FIFA WC PLAYOFFS: The final round of the European playoff round for the FIFA 2026 World Cup to be jointly hosted by United States, Mexico and Canada is now set after the conclusion of the Semi-Final rounds. Italy defeated Norther Ireland 2-0 thanks to goals from Newcastle's Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean. A Victor Gyokores hattrick helped Sweden dispatch Ukraine 3-0. Kosovo came from a goal deficit at half time to beat Slovakia 4-3 with an inspired 2nd half display which saw Kosovo score 3 goals in the half. Denmark also beat North Macedonia 4-0 in a very comfortable and assured display while Czech Republic needed penalties to beat Republic of Ireland 3-2. Ireland raced to a 2 goals lead early in the game before the Czechs equalized late into the game to take it to extra time. There was no separation between both teams and penalties was needed to decide a winner. Wales and Bosnia & Herzegovina also ended with penalties after the two teams couldn't be separated during normal time and extra time. Dan James gave Wales the lead with a wonderful finish before long-term captain Edzin Dzeko equalized with a header from a corner. Brighton's Ferdi Kadioglu scored the only goal of the game as Turkey beat Romania 1-0. Goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski helped Poland come from a goal down to beat Albania 2-1 to progress to t he final round. The fixture for the final round of qualifying play-offs for the European qualifiers sees Italy take on Bosnia and Herzegovina while Turkey will face Kosovo. Sweden will trade tackles with Poland and Czech Republic will face Denmark for a place in the World Cup.
UCL RECAP: Sporting CP became just the 5th team to overturn a 3 goals first leg deficit in the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League after beating Bodo/Glint 5-0 after extra time. The Portuguese side needed to win by more than 3 goals to advance, The got their first goal through Goncarlo Inacio, Pedro Goncalves doubled their lead in the 61st minute before an handball deep into injury time gave Sporting the opportunity to tie on aggregate, Luis Suarez converted from the spot to give Sporting a lifeline. Sporting scored immediately from the start of extra time to give them a 4-3 on aggregate before another goal in injury time of the Extras put the game to bed. Sporting qualifies for the Qaurter-finals and will be facing Arsenal Arsenal put in a commanding display as they dispatched German side Bayer Leverkusen 2-0. The German side were a bit difficult to break down for Arteta's men before a wonderful volley from Eberechi Eze gave Arsenal the lead. The game was put to bed after Declan Rice controlled a high clearance and slotted past Leverkusen goalkeeper. PSG absolutely dismantled Chelsea at Stamford Bridge beating the English side 3-0 at home.. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia opened scoring in the 6th minute before a amix-up between Felipe Caicedo and Andrey Santos allowed Bradley Barcola to double PSG 's lead. Mayulu put the game to bed in the 62nd minute and put Chelsea out of their misery. Real Madrid put up an assured display as they beat Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad stadium and knockout Pep Guardiola's men out of the Champions League. Vini Jr opened the scoring from the spot after Bernado Silva was sent off for handball in the penalty box and stopping a goal scoring opportunity. Erling Haaland restored parity in the 41st minute for his 57th goal in UCL but a Vini Jr goal in the 93rd minute was the final nail in the coffin for City. Barcelona put 7 goals past Newcatle United beating them 7-2 (8-3 on aggregate)' It was a keenly contested 1st half which saw a total of 5 goals scored. Raphina gave Barcelona the lead only for Anthony Elanga restored parity for Newcastle. Marco Bernal restored Barcelona's lead only for Elanga to restore parity for the 2nd time in the first half. A Lamine Yamal penalty deep into 1st half injury time gave Barcelona a 3-2 going into the half. Barcelona absolutely bamboozled Newcastle in the 2nd half as Fermin Lopez, a Robert Lewandowski double and another goal from Raphina gave the Spanish side a 7-2 win. Liverpool put 4 goals past Galatasary to defeat them 4-1 on agrregate. Goals from Dominik Szoboslai, Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch and a 50th UCL goal for Salah which makes him highest scoring African in the competition. Bayern Munich also defeated Italian side Atalanta 4-1 to win 10-2 on aggregate. Harry Kane scored 2 goals as well as Leimart Karl and Luiz Diaz all scored to push Bayern into the Quarter-finals. Tottenham Hotspur defeated Atletico Madrid 3-2 but lost 7-5 on aggregate. Randal Kolo Muani gave Spurs the lead but Julian Alvarez restored parity. Xavi Simmons gave Spurs the lead before Hanko leveled the scores again. A penalty in the 92nd minute converted by Xavi Simmons ensured Tottenham's lead but it was not enough to qualify for the next around. This is the first time that 4 teams from the same country all get eliminated at the same round (Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Newcastle United).
