Netherlands outclassed Hungary with a 4-0 victory in their winner-takes-all Nations League encounter on Saturday while record-setting Germany hammered Bosnia and Hercegovina 7-0.

Netherlands and Hungary went into the match tied on five points each and with the winner set to join Germany in ensuring their progress from Group A3 to the quarter-finals.

First-half penalties by Wout Weghorst and Cody Gakpo sent the Oranje on their way, before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners made the game safe in the second period.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/nations-league-harry-kane-warns-england-must-protect-team-culture-under-new-boss-776750">Nations League: Harry Kane warns England must protect team culture under new boss</a>

"There are always things we can improve upon," Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk told SBS6. "But in the end, we deserved to win."

The match at the Johan Cruyff Arena was briefly interrupted in the seventh minute following a medical emergency on the Hungarian bench.

The referee stopped play for some 10 minutes while Hungary's assistant coach Adam Szalai received treatment, shielded from view by huddled players and staff members, as well as a large white sheet.

Szalai, 36, was stretchered off to applause from spectators and players alike, the Hungarian FA later released a statement saying he was "conscious" and in a "stable condition" at an Amsterdam hospital.

"It was a scare of course," Gakpo told NOS. "Fortunately, I just heard he regained consciousness on the pitch. Things like this are more important than football."

Almost forgotten in the aftermath of the worrying incident was the handball by Tamas Nikitscher as the ball was crossed into the Hungarian box.

The referee consulted the touchline video monitor and promptly restarted play by pointing to the spot, allowing Weghorst to sweep the Netherlands in front.

Denes Dibusz was the busier of the two goalkeepers as the first period wore on and had to be alert to keep out efforts from Tijjani Reijnders and Donyell Malen.

In the 11th minute of added time, Dutch dominance told and Malen was clipped by Zsolt Nagy in the box.

Gakpo dispatched the resulting spot-kick, sending Dibusz the wrong way and Netherlands into a two-goal lead.

Right-back Dumfries sealed the Netherlands' spot in the quarters as he latched onto Malen's flick-on at the back post and fizzed a volley back into the far corner shortly after the hour.

Koopmeiners marked his first international match since 2022 by nodding in a fourth in the 86th minute.

<h2>'Good fun'</h2>

Germany cemented their spot at the top of the group with a 7-0 win over Bosnia -- the heaviest in the six-year history of the Nations League.

"It was good fun tonight. After a couple of goals we did the work defensively and then everything came together offensively. The more that happens, the more fun we have on the pitch," German attacker Jamal Musiala told UEFA's website.

Musiala opened the floodgates after two minutes with a header from Joshua Kimmich's cross.

Tim Kleindienst scored his first goal for Germany in the 23rd minute and Kai Havertz made the game safe eight minutes before the break, slotting home after a slick one-two with Florian Wirtz.

Wirtz then made it four on 50 minutes with a sublime swerving free-kick from wide on the left, before doubling up seven minutes later.

"Seeing Flo (Wirtz's) free-kick was kind of nice but just in general everyone played well, had good moments. We're just playing good football," added Musiala.

Substitute Leroy Sane scored Germany's sixth in the 66th minute and Kleindienst completed the rout just over 10 minutes from time as he guided home a pinpoint cross from centre-half Antonio Rudiger.

The emphatic result leaves Germany five points ahead of Netherlands with only one match left to play.

In Group B1, Georgia played out a 1-1 draw at home to Ukraine and stay two points ahead of the fourth-placed visitors.

The Czech Republic drew 0-0 in Albania and remain top of the group on eight points, one ahead of Georgia in second and their third-placed opponents.

Turkey stayed top of Group B4 with a 0-0 draw at home to Wales, while Iceland beat Montenegro 2-0.

Turkey were presented with a golden opportunity to grow their two-point lead over Wales but Kerem Akturkoglu sent his 89th-minute penalty wide.

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.

Netherlands outclassed Hungary with a 4-0 victory in their winner-takes-all Nations League encounter on Saturday while record-setting Germany hammered Bosnia and Hercegovina 7-0.

