Europe

9, September 2026

Football: Real Madrid edge Inter Milan in Champions League opener ⁰

Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid secured a narrow 2-1 victory over his former side Inter Milan in a high-octane Champions League opener on Tuesday.

The record 15-time European champions took a two-goal lead through Kylian Mbappe and Fede Valverde thanks to two Inter errors in the first half.

Carlos Augusto smashed home for Cristian Chivu’s team in the second half but they could not find an equaliser at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid coach Mourinho led the Italian side to Champions League glory in 2010 at the same stadium, the last time either they or he managed to lift the trophy, a few days before joining Los Blancos for his first stint at the helm.

After two seasons without a major trophy and enduring early European exits, Madrid president Florentino Perez brought back the Portuguese veteran to try and stop the rot, and Mourinho got the team off to both a triumphant and entertaining start to the league phase.

Mourinho’s side bounced back from a first defeat of the season at Real Betis in La Liga on Friday, although goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several smart saves and Inter were wasteful.

The Italians started energetically in attack but were destabilised by two grievous errors at the back. Madrid stopper Courtois denied Marcus Thuram and then Lautaro Martinez as the visitors probed.

However, in the 14th minute Curtis Jones’s poor pass put Yann Bisseck under pressure and Brahim Diaz poked the ball through to Mbappe, who swiftly fired home.

Madrid’s second was gobbled up by Valverde when Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez dallied on the ball despite the Uruguay international charging straight for him.

When the Spanish stopper realised, it was too late and as he tried to turn Valverde pried the ball away from him and into the net.

Mourinho’s side should have added another before half-time but Martinez made amends for his mistake with a sensational save to thwart Jude Bellingham.

Madrid hold on

Mbappe blazed past Inter’s defence and Martinez saved his low shot before somehow blocking Bellingham’s effort from point-blank range.

Bellingham missed another golden chance before the hour mark after Diaz cleverly worked his way into the area and crossed for him.

The England international might have headed home straight away but chose to control the ball and gave goalkeeper Martinez time to fly across his line and save the eventual shot.

Courtois added to his collection of impressive saves by pushing away Alessandro Bastoni’s low drive as Inter tried to find a foothold.

Madrid carved Inter open but could not put the game to bed, with Martinez saving from Mbappe and Diaz then sliding narrowly wide.

Carlos Augusto blasted past Courtois from Lautaro Martinez’s cross in the 77th minute to give Madrid a nervy ending to the game.

Madrid fans were upset when Alvaro Carreras was made to wait for a minute on the sidelines before he could come on as a substitute, because Vinicius Junior took too long to come off when he was replaced.

Courtois beat away a deflected Henrikh Mkhitaryan effort to ensure his team took all three points.

Source: AFP

27, August 2026

Indomitable Lions: Baleba has joined Man United from Brighton ⁰

Cameroon’s Carlos Baleba has joined Manchester United from Brighton and Hove Albion, the Premier League giants announced on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old is the third midfielder signed by the Red Devils during the summer transfer window.

“Manchester United is pleased to confirm that Carlos Baleba has joined the club, subject to registration,” the 20-time Premier League champions said in a statement.

His reported £70 million ($95 million) fee takes United’s spending on midfield reinforcements to more than £150m in this window.

He joins Belgium’s Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos of Brazil in a new-look United midfield after veteran Casemiro left at the end of last season.

“Baleba has already established himself as one of the most talented midfielders in the Premier League,” said United.

“During the 2024/25 season, his combined number of tackles and interceptions was the sixth-highest among midfielders in the league, while he also ranked fourth-highest for progressive ball carries per 90 minutes.”

United had been interested in signing Baleba a year ago following two impressive seasons for Brighton, but baulked at the south coast club’s asking price.

His last season was far less impressive, but that did not put off the Old Trafford club.

“It is an incredible feeling to join the club of my dreams,” said Baleba.

“Playing at Old Trafford is always special but the opportunity to do so as a Manchester United player will be a real honour.

“I cannot wait to work with Michael Carrick; his experience and knowledge of the game make him the perfect coach to help me to reach the highest level.”

Baleba had joined Brighton from French team Lille in 2023 and made 112 appearances for the Seagulls, including 35 last season.

He was hot property a year ago before his star waned a touch during the following campaign.

But it is his athleticism and combativity which have convinced United to sign him.

He ranked “in the top eight per cent of players for combined tackles and interceptions as well as the top one per cent for second balls won” last season, United said.

“Carlos is an elite midfielder with immense potential to develop further,” said United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, who also pointed to Baleba’s determination to join the club.

“He brings a unique combination of qualities that will really complement our squad.”

Baleba is still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered during pre-season.

