Football
Salah penalty seals victory for Premier League leader Liverpool against Wolverhampton
Liverpool restored its seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win against Wolverhampton on Sunday.
But Arne Slot's team had to hold off a fightback from relegation-threatened Wolves at Anfield, which included a brilliant long-range goal from Matheus Cunha.
First-half strikes from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah secured the win for Liverpool and ensured it maintained its advantage over second-placed Arsenal.
Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target after the break as Wolves dominated the chances.
“Obviously 2-0 at halftime, we know that can be one of the most dangerous results in football. We had to come out and we had to start well – and we didn’t quite do that," said Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson. “When they scored, everyone gets nervous. The players get nervous, the crowd get nervous – of course that’s only natural. But it’s a massive win for us and another game down.”
Champions League exit awaits Real Madrid or Man City and at least 3 more former title holders
Diaz bundled the ball over the line from close range in the 15th minute to give Liverpool the lead. And Salah doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 37th after Diaz was brought down.
It was the Egypt international's 28th goal of an outstanding season and extended his current scoring streak to six straight games.
But if the home crowd was expecting a routine victory against 17th-placed Wolves, it was anything but.
Liverpool conceded a goal in stoppage time to draw 2-2 with Everton on Wednesday and was pushed again.
Cunha's drag-back and curled finish from around 20 yards (meters) in the 67th came after a sustained period of pressure from the visitors.
Before that Marshall Munetsi was denied when through on goal — it took a crucial block in front of goal from Jarell Quansah to prevent him from converting late on.
Tottenham hosts Manchester United later Sunday.
3 hours ago
Rebelling women footballers agree to join practice after boycotting national camp for 3 weeks
National captain Sabina Khatun-led 18-rebelling women’s national footballers, who boycotting the national team's practice session under the English Head Coach Peter Butler for about three weeks, finally agreed to join the national team's practice session on Sunday (Feb 16).
Chairman of the BFF Women's Football Committee Mahfuza Akhter Kiron informed the good news to the newsmen at the BFF office on Sunday following her long inititive and the day's successfull discussion with rebel players.
However, the rebel senior booters will join the practice session in the next month after national women's team return from UAE in the first week of March playing two International friendlies there against the hosts on February 26 and March 2. Bangladesh women's football team, without 18 rebel players, is likely to fly to UAE on March 24.
They have agreed to join next month's national team's training camp for the Women's Asia Cup Qualifiers to be held in June after taking some rest and will sign contract with BFF at that time, said Kiron.
Women Footballers: International careers of Sabina, other seniors under threat
"The senior officials of BFF will sit with Women's Head Coach Peter Butler and rebelling 18 senior players at the beginning of the next month's practice session to solve misunderstanding between coach and players and as well as to cool the present tense-packed situation," she further added.
Earlier on January 29, 18 national senior players at a press conference at the BFF premises, revolted against their English Coach Pater Butler issuing a three-page statement after the head coach contract was renewed further for two years from January this year.
They raised several allegations against Butler including mental harassment, repression, using abusive words, body shaming, misbehaving, continuous discrimination and unfair treatment
7 hours ago
Champions League exit awaits Real Madrid or Man City and at least 3 more former title holders
Now the jeopardy really kicks in for the Champions League with a title chase, pride and hard cash on the line.
At least four former European champions will be among eight teams eliminated when the new knockout playoff round ends this week.
Real Madrid or Manchester City, Bayern Munich or Celtic, AC Milan or Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven or Juventus.
Their European seasons will be over in February before even reaching the round of 16 that teams like Madrid and Man City, who meet in their second-leg game Wednesday, have come to expect.
Indeed, City coach Pep Guardiola has never failed in 16 seasons of coaching — four at Barcelona, three at Bayern and nine in Manchester — to take his team to the round of 16 in the Champions League.
