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England interim manager Lee Carsley called up Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall and Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis for the first time on Thursday as he named his final squad.

Carsley will return to his role as Under-21s manager after Nations League games against Greece and Ireland, with Thomas Tuchel starting as the new boss in January.

Hall, 20, has impressed for Newcastle this season, playing in all 10 Premier League games and could provide an answer to England's left-back problems.

Harwood-Bellis, 22, has also been an ever-present for Southampton and has impressed during a difficult start to life back in the Premier League for his club.

"They're both players who have played a lot of minutes this season and have shown they can consistently play in the Premier League at a high level," said Carsley.

Manchester City defender John Stones and Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo are ruled out with injuries, but Declan Rice, Jack Grealish and Cole Palmer are included in the 26-man squad despite fitness issues of their own.

Uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is also back in the squad after his maiden call-up for last month's games against Greece and Finland.

England head to the Olympic Stadium in Athens next Thursday to face Greece, who have a three-point cushion over them at the top of Group B2, before hosting Ireland three days later.

Defeat in Athens would end England's chances of automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League.

Tuchel has signed an 18-month deal that begins on January 1, so will only be an interested observer during this month's games.

"He hasn't had any influence on the squad selection," said Carsley. "I've spoken to him by text, but it's literally congratulations.

"I think he's highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-sa-1st-t20i-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-series-opener-in-durban-774287">Ind vs SA, 1st T20I Live Streaming: When and where to watch series opener in Durban</a>

<h2>England squad</h2>

Goalkeepers:&nbsp;Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale&nbsp;

Defenders:&nbsp;Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Marc Guehi, Lewis Hall, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Ezri Konsa, Rico Lewis, Kyle Walker

Midfielders:&nbsp;Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Conor Gallagher, Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes, Curtis Jones, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice

Forwards:&nbsp;Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Solanke, Ollie Watkins

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

England interim manager Lee Carsley called up Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall and Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis for the first time on Thursday as he named his final squad.

England interim manager Lee Carsley called up Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall and Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis for the first time on Thursday as he named his final squad. Carsley will return to his role as Under-21s manager after Nations League games against Greece and Ireland, with Thomas Tuchel starting as the new boss in January. Hall, 20, has impressed for Newcastle this season, playing in all 10 Premier League games and could provide an answer to England's left-back problems. Harwood-Bellis, 22, has also been an ever-present for Southampton and has impressed during a difficult start to life back in the Premier League for his club. "They're both players who have played a lot of minutes this season and have shown they can consistently play in the Premier League at a high level," said Carsley. Manchester City defender John Stones and Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo are ruled out with injuries, but Declan Rice, Jack Grealish and Cole Palmer are included in the 26-man squad despite fitness issues of their own. Uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is also back in the squad after his maiden call-up for last month's games against Greece and Finland. England head to the Olympic Stadium in Athens next Thursday to face Greece, who have a three-point cushion over them at the top of Group B2, before hosting Ireland three days later. Defeat in Athens would end England's chances of automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League. Tuchel has signed an 18-month deal that begins on January 1, so will only be an interested observer during this month's games. "He hasn't had any influence on the squad selection," said Carsley. "I've spoken to him by text, but it's literally congratulations. "I think he's highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing." ALSO READ | Ind vs SA, 1st T20I Live Streaming: When and where to watch series opener in Durban England squad Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Marc Guehi, Lewis Hall, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Ezri Konsa, Rico Lewis, Kyle Walker Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Conor Gallagher, Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes, Curtis Jones, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice Forwards: Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Solanke, Ollie Watkins Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: England hand first call-ups to Lewis Hall, Taylor Harwood-Bellis

A Hakan Calhanoglu penalty gave Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, while a 93rd-minute winner ensured Atletico Madrid left Paris with all three points. The Italian champions remain undefeated in the competition this season and sit fifth on 10 points at the midway point of the new league phase format. "I think we played a great game against a strong side who play with great intensity," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi.

Arsenal, on the other hand, experienced defeat for the first time in Europe this season and lie three points and seven places behind their opponents. The match at the San Siro looked set to go into the break goalless until a penalty was signalled against Mikel Merino after Mehdi Taremi's flick deviated the ball into the Arsenal player's raised hand from close range.

"We were very harshly done by," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports. "There is no deflection, nothing you can do in the box, so can he get away from it?"

Calhanoglu stroked home the resulting spot-kick three minutes into first-half injury time. Yann Sommer and Denzel Dumfries combined on the line to deny Gabriel Magalhaes a leveller shortly before the hour.

Arsenal cranked up the pressure in the second half but were unable to break down Inter's solid defensive block as the Premier League side fell to a second defeat in four days.

Barcelona beat Red Star Belgrade 5-2 in Serbia to claim sixth spot in the standings. The Catalans took the lead on 13 minutes via a stooping header by defender Inigo Martinez. But Red Star struck back just prior to the half-hour when Silas Mvumpa sprang the Barca offside trap and lifted the ball past Inaki Pena.

Robert Lewandowski effectively ensured Barca stayed in the automatic qualification spots with a quick-fire double either side of the break. Raphinha and Fermin Lopez then netted, before Felicio Milson curled in a late consolation for the hosts.

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<h2>- PSG in trouble -</h2>

Atletico stunned PSG 2-1 in the French capital as Angel Correa's stoppage-time winner gave the Spaniards a second Champions League win this term. "Paris played very well, they attacked the whole match, but we were confident, we worked hard in defence and as a team, and we got our goal at the end to claim victory," Correa said to Movistar.

The loss means the French champions sit in the elimination zone with one win and a draw from four, with matches against Manchester City and Bayern Munich to come.

Warren Zaire-Emery sent PSG ahead with a dinked finish past Jan Oblak on 14 minutes, before Nahuel Molina drilled in an equaliser four minutes later.

The home team pressed as the match wore on but left themselves exposed as Oblak's throw found Antoine Griezmann on the break and the Frenchman's pinpoint pass landed at the feet of Correa, who cut in and finished past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Jamal Musiala struck in the 67th minute to get Bayern Munich's stuttering campaign back on course with a 1-0 win at home to Benfica. The six-time winners' record of two wins and two defeats leaves them mid-table with four matches remaining.

Aston Villa's 100 percent record in the Champions League ended with a 1-0 defeat at Club Brugge, sparked by a bizarre penalty conceded by Tyrone Mings.

After making his debut in the competition in just his second match back after a long injury lay-off, the England centre-half gifted Brugge a penalty in the 51st minute after he picked up a short goal kick taken by Emiliano Martinez.

Hans Vanaken stroked home from 12 yards to drop Villa to eighth.

Brest continued their excellent start to life at European football's top table, a 2-1 win at Sparta Prague taking them to fourth place.

Second-half strikes by Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo gave Europa League champions Atalanta a 2-0 win at Stuttgart.

RB Leipzig picked up their first points of the campaign with a 3-1 victory in the Netherlands against 10-man Feyenoord.

Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine defeated Young Boys 2-1, condemning the Swiss side to a fourth consecutive defeat in the competition.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A Hakan Calhanoglu penalty gave Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, while a 93rd-minute winner ensured Atletico Madrid left Paris with all three points.

A Hakan Calhanoglu penalty gave Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, while a 93rd-minute winner ensured Atletico Madrid left Paris with all three points. The Italian champions remain undefeated in the competition this season and sit fifth on 10 points at the midway point of the new league phase format. "I think we played a great game against a strong side who play with great intensity," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi. Arsenal, on the other hand, experienced defeat for the first time in Europe this season and lie three points and seven places behind their opponents. The match at the San Siro looked set to go into the break goalless until a penalty was signalled against Mikel Merino after Mehdi Taremi's flick deviated the ball into the Arsenal player's raised hand from close range. "We were very harshly done by," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports. "There is no deflection, nothing you can do in the box, so can he get away from it?" Calhanoglu stroked home the resulting spot-kick three minutes into first-half injury time. Yann Sommer and Denzel Dumfries combined on the line to deny Gabriel Magalhaes a leveller shortly before the hour. Arsenal cranked up the pressure in the second half but were unable to break down Inter's solid defensive block as the Premier League side fell to a second defeat in four days. Barcelona beat Red Star Belgrade 5-2 in Serbia to claim sixth spot in the standings. The Catalans took the lead on 13 minutes via a stooping header by defender Inigo Martinez. But Red Star struck back just prior to the half-hour when Silas Mvumpa sprang the Barca offside trap and lifted the ball past Inaki Pena. Robert Lewandowski effectively ensured Barca stayed in the automatic qualification spots with a quick-fire double either side of the break. Raphinha and Fermin Lopez then netted, before Felicio Milson curled in a late consolation for the hosts. Also read: Algerian boxer Imane Khelif takes legal action over gender reports - PSG in trouble - Atletico stunned PSG 2-1 in the French capital as Angel Correa's stoppage-time winner gave the Spaniards a second Champions League win this term. "Paris played very well, they attacked the whole match, but we were confident, we worked hard in defence and as a team, and we got our goal at the end to claim victory," Correa said to Movistar. The loss means the French champions sit in the elimination zone with one win and a draw from four, with matches against Manchester City and Bayern Munich to come. Warren Zaire-Emery sent PSG ahead with a dinked finish past Jan Oblak on 14 minutes, before Nahuel Molina drilled in an equaliser four minutes later. The home team pressed as the match wore on but left themselves exposed as Oblak's throw found Antoine Griezmann on the break and the Frenchman's pinpoint pass landed at the feet of Correa, who cut in and finished past Gianluigi Donnarumma. Jamal Musiala struck in the 67th minute to get Bayern Munich's stuttering campaign back on course with a 1-0 win at home to Benfica. The six-time winners' record of two wins and two defeats leaves them mid-table with four matches remaining. Aston Villa's 100 percent record in the Champions League ended with a 1-0 defeat at Club Brugge, sparked by a bizarre penalty conceded by Tyrone Mings. After making his debut in the competition in just his second match back after a long injury lay-off, the England centre-half gifted Brugge a penalty in the 51st minute after he picked up a short goal kick taken by Emiliano Martinez. Hans Vanaken stroked home from 12 yards to drop Villa to eighth. Brest continued their excellent start to life at European football's top table, a 2-1 win at Sparta Prague taking them to fourth place. Second-half strikes by Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo gave Europa League champions Atalanta a 2-0 win at Stuttgart. RB Leipzig picked up their first points of the campaign with a 3-1 victory in the Netherlands against 10-man Feyenoord. Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine defeated Young Boys 2-1, condemning the Swiss side to a fourth consecutive defeat in the competition. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UCL: Inter Milan sink Arsenal, Atletico sting PSG late on as Barcelona back on track

Cristiano&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;helped fire Al Nassr to a crushing 5-1 victory against reigning Asian champions Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday. The Portuguese star, without a goal in his past three appearances for the Saudi Arabian side, netted the second of the hosts' goals at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh.&nbsp; Right on the half hour, Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa failed to hold a routine long-range drive from former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, leaving&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;to pounce on the rebound to tap home.

The win maintained Al Nassr's unbeaten start to the rebranded AFC Champions League Elite, lifting them to third in the 12-team West Asia table. Saudi counterparts Al Hilal and Al Ahli sit above them. The top eight reach the knockout phase. &nbsp;

Seeking revenge following last season's quarter-final exit at the hands of Al Ain, Al Nassr burst out of the blocks on Tuesday. Stefano Pioli's side took the lead after five minutes, when Brazilian Anderson Talisca finished low past Essa from the edge of the Al Ain area.

After&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;doubled Al Nassr's advantage, the home team put the result beyond their UAE rivals seven minutes later. Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, exchanged passes with Mane and sent his shot looping over Essa courtesy of a deflection off Al Ain defender Fabio Cardoso. It was eventually deemed an own goal.

Al Ain pulled one back at the start of the second half, when Park Yong-woo's shot struck the upright and cannoned back off Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento for the game's second own goal.

However, Brazilian teenager Wesley, introduced moments before, curled home eight minutes from time before Talisca rounded off the night deep into stoppage time with his second.

With the loss, Al Ain languish at the bottom of the West Asia standings having taken a solitary point from a possible 12. A third successive defeat ramps up the pressure on manager Hernan Crespo, who in May guided the club to a first Asian crown in 21 years.

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<h2>- Vissel go top in East -</h2>

Meanwhile, in East Asia, domestic title-holders Vissel Kobe beat South Korea's Gwangju FC 2-0 at the top of their group stage on a good night for Japanese teams.

Kawasaki Frontale scored three times in the first half at home on the way to a 3-1 victory over newly crowned Chinese champions Shanghai Port. Akihiro Ienaga, Yusuke Segawa and Sai van Wermeskerken were on the scoresheet.

In Kobe, the hosts and J. League champions triumphed through a Taisei Miyashiro penalty and a Daiju Sasaki header. The victory left Vissel top of the 12 teams in the East zone at the halfway point, while Gwangju dropped to second.&nbsp;

Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim moved up to third with a 3-0 home victory over South Korea's Ulsan, who are rooted to the bottom without a point.&nbsp;

Central Coast Mariners scored deep in injury time as they roared back to grab a 2-2 home draw with Shanghai Shenhua to finally get a point on the board.

Bailey Brandtman poked home for the Australians in the 95th minute after the hosts had been 2-0 down. That left Shenhua fourth in the group while the Mariners are one off the bottom.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo helped fire Al Nassr to a crushing 5-1 victory against reigning Asian champions Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday. The Portuguese star, without a goal in his past three appearances for the Saudi Arabian side, netted the second of the hosts' goals at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh.

Cristiano Ronaldo helped fire Al Nassr to a crushing 5-1 victory against reigning Asian champions Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday. The Portuguese star, without a goal in his past three appearances for the Saudi Arabian side, netted the second of the hosts' goals at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh. Right on the half hour, Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa failed to hold a routine long-range drive from former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, leaving Ronaldo to pounce on the rebound to tap home. The win maintained Al Nassr's unbeaten start to the rebranded AFC Champions League Elite, lifting them to third in the 12-team West Asia table. Saudi counterparts Al Hilal and Al Ahli sit above them. The top eight reach the knockout phase. Seeking revenge following last season's quarter-final exit at the hands of Al Ain, Al Nassr burst out of the blocks on Tuesday. Stefano Pioli's side took the lead after five minutes, when Brazilian Anderson Talisca finished low past Essa from the edge of the Al Ain area. After Ronaldo doubled Al Nassr's advantage, the home team put the result beyond their UAE rivals seven minutes later. Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, exchanged passes with Mane and sent his shot looping over Essa courtesy of a deflection off Al Ain defender Fabio Cardoso. It was eventually deemed an own goal. Al Ain pulled one back at the start of the second half, when Park Yong-woo's shot struck the upright and cannoned back off Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento for the game's second own goal. However, Brazilian teenager Wesley, introduced moments before, curled home eight minutes from time before Talisca rounded off the night deep into stoppage time with his second. With the loss, Al Ain languish at the bottom of the West Asia standings having taken a solitary point from a possible 12. A third successive defeat ramps up the pressure on manager Hernan Crespo, who in May guided the club to a first Asian crown in 21 years. Also read: UEFA Champions League: Sporting stun Man City in Champions League as Liverpool, Milan claim fine wins - Vissel go top in East - Meanwhile, in East Asia, domestic title-holders Vissel Kobe beat South Korea's Gwangju FC 2-0 at the top of their group stage on a good night for Japanese teams. Kawasaki Frontale scored three times in the first half at home on the way to a 3-1 victory over newly crowned Chinese champions Shanghai Port. Akihiro Ienaga, Yusuke Segawa and Sai van Wermeskerken were on the scoresheet. In Kobe, the hosts and J. League champions triumphed through a Taisei Miyashiro penalty and a Daiju Sasaki header. The victory left Vissel top of the 12 teams in the East zone at the halfway point, while Gwangju dropped to second. Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim moved up to third with a 3-0 home victory over South Korea's Ulsan, who are rooted to the bottom without a point. Central Coast Mariners scored deep in injury time as they roared back to grab a 2-2 home draw with Shanghai Shenhua to finally get a point on the board. Bailey Brandtman poked home for the Australians in the 95th minute after the hosts had been 2-0 down. That left Shenhua fourth in the group while the Mariners are one off the bottom. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo strikes as Al Nassr thrash Al Ain in AFC Champions League

FC Goa registered back-to-back wins at home as they edged past Punjab FC by 2-1 at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season tonight.

