matches. Continue reading...

Jude Bellingham is Real Madrid’s late hero while Inter deny Real Sociedad

Champions League roundup: Union Berlin undone by RealLate own goal hands Napoli win in Braga; Galatasaray drawJude Bellingham scored deep in added time as Real Madrid wore down a resilient Union Berlin to claim a 1-0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu in their Group C opener, spoiling the Bundesliga side’s Champions League debut.Madrid dominated possession in the first half but found it difficult to break down Union, who defended resolutely and were impressively marshalled at the back by veteran Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci – a summer signing from Juventus. Continue reading...

Tottenham do NOT have a straight-forward buy-back clause for Harry Kane despite Daniel Levy's claims - with England captain unlikely to consider a potential return to Spurs

SAMI MOKBEL: Spurs do not have a straight-forward buy-back clause for Harry Kane amid doubt over whether he would even consider returning while Daniel Levy remains at the club.

Bayern Munich hold on to beat Manchester United in Champions League opener

Harry Kane strikes as Bayern hold on to win thriller against Manchester United

It had been difficult to locate any pre-match optimism around Manchester United. The club has sunk so low, so quickly in the early weeks of the season that it was almost as if their supporters would accept a defeat without humiliation on their Champions League return.It was what they got. There were flickers from United in the opening quarter of the tie and the tonic of a first goal from the summer signing, Rasmus Højlund, to make it 2-1 at the beginning of the second half. At least United fought until the end, something that the beleaguered Erik ten Hag will cling to in the days ahead. Continue reading...

Ødegaard caps Arsenal’s triumphant Champions League return against PSV

When the Champions League anthem aired inside Arsenal’s home for the first time in six and a half years, its opening strains were drowned out by cheers. If that felt a touch saccharine, it summed up the crackling anticipation that had surrounded their return to the top table. Mikel Arteta’s side promptly pulled up a chair and, long before the end, could recline in comfort. They overwhelmed a PSV Eindhoven team that, laudably but naively, came to trade blows and the hosts set themselves fair for a swift qualification from Group B.It ended up being the kind of cakewalk more familiar to those who had sat through five Europa League campaigns since Arsenal’s last appearance on this stage. They will certainly not always find things this easy but, in common with the rest of the resource-rich English representatives, should be expected to travel deep into the knockout stages. Any concerns that the occasion would overwhelm them were quickly dispelled by a characteristically sharp, insistent display that gave PSV little oxygen and ensured the manager could shuffle his pack long before the end. Continue reading...

Bayern Munich 4-3 Manchester United: Champions League – live reaction

Champions League updates from the 8pm BST kick-offLive scoreboard Email Barry or tweet him your thoughtsManchester United: Erik ten Hag makes just one change to the lin-up that started against Brighton on Saturday, dropping Scott McTominay to the bench and bringing in Facundo Pellistri, who starts for just the second time in a Manchester United shirt. Signed from Penarol in Uruguay in 2020, the 21-year-old has made 13 appearances for United but spent last season on loan at Spanish club Alaves.Bayern Munich: Harry Kane starts up front for Bayern Munich, while Joshua Kimmich has been passed fit to play in midfield. Thomas Tuchel, who is suspended for tonight’s game after being banished from the touchline in last season’s quarter-final against Manchester City, makes just change to the side that started Friday’s match against Bayer Leverkusen. Jamal Musiala comes in for Thomas Muller, who has to make do with a place on the bench.Referee: Glenn NybergAssistants: Mahbod Beigi and Andreas SöderqvistFourth official: Adam LadebackVideo Assistant Referee: Pol van Boekel Continue reading...

Arsenal 4-0 PSV Eindhoven: Champions League – live reaction

Arsenal were far too good for PSV as they made a stylish return to the Champions League“I worked for the university athletic department when I was in school,” says Jeff Necessary, “and with 14 sports at our school at that time, it was not uncommon for me to have to attend two events in one day, particularly in the spring. Baseball game in the afternoon, basketball at night, things like that.”A fine job. Continue reading...

Jude Bellingham ‘the boss’ who just cannot stop scoring for Real Madrid

FIFA agents' exam descends into CHAOS amid a lack of working WiFi and integrity concerns after candidates were able to use their phones

MIKE KEEGAN and SAMI MOKBEL: The second agents' exam descended into chaos today, with some claiming their livelihoods have been put at risk on a shambolic afternoon.