Advancing to the last-16 is worth 11 million euros ($11.5 million) in prize money from UEFA. While that pays just a few months of salary for Kylian Mbappé or Erling Haaland, it is a path toward a bigger share of the 2.5 billion euros ($2.6 billion) total prize fund shared by 36 teams that started in the league phase in September.
It took 152 games so far in the new expanded format — already 21% more than the entire 125-game competition in each of the past 21 seasons — just to reach this stage.
The business end of the Champions League arguably only starts now, with 37 games left through the May 31 final in Munich.
Heavyweight clash in MadridReal Madrid vs. Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is a classic match in the modern Champions League: A 3-3 draw in the quarterfinals last year and a thrilling 3-1 win for Madrid in extra-time to decide their semifinal in 2022. Each time coach Carlo Ancelotti’s team went on to win the title, extending the record to 15 in the competition's 70-year history.
Their first meeting in Madrid, a group-stage game in September 2012, was a late comeback by Madrid with two goals after the 85th minute to win 3-2 — just as it was in Manchester last Tuesday in the first leg.
That 2012-13 season was the last time City did not play in the round of 16. The English champion’s streak of 11 straight years, including finally lifting the trophy in 2023, is at serious risk Wednesday.
German clubs' home comfort. Tense week for Italian clubsBayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund start home games with leads from the first leg as they seek to join Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16. Bayern hosts Celtic on Tuesday with a 2-1 lead and Dortmund starts 3-0 up on Sporting Lisbon in the early game Wednesday.
Paris Saint-Germain also has a 3-0 advantage at home, against Brest on Wednesday. It will be the clubs' third meeting in 19 days. Benfica also won on the road, 1-0 at Monaco, and hosts the return leg on Tuesday.
Juventus takes a 2-1 lead to Eindhoven on Wednesday and Club Brugge is 2-1 up going to Atalanta on Tuesday in Bergamo. About 30 miles (50 kilometers) away, in Tuesday’s early game, AC Milan hosts Feyenoord trying to overturn a 1-0 deficit.
West is best and wealthiestThe Champions League is dominated more than ever by teams from the richest leagues in western Europe, banking hundreds of millions more in prize money.
No team from eastern Europe qualified for the knockout stage. Croatia’s champion Dinamo Zagreb was edged out in 25th place on goal difference behind Brugge.
All eight seeded teams already in the round of 16 come from the five countries — England, Italy, Spain, Germany, France — ranked highest by UEFA based on results in all European competitions across five seasons.
Sixth-ranked Netherlands and No. 7 Portugal are well set to place at least one team in the rest of the competition. The lowest-ranked country still involved, No. 14 Scotland, is likely to have Celtic eliminated by Bayern.
Round of 16 drawThe pairings will be set Friday at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, at midday local time (1100 GMT).
The eight playoff winners will be unseeded, and play the home leg first, against the seeded teams that placed in the top eight of the 36-team league phase standings.
First-leg games are played March 4-5 and return games are one week later. There is now no separate draw for the quarterfinals and semifinals because the tennis-style seeded bracket is set through to the final.
Seedings: 1 Liverpool; 2 Barcelona; 3 Arsenal; 4 Inter Milan; 5 Atletico Madrid; 6 Bayer Leverkusen; 7 Lille; 8 Aston Villa.
Liverpool and Barcelona will be drawn against the winners of either of the playoffs involving the Nos. 15 and 16 seeds, PSG and Benfica. As Real Madrid placed 11th in the league, the winner of its playoff with Man City will next play the fifth- or sixth-place team, Atletico or Leverkusen.
10 hours ago
Man United forward Amad Diallo ruled out for a 'number of weeks' with ankle injury
Manchester United forward Amad Diallo has sustained an ankle injury that will rule him out for a “number of weeks,” the club said Sunday.
Diallo picked up the injury during training this week.
“Extremely disappointed to be writing this message in such a crucial time of the season,” he posted on X. “Unfortunately, I will be out for some time with an injury.
“I will come back stronger than ever!!"
