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.
The New York Red Bulls parted ways with coach Sandro Schwarz following a disappointing season, the club announced on Monday. The Red Bulls failed to make the postseason for the first time in 15 years after reaching the MLS Cup final in 2024. The club promoted former Canada star Julian de Guzman to head of sport.
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.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to defy age and expectations after being named among the 26 finalists for the 2025 Men’s FIFPRO World 11 on Monday. The Argentina and Portugal superstars have been rewarded for their efforts in 2024-25 by being included on the star-studded list alongside Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.
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.
AC Milan have high hopes and expect a lot from new signing Christopher Nkunku, who joined the club on a five-year contract from Chelsea this summer. The French international, who was integrated into the squad back in August, is yet to get a start in Milan colours, but head coach Massimiliano Allegri has hinted at handing him his first start to the campaign in their upcoming encounter.
German football legend Lothar Matthaus believes 17-year-old Lennart Karl could be the next Jamal Musiala, a fearless and technically gifted prodigy destined for Bayern Munich stardom under Vincent Kompany. After scoring on his Champions League debut and in the Bundesliga against Borussia Monchengladbach in the same week, Karl has captured Germany’s attention, with Matthaus seeing in him the same blend of boldness and intelligence that made Musiala a modern Bayern jewel.
Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac is considering resting star striker Serhou Guirassy for the DFB-Pokal clash with Eintracht Frankfurt amid a month-long Bundesliga goal drought. While hinting at a "creative break," Kovac offered his full support to his "attack leader" and provided a positive injury update on other stars like Emre Can and Julien Duranville.
Thiago Silva wrote a heartfelt message on Instagram as the Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain, & Chelsea legend's son earned his first England call-up for the U-15s. Despite being eligible to follow in his father’s footsteps and represent Brazil, the young defender has chosen to don the Three Lions at the youth level.
Juventus have been warned by club legend Alessandro Del Piero that Igor Tudor's sacking will not solve the problems at the club. The former Italy international has explained that the issues inside the club are more complex than what the decision-makers believe and that it is not a coaching problem which has led to their dismal start to the campaign.
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.
Cristian Chivu's Inter have been hit by a major injury blow, with veteran star Henrikh Mkhitaryan ruled out until December with a thigh strain. The 36-year-old midfielder will miss at least seven matches, including crucial Champions League ties and the all-important Derby della Madonnina against their arch rivals AC Milan on November 23.
Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas has been left reeling after discovering that his longtime housekeeper and a security guard allegedly stole five luxury watches worth around €50,000 from his private collection and replaced them with counterfeits. The shocking betrayal inside the goalkeeper’s Madrid residence led to swift police arrests and an ongoing investigation.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been warned that he could lose his job if he fails to deliver the Premier League title as the Gunners have already opened up a sizeable gap at the top. After coming agonisingly close in the past three seasons, the Gunners have been told that anything less than lifting the trophy this year could mark the end of Arteta’s tenure in north London.
Robert Lewandowski has returned to full training in a major boost for Barcelona following their El Clasico defeat against arch rivals Real Madrid. The Polish striker is in the final stretch of his recovery from a hamstring tear and is targeting Sunday's clash with Elche, while optimism is also reportedly growing over goalkeeper Joan Garcia's fitness.
Napoli’s joy turned to despair after their 3-1 victory over Inter as star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne suffered a serious thigh injury that could end his 2025 season. The Belgian’s absence adds to Antonio Conte’s mounting injury list, deepening Napoli’s crisis despite their return to the top of Serie A. The former Manchester City starlet's absence could now derail Napoli’s title momentum.
Alessia Russo is one of 11 Lionesses on the list of nominees for this year's FIFPRO XI, which also includes seven players from the Spain side England beat in the European Championship final - albeit not Mariona Caldentey, who put La Roja ahead in that game and finished as runner-up to Aitana Bonmati at the Ballon d'Or. That's not the only surprise, either, with Mary Earps included and there no representation for the United States women's national team.
Paris Saint-Germain wing-back Nuno Mendes has revealed he never had any intentions to leave the Ligue 1 giants. He was being chased by Manchester United for over two transfer windows, but his claim that he is happy in the French capital has now spilled water on the Premier League side's approach, with the Portuguese star eyeing further glory with Luis Enrique's team.
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.
Marcus Rashford has been sent a stern warning by England legend Chris Waddle that Barcelona could send him back to Manchester United despite his impressive statistics. The English forward, who joined Barca on loan after being exiled by United boss Ruben Amorim, has made an impressive start to life under Hansi Flick, yet Waddle insists the 27-year-old is still on trial.
After defeating Sassuolo in the Serie A, Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has heaped praise on Argentine forward Paulo Dybala for his performance. The Gialorossi edged past their Italian counterparts 1-0 in an away game as the 31-year-old secured the solitary goal, keeping the capital club level on points with Napoli at the top of Serie A.
AC Milan have reportedly asked USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino to omit star player Christian Pulisic from his upcoming squad. The Serie A side want the winger to finalise his recovery in Milan to be fit for the derby match against Inter, as manager Massimiliano Allegri seeks to finally deploy Pulisic in attack alongside Rafael Leao in the crucial fixture.
England boss Sarina Wiegman has added yet another fresh face to her Lionesses squad ahead of Tuesday's clash with Australia after West Ham defender Anouk Denton accepted her first senior call-up. That's despite no player withdrawing from selection before the European champions' second fixture of this international break, with it instead a measure to protect Lucy Bronze and Niamh Charles in particular.
It's fair to say England's homecoming didn't go to plan on Saturday. Returning to action for the first time since winning the European Championship this past summer, the Lionesses were 2-0 down just 18 minutes into their meeting with Brazil, and despite the visitors going down to 10 players not long after scoring that second, England could not make their numerical advantage count in a disappointing 2-1 defeat. What will have made the loss even more frustrating for some, though, was that it came amid a lack of experimentation from Sarina Wiegman.
Juventus have decided to part ways with head coach Igor Tudor, ending their seven-month journey together in which he guided the club to a top-four Serie A finish and Champions League qualification. But after an eight-game winless run and mounting pressure, the club have acted decisively by appointing Juventus Next Gen coach Massimo Brambilla as a stopgap while directors probe short-term fixes and long-term replacements to steady a wounded team.
Marcus Rashford is reported to have made his mind up where he wants to play next season, albeit he is still only in the early stages of a loan with Barcelona and his long-term future is far from certain due to the Catalan club's delicate financial situation. The England international fell out of favour with Ruben Amorim last season at Manchester United and any sort of reunion there seems unlikely.
Chelsea are reportedly weighing up a sensational loan move for out-of-favour Barcelona goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The German has found himself frozen out after nearly a decade as the Catalans’ undisputed No.1. He has been pushed aside to make way for Joan Garcia, the former Espanyol star who was one of Europe’s standout performers last season. Barcelona’s decision to spend €25 million (£22m/$29m) on Garcia has caused internal friction as it is understood that Ter Stegen was livid at the signing, viewing it as a declaration that his era was over.
Referee Maurizio Mariani has been stood down by a "furious" chief after his performance in the heated clash between Napoli and Inter. Mariani and his assistant are being punished for a "short circuit" call on a controversial penalty while also missing an "obvious" handball claim for Inter as Napoli ran out 3-1 winners against Christian Chivu's team.