Free agent Jesse Lingard continues bid to earn West Ham contract as he is pictured training with the Hammers ahead of Europa League clash against Backa Topola

Lingard was released by Nottingham Forest this summer, less than a year after he joined the club and became their top earner and he has since been training with the Hammers.

All but two Spain players end boycott after ‘profound changes’ promised

Team name changed to show men’s and women’s sides ‘equal’Secretary general sacked and other officials set to be firedThe majority of Spain’s top female footballers have ended their boycott of the national team after the government intervened to secure a promise of “immediate and profound changes” to the football federation (RFEF).Hours later, the federation announced that it had sacked its secretary general, Andreu Camps, while a federation official told Reuters that between six and nine senior officials – some of them suggested by the players themselves – were set to be fired. Earlier in the day the federation rolled out its first measure: an announcement that both its men’s and women’s national teams would be known as the Spanish national football team. Previously the men’s team had been referred to as the Spanish national football team, while the women’s team were the Spanish women’s national football team. Continue reading...

Sarina Wiegman to manage Team GB at Paris Olympics if they qualify

England manager says it would be ‘an honour’ to take roleQualification rests with England’s Nations League performanceSarina Wiegman is in line to manage Great Britain at next summer’s Olympics in Paris should qualification be secured, the Football Association has announced.The women’s football tournament there will feature three European sides: the hosts France and two teams who will secure qualification via the inaugural Women’s Nations League that is just about to get under way. Continue reading...

Brighton in full Bloom and ready for Europe thanks to ‘the Lizard’ | Ed Aarons

Brighton owner Tony Bloom has earned a fortune through poker and has brought that acumen to help Seagulls’ riseThey don’t call Tony Bloom “the Lizard” for no reason. The Brighton owner has earned almost $4m as a cold-blooded poker player and will be the proudest man in the Amex Stadium on Thursday nightwhen the team he rescued from the brink of extinction in 2009 make their debut on the European stage against AEK Athens.After a three-year absence from the poker table, Bloom – who is said to have spent countless hours at the amusement arcades on Brighton pier as a child before studying maths at university and establishing his gambling empire – returned last year and won $360,000 (£290,000) in prize money. “I’ve always enjoyed playing poker, but life sometimes … there’s a lot going on with business, the football club and a young family,” he said. “I just heard about this tournament three days ago and pot-limit Omaha is my favourite game. Tough field, but I said I’ll give it a go.” Continue reading...

Football Daily | Manchester United and the Very Hungry Kaneterpillar

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Every self-respecting centre-forward loves easy goals and useless opposition – rightly so. But in the entirety of the game’s history, few, if any, have guzzled low-hanging fruit with quite the same alacrity as Harry Kane. Whether terrorising Panama and Albania but not Italy or Spain, snaffling penalties but missing the biggies, or spending his career unencumbered by expectations of success, the Paul Collingwood of the football honours world can always be relied upon to feast on carrion, then present teammates with a home-display memento commemorating their achievement in knowing him.Reading about how the Spanish FA just seems to continually muck up its handling of the goings on with the women’s team, it does beg the question: is this Elon Musk’s next business acquisition? It seems to be another never-ending bin fire, just like you know what” – Stuart McLagan.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...

Liverpool made a smart move when they rejected £150m for Mo Salah | Ben McAleer

Salah has adapted to fit alongside Alexander-Arnold and Szoboszlai but he is still Liverpool’s most important player By Ben McAleer for WhoScoredHaving sold Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to clubs in Saudi Arabia for a combined £52m, Liverpool may have been tempted when Al-Ittihad bid £150m for Mohamed Salah in the summer. The club rejected the offer outright, with Jürgen Klopp saying the forward is “essential to everything we do”. The manager went so far as claiming that “the answer would be no” to any bid from Saudi Arabia. It was quite the claim given the sums spent this summer, but Salah’s superb start to the season suggests his manager’s steadfast stance was correct.The sum was vast and Salah is 31 years old with two years to run on his current deal, but Liverpool were right not to cash in on the Egyptian. For a start, the offer came too late in the window for Liverpool to secure a replacement. And, more importantly, Salah has been brilliant this season, either scoring or setting up a goal in each of Liverpool’s five league matches so far. Continue reading...