He has signed a five-year contract with the option of a further year, according to reports.

The fee is £65 million plus a potential £5m in add-ons.

He will compete with Tielemans, Santos, Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount for a midfield starting berth at Old Trafford.

Source: AFP

31, July 2026

AC Milan ‘in tears’ at death of Italian football legend Baresi ⁰

Italian defender Franco Baresi, the captain of AC Milan in the 1980s and 1990s when they won three European Cups and six Italian league titles, has died at the age of 66, the club announced on Friday.

“Milan is in tears following the passing of Franco Baresi. His example and integrity will be forever etched into the Club’s DNA, just as his iconic number 6 shirt is,” AC Milan, of which Baresi became honorary vice-president in 2020, wrote on X.

“We must be strong and gather every bit of energy, even at this saddest of times.

“We lost Franco only a few months after his last public appearance in a packed San Siro, at the Milan Winter Olympics opening ceremony, an event on the world stage he helped make unforgettable.

“In memory of Franco, we stand united, knowing he’ll guide and push us throughout our Rossoneri journey. Forever. Because Baresi is forever.”

A World Cup winner with Italy in 1982 and a finalist at the 1994 World Cup, Baresi is regarded as one of the greatest sweepers in football history.

AC Milan did not specify the cause of Baresi’s death.

He had undergone surgery in August 2025 to remove a lung nodule.

“It will take me a little time to get all my strength back,” he said shortly afterwards.

Born in Lombardy in May 1960, Baresi joined AC Milan’s youth teams in 1974, before moving up to the first team in 1978 ahead of his 18th birthday.

He then became a starter at 18 and captain at 22, noticed for his technique, anticipation and tackling skills, as well as his notable leadership qualities.

Baresi went on to form, alongside Paolo Maldini, Mauro Tassotti and Alessandro Costacurta, a defence feared by every striker in Europe.

He retired in 1997 after 719 matches with the Rossoneri, a record surpassed only by Maldini.

“Today I feel the same thing as to when for one reason or another you were unable to be on the pitch with us,” said Maldini.

“How are we going to cope without our captain?”

‘Greatest of defenders’

Gianluigi Buffon, Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning goalkeeper, said his Serie A debut for Parma had stayed with him.

“November 19, 1995, I made my debut in Serie A against Milan,” he wrote.

“I was 17… to be on the pitch against such a champion was an unbelievable experience.”

In addition to his red and black club jersey, Baresi wore the blue of the Nazionale 81 times.

But after a World Cup title from the bench in 1982, he did not make the trip to Mexico in 1986 following a disagreement with the national coach.

Penalty shootouts, in the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup and then in the final in 1994, shattered his hopes of another triumph.

A Diego Maradona-led Argentina were their nemesis in the 1990 semi-final, but the late Argentinian superstar had paid him the greatest tribute when his club Napoli beat Milan 3-0 in a Serie A game the year before.

He asked for Baresi’s shirt and donned it in a post-match interview.

“He is the greatest of defenders. It is a memory I will keep for the rest of my life,” he said.

Baresi performed various roles for Milan in his retirement, the only time he spent away from them was a brief spell as technical director of English club Fulham.

“Ultimately, it was only a month: before the end of August, I was already back in Milan,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport in 2025.

“I realised it wasn’t the place for me, and in the end, I didn’t even start working. The umbilical cord with Milan was never broken.”

However, he was never a man to feature in the gossip pages preferring to spend time abroad for the Milan Foundation which he found educational and rewarding.

“With Fondazione Milan, I witnessed poverty in Kenya and Morocco,” he told Gazzetta.

“In Lebanon, I played football in the street with children. These are emotions that have completed me.”

Source: AFP

14, July 2026

Football: Spain delivers master class to sink French Armada and reach World Cup final ⁰

European champions Spain scored a goal in each half to defeat favourites France at the Dallas Stadium on Tuesday and book a place in the World Cup final, where they will face the winner of the other semi-final between England and Argentina.

Spain stunned tournament favourites France 2-0 to reach the World Cup final on Tuesday, producing a tactical masterpiece to shatter Les Bleus’ dreams of winning the title for the third time.

A first-half penalty from Mikel Oyarzabal and a 58th-minute Pedro Porro goal sealed an utterly clinical victory for the European champions at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Spain, World Cup winners in 2010, will now face either Argentina or England in Sunday’s final in New Jersey.

France had entered the showdown as the overwhelming favourites for the tournament after a dazzling, goal-laden run to the semi-finals.

But France’s vaunted front four of captain Kylian Mbappé, Ballon D’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise were snuffed out by a combination of Spanish poise and power.

Spain, who had beaten France in their previous two competitive meetings, had vowed to go on the front foot in the pre-match build-up and they proved as good as their word.

