Former Manchester United and Chelsea star Juan Mata rolled back the years by scoring an eye-catching brace for Melbourne Victory in a 3-1 derby win over Melbourne City on Saturday. The goals even drew praise from Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes who took to social media to show his appreciation for the 37-year-old's excellent efforts in the A-League clash.
A Champions League knockout phase play-off encounter in Lisbon between Benfica and Los Blancos had to take an unplanned 15-minute break. Reason? The Brazilian and Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni exchanged words, with the former alleging he was racially abused, delaying the match in the process. The 'Special One' has found himself on the receiving end of heavy criticism when he failed to condemn his player at the centre of the alleged racial abuse controversy.
Declan Rice has revealed the message Bukayo Saka gave him about north London derbies when he first signed for Arsenal. The Gunners visit their local rivals on Sunday looking to reaffirm their Premier League title credentials after a disappointing 2-2 draw with Wolves on Wednesday. Arsenal are unbeaten in competitive meetings with Spurs since 2022 and Rice believes Sunday's clash is the "perfect game" for his side to get back on track.
The South African tactician had an ambition of having a successful debut campaign with the Algerian giants. However, one of his targets will not be achieved after the Algiers-based outfit was eliminated from the continental inter-club competition. After suffering the CAF setback, upon resumption of the domestic duty, Mokwena's club was handed another one.
Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni has already given his version of events in UEFA's investigation into his alleged use of racist language against Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior. The incident followed Vinicius' stunning winning goal in Tuesday night's Champions League knockout play-off first leg in Lisbon, as the two players exchanged words before the Brazilian ran over to the referee to report something the Argentine said while he had his face covered with his shirt.
The move made by the Bafana Bafana defender to switch from the Premier Soccer League to Major League Soccer remains one of the most controversial transfer stories in recent history. One of the high-profile figures to oppose it was Hugo Broos, and the coach's comments almost rocked the national team camp as it prepared for the 2025 AFCON finals in Morocco. While some argued the move was made in haste, others felt it could end up opening the window for the defender to Europe eventually.
Mikel Arteta has rejected the idea that his Arsenal side are in danger of becoming 'bottle jobs' after a disappointing 2-2 draw with Wolves on Wednesday. The Gunners remain in the driving seat at the top of the Premier League table but now face a test of character as Manchester City attempt to rein them in before the end of the campaign. Arteta also accepted his team must take recent criticism "on the chin".
Mason Greenwood missed a penalty as Marseille lost 2-0 to Brest in a major blow to their Champions League hopes. The game marked Habib Beye's first in charge of the Ligue 1 club, since taking over from former manager Roberto De Zerbi amid a poor run of form in the French top-flight.
Crystal Palace have made a decision on Oliver Glasner's future after he was taunted in the aftermath of their disappointing Conference League draw with Zrinjski Mostar. Fans chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” after their embarrassing failure to secure victory in Bosnia.
Chelsea have announced IFS, a new AI firm, as their front-of-shirt sponsor for the remainder of the 2025/26 season, "marking the beginning of a long-term collaboration". The Blues have not had a permanent sponsor since their deal with mobile phone operator Three expired in 2023.
After a record MLS playoff run, Tadeo Allende opens up on Messi’s leadership, new competition from Berterame, and why he committed his future to Inter Miami.
The Mexico National Team announced its official roster for the friendly match against Iceland, which will be played on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at Estadio Corregidora in the city of Querétaro. Once again, Chivas is the club contributing the most players to the squad, with seven representatives. The players selected by head coach Javier Aguirre must report starting Sunday.
With the 2026 Major League Soccer season just around the corner, Columbus Crew made a late move in the market by securing the services of Portuguese midfielder André Gomes. The 32-year-old arrives in Ohio as a free agent after ending his stint with French side Lille, where he struggled for consistent playing time this season.
Tottenham Hotspur have appointed former Chelsea caretaker manager Bruno Saltor as Igor Tudor's assistant, as Spurs prepare for the north London derby against Arsenal this weekend. The Croatian has been appointed as interim manager after the sacking of Thomas Frank, with the club languishing in 16th place in the Premier League table.
Legendary Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has rubbished suggestions that Pep Guardiola's eventual departure could lead to the club suffering a similar decline to the one Manchester United experienced when Sir Alex Ferguson retired. According to reports, there is an expectation that Guardiola could step down from his role at the end of this season after 10 years as City coach.