Wrexham fans, decide: how do you like your football – dignified or Disneyfied? | Simon Childs

The club’s Hollywood ‘fairytale’ highlights the predicament of grassroots clubs trying to survive in the modern gameIn future generations, bright-eyed, football-mad children on their first visit to the Racecourse Ground in north Wales will ask: “Why are we Wrexham fans, Mum?” And they’ll be told: “Your father was a Wrexham fan, and your father’s father, and your father’s father’s father … well, your father’s father’s father watched Welcome to Wrexham with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney on Disney+.”As a fan of a club playing in the same league as Wrexham, the unfolding hype has been an uneasy watch. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with random people from around the world deciding to support Wrexham, but you do have to wonder if some of them are a bit gullible if they’re choosing their team after watching a celebrity-fronted docu-commercial. Continue reading...

Newcastle dig deep, relentless City and a goalscoring keeper – Football Weekly

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Nicky Bandini and Lars Sivertsen as this season’s Champions League Group Stage beginsRate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.On the podcast today; Newcastle begin their first Champions League campaign in 20 years with a possibly fortuitous point in Milan. Continue reading...

REVEALED: Man United's £50m striker bid which was 'laughed off' this summer before landing £72m Rasmus Hojlund after missing out on Harry Kane

However, reports emerged insinuating that Kane was not the only striker target that they failed to snatch up , with a £50m bid for another Premier League star 'laughed off' by their club.

Tottenham have Harry Kane buyback clause, Daniel Levy confirms

Chairman reveals existence of clause at fans’ forumStriker joined Bayern Munich in the summer for £100mDaniel Levy has confirmed that Tottenham have a buyback clause in Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich contract. The chairman was asked at a Spurs’ fans’ forum on Tuesday night whether the clause existed. “Of course,” he replied. Levy did not offer any detail.Kane moved to Bayern in August for an initial fee of £100m and Spurs said in a statement that he was “always welcome back … he’s a much-loved and valued member of the Spurs family, for ever in our history.” Continue reading...

Olympic qualification and three divisions: how new Women’s Nations League works

Format promises ‘a system where every match matters’ – but is it too complicated and will it stall younger nations’ progress?Moving the Goalposts: sign up for our free newsletterBlink and you will have missed the gap between international windows. A month on from the World Cup final in Sydney, players are back with their national sides as a new season begins.In Europe, this comes in the form of an inaugural Nations League. Somewhat convoluted in nature and with a fair amount at stake, we examine Uefa’s brand new competition. Continue reading...

Arsenal vs Tottenham, Premier League: When is it and how to watch on TV

‘Felt right but was wrong’: Solskjær admits signing Ronaldo was a mistake

Ex-Manchester United manager says deal ‘difficult to turn down’Solskjær felt let down by egos of some players before his sackingOle Gunnar Solskjær has admitted that signing Cristiano Ronaldo when he was the Manchester United manager “felt right but was wrong” and that he was let down by the egos of unnamed players, whose failure to pull together presaged his sacking.The Norwegian was in charge of United from 19 December 2018 until 21 November 2021, losing his position following a 4-1 loss at Watford the day before. Continue reading...

Bayern fans show Manchester United a way for holding owners to account | Matt Ford

The clubs are linked on and off the field but occupy different worlds when it comes to any influence supporters haveThursday 25 November 2021 was an infamous day in the history of Bayern Munich. The club legend and patriarch Uli Hoeness called it “the worst event that I have ever experienced at the club”. A ball hadn’t even been kicked.As the clock ticked past midnight in Munich’s Olympiahalle, the club president, Herbert Hainer, brought the annual general meeting to a close. All hell broke loose. Club members booed and whistled, screaming in anger through their masks. “We are Bayern. Not you,” they chanted. “We are the fans that you don’t want. Hainer out.” Continue reading...

‘Solidarity came naturally’: why Inter Miami’s support of striking hotel workers matters

After accidentally wading into a labor dispute on a road trip, the club helped raise the visibility of workers’ struggles in southern CaliforniaOn a recent leg of the high-profile, celebrity road show that is Lionel Messi in Major League Soccer, the Argentine star and his Inter Miami teammates walked into the middle of a southern California labor dispute.What followed was a show of support and solidarity that demonstrated the players’ understanding of workers’ rights, stemming from the prominence and importance of their own unions. Continue reading...

