Category: Football

Manchester United have introduced a new multi-faith room at Old Trafford to be used by fans of all religions during football matches.

Manchester United has announced the opening of a multi-faith room inside Old Trafford stadium, providing a dedicated space for fans of all religions to practice their religious rituals during matches and events.

The new multi-faith prayer room is located between the Stretford End and the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand.

The room can hold up to 20 fans at any time and will be open 30 minutes before kick-off, throughout the match, and 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Open to those of all faiths, the room was created in partnership between the Premier League side and the Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) – the club’s first official supporters group for Muslim fans, introduced this season.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The MUMSC has provided prayer mats for those accessing the space, and with Ramadan having started just last week, those participating in the holy month will feel reassured knowing they can practice their daily prayers while continuing to attend live football matches.

This is an important step in football becoming a more inclusive space for those from all backgrounds.

The addition of the multi-faith room will mean fans won’t need to choose between their faith and football. Respect to Manchester United for working with their fans to ensure football can be a game for all.

Read: Champions Trophy: Key South Africa player in doubt for semi-final, Linde called up as cover

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham was hit with a two-match La Liga ban on Wednesday by the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee after he was sent off for dissent.

The England international was dismissed during the champions’ 1-1 draw at Osasuna on Saturday by referee Jose Munuera Montero.

Bellingham, who insisted he had been expressing his frustration and not insulting the referee, will miss league matches against Girona and Real Betis on February 23 and March 2 respectively.

The disciplinary committee said Madrid’s attempts to show that Bellingham had not insulted the official were “insufficient” to remove “the presumption of veracity of the referee’s report”.

Jude Bellingham had said his dismissal was due to a misunderstanding.

“I think you can see clearly in the video, I remember the incident very well, it was an expression (I was saying) to myself,” said the 21-year-old.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“I’m not even directing myself towards the referee, but obviously there was a misunderstanding. He’s believed that I’ve said (something insulting) to him.”

A Real Madrid source told AFP the club will appeal the decision.

Referee Munuera Montero has faced online abuse and threats in the days since sending off Bellingham, which the federation described as “repulsive”.

Real Madrid have attacked Spanish refereeing in recent weeks, calling it “rigged” in a letter they sent to the federation and published on their website.

Los Blancos have not won in their last three league games and rivals Barcelona now lead the table on goal difference.

READ: Khushdil Shah breaks silence on ‘parchi’ chants after New Zealand loss

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has taunted Premier League leaders Liverpool over their failure to match his side’s record 100-point tally.

Guardiola’s troubled side are trailing 16 points behind Liverpool after their bid for a fifth successive English crown collapsed in astonishing fashion.

Liverpool are seven points clear of second-placed Arsenal as they chase a 20th title, which would equal Manchester United’s record.

But even if Arne Slot’s men go on to secure the trophy, they now cannot match the record points total set when City won the first of Guardiola’s six titles in 2017-18.

Responding to criticism of City’s spluttering dynasty after Tuesday’s 3-2 home defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off round first leg, Guardiola took a tetchy swipe at Liverpool.

“We took all the records in England. Who would do 100 points now in modern football? I’m waiting,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

“Or four in a row? I’m waiting – with clubs like Bournemouth, Fulham and Wolves that you have to play.

“The standards, we dictated. Have you seen Liverpool this season? They cannot do 100 points already – 99 but not 100.”

While Liverpool may not surpass fifth-placed City’s record mark, Guardiola accepts his team have fallen behind their rivals this season.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“I asked ‘Gundo’ (Ilkay Gundogan) yesterday, ‘two years ago you were here, you were one year in Barcelona and you come back here, did you see changes in the Premier League?’,” said Guardiola, whose team host top four rivals Newcastle on Saturday.

“He said massively, the difference was unbelievable. It’s the truth. The teams are much, much, much better in all departments. People prepare so well.

“We cannot do it for the (injury) problems we’ve had. There are a lot of players, with the amount of minutes they have had, who are so tired, emotionally as well.

“But guys, we deserve to have a bad season. We deserve not to be like we were. They are human beings, it can happen. We weren’t consistent and we haven’t had the players at their best.