UCL: The return leg of the Round of 16 fixtures kicks off on Tuesday as Sporting CP are looking to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg. Bodo/Glint have been the surprise team of the season after beating Manchester city, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan. Chelsea would be looking to overturn a 3 goal deficit after the first leg ended 5-2 in favour of the French side. Another English side, Manchester City will host Real Madrid at the Etihad looking to win with a margin of at least 4 goals to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg. Arsenal will be looking to continue their Quadruple dream when they host German side Bayer Leverkusen. The first leg ended 1-1 in Germany and the English side would be looking to put their opponent away. Barcelona welcomes Newcastle United to the Olympic stadium looking to better last week result which ended 1-1 after a last minute Lamine Yamal penalty. Struggling English side Liverpool would be looking to put away Galatasary after the Turkish side won the first leg 1-0. The English side have been struggling to put teams away and would not want a repeat of what happened against Tottenham. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich who won the first leg against Atalanta in Italy 6-1 would be looking to make their qualification a formality after amassing a 5 goal advantage from the first leg. Finally, Tottenham Hotspur would be looking for a miracle to overturn a 5-2 deficit from the first leg that saw a lot of costly mistakes bite Spurs in the leg. They would be trying to avoid those costly mistakes and try to score 4 or more goals to qualify for the Quater-Finals.
UCL RECAP: It was a repeat of the groups stage game between Galatasary and Liverpool as the Turkish side were a 1-0 winner over the 6 times UCL champion. A 7th minute header from Mario Lemina was all that was needed by Galatasary to win the game Victor Osihmen thought he had given Gala a 2 goals lead but it was chalked off for infringement on Andy Robertson. Liverpool also thought they had scored but it was called off for handball By Ibrahima Konate. Tottenham endured one of their worst night in European football as they were beaten by Atletico Madrid 5-1 at the Wanda Metropolitano. 3 goals in the first 15 minutes was the recipe for disaster as multiple errors by Tottenham allowed Atletico to score these 3 goals. A substitution by spurs replacing the goalkeeper didn't change much as Atletico added another one. Pedro Porro pulled one back for Spurs before Atletico scored a 5th goal through Julian Alvarez. Dominic Solanke scored a consolation goal for Spurs late in the game. Bayern Munich were at their mercurial best as they beat Atalanta 6-1 with a Micheal Olise double as well as goals from Josip Stanisic, Segre Gnarby, Nicholas Jackson and Jamal Musiala ensured that their Italian opposition were soundly beaten. Newcastle played out an impressive 1-1 draw with Barcelona. It was a cagey affair up until Harvey Barnes thought he had given Newcastle the win after scoring in the 86th minute before Bracelona were awarded a penalty deep into extra time which was converted by Lamine Yamal. Real Madrid inflicted the joint highest defeat om a Pep Guardiola coached team as they beat Manchester City 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeau. A Fede Valverde first half hattrick was enough as Real Madrid absolutely outclassed The Citizens. Madrid also had a penalty that was saved by Gianluigi Donarunma. Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen played out a 1-1 draw in Germany. Robert Andrich gave the German side the lead after heading in a corner before Arsenal were awarded a corner late in the game after a foul on Noni Madueke. Kai Havertz converted the spot kick on the night he returned to his boyhood club. It was an avalanche of goals and more goals as PSG beat English side Chelsea FC 5-2 to win the first leg. Bradley Barcola gave PSG the lead before Malo Gusto equalized after finding himself all alone at the near post. Ousmane Dembele restores the lead for the french side before Enzo Fernandez equalized again for Chelsea. further goals from Vitinha and a double from 2nd half substitute Kvira Kvaratskhelia sealed the win. Surprise team of the tournament Bodo/Glint continued their Cinderella story after comfortably beating Portuguese side Sporting CP 3-0 at home. Goals from Fet, Blomberg and Kasper Hogh gave the Norwegian side the comprehensive win.