Diallo has been one of United's best players in a troubled season for the 20-time Premier League champion. He has scored nine goals including a late winner against Manchester City in December and an equalizer in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool in January.
His injury leaves United coach Ruben Amorim short of attacking options after Marcus Rashford and Antony were loaned out in the January transfer window.
11 hours ago
Atalanta's hopes of silverware fading after more disappointment and Napoli held again
Atalanta is losing hope of silverware match by match.
It followed up Wednesday’s disappointing — and controversial — defeat at Club Brugge in the Champions League with a goalless draw at home to relegation-threatened Cagliari in Serie A on Saturday.
However, third-placed Atalanta remained five points behind Napoli after the league leader was held to a third straight draw, this time 2-2 at fourth-placed Lazio.
That means Inter Milan can move to the top of Serie A with a win at bitter rival Juventus on Sunday.
Atalanta has won just one of its past six matches in all competitions and hosts Brugge on Tuesday in the return leg of the knockout playoff round.
Cagliari inched to five points above the relegation zone.
Atalanta had a number of players out with injuries and coach Gian Piero Gasperini opted to rest a host of other regulars between the Champions League matches.
Both Atalanta and Cagliari defended well in Bergamo and there was just one shot on target in the first half.
Atalanta thought it had broken the deadlock on the hour but Marco Brescianini’s effort was ruled out for a foul by Stefan Posch on Cagliari goalkeeper Elia Caprile.
Atalanta finished the match strongly and Caprile had to make a number of important saves.
Third straight draw for Napoli
Napoli was keen to get back to winning ways after draws against Roma and Udinese.
It looked like it turned the match around when it fought back to lead 2-1 in the 64th minute following a comical own goal.
Matteo Politano whipped in a cross from the right and Giacomo Raspadori’s shot went in off Lazio defender Mario Gila’s bottom and teammate Adam Marusic.
Kane lifts Bayern to beat Celtic in Champions League playoffs. Milan, Atalanta and Monaco all lose
Lazio thought it levelled almost immediately — and in spectacular fashion — but Mattia Zaccagni’s acrobatic overhead kick was ruled out for offside.
The home side snatched a point three minutes from time when Boulaye Dia combined with Zaccagni on the right and cut inside to fire into the far bottom corner.
Gustav Isaksen gave Lazio the lead in the sixth minute with a powerful strike from 30 yards but it was cancelled out by Raspadori seven minutes later.
Isaksen hadn't scored since a late winner in the last league match against Napoli in December.
First at San Siro
Santiago Giménez is proving well worth the 30 million euros ($31 million) AC Milan paid Feyenoord for him.
The Mexico forward netted his second goal in as many league matches — and his first at San Siro — to help Milan beat Hellas Verona 1-0.
Alex Jiménez started the move, sending Rafael Leão into the left of the area and he delicately lobbed it over a defender for Giménez to nod into an empty net in the 75th minute.
Barcelona to play Atletico Madrid in Copa semifinals
Milan was seventh, five points below fourth place. The Rossoneri host Feyenoord on Tuesday in the Champions League after losing the first leg 1-0.
Verona was three points off the drop zone.
17 hours ago
10-man Real Madrid draws at Osasuna after Bellingham red card for cursing at the ref
Jude Bellingham's use of an English expletive to curse at the referee left Real Madrid a man down and unable to defend a lead as the La Liga leaders drew at Osasuna 1-1 on Saturday.
Kylian Mbappé put Madrid ahead in the 15th minute with his 11th goal in as many league games. But Madrid was outnumbered after Bellingham's red card for using an expletive while protesting the refereeing five minutes before halftime.
Osasuna pulled level after the referee awarded a penalty after a video review and booked Eduardo Camavinga for stomping the foot of Ante Budimir in the box. Budimir slotted the 58th-minute equalizer past Thibaut Courtois to unleash celebrations at El Sadar Stadium.