“It’s the first time that me and many of the players have lived this position but we have to accept it (and recognise) what happened in the past was not normal.”

Pep Guardiola believes the difference from previous successful seasons is that Manchester City are no longer making the most of their dominance of possession.

“I accept when the opponents have the ball, I’m going to suffer,” he said.

“But now we are suffering when we have the ball. It never happened before and, (right) now, I cannot change it. We are suffering because we are human beings.”

READ: Former cricketer urges Babar Azam to return at No. 3 in Champions Trophy

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has reached an agreement with Al Nassr to extend his contract by another year until June 2026, an official with the Saudi club told AFP on Monday.

The official said the sides have agreed on the renewable extension of Ronaldo’s contract, “but it has not been signed yet. An announcement will be made over the coming days”.

Ronaldo turned 40 last week with his current contract due to end in June 2025.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star joined Al Nassr in January 2023 and has since scored 82 goals in 90 matches.

In August, Ronaldo said he would stay with Al Nassr through the end of his professional career, which may be “soon or in two or three years”.

“But it’ll most likely happen with Al Nassr, in the team that makes me happy… and where I feel good.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The Portuguese great appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he moved to Riyadh’s Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250 million.

But his influence became clear when he was followed by a parade of ageing superstars to the big-spending Saudi Pro League.

Saudi Arabia was then awarded the 2034 World Cup in December, the crowning glory for the oil-rich kingdom’s strategy of revamping its image through sports, tourism and culture.

When Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel in August, he gained one million subscribers in just 90 minutes and 20 million within 24 hours. He currently has 73.5 million.

Although World Cup glory has probably eluded him, unlike his Argentine rival Lionel Messi, records still dangle in front of the five-time Ballon d’Or and Champions League winner.

Despite his prodigious form as he closes in on 1,000 professional goals in official matches, Ronaldo is yet to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, with the Arab Club Champions Cup of 2023 his only triumph with the club.

READ: Jomel Warrican named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for January 2025

FIFA has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) immediately due to its failure to implement constitutional amendments recommended by the global governing body.

The suspension comes after the PFF Congress refused to adopt a revised constitution ensuring fair and democratic elections, a key requirement of FIFA’s normalization process.

The PFF’s failure to amend its constitution, particularly clauses related to the electoral process, has led to the suspension. FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had urged the PFF to make these changes, but the newly elected PFF Congress rejected them.

This is not the first time the PFF has faced suspension. In April 2021, FIFA imposed a ban due to third-party interference, lifted in June 2022 after the PFF Normalization Committee regained control of its premises and finances.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The current suspension means Pakistan’s national teams are barred from international competitions, and the PFF will no longer receive FIFA’s financial assistance until the issue is resolved.

The Pakistan Football Federation Normalization Committee Chairman Haroon Malik had warned of a possible suspension due to the deadlock between the federation and the newly elected Congress. Malik stated that FIFA wants the PFF Constitution to align with international standards, but a majority of the newly elected PFF Congress members have not agreed to the proposed amendments.

The PFF has made progress in recent months, including participating in the 2023 Olympic qualifiers and advancing to the second round. However, the suspension is a significant setback for Pakistani football.

READ: Trophy for tri-nation ODI series unveiled

Aston Villa signed Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United for the rest of the season on Sunday to end the England international’s exile under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

Once a hero for the United fans, Rashford has not featured for his boyhood club since December 12 and admitted earlier this season he was ready for a “new challenge”.

The 27-year-old had been linked with a move to AC Milan and Barcelona, but the European giants were put off by his reported £300,000-a-week ($372,000) wages.

According to Sky Sports, Villa will pick up at least 75 percent of that pay packet for the coming months, rising to 90 percent depending on performance-related bonuses and have an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season for £40 million.

“I was lucky to have a few clubs approach me but Aston Villa was an easy decision – I really admire the way that Aston Villa have been playing this season, and the manager’s ambitions,” said Rashford in a Villa statement.

“I just want to play football and am excited to get started. I wish everyone at Manchester United all the best for the rest of the season.”

Villa moved to bolster their attacking options after selling Colombia striker Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr on Friday for a reported £64 million.