UCL: The Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League kicks off on Tuesday as Galatasary plays host to 6 times winner Liverpool while Atalanta host German superpower Bayern Munich. Atletico host a struggling Tottenham Hotspur who has had a respectable UCL campaign so far. Newcastle and Barcelona will have a rematch of their game form the group stage when the Catalan giants travel to St. James park to battle the English side. German outfit Bayer Leverkusen will play host to the League leaders from the group stage Arsenal in Germany while surprise team of the competition Bodo/Glint play host to Sporting CP. UCL holders PSG face English side Chelsea in a rematch of their Club World Cup final game which Chelsea won 3-0. The game of the round will see Real Madrid welcome English side Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeau. This would be the 5th consecutive year that the 2 teams have met each other in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
UCL: The Round of 16 fixtures for the UEFA Chmpions league has been released by UEFA. Current holders PSG will face English side, Chelsea, While Galatasary face 6 times winner Liverpool. The top fixture of the round will see Manchester City will battle 15 times winner Real Madrid. Atalanta will battle German giant Bayern Munich while it's going to be a rematch of the group stage fixture as Newcastle will battle Spanish giants Barcelona. Atletico will trade battle with English side Tottenham Hotspur who have had a solid European campaign despite a terrible PL record this season. Surprise package of the season Bodo/Glint will trade tackles with Portuguese side Sporting CP while the leader of the group stage phase Arsenal will hope to continue their impressive campaign as they face German side, Bayer Leverkusen. the first leg of the fixtures takes place on 10th & 11th of March 2026 while the 2nd leg takes place on 17th & 18th March 2026.
UCL RECAP: Bodo\Glint produced one of the major upsets of the UEFA Champions League in recent memories after knocking out last year's finalist Inter Milan beating the Italian giants both home and away. After defeating Milan 3-1 last week, the Norwegian side travelled to the San Siro and totally out fought Inter beating them 2-1. Jens Petter Hauge gave them the lead in the 58th minute before Even double the lead to put the game beyond the reach of the Italians. Alessandro Bastoni pulled a consolation goal but the damage had been done already. Newcastle beat Qarabag 3-2 to win 9-3 on aggregate, the Geordies took a 2 goals lead in the first 6 minutes of the game with goals from Sandro Tonali and Joelinton. Duran pulled one back for Qarabag before Sven Botman scored a minute later to put the away before Qarabag scored again but the damage was irreversible after such a heavy defeat in the first leg. Alexander Sorloth scored an hattrick as Atletico Madrid beat Belgian side Club Brugge 4-1 to record an aggregate score of 7-4. Sorloth opened the scoring in the 23rd minute but Brugge pulled one back through Ordonez. Johnny Castro restored Atletico one goal lead before 2 late goals from Sorloth put the game to bed. Bayer Leverkusen played out a drab 0-0 draw with Greek side Olympiacos. After winning the first leg 2-0, the German side were jus content to control the game and not take any unnecessary risks which saw them win 2-0 on aggregate. Atalanta and Borrusia Dortmund produced one of the best games of the UEFA Champions League when Atalanta beat Dortmund 4-1 to win 4-3 on aggregate and progress to the Round of 16. Gianluca Scamacca strike and Davide Zappacosta deflected shot erased Dortmund's 2 goals lead from the first leg. Mario Pasalic added a third before Karim Adeyemi scored to make the scores 3-3 on aggregate. Nico Schlotterbeck committed a foul in the penalty box in the 97th minute for which Atalanta were awarded a penalty, Lazar Samardzic converted the ensuing penalty to send Atalanta through tithe next round. Real Madrid best Benfica 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to qualify 3-1 on aggregate. Rafa Silva gave Benfica the lead but Madrid equalized through Aurelien Tchouameni two minutes later. Vini Jr scored the winning goal in the 80th minute after running through on goal from a Federico Valverde through ball.PSG and AS Monaco played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, a results which sees PSG go through with a 5-4 aggregate score. Maghnes Akilouche gave Monaco the lead before PSG captain Marquinhos equalized for them and Kvicha Kvarastskhella gave them the lead only for Monaco to equalize in the 91st minute through JordanTeze. Monaco tried to get another goal but it was a futile effort. Juventus almost pulled of one the the biggest comeback in recent history after beating Galatasary 3-0 during normal time to force extra time. Goals from Manuel Locatelli, Federico Gatti and Weston McKennie gave them a 3 goals lead and they also had Lloyd Kelly sent off in the 48th minute. In extra time, Galatasary pulled one back through Victor Oshimen and Alper Yilmaz ensured that Juventus comeback effort was in vain winning 7-5 on aggregate and advance to the Round of 16.