Asmir Suljic handed Punjab FC the early lead before Armando Sadiku and Iker Guarrotxena registered their names on the scoresheet for FC Goa to secure their third win of the ongoing season.

The visitors took the early initiative in the game, with Suljic netting in back-to-back games. Despite a few personnel changes, Panagiotis Dilmperis’ men were quickly off the blocks. They were rewarded for their persistent attacks when Asmir Suljic scored in the 13th minute.

It was an excellent cross from Nihal Sudheesh, who lost Boris Singh on the left flank before drilling in a low cross. It was intended for Luka Majcen, who left it for the onrushing Suljic which surprised the FC Goa backline. The Bosnian made no mistake in recording the first strike of the night.

The Gaurs showed great retaliation to the early goal. Their urgency to equalise increased as they pushed bodies forward to support Sadiku. They came close to scoring a couple of times before it all worked out in the 22nd minute when Ayush Chhetri and Sahil Tavora worked out off a tight space in midfield before the latter played it to Iker Guarrotxena in an advanced position.

The Spaniard delivered a deft pass to play Sadiku through on goal. With plenty of work to do, the Albanian showed his goal-scoring prowess as he slotted it past Ravi Kumar and a horde of Punjab FC defenders to level the scores.

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The final quarter of the first half was quite chaotic, as both teams were vulnerable in defence. Punjab FC almost had the lead ahead of the break when Suljic combined with Majcen and the latter was through on goal. But FC Goa custodian Hrithik Tiwari stood in the Slovenian’s way.

Unlike the first period, it was the hosts, who had the better start to the second half, as they took the onus in the 49th minute when Guarrotxena found a way past Ravi Kumar, following a fast counter-attack, to hand FC Goa a crucial lead.

The goal forced Dilmperis to increase the attacking panache as he made structural changes to fit in Mushaga Bakenga from the bench.

Punjab FC kept pushing for the equaliser to salvage something from the game, but Manolo Marqeuz’s men held their lines brilliantly to thwart the danger and register a second successive win in the ISL.&nbsp;

FC Goa registered back-to-back wins at home as they edged past Punjab FC by 2-1 at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season tonight.

FC Goa registered back-to-back wins at home as they edged past Punjab FC by 2-1 at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season tonight. Asmir Suljic handed Punjab FC the early lead before Armando Sadiku and Iker Guarrotxena registered their names on the scoresheet for FC Goa to secure their third win of the ongoing season. The visitors took the early initiative in the game, with Suljic netting in back-to-back games. Despite a few personnel changes, Panagiotis Dilmperis’ men were quickly off the blocks. They were rewarded for their persistent attacks when Asmir Suljic scored in the 13th minute. It was an excellent cross from Nihal Sudheesh, who lost Boris Singh on the left flank before drilling in a low cross. It was intended for Luka Majcen, who left it for the onrushing Suljic which surprised the FC Goa backline. The Bosnian made no mistake in recording the first strike of the night. The Gaurs showed great retaliation to the early goal. Their urgency to equalise increased as they pushed bodies forward to support Sadiku. They came close to scoring a couple of times before it all worked out in the 22nd minute when Ayush Chhetri and Sahil Tavora worked out off a tight space in midfield before the latter played it to Iker Guarrotxena in an advanced position. The Spaniard delivered a deft pass to play Sadiku through on goal. With plenty of work to do, the Albanian showed his goal-scoring prowess as he slotted it past Ravi Kumar and a horde of Punjab FC defenders to level the scores. ALSO READ | CA squashed it quickly: David Warner on India A's ball tampering controversy, asks board to release statement The final quarter of the first half was quite chaotic, as both teams were vulnerable in defence. Punjab FC almost had the lead ahead of the break when Suljic combined with Majcen and the latter was through on goal. But FC Goa custodian Hrithik Tiwari stood in the Slovenian’s way. Unlike the first period, it was the hosts, who had the better start to the second half, as they took the onus in the 49th minute when Guarrotxena found a way past Ravi Kumar, following a fast counter-attack, to hand FC Goa a crucial lead. The goal forced Dilmperis to increase the attacking panache as he made structural changes to fit in Mushaga Bakenga from the bench. Punjab FC kept pushing for the equaliser to salvage something from the game, but Manolo Marqeuz’s men held their lines brilliantly to thwart the danger and register a second successive win in the ISL.

ISL: Sadiku, Guarrotxena on target as FC Goa spark valiant comeback to edge past Punjab FC

Former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy should be paid the majority of the £11.5 million ($15 million) in wages withheld by the club after he was charged with rape and sexual assault in 2021, a ruling by a UK judge said on Wednesday.

The ex-French international, who had earned £500,000 a month at the English Premier League Champions, took his case to an employment tribunal last month.

Mendy claimed he had been assured by a senior club official he would receive his unpaid wages once he is cleared of the charges.

The 30-year-old defender, who now plays for French Ligue 2 club Lorient, was found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in January 2023, but the same jury could not reach a verdict on another count of rape and one count of attempted rape.

After a retrial, Mendy was found not guilty of both charges.

Employment judge Joanne Dunlop said in a ruling she had concluded that Mendy was "entitled to recover some, but not all of the sums claimed".

She said that while Mendy was not in custody, he had been "ready and willing" to work.

In those circumstances and in the absence of "any authorisation in the contract for the employer to withhold pay he was entitled to be paid", she added.

Welcoming the ruling, Mendy said he was "delighted".

He said he hoped the "club will now do the honourable thing and pay the outstanding amounts... so I can put this difficult part of my life behind me".

Mendy spent two periods in custody, which accounted for approximately five months of the 22-month period covered by his claim, meaning the amount owed is likely to be around £8.5 million.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ca-squashed-it-quickly-david-warner-on-india-as-ball-tampering-controversy-asks-board-to-release-statement-773945">CA squashed it quickly: David Warner on India A's ball tampering controversy, asks board to release statement</a>

According to tribunal documents, Mendy "very quickly ran out of money" due to the non-payment of his wages, forcing him to sell his £4.8-million mansion to cover legal fees, bills, and child support payments.

The exact amount he will now receive is due to be calculated by Mendy and the club -- or by the tribunal if they are unable to reach an agreement.

The club continued paying Mendy's salary following his first arrest in November 2020.

But they argued they did not have to after he was charged because of his bail conditions and a Football Association suspension meant he was not able to perform his duties as a player.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy should be paid the majority of the £11.5 million ($15 million) in wages withheld by the club after he was charged with rape and sexual assault in 2021, a ruling by a UK judge said on Wednesday.

Former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy should be paid the majority of the £11.5 million ($15 million) in wages withheld by the club after he was charged with rape and sexual assault in 2021, a ruling by a UK judge said on Wednesday. The ex-French international, who had earned £500,000 a month at the English Premier League Champions, took his case to an employment tribunal last month. Mendy claimed he had been assured by a senior club official he would receive his unpaid wages once he is cleared of the charges. The 30-year-old defender, who now plays for French Ligue 2 club Lorient, was found not guilty of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in January 2023, but the same jury could not reach a verdict on another count of rape and one count of attempted rape. After a retrial, Mendy was found not guilty of both charges. Employment judge Joanne Dunlop said in a ruling she had concluded that Mendy was "entitled to recover some, but not all of the sums claimed". She said that while Mendy was not in custody, he had been "ready and willing" to work. In those circumstances and in the absence of "any authorisation in the contract for the employer to withhold pay he was entitled to be paid", she added. Welcoming the ruling, Mendy said he was "delighted". He said he hoped the "club will now do the honourable thing and pay the outstanding amounts... so I can put this difficult part of my life behind me". Mendy spent two periods in custody, which accounted for approximately five months of the 22-month period covered by his claim, meaning the amount owed is likely to be around £8.5 million. ALSO READ | CA squashed it quickly: David Warner on India A's ball tampering controversy, asks board to release statement According to tribunal documents, Mendy "very quickly ran out of money" due to the non-payment of his wages, forcing him to sell his £4.8-million mansion to cover legal fees, bills, and child support payments. The exact amount he will now receive is due to be calculated by Mendy and the club -- or by the tribunal if they are unable to reach an agreement. The club continued paying Mendy's salary following his first arrest in November 2020. But they argued they did not have to after he was charged because of his bail conditions and a Football Association suspension meant he was not able to perform his duties as a player. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Man City told to pay majority of Benjamin Mendy's unpaid wages

Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick as Ruben Amorim's Sporting stunned Manchester City with a 4-1 win in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Liverpool trounced Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan beat holders Real Madrid in Spain. Sporting stole the show with their performance in Lisbon, but the Portuguese champions had to come from behind after Phil Foden put City ahead early on.

Amorim was hoping to sign off from the Champions League in style as Sporting coach before he leaves for Manchester United, and Gyokeres then took centre stage. The Swedish striker equalised seven minutes before half-time, holding off Champions League debutant Jahmai Simpson-Pusey as he ran through to finish.

Sporting then went ahead 19 seconds into the second half as Maximiliano Araujo finished off a fine move, and shortly after that Gyokeres converted a penalty following a foul by Josko Gvardiol. City could have pulled one back, but Erling Haaland hit the bar from the spot. Gyokeres showed Haaland how to do it as he scored his second spot-kick to complete a hat-trick, condemning City to their heaviest losing margin in Europe since a 3-0 loss to Liverpool in April 2018.

Gyokeres has 23 goals in 17 games in all competitions this season and will surely be the next star to leave Sporting for a bigger club elsewhere following Amorim's departure.

"It was written that it had to be like that I think, there is no other explanation," Amorim, at Sporting since 2020, said of a famous victory. "I think everyone who has been here in the last four years deserved this. It was a special night."

<h2>- Diaz hat-trick -</h2>

City have seven points at the halfway stage in the new-look Champions League, while Sporting are second on 10 points, behind only Liverpool, who are the sole team with the maximum 12 points. Luis Diaz scored a hat-trick as the Anfield club secured a statement 4-0 win over Leverkusen on the night Alonso returned to Merseyside, with all the goals coming in the second half.

Diaz put Liverpool ahead just after the hour mark and Cody Gakpo headed in shortly after. Diaz scored again to make it 3-0 and then got his third and his team's fourth in stoppage time, leaving the German champions on seven points after four outings.

"I think it's a good result against a very good team," Gakpo told Amazon Prime. "They played a very good game, but we kept going, trying, creating chances, defending well."

<h2>- Real slump again -</h2>

Madrid suffered their second loss in four games in the competition this season as they went down 3-1 at home to Milan. The Italians, whose tally of seven European Cups is bettered only by Real's 15, went ahead early on through Malick Thiaw, but the hosts soon drew level through a Vinicius Junior penalty.

However, Alvaro Morata put Milan back ahead before the interval against his old club, following in to finish after a Rafael Leao shot was parried.

Milan got their third on 73 minutes after great play by Leao set up Tijjani Reijnders to score, and Antonio Ruediger had a late effort disallowed for Real.

"When we are 11 lions on the pitch, it is very difficult for a team to beat us," Morata said at full-time. Monaco are third in the standings with 10 points following a 1-0 victory at Bologna, secured thanks to captain Thilo Kehrer's late goal.

Dortmund are fourth on nine points after Donyell Malen's 85th-minute goal gave them a 1-0 win at home to Sturm Graz.

Dusan Vlahovic's penalty allowed Juventus to come from behind and draw 1-1 at Lille, after Canada's Jonathan David had given the French side the lead.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-fulham-strike-twice-in-stoppage-time-to-beat-brentford-773321">Premier League: Fulham strike twice in stoppage time to beat Brentford</a>

<h2>- Celtic impress -</h2>

Celtic have seven points after a fine fightback secured a 3-1 win for the Scottish champions against RB Leipzig in Glasgow. Christoph Baumgartner fired Leipzig in front but a brilliant Nicolas Kuehn strike brought Celtic level and he then put them ahead in first-half stoppage time. Reo Hatate got their third.

PSV Eindhoven crushed Girona 4-0, with Ryan Flamingo and Malik Tillman netting in the first half. Arnau Martinez was sent off for Girona before Johan Bakayoko made it 3-0 and Ladislav Krejci scored an own goal.

Dinamo Zagreb came back to win 4-1 at Slovan Bratislava with Sandro Kulenovic scoring twice for the Croatians.&nbsp;Slovan, Sturm Graz and Leipzig have lost four out of four.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick as Ruben Amorim's Sporting stunned Manchester City with a 4-1 win in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Liverpool trounced Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan beat holders Real Madrid in Spain.

Viktor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick as Ruben Amorim's Sporting stunned Manchester City with a 4-1 win in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Liverpool trounced Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan beat holders Real Madrid in Spain. Sporting stole the show with their performance in Lisbon, but the Portuguese champions had to come from behind after Phil Foden put City ahead early on. Amorim was hoping to sign off from the Champions League in style as Sporting coach before he leaves for Manchester United, and Gyokeres then took centre stage. The Swedish striker equalised seven minutes before half-time, holding off Champions League debutant Jahmai Simpson-Pusey as he ran through to finish. Sporting then went ahead 19 seconds into the second half as Maximiliano Araujo finished off a fine move, and shortly after that Gyokeres converted a penalty following a foul by Josko Gvardiol. City could have pulled one back, but Erling Haaland hit the bar from the spot. Gyokeres showed Haaland how to do it as he scored his second spot-kick to complete a hat-trick, condemning City to their heaviest losing margin in Europe since a 3-0 loss to Liverpool in April 2018. Gyokeres has 23 goals in 17 games in all competitions this season and will surely be the next star to leave Sporting for a bigger club elsewhere following Amorim's departure. "It was written that it had to be like that I think, there is no other explanation," Amorim, at Sporting since 2020, said of a famous victory. "I think everyone who has been here in the last four years deserved this. It was a special night." - Diaz hat-trick - City have seven points at the halfway stage in the new-look Champions League, while Sporting are second on 10 points, behind only Liverpool, who are the sole team with the maximum 12 points. Luis Diaz scored a hat-trick as the Anfield club secured a statement 4-0 win over Leverkusen on the night Alonso returned to Merseyside, with all the goals coming in the second half. Diaz put Liverpool ahead just after the hour mark and Cody Gakpo headed in shortly after. Diaz scored again to make it 3-0 and then got his third and his team's fourth in stoppage time, leaving the German champions on seven points after four outings. "I think it's a good result against a very good team," Gakpo told Amazon Prime. "They played a very good game, but we kept going, trying, creating chances, defending well." - Real slump again - Madrid suffered their second loss in four games in the competition this season as they went down 3-1 at home to Milan. The Italians, whose tally of seven European Cups is bettered only by Real's 15, went ahead early on through Malick Thiaw, but the hosts soon drew level through a Vinicius Junior penalty. However, Alvaro Morata put Milan back ahead before the interval against his old club, following in to finish after a Rafael Leao shot was parried. Milan got their third on 73 minutes after great play by Leao set up Tijjani Reijnders to score, and Antonio Ruediger had a late effort disallowed for Real. "When we are 11 lions on the pitch, it is very difficult for a team to beat us," Morata said at full-time. Monaco are third in the standings with 10 points following a 1-0 victory at Bologna, secured thanks to captain Thilo Kehrer's late goal. Dortmund are fourth on nine points after Donyell Malen's 85th-minute goal gave them a 1-0 win at home to Sturm Graz. Dusan Vlahovic's penalty allowed Juventus to come from behind and draw 1-1 at Lille, after Canada's Jonathan David had given the French side the lead. Also read: Premier League: Fulham strike twice in stoppage time to beat Brentford - Celtic impress - Celtic have seven points after a fine fightback secured a 3-1 win for the Scottish champions against RB Leipzig in Glasgow. Christoph Baumgartner fired Leipzig in front but a brilliant Nicolas Kuehn strike brought Celtic level and he then put them ahead in first-half stoppage time. Reo Hatate got their third. PSV Eindhoven crushed Girona 4-0, with Ryan Flamingo and Malik Tillman netting in the first half. Arnau Martinez was sent off for Girona before Johan Bakayoko made it 3-0 and Ladislav Krejci scored an own goal. Dinamo Zagreb came back to win 4-1 at Slovan Bratislava with Sandro Kulenovic scoring twice for the Croatians. Slovan, Sturm Graz and Leipzig have lost four out of four. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UEFA Champions League: Sporting stun Man City in Champions League as Liverpool, Milan claim fine wins

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored three times on Monday as Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal beat Iranian side Esteghlal in the AFC Champions Elite to maintain their 100 percent start to the competition. Brazil star Neymar came on as a second-half substitute but was then replaced. It was the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker's second appearance in two weeks following almost one year out after rupturing ligaments in his left knee.

