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Conor Gallagher has been one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers this season — a homegrown player, regularly selected by England and deemed important enough by Stamford Bridge manager Mauricio Pochettino to wear the captain’s armband in recent weeks. Yet despite all of that, Pochettino has no idea whether Gallagher will still be at the club when the January transfer window closes. Welcome to the world of financial loopholes, of players…

Russia are expected to be granted clearance from FIFA and UEFA to play European opposition for the first time since being suspended from competitive football in 2022 after striking an agreement to face Serbia in March 2024, sources have told ESPN. The Russian Football Union (RFU) has been banned from FIFA and UEFA competitions since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with all national teams prohibited from competing…

Halil Umut Meler, the referee punched by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca after a match in the Turkish Super Lig, has said he “will not forgive” his assailant in an interview with Turkish media. “No, I did not forgive [Koca], I will not forgive,” Meler told Hurriyet. “The person who did this punched me, I collapsed and fell to the ground. But the actual kicking while I was on the…

Conversations between Spain’s referees and Video Assistant Referees [VAR] will be made public under a new agreement between LaLiga and the Spanish football federation [RFEF], the two bodies announced in a joint statement on Tuesday. Discussions which take place between officials when an incident has been reviewed using the pitchside monitor will be made available to broadcasters after the end of each day. – Stream LIVE: Barcelona vs. Almeria, Wednesday…

Mauricio Pochettino and Eddie Howe have both condemned a Chelsea fan who confronted Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka during the Blues’ EFL Cup quarterfinal win on Tuesday night. A supporter entered the field of play and ran into Dúbravka seconds after Mykhailo Mudryk scored a stoppage-time equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw and take the game to penalties. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Callum Wilson, who opened the…

Barcelona Femení’s Champions League-winning coach Jonatan Giráldez has confirmed he will leave the club after receiving an offer from “outside of Europe” amid reports he will move to the NWSL next year. Giráldez, 32, will remain in charge of Barça until the end of the campaign when his contract expires. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) – ESPN FC Women’s Rank: World’s 50 best soccer players of 2023…

It’s the holiday season, and European soccer was in a giving mood this weekend, with a ton of big talking points up and down the big leagues. In the Premier League, Arsenal shrugged off Brighton for an impressive win that keeps them top given Liverpool’s inability to beat Man United despite taking 34 shots in 90 minutes. In LaLiga, Real Madrid reclaimed top spot with a big win over Villarreal,…

Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool were more dominant against Manchester United in Sunday’s 0-0 draw than in last season’s 7-0 Anfield victory against Erik ten Hag’s team after watching his side miss the chance to leapfrog Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. Liverpool created 34 shots against United, who had just six, and amassed 12 corners. Ten Hag’s side failed to register a single corner. – Stream on ESPN+:…

LIVERPOOL, England — Manchester United’s wait for a victory at Liverpool has rolled into its eighth year, but Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Anfield was a win for manager Erik ten Hag. It was a day when his players slammed the brakes on their nine-game losing streak against top 10 opponents away from Old Trafford, and turned down the volume on crisis talk sparked by three defeats in four games ahead…

An upset Xavi Hernández blamed missed chances as Barcelona’s winless run extended to three games with a 1-1 draw at Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday. João Félix opened the scoring at Mestalla for Barça, who were made to pay for their profligacy when Hugo Guillamón equalised for Valencia in the 70th minute. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Barça had further chances to win the game late on,…