UCL: The return legs of the UEFA Champions League play-offs round kicks off on Tuesday and teams would either be looking to consolidate on their first leg results or overturn their first leg deficits. Atletico Madrid would be hosting Club Brugge at the Wanda Metropolitano after playing out a 3-3 draw in the first Leg. Leverkusen will be hosting Greek side Olympioacos after winning the first leg 2-0 in Greece. Inter Milan would be looking to overturn their two goals deficit from the first leg as the host surprise package of the competition Bodo/Glint after losing the first leg 3-1. Newcastle is expected to qualify after already beating Qarabag 6-1 in the first Leg, Atalanta would be looking to overturn a 2 goals deficit after losing the first leg to Borrusia Dortmund 2-0. PSG would be looking to put away fellow French side AS Monaco after coming from 2 goals down to win 3-2 in the first leg. Last year's winner have really struggled in this years's competition. Juventus have a 3 goals deficit to erase as they host Galatasary after losing the first leg 5-2. Real Madrid would be hosting Portuguese side Benfica at the Santiago Bernabeau looking to consolidate on their first leg results in Portugal. It promises to be a tense match after the alleged racist incident that took place in the first leg. Benfica would be without manager Jose Mourinho who was sent off in the first leg.
UCL RESULTS: The conclusion of the first leg of the UCL Knockout Play-offs has produced drama, goals, intrigue and an ugly case of Racism. Galatasary came from a goal down to beat Juventus 5-2 and take a 3 goals advantage heading into the 2nd leg. Real Madrid dug deep and defeated Benfica 1-0 but the game had to be stopped for 10 minute after Vini Jr reported a Benfica player for making racist remarks at him. PSG game from 2 goals down to beat AS Monaco 3-2 with Desire Doue the star of the show, the Frenchman came in for the injured Ousmane Dembele and scored 2 goals as he helped his team secure the win. Borrusia Dortmund beat Atalanta 2-0 with goals from Guirrisay and Max Beier. Newcastle absolutely drubbed Qarabag 6-1 with Anthony Gordon scoring 4 goals to take his total in the UCL to 10 goals. Bodo/Glint beat last years finalist Inter Milan 3-1 thereby repeating the scoreline with which they beat Manchester City im the group stage. Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid produced a 3-3 thriller as there was no victor and no vanquished. Patrick Schick score 2 goals in 3 minutes to help Bayer Leverkusen beat Olympiacos in Greece.
UCL: The first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-offs round begins tomorrow as Galatasary welcomes Juventus to the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex for the first leg while Borrusia Dortmund welcomes Atalanta to the Signa Iduna Park. Real Madrid will travel to Portugal to face Benfica in a rematch of the last round of matches in the group stage where Benfica goalkeeper Anatoily Trubin scored a late winner to get Benfica into the play-offs round. Real Madrid would be trying to avoid a repeat of what happened in that game as it cost them automatic qualification for the round of 16. Last year's winner Paris Saint-Germain will be battling AS Monaco in a battle of French teams while surprise team Qarabag will be hosting English side Newcastle who has had a wonderful competition so far. Last year's beaten finalist Inter Milan will battle Bodo/Glint while Atletico Madrid will face Belgian side Club Brugge. Lastly, German side Bayer Leverkusen will travel to Greece to take on Greek side Olympiacos.
UCL: The fixtures for the Playoff round for the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League has been released and it promises to be exciting. Top among the fixtures is the rematch between Benfica and Real Madrid, Benfica defeated Real Madrid to qualify for the Playoff round with the last kick of the game and have been rewarded with a rematch against them in the playoffs. Other fixtures sees holders Paris Saint-Germain facing off against another French side AS Monaco, Borrusia Dortmund were handed a tricky fixture as they will face Italian side, Atalanta. Club Brugge will face Spanish side Atletico Madrid while English side Newcastle will face the suprise team in the Champions League in Qarabag. The fixtures are; Monaco VS PSG Benfica VS Real Madrid Qarabag VS Newcastle Bodo/Glint VS Inter Milan Galatasary vs Juventus Borrusia Dortmund VS Atalanta Olympiocos VS Bayer Leverkusen. Club Brugge VS Atletico
RECORD: Real Madrid attacker Kylian Mbappe has broken Cristiano Ronaldo's record for highest number of goals scored in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Kylian Mbappe has scored 13 goals in the 2025/2026 UCL group stage, two (2) goals more than Ronlado's 11 goals which he scored in 6 games during Real Madrid UCL title winning season of 205/2016. Mbappe set his record after playing in 7 games. Mbappe has been in a scintillating form this season scoring 34 goals in all competition (21 La Liga goals and 13 UCL goals) as at the time of reporting and still has a chance to pass Cristiano Ronlado's record of total goals in a season.
