The Premier League has cautioned fans that fixture dates could change at short notice next season, owing to the record number of English clubs involved in European competitions during the 2025-26 campaign. Nine top-flight teams — including Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest — will compete in UEFA tournaments. This unprecedented level of participation is expected to place added strain on the domestic calendar. In a statement, the Premier League said that while it welcomes the success of its clubs in Europe, it also anticipates “an increased likelihood of Premier League fixtures…
Author: Oluwaseun samuel
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been formally charged by the Football Association for breaching anti-doping regulations, following a failed drugs test that could see him banned for up to four years. The 24-year-old Ukraine international was provisionally suspended in December after an “adverse finding” was detected in a routine urine test. FIFA guidelines state that players found to have intentionally used banned substances may face a maximum four-year ban. At the time, Mudryk expressed he was in “complete shock” and insisted he had “never knowingly used any banned substances.” He last played for Chelsea on 28 November and hasn’t been…
Manchester City began a new chapter at the revamped FIFA Club World Cup—but it was a familiar face who made the biggest impact in Philadelphia. Phil Foden, the homegrown academy talent who endured a tough campaign last season, announced his return to form in style. Just two minutes in, he found the net and later set up Jeremy Doku, helping City to a 2-0 victory over Moroccan side Wydad AC in their Group G opener. With the sun beaming down at Lincoln Financial Field, Foden looked sharp and confident—early signs that he may be rediscovering the form that eluded him…
Sergio Ramos, the Spanish defender opened the scoring for Rayados with a trademark header, while Lautaro Martínez equalized for the Champions League runners-up Monterrey earned a surprising and valuable 1-1 draw against Champions League runners-up Inter – a result that will surely please new manager Domènec Torrent, as it came against the toughest opponent in their Club World Cup group. Despite River Plate’s 3-1 win over Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey emerged as Group E’s big winners on Tuesday. The scoreboard changed in the 25th minute with a classic goal from Sergio Ramos – a powerful header, his trademark move. Ramos…
Mason Greenwood was seen training in Manchester with an ex-United team-mate after Marseille make a big decision on his future. The 23-year-old forward, who made a permanent switch to Marseille from United for £26.6 million in 2024, has been using the summer break as an opportunity to train at familiar grounds to maintain his fitness levels, as revealed by The Sun. He was joined at a Manchester training facility this week by former United youth team-mate D’Mani Mellor. Both players came through the ranks at Carrington, though their paths have diverged over the years. Mellor, now 24, never broke into United’s Premier League squad…
The English Football League (EFL) has announced a change to the Carabao Cup format ahead of the 2025/26 season, introducing a preliminary round for the first time. As part of the revised structure, a qualifying round involving four teams will take place before the first round proper, reducing the number of clubs entering the main draw. Premier League sides participating in European competitions will now join the tournament in the third round, as part of the updated format. National League promotion winners Barnet and Oldham Athletic will face the two lowest-ranked League Two sides—Newport County and Accrington Stanley—in the preliminary…
Juventus are set to make another attempt to sign Victor Osimhen from Serie A champions Napoli this summer. The Bianconeri initially expressed interest in the Nigerian striker earlier in the window, but Osimhen reportedly turned down their approach. Despite the setback, Juventus remain determined to secure his signature. Osimhen has a €75 million release clause in his contract, though it only applies to clubs outside of Italy—a complication that could affect Juve’s pursuit. In addition, Napoli’s valuation and the player’s wage demands present further challenges. According to Sky Sport Italia’s transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are still pushing to…
The expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has kicked off in the United States with 32 of the world’s top clubs—but notably absent are Premier League powerhouses Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool. The reason? FIFA’s strict two-club-per-nation limit. Despite consistent European presence, only Chelsea and Manchester City earned England’s two available spots, thanks to their Champions League triumphs in 2021 and 2023. That rule effectively blocked out any other English teams, regardless of UEFA coefficient rankings. Liverpool, despite reaching the 2022 Champions League final, missed the cut by not winning the title. Meanwhile, Manchester United and Arsenal failed to make…
ROME – Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed as the new head coach of Italy’s national football team, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed on June 15. He replaces Luciano Spalletti, who stepped down following Italy’s disappointing 3-0 defeat to Norway on June 6 in their opening qualifier for the 2026 World Cup. Gattuso, 47, will officially be presented to the media on June 19. A World Cup winner in 2006 and veteran of 73 international caps, Gattuso takes charge with the pressing task of steering the Azzurri back to football’s biggest stage after missing the last two World Cups. “Gattuso…
Al-Ettifaq forward Karl Toko Ekambi has claimed that some in France are uncomfortable with the idea of Ousmane Dembele winning the Ballon d’Or before Kylian Mbappe. Dembele has emerged as a strong contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or following a stellar season with Paris Saint-Germain. The 28-year-old winger scored 21 goals in Ligue 1, finishing as the league’s top scorer and playing a key role in PSG’s treble-winning campaign, which included the French Cup and UEFA Champions League. Speaking during a Twitch session with streamer Ange GR, Toko Ekambi addressed what he perceives as a lack of full support for…