A commanding performance by Spain’s midfield led by Manchester City star Rodri and assisted by Fabian Ruiz and Dani Olmo never allowed the French to gain a foothold in the contest.

Spain’s midfield quickly overran the outnumbered French duo of Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni, passing around their opponents with ease to control the early exchanges.

The first signs of French frustration came after just nine minutes when midfielder Rabiot was booked for treading on Olmo’s foot on the edge of the area.

Yet despite the early dominance it was France who looked the more threatening when venturing into the final third, and it needed a desperate late block by Pau Cubarsi to thwart Mbappe in the 16th minute as the French captain looked to break clear.

Early dominance

Spain’s early dominance got its reward in the 20th minute, though, when a hopeful cross by Marc Cucurella flew across the penalty area.

Lucas Digne didn’t get enough purchase on his attempted headed clearance and as the Aston Villa player instinctively swung out a leg he kicked Yamal, sending the Barcelona star crashing to the turf.

El Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton pointed immediately to the spot and after a brief delay as French players loitered, Oyarzabal stepped up to sweep in a spot-kick that beat the dive of French goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

France’s rocky start got worse after 31 minutes when key central defender William Saliba hobbled off with an injury to be replaced by Maxence Lacroix.

Spain almost doubled their lead with a sublime passing move on 38 minutes when wonderful interplay on the edge of the area sliced open France’s defence, with Dayot Upamecano’s block denying Fabian Ruiz.

France enjoyed their best spell in the closing minutes of the first half and only excellent anticipation from Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon denied Mbappe after Rabiot’s clever through ball.

Spain though reasserted themselves at the start of the second half and Deschamps’ failure to adjust France’s tactics again left the Spanish midfield in charge.

On 58 minutes, Spain struck the hammer blow. Porro and Olmo worked a sensational one-two on the edge of the area that sent Porro through and the Tottenham defender clipped a fine finish past Maignan.

Only a fractional offside decision denied Spain a third goal in the 61st minute, when Lamal had the ball in the net.

Deschamps made a flurry of substitutions but France were unable to penetrate Spain’s smothering defence, their best chance coming when Mbappe’s shot was blocked at the near post by Simon.

French frustration was symbolised by Mbappe in the closing minutes, booked for following through on Simon as Spain closed out the victory.

Source: AFP

7, July 2026

Man United inform Tchouameni camp he must accept different salary structure ⁰

Manchester United consider Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni the ideal replacement for Casemiro, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The France international has been identified internally at Old Trafford as a dream midfield target due to his quality, mentality and ability to operate at the highest level.

However, Romano reports that a potential move remains complicated due to two major issues.

The first is Tchouameni’s salary. United have informed those close to the player that a move to Old Trafford would only be possible if he accepted a different wage structure.

The second obstacle is Real Madrid’s stance. United are yet to receive permission from the Spanish giants to begin negotiations over a possible transfer.

While Tchouameni is highly admired by Manchester United, the club must first receive a signal from Real Madrid that they are willing to sell the midfielder.

The 26-year-old is seen as the perfect long-term successor to Casemiro, but his future will depend on both Madrid’s decision and whether an agreement over personal terms can be reached.

Source: Tribuna.com

9, June 2026

Football: Bayern Munich eye €50m move for Yann Bisseck ⁰

Germany-Cameroon centre-back Yann Bisseck of Inter is being linked with a summer move to Bayern Munich, with the Bundesliga champions reportedly monitoring the 25-year-old’s situation in Italy.

Data from Transfermarkt lists Bisseck’s current market value at €50.00m and puts the probability of a transfer to Bayern at 29%, underlining that the deal is far from complete but firmly on the radar of the German giants. His contractual situation at Inter is unclear, with no public expiry date recorded, fuelling speculation that the defender’s camp and the Serie A club could face key decisions in the coming months, including the possibility of running down his terms and testing free-agent options further down the line.

Born in Köln on 29 November 2000 and standing at 1.96m, Bisseck is a right-footed centre-back who represents both Germany and Cameroon at nationality level. He wears the No 31 shirt for Inter and has developed a reputation in Serie A for his physical presence and aerial dominance, attributes that align with Bayern’s recent focus on reinforcing their defensive line.

The defender’s recent displays for Inter have helped push his valuation into the top bracket. In his latest outing before this rumour cycle intensified – a Serie A fixture earlier this month in which Inter faced domestic opposition (match details not specified in the data) – Bisseck completed the full 90 minutes, anchoring the back line as Simone Inzaghi’s side maintained their strong defensive record.