UCL RECAP: The final day of the UEFA Champions League was filled with drama, intrigue, absolute suspense and of course, loads of goals. Chelsea came from a goal down to defeat Napoli 3-2 an the Diego Armando Maradona stadium to knock Napoli out of the Champions league. Chelsea took the lead through Enzo Fernandez before 2 quickfire goals from Antonio Vergara and Rasmus Holjund gave Napoli the lead. Joao Pedro replied with 2 excellent and well taken goals to give Chelsea the lead and win which knocks Napoli out of the Champions League. Manchester City defeated Galatasary 2-0 at the Etihad with Erling Haaland and Rayan Chekri with Jeremy Doku producing both assists. Benfica defeated 15 times winner Real Madrid 4-2 to progress to the playoff round in a results which also knocked Madrid out of automatic qualification for the next round. The highlight of the game was when Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored the goal that qualified his team for the playoff round. Liverpool embarrassed Qarabag 6-0 with goals from Alexis MacAllister (2), Mohammed Salah, Florian Writz, Hugo Ekitike and Federico Chiesa. Barcelona beat Copenhagen 4-1 with Yamal, Raphina and Rashford among the goalscorers, Bayern Munich beat PSV 2-1, PSG and Newcastle played out a 1-1 draw, Inter Milan beat Borrusia Dortmund 2-0 while Bayer Leverkusen beat Villareal 3-0 and Arsenal beat basement team Kairat Almaty 3-2 to have a perfect record in the group stage of the Champions League. Teams that have qualified automatically for the Round of 16 include Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City. Teams going to play the playoff are Real Madrid, Inter Milan, PSG, Atalanta. Newcastle, Juventus, Athletico madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Borrusia Dortmund, Galatasary, AS Monaco, Bodo/Glint, Benfica, Club Brugge, Olympiacos and Qarabag
UCL: The concluding round of matches for the UEFA Champions league takes place on Wednesday with lots of teams vying to qualify in the 1-8 range as it guarantees automatic qualification for the Round of 16, teams that finish in the 9-24 range will be seeded against each other in a playoff format to determine who goes through to the Round of 16.. Arsenal lead the table with 21 points out of a possible 21 points after winning their previous 7 games against clubs like Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Athletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. The hold a 3 points lead over 2nd place Bayern Munich while Real Madrid and Liverpool make the top 4. Barcelona would be hoping to win as they play host to Copenhagen and hoping Napoli beats Chelsea, Arsenal travel to basement team Kairat Almaty, Benfica will host a resurgent Real Madrid. Liverpool will play host to Qarabag which promises to be a dicey affair, German side Bayer Leverkusen will play host to Villareal, Manchester City will welcome Victor Osimhen and his Galatasary teammates to the Etihad, Borrusia Dortmund will play Inter Milan. Napoli will battle Chelsea who are looking to secure automatic qualification for the Round of 16.