The Knowledge | Which footballer is the most prolific scorer against a former club?

Plus: mythical beasts and monsters on shirts, one-cap England hat-trick heroes and much moreMail us your questions or tweet @TheKnowledge\_GU“I’m a Manchester United fan and have just seen Danny Welbeck score against us for what seems like the 97th time. Who is the most prolific scorer against a former employer?” weeps Alex Mount.Danny Welbeck’s goal at Old Trafford on Saturday was his fifth against Manchester United since leaving the club in 2014. Alex will have happier memories of our first answer to this question. In December 1995, Andy Cole scored with his first touch against his old club Newcastle United, and spent the next decade reminding them what they had. Cole scored 11 goals in all, including four in a 5-1 demolition in August 1999. Continue reading...

I saw Chelsea in 1960 and was struck by a thunderbolt of instant adoration | Andy Hamilton

In an extract from a new book, the comedian Andy Hamilton recalls going to his first game aged six – with scant supervisionAre you the romantic type? Do you believe in love at first sight? A lot of people do, don’t they? From time to time, you meet someone who says something like, “The first moment I saw her I knew I was going to marry her,” and you try not to be disturbed by how much they sound like a stalker. It is possible, I suppose, that your future could appear before you in a split second of revelation, but, in my experience, love is more subtle than that. I have never been struck by that thunderbolt of instant adoration. Well, apart from once.The date was 5 November 1960. It was a Saturday. Saturday was the best day of any week because it was the holy day of football. No professional football was allowed to take place on Sundays because, according to the Bible, our supreme, eternal, all-powerful God got too tired if he worked a seven-day week. Consequently, the Church had decreed that, out of respect, the Sabbath should be a day of soul-draining boredom. Continue reading...

Julian Alvarez inspires Manchester City to comeback Champions League win over Red Star Belgrade

Champions League roundup: Lazio goalkeeper Provedel stuns Atlético

Provedel scores 95th-minute equaliser to rescue 1-1 drawBarcelona ease past Royal Antwerp with Félix on target twiceThe Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel scored an equaliser deep in injury time as his side claimed a dramatic 1-1 draw with Atlético Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico.Lazio looked to be heading for a narrow defeat in their opening Champions League Group E clash after Pablo Barrios fired the visitors into a 29th-minute lead. Continue reading...

Celtic have two sent off as they slump to Feyenoord defeat in Champions League

Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm see redCalvin Stengs and Alireza Jahanbakhsh score for home sideCeltic had Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm sent off within five minutes of each other as they opened their Champions League Group E campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Feyenoord in Rotterdam.Calvin Stengs gave Feyenoord the lead in first-half stoppage time when his 30-yard free-kick evaded a poor attempt at a defensive wall. Continue reading...

Championship roundup: Osmajic fires leaders Preston to win over Birmingham

Lyndon Dykes’s late equaliser for QPR denies SwanseaIpswich move up to second with win at SouthamptonMilutin Osmajic’s first goal in English football fired the Championship leaders Preston to a 2-1 comeback win against Birmingham.Jay Stansfield’s strike in the opening minute of the second half threatened to end Preston’s unbeaten start to the season but the league leaders were on level terms when Krystian Bielik headed into his own net in the 51st minute. Preston then made it six wins from their opening seven games thanks to Osmajic’s composed close-range finish in the 67th minute. Continue reading...

Spain government says football federation is making ‘a fool’ of country

Sports secretary intervenes over call-ups for boycotting playersJenni Hermoso says decision is proof ‘nothing has changed’The Spanish government has heavily criticised the country’s football federation over its handling of the boycott launched by top female players. The governing body was accused of making “a fool” of the country as footage emerged appearing to show a number of the players stony-faced as they boarded a bus for the training camp.The fresh turmoil came after the team’s new coach, Montse Tomé, ignored their decision not to play until major changes are made. Instead, she called up most of the World Cup-winning squad. Continue reading...

‘Proud and excited’: Arteta and Arsenal return to the Champions League

Gunners’ first time in competition since 2016-17 seasonArsenal won and lost to PSV in Europa League last seasonMikel Arteta has spoken of his pride at leading Arsenal into their first Champions League campaign since 2016. Their meeting with PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday marks a return from the wilderness and is a visible waymarker of the progress they have made since Arteta took over almost four years ago.Although Arteta must reshuffle his attack after Gabriel Martinelli sustained a hamstring victory in the 1-0 win at Everton on Sunday there was an evident buoyancy around Arsenal’s training facility. They face last season’s Eredivisie runners-up, who are managed by the former Ajax and Borussia Dortmund coach Peter Bosz, and Arteta was happy to dwell on the momentousness of the occasion. Continue reading...