Neymar, 32, came on after 58 minutes at Kingdom Arena with Al Hilal already 2-0 up thanks to a first-half double from Serbia striker Mitrovic.&nbsp;However, Brazil's all-time leading scorer appeared to have a problem with his thigh and, minutes after receiving treatment on the sidelines, was substituted on 86 minutes.&nbsp;

He left the pitch clutching his right hamstring. The win puts Saudi title-holders Al Hilal, record four-time continental champions, top of the standings for West Asia, with four victories from four.

Also on Monday, fellow Saudi side Al Ahli ensured they would keep pace with their Riyadh rivals. Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez both scored twice in a 5-1 win over Al Shorta of Iraq to take the team to 12 points from a possible 12.

Former Liverpool star Firmino opened the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on 14 minutes with a glancing header from Ziyad Al Johani's cross.&nbsp;

The goal ended the Brazilian's eight-match goalless streak. Al Ahli had the chance to go 2-0 up 11 minutes later, but Franck Kessie's penalty was saved by Al Shorta goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. Almost in an instant, the visitors equalised through Sajjad Jassim.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-fulham-strike-twice-in-stoppage-time-to-beat-brentford-773321">Premier League: Fulham strike twice in stoppage time to beat Brentford</a>

Firmino put the hosts back in front deep into first-half injury-time. Al Ahli then scored three times in 12 second-half minutes to blow away Al Shorta.

First, Firmino teed up Saudi Arabia international Feras Al Buraikan, before former Manchester City winger Mahrez struck twice in quick succession just after the hour.&nbsp;

Elsewhere, UAE side Al Wasl were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Al Sadd of Qatar, while Iran's Persepolis and Qatar's Al Gharafa played out the same scoreline also in Dubai.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored three times on Monday as Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal beat Iranian side Esteghlal in the AFC Champions Elite to maintain their 100 percent start to the competition.

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored three times on Monday as Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal beat Iranian side Esteghlal in the AFC Champions Elite to maintain their 100 percent start to the competition. Brazil star Neymar came on as a second-half substitute but was then replaced. It was the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker's second appearance in two weeks following almost one year out after rupturing ligaments in his left knee. Neymar, 32, came on after 58 minutes at Kingdom Arena with Al Hilal already 2-0 up thanks to a first-half double from Serbia striker Mitrovic. However, Brazil's all-time leading scorer appeared to have a problem with his thigh and, minutes after receiving treatment on the sidelines, was substituted on 86 minutes. He left the pitch clutching his right hamstring. The win puts Saudi title-holders Al Hilal, record four-time continental champions, top of the standings for West Asia, with four victories from four. Also on Monday, fellow Saudi side Al Ahli ensured they would keep pace with their Riyadh rivals. Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez both scored twice in a 5-1 win over Al Shorta of Iraq to take the team to 12 points from a possible 12. Former Liverpool star Firmino opened the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on 14 minutes with a glancing header from Ziyad Al Johani's cross. The goal ended the Brazilian's eight-match goalless streak. Al Ahli had the chance to go 2-0 up 11 minutes later, but Franck Kessie's penalty was saved by Al Shorta goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. Almost in an instant, the visitors equalised through Sajjad Jassim. Also read: Premier League: Fulham strike twice in stoppage time to beat Brentford Firmino put the hosts back in front deep into first-half injury-time. Al Ahli then scored three times in 12 second-half minutes to blow away Al Shorta. First, Firmino teed up Saudi Arabia international Feras Al Buraikan, before former Manchester City winger Mahrez struck twice in quick succession just after the hour. Elsewhere, UAE side Al Wasl were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Al Sadd of Qatar, while Iran's Persepolis and Qatar's Al Gharafa played out the same scoreline also in Dubai. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Aleksandar Mitrovic hat-trick takes Al Hilal past Esteghlal, Neymar replaced early

Harry Wilson struck twice in stoppage time to give Fulham a dramatic 2-1 victory over west London rivals Brentford on Monday. Vitaly Janelt had blasted the Bees in front against the run of play midway through the first half. Fulham were frustrated until added time when substitute Wilson flicked home the equaliser and then head in a winner at the death.

"It was an amazing feeling to come on and get the two goals to win the game. We deserved it, we kept them pinned in throughout," said Wilson.

Victory lifts Marco Silva's men up to ninth and just three points off the top four. Brentford had been headed for the top half themselves until the late turnaround, but instead remain in 12th.

Fulham failed to make the most of a purposeful start as Reiss Nelson was denied by Mark Flekken. Brentford had barely threatened prior to going in front on 24 minutes when Janelt took aim from distance and fired a blistering shot past Bernd Leno.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-arne-slot-urges-liverpool-to-play-better-with-or-without-ball-against-leverkusen-773297">Champions League: Arne Slot urges Liverpool to play better ‘with or without ball’ against Leverkusen</a>

Emile Smith Rowe wasted a big chance to reply immediately and the home side struggled to break through Brentford's mass ranks of defence after half-time. It took until Fulham's 25th attempt on goal to beat Flekken, as Wilson's inventive effort looped over the Dutch goalkeeper from Adama Traore's cross.

Moments later, the Welsh international had a fortuitous second. Wilson's attempted header came off his shoulder to wrong-foot Flekken and flew into the top corner.

"They both went in but not how I would have wanted!" Wilson added. "The first one I just helped it on to the back post and the second one was more lucky. "I was trying to head it into the other corner but it hit my shoulder and went in."

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Harry Wilson struck twice in stoppage time to give Fulham a dramatic 2-1 victory over west London rivals Brentford on Monday. Vitaly Janelt had blasted the Bees in front against the run of play midway through the first half.

Harry Wilson struck twice in stoppage time to give Fulham a dramatic 2-1 victory over west London rivals Brentford on Monday. Vitaly Janelt had blasted the Bees in front against the run of play midway through the first half. Fulham were frustrated until added time when substitute Wilson flicked home the equaliser and then head in a winner at the death. "It was an amazing feeling to come on and get the two goals to win the game. We deserved it, we kept them pinned in throughout," said Wilson. Victory lifts Marco Silva's men up to ninth and just three points off the top four. Brentford had been headed for the top half themselves until the late turnaround, but instead remain in 12th. Fulham failed to make the most of a purposeful start as Reiss Nelson was denied by Mark Flekken. Brentford had barely threatened prior to going in front on 24 minutes when Janelt took aim from distance and fired a blistering shot past Bernd Leno. Also read: Champions League: Arne Slot urges Liverpool to play better ‘with or without ball’ against Leverkusen Emile Smith Rowe wasted a big chance to reply immediately and the home side struggled to break through Brentford's mass ranks of defence after half-time. It took until Fulham's 25th attempt on goal to beat Flekken, as Wilson's inventive effort looped over the Dutch goalkeeper from Adama Traore's cross. Moments later, the Welsh international had a fortuitous second. Wilson's attempted header came off his shoulder to wrong-foot Flekken and flew into the top corner. "They both went in but not how I would have wanted!" Wilson added. "The first one I just helped it on to the back post and the second one was more lucky. "I was trying to head it into the other corner but it hit my shoulder and went in." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Fulham strike twice in stoppage time to beat Brentford

Dani Olmo struck twice for Barcelona on his first start after an injury absence as they beat local rivals Espanyol 3-1 on Sunday to move nine points clear at the top of La Liga. With second-place Real Madrid not in action after their game at Valencia was called off because of the devastating floods in the region, Hansi Flick's side stretched their lead on the champions.

Raphinha netted in between Olmo's goals as Barcelona racked up a three-goal lead by the 31st minute at the Olympic stadium. Javi Puado pulled one back as Espanyol fought hard to avoid a derby pummeling in the second half, with the visitors scoring three disallowed goals.

Barcelona have started life under Flick in sensational form and after beating Bayern Munich and Real Madrid last week, earned their 10th win in 11 La Liga matches with a devastating first-half display. "I feel good, I was really looking forward to returning, to be able help the team on the pitch," Olmo told DAZN after his first start since mid-September. "I'm back, enjoying it, playing, winning, and I want more."

Summer signing Olmo had made substitute appearances in Barcelona's last two games but given the chance to start, he produced an electric display in the first half. "We knew Espanyol would give everything but we got the three points, so it's objective complete," he added.

Former RB Leipzig playmaker Olmo headed over in the early stages and had a shot saved by Joan Garcia, who also denied teenage star Lamine Yamal. The 17-year-old Spain international crafted the first goal with a delicious pass using the outside of his boot, which Olmo dispatched with an explosive finish.

Brazilian winger Raphinha lofted the second over Garcia when Marc Casado, who has established himself at the base of the midfield, produced a fine pass which split Espanyol's defence wide open.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-sao-paulo-grand-prix-mclarens-lando-norris-start-on-pole-red-bulls-max-verstappen-on-17th-772989">Sao Paulo Grand Prix: McLaren's Lando Norris start on pole; Red Bull's Max Verstappen on 17th</a>

Jofre Carreras pulled one back for Espanyol but it was disallowed for offside in the build-up, as Barcelona's high defensive line continued to work to good effect. Olmo added his second with a powerful low drive from the edge of the box after Alejandro Balde teed him up.

Robert Lewandowski, La Liga's top goalscorer this season, could not get in on the action with Garcia saving his curling effort and Barcelona were frustrated in attack in the second half as neighbours Espanyol, 17th, battled well.

Alvaro Tejero had another goal disallowed for offside against Jofre, and Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki Pena made a stunning save to deny Puado.

Eventually Puado found the net from Carlos Romero's cross and then had another goal ruled out himself as the ball had gone out of play before being crossed to him.

Ansu Fati also found the net for Barcelona in stoppage time but it too was disallowed for offside. "In the second half we corrected (mistakes), we had chances, we had a couple of goals ruled out, but if you don't have a perfect game it's very hard to win, and going 3-0 down it's hard to come back from," said Puado.

ATHLETICO GO PAST LAS PALMAS

Earlier Atletico Madrid eased to a 2-0 win over Las Palmas and moved third, with coach Diego Simeone's son Giuliano netting his first goal for the club. Coach Diego Simeone&nbsp;had said there was "no sense" in playing La Liga matches this weekend because of the floods, but his team secured a comfortable victory.

Donations of food and other useful products were collected outside the Metropolitano stadium in support of those affected in the east of Spain by the floods which have killed more than 200 people.&nbsp;

Simeone's son Guiliano said, "I'm very happy for my first goal for Atletico but we can't ignore everything that's happening in Valencia, all the victims there. I send my support and strength to them."

The hosts took the lead after 37 minutes when Nahuel Molina's long ball found Simeone darting in behind the defence. The striker, deployed on the right wing by his father, burst into the box and swept the ball into the far corner.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;Athletic Bilbao and Real Betis shared a 1-1 draw at San Mames.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Dani Olmo struck twice for Barcelona on his first start after an injury absence as they beat local rivals Espanyol 3-1 on Sunday to move nine points clear at the top of La Liga.

Dani Olmo struck twice for Barcelona on his first start after an injury absence as they beat local rivals Espanyol 3-1 on Sunday to move nine points clear at the top of La Liga. With second-place Real Madrid not in action after their game at Valencia was called off because of the devastating floods in the region, Hansi Flick's side stretched their lead on the champions. Raphinha netted in between Olmo's goals as Barcelona racked up a three-goal lead by the 31st minute at the Olympic stadium. Javi Puado pulled one back as Espanyol fought hard to avoid a derby pummeling in the second half, with the visitors scoring three disallowed goals. Barcelona have started life under Flick in sensational form and after beating Bayern Munich and Real Madrid last week, earned their 10th win in 11 La Liga matches with a devastating first-half display. "I feel good, I was really looking forward to returning, to be able help the team on the pitch," Olmo told DAZN after his first start since mid-September. "I'm back, enjoying it, playing, winning, and I want more." Summer signing Olmo had made substitute appearances in Barcelona's last two games but given the chance to start, he produced an electric display in the first half. "We knew Espanyol would give everything but we got the three points, so it's objective complete," he added. Former RB Leipzig playmaker Olmo headed over in the early stages and had a shot saved by Joan Garcia, who also denied teenage star Lamine Yamal. The 17-year-old Spain international crafted the first goal with a delicious pass using the outside of his boot, which Olmo dispatched with an explosive finish. Brazilian winger Raphinha lofted the second over Garcia when Marc Casado, who has established himself at the base of the midfield, produced a fine pass which split Espanyol's defence wide open. Also read: Sao Paulo Grand Prix: McLaren's Lando Norris start on pole; Red Bull's Max Verstappen on 17th Jofre Carreras pulled one back for Espanyol but it was disallowed for offside in the build-up, as Barcelona's high defensive line continued to work to good effect. Olmo added his second with a powerful low drive from the edge of the box after Alejandro Balde teed him up. Robert Lewandowski, La Liga's top goalscorer this season, could not get in on the action with Garcia saving his curling effort and Barcelona were frustrated in attack in the second half as neighbours Espanyol, 17th, battled well. Alvaro Tejero had another goal disallowed for offside against Jofre, and Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki Pena made a stunning save to deny Puado. Eventually Puado found the net from Carlos Romero's cross and then had another goal ruled out himself as the ball had gone out of play before being crossed to him. Ansu Fati also found the net for Barcelona in stoppage time but it too was disallowed for offside. "In the second half we corrected (mistakes), we had chances, we had a couple of goals ruled out, but if you don't have a perfect game it's very hard to win, and going 3-0 down it's hard to come back from," said Puado. ATHLETICO GO PAST LAS PALMAS Earlier Atletico Madrid eased to a 2-0 win over Las Palmas and moved third, with coach Diego Simeone's son Giuliano netting his first goal for the club. Coach Diego Simeone had said there was "no sense" in playing La Liga matches this weekend because of the floods, but his team secured a comfortable victory. Donations of food and other useful products were collected outside the Metropolitano stadium in support of those affected in the east of Spain by the floods which have killed more than 200 people. Simeone's son Guiliano said, "I'm very happy for my first goal for Atletico but we can't ignore everything that's happening in Valencia, all the victims there. I send my support and strength to them." The hosts took the lead after 37 minutes when Nahuel Molina's long ball found Simeone darting in behind the defence. The striker, deployed on the right wing by his father, burst into the box and swept the ball into the far corner. Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao and Real Betis shared a 1-1 draw at San Mames. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Dani Olmo double helps Liga leaders Barcelona to derby win vs Espanyol

Moises Caicedo's strike denied Manchester United victory in their first Premier League game since sacking Erik ten Hag as Chelsea claimed a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. Interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, who will be replaced by Ruben Amorim later his month, sprinted down the touchline in celebration after Bruno Fernandes put United in front from the penalty spot 20 minutes from time.