UCL RECAP: It was a night of upsets, drama and goal during the Matchday 7 of the UEFA Champions League. Bodo/Glint shocked Manchester city after beatingThe Citizens 3-1. Bodo/Glint took a commanding 3 goals lead before Rayan Cherki pulled one back for City who had Rodri sent off in the 62nd minute. Club Brugge also beat Kairat Almaty 4-1. Real Madrid put together their best performance of the season so far when they defeated French side Monaco 6-1 which saw Kylian Mbappe grab a brace against the club that introduced him to the world. Napoli and Copenhagen played out a 1-1 draw even after Copenhagen got a player sent off. Tottenham handed manager Thomas Frank a much needed boost after they defeated Borrussia Dortmund 2-0 with goals from Christian Romero and Dominic Solanke. Table leaders Arsenal made it 7 wins out of 7 games when they defeated Italian giants Inter Milan 3-1 at the San Siro stadium. Gabriel Jesus gave the gunners the kead before Petar Susic equalized. Jesus restored Arsenal one goal cushion before the half before Viktor Gyokores laid the game to bed. Sporting Lisbon produced the shock of the week after defeating current holders PSG 2-1. Luis Suarez scored the winning goal in the 93rd minute after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had earlier cancelled out his opener. The concluding matches of Matchday 7 of the UEFA Champions League produced lots and lots of goals. Barceloan defeated Slavia Praha 4-2. A Fermin Lopez double alongside goals from Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo gave Barcelona the lead. Harry Kane grabbed a brace as Bayern Munich defeated Union SG 2-0. Chelsea struggled to break down Cypriot side Pafos till a Moises Caicedo header in the 75th minute gave them a 1-0 win over their opponents. Athletico Madrid and Galatasary played out a drab 1-1 draw in Turkey with both sided struggling to create many clear cut chances. Qarabag defeated German side Frankfurt 3-2 with the winner comin in the 92nd minute. Athletic Bilbao put in an inspiring display in Italy as they beat Atalanta 3-2 at home to move up the UCL table. Newcastle defeated dutch side PSV 3-0 thanks to goals from Yoane Wissa, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes. Liverpool absolutely dominated Olympique Marsielle and were rewarded with a clinical 3-0 win thanks to goals from Dominik Szobozlai and Cody Gakpo as well as an own goal from Gerónimo Rulli. Juventus defeated Benifica 2-0 with Kephren Thuram and Weston McKinnnie among the goal scorers.
EXCLUSIVE: The FIFA Council has approved a record prize fund of $655million to be given out at the men’s World Cup in 2026 — a 50 per cent increase from the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The winners of the competition will receive $50m, up from $42m last time around and the runners-up will receive $33m. Third place will take $29m, fourth place will receive $27m, while beaten quarter-finalists will each receive $19m. Those who exit at the round of 16 will receive $15m and those who depart at the round of 32 will be gifted $11m. Nations who fail to progress from the group stages will receive $9m, while each qualified World Cup team will receive a further $1.5m each in preparation costs, meaning that every nation in the tournament will be guaranteed at least $10.5m
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RECAP: Manchester City beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to further put more pressure on manager Xabi Alonso. Mardrid took the lead through Rodrygo befor Nico O'Reilly restored parity. Erling Haaland gave City the lead from the penalty spot. Arsenal beat Belgian club, Club Brugge 3-0 thanks to a Noni Madueke brace and a wonderful effort from Gabriel Martinelli. Benifica defeated Napoli with midfielder Ricardo Rios grabbing a goal and an assist. The full breakdown of the results; Real Madrid 1-2 Mancherster City Juventus 2-0 Pafos Club Brugge 0-3 Arsenal Atheltic Bilbao 0-0 PSG Villareal 2-3 Copenhagen Qarabag 2-4 Ajax B. Dortmun 2-2 Bodo/Glint Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Newcastle Benifica Napoli
UCL RECAP: Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League kicked off with the match between Kairat Alamaty and Greek side, Olympiacos which Olympiacos won 1-0 thanks to a Gelson Martins 73rd minute winner. Bayern Munich defeated Portugese side Sporting CP 3-1 with goals from Serge Genarby, Lennart Karl and Jonathan Tah. Atalanta came from a goal down to defeat Chelsea 2-1. Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere scoring after Joao Pedro gave Chelsea the lead. Liverpool put up a resillient display at the San Siro against Inter Milan before scoring an 88th minute penalty through Dominic Szobozlai after Andrea Bastoni was adjudged to have pulled Florian Writz. Barcelona also came form a goal down to defeat German side, Frankfurt 2-1 thaanks to a brace from defender, Jules Kounde. Tottenham Hotspur whooped Slavia Praha 3-0 with Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simmons among the goal scorers after an own goal by David Zima. The full scorecard of the Tuesday games are; Union SG 2-3 Olympique Marsille Barcelona 2-1 Frnakfurt Atalanta 2-1 Chelsea Inter Milan 0-1 Liverpool PSV 2-3 Atletico Madrid Bayern Munich 3-1 Sproting CP Kairat Almaty 0-1 Olympiacos Monaco 1-0 Galatasary Tottenham 3-0 Slavia Praha.