Manchester City overcome Red Star scare in Champions League opener

Who can stop Manchester City retaining the Champions League? This is a question many will ponder and for which Red Star Belgrade had no answer. By the end of this opening group game that is. Because, 45 minutes in, Serbia’s champions of the past six years led and threatened to do what Lyon were the last to do five years ago to the day: defeat Pep Guardiola’s side, in Europe, at their home.Yet City are the masters of refusing to be beaten and so cue two Julián Álvarez strikes minutes into the second half which overturned Red Star’s advantage, broke them, and had Guardiola’s men coasting before Rodri applied the coup de grace. Continue reading...

Manchester City v Red Star Belgrade, PSG v Dortmund: Champions League – live

Updates from the opening matches, 8pm BST kick-offsLive scoreboard: the latest from all tonight’s gamesGOAL! Young Boys 1-2 Leipzig (X Schlager 74)Xaver Schlager has put Leipzig, who will expect to finish second in Group G, ahead in Switzerland. Red Star and Manchester City are the other teams in taht group. Continue reading...

Not many keepers could have matched Pope’s San Siro saves, says Eddie Howe

Newcastle keep clean sheet in first Champions League gamePope made six saves in first 20 minutes against MilanEddie Howe acknowledged his debt to Nick Pope after the goalkeeper made a string of outstanding saves to earn Newcastle a precious point in their opening Champions League game against Milan at San Siro.Pope has recently been out of sorts and dropped by England but he timed his return to form to coincide with his side’s first game in Europe’s showpiece competition since 2003. He made six vital saves in the first 20 minutes. Continue reading...

Spain's World Cup winners end boycott after promise of 'profound changes' – video

Spain's World Cup winning-squad agreed to end their boycott of the national team early after the country's football federation said it would make 'immediate and profound changes' to its structure. This comes after Spain's national women's team looked stony-faced as they arrived for training camp after being called for the national side. The team’s new coach, Montse Tomé, ignored their decision not to play until deep changes are made and instead called up most of the World Cup-winning squad. While the players initially said they would continue the boycott, the potential legal consequences suggested they had little choice but to heed the call; under Spain’s sports act, players who refuse the call-up could face fines of up €30,000 (£26,000) and potentially be banned from playing for their clubs. Jenni Hermoso and the Spanish government slammed the country’s football federation over its handling of the boycottSpain players to end boycott after being promised ‘profound changes’Continue reading...

Newcastle mark Champions League return with Milan draw thanks to Pope

At times Nick Pope could have been forgiven for believing he was taking on Milan single-handedly but Newcastle’s goalkeeper rose to the challenge, earning Eddie Howe’s side a perhaps slightly fortuitous point.A combination of Pope’s multiple saves, Milanese profligacy and visiting resilience ensured that Newcastle departed northern Italy wearing a cloak of respectability. Not that this was quite the return to Europe’s showpiece competition Howe had so craved. Continue reading...

Newcastle withstand AC Milan onslaught on Champions League return

Milan 0-0 Newcastle: Champions League – live reaction

Champions League Group F updates, 5.45pm BST kick-offLive scoreboard | Football Daily | And you can email Scott3 min: Loftus-Cheek probes down the right and wins a throw deep in Newcastle territory. Baby steps for Milan after that 5-1 humiliation at the hands of Inter.2 min: Milan spend the opening moments stroking it around the back in the our-house-our-rules style. Continue reading...

FC Hollywood make Kane the star in perfect script for Manchester United

Ten Hag will be reminded of what could have been when he faces Bayern Munich’s record signing in Champions LeagueIt was a day of frayed nerves and emotion, Harry Kane forced to wait in and around Stansted Airport, to borrow from the football vernacular. His move to Bayern Munich seemingly was in jeopardy at the very last.Told by Tottenham to stay away from the training ground – an edict of staggeringly bad optics – Kane knew there would be no face-to-face goodbyes with the people at his boyhood club, no chance to personally collect his belongings. But would there be a goodbye at all? As the Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, tried to renegotiate the finer points of the deal with Bayern on Friday 11 August, Kane began to wonder and fret. Continue reading...

