Nigeria and Zambia will represent Africa in the women’s football competition at the 2024 Olympic Games after the engrossing conclusion of the qualifying campaign. The final four teams in the qualifying campaign also represented Africa at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last year, and contested the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco less than 18 months ago. Will those campaigns, and the demoralising experience…
Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain boycotted interviews with Spanish broadcaster Movistar after Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinal following a racist comment made by one of the on-air analysts. Germán “Mono” Burgos, Diego Simeone’s former assistant manager at Atlético Madrid, was responsible for the remark, which was made about the Barça forward Lamine Yamal, a Spain international with Moroccan and Equatorial Guinean heritage. “If football doesn’t work out for him, he can end…
MONTERREY, Mexico — Inter Miami CF head coach Gerardo Martino said Lionel Messi doesn’t need any “extra or special situation” to motivate him for the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal match with Monterrey on Wednesday. Messi and Miami come into the second leg trailing 2-1 on aggregate after last Wednesday’s match in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Although Messi was held out of that game due to injury, he…
MADRID — It was breathless in the Bernabeu, a night when Phil Foden and Fede Valverde delivered goals from the gods, when Real Madrid and Manchester City threw everything at each other in a bid to claim a crucial quarterfinal first-leg advantage and, ultimately, produced a 3-3 draw that leaves next week’s second-leg firmly in the balance. Yes, there were costly mistakes, foolish errors and lapses of concentration that will…
Relevent Sports has settled its antitrust lawsuit with FIFA as it pertains to the holding of league matches outside of a league’s home territory. The settlement now allows FIFA and Relevent to work together in bringing league matches from Europe and elsewhere to the United States. The settlement, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, states that “Relevent and FIFA stipulate and agree to the…
An independent panel has handed Everton a two-point deduction on Monday for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), the second time the club has faced a points deduction this season. Premier League regulations stipulate that a club can lose no more than £105 million ($132.54m) over a three-year period. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) “Over a three-day hearing last month, the independent Commission heard…
The summer transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, but there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
MANCHESTER, England — Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he expects more plot twists in the Premier League title race after his side salvaged a 2-2 draw at Manchester United on Sunday. Klopp’s side entered the weekend with a two-point lead in the title race, and they looked set to maintain that advantage when they dominated the first half against United, albeit wasting multiple chances to put the game out of…
Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor’s six-match spectator ban imposed after their supporters stormed on to the pitch and fought with Fenerbahce players has been reduced to four matches after an appeal to the Turkish Football Federation (TFF). The TFF’s arbitration board also reduced their fine from 3,000,000 to 448,000 Turkish Lira ($14,000.) – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Turkish police detained 12 people on March 17 after the…
LONDON — Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has hit back at suggestions that he could show more passion on the sidelines, saying he is not a “clown.” Pochettino hugged his staff and joined the wild celebrations after Chelsea earned a stunning 4-3 comeback victory against Manchester United on Thursday following two last-gasp goals from Cole Palmer. However, when asked in a postmatch news conference whether he would take on board advice…