UEFA CHAMPION LEAGUE: Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions league kickstatrts this evening which will see Bayern Munich take on Sporting CP while Kairat Almaty takes on Greek side, Olympiacos. Top match of the day is between Italian giant, Inter Milan and English Champions, Liverpool. Liverpool will be without Mohammed Salah after he was dropped for his bombshell interview after saturday's game agaianst Leeds United, Federicco Chiesa also sis not travel with the squad. Monaco and Galatasary will do battle as Victo Osihmen would be looking to match Robert Lewandowski's record of scoring in 9 staright Champions league games. PSV and Atletic Madrid would do battle as well as Tottenham taking on Slavia Praha. Red hot Barcelona will host German side Frankfurt. #OnsideFooty
Historic Exchange Under Istanbul Agreement In the largest prisoner swap since the full-scale war began, Russia and Ukraine have each released 390 prisoners—comprising 270 military personnel and 120 civilians—as part of an overall 1,000-for-1,000 agreement negotiated during direct talks in Istanbul earlier in May. BBC+4www.ndtv.com+4Deutsche Welle+4Anadolu Ajansı+15Reuters+ Departures and Arrivals Ukrainian returnees arrived in the Chernihiv region, many visibly frail with shaved heads and draped in national flags, greeted by emotional reunions with relatives amid cheers and tears. Reuters+4 The Washington +4 The Daily Star +4. Some had been held in captivity for nearly two years. Russian returnees, including soldiers and civilians captured during a Ukrainian incursion into Kursk region, were first transported to Belarus for medical and psychological evaluation before being repatriated ussia. BBC+3Reuters+3 The Guardian +3. Emotional Homecomings and Lingering Uncertainty Families crowded the exchange sites, clutching photographs of missing loved ones, hoping for a clue from those stepping off the buses. One Ukrainian newly freed veteran, held for more than 830 days, encouraged others not to lose hope: “In every prison there are many guys who had no contact with their relatives. I was the same,” he said The Guardian+10The Washington Post+10The Guardian+10. But for many, the reunion came with heavy uncertainty about family members still unaccounted for. Political Messages and Future Prospects President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the swap as the only tangible outcome of the Istanbul talks and emphasized continued efforts to bring all detainees home. Hromadske The Washington PostThe Guardian. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov promised that Moscow would submit a draft peace proposal following the exchange but reiterated refusal of a ceasefire unless certain conditions were met—terms Ukraine has rejected, according to Reuters The Guardian. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who helped push for the Istanbul negotiations, congratulated both parties via his social media platform, calling the swap a possible step toward broader peace, though no ceasefire has been agreed upon, according to Reuters and the New York Post. Humanitarian Milestone Amid Ongoing Conflict This first phase swap underscores a rare moment of cooperation in a conflict that has otherwise deepened across Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions. While a few hundred lives have been restored to families, thousands remain in captivity, and both sides show no signs of halting hostilities. Negotiations may continue in coming days as both governments prepare for the next instalment of releases under the "1,000-for-1,000" agreement. For now, the tranche of 390 each represents the largest exchange of its kind since the war began.
It is the year 2025, and the frontrunner to win the Ballon d'Or is Ousmane Dembele, forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. The road to this point has been far from smooth, but this is the end point nonetheless. PSG are the undisputed and unquestionable kings of Europe, winning the European Cup in any format for the first time in their history - a significant feat not just for a team only founded in 1970, but one for the Qatari Sports Investment project which has been hell-bent on continental domination since their takeover in 2011. Luis Enrique's side will be remembered for years to come for their tiki taka-lite style based on fluidity and slick possession football, and at the forefront of their success has been Dembele. With the Ballon d'Or now judged on a seasonal basis - as should have always been the case, thank you, France Football - it is a campaign that should end with Dembele lifting the prestigious Golden Ball in his home country.
Arsenal and Manchester City played out a dramatic 1-1 draw on Sunday, with the two Premier League rivals unable to be separated through 98 or so minutes. Erling Haaland had given the visitors an early lead, before Pep Guardiola remarkably decided to park the bus to try and sneak the win. Those efforts went up in smoke in added time as Gabriel Martinelli scored to clinch a point for the Gunners. Having both slipped up domestically already this season, this wasn't quite a 'must win' affair for either side, but definitely more of a 'must not lose'. In the end, perhaps a draw in which neither team showed much attacking endeavour will please both parties. City seemed content to sit in and create chances on the break, while Arsenal didn't exactly throw the kitchen sink at their visitors in order to force the leveller. It was a pretty just outcome and neither can really have any complaints about how it ended.