The draw in Pamplona put Madrid’s league lead in jeopardy. While Atletico Madrid failed to take advantage of the slip and stayed one point behind the frontrunners, Barcelona can pull level with its top rival if it beats Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Next up for Madrid is a home game against Manchester City on Wednesday when it will try to make good on its 3-2 win in their first meeting of the Champions League knockout rounds playoff.
'English translation error'
In what seemed to be a stretch of linguistic analysis, coach Carlo Ancelotti tried to defend his player by claiming that referee José Luis Munuera made a translation error of Bellingham’s use of an English expletive.
“Bellingham didn’t do anything that deserved a sending off,” Ancelotti said. “He said ‘(expletive) off,’ not ’(expletive) you.' I don’t think that was meant to be offensive.”
Munuera wrote in his refereeing report that Bellingham told him "from just a few meters away, ‘(expletive) you.’”
Bellingham said “I don’t want to go into details of what was said” but insisted he was unfairly treated, saying the referee made a translation error and that there was indeed a degree of difference between the expletive when combined with “off" or “you.”
Real Madrid's Bellingham shown red card after using English expletive to protest referee
“It is clear that he made a mistake and there was a miscommunication," said the England midfielder, who got a two-game ban last season after receiving a red card for using an expletive in English protesting a ref's call.
More fuel for the fire
Ancelotti was also shown a yellow card early after he complained excessively for what he thought was a handball by an Osasuna player in the host's area.
Following its loss at Espanyol, the powerhouse sent a scathing letter to Spain’s soccer federation to decry what it considered “adulterated” refereeing that favored other teams. The league president responded by saying that the 36-time champion had “lost its mind.”
The decisions by Munuera aggravated Madrid’s sense of grievance regarding the refereeing in La Liga.
"Things have happened in the last three games that everyone has seen,” Ancelotti said. “The VAR has reviewed plays in our area and not in the opponent’s area. … We just have to keep fighting. We played a good game today and we will try to do so again on Wednesday and in the next La Liga game.”
Mbappé remains hot
Mbappé had an up and down first few months while adapting to Madrid, but he has been scoring at ease in recent weeks and has 17 league goals, second only to the 19 by Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski.
Mbappé had an opportunity to bag an injury-time winner but Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera blocked his shot from an angle.
Osasuna, which beat Barcelona 4-2 in September when the Catalan club was leading the league, moved into seventh place.
Budimir’s goal let the Croatia striker equal an Osasuna club record of 57 career goals in La Liga, a mark set by Sabino Andonegui.
“It is always very special to enter the history of a club that is over 100 years old. I am very proud,” Budimir said.
Atletico ‘gladiators’ fail to retake lead
Arsenal forward Kai Havertz injured in training in Dubai
Atletico Madrid remained a point behind Madrid after it was also reduced to 10 men and needed a late goal from substitute Alexander Sorloth to draw at home with Celta Vigo 1-1.
Pablo Barrios hurt Atletico’s chances when he saw a direct red card for a studs-first slide into the lower leg of Pablo Durán just seven minutes into the match.
Borja Iglesias earned a penalty when fouled by Robin Le Normand in the area, sending substitute Iago Aspas to the spot to put Celta ahead in the 68th.
Sorloth salvaged a point for the hosts when the Norway striker won a long ball and rifled it home in the 81st.
“After the sending off (of Barrios), my players were gladiators,” coach Diego Simeone said, “because playing 90 minutes with a man down, do you know how hard that is?”
Also, Alaves drew at Leganes 3-3, while a struggling Valencia took a 1-1 draw at fifth-placed Villarreal in a regional derby.
17 hours ago
Real Madrid's Bellingham shown red card after using English expletive to protest referee
Jude Bellingham was sent off in Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw at Osasuna after he used explicit language while protesting the refereeing on Saturday.