Harry Kane urges Bayern to exploit Manchester United’s ‘difficult spell’

Erik ten Hag’s team travel to Munich for Wednesday’s gameStriker to play first Champions League match for new clubHarry Kane has suggested that he and Bayern Munich can exploit the turmoil around Manchester United when they face them in the opening round of the Champions League group stage ties here on Wednesday night.United have travelled to Bavaria on the back of three defeats in the first five matches of the Premier League season and with fires burning on multiple fronts – taking in the internal suspension for Jadon Sancho after his criticism of the manager, Erik ten Hag, and the leave of absence for Antony as he fights allegations against him by three women. Continue reading...

Football referees in Cyprus go on strike after latest car bomb attack

Cyprus FA suspends top-flight matches until further notice‘Our support for referees and their families is unquestionable’Referees in Cyprus have gone on indefinite strike after an apparent arson attack on a car belonging to an official’s mother, the latest incident in a campaign of terror that has run for nearly a decade.The Cyprus Football Association has suspended top-flight games in the country and declared “unquestionable” support for officials, who are demanding improved security measures for themselves and their families. Continue reading...

Football Daily | The European groups look predictable. With one spectacular exception

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Since its introduction in 1999, the 32-team group stage of Big Cup has, it says here, produced thousands of moments that will stay with Football Daily forever, and the moment we remember one we’ll let you know. Actually, in the early years it was good fun. Who could forget when Sturm Graz lost 5-0 to Rangers and Monaco … and qualified ahead of both, eh? Or when Juventus failed to secure even the Big Vase parachute and Zinedine Zidane decided to see if anyone fancied a tear-up instead. But as football has become more unequal, so the group stage has become less interesting. For the best teams it has about as much jeopardy as an episode of Scooby-Doo.Even as a City fan, I find it completely wrong that Pep Guardiola should laugh when asked about Manchester United’s title chances. Rolling around on the floor while clutching his sides would be a far more appropriate response” – Neil Bage.Further to Stephen Rankin’s assertions that whistling Danny Boy would be enough to get an Irish cap (yesterday’s Football Daily letters), au contraire! Celtic musical knowledge was not a pre-requisite for representing The Boys In Green. There is the (potentially apocryphal) tale of Joe Kinnear, who to be fair was actually born in Ireland but left for England aged seven. Making his debut against Turkey in 1967, upon the conclusion of Amhrán na bhFiann (the Irish national anthem), Joe is alleged to have turned to a teammate and said: ‘Blimey, I hope our anthem isn’t as long as that!’ Twenty-six caps would follow” – Derek McGee.Your photo feature on Newcastle’s European adventures (yesterday’s Still Want More, full email edition) had a rather downbeat ending, with a bemused Scott Parker holding the ‘trophy’ for their Intertoto Cup success in 2006. The design of the item struck me, with the 1-X-2 arrangement in the background being familiar to those of us of sufficient vintage to remember the football coupons in bookies’ offices. The design harks back to the tournament’s commercially pragmatic origins, which was to provide competitive matches in the summer months for European football pools companies. The tournament ran annually from 1961; Uefa was initially reluctant to get involved but did allow teams to participate. It was 1995 before it was formally brought under the umbrella of official Uefa competitions, and that year also saw the first English teams taking part. Given the widespread debate around the involvement and influence of gambling and its advertising in football, it’s another reminder that the links go back far and wide” – Mike Slattery.This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...

Roy Hodgson back working after illness but bad news for Palace over Olise

Manager taking training after missing Saturday’s gameMidfielder has suffered new hamstring injuryRoy Hodgson will be back in the dugout for Crystal Palace’s match against Fulham on Saturday after recovering from illness but Michael Olise looks set for an extended spell on the sidelines after a setback in his return from a hamstring injury.Hodgson missed Palace’s 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday after he was taken ill that morning. Paddy McCarthy, the assistant manager, took charge and said the former England manager had been “feeling a little bit under the weather”. Palace confirmed that the 76-year-old, the oldest manager in Premier League history, had returned to work on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Newcastle United ‘deeply concerned’ after fan stabbed in Milan

Eddie McKay in hospital in a stable condition58-year-old attacked by a group of men in Milan city centreNewcastle United have said they are “deeply concerned” after one of their fans was stabbed in Milan on Monday night. A 58-year-old was attacked by a group of men in the city centre before Newcastle’s Champions League match against Milan on Tuesday and is in hospital in a stable condition.Pictures posted online showed a man with a bloodied torso lying on the ground. A Newcastle spokesperson said: “We are deeply concerned by reports that a supporter was seriously assaulted in Milan on Monday evening and we are liaising with local authorities to understand the circumstances. Continue reading...