Caicedo quickly replied for the Blues, who edge above Arsenal on goal difference into fourth place in the table. A point leaves United still down in 13th, six points off the top four.

The Red Devils' return of just 12 points from 10 games is United's worst start to a league campaign since 1986/87.

Amorim was not in attendance as he prepares to take charge of Sporting Lisbon for the one of the final times against Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday. United were far more competitive than in 3-0 demolitions by Liverpool and Tottenham at home this season, but showed many of the same flaws that cost Ten Hag his job.

Van Nistelrooy enjoyed a 5-2 demolition of an under-strength Leicester in his first match in charge to reach the League Cup quarter-finals in midweek. Still a hero among the United fans from his days as a prolific striker, the Dutchman's name was chanted in a buoyant pre-match atmosphere.

However, a Chelsea side that have lost once in nine Premier League games, provided a much stiffer test for a United side still short on confidence. Both sides hit the woodwork in a disappointing first 45 minutes as Noni Madueke hit the post from a corner before Marcus Rashford clipped the bar with a cushioned volley in the last action of the half.

Pedro Neto's burst of pace nearly gave Chelsea a dream start to the second period but the Portuguese winger's shot flew just past the far post. However, the Blues remain overly reliant on Cole Palmer for inspiration.

The boyhood United fan, who began his career at Manchester City before joining Chelsea last year, was kept quiet by Van Nistelrooy's pairing of Casemiro alongside Manuel Ugarte in midfield.

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<h2>- 'Results will come' -</h2>

Before kick-off only Southampton had scored fewer than United's eight Premier League goals in nine games this season. The lack of efficiency in front of goal that Ten Hag often bemoaned was in evidence again.

"Over the last games we played we lost some points where we didn't convert our chances," said Van Nistelrooy, who is set to take charge of two more games. "When you create a lot, all through the season so far, I'm not too worried the players will get in a flow with results and confidence growing. Results will come."

Alejandro Garnacho wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring from Fernandes' cut-back with a tame effort that looped into the arms of Robert Sanchez.

United were gifted the chance to break the deadlock when Sanchez clipped Rasmus Hojlund inside the box. Fernandes kept his cool to send the Spanish international goalkeeper the wrong way and spark wild celebrations from Van Nistelrooy.

United's joy was short-lived as Chelsea hit back within four minutes. A corner was only cleared to the edge of the box, where Caicedo connected a sweet strike to fire into the bottom corner.

Caicedo cost a British transfer record £115 million ($149 million) when he joined Chelsea just over a year ago and is beginning to deliver on that investment after a difficult first season.

"Since we arrived Moi is doing fantastic," said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. "The problem with Moi is because the club paid big money, people expect them to be the best. It is normal to be a bit up and down. We are trying to improve him and he is showing how good he is."

Chelsea should have struck again moments later when substitute Enzo Fernandez spooned over with Andre Onana stranded. But it was United who came closest in a frantic finale when Garnacho's acrobatic effort flew just over.

SPURS DOMINATE ASTON VILLA

Dominic Solanke scored twice as&nbsp;Tottenham&nbsp;blitzed Aston Villa in the second half on Sunday, winning 4-1 to move just two points behind their rivals for a top-four finish in the Premier League. Shortly after the break, Brennan Johnson cancelled out Morgan Rogers' first-half opener for Villa, before a cascade of home goals late in the game at&nbsp;Tottenham&nbsp;Hotspur Stadium.

Solanke produced a delicate dinked finish to put Spurs ahead in the 75th minute and scored another from close range before James Maddison added gloss with a sumptious free kick deep into stoppage time.

The result lifts Ange Postecoglou's men to seventh in the table on 16 points -- two behind Villa, who missed the chance to climb into third spot.

The Spurs boss, whose side lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace last week, said his men had shown they had "other gears" in the second half, praising Solanke for his performance. "His goals are unbelievable but his general play, his work-rate, I can't speak highly enough of him," he told Sky Sports.

"Seven days is a long time in football. Seven days ago I was a grumpy old so and so. We have to say true to the course we're on. "We made sure not to feel sorry for ourselves and are back to the team we want to be."

Villa players wore training tops reading "Fuerza Valencia" during the warm-up, in solidarity with the victims of the deadly floods in Spain, the home country of Villa boss Unai Emery, who has managed Valencia.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Moises Caicedo's strike denied Manchester United victory in their first Premier League game since sacking Erik ten Hag as Chelsea claimed a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Moises Caicedo's strike denied Manchester United victory in their first Premier League game since sacking Erik ten Hag as Chelsea claimed a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. Interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, who will be replaced by Ruben Amorim later his month, sprinted down the touchline in celebration after Bruno Fernandes put United in front from the penalty spot 20 minutes from time. Caicedo quickly replied for the Blues, who edge above Arsenal on goal difference into fourth place in the table. A point leaves United still down in 13th, six points off the top four. The Red Devils' return of just 12 points from 10 games is United's worst start to a league campaign since 1986/87. Amorim was not in attendance as he prepares to take charge of Sporting Lisbon for the one of the final times against Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday. United were far more competitive than in 3-0 demolitions by Liverpool and Tottenham at home this season, but showed many of the same flaws that cost Ten Hag his job. Van Nistelrooy enjoyed a 5-2 demolition of an under-strength Leicester in his first match in charge to reach the League Cup quarter-finals in midweek. Still a hero among the United fans from his days as a prolific striker, the Dutchman's name was chanted in a buoyant pre-match atmosphere. However, a Chelsea side that have lost once in nine Premier League games, provided a much stiffer test for a United side still short on confidence. Both sides hit the woodwork in a disappointing first 45 minutes as Noni Madueke hit the post from a corner before Marcus Rashford clipped the bar with a cushioned volley in the last action of the half. Pedro Neto's burst of pace nearly gave Chelsea a dream start to the second period but the Portuguese winger's shot flew just past the far post. However, the Blues remain overly reliant on Cole Palmer for inspiration. The boyhood United fan, who began his career at Manchester City before joining Chelsea last year, was kept quiet by Van Nistelrooy's pairing of Casemiro alongside Manuel Ugarte in midfield. Also read: Dino Olmo double helps Liga leaders Barcelona to derby win vs Espanyol - 'Results will come' - Before kick-off only Southampton had scored fewer than United's eight Premier League goals in nine games this season. The lack of efficiency in front of goal that Ten Hag often bemoaned was in evidence again. "Over the last games we played we lost some points where we didn't convert our chances," said Van Nistelrooy, who is set to take charge of two more games. "When you create a lot, all through the season so far, I'm not too worried the players will get in a flow with results and confidence growing. Results will come." Alejandro Garnacho wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring from Fernandes' cut-back with a tame effort that looped into the arms of Robert Sanchez. United were gifted the chance to break the deadlock when Sanchez clipped Rasmus Hojlund inside the box. Fernandes kept his cool to send the Spanish international goalkeeper the wrong way and spark wild celebrations from Van Nistelrooy. United's joy was short-lived as Chelsea hit back within four minutes. A corner was only cleared to the edge of the box, where Caicedo connected a sweet strike to fire into the bottom corner. Caicedo cost a British transfer record £115 million ($149 million) when he joined Chelsea just over a year ago and is beginning to deliver on that investment after a difficult first season. "Since we arrived Moi is doing fantastic," said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. "The problem with Moi is because the club paid big money, people expect them to be the best. It is normal to be a bit up and down. We are trying to improve him and he is showing how good he is." Chelsea should have struck again moments later when substitute Enzo Fernandez spooned over with Andre Onana stranded. But it was United who came closest in a frantic finale when Garnacho's acrobatic effort flew just over. SPURS DOMINATE ASTON VILLA Dominic Solanke scored twice as Tottenham blitzed Aston Villa in the second half on Sunday, winning 4-1 to move just two points behind their rivals for a top-four finish in the Premier League. Shortly after the break, Brennan Johnson cancelled out Morgan Rogers' first-half opener for Villa, before a cascade of home goals late in the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Solanke produced a delicate dinked finish to put Spurs ahead in the 75th minute and scored another from close range before James Maddison added gloss with a sumptious free kick deep into stoppage time. The result lifts Ange Postecoglou's men to seventh in the table on 16 points -- two behind Villa, who missed the chance to climb into third spot. The Spurs boss, whose side lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace last week, said his men had shown they had "other gears" in the second half, praising Solanke for his performance. "His goals are unbelievable but his general play, his work-rate, I can't speak highly enough of him," he told Sky Sports. "Seven days is a long time in football. Seven days ago I was a grumpy old so and so. We have to say true to the course we're on. "We made sure not to feel sorry for ourselves and are back to the team we want to be." Villa players wore training tops reading "Fuerza Valencia" during the warm-up, in solidarity with the victims of the deadly floods in Spain, the home country of Villa boss Unai Emery, who has managed Valencia. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Manchester United off to worst Premier League start following 1-1 draw vs Chelsea

Harry Kane scored twice and set up another as Bayern Munich moved three points clear at the top of the German Bundesliga with a 3-0 home win over Union Berlin on Saturday.&nbsp;

The England captain put Bayern ahead from the spot after 15 minutes after Union's Benedict Hollerbach brought down Michael Olise on the edge of the box.&nbsp;

Kane turned provider just before half-time, tapping the ball into Kingsley Coman's path, the France forward blasting in over Union goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow.&nbsp;

Kane added another after 51 minutes, eagerly getting to a loose ball inches ahead of teammate Jamal Musiala to complete his brace.

Despite two consecutive Champions League losses at Aston Villa and Barcelona, Bayern have now scored 16 without conceding in their past four games against German opposition.&nbsp;

"There's still a long way to go, but we've got the right mentality and the right attitude," Kane told Sky.

"If we keep going like this, everything will be OK -- we're in good shape."&nbsp;

Having needed a win to avoid relegation on the final match day last season, Union now sit sixth and captain Christopher Trimmel told Sky "we can live with it -- Bayern were the favourites and have unbelievable quality."

RB Leipzig can go back level at the top later on Saturday with a win when they travel to struggling Borussia Dortmund. &nbsp;

Kane's double took him past his main rival in this season's goalscoring battle, Omar Marmoush, who scored one and assisted two more in Eintracht Frankfurt's 7-2 demolition of hapless Bochum.&nbsp;

Hugo Ekitike scored a brace while Marmoush, Ansgar Knauff, Nathaniel Brown, Mahmoud Dahoud and Can Uzun all got on the scoresheet in the rout.&nbsp;

Marmoush now has 10 goals to Kane's 11 this season, but the Egyptian's six assists -- the best in the league -- are one more than the England captain's five.

Frankfurt leapfrogged champions Bayer Leverkusen into third place, six points behind leaders Bayern.

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Bochum scored goals in each half through Dani de Wit and Philipp Hofmann but were thoroughly outclassed.

Bochum now have just one point from nine games to sit stranded at the bottom of the table after both promoted sides St Pauli and Holstein Kiel won on Saturday.&nbsp;

Kiel beat Heidenheim 1-0 at home thanks to a goal from Patrick Erras, for their first win in the top division, to go three points clear of Bochum.&nbsp;

Goals from Oladapo Afolayan and Andreas Albers took St Pauli to a 2-0 win at Hoffenheim, drawing them level with their opponents on eight points just above the direct relegation zone.&nbsp;

Elsewhere, Wolfsburg drew 1-1 at home with Augsburg.&nbsp;

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Harry Kane scored twice and set up another as Bayern Munich moved three points clear at the top of the German Bundesliga with a 3-0 home win over Union Berlin on Saturday.

Harry Kane scored twice and set up another as Bayern Munich moved three points clear at the top of the German Bundesliga with a 3-0 home win over Union Berlin on Saturday. The England captain put Bayern ahead from the spot after 15 minutes after Union's Benedict Hollerbach brought down Michael Olise on the edge of the box. Kane turned provider just before half-time, tapping the ball into Kingsley Coman's path, the France forward blasting in over Union goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow. Kane added another after 51 minutes, eagerly getting to a loose ball inches ahead of teammate Jamal Musiala to complete his brace. Despite two consecutive Champions League losses at Aston Villa and Barcelona, Bayern have now scored 16 without conceding in their past four games against German opposition. "There's still a long way to go, but we've got the right mentality and the right attitude," Kane told Sky. "If we keep going like this, everything will be OK -- we're in good shape." Having needed a win to avoid relegation on the final match day last season, Union now sit sixth and captain Christopher Trimmel told Sky "we can live with it -- Bayern were the favourites and have unbelievable quality." RB Leipzig can go back level at the top later on Saturday with a win when they travel to struggling Borussia Dortmund. Kane's double took him past his main rival in this season's goalscoring battle, Omar Marmoush, who scored one and assisted two more in Eintracht Frankfurt's 7-2 demolition of hapless Bochum. Hugo Ekitike scored a brace while Marmoush, Ansgar Knauff, Nathaniel Brown, Mahmoud Dahoud and Can Uzun all got on the scoresheet in the rout. Marmoush now has 10 goals to Kane's 11 this season, but the Egyptian's six assists -- the best in the league -- are one more than the England captain's five. Frankfurt leapfrogged champions Bayer Leverkusen into third place, six points behind leaders Bayern. ALSO READ | 'Because of hero worship...,' Former India player on RCB retaining Virat Kohli ahead of IPL mega auction Bochum scored goals in each half through Dani de Wit and Philipp Hofmann but were thoroughly outclassed. Bochum now have just one point from nine games to sit stranded at the bottom of the table after both promoted sides St Pauli and Holstein Kiel won on Saturday. Kiel beat Heidenheim 1-0 at home thanks to a goal from Patrick Erras, for their first win in the top division, to go three points clear of Bochum. Goals from Oladapo Afolayan and Andreas Albers took St Pauli to a 2-0 win at Hoffenheim, drawing them level with their opponents on eight points just above the direct relegation zone. Elsewhere, Wolfsburg drew 1-1 at home with Augsburg. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Bundesliga: Harry Kane double takes Bayern past Union, Frankfurt hit seven

Manchester City suffered their first Premier League loss since December as Bournemouth stunned the champions, while Arsenal were rocked by Newcastle and Liverpool seized top spot on Saturday.

City were unbeaten in their previous 32 league games dating back to a defeat at Aston Villa last year.

But Pep Guardiola's second-placed side saw that streak came to an unexpected end in a 2-1 loss on England's south coast.&nbsp;

The Cherries had never beaten City in their 21 previous meetings, losing 19 of those matches, yet Andoni Iraola's team sprang a huge upset to derail the champions' push for a fifth successive title.

Bournemouth recently damaged Arsenal's title hopes with a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium and they inflicted pain on City as well.

Guardiola had claimed City faced an injury "emergency" after they suffered fitness problems in Wednesday's League Cup defeat at Tottenham.

But Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol all started against Bournemouth after injury doubts, with Kevin De Bruyne, Savinho and Jeremy Doku fit enough to be named among the substitutes.

Exhausted or not, City were rocked in the ninth minute when Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo drilled Milos Kerkez's cross past Ederson from inside the area.

Guardiola's men were unable to muster a response to that blow and Evanilson doubled Bournemouth's lead in the 64th minute with a composed finish from Kerkez's cross.

Gvardiol's header reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute, but it was too late to save City from a second defeat in four days.