Netherlands outclassed Hungary with a 4-0 victory in their winner-takes-all Nations League encounter on Saturday while record-setting Germany hammered Bosnia and Hercegovina 7-0. Netherlands and Hungary went into the match tied on five points each and with the winner set to join Germany in ensuring their progress from Group A3 to the quarter-finals. First-half penalties by Wout Weghorst and Cody Gakpo sent the Oranje on their way, before Denzel Dumfries and Teun Koopmeiners made the game safe in the second period. ALSO READ: Nations League: Harry Kane warns England must protect team culture under new boss "There are always things we can improve upon," Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk told SBS6. "But in the end, we deserved to win." The match at the Johan Cruyff Arena was briefly interrupted in the seventh minute following a medical emergency on the Hungarian bench. The referee stopped play for some 10 minutes while Hungary's assistant coach Adam Szalai received treatment, shielded from view by huddled players and staff members, as well as a large white sheet. Szalai, 36, was stretchered off to applause from spectators and players alike, the Hungarian FA later released a statement saying he was "conscious" and in a "stable condition" at an Amsterdam hospital. "It was a scare of course," Gakpo told NOS. "Fortunately, I just heard he regained consciousness on the pitch. Things like this are more important than football." Almost forgotten in the aftermath of the worrying incident was the handball by Tamas Nikitscher as the ball was crossed into the Hungarian box. The referee consulted the touchline video monitor and promptly restarted play by pointing to the spot, allowing Weghorst to sweep the Netherlands in front. Denes Dibusz was the busier of the two goalkeepers as the first period wore on and had to be alert to keep out efforts from Tijjani Reijnders and Donyell Malen. In the 11th minute of added time, Dutch dominance told and Malen was clipped by Zsolt Nagy in the box. Gakpo dispatched the resulting spot-kick, sending Dibusz the wrong way and Netherlands into a two-goal lead. Right-back Dumfries sealed the Netherlands' spot in the quarters as he latched onto Malen's flick-on at the back post and fizzed a volley back into the far corner shortly after the hour. Koopmeiners marked his first international match since 2022 by nodding in a fourth in the 86th minute. 'Good fun' Germany cemented their spot at the top of the group with a 7-0 win over Bosnia -- the heaviest in the six-year history of the Nations League. "It was good fun tonight. After a couple of goals we did the work defensively and then everything came together offensively. The more that happens, the more fun we have on the pitch," German attacker Jamal Musiala told UEFA's website. Musiala opened the floodgates after two minutes with a header from Joshua Kimmich's cross. Tim Kleindienst scored his first goal for Germany in the 23rd minute and Kai Havertz made the game safe eight minutes before the break, slotting home after a slick one-two with Florian Wirtz. Wirtz then made it four on 50 minutes with a sublime swerving free-kick from wide on the left, before doubling up seven minutes later. "Seeing Flo (Wirtz's) free-kick was kind of nice but just in general everyone played well, had good moments. We're just playing good football," added Musiala. Substitute Leroy Sane scored Germany's sixth in the 66th minute and Kleindienst completed the rout just over 10 minutes from time as he guided home a pinpoint cross from centre-half Antonio Rudiger. The emphatic result leaves Germany five points ahead of Netherlands with only one match left to play. In Group B1, Georgia played out a 1-1 draw at home to Ukraine and stay two points ahead of the fourth-placed visitors. The Czech Republic drew 0-0 in Albania and remain top of the group on eight points, one ahead of Georgia in second and their third-placed opponents. Turkey stayed top of Group B4 with a 0-0 draw at home to Wales, while Iceland beat Montenegro 2-0. Turkey were presented with a golden opportunity to grow their two-point lead over Wales but Kerem Akturkoglu sent his 89th-minute penalty wide. 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: Netherlands rock Hungary to reach quarters; Germany hit record seven against Bosnia

Paul Pogba's Juventus career is over after the Serie A club announced on Friday that the France midfielder's contract had been terminated even though his doping ban was cut to 18 months on appeal.