Love over money: footballers who have gone home to finish their careers

Sergio Ramos, Ángel Di María and Santi Cazorla turned down lucrative deals and went back to where their hearts layBy Richard Foster for The Football MineDuring his heyday Sergio Ramos would not have won many popularity contests outside his own club’s fanbase. As an exponent of the dark arts Ramos was irascible, spiky and often infuriating. His career was littered with various misdemeanours, including 28 red cards, 20 of which he received in La Liga – a record for individual dismissals. However, Ramos’s return to his hometown club, Sevilla, has brought the 37-year-old acclaim. At his emotional homecoming he outlined his motivation: “It wasn’t a matter of money or a contract but a question of philosophy, mentality and feeling. At Sevilla we come together in these values.”In light of so many high-profile players moving to Saudi Arabia in the last few months, it was refreshing to see someone eschewing the riches on offer to return to the club where it all started. “I have always been moved by impulses and heart, not by money,” said Ramos. “That’s why I didn’t go to Saudi Arabia or MLS. The time to return was now, as I could help the club in a delicate moment. The economic issue has not been a problem – we solved it in five seconds.” Continue reading...

David Squires on … Tottenham’s un-Spursy rise and Manchester United’s tyre fire

Our cartoonist on Ange Postecoglou’s refreshing approach to managing Tottenham Hotspur and the chaos at Old TraffordLike what David does? Consider supporting our journalismYou can get a copy of a cartoon in the Guardian Print StoreContinue reading...

'It's a game of football': Eddie Howe admits he's never attended Champions League match – video

Newcastle face Milan at San Siro as they return to the group stage of the Champions League for the first time since the 2002-03 season. It's new ground too for their manager, Eddie Howe, who has never managed in Europe's top club competition – but he is determined to approach it as just another game. Howe admitted he has never had the time to take in a Champions League game as he has often been working but he added, 'It's not something that I've given any thought to. It's a game of football.'‘I’ve never attended one’: Howe makes startling Champions League admissionContinue reading...

Arsenal are 'plotting a move for England U21 international dubbed the new Jude Bellingham' - after becoming the latest starlet to rise through the ranks at Borussia Dortmund

The German top-flight has seen some of the brightest young talents nurtured into top-class performers, with an emphasis towards giving youth players plenty of minutes and exposure.

Former Man United goalkeeper David de Gea 'is being lined up to make his long-awaited return to LaLiga' after the Spaniard turned down several clubs following Old Trafford exit

De Gea has been without a club since the end of June after he was released by Manchester United, after failing to agree new terms at Old Trafford.

Pastor Postecoglou shows importance of journey even if you never reach heaven | Jonathan Liew

Tottenham’s prospects of winning a trophy remain slim but the Australian’s approach is giving supporters reason to smileA few years ago, around the same time people started getting extremely animated by things such as net spends and expected goals, there came a school of emerging thought that challenged the traditional narrative of footballing performance, arguing – in effect – that the influence of a manager was vastly overstated. Matches are won by the best players, so the hypothesis went, and the best players cost money, and thus a club’s wage bill was a far more reliable predictor of success than whichever bloke happened to be sitting on a padded car seat in the dugout.In this reading, the era of the all-powerful manager – the patriarchal visionary who oversaw everything from tactics to contract negotiations to the temperature of the away showers – was gone, if it ever really existed. Football’s centre of gravity had shifted away from the manager’s office towards the sporting director, the medical department, the boardroom and the fund markets. And so the game’s enduring fixation on managers – talking about them, listening to them, hiring and sacking them – was an outdated affectation, a fundamental misunderstanding of how the game itself functioned. Austere and exhaustive academic articles were commissioned on the subject. Long, boring data-heavy books were written and occasionally even purchased. Continue reading...