Newcastle put a huge dent in fourth-placed Arsenal's title aspirations with a 1-0 win at St James' Park.

Alexander Isak netted in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross.

Injury-hit Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and produced just one shot on target in the entire game.

Mikel Arteta's team, runners-up to City for the past two years, have taken just one point from their last three games as their push for a first title since 2004 was derailed by a second league defeat this term.

"Today we weren't our best version. It's about how you react to that. We're not going to find the right words or answers to describe how we feel," said Arteta, whose side are seven points adrift of first place.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/because-of-hero-worship-former-india-player-on-rcb-retaining-virat-kohli-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-772722">'Because of hero worship...,' Former India player on RCB retaining Virat Kohli ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

<h2>Liverpool's late power surge</h2>

At Anfield, Liverpool were in danger of a surprise loss of their own before regrouping to take advantage of their rivals' stumbles with a 2-1 win over Brighton.

Ferdi Kadioglu gave Brighton the lead in the 14th minute with a fierce strike that cannoned in off the post after Danny Welbeck flicked on Kaoru Mitoma's cross.

But Liverpool had beaten Brighton in the League Cup last 16 in midweek and they repeated the trick thanks to a late revival.

Cody Gakpo bagged the equaliser in the 70th minute with a cross that looped straight into the net.

Two minutes later, Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead, the Egypt forward curling a fine finish into the top corner for his ninth goal this season.

In Arne Slot's first season in charge, Liverpool are two points clear of City after their eighth win in 10 league games.

Nottingham Forest are up to third place after beating 10-man West Ham 3-0 to make it three consecutive top-flight victories for the first time since 1999.

Chris Wood grabbed his eighth goal in 10 league games as the New Zealand striker headed home after 27 minutes.

West Ham had Edson Alvarez sent off in first-half stoppage-time for two bookings.

Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 65th minute and Ola Aina sealed the points 12 minutes from full-time at the City Ground.

Jordan Ayew's stoppage-time equaliser denied Ipswich their first top-flight win since 2002 as Leicester rescued a 1-1 draw at Portman Road.

Leif Davis's 55th-minute volley put Ipswich ahead but the hosts had Kalvin Phillips sent off in the 77th minute.

Ayew levelled with seconds left to leave third-bottom Ipswich winless after 10 games.

Second-bottom Southampton earned their first league win this season as Adam Armstrong's 85th-minute strike sealed a 1-0 success against Everton.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Manchester City suffered their first Premier League loss since December as Bournemouth stunned the champions, while Arsenal were rocked by Newcastle and Liverpool seized top spot on Saturday.

Manchester City suffered their first Premier League loss since December as Bournemouth stunned the champions, while Arsenal were rocked by Newcastle and Liverpool seized top spot on Saturday. City were unbeaten in their previous 32 league games dating back to a defeat at Aston Villa last year. But Pep Guardiola's second-placed side saw that streak came to an unexpected end in a 2-1 loss on England's south coast. The Cherries had never beaten City in their 21 previous meetings, losing 19 of those matches, yet Andoni Iraola's team sprang a huge upset to derail the champions' push for a fifth successive title. Bournemouth recently damaged Arsenal's title hopes with a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium and they inflicted pain on City as well. Guardiola had claimed City faced an injury "emergency" after they suffered fitness problems in Wednesday's League Cup defeat at Tottenham. But Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol all started against Bournemouth after injury doubts, with Kevin De Bruyne, Savinho and Jeremy Doku fit enough to be named among the substitutes. Exhausted or not, City were rocked in the ninth minute when Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo drilled Milos Kerkez's cross past Ederson from inside the area. Guardiola's men were unable to muster a response to that blow and Evanilson doubled Bournemouth's lead in the 64th minute with a composed finish from Kerkez's cross. Gvardiol's header reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute, but it was too late to save City from a second defeat in four days. Newcastle put a huge dent in fourth-placed Arsenal's title aspirations with a 1-0 win at St James' Park. Alexander Isak netted in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross. Injury-hit Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and produced just one shot on target in the entire game. Mikel Arteta's team, runners-up to City for the past two years, have taken just one point from their last three games as their push for a first title since 2004 was derailed by a second league defeat this term. "Today we weren't our best version. It's about how you react to that. We're not going to find the right words or answers to describe how we feel," said Arteta, whose side are seven points adrift of first place. ALSO READ | 'Because of hero worship...,' Former India player on RCB retaining Virat Kohli ahead of IPL mega auction Liverpool's late power surge At Anfield, Liverpool were in danger of a surprise loss of their own before regrouping to take advantage of their rivals' stumbles with a 2-1 win over Brighton. Ferdi Kadioglu gave Brighton the lead in the 14th minute with a fierce strike that cannoned in off the post after Danny Welbeck flicked on Kaoru Mitoma's cross. But Liverpool had beaten Brighton in the League Cup last 16 in midweek and they repeated the trick thanks to a late revival. Cody Gakpo bagged the equaliser in the 70th minute with a cross that looped straight into the net. Two minutes later, Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead, the Egypt forward curling a fine finish into the top corner for his ninth goal this season. In Arne Slot's first season in charge, Liverpool are two points clear of City after their eighth win in 10 league games. Nottingham Forest are up to third place after beating 10-man West Ham 3-0 to make it three consecutive top-flight victories for the first time since 1999. Chris Wood grabbed his eighth goal in 10 league games as the New Zealand striker headed home after 27 minutes. West Ham had Edson Alvarez sent off in first-half stoppage-time for two bookings. Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 65th minute and Ola Aina sealed the points 12 minutes from full-time at the City Ground. Jordan Ayew's stoppage-time equaliser denied Ipswich their first top-flight win since 2002 as Leicester rescued a 1-1 draw at Portman Road. Leif Davis's 55th-minute volley put Ipswich ahead but the hosts had Kalvin Phillips sent off in the 77th minute. Ayew levelled with seconds left to leave third-bottom Ipswich winless after 10 games. Second-bottom Southampton earned their first league win this season as Adam Armstrong's 85th-minute strike sealed a 1-0 success against Everton. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Man City suffer first league loss in 2024; Liverpool win against Brighton

FC Goa triumphed over Bengaluru FC by 3-0 at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season on Saturday (Nov 2). A second-half flourish from Manolo Marquez’s men saw Bengaluru FC taste defeat for the first time in the ongoing season. Armando Sadiku was once again the protagonist with a goal and an assist while the likes of Brison Fernandes and Dejan Drazic also joined the party for the Gaurs.

Buoyed by their fans, the Gaurs started the game brightly, creating a few openings in the first quarter. Dejan Drazic and young midfielder Ayush Dev Chhetri caused a lot of trouble for Bengaluru FC defenders with their mazy runs. However, they had nothing to show for their efforts as their eventual shots lacked the venom required to challenge the Blues’ custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Another player who was up for challenges on his return from injury was Sandesh Jhingan. The experienced defender went toe-to-toe with Edgar Mendez, winning the majority of the duels in the first period. He brought back the physicality that this FC Goa side missed in his absence.

Despite the chances, the hosts returned to their dressing room at half-time, empty-handed. The Gaurs showed great urgency but majorly lacked the final product to hurt the Bengaluru FC backline.

The second period started in a similar fashion with Marquez’s men controlling the tempo of the game and making meaningful penetrations into the final third. Bengaluru FC tactician Gerard Zaragoza did try to disrupt the momentum in midfield by introducing Suresh Singh Wangjam at the start of the second half, but the Gaurs kept dominating possession.

Despite several trials and errors, the hosts finally took the lead in the 63rd minute courtesy of their talisman Armando Sadiku. It was Mohammad Yasir, who pickpocketed Pedro Capo and ran at the Bengaluru FC backline before finding Sadiku in the box with a brilliantly-weighted cross. The Albanian made no mistake in finding the back of the net from close range.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/because-of-hero-worship-former-india-player-on-rcb-retaining-virat-kohli-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-772722">'Because of hero worship...,' Former India player on RCB retaining Virat Kohli ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

In the 71st minute, Marquez decided to freshen things up as he brought on Brison Fernandes, replacing Yasir and the youngster made an instant impact. Sadiku’s energetic press allowed him to pickpocket a ball from Gurpreet. The forward passed it back to Brison, who came up with a sensational long-range strike from the right, catching Rahul Bheke and the entire Blues backline off-guard as the Gaurs doubled their lead.

FC Goa kept pushing as Manolo turned to Iker Guarrotxena in the 79th minute. The Spaniard showed his class when he combined with Dejan Drazic as the latter scored the third goal for the hosts in stoppage time to seal their second win of the season. Bengaluru FC had their chances but it was certainly not their night.

FC Goa triumphed over Bengaluru FC by 3-0 at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season on Saturday (Nov 2). A second-half flourish from Manolo Marquez’s men saw Bengaluru FC taste defeat for the first time in the ongoing season.

FC Goa triumphed over Bengaluru FC by 3-0 at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season on Saturday (Nov 2). A second-half flourish from Manolo Marquez’s men saw Bengaluru FC taste defeat for the first time in the ongoing season. Armando Sadiku was once again the protagonist with a goal and an assist while the likes of Brison Fernandes and Dejan Drazic also joined the party for the Gaurs. Buoyed by their fans, the Gaurs started the game brightly, creating a few openings in the first quarter. Dejan Drazic and young midfielder Ayush Dev Chhetri caused a lot of trouble for Bengaluru FC defenders with their mazy runs. However, they had nothing to show for their efforts as their eventual shots lacked the venom required to challenge the Blues’ custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Another player who was up for challenges on his return from injury was Sandesh Jhingan. The experienced defender went toe-to-toe with Edgar Mendez, winning the majority of the duels in the first period. He brought back the physicality that this FC Goa side missed in his absence. Despite the chances, the hosts returned to their dressing room at half-time, empty-handed. The Gaurs showed great urgency but majorly lacked the final product to hurt the Bengaluru FC backline. The second period started in a similar fashion with Marquez’s men controlling the tempo of the game and making meaningful penetrations into the final third. Bengaluru FC tactician Gerard Zaragoza did try to disrupt the momentum in midfield by introducing Suresh Singh Wangjam at the start of the second half, but the Gaurs kept dominating possession. Despite several trials and errors, the hosts finally took the lead in the 63rd minute courtesy of their talisman Armando Sadiku. It was Mohammad Yasir, who pickpocketed Pedro Capo and ran at the Bengaluru FC backline before finding Sadiku in the box with a brilliantly-weighted cross. The Albanian made no mistake in finding the back of the net from close range. ALSO READ | 'Because of hero worship...,' Former India player on RCB retaining Virat Kohli ahead of IPL mega auction In the 71st minute, Marquez decided to freshen things up as he brought on Brison Fernandes, replacing Yasir and the youngster made an instant impact. Sadiku’s energetic press allowed him to pickpocket a ball from Gurpreet. The forward passed it back to Brison, who came up with a sensational long-range strike from the right, catching Rahul Bheke and the entire Blues backline off-guard as the Gaurs doubled their lead. FC Goa kept pushing as Manolo turned to Iker Guarrotxena in the 79th minute. The Spaniard showed his class when he combined with Dejan Drazic as the latter scored the third goal for the hosts in stoppage time to seal their second win of the season. Bengaluru FC had their chances but it was certainly not their night.

ISL: FC Goa end Benglauru's undefeated run with stunning 3-0 win

Newcastle put a huge dent in Arsenal's title aspirations on Saturday, winning 1-0 to give leaders Manchester City the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League.

Alexander Isak scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross from the right.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-now-or-never-ruben-amorim-reveals-how-he-signed-up-for-manchester-united-in-three-days-772644">‘It’s now or never’ - Ruben Amorim reveals how he signed up for Manchester United in three days</a>

Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and although they dominated possession, they produced just one shot on target in the entire game.

Mikel Arteta's men have now picked up just one point in their past three games as their title push quickly runs out of steam.

If defending champions City win at Bournemouth later on Saturday they will be eight points clear of the Gunners. Liverpool, a point behind City, host Brighton at Anfield.

Arsenal have pushed Pep Guardiola's City hard in each of the past two seasons and appeared to be well-equipped for another title challenge but the gap already looks alarmingly big.

The injury-hit visitors started brightly in the opening seconds at St James' Park, with&nbsp;Leandro Trossard dragging the ball wide.

But the home side, who had not won for five matches, quickly settled and Sweden forward Isak got between Gabriel and William Saliba to head home from Gordon's exquisite first-time cross.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka lacked penetration but headed just wide in the 18th minute after leaping above his marker.

Newcastle defender Lewis Hall blocked Mikel Merino's shot on the line after a Declan Rice corner caused chaos but the visitors lacked rhythm and failed to match the intensity shown by the home side.

Arteta opted against making changes at half-time and Newcastle came close to doubling their lead almost immediately, with Joe Willock's shot saved by David Raya.

The Spanish boss threw on 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Gabriel Martinelli and Merino just after the hour mark.

Isak fired a shot at Raya that the Arsenal goalkeeper pushed away before Rice muscled his way into the Newcastle area and flashed a shot wide.

Arteta made further changes, introducing defender Ben White and forward Gabriel Jesus in the desperate push for an equaliser.

Arsenal struggled to build up a head of steam as the clock ticked down but they squandered a golden chance to equalise when Rice headed just wide from a Saka cross in stoppage time.

The Gunners, still missing captain Martin Odegaard, suffered a shock defeat against Bournemouth last month and drew 2-2 with Liverpool last week.

They have tough games coming up against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Chelsea next week.

The win lifts Eddie Howe's Newcastle to eighth in the table ahead of the later kick-offs on Saturday.

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Newcastle put a huge dent in Arsenal's title aspirations on Saturday, winning 1-0 to give leaders Manchester City the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League.

Newcastle put a huge dent in Arsenal's title aspirations on Saturday, winning 1-0 to give leaders Manchester City the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League. Alexander Isak scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross from the right. Also Read: ‘It’s now or never’ - Ruben Amorim reveals how he signed up for Manchester United in three days Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and although they dominated possession, they produced just one shot on target in the entire game. Mikel Arteta's men have now picked up just one point in their past three games as their title push quickly runs out of steam. If defending champions City win at Bournemouth later on Saturday they will be eight points clear of the Gunners. Liverpool, a point behind City, host Brighton at Anfield. Arsenal have pushed Pep Guardiola's City hard in each of the past two seasons and appeared to be well-equipped for another title challenge but the gap already looks alarmingly big. The injury-hit visitors started brightly in the opening seconds at St James' Park, with Leandro Trossard dragging the ball wide. But the home side, who had not won for five matches, quickly settled and Sweden forward Isak got between Gabriel and William Saliba to head home from Gordon's exquisite first-time cross. Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka lacked penetration but headed just wide in the 18th minute after leaping above his marker. Newcastle defender Lewis Hall blocked Mikel Merino's shot on the line after a Declan Rice corner caused chaos but the visitors lacked rhythm and failed to match the intensity shown by the home side. Arteta opted against making changes at half-time and Newcastle came close to doubling their lead almost immediately, with Joe Willock's shot saved by David Raya. The Spanish boss threw on 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Gabriel Martinelli and Merino just after the hour mark. Isak fired a shot at Raya that the Arsenal goalkeeper pushed away before Rice muscled his way into the Newcastle area and flashed a shot wide. Arteta made further changes, introducing defender Ben White and forward Gabriel Jesus in the desperate push for an equaliser. Arsenal struggled to build up a head of steam as the clock ticked down but they squandered a golden chance to equalise when Rice headed just wide from a Saka cross in stoppage time. The Gunners, still missing captain Martin Odegaard, suffered a shock defeat against Bournemouth last month and drew 2-2 with Liverpool last week. They have tough games coming up against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Chelsea next week. The win lifts Eddie Howe's Newcastle to eighth in the table ahead of the later kick-offs on Saturday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Arsenal's title hopes take hit after loss against Newcastle

Atletico Madrid on Friday permanently banned nine of their supporters from attending matches after incidents of crowd trouble and racist behaviour.