Referee José Luis Munuera marched the England midfielder in the 40th minute of the La Liga game after Bellingham complained about a refereeing decision while gesturing with his arms. The two exchanged words before Munuera pulled out the red card.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti defended his player and claimed that Munuera made a translation error of Bellingham’s use of an English expletive.
“Bellingham didn’t do anything that deserved a sending off,” Ancelotti said. “He said ‘(expletive) off,’ not ’(expletive) you.' I don’t think that was meant to be offensive.”
Bellingham spoke after Ancelotti and insisted that his use of the expletive was not meant to target the referee.
“It is clear that he made a mistake and there was a miscommunication,” Bellingham said. “I want to make sure that the team knows that I wasn’t irresponsible enough to put them in a situation where they were left with 10.
“It is an expression that I have been saying since I was 16 or 17 years old for better or for worse.”
Munuera wrote in his refereeing report that Bellingham told him, "'(expletive) you.’”
Ancelotti had already received a yellow card for complaining about what he thought was a handball by an Osasuna defender in the host's area that was not punished.
Madrid was winning 1-0 from a goal by Kylian Mbappé when Bellingham ran afoul of the ref.
Two rounds ago, Madrid vehemently complained about refereeing that it claimed favored Espanyol in a loss.
1 day ago
Bangabandhu National Stadium renamed as “National Stadium, Dhaka”
Country’s premier and historic sports venue Bangabandhu National Stadium renamed as National Stadium, Dhaka on Saturday (February 15)
Secretary of National Sports Council (NSC) M Aminul Islam renamed the country’s biggest sports venue issuing a notification on Saturday per approval of the authority concerned.
The stadium was constructed in 1954 at the Palton area of the capital named as “Dhaka Stadium”. Before the Independence of Bangladesh and Pakistan national cricket team played a test match there.
After the Independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the stadium became the center point of all major sports activities and different national programs.
JU Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement leaders remove Bangabandhu's portrait from council room
The SAFF Games, Mini World Cup Cricket (Championship Trophy), Bangladesh’s inaugural test match in 2000, International Cricket and Football matches and tournaments were held at the stadium alongside other sports and national programs.
Later, the Stadium renamed as Bangabandhu National Stadium in place of Dhaka Stadium in 1998 during the Awami League Government.
For the next few years Football shifted to Mirpur Stadium and Cricket at the Dhaka/ Stadium. From 2005, Cricket permanently shifted to Mirpur Stadium and Football and Athletics at the Dhaka Stadium.
On February 12, the NSC also changed the name of 150 upazila stadiums like other government establishment named after the head of previous government and her family.
1 day ago
Arsenal forward Kai Havertz injured in training in Dubai
Arsenal's Premier League title challenge has been dealt a blow after forward Kai Havertz was injured during a training camp in Dubai.
The Germany international tore his hamstring and was set for a lengthy layoff, British media reported on Thursday said. Arsenal has not confirmed the injury, AP reports.
The loss of Havertz would leave manager Mikel Arteta desperately short of attacking options with Gabriel Jesus out for the season after ACL surgery.
Kane lifts Bayern to beat Celtic in Champions League playoffs. Milan, Atalanta and Monaco all lose
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are also sidelined with hamstring injuries.
Arteta wanted to sign a forward during the January transfer window, with Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins a reported target.
“We had a clear intention to explore the opportunities to improve our squad with players that can impact it,” Arteta said after the window closed. "And we haven’t achieved that so we are disappointed in that sense.
“We’re going to have to be very flexible with the front line. It’s not a gamble, it’s reality, and we have to face the reality."
Arsenal is second in the Premier League, seven points behind leader Liverpool.
The London club has not won the title since 2004 and finished runner-up in the last two seasons.
3 days ago
Kane lifts Bayern to beat Celtic in Champions League playoffs. Milan, Atalanta and Monaco all lose
Bayern Munich looks set to survive the new Champions League playoffs round. AC Milan joined Atalanta and Monaco losing their first-leg games Wednesday.