Nottingham Forest star Ola Aina has mocked Fenerbahce's infamous "welcome to hell" mantra after his side won 3-0 in Türkiye. The Premier League side won 3-0 away from home in the first leg of their play-off tie, thanks to goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White.
New Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor has claimed that he is not enjoying managing the club ahead of his first game, a vitally important north London derby against an Arsenal side attempting to win the Premier League for the first time in 2004. Tudor's Spurs lie 16th, just five points clear of the relegation zone.
The Glamour Boys' co-coaches started the season with promise as their tactics seemed to work. However, the last two weeks have exposed them as Amakhosi remain at risk of ending the campaign without silverware. They are out of the Nedbank Cup and the CAF Confederation Cup, which could see them concluding the season empty-handed.
As Amakhosi and Bucs focus only on domestic trophies, Masandawana are set for a very demanding calendar. Downs are not only juggling both continental and domestic assignments but are also facing considerable pressure from the Soweto giants in the league title race. Amid unrelenting challenge from their rivals, the million-dollar question remains whether the Brazilians can withstand the storm and maintain their top-flight dominance.
In recent matches, the defender appeared to be struggling with knocks, raising fears of his fitness level. The 30-year-old has a troubling history with injuries, but the Bucs' tactician has allayed fears of a fresh injury. With the season heading towards a decisive homestretch, the Sea Robbers cannot afford to lose more players to injuries.
Former Buccaneers fan favourite Aubrey Lekwane has jumped to the youngster's defence after his below-par showing in the 2-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday blew the Betway Premiership title race wide open. The perennial champions are now just three points behind the Soweto club, locked on the same goal difference and with a game in hand.
The experienced midfield maestro spent much of his time with clubs in France, Denmark, and Turkey. However, when he came back to the country, his ambition was to pen a deal with the Naturena heavyweights, but it did not happen. He ended up signing for Amakhosi's rivals in the Premier Soccer League.
Alan Shearer has warned Arsenal that "cracks are starting to show" in their title bid, after Mikel Arteta's side threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Wolves. The Gunners are now five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table, but they have played a game more.
The Soweto giants' forward was loaned out to the Cape Winelands side after he fell down the pecking order under Abdeslam Ouaddou and he looks to revive himself. On the other hand, the former Buccaneers defender is likely to miss the next few games for the Maroons, who are in dire need of positive results to save their season. The Nigerian defender joined the club after his shock exit from the Sea Robbers.
After a short and controversial stint and eventual exit, it seems all is not well between the Spaniard and the Egyptian giants. After what was initially thought to be an ambitious move, the 50-year-old coach only lasted three months. A poor run of games, coupled with pressure from fans and the club's legends, saw the African giants dismiss the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup winner.
The Colombian forward is turning out to be a massive signing for the Tshwane giants. In key games, the striker has risen to the occasion and lifted the Brazilians when it mattered the most. He played a crucial role again as the Pretoria heavyweights outclassed their PSL title race rivals.
As the Buccaneers fought but conceded defeat to their title rivals, one of their key players was unable to complete 90 minutes. The speedster was limited by injury last year, and his return has been overshadowed by fears that he could be sidelined again. Already, the Sea Robbers are operating with a limited squad, as four of their regular starters are battling injuries.
The duo was given a chance to take the team forward following the changes that had been made by the management in the early 2025/26 campaign. The tacticians' future at the Glamour Boys hangs in the balance since the Soweto giants refused to confirm them beyond the current edition, insisting that it will be discussed once it concludes.
The Brazilians faced off against the Buccaneers in the unfamiliar role of slight underdogs at the iconic FNB Stadium on Wednesday night in a crucial Premier Soccer League outing. However, at the final whistle, it was the Pretoria-based team who walked away with maximum points against their hosts, who should have done better with a slew of chances, especially in the first half. Afterwards, the Portuguese tactician was glowing in his praise for his side and what the result does to their title ambitions.
The 53-year-old former Esperance tactician is seemingly getting it right at Masandawana after a heavy storm in the initial games. After just two outings in five days across all competitions, the Brazilians are in the CAF Champions League quarter-final and are now just three points behind the Buccaneers in the Premier Soccer League title race with a game in hand.