A La Liga clash against rivals Real Madrid on September 29 at Atletico's Metropolitano stadium was halted by officials after some supporters threw objects including lighters onto the pitch.

Atletico were also fined by UEFA when some of their supporters were found guilty of "racist and discriminatory" behaviour during a 4-0 Champions League thrashing at Benfica on October 2.

"Our security department has worked on identifying those involved in these events by reviewing all the audio-visual materials at its disposal and in collaboration with the police," said Atletico in a statement.

"This process was finalised by (setting in motion) the permanent expulsion of nine club members for actions considered in the club's internal protocol to be very serious (offences)...

"Once again we reiterate our strongest condemnation of any type of violence and our commitment to fight against this sort of attitude that has no place in football and does not represent the general feeling of our fans and tarnishes the image of Atletico Madrid."

After the incidents during the 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, Atletico were hit with a partial stadium closure for three matches by the Spanish football federation, although that was reduced to one game on appeal.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-a-vs-india-a-mukesh-kumar-sai-sudharsan-and-devdutt-padikkal-script-comeback-easwaran-fails-772508">Australia-A vs India-A: Mukesh Kumar, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal script comeback, Easwaran fails</a>

In October Spanish police said they arrested four males suspected of inciting an online hate campaign targeting Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior before the game.

The viral social media campaign encouraged Atletico fans to arrive at the stadium with masks on to thwart attempts to identify them while uttering "degrading and discriminatory insults with racist connotations," said police.

Atletico also said they had added to their internal regulations "the prohibition of using (anything) to prevent a person's face from being seen in order to hide their identity in the stadium."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Atletico Madrid on Friday permanently banned nine of their supporters from attending matches after incidents of crowd trouble and racist behaviour. A La Liga clash against rivals Real Madrid on September 29 at Atletico's Metropolitano stadium was halted by officials after some supporters threw objects including lighters onto the pitch.

Atletico Madrid on Friday permanently banned nine of their supporters from attending matches after incidents of crowd trouble and racist behaviour. A La Liga clash against rivals Real Madrid on September 29 at Atletico's Metropolitano stadium was halted by officials after some supporters threw objects including lighters onto the pitch. Atletico were also fined by UEFA when some of their supporters were found guilty of "racist and discriminatory" behaviour during a 4-0 Champions League thrashing at Benfica on October 2. "Our security department has worked on identifying those involved in these events by reviewing all the audio-visual materials at its disposal and in collaboration with the police," said Atletico in a statement. "This process was finalised by (setting in motion) the permanent expulsion of nine club members for actions considered in the club's internal protocol to be very serious (offences)... "Once again we reiterate our strongest condemnation of any type of violence and our commitment to fight against this sort of attitude that has no place in football and does not represent the general feeling of our fans and tarnishes the image of Atletico Madrid." After the incidents during the 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, Atletico were hit with a partial stadium closure for three matches by the Spanish football federation, although that was reduced to one game on appeal. ALSO READ | Australia-A vs India-A: Mukesh Kumar, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal script comeback, Easwaran fails In October Spanish police said they arrested four males suspected of inciting an online hate campaign targeting Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior before the game. The viral social media campaign encouraged Atletico fans to arrive at the stadium with masks on to thwart attempts to identify them while uttering "degrading and discriminatory insults with racist connotations," said police. Atletico also said they had added to their internal regulations "the prohibition of using (anything) to prevent a person's face from being seen in order to hide their identity in the stadium." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

La Liga: Atletico Madrid ban nine fans after crowd trouble, racism

Atletico Madrid had to dig deep to beat sixth division Unio Esportiva Vic 2-0 thanks to late goals by Julian&nbsp;Alvarez&nbsp;to reach the Copa del Rey second round on Thursday. While most La Liga clubs fielded much-changed teams against lower level sides, Atletico coach Diego Simeone selected several regulars in his side for the game on the outskirts of Barcelona.

But even with big names like Conor Gallagher, Alexander Sorloth and Rodrigo Riquelme in the starting 11, Atletico struggled on a soaked artificial pitch. Simeone had to bring on Antoine Griezmann, captain Koke and&nbsp;Alvarez&nbsp;to help break the deadlock in the second half.

After the home side's Marti Riera wasted two golden chances on the counter, Atletico took the lead with a penalty in the 81st minute converted by&nbsp;Alvarez&nbsp;after Giuliano Simeone was brought down. Vic's Alfons Senye was sent off for complaining to the referee following the penalty award and&nbsp;Alvarez&nbsp;wrapped Atletico's win after a counter attack in the 89th.

Atletico joined Girona, Villarreal, Rayo Vallecano, Espanyol, Sevilla, Celta Vigo and Getafe in the second round, with all LaLiga sides advancing so far.

Seven Copa del Rey matches scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday were postponed after flash floods swept the eastern region of Valencia, killing at least 158 people.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-world-number-two-carlos-alcaraz-suffers-paris-masters-shock-as-race-for-turin-heats-up-772412">World number two Carlos Alcaraz suffers Paris Masters shock as race for Turin heats up</a>

The games featuring Valencia, Levante, Manises, Jove Espanol and Hercules de Alicante have been rescheduled after authorities advised against all non-essential travel in the region.

The floods in the southern region of Andalucia also led to the suspension of Cup matches featuring Chiclana and Xerez.

Six of the postponed games have been rescheduled for next week, leaving Real Sociedad's match against Jove Espanyol in Alicante as the only tie without a new fixture date.

Spain's FA announced earlier on Thursday the postponement of all games scheduled for Valencia's eastern region this weekend.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Atletico Madrid had to dig deep to beat sixth division Unio Esportiva Vic 2-0 thanks to late goals by Julian Alvarez to reach the Copa del Rey second round on Thursday.

Atletico Madrid had to dig deep to beat sixth division Unio Esportiva Vic 2-0 thanks to late goals by Julian Alvarez to reach the Copa del Rey second round on Thursday. While most La Liga clubs fielded much-changed teams against lower level sides, Atletico coach Diego Simeone selected several regulars in his side for the game on the outskirts of Barcelona. But even with big names like Conor Gallagher, Alexander Sorloth and Rodrigo Riquelme in the starting 11, Atletico struggled on a soaked artificial pitch. Simeone had to bring on Antoine Griezmann, captain Koke and Alvarez to help break the deadlock in the second half. After the home side's Marti Riera wasted two golden chances on the counter, Atletico took the lead with a penalty in the 81st minute converted by Alvarez after Giuliano Simeone was brought down. Vic's Alfons Senye was sent off for complaining to the referee following the penalty award and Alvarez wrapped Atletico's win after a counter attack in the 89th. Atletico joined Girona, Villarreal, Rayo Vallecano, Espanyol, Sevilla, Celta Vigo and Getafe in the second round, with all LaLiga sides advancing so far. Seven Copa del Rey matches scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday were postponed after flash floods swept the eastern region of Valencia, killing at least 158 people. Also read: World number two Carlos Alcaraz suffers Paris Masters shock as race for Turin heats up The games featuring Valencia, Levante, Manises, Jove Espanol and Hercules de Alicante have been rescheduled after authorities advised against all non-essential travel in the region. The floods in the southern region of Andalucia also led to the suspension of Cup matches featuring Chiclana and Xerez. Six of the postponed games have been rescheduled for next week, leaving Real Sociedad's match against Jove Espanyol in Alicante as the only tie without a new fixture date. Spain's FA announced earlier on Thursday the postponement of all games scheduled for Valencia's eastern region this weekend. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Madrid scrape past sixth-tier side with late Julian Alvarez double, reach the Copa del Rey second round

Manchester United target Ruben Amorim has confirmed contact from Manchester United as the club searches for its latest successor of manager having sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday (Oct 28). Amorim, currently managing in Liga Portugal with Sporting Lisbon however said that “nothing is decided” on his potential appointment as new Manchester United manager. The Red Devils are poised to make the Portuguese gaffer their latest successor having parted company with Ten Hag after a poor start to the season.

<h2>‘Nothing is decided yet’</h2>

"Nobody knows whether this was my farewell match. Nothing is decided yet," the Portuguese coach said, reported by sports daily A Bola.

39-year-old former Portugal midfielder is high on the ranks of Manchester United as they see him as a long-term successor at the club. The board has sanctioned a move to bring him from Sporting Lisbon where he has thrived in recent years. Amorim has won two league titles while finishing runners-up in the Portuguese FA Cup.

The United board wants their latest target to join as early as this weekend when the Red Devils face Chelsea in the Premier League. A reported sum of $10mn could be paid in compensation to acquire the services of Amorim, whom the Premier League side looks to put behind a poor start to the season.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-w-vs-nz-w-3rd-odi-smriti-mandhanas-record-8th-ton-helps-india-win-series-2-1-771817">IND-W vs NZ-W, 3rd ODI: Smriti Mandhana's record 8th ton helps India win series 2-1</a>

<h2>Who is Rúben Amorim?</h2>

Currently working as the head coach of Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, Amorim has Manchester United connections having completed his managerial internship at Old Trafford during Jose Mourinho’s managerial reign. A former Benfica star, 39-year-old Amorim played the majority of his club football in his native Portugal before hanging his boots and moving into management in 2018. He also represented Portugal at the international level, earning 14 caps and playing at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Sporting won the 2020-21 and 2023-24 league titles and are flying high under his stewardship in the 2024-25 season.

Manchester United target Ruben Amorim has confirmed contact from Manchester United as the club searches for its latest successor of manager having sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday (Oct 28).

Manchester United target Ruben Amorim has confirmed contact from Manchester United as the club searches for its latest successor of manager having sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday (Oct 28). Amorim, currently managing in Liga Portugal with Sporting Lisbon however said that “nothing is decided” on his potential appointment as new Manchester United manager. The Red Devils are poised to make the Portuguese gaffer their latest successor having parted company with Ten Hag after a poor start to the season. ‘Nothing is decided yet’ "Nobody knows whether this was my farewell match. Nothing is decided yet," the Portuguese coach said, reported by sports daily A Bola. 39-year-old former Portugal midfielder is high on the ranks of Manchester United as they see him as a long-term successor at the club. The board has sanctioned a move to bring him from Sporting Lisbon where he has thrived in recent years. Amorim has won two league titles while finishing runners-up in the Portuguese FA Cup. The United board wants their latest target to join as early as this weekend when the Red Devils face Chelsea in the Premier League. A reported sum of $10mn could be paid in compensation to acquire the services of Amorim, whom the Premier League side looks to put behind a poor start to the season. ALSO READ | IND-W vs NZ-W, 3rd ODI: Smriti Mandhana's record 8th ton helps India win series 2-1 Who is Rúben Amorim? Currently working as the head coach of Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, Amorim has Manchester United connections having completed his managerial internship at Old Trafford during Jose Mourinho’s managerial reign. A former Benfica star, 39-year-old Amorim played the majority of his club football in his native Portugal before hanging his boots and moving into management in 2018. He also represented Portugal at the international level, earning 14 caps and playing at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup. Sporting won the 2020-21 and 2023-24 league titles and are flying high under his stewardship in the 2024-25 season.

Ruben Amorim confirms Manchester United approach but says 'nothing decided yet'

Napoli grew their lead at the top of the Serie A table to seven points with a 2-0 win at AC Milan on Tuesday.

Antonio Conte's resurgent side wrapped the match up inside the first half, courtesy of an early Romelu Lukaku goal and a sensational strike by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Napoli sit on 25 points, with champions Inter Milan on 18 but with the chance to reduce the gap when they visit Empoli on Wednesday.

A third defeat of the campaign leaves AC Milan in eighth place, 11 points behind the leaders.

Belgian striker Lukaku scored his fourth goal of the season since joining the 2023 Italian champions in the summer when he broke the deadlock on five minutes.

He raced onto a pass from Frank Anguissa, held off a defender and slotted coolly past Mike Maignan in the AC Milan goal.

Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret was forced twice into action before the half-hour to maintain his side's lead.

As the clock ticked down to half-time, Georgian winger Kvaratskhelia doubled the visitors' lead.

Picking the ball up on the left wing, he drove suddenly inside on his right foot past Youssouf Fofana and rifled a shot from distance into the far post beyond the dive of Maignan.

Alvaro Morata thought he had given Milan a lifeline two minutes after the break with a powerful header.

However, upon VAR review he was shown to have been offside in the build-up to the goal and it was disallowed.

The hosts continued to search for a way back into the encounter and only a fine reflex save by Meret to deny Rafael Leao in the 83rd minute kept Napoli's two-goal cushion intact.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-w-vs-nz-w-3rd-odi-smriti-mandhanas-record-8th-ton-helps-india-win-series-2-1-771817">IND-W vs NZ-W, 3rd ODI: Smriti Mandhana's record 8th ton helps India win series 2-1</a>

Earlier, goals in either half by Riccardo Orsolini and Jens Odgaard sent Bologna up to 10th in the table with a 2-0 win at Cagliari.

Lecce climbed off the foot of the table by beating nine-men Verona 1-0 thanks to a Patrick Dorgu goal on 51 minutes.

The away side lost Jackson Tchatchoua to a red card five minutes before half-time, then Reda Belahyane was given his marching orders inside the final 10 minutes for a second bookable offence.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Napoli grew their lead at the top of the Serie A table to seven points with a 2-0 win at AC Milan on Tuesday. Antonio Conte's resurgent side wrapped the match up inside the first half, courtesy of an early Romelu Lukaku goal and a sensational strike by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Napoli grew their lead at the top of the Serie A table to seven points with a 2-0 win at AC Milan on Tuesday. Antonio Conte's resurgent side wrapped the match up inside the first half, courtesy of an early Romelu Lukaku goal and a sensational strike by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Napoli sit on 25 points, with champions Inter Milan on 18 but with the chance to reduce the gap when they visit Empoli on Wednesday. A third defeat of the campaign leaves AC Milan in eighth place, 11 points behind the leaders. Belgian striker Lukaku scored his fourth goal of the season since joining the 2023 Italian champions in the summer when he broke the deadlock on five minutes. He raced onto a pass from Frank Anguissa, held off a defender and slotted coolly past Mike Maignan in the AC Milan goal. Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret was forced twice into action before the half-hour to maintain his side's lead. As the clock ticked down to half-time, Georgian winger Kvaratskhelia doubled the visitors' lead. Picking the ball up on the left wing, he drove suddenly inside on his right foot past Youssouf Fofana and rifled a shot from distance into the far post beyond the dive of Maignan. Alvaro Morata thought he had given Milan a lifeline two minutes after the break with a powerful header. However, upon VAR review he was shown to have been offside in the build-up to the goal and it was disallowed. The hosts continued to search for a way back into the encounter and only a fine reflex save by Meret to deny Rafael Leao in the 83rd minute kept Napoli's two-goal cushion intact. ALSO READ | IND-W vs NZ-W, 3rd ODI: Smriti Mandhana's record 8th ton helps India win series 2-1 Earlier, goals in either half by Riccardo Orsolini and Jens Odgaard sent Bologna up to 10th in the table with a 2-0 win at Cagliari. Lecce climbed off the foot of the table by beating nine-men Verona 1-0 thanks to a Patrick Dorgu goal on 51 minutes. The away side lost Jackson Tchatchoua to a red card five minutes before half-time, then Reda Belahyane was given his marching orders inside the final 10 minutes for a second bookable offence. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Serie A: Napoli extend lead at top with 2-0 win at AC Milan

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo hit the headlines within 24 hours after the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony concluded in Paris on Monday (Oct 28). While he was not on the list of probable winners, it was his miss in the 96th minute of the King Cup that took the spotlight. Playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi FA Cup (King Cup), Ronaldo missed the penalty as his side crashed out of the competition. The miss was a subject of social media attention with fans slamming the former Real Madrid star.