Unai Emery’s men have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League and still have aspirations to qualify for that tournament again next season.

Villa sit eighth in the Premier League, eight points above 13th-placed United.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Marcus Rashford scored 138 goals in 426 appearances since coming through the ranks at Old Trafford and has lifted the Europa League, two FA Cups and two League Cups as a Manchester United player.

However, his attitude and work ethic in training has been questioned by Amorim, since he took charge in November.

After last weekend’s 1-0 win at Fulham, the Portuguese coach sensationally claimed he would rather put the club’s 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, in the squad than Rashford.

“Our team should be so much better with Rashford, but he has to change,” Amorim said last week. “If he does change, we are more than welcome to put a talent like Rashford in, and we need it.”

“But in this moment I think it’s really clear that we have to set some standards. That’s all.”

A temporary switch to Aston Villa allows Rashford a fresh start to rehabilitate his tarnished reputation after his astonishing fall from grace.

He was part of England’s World Cup squad just over two years ago and scored a career-best 30 goals in the 2022/23 campaign.

But he netted just eight times last season and has seven in 24 appearances so far this campaign.

READ: BPL 2025: Durbar Rajshahi owner promises to clear dues after overseas players left stranded

Brazilian star Neymar signed a six-month contract with Santos, the club in his home country where he started his career, on Friday.

“The contract is for six months initially, but obviously we will do all we can that he remains with us,” Santos’s vice-president Fernando Bonavides told Canal SporTV.

“What we are hoping is that he remains with us until next year’s World Cup.”

The 32-year-old former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward returns to Santos after playing just seven times for Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal despite a reported salary of around $104 million a year.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Neymar, Brazil’s all-time top scorer, joined Al Hilal in August 2023, following fellow superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to the Gulf.

But two months after his arrival in Riyadh, he ruptured a cruciate ligament in his left knee while playing for Brazil in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, which kept him on the sidelines for a year.

He then suffered a series of hamstring and knee injuries as he tried to return to action.

Neymar cut a contented figure as he was presented to fans in a ceremony at the club’s Estadio Urbano Caldeira, featuring concerts by several local music stars.

READ: Asad Shafiq clears air on Pakistan’s opening pair for Champions Trophy 2025

Barcelona made sure of second place in the Champions League on Wednesday after being held to a 2-2 draw by plucky Atalanta, who failed in their mission for direct qualification for the last 16.

Hansi Flick’s team finished the new single league phase second on 19 points, ahead of Arsenal and Inter Milan on goal difference thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo.

Barcelona had the chance to claim the top spot after Liverpool lost at PSV Eindhoven and twice went ahead but were pegged back in the 67th and 79th minutes by Ederson and Mario Pasalic.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The match looked set for a grandstand finish when Pasalic poked home Marten de Roon’s pass but the Italians’ hopes of a historic win at the Montjuic Olympic stadium vanished when Giorgio Scalvini was stretchered off after falling awkwardly on his shoulder with three minutes remaining.

Defender Scalvini, who has missed most of the Champions League season with a serious knee injury, left the field moments after Atalanta made their last substitution of the evening, leaving Gian Piero Gasperini’s team with 10 men for the final minutes.

Barcelona will now face one of Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, Monaco or Brest in the last 16 while Atalanta will have to brave the play-offs after dropping out of the top eight and finishing ninth.

READ: Real Madrid ‘yet to show their best’, warns Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti said Real Madrid “are improving but are yet to show their best” as his side bid to earn automatic qualification to the Champions League last 16 against Ligue 1 club Brest on Wednesday.

The reigning champions of Europe are ensured of their place in at least the knockout play-off round as the league phase of the revamped Champions League wraps up with its final matchday this week.

However, after suffering three defeats in their opening seven matches, 16th-placed Real are only in with an outside chance of securing a top-eight finish and automatic progression to the last 16.

A faltering start to the defence of their Spanish and Champions League titles now seems to be behind Ancelotti’s charges after they have won nine of their last 10 outings in all competitions.

“I think the team are improving but are yet to show their best, even though we’re getting close,” Carlo Ancelotti said during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“The idea and the vision that we have for this team, I think it’s clear to everyone and the team have improved collectively, but also individually.

