Sports

Seven football supporters have died following a fatal head-on collision in Romania while travelling by road to France for a Europa League match. The victims, all fans of Greek club PAOK, were en route to watch their team face Olympique Lyonnais when their minivan collided with an oncoming lorry on the E70 highway in western Romania on Tuesday. Three other PAOK supporters sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment in hospital. Reports indicate that the accident occurred shortly after 1pm as the minivan attempted to overtake another vehicle and veered into the opposite lane, where it crashed into the truck. Emergency services, including firefighters and rescue teams, were swiftly deployed to the scene, though air ambulances were unable to operate due to poor...

Goalkeeper André Onana is reportedly in negotiations over a potential return to Inter Milan, with talks ongoing about a permanent departure from Manchester United this summer. According to Daily Mail Sport, the Cameroonian shot-stopper’s agents are currently in Milan holding discussions with the Serie A giants, with a move back to the San Siro among the options being explored. Onana is presently on loan at Turkish side Trabzonspor, having lost his position as Manchester United’s first-choice goalkeeper to Belgian international Senne Lammens, who joined from Royal Antwerp in September. The 29-year-old is expected to leave Old Trafford on a permanent basis at the end of the season and is being considered by Inter as a possible successor to Yann Sommer. Onana enjoyed a highly succ...

Tottenham star Randal Kolo Muani was involved in a car crash after his tyre blew out on the motorway. The French striker, 27,  had been travelling to Stansted Airport on Tuesday ahead of his side's Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt, when the offside front tyre of his black Ferrari blew out. According to Mail Online Sports, fellow Spurs man Wilson Odobert had been following Kolo Muani on the M25 when the smash occurred, and pulled over to help his team-mate to safety. Images from the scene show the players standing at the side of the motorway, with the front of the car - wrecked. The airbag in the driver's seat of the Ferrari also appears to have been activated. Spurs boss Thomas Frank confirmed the players had come through it unharmed. 'Both are fin...

Argentina great Ángel Di María has ruled out a return to international football at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, turning down suggestions to line up alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The 37-year-old winger, who enjoyed a long and successful spell with the Argentine national team, shared many historic moments with close friend Messi during his international career. Speaking in an interview with AS, Di María reflected on his future and said he is content with what he has achieved in football. While admitting that playing at another World Cup would be appealing, Di María explained that he believes his time with the national team has come to an end, having already accomplished all his career goals. He revealed that he initially planned to retire from international duty after...

Benfica coach Jose Mourinho said his Real Madrid counterpart Alvaro Arbeloa was like a child to him ahead of their Champions League battle on Wednesday. The veteran Portuguese manager coached Arbeloa at Madrid during his time at the helm of Los Blancos between 2010-2013, and had a strong relationship with the former defender in a dressing room that was splintering. After a comment from Mourinho last week about being “surprised” when inexperienced managers lead big European clubs was viewed as a dig at new Madrid coach Arbeloa, he said he would never try to make life hard for his former charge. Former Inter Milan coach Mourinho said in Italy his words were also being taken as criticism of the appointment of Cristian Chivu at the Serie A side last summer. “There is one proble...

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be present in Milan and Cortina throughout the Winter Olympics. ICE agents will reportedly play 'security role' throughout the sporting extravaganza, which begins on February 6 in Italy, the US Embassy in Rome reportedly confirmed to the Associated Press. The federal ICE agents will reportedly support diplomatic security details and would not run any immigration enforcement operations. However, ICE's presence at the games has sparked controversy amid growing unrest back in the United States, after agents moved in to Minnesota on the orders of the Trump administration. The news came on Tuesday after the deaths of two American citizens at the hands of federal officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in less than three weeks. Alex P...

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is considering prohibiting goalkeepers from placing towels inside their goalposts following a series of incidents involving fans at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. The issue gained prominence after several matches were disrupted by clashes between players and spectators, with fans moving dangerously close to the goal area to retrieve towels left behind the net. Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali and Senegal captain Édouard Mendy were among the goalkeepers who confronted supporters during tense moments that attracted widespread attention. In response, CAF’s Referees Committee has intervened, with its president, Olivier Safari Kebene, stressing that the matter extends beyond crowd behaviour and directly concerns the...

Manchester United are preparing to cope without Patrick Dorgu after the wing-back sustained a hamstring injury during Sunday’s thrilling 3–2 Premier League win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. The 21-year-old Dane, who scored United’s second goal with a powerful strike from outside the box, was substituted late in the match. Interim head coach Michael Carrick initially suspected cramp, but subsequent assessments have confirmed a more serious problem. Although the full severity of the injury is still being evaluated, Dorgu is expected to be sidelined for several weeks, raising doubts over his availability during a packed schedule leading up to the March international break. Dorgu has been one of United’s most impressive performers in recent weeks. Since arriving from Italian c...

Super Eagles forward Salim Fago Lawal has sealed a move to Czech First Division outfit Viktoria Plzen, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract with the club. The 23-year-old made the switch from Croatian side NK Istra after an impressive stint in which he scored 15 goals and provided two assists. Speaking to Viktoria Plzen’s official website, Lawal expressed his excitement about the move, citing the club’s strong reputation in European competitions. “I know Viktoria mainly from their performances in European tournaments, where the club has achieved consistent success. This offer really appealed to me, and I see it as a major step forward in my career. I’m eager to contribute to the team as much as possible,” he said. Lawal added that his recent involvement with the national ...

The father of Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has renewed his emotional call for reconciliation, revealing that he has been separated from his children for almost 20 years and longs to reunite with them. Kingsley Ughelumba, from Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, revisited the painful experience in a recent social media interview, stating that he has had little to no meaningful contact with his four sons — including the Fulham defender — for more than 18 years. He attributed the estrangement to the breakdown of his marriage to their mother, Ebere Bassey. Ughelumba had previously spoken out about the issue two years ago but returned with visible emotion, describing himself as “dying in silence” while still hoping his children would eventually find their way back to him...