Sports

Manchester United legend, Gary Neville has cautioned the club against making Michael Carrick their next permanent manager, despite the team’s impressive revival under the former midfielder. Carrick, 44, stepped in following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim in January and has overseen a dramatic turnaround in fortunes. United have won five of their last six Premier League matches, reigniting their push for Champions League qualification. The run includes notable victories over title challengers Manchester City and Arsenal. Most recently, United secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Benjamin Sesko coming off the bench to score the decisive goal and lift the club back into the top four. However, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Nevi...

Hansi Flick, head coach of FC Barcelona, has implemented a tough new disciplinary measure, introducing a €40,000 fine for any player who arrives late on matchday. The development was disclosed by forward Ferran Torres, underscoring the German tactician’s firm stance as Barcelona push for domestic success. Speaking on the Spanish television show El Hormiguero, Torres revealed, “Hansi Flick has updated the rules regarding lateness. If a player turns up late on matchday, they must pay a €40,000 fine.” The revelation was amplified by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on 𝕏, sparking widespread discussion among fans. Barcelona currently lead La Liga, holding a one-point advantage over arch-rivals Real Madrid after a dominant 3-0 victory against Levante UD on Sunday. Off the pitch, t...

Police in the UK are investigating “abhorrent” racist abuse directed online at four Premier League footballers last weekend. Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare and Sunderland midfielder Romaine Mundle were the latest players to be targeted on Sunday. Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana and Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri also suffered similar abuse on Saturday following a 1-1 draw between their clubs. Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the head of the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU), said Monday: “There is absolutely no place for racial abuse, either online or in person, and anyone who believes they can hide behind their keyboards should think again. “The UKFPU condemns this abhorrent behaviour and we will ensure that, through our dedicated team of officers, we do everything possible to identify those r...

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will arrive in Yaounde on Wednesday, February 25 ahead of their two friendly matches against Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses. Head coach, Justine Madugu will travel from Abuja with his assistants, home-based players Anderline Mgbechi and Fatima Oloko, and other backroom staff members. The foreign-based professionals are expected to join the team in Cameroon’s capital.  The first friendly is scheduled for Saturday, while the second encounter will take place next Tuesday. Both teams are preparing for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, set to kick off in Morocco next month. Nigeria are drawn in Group C alongside Malawi, Zambia, and Egypt. Cameroon, who began preparations last week, will compete in Group D with Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mali. 

Players who receive treatment for an injury could be forced to stay off the field for one minute under proposals from FIFA. The measure, driven by FIFA, is one of several changes aimed at protecting the rhythm of matches and reducing time lost to stoppages. The proposals will be presented to lawmakers at the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the governing body responsible for the Laws of the Game. At present, the rulebook does not fix a minimum period that an injured player must remain off the field after treatment. Domestic leagues have been left to interpret the issue themselves. In England, the Premier League introduced a 30-second waiting period at the start of the 2023-2024 campaign. FIFA, however, believes stronger action is ne...

James Milner has further cemented his legacy in English football after breaking the Premier League appearance record during Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.’s clash against Brentford F.C. at the Gtech Community Stadium on February 21. The 40-year-old midfielder started the encounter, marking his 654th appearance in the English top flight and surpassing the previous record held by Gareth Barry. Milner had equalled Barry’s tally earlier in the week during Brighton’s trip to Aston Villa F.C., one of his former teams. Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler lauded Milner’s professionalism, describing him as a role model both on and off the field. He attributed the milestone to the veteran’s discipline, daily commitment, and relentless drive for improvement. Milner began his professional journ...

Fresh transfer rumours have surfaced around Mohamed Salah, with reports suggesting that his representatives are currently in negotiations with Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad. According to French outlet Footmercato, via journalist Santi Aouna, Salah’s agent is in active discussions with the Saudi side, and the Liverpool forward is now more receptive to a potential move to the Middle East than he has been in the past. Saudi Arabia has monitored the Egyptian star for several seasons, but Salah previously turned down such interest, opting to remain at Liverpool during his prime years. Until recently, he was viewed as a key figure at Anfield and reinforced his commitment to the club by extending his contract after the 2024–2025 season. However, circumstances appear to have changed fo...

Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has disclosed that his ultimate career ambition is to become the first African to take charge of Spanish football giants, Real Madrid. The Malian-born coach made the revelation while speaking on RMC Sport’s After Afrique podcast, which was shared on 𝕏 on Monday. According to Chelle, managing the Madrid-based club would represent the peak of his coaching journey as he continues to grow his profile on the global football scene. “My dream is to become the first African coach to manage Real Madrid,” Chelle said. Chelle’s reputation has continued to soar following Nigeria’s impressive outing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, where the Super Eagles finished third. The team recorded a strong tournament, winning all but one of thei...

Tunisian referee, Haitham Guirat has reportedly been suspended indefinitely by the Tunisian football authorities following a major officiating error in a domestic league fixture. Guirat’s suspension was confirmed on Monday after a controversial decision in a Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 match sparked widespread criticism and scrutiny of his officiating standards. The incident, described by local officials as a “serious refereeing mistake,” prompted an immediate disciplinary review by the referees’ committee. The incident, described by local officials as a “serious refereeing mistake,” prompted an immediate disciplinary review by the referees’ committee. Guirat’s suspension has additionally renewed debate about his appointments on the current Africa Cup of Nations, the place...

Superstar footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly decided to end his boycott of Al Nassr games. The 41-year-old sat out two of the Saudi Pro League club's matches -- Friday's 2-0 win over Al Ittihad as well as last week's victory over Al Riyadh, despite raking in an immense £448,000-per-week salary. Ronaldo is said to have been incensed by a lack of action and ambition in the transfer window, after Ronaldo watched league rival - and fellow Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) club - Al-Hilal tempt his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad. According to sources, the Portugal captain said he will return to play for the match against Al Fateh on Feb. 14. As per A Bola, Al-Nassr is thought to have reinstated certain powers to directors Jose Semed...