Hirving “Chucky” Lozano could be nearing a return for San Diego FC after missing recent matches due to an internal issue. The Mexican international was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup Playoffs opener, marking his second consecutive absence. Head coach Mikey Varas indicated that Lozano may be available for the second game of the best-of-three series, provided his progress continues smoothly throughout the week.
Former Arsenal and Wales international Aaron Ramsey is enduring a difficult period in Mexico after the abduction of his dog during a short family trip. The incident has kept him out of Pumas’ recent matches, with Ramsey and his family sharing emotional posts expressing their distress. With no timeline yet for his return, his future in the Auriazul shirt remains uncertain.
Only one Premier League match is likely to be staged on 26 December this season, with the beloved tradition of watching football on Boxing Day set to be all but abandoned. While the dates and times of the Christmas fixtures are still to be finalised, a new report indicates the English top flight are being forced into a difficult position over the long-standing tradition.
Jude Bellingham could face a potential ban after being caught making an X-rated gesture during Real Madrid's 2-1 victory over Barcelona in El Clasico. The English midfielder was the match-winner at the Bernabeu, but his celebration has once again sparked controversy after cameras appeared to capture him repeating the same gesture that landed him in trouble at Euro 2024.
Marcus Rashford has vowed to “keep fighting” after Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in his first-ever El Clasico appearance. Despite registering an assist in the heated Santiago Bernabeu showdown, the Manchester United loanee ended up on the losing side as Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham struck to extend Madrid’s lead at the top of La Liga to five points.
Vinicius Junior's petulant reaction to be taken off during Real Madrid's 2-1 win over fierce rivals Barcelona on Sunday reportedly didn't go unnoticed by his colleagues. The Brazilian winger made straight for the dressing room when Xabi Alonso wanted to swap him with Rodrygo, briefly refusing to watch the remaining minutes of the match because he was too angry to sit on the bench.
Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney has accused senior Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk of lacking leadership and displaying different body language since both signed lucrative new contracts with the club earlier this year. The Premier League champions lost for a fifth time in their last six outings across all competitions over the weekend.
Vinicius Junior told Xabi Alonso he would 'leave' Real Madrid in his furious reaction to his substitution during the Clasico win over Barcelona on Sunday evening. The Brazilian winger was visibly frustrated at being withdrawn when there was potentially still plenty still to play for and made his feelings known by storming straight down the tunnel to the dressing rooms.
Vinicius Junior has addressed the events of an intense El Clasico on Sunday, which saw Real Madrid beat Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu. But the Brazilian himself stormed off when substituted, and was involved in a post-match brawl that was sparked by Los Blancos players Dani Carvajal and Thibaut Courtois angrily confronting Lamine Yamal.
Lamine Yamal was the subject of Dani Carvajal's angry attention following Sunday’s Clasico encounter between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Los Blancos won the fiercely contested game at the Santiago Bernabeu to inflict Barca's second La Liga defeat of the season, after which Carvajal had the last laugh by making clear his opinion on Yamal's pre-match behaviour.
Tensions boiled over after Real Madrid’s 2–1 win against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu as Barca captain Frenkie de Jong slammed Dani Carvajal for his post-match gesture towards winger Lamine Yamal. What began as a heated Clasico ended in chaos with the culmination of days of tension sparked by Yamal’s pre-game remarks that infuriated the Madrid players and set the stage for a volatile night in the Spanish capital.
Juventus’ crisis deepens as their winless run stretches to six games following a 1-0 defeat to Lazio marking their fourth consecutive match without scoring. Coach Igor Tudor, under rising pressure and sacking rumours, refused to hide behind excuses, bluntly stating that “everyone is responsible” for the team’s collapse, even as he urged unity and insisted he won’t step down.
Hearts strengthened their Scottish Premiership title credentials with an emphatic 3-1 victory over champions Celtic on Sunday afternoon. An own goal from defender Dane Murray and strikes from forwards Alexandros Kyziridis and Lawrence Shankland helped Derek McInnes’ side record a statement victory which has sent shockwaves across Scottish football.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca urged his players to find consistency if they are to compete for the Premier League title this season. The Blues suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, bringing an end to their four-game winning run and leaving them five points adrift of leaders Arsenal ahead of Sunday's clash with Crystal Palace.
Jordan Henderson has backed “world-class” Liverpool to rediscover their form after helping Brentford inflict another defeat on his former club. The England international played a crucial role as his side secured a 3-2 victory which stretched the Reds’ losing run in the Premier League to four games, with Bees trio Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago doing the damage.
Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat against Brentford was the “worst” of their four-game losing streak in the Premier League, according to manager Arne Slot. The Reds were unable to build on their thumping Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek, with the Dutchman saying their latest reverse was more damning than the defeats against Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Lamine Yamal has risked the wrath of Real Madrid supporters once again after the Barcelona forward sent out a defiant message ahead of the first Clasico of the season. Having already received scorn from the Blaugrana’s bitter rivals, the 18-year-old decided to prod them for a second time before Sunday’s mouth-watering fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Gianluigi Donnarumma has finally settled one of football’s biggest debates — Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe? The Italian shotstopper, who has shared dressing rooms with both superstars in recent years, offered a clear verdict on who hits the ball harder. Having experienced their brilliance up close, Donnarumma’s insight carries unique weight in a discussion that continues to divide everyone.
Ruben Amorim has heaped praise on Bryan Mbeumo after the forward continued his fantastic start to life at Manchester United with a brace in the 4-2 victory over Brighton on Saturday. The 26-year-old netted his third and fourth Premier League goals of the season as Amorim’s side built on their recent wins over Sunderland and Liverpool with another triumph at Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo fired an ominous warning to his rivals by insisting he is “hungry for more” after scoring his 950th career goal in Al-Nassr’s 2-0 victory over Al-Hazm. The Portugal superstar achieved the dizzying landmark as he added to compatriot Joao Felix’s earlier strike to help Jorge Jesus’ men remain perfect in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.
Following Inter Miami’s 3-1 win over Nashville SC in Game 1 of the MLS Cup Playoffs, Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul - Messi’s longtime national team teammate - praised the captain’s influence and form. He added that Messi’s decision to remain with the Herons beyond this season has given the squad an extra spark heading into the postseason.
Matheus Cunha was in an ecstatic mood after scoring his first goal for Manchester United in the 4-2 win over Brighton. The Brazilian forward finally got off the mark in his ninth game for the Red Devils following his £62.5m move from Wolves last summer and he revealed that just after he curled in the opening goal against the Seagulls his team-mates had been winding him up for not scoring sooner.
Cristiano Ronaldo achieved his milestone 950th career goal as Al-Nassr comfortably beat Al-Hazm 2-0 to maintain their 100 per cent record in the Saudi Arabian top-flight. Joao Felix opened the scoring in the first half with a brilliant header, while his compatriot and Portugal captain finished the job with a precise strike from close range to secure another crucial three points for his club.
Bruno Fernandes made his 300th appearance for Manchester United as he started against Brighton on Saturday. The Portuguese midfielder joined United in January 2020 from Sporting CP and is regarded as the best signing the club has made in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. The captain made his milestone appearance five months after rejecting a succulent offer to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Wrexham secured a vital point following an entertaining 1-1 draw with Championship high-flyers Middlesbrough at the Riverside. The Welsh side dominated for large swathes of the match and took an early lead, courtesy of a brilliant strike from Josh Windass, which took a deflection on its way in. But there was heartache for the visitors after Hayden Hackney’s diving header drew the hosts level with just a few minutes of the match remaining.
Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl stole the show with a stunning finish as the German champions thrashed 10-man Borussia Monchengladbach 3-0 to extend their winning streak in the Bundesliga to eight matches. Former Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson failed to make an impact despite starting, while Harry Kane's incredible scoring run finally came to an end.
Chelsea's plans ahead of their Saturday afternoon kick-off with Sunderland were disrupted when they had to be evacuated from their training ground. The Blues had been scheduled to have a training session on Friday afternoon, but had to leave the premises when an alarm in the swimming pool was set off. Owing to fears around a potential chlorine leak, the players and staff had to evacuate.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has thrown his support behind his new signing Milos Kerkez after the Hungarian left-back's difficult start to life at the Premier League champions. Kerkez joined the club with high expectations, having excelled at Bournemouth last campaign, and was seen as the natural heir to the ageing Andy Robertson, but things have not quite clicked yet.
Manchester United have launched a complaint to the Premier League over their fixture list. The Red Devils are unhappy with the number of midweek games they will have to play at home between next week and Christmas Day, with their weekend matches all coming away from Old Trafford. Saturday's fixture against Brighton represents their last weekend game in front of their own fans until December 26.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has hit back at Liverpool counterpart Arne Slot’s criticism of his tactics after their clash last weekend. Amorim became the first Red Devils head coach since Louis van Gaal to beat the Reds at Anfield and was quick to dismiss his opposite number’s comments. Ahead of United's meeting with Brighton, the Portuguese coach wants to keep the good momentum going.