Category Other

IN A DIFFERENT life, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi might currently be listening intently to a lecture or spending late nights poring over journals in a library in Vancouver. He had been accepted to the University of British Columbia, one of Canada’s top-ranked universities which counts three Canadian prime ministers — including the incumbent Justin Trudeau — among its alumni. He would have first worked towards completing a bachelor’s degree in science, which…

Former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has said he will listen to Barcelona’s offer to come out of retirement after the Catalan club made him their top target to replace the injured Marc-André ter Stegen. A source confirmed to ESPN that talks are well underway between Barça and Szczesny’s camp to thrash out the final details of what is expected to be a short-term contract until the end of the season,…

UEFA has re-opened the bidding process to stage the 2027 Champions League final after stripping Milan’s San Siro Stadium of the hosting rights. The San Siro, the home ground of AC Milan and Inter Milan, last staged the Champions League final in 2016 when Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid following a penalty shoot-out. UEFA announced Milan as the 2027 host city in May this year at the same time as…

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said he would have preferred not to play against his former club, FC Twente, in the Europa League because it’s “not nice to have to hurt something you love.” Ten Hag began his playing career at FC Twente and returned as a coach before becoming a first-team manager. The Dutch side visit Old Trafford in the Europa League on Wednesday and…

The Friedkin Group has agreed on a deal to take over Everton owner Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1% controlling stake, the club announced Monday. The Texas-based firm is a consortium of investments in automotive, entertainment, hospitality and sports. It also owns Serie A club Roma. The deal could signal an end to a tumultuous time at Goodison Park at the ownership level as British-Iranian billionaire Moshiri tried to sell his shares in…

Another topsy-turvy weekend of European football action is in the books, with Christian Pulisic instrumental as AC Milan pipped Internazionale 2-1 in the Derby della Madonnina. His goal, combined with Matteo Gabbia’s late header, secured a crucial victory for Milan, easing pressure on manager Paulo Fonseca and ending Milan’s six-game losing streak in the rivalry. In the Premier League, Manchester City’s feisty 2-2 draw with Arsenal saw Erling Haaland notch…

A knee injury will rule out Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen for months after he was carried off on a stretcher during Sunday’s 5-1 LaLiga win at Villarreal, a source confirmed to ESPN. Barça coach Hansi Flick confirmed the injury appears to be “huge and serious,” but added he could not offer any timeframe until he undergoes further tests. Radio station RAC1 reported Ter Stegen, who was taken to a…

John Stones described Arsenal as “clever or dirty” after scoring an equaliser eight minutes into stoppage to snatch a 2-2 draw for Manchester City in Sunday’s Premier League top-of-the-table clash at the Etihad. Stones’ goal extended City’s unbeaten home record to 48 games, a run stretching back to a defeat against Brentford in November 2022, but it came after Arsenal had defended deep for the entire second half following the…

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick insists his team can cope with an increased workload and that he will make no excuses despite having to deal with a lengthy injury list but has joined a growing list of high-profile footballing names calling on UEFA and FIFA to make alterations to a packed schedule. Barça opened the season with five successive wins in LaLiga before tasting defeat for the first time under Flick…

Player frustration over playing too many games and not getting enough rest is building across football, but just how close is the sport to a player strike? The issue of burnout has always been a significant topic in the game, but the expansion of UEFA’s club competitions and FIFA’s brand-new Club World Cup has put the matter at the top of the agenda. In August, ESPN reported that this season…