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You know Ronaldo is finished when he can't even score a penalty<a href="https://t.co/4i1D9y3Pa9">pic.twitter.com/4i1D9y3Pa9</a>
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<h2>Ronaldo misses penalty</h2>

Playing in the King Cup in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (Oct 29), Ronaldo’s side was trailing 0-1 against Al-Taawoun after defender Waleed Al-Ahmed gave his side a precious lead. While the match looked done and dusted, Ronaldo and Co got a penalty in the dying moments of the clash, meaning they could have taken the match into extra time by scoring. However, that was not the case as the 39-year-old missed the spot kick from 12 yards. Ronaldo was unhappy with the situation as he suffered the heartbreak of yet another exit from a cup competition.

Earlier in , his Portugal side missed out on a place in the semifinal at Euro 2024 after a shootout failure against France.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/serie-a-napoli-extend-lead-at-top-with-2-0-win-at-ac-milan-771850">Serie A: Napoli extend lead at top with 2-0 win at AC Milan</a>

This is not the first time Ronaldo has missed a penalty on a big stage, doing so in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow. He missed in the shootout but was later bailed out after John Terrt’s miss, handing Manchester United the Champions League.

<h2>No Ronaldo, Messi in Ballon d’Or</h2>

The cup exit took place just hours after the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris where Rodri became the latest big name to join the roster. Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the prestigious honour was not nominated this year while Lionel Messi’s failure to make the cut also meant that for the first time since 2003, either of those two players were not on the nomination list.

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo hit the headlines within 24 hours after the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony concluded in Paris on Monday (Oct 28). While he was not on the list of probable winners, it was his miss in the 96th minute of the King Cup that took the spotlight.

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo hit the headlines within 24 hours after the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony concluded in Paris on Monday (Oct 28). While he was not on the list of probable winners, it was his miss in the 96th minute of the King Cup that took the spotlight. Playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi FA Cup (King Cup), Ronaldo missed the penalty as his side crashed out of the competition. The miss was a subject of social media attention with fans slamming the former Real Madrid star. You know Ronaldo is finished when he can't even score a penaltypic.twitter.com/4i1D9y3Pa9 — Troll Football (@TrollFootball) October 29, 2024 × Ronaldo misses penalty Playing in the King Cup in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (Oct 29), Ronaldo’s side was trailing 0-1 against Al-Taawoun after defender Waleed Al-Ahmed gave his side a precious lead. While the match looked done and dusted, Ronaldo and Co got a penalty in the dying moments of the clash, meaning they could have taken the match into extra time by scoring. However, that was not the case as the 39-year-old missed the spot kick from 12 yards. Ronaldo was unhappy with the situation as he suffered the heartbreak of yet another exit from a cup competition. Earlier in , his Portugal side missed out on a place in the semifinal at Euro 2024 after a shootout failure against France. ALSO READ | Serie A: Napoli extend lead at top with 2-0 win at AC Milan This is not the first time Ronaldo has missed a penalty on a big stage, doing so in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow. He missed in the shootout but was later bailed out after John Terrt’s miss, handing Manchester United the Champions League. No Ronaldo, Messi in Ballon d’Or The cup exit took place just hours after the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris where Rodri became the latest big name to join the roster. Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the prestigious honour was not nominated this year while Lionel Messi’s failure to make the cut also meant that for the first time since 2003, either of those two players were not on the nomination list.

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo misses 96th minute penalty as Al-Nassr crash out of King Cup

Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmati on Monday won her second successive women's Ballon d'Or, after leading her club to a historic continental quadruple of titles and claiming the Nations League with her country.

The 26-year-old playmaker joins teammate Alexia Putellas as the only two woman footballers to win the Ballon d'Or twice, since the award's inauguration in 2018.

"This cannot be achieved alone, I am very lucky to be surrounded by players who make me better every day," Bonmati said after receiving the award.

"Thanks to the staff, to the club workers, without you we would not achieve so much success."

Already considered an all-time great of the women's game, Bonmati was the stand-out performer as Barcelona romped to a trophy-laden 2023/24 season.

The Catalans won every trophy available to them last term -- the Spanish league, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de Espana and a second-successive Women's Champions League.

Bonmati scored a goal and put in a player-of-the-match performance as Barcelona beat Lyon 2-0 in the final of the Champions League to claim their third title in four seasons.

<h2>Proud of the team</h2>

"It's the first time we've beaten Lyon. I'm proud of the team, and we know that with these fans we have, we can't fail," Bonmati said after the crowning moment of her season, which was played in front of 51,000 spectators in Bilbao's San Mames stadium.

A product of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, the diminutive midfielder was also named player of the season by UEFA for her six goals and six assists during her side's successful European campaign.

With eight goals and 11 assists in Spain's Liga F, Bonmati was equally influential in guiding Barcelona to a fifth straight league title.

The 2023 World Cup winner added the inaugural Women's Nations League to her resume in February, when she scored Spain's opener in their 2-0 win in the final against France.

She was again selected by UEFA as the overall player of the finals for her performances and goals in the semi-finals and final.

Only a shock defeat in the Olympics semi-final against Brazil prevented Bonmati from having the chance to secure a remarkable six titles for club and country in one season.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/real-madrid-and-barcelona-pm-narendra-modi-talks-el-clasico-craze-in-india-during-roadshow-with-spain-pm-771440">'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Modi acclaims El Clasico craze in India during roadshow</a>

In April, Bonmati was named Sportswoman of the Year at the Laureus Awards, becoming the first footballer to do so, and was rewarded along with her Spain team-mates for winning the Women's World Cup in August 2023.

She also received praise for helping to combat sexism in the Spanish football federation by protesting with her team-mates after disgraced former president Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed player Jenni Hermoso.

"She's a role model of a player. How she trains, her attitude, the way she approaches things every day, she just sets a great example," then-Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez said of his star asset in May.

"We met when she was starting out her career. I've watched her grow up, go through the whole process. I'm pleased to have seen everything that's happened (to her), and she deserves it all."

The women's Ballon d'Or is chosen from a shortlist of 30 players by a voting panel of 50 international football journalists.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmati on Monday won her second successive women's Ballon d'Or, after leading her club to a historic continental quadruple of titles and claiming the Nations League with her country.

Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmati on Monday won her second successive women's Ballon d'Or, after leading her club to a historic continental quadruple of titles and claiming the Nations League with her country. The 26-year-old playmaker joins teammate Alexia Putellas as the only two woman footballers to win the Ballon d'Or twice, since the award's inauguration in 2018. "This cannot be achieved alone, I am very lucky to be surrounded by players who make me better every day," Bonmati said after receiving the award. "Thanks to the staff, to the club workers, without you we would not achieve so much success." Already considered an all-time great of the women's game, Bonmati was the stand-out performer as Barcelona romped to a trophy-laden 2023/24 season. The Catalans won every trophy available to them last term -- the Spanish league, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de Espana and a second-successive Women's Champions League. Bonmati scored a goal and put in a player-of-the-match performance as Barcelona beat Lyon 2-0 in the final of the Champions League to claim their third title in four seasons. Proud of the team "It's the first time we've beaten Lyon. I'm proud of the team, and we know that with these fans we have, we can't fail," Bonmati said after the crowning moment of her season, which was played in front of 51,000 spectators in Bilbao's San Mames stadium. A product of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, the diminutive midfielder was also named player of the season by UEFA for her six goals and six assists during her side's successful European campaign. With eight goals and 11 assists in Spain's Liga F, Bonmati was equally influential in guiding Barcelona to a fifth straight league title. The 2023 World Cup winner added the inaugural Women's Nations League to her resume in February, when she scored Spain's opener in their 2-0 win in the final against France. She was again selected by UEFA as the overall player of the finals for her performances and goals in the semi-finals and final. Only a shock defeat in the Olympics semi-final against Brazil prevented Bonmati from having the chance to secure a remarkable six titles for club and country in one season. ALSO READ | 'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Modi acclaims El Clasico craze in India during roadshow In April, Bonmati was named Sportswoman of the Year at the Laureus Awards, becoming the first footballer to do so, and was rewarded along with her Spain team-mates for winning the Women's World Cup in August 2023. She also received praise for helping to combat sexism in the Spanish football federation by protesting with her team-mates after disgraced former president Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed player Jenni Hermoso. "She's a role model of a player. How she trains, her attitude, the way she approaches things every day, she just sets a great example," then-Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez said of his star asset in May. "We met when she was starting out her career. I've watched her grow up, go through the whole process. I'm pleased to have seen everything that's happened (to her), and she deserves it all." The women's Ballon d'Or is chosen from a shortlist of 30 players by a voting panel of 50 international football journalists. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati wins second successive women's Ballon d'Or

Spanish media said Tuesday (Oct 29) that Real Madrid had cheapened themselves by boycotting the Ballon d'Or ceremony, with even the normally loyal Marca weighing in while Spain's national coach admitted it was "not good for football".

European champions Real announced their decision to skip Monday night's gala ceremony in Paris just hours before it took place after apparently learning that their Brazilian striker Vinicius had not won the men's award.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/ruben-amorim-portuguese-football-manager-leading-race-to-be-next-man-utd-boss-who-is-he-771633">Rúben Amorim: Portuguese football manager leading race to be next Man Utd boss. Who is he?</a>

"This masquerade is unworthy of the greatest club in the world," said Marca, which is normally staunchly pro-Real, in an editorial, adding that the club had ignored its own mantra that calls on its players "to shake hands even when you lose".

In fact, Real Madrid won other awards, including men's team of the year, but there was no one to collect them.

It was a big night for Spanish football in general with Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri and Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati collecting the men's and women's awards, but the seats left empty by Real's delegation cast a shadow over the event.

"It's not good for football for an entity like Real Madrid not to be present at a gala of this dimension," said Spain's Euro 2024-winning coach Luis de la Fuente on the red carpet.

Alfredo Relano, editor-in-chief of Spanish sports daily AS, one of the 100 journalists who voted for the Ballon d'Or, lamented that "the first Ballon d'Or for a Spanish player since 1960, which was keenly awaited, did not provoke the state of collective excitement that was expected, but rather a controversial day".

<h2>'Lack of respect'</h2>

Real Madrid are at loggerheads with UEFA over the proposed Super League, which the club supports but which most other major European clubs have rejected, and they were quick to blame the European governing body for Vinicius missing out on the award.&nbsp;

"It is clear that Ballon d'Or-UEFA&nbsp;does not respect Real Madrid," they said on Monday. "And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected."&nbsp;

Vincent Garcia, the editor-in-chief of France Football which organises the event, denied there was any anti-Vinicius or anti-Real Madrid conspiracy.

"UEFA has been involved in supporting the gala this year but it is France Football that awards the prize," he told L'Equipe. "There is no possibility of manipulation."

Garcia also offered a more rational explanation for Rodri, voted the best player at Euro 2024, taking the award.&nbsp;

"It was close," he said. "Vinicius certainly suffered from the presence of (fellow Madrid players) (Dani) Carvajal and (Jude) Bellingham in the top five, as that lost him some votes... which may have benefited Rodri."

Another potential explanation, raised by several specialist media, was the fact that voters were asked to consider the "fair play" aspect of a player's game.&nbsp;

This may have been detrimental to the occasionally temperamental and provocative Brazilian while benefiting the model image of Rodri.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon also lamented the club's absence from the awards ceremony by telling Sky Sports: "We are the greatest club in the world but we have to behave properly."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Spanish media said Tuesday (Oct 29) that Real Madrid had cheapened themselves by boycotting the Ballon d'Or ceremony, with even the normally loyal Marca weighing in while Spain's national coach admitted it was "not good for football".

Spanish media said Tuesday (Oct 29) that Real Madrid had cheapened themselves by boycotting the Ballon d'Or ceremony, with even the normally loyal Marca weighing in while Spain's national coach admitted it was "not good for football". European champions Real announced their decision to skip Monday night's gala ceremony in Paris just hours before it took place after apparently learning that their Brazilian striker Vinicius had not won the men's award. Also Read: Rúben Amorim: Portuguese football manager leading race to be next Man Utd boss. Who is he? "This masquerade is unworthy of the greatest club in the world," said Marca, which is normally staunchly pro-Real, in an editorial, adding that the club had ignored its own mantra that calls on its players "to shake hands even when you lose". In fact, Real Madrid won other awards, including men's team of the year, but there was no one to collect them. It was a big night for Spanish football in general with Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri and Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati collecting the men's and women's awards, but the seats left empty by Real's delegation cast a shadow over the event. "It's not good for football for an entity like Real Madrid not to be present at a gala of this dimension," said Spain's Euro 2024-winning coach Luis de la Fuente on the red carpet. Alfredo Relano, editor-in-chief of Spanish sports daily AS, one of the 100 journalists who voted for the Ballon d'Or, lamented that "the first Ballon d'Or for a Spanish player since 1960, which was keenly awaited, did not provoke the state of collective excitement that was expected, but rather a controversial day". 'Lack of respect' Real Madrid are at loggerheads with UEFA over the proposed Super League, which the club supports but which most other major European clubs have rejected, and they were quick to blame the European governing body for Vinicius missing out on the award. "It is clear that Ballon d'Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid," they said on Monday. "And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected." Vincent Garcia, the editor-in-chief of France Football which organises the event, denied there was any anti-Vinicius or anti-Real Madrid conspiracy. "UEFA has been involved in supporting the gala this year but it is France Football that awards the prize," he told L'Equipe. "There is no possibility of manipulation." Garcia also offered a more rational explanation for Rodri, voted the best player at Euro 2024, taking the award. "It was close," he said. "Vinicius certainly suffered from the presence of (fellow Madrid players) (Dani) Carvajal and (Jude) Bellingham in the top five, as that lost him some votes... which may have benefited Rodri." Another potential explanation, raised by several specialist media, was the fact that voters were asked to consider the "fair play" aspect of a player's game. This may have been detrimental to the occasionally temperamental and provocative Brazilian while benefiting the model image of Rodri. Meanwhile, former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon also lamented the club's absence from the awards ceremony by telling Sky Sports: "We are the greatest club in the world but we have to behave properly." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

'Masquerade is unworthy,' Spanish media slams Real Madrid for boycotting Ballon d'Or

Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or award on Monday (Oct 28) in a ceremony in Paris. Rodri, who won honours with Manchester City and Spain during the 2023-24 season clinched the prestigious award ahead of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian winger won the Champions League and La Liga but settled for second place.

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🚨✨ OFFICIAL: RODRI WINS THE BALLON D’OR 2024! 🇪🇸 
 
Vinicius Jr, second in the rankings. <a href="https://t.co/rCwa7zjpY6">pic.twitter.com/rCwa7zjpY6</a>
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1851017203572715555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Rodri wins Ballon d’Or 2024</h2>

In a tight race for men’s football’s top individual honour, Rodri edged Vinicius Jr to become just the second Spanish-born player ever to win the Ballon d’Or. He joins Luis Suárez (not related not Uruguay’s Luis Suarez) and Alfredo Di Stéfano (born in Argentina and played for both Argentina and Colombia before changing citizenship to Spanish) to win the Ballon d’Or from Spain. Rodri’s win also means he becomes the first Premier League player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 to win the top prize.