Bayern got high-class strikes from Michael Olise and Harry Kane either side of halftime in a 2-1 win at Scottish champion Celtic. The return game is Tuesday in Munich.
"The (Celtic) fans haven’t seen many losses here, especially in Europe, so we appreciate the importance of the game and the victory,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said.
Bayern had joined Real Madrid and Manchester City as Champions League title winners in the past five years who surprisingly found themselves in the playoffs because they finished outside the top eight in the new 36-team single standings format. Madrid won 3-2 in Manchester on Tuesday.
Feyenoord's goal in a rain-soaked 1-0 win over Milan came in the third minute and relied in France goalkeeper Mike Maignan spilling Igor Paixão's shot into the net. Feyenoord's Brazilian winger gave Milan new signing Kyle Walker a tough first game in the competition for the seven-time European champion.
It also was a quick winning start for Feyenoord's interim coach Pascal Bosschaart in his first game after the firing Monday of Brian Priske.
Benfica won 1-0 at Monaco with another goal from Vangélis Pavlídis, a delicate chip shot in the 48th. Monaco had Al Musrati sent off four minutes later.
Club Brugge scored with a disputed penalty kick in stoppage time to beat Atalanta 2-1. That was a meeting of teams that finished 24th and ninth, respectively, in the 36-team standings two weeks ago.
Barcelona to play Atletico Madrid in Copa semifinals
The top eight teams in those standings advanced direct to the round of 16 in March, leaving Nos. 9 to 24 to compete this month for eight more entries in playoffs over back-to-back midweeks.
Kane vs Schmeichel
Harry Kane loves scoring against Kasper Schmeichel, his longtime rival in Tottenham vs Leicester and England vs Denmark games.
Bayern star Kane's sharp volley in the 49th, when left unmarked at the back post at a corner, was his 19th career goal past Schmeichel, more than any other goalkeeper he has faced.
It was a second impressive goal conceded by Schmeichel, who was helpless against Michael Olise's rising left-footed shot in the 45th.
On a tough evening for Celtic’s all-American central defense of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty, the Scottish champion has more hope next Tuesday thanks to Japan forward Daizen Maeda cutting the deficit late on.
“At 2-1, Bayern are hanging on," Celtic coach Brendan Rodgers said. “Let’s go and have no regrets and see where it takes us. We’ve shown we can play football and be a threat.”
Pavlídis hot streak
Benfica's Greece forward might be the most in-form striker in the Champions League. It is now six goals in the competition and five in the past three games including a hat trick against Barcelona.
The 26-year-old Pavlidis latched onto a pass from the halfway line and shrugged off defender Mohammed Salisu before neatly clipping the ball over goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki in the 48th minute.
Benfica’s win was soured by another injury for veteran winger Angel Di Maria. The 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina lasted 20 minutes as a substitute before sustaining a left hamstring injury. He pulled up near the penalty area and immediately lay on the ground.
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It was Benfica’s second win in Monaco, adding to a 3-2 victory in November in the league phase.
Atalanta anger in Brugge
A late light-touch clash between two Sweden teammates was decisive in Club Brugge’s 2-1 win over Atalanta.
Entering stoppage time, Atalanta defender Isak Hien was judged to have raised a hand into the face of Brugge forward Gustaf Nilsson as they chased a loose ball.
Turkish referee Umut Meler awarded a penalty and showed yellow cards to three Atalanta players, including Hien, for protesting before Nilsson won the game. He sent goalkeeper Rui Patricio the wrong way with his spot kick.
“We are now going in a direction outside of what football should be,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini told broadcaster Sky Italia of the penalty decision, “but beyond the controversy we now have to accept these rules that I no longer recognize.”
Man City vs Real Madrid: European giant faces UCL exit
Brugge had led on former Barcelona forward Ferran Jutglà‘s shot in the 15th minute and Atalanta leveled in the 41st on Mario Pašalić’s header.
3 days ago