Mohamed Salah was 'ready to leave' Liverpool this summer and join Al-Ittihad, claims Michail Antonio... as he insists the Egyptian was 'locked up' by the Reds and told he would not be allowed to go

Reports suggested they were prepared to go back in with a £200m offer but Jurgen Klopp's side managed to stave off their interest and keep their player , until at least January.

Football fans received 11,000 gambling messages in Premier League opening weekend

Study for 5 News warns of ‘overwhelming and inescapable’ betting imagery in the gameFootball fans were bombarded with 11,000 gambling messages during the opening weekend of the latest Premier League season, according to a study that warns of “overwhelming and inescapable” betting imagery in the game.Clubs in the top flight agreed earlier this year to ban gambling firms from sponsoring the front of players’ shirts from 2025, but the research – which analysed social media posts alongside hours of TV and radio – cast doubt on the likely effect of that measure, given the saturation of football with other gambling messages.the sheer volume of gambling messages;social media content not clearly labelled as ads; andinsufficient safer gambling messaging. Continue reading...

‘It breaks my heart’: Leah Williamson to speak at UN about Syrian refugees | Suzanne Wrack

The England and Arsenal defender will share her experiences after an August visit to the Za’atari refugee camp in JordanWhen the Arsenal and England centre-back Leah Williamson steps up to speak at the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals summit on Tuesday she will feel a very different level of scrutiny to the pressure she feels when she steps out on to the pitch. “Head up, face forward, don’t drop your Ts,” she says with a grin beforehand.Williamson is the first England women’s national team player to take the stage at the UN, and it’s an opportunity that may not have come around had the anterior cruciate ligament injury she sustained in April and which ruled her out of the World Cup not afforded her the time to visit the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world. Continue reading...

Confusion in Spain after boycotting players called up by new women’s coach

15 World Cup winners and six others named for Nations LeagueBut social media statement calls Montse Tomé’s actions invalidThere was confusion in Spain on Monday night as to whether members of the women’s national team would turn up after Montse Tomé, the new head coach, named 15 of the World Cup‑winning players in her squad for Nations League fixtures this month.Jenni Hermoso, who was kissed after the final victory against England by the then president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), leading to the crisis, was not among those picked. But despite 39 players making themselves unavailable for selection for the national team in an open letter to the Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Friday, which said not enough was being done to make them feel safe and respected, 21 of those players have been called up by Tomé. Continue reading...

Nottingham Forest and VAR deny Burnley win after Hudson-Odoi stunner

Burnley may have registered their first point of the season with this draw at Nottingham Forest to avoid the ignominy of a fourth straight league defeat but they will feel aggrieved at not claiming victory after Lyle Foster’s second-half goal was controversially ruled out after a VAR review. To compound things Foster was sent off via the video screen in stoppage time for elbowing Ryan Yates.The Burnley substitute Sander Berge was deemed to have used his forearm to control the ball before Foster converted his cutback from the edge of the six-yard box. The ball bounced off the top of Berge’s left arm as he kept Scott McKenna at bay but, tellingly, the Forest defender made no complaint to the referee, Robert Jones, as Foster wheeled away in celebration. Continue reading...

Champions League is far from perfect but what is coming next looks worse

Uefa’s drastic restructure of the group stage appears likely to make it more confusing, not more competitive “Ce sont les meilleures équipes …” This week, a familiar choral refrain returns to stadiums, bars and living rooms across Europe and beyond. The opening Champions League ‘match day’ offers plenty of intriguing games and historic names – Milan v Newcastle, Feyenoord v Celtic, Bayern v Manchester United. Ideologies collide as Real Madrid host Union Berlin; eras entwine as Manchester City face Red Star Belgrade. It’s a feast of football to be savoured – not least because the group stage is about to change dramatically … Continue reading...

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Burnley: Premier League – live

Premier League news from the 7.45pm BST gameFeel free to send Michael an email or tweet @michaelbutler186 min: Lively start from Burnley’s left winger, Koleosho, who has already skipped past Montiel on a couple of occasions. The youngster is eligible to represent the United States, Canada, Nigeria, and Italy, as he was born and raised in the United States to a Nigerian father and an Italian-Canadian mother. Oh, and he had a youth career in Spain but represents Italy at youth level.4 min: Lovely turn from Foster, who skips away from Sangare in midfield, leaving the Ivorian for dead. Foster drives towards Forest’s box and unloads a fierce drive straight at Turner. Continue reading...