North Korea has begun an investigation into an accident that occurred during the launch of a new warship this week, state media said Friday, assessing the damage as "not serious". North Korea said Thursday that "a serious accident occurred" at the Wednesday launch ceremony for the newly built 5,000-ton naval destroyer, in which sections of the bottom of the vessel were crushed -- with leader Kim Jong Un calling the mishap a "criminal act". North Korea has begun an investigation into an accident that occurred during the launch of a new warship this week, state media said Friday, assessing the damage as "not serious". North Korea said Thursday that "a serious accident occurred" at the Wednesday launch ceremony for the newly built 5,000-ton naval destroyer, in which sections of the bottom of the vessel were crushed -- with leader Kim Jong Un calling the mishap a "criminal act". Technology stocks led the gains in the U.S., with Apple (AAPL) up 1.8% and Nvidia (NVDA) jumping 2.4%, as demand for AI and semiconductors remains strong. Tesla (TSLA) also rebounded, rising 3.1% after announcing better-than-expected Q2 vehicle deliveries. Global stock markets showed a mixed performance as investors weighed persistent inflation concerns against a wave of corporate earnings reports. While strong results from major tech companies helped lift some indexes, uncertainty surrounding central bank policies and the future path of interest rates kept others in check. In the U.S.,
Crystal Palace Vs Manchester United Preview By: Babatunde Ajibade (Manchester United correspondent) Facebook: Babatunde Olatunji Ajibade Twitter: ollyzjinx01 Instagram: sir_ajirowo01 Manchester United head to Selhurst Park under heavy pressure and even heavier scrutiny after a disastrous showing at Old Trafford against Everton. The boos that echoed around the stadium said it all. Losing 1–0 to a 10-man Everton side — and conceding after they went a man down — was embarrassing on every level. From the touchline to the pitch, it was shambolic. Many fans are asking the same question: How much more can the board tolerate before admitting the Amorim experiment has failed? United have not scored against Crystal Palace in their last four meetings — and after the lifeless performance against Everton, confidence isn’t exactly flowing. Starting a match with five defenders against a team reduced to ten men was baffling. Shifting Amad into unfamiliar positions didn’t help either. The tactical confusion is becoming a weekly theme, and now they travel to a stadium where their recent record is terrible. The international break may have come at the worst possible time. United had built momentum with 11 points from five Premier League games, but that form now looks like it was papering over deeper cracks — cracks that were fully exposed on Monday night. The Red Devils are barely hanging on to a top-half spot. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in five straight matches and continue to struggle away from home. Their London record is even worse: 16 losses in their last 26 Premier League games in the capital — the worst of any top-flight side during that period. A painful stat surfaced recently: Amorim: 9 wins in 35 Premier League games, Ten Hag (same period last year): 23 wins. The numbers speak for themselves. Poor in-game management. Poor structure. Poor identity. United ended the Everton defeat with 25 attempts — but scored none — while conceding from the only shot they faced. Their xG tells the same story: xG For: 20.1 → actual goals: 19 (two were own goals) Conversion rate: 10.4% — 7th worst in the league They create chances, but they can’t finish them. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, are flying. Only Arsenal have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season. Oliver Glasner’s side sit fifth and have kept three straight clean sheets against Wolves, Brentford, and Brighton. Their defensive confidence is sky-high, and recent history backs it up: Three wins in their last four league games vs Man United (D1) Two wins in their last four at Selhurst Park vs Man United Opta supercomputer predictions says Palace to win is 54.1% United aren’t just underdogs, they’re clear underdogs. So here we are again, asking what has become a weekly question for Manchester United supporters: Will this team finally show 90 minutes of concentration and courage or will they crumble, invite pressure, and rely on another desperate comeback attempt? Comment below with your score predictions! Manchester United record against Crystal Palace: Games won: 41 Games drawn: 14 Games lost: 13 Team News: (As of today 29/11/2025,) Crystal Palace: Caleb Kporha, Borna Sosa, Cheick Doucoure , Chadi Riad and Rio Cardines are out for this game. Manchester United: Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Harry Maguire are out for this game. Prediction: United sometimes deliver when everyone has written them off, and they should have more energy than Palace. But this team has a habit of sleeping through the first half, and Selhurst Park is a brutal place for a team low on confidence. Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester United.