This is also the first time a player representing Manchester City has won the Ballon d’Or adding to Blackpool, Manchester United and Liverpool’s triumphs in the past from England.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/real-madrid-and-barcelona-pm-narendra-modi-talks-el-clasico-craze-in-india-during-roadshow-with-spain-pm-771440">'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Modi acclaims El Clasico craze in India during roadshow</a>

<h2>Why did Rodri win the Ballon d’Or?</h2>

During the 2023-24 season, Rodri helped Manchester City win the Premier League title while they finished runners-up in the FA Cup. Rodri would later add the Community Shield to his club honours list in August. However, his biggest achievement was helping Spain win the Euro 2024 in Germany. Spain remained undefeated throughout the tournament and beat teams like Germany, France and England on their way to the title.&nbsp;

In the previous season, he had helped Man City win the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League while scoring the winning goal in the latter competition’s final.

<h2>Vinicius misses ceremony</h2>

According to prominent football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Vinicius Jr (eventually finished second) and his Real Madrid contingent avoided traveling to Paris for the ceremony after a reported leak of the winner’s name. A few hours before the ceremony, reports in France hinted that Rodri won the Ballon d’Or 2024, resulting in a furious reaction from Real Madrid and their board.&nbsp;

Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or award on Monday (Oct 28) in a ceremony in Paris. Rodri, who won honours with Manchester City and Spain during the 2023-24 season clinched the prestigious award ahead of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr.

Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or award on Monday (Oct 28) in a ceremony in Paris. Rodri, who won honours with Manchester City and Spain during the 2023-24 season clinched the prestigious award ahead of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian winger won the Champions League and La Liga but settled for second place. 🚨✨ OFFICIAL: RODRI WINS THE BALLON D’OR 2024! 🇪🇸 Vinicius Jr, second in the rankings. pic.twitter.com/rCwa7zjpY6 — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 28, 2024 × Rodri wins Ballon d’Or 2024 In a tight race for men’s football’s top individual honour, Rodri edged Vinicius Jr to become just the second Spanish-born player ever to win the Ballon d’Or. He joins Luis Suárez (not related not Uruguay’s Luis Suarez) and Alfredo Di Stéfano (born in Argentina and played for both Argentina and Colombia before changing citizenship to Spanish) to win the Ballon d’Or from Spain. Rodri’s win also means he becomes the first Premier League player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 to win the top prize. This is also the first time a player representing Manchester City has won the Ballon d’Or adding to Blackpool, Manchester United and Liverpool’s triumphs in the past from England. ALSO READ | 'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Modi acclaims El Clasico craze in India during roadshow Why did Rodri win the Ballon d’Or? During the 2023-24 season, Rodri helped Manchester City win the Premier League title while they finished runners-up in the FA Cup. Rodri would later add the Community Shield to his club honours list in August. However, his biggest achievement was helping Spain win the Euro 2024 in Germany. Spain remained undefeated throughout the tournament and beat teams like Germany, France and England on their way to the title. In the previous season, he had helped Man City win the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League while scoring the winning goal in the latter competition’s final. Vinicius misses ceremony According to prominent football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Vinicius Jr (eventually finished second) and his Real Madrid contingent avoided traveling to Paris for the ceremony after a reported leak of the winner’s name. A few hours before the ceremony, reports in France hinted that Rodri won the Ballon d’Or 2024, resulting in a furious reaction from Real Madrid and their board.

Manchester City's Rodri wins men's 2024 Ballon d'Or as Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr settles for second spot

It was the end of the Erik ten Hag managerial era at Manchester United on Monday (Oct 28) after the Dutch manager was sacked by the club owing to a poor start to the season. With 11 points from nine matches, Sunday’s defeat to West Ham United was the final nail in the coffin for Ten Hag as attention now turns to the next manager. While Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge temporarily, it is Sporting Lisbon manager Rúben Amorim who leads the race to be the next permanent man in charge of the side.

<h2>Who is Rúben Amorim?</h2>

Currently working as the head coach of Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, Amorim has Manchester United connections having completed his managerial internship at Old Trafford during Jose Mourinho’s managerial reign. A former Benfica star, 39-year-old Amorim played the majority of his club football in his native Portugal before hanging his boots and moving into management in 2018. He also represented Portugal at the international level, earning 14 caps and playing at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Since taking over at Sporting in 2020, Amorim has taken the Portugal league by storm, helping his side win two league titles. Sporting won the 2020-21 and 2023-24 league titles and are flying high under his stewardship in the 2024-25 season.

Sporting have won all nine matches in Liga Portugal, collecting 27 points with a hundred percent record. They have conceded only two goals while scoring a league-high 30 goals. Sporting sit three points clear at the top ahead of Porto, to underline their dominance in the league. The side narrowly missed out on a double of league and cup, having lost the Taca de Portugal final after extra time on 26 May 2024.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/manchester-citys-rodri-wins-mens-2024-ballon-dor-as-real-madrids-vinicius-jr-settles-for-second-spot-771493">Manchester City's Rodri wins men's 2024 Ballon d'Or as Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr settles for second spot</a>

At the time of writing, Sporting are eighth in the Champions League new format having won two and drawn one match so far in three matchdays. They sit above Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, PSG and other powerhouses of the continent with seven points from a possible nine.

<h2>What are Ruben Amorim’s chances to become the next manager?</h2>

While a host of other names are under consideration, Manchester United are likely to move for Amorim if he gives the green light to the move. Currently working his trade with Sporting, United will also have to seek permission from the club to have a format conversation with the 39-year-old. If everything works well, United are expected to move quickly, or else they will stay with Van Nistelrooy for the time being.

It was the end of the Erik ten Hag managerial era at Manchester United on Monday (Oct 28) after the Dutch manager was sacked by the club owing to a poor start to the season.

It was the end of the Erik ten Hag managerial era at Manchester United on Monday (Oct 28) after the Dutch manager was sacked by the club owing to a poor start to the season. With 11 points from nine matches, Sunday’s defeat to West Ham United was the final nail in the coffin for Ten Hag as attention now turns to the next manager. While Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge temporarily, it is Sporting Lisbon manager Rúben Amorim who leads the race to be the next permanent man in charge of the side. Who is Rúben Amorim? Currently working as the head coach of Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, Amorim has Manchester United connections having completed his managerial internship at Old Trafford during Jose Mourinho’s managerial reign. A former Benfica star, 39-year-old Amorim played the majority of his club football in his native Portugal before hanging his boots and moving into management in 2018. He also represented Portugal at the international level, earning 14 caps and playing at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup. Since taking over at Sporting in 2020, Amorim has taken the Portugal league by storm, helping his side win two league titles. Sporting won the 2020-21 and 2023-24 league titles and are flying high under his stewardship in the 2024-25 season. Sporting have won all nine matches in Liga Portugal, collecting 27 points with a hundred percent record. They have conceded only two goals while scoring a league-high 30 goals. Sporting sit three points clear at the top ahead of Porto, to underline their dominance in the league. The side narrowly missed out on a double of league and cup, having lost the Taca de Portugal final after extra time on 26 May 2024. ALSO READ | Manchester City's Rodri wins men's 2024 Ballon d'Or as Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr settles for second spot At the time of writing, Sporting are eighth in the Champions League new format having won two and drawn one match so far in three matchdays. They sit above Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, PSG and other powerhouses of the continent with seven points from a possible nine. What are Ruben Amorim’s chances to become the next manager? While a host of other names are under consideration, Manchester United are likely to move for Amorim if he gives the green light to the move. Currently working his trade with Sporting, United will also have to seek permission from the club to have a format conversation with the 39-year-old. If everything works well, United are expected to move quickly, or else they will stay with Van Nistelrooy for the time being.

Rúben Amorim: Portuguese football manager leading race to be next Man Utd boss. Who is he?

Real Madrid said they will stay away from the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris on Monday as they are convinced that their striker Vinicius, the favourite to win the men's award, has been snubbed.

The club told AFP it questioned the methods behind the selection of the Ballon d'Or winner, saying that defender Dani Carvajal, another of the 30 players nominated, had also been unfairly overlooked.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/real-madrid-and-barcelona-pm-narendra-modi-talks-el-clasico-craze-in-india-during-roadshow-with-spain-pm-771440">'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Narendra Modi talks El Clasico craze in India during roadshow with Spain PM</a>

"If the award criteria doesn't give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner," the club told AFP.&nbsp;

"As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d'Or-UEFA&nbsp;does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected."

The Ballon d'Or organisers decided to innovate this year by keeping the winner's identity a secret until the very end, to avoid any leaks to the press.&nbsp;

In previous years, the winner was revealed a few days before the award ceremony.&nbsp;

All the nominees were invited to the ceremony in Paris this evening.&nbsp;

The absence of the Real players and the club's declaration suggest that neither Vinicius, Carvajal nor Jude Bellingham, the architects of the club's European triumph, will win the trophy.

That could leave the way clear for Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri, who won Euro 2024 and was named the tournament's best player by UEFA.&nbsp;

The Ballon d'Or is awarded by a jury of journalists representing the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings.&nbsp;

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Real Madrid said they will stay away from the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris on Monday as they are convinced that their striker Vinicius, the favourite to win the men's award, has been snubbed.

Real Madrid said they will stay away from the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris on Monday as they are convinced that their striker Vinicius, the favourite to win the men's award, has been snubbed. The club told AFP it questioned the methods behind the selection of the Ballon d'Or winner, saying that defender Dani Carvajal, another of the 30 players nominated, had also been unfairly overlooked. Also Read: 'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Narendra Modi talks El Clasico craze in India during roadshow with Spain PM "If the award criteria doesn't give it to Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should point to Carvajal as the winner," the club told AFP. "As this was not the case, it is clear that Ballon d'Or-UEFA does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected." The Ballon d'Or organisers decided to innovate this year by keeping the winner's identity a secret until the very end, to avoid any leaks to the press. In previous years, the winner was revealed a few days before the award ceremony. All the nominees were invited to the ceremony in Paris this evening. The absence of the Real players and the club's declaration suggest that neither Vinicius, Carvajal nor Jude Bellingham, the architects of the club's European triumph, will win the trophy. That could leave the way clear for Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri, who won Euro 2024 and was named the tournament's best player by UEFA. The Ballon d'Or is awarded by a jury of journalists representing the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

'Award criteria doesn't...,' Real Madrid to boycott Ballon d'Or over potential Vinicius Jr. snub

India prime minister Narendra Modi echoed the Real Madrid vs Barcelona El Clasico La Liga game craze in the country on Sunday (Oct 27) during an event in the state of Gujarat. PM Modi made the comments during a roadshow in the city of Vadodara along with President of Government of Spain&nbsp;Pedro Sanchez.

"Spanish football is liked a lot in India. Yesterday, the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona, and the discussions were held in India, too. Barcelona's brilliant win was a subject of discussion here as well. I can also tell you that there was as much banter between the fans of the two clubs in India, as it would've been in Spain," PM Modi said during the event.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-manchester-united-sack-erik-ten-hag-as-manager-following-dismal-start-of-season-771394">Premier League: Manchester United sack Erik ten Hag as manager following dismal start of season</a>

During the match, Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski scored a quick-fire second-half double to set the leaders on course for a 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid that handed the hosts their first defeat in 42 LaLiga games in a sensational Clasico encounter.

After four consecutive Clasico defeats, Barcelona claimed their first triumph over Real since March 2023 in style with a clinical performance in which they were true to coach Hansi Flick's ideas of gambling with an aggressively high defence.

The visitors were more than comfortable playing on the counter-attack, exploiting the lightning speed of Raphinha and Yamal to help feed LaLiga top scorer Lewandowski.

"We are very happy, very happy. To win here like this is a great victory," Lewandowski told DAZN. "The season is long, but this victory can help us with a lot more, with confidence and football ... so far we haven't won anything, but the important thing is that we have a clear idea, we know where we want to go on."

Mbappe's off key performance will have increased the growing concern in the Spanish capital over the France captain's slow start at Real since he arrived from Paris St Germain in June.

(With inputs from agencies)

India prime minister Narendra Modi echoed the Real Madrid vs Barcelona El Clasico La Liga game craze in the country on Sunday (Oct 27) during an event in the state of Gujarat.

India prime minister Narendra Modi echoed the Real Madrid vs Barcelona El Clasico La Liga game craze in the country on Sunday (Oct 27) during an event in the state of Gujarat. PM Modi made the comments during a roadshow in the city of Vadodara along with President of Government of Spain Pedro Sanchez. "Spanish football is liked a lot in India. Yesterday, the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona, and the discussions were held in India, too. Barcelona's brilliant win was a subject of discussion here as well. I can also tell you that there was as much banter between the fans of the two clubs in India, as it would've been in Spain," PM Modi said during the event. Also Read: Premier League: Manchester United sack Erik ten Hag as manager following dismal start of season During the match, Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski scored a quick-fire second-half double to set the leaders on course for a 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid that handed the hosts their first defeat in 42 LaLiga games in a sensational Clasico encounter. After four consecutive Clasico defeats, Barcelona claimed their first triumph over Real since March 2023 in style with a clinical performance in which they were true to coach Hansi Flick's ideas of gambling with an aggressively high defence. The visitors were more than comfortable playing on the counter-attack, exploiting the lightning speed of Raphinha and Yamal to help feed LaLiga top scorer Lewandowski. "We are very happy, very happy. To win here like this is a great victory," Lewandowski told DAZN. "The season is long, but this victory can help us with a lot more, with confidence and football ... so far we haven't won anything, but the important thing is that we have a clear idea, we know where we want to go on." Mbappe's off key performance will have increased the growing concern in the Spanish capital over the France captain's slow start at Real since he arrived from Paris St Germain in June. (With inputs from agencies)

'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Modi acclaims El Clasico craze in India during roadshow

English Premier League (PL) club Manchester United have sacked manager Erik Ten Hag following dismal start of the season. The decision came Monday (Oct 28) after United lost 1-2 to West Ham on Sunday (Oct 27) and dropped to 14th place on the table. It was their fourth&nbsp;loss of the season with only three wins and two draws to their name.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gary-kirsten-steps-down-as-pakistans-white-ball-coach-a-week-ahead-of-australia-t20is-odis-771285">Gary Kirsten steps down as Pakistan’s white-ball coach a week ahead of Australia ODIs, T20Is</a>

"Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men's first-team manager," said a club statement.

"Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024."

"We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future."

"Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited."

Ten Hag's job was under scrutiny since last season but a win in FA Cup last season kept him in his post. The ongoing season, however, turned out to be the worst start for the United ever since 1989/90 even before the West Ham loss on Sunday.

The 54-year-old Ten Hag's position had been repeatedly called into question in recent week after United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe kept him on board at Old Trafford following the club's FA Cup final win over Manchester City at Wembley in May.

(With inputs from agencies)

English Premier League (PL) club Manchester United have sacked manager Erik Ten Hag following dismal start of the season. The decision came Monday (Oct 28) after United lost 1-2 to West Ham on Sunday (Oct 27) and dropped to 14th place on the table.

English Premier League (PL) club Manchester United have sacked manager Erik Ten Hag following dismal start of the season. The decision came Monday (Oct 28) after United lost 1-2 to West Ham on Sunday (Oct 27) and dropped to 14th place on the table. It was their fourth loss of the season with only three wins and two draws to their name. Also Read: Gary Kirsten steps down as Pakistan’s white-ball coach a week ahead of Australia ODIs, T20Is "Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men's first-team manager," said a club statement. "Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024." "We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future." "Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited." Ten Hag's job was under scrutiny since last season but a win in FA Cup last season kept him in his post. The ongoing season, however, turned out to be the worst start for the United ever since 1989/90 even before the West Ham loss on Sunday. The 54-year-old Ten Hag's position had been repeatedly called into question in recent week after United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe kept him on board at Old Trafford following the club's FA Cup final win over Manchester City at Wembley in May. (With inputs from agencies)

Premier League: Manchester United sack Erik ten Hag as manager following dismal start of season

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