MANCHESTER, England — After an international break filled with controversy and club statements, Manchester United got an opportunity to let their football do the talking. Rather than taking a positive step forward to help steady the ship, Erik ten Hag and his team were plunged further into crisis by Brighton & Hove Albion. Roberto De Zerbi’s side won 3-1 to end United’s 31-match unbeaten run at Old Trafford in their…
Spain’s High Court on Friday imposed a restraining order to prevent former football federation chief Luis Rubiales from coming within 200 metres of forward Jenni Hermoso, as he appeared in court to be investigated for sexual assault. Rubiales denied any wrongdoing during the hearing, which was his first court appearance since the start of the investigation into his behaviour after Spain’s Women’s World Cup final win in Sydney on Aug.…
While a few summer transfers arguably raised an eyebrow or two, we can’t imagine any club having made a stranger signing than Czech third division side FK Usti nad Labem. Rather than strengthening their back four or splashing the cash on a new striker, FK Usti instead opted to sign a 22-year-old who has never played football before. The deal came about when the father of law student Martin Podhajsky…
There can be a downside to being the “next big thing” in football management — just ask Graham Potter, Julian Nagelsmann and Steven Gerrard. Roberto de Zerbi, however, might just be the real deal. The former Shakhtar Donetsk, Sassuolo, Benevento, Palermo and Foggia coach’s appointment as Brighton & Hove Albion manager this time last year was mocked by former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more…
A players strike in Liga F, the professional top tier of women’s football in Spain, has ended after an agreement on a minimum wage was reached between the league and players’ unions. The strike saw all games on matchday one of the 2023-24 Liga F season — which were due to take place last weekend — postponed, with matchday two also under threat. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more…
Alexia Putellas has said Spain’s footballers are fighting for changes beyond just football as the fallout to Luis Rubiales’ behaviour after last month’s World Cup final continues. Rubiales resigned from his role as Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president earlier this week after multiple investigations were opened into his conduct following Spain’s 1-0 win over England on Aug. 20, which included an unsolicited kiss on forward Jenni Hermoso. – Rubiales explainer:…
With the summer transfer window now formally closed, the CIES Football Observatory in Switzerland has crunched the numbers and produced a list of the top 100 most expensively assembled first-team squads in world football. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) According to the data, four clubs have managed to break the €1 billion barrier while piecing together their 2023-24 squads, having invested truly vast amounts in transfer fees…
LaLiga has announced a one-year shirt sponsorship deal with Welsh village team Clwb Pêl Droed Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Football Club, with the league’s “LL” logo to be displayed on the club’s home and away shirts for 2023-24. The team — based on the island of Anglesey and known as CPD Llanfairpwll FC for short — play in Division One of the North Wales Coast West League, in the fifth tier of Welsh…
As the Premier League resumes this weekend following a two-week international break, fans are not short of debating points after the opening salvos of the campaign. You could argue that it’s all going with the form book, as title favorites Manchester City lead the early standings with promoted Burnley and Luton Town both pointless and filling the bottom two positions in the league table. But who thought Spurs would race…
The summer transfer window has closed throughout most of Europe, but there are still moves in the works and plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals! The doubt caused by Paul Pogba’s positive doping test has resulted in Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli looking at midfielders who could be brought in as soon as January,…