Sports

Real Madrid have appointed Álvaro Arbeloa as their new first-team head coach following the mutual departure of Xabi Alonso. The announcement was made on January 12, a day after Los Blancos suffered a narrow loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. In an official statement, the club said: “Real Madrid announces Álvaro Arbeloa as the new head coach of the first team.” Alonso’s spell at the Santiago Bernabéu lasted less than eight months, with both parties agreeing to part ways. Arbeloa, a former Real Madrid defender, steps up from managing Real Madrid Castilla, a role he has held since June 2025. His entire coaching career has been within the club’s youth system, starting with the Under-14s in 2020, progressing through the Under-16s and Under-19s. During the 2022–2023...

Xabi Alonso has left his position as Real Madrid manager after only seven months in the role. This was confirmed in an official statement on Monday. “Real Madrid CF announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to end his time as first team coach,” the statement from the club read. Alonso was brought in as manager back in June 2025, replacing Carlo Ancelotti, who left for the Brazilian national team. Despite showing positive signs during his time at the club, the 44-year-old tactician has largely found things difficult, especially over the past month or two, with injuries, poor results, and dressing room unrest causing problems. The LaLiga giants have taken the decision less than 24 hours after they lost 3-2 to Barcelona in the...

The Super Eagles will conduct their first training session in Rabat on Monday night, with the workout scheduled to take place behind closed doors. Players and coaching staff are expected to arrive in Rabat from Fès later this afternoon and will lodge at the Rihab Hotel during their stay. Head coach Éric Chelle and his squad will train at the Complexe Mohammed VI, with the session set to begin at 6:00 p.m. local time. The team returned to Fès from Marrakech on Sunday after recording a 2–0 victory over Algeria’s Desert Foxes in the quarter-finals. Media representatives will be granted access to the Super Eagles’ final training session ahead of their semi-final clash against tournament hosts Morocco. The highly anticipated encounter is slated for Wednesday at the Prince Moulay ...

FC Barcelona pocketed a €2 million prize after edging Real Madrid 3–2 in a thrilling Spanish Super Cup final, while their rivals have chosen to maintain confidence in head coach Xabi Alonso despite another painful Clasico defeat. The season-opening Super Cup concluded on Sunday night in Jeddah, where goals from Raphinha (two) and Robert Lewandowski secured the trophy for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona. Real Madrid’s efforts, including a stunning strike from Vinícius Jr, were not enough to prevent defeat. According to AS, Barcelona will receive €2 million for lifting the trophy, while runners-up Real Madrid earn €1.4 million. Both teams now return to Spain to refocus on the LaLiga title race, with Barcelona leading the table by four points over second-placed Madrid. The result further int...

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has launched an investigation into the disturbances that followed Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Algeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final in Marrakech. CAF is reviewing reports from match officials, stadium security, and accredited media personnel to determine what occurred after the final whistle. Second-half goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams secured Nigeria’s place in the semi-finals, but the win triggered a strong reaction from the Algerian camp, who accused referees of bias. Tensions escalated on the pitch as Algerian players confronted referee Issa Sy and his assistants, prompting security to intervene. Disorder also erupted in the stands, with some Algerian supporters attempting to breach barriers and causing...

Michael Carrick has emerged as the frontrunner to become Manchester United’s caretaker head coach, according to sources close to the process. As reported by BBC Sport on Monday, United’s hierarchy are aiming to have an appointment in place before players return to training on Wednesday, with discussions understood to have progressed with the 44-year-old. Although a final decision has yet to be made, Carrick is currently considered the leading candidate. Carrick previously served as United’s temporary manager in 2021 following the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. During that brief three-match spell, he oversaw two wins and a draw before stepping aside after the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager. Solskjaer has also held face-to-face talks with the club over a potenti...

Manchester United have been forced to issue a statement after the club captain, Bruno Fernandes' X account, was hacked. The Red Devils skipper’s page was compromised in the aftermath of their FA Cup third-round exit at the hands of Brighton. Shortly after 11 pm on Sunday night, a string of posts appeared on the midfielder's account. The first of the series of bizarre posts saw hackers post: "Join Macclesfield FC. Excited for the future", referencing the National League North side who knocked out FA Cup holders Crystal Palace on Saturday. Another post was directed at the club owners as it appeared to be calling for their removal. The post read: “Let’s get rid of INEOS.” Further messages tagged adult star Bonnie Blue, and then the England cricket t...

Super Eagles striker, Victor Boniface, has started his rehabilitation process following a successful knee surgery in Innsbruck, Austria. The Nigerian international opted for the procedure after weeks of medical consultations and has now been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025/26 season. The operation addressed a long-standing issue in his right knee that had affected both his availability and performance throughout the campaign. Boniface confirmed the next phase of his recovery in a short video shared on Snapchat on Sunday, showing him working closely with a physiotherapist. In the clip, the forward was seen doing light leg stretches before walking with the aid of a support device — a clear signal that his structured rehabilitation programme is officially underway. ...

The Super Eagles have arrived in Fez, Morocco, as they prepare for their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-final clash against the host nation. The team’s trip follows Nigeria’s 2-0 triumph over Algeria in Marrakech on Saturday. Footage shared on the Super Eagles’ X account shows the squad disembarking from a Royal Air Maroc flight under clear skies, wearing matching grey puffer jackets and tracksuits while carrying their personal luggage. Star striker Victor Osimhen was among the players seen in high spirits. “The Super Eagles return to Fez. A recovery session is scheduled for tonight at the Saardienne Football Complex. #SuperEagles #AFCON2025 #Naija4TheWin,” the team captioned the post. In Marrakech, Osimhen’s soaring header and his assist for Jerome Akor’s goal secured Nigeria...

The semi-final fixtures at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations have been confirmed. This followed the completion of the quarter-final games on Saturday night. Egypt are the last team to book their spot, following a thrilling 3-2 victory over champions Ivory Coast. The Pharoahs raced into a two-goal lead, thanks to Omar Marmoush and Ramy Rabia. An own goal from Ahmed Abou El Fotouh just before half time, dragged the Elephants back into the game. But Mohamed Salah extended their lead again seven minutes after the break. Guela Doue’s goal proved to be a mere consolation. Egypt will now play Senegal for a place in the semi-final, while Nigeria face hosts Morocco in the other fixture.