Having already experienced top-flight football in Italy with Inter after earlier spells in Germany, a move to Bayern would represent a return to his country of birth and a significant step in his career. If the transfer materialises, it could define Bisseck’s status at the elite level, shaping both his long-term reputation in European football and his potential pathway towards becoming one of the continent’s leading centre-backs.

Source: Africa Soccer

31, May 2026

PSG hold on to Champions League title after dramatic shootout win over Arsenal ⁰

Paris Saint-Germain won a second consecutive Champions League title on Saturday after edging Arsenal in a tense final that went all the way to a penalty shootout.

Kai Havertz had fired Arsenal into a sixth-minute lead, but PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé equalised from the spot before Eberechi Eze and Gabriel both missed for the Gunners in a dramatic finale.

19, May 2026

Arsenal wins Premier League title after Man City stumbles at Bournemouth ⁰

After 22 years and three straight runner-up finishes, the wait is over: Arsenal has won the Premier League.

The Gunners were crowned 2025-26 champions on Tuesday, May 19 after Bournemouth drew Manchester City 1-1.

City needed to win to stay alive but instead, Eli Junior Kroupi scored for the Cherries in the 38th minute. Erling Haaland pulled a goal back for the visitors deep into stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough.

That result, combined with Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Burnley on Monday, meant the Gunners have an unassailable four-point lead heading into the final game of the season on Sunday.

The last time Arsenal won the league was the 2003-04 season, when Arsene Wenger led the vaunted “Invincibles” side to an undefeated season.

Arsenal is the first team other than Man City or Liverpool to win the title since Chelsea in 2016-17, breaking a run of six titles in eight seasons for City.

The title also breaks a run of three straight runners-up finishes under Mikel Arteta, who has done an excellent job as head coach since taking over in 2019 but only had one major trophy – the 2019-20 FA Cup — to show for his efforts.

It could yet get even better for Arsenal, which is in the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30. The Gunners have never won the competition and have only reached the final once, losing to Barcelona in 2006.

Source: USA Today

19, May 2026

Football: Pep Guardiola set to leave Man City ⁰

Pep Guardiola is set to call time on his career at Manchester City this weekend, with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca expected to be confirmed as his successor.

Rumours have been swirling for several months suggesting Guardiola is set to end his record-breaking reign as City manager, but the Spaniard and club officials were keen to keep the decision under wraps until their final game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Yet news broke this evening that City are preparing to confirm the exit of their most successful manager of all time, even though he has one year left on his contract.

Guardiola confirmed that he was contemplating his exit from City before he signed a new deal in November 2024, but he was persuaded to stay on to lead a squad rebuild that has led to double trophy success in this season’s Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

Now it has been revealed that City chiefs were aware of Guardiola’s intention to step away at the end of this season for some time and have been making plans for a new era.

Maresca has long been viewed as a probable successor, with the coach who guided Chelsea to the FIFA Club World Cup last summer tipped to return to City, where he worked with the club’s junior sides before being promoted to assistant coach to Guardiola in 2022.

Guardiola is set to leave City with a legacy that will see him placed alongside the all-time great managers in the history of the English game, with City’s 1-0 win in last Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea bringing his haul of major trophies to 17 in his decade at the club.

Manchester City declined to comment on the fresh report, first revealed by the Daily Mail.

Source: Irish Independent

12, May 2026

Football: Ousmane Dembélé is Ligue 1 player of the year ⁰

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé was on Monday named the Ligue 1 player of the year for the second year running, after leading the club to the brink of a 14th French title and the Champions League final.

The 28-year-old becomes just the fifth player to win back-to-back awards, the last being Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2014.

Dembélé last year succeeded Kylian Mbappe who won the prize five times in a row before departing for Real Madrid.

“It’s an individual trophy but all the individual trophies I’ve won are thanks to this team,” Dembélé said.

The forward retained the honour despite having had an injury-plagued season.

He has started just nine matches in Ligue 1, notching up 960 minutes of gametime, compared to 20 starts and 1,736 minutes last season.

Despite the reduced time on the pitch, Dembélé has scored 10 goals and six assists – still down on the 21 and eight he achieved last year.

Paris Saint-Germain effectively wrapped up another Ligue 1 title on Sunday as a 1-0 win over Brest left them six points clear of nearest rivals Lens.

With just two games remaining, Luis Enrique’s side also boast a superior goal difference.

PSG will be officially crowned French champions for the fifth season running, and the 12th time in the last 14 years, if they avoid defeat away to second-placed Lens on Wednesday.

PSG are also preparing for the Champions League final against Arsenal later this month after edging Bayern 6-5 on aggregate in their semi-final.

The award for best young player went to Dembélé’s teammate Desiré Doué, while Pierre Sage picked up the honours for best coach after establishing Lens as a direct challenge to PSG.

Source: AFP