“That’s the case for Kylian Mbappe, but also for Rodrygo (Goes) or (Jude) Bellingham and all the other players. They’ve all worked very hard.

“Kylian is playing very well. I think he just needed a little time to improve athletically and adapt to his new environment… Now we’re taking full advantage of having Mbappe with us and the qualities he can bring to the team.”

Criticised for his performances at the start of the season following his long-awaited transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, France captain Mbappe has got among the goals as Madrid surged to the top of La Liga over the winter.

The 26-year-old has 21 goals in 31 matches for Real, eight of which have come in January.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Los Blancos sit only one point outside of the top eight but seven teams are currently between them and eighth-placed Bayer Leverkusen.

One of these sides are Wednesday’s opposition Brest, who have impressed on their European debut, with four wins from seven so far.

“Brest have done an excellent job in this Champions League,” said Carlo Ancelotti.

“They have a point more than us… It’s no coincidence that they took 13 points in the first phase.

“They are a very good team who know how to take advantage of the qualities of their players,” added the veteran Italian.

Brest are also assured of progression to the knock-outs, something their coach described as “difficult to imagine” when the Breton outfit got their campaign underway with a 2-1 win over Sturm Graz in neighbouring Guingamp as their own stadium is not up to UEFA requirements.

“If someone had told us… that Real Madrid would be behind us (now), we would have believed that even less,” added Brest coach Eric Roy during his press conference on Tuesday.

“We got off to a good start in the competition, while Real were perhaps in a period where they were a little less good.

“We saw them lose in Lille (1-0), we saw them lose at home to AC Milan (3-1).

“We managed to over-perform, they may have under-performed, and that’s certainly why today we have a point more than them.”

READ: Rohit Sharma files complaint with BCCI over Sunil Gavaskar comments: report

Brazilian star Neymar on Monday ended his injury-plagued 18-month stay in Saudi Arabia as his club, Al-Hilal said they had “agreed to terminate the player’s contract by mutual consent”.

“The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided throughout his career with Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career,” said a club statement posted on social media.

The 32-year-old former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward played just seven times since joining the club in August 2023, despite a reported salary of around $104 million a year.

Neymar, the subject of what is still the biggest transfer in football history when he joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) from Barcelona in 2017 for a fee of 220 million euros ($230 million), joined Al-Hilal in August 2023.

He followed fellow superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to the lucrative Saudi league.

But two months after his arrival in Riyadh, he ruptured a cruciate ligament in his left knee while playing for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier in October 2023, which kept him on the sidelines for a year.

He returned for Al Hilal with two brief appearances in October and November but injured a hamstring and has not played since. He said he is targeting the World Cup.

The club’s coach Jorge Jesus said recently: “He can no longer play at the level we are used to. Things have become difficult for him, unfortunately.”

Earlier in January, Neymar said he was aiming to play in 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“I know this will be my last World Cup, my last shot, my last chance and I will do everything I can to play in it,” he told CNN.

While Neymar had been courted by MLS teams in the United States, reports in Brazil said Santos, the club where Neymar made his name in his now-fading career, was in talks for him to return to his homeland.

A return to Brazil would likely be the last chance for a player who is his country’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 127 matches.

At the start of his career, he was cast as the heir to Pele. After scoring 107 goals in 177 appearances for Santos, he joined Barcelona in 2013, becoming the young star of a team that also featured Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, which swept to the Champions League title in 2015 by beating Juventus 3-1 in the final in Berlin.

A year later he scored the winning penalty in a shootout as Brazil won the men’s football gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

In 2017, Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) prised him away from Barcelona with what is still a world-record transfer fee of 220 million euros ($230 million).

He won five Ligue 1 titles and he and prolific French forward Kylian Mbappe led PSG to the final of the Champions League in the Covid-blighted 2019-2020, but they lost to Bayern Munich.

PSG reunited Neymar with Messi in the French capital, but the trio with Mbappe failed to gel as personal rivalries got in the way and he was pushed to the exit, and to Saudi Arabia, by the Parisian management in 2023.

READ: AB de Villiers confirms comeback, set to play for South Africa in THIS tournament