Pogba will be able to return to competitive football in March after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) chopped last month an initial four-year suspension handed down by the Italian anti-doping authority NADO.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-hits-brace-as-portugal-thrash-poland-to-reach-nations-league-quarters-spain-win-776589">Cristiano Ronaldo hits brace as Portugal thrash Poland to reach Nations League quarters, Spain win</a>

But Juventus have decided to cut ties with the 31-year-old, whose return to Turin from Manchester United in 2022 was ruined by a string of problems on and off the pitch.

In a statement, Juve said that they and Pogba "have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of 30 November, 2024".

His contract had been due to expire in 2026.

"You gave me a lot, more than what I could ever say, and I'll always keep with me the love you showed me," said Pogba to Juve fans on social media. "You'll always be in my heart. Good luck."

Pogba had said in October that he was "willing to give up money to be able to play again with Juve", an appeal which fell on deaf ears at the "Old Lady" of Italian football.

Juve's announcement is no surprise as both coach Thiago Motta and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli have both repeatedly referred to Pogba in the past tense, saying that "he was a great player".

Pogba, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, started just one match after rejoining Juve -- with whom he won four Serie A titles between 2012 and 2016 -- in the summer of 2022.

He last played for Juve at Empoli in September last year, not long before he was provisionally suspended for testing positive for testosterone.

<h2>Doping ban</h2>

That test came following Juve's opening Serie A fixture of last season the previous month, a 3-0 win at Udinese in which he didn't even play.

He was then banned for four years by NADO in February, a sanction which put his career at risk before CAS reduced his punishment.

CAS accepted Pogba's argument that the failed test "was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida".

However, CAS did not completely exonerate Pogba as he "was not without fault" and as a professional football player, "he should have paid a greater care in the circumstances".

During the 2022-23 season, Pogba made just 10 appearances for Juve, mainly due to a knee injury that also ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar where France lost out to Argentina in the final in December 2022.

He was also the victim of a case of organised extortion, for which six men, including his brother Mathias, have been ordered to stand trial.

In Pogba's absence Juve switched manager from Massimiliano Allegri to Motta and brought in a host of new players as part of a rebuild.

Juve, who finished third last term without Pogba, splashed out over 120 million euros on midfielders Teun Koopmeiners, Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram in a busy summer on the transfer market.

They currently sit sixth in Serie A but are only two points behind league leaders Napoli and face AC Milan at the San Siro after the international break.

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.

Paul Pogba's Juventus career is over after the Serie A club announced on Friday that the France midfielder's contract had been terminated even though his doping ban was cut to 18 months on appeal.

Paul Pogba's Juventus career is over after the Serie A club announced on Friday that the France midfielder's contract had been terminated even though his doping ban was cut to 18 months on appeal. Pogba will be able to return to competitive football in March after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) chopped last month an initial four-year suspension handed down by the Italian anti-doping authority NADO. ALSO READ: Cristiano Ronaldo hits brace as Portugal thrash Poland to reach Nations League quarters, Spain win But Juventus have decided to cut ties with the 31-year-old, whose return to Turin from Manchester United in 2022 was ruined by a string of problems on and off the pitch. In a statement, Juve said that they and Pogba "have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of 30 November, 2024". His contract had been due to expire in 2026. "You gave me a lot, more than what I could ever say, and I'll always keep with me the love you showed me," said Pogba to Juve fans on social media. "You'll always be in my heart. Good luck." Pogba had said in October that he was "willing to give up money to be able to play again with Juve", an appeal which fell on deaf ears at the "Old Lady" of Italian football. Juve's announcement is no surprise as both coach Thiago Motta and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli have both repeatedly referred to Pogba in the past tense, saying that "he was a great player". Pogba, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, started just one match after rejoining Juve -- with whom he won four Serie A titles between 2012 and 2016 -- in the summer of 2022. He last played for Juve at Empoli in September last year, not long before he was provisionally suspended for testing positive for testosterone. Doping ban That test came following Juve's opening Serie A fixture of last season the previous month, a 3-0 win at Udinese in which he didn't even play. He was then banned for four years by NADO in February, a sanction which put his career at risk before CAS reduced his punishment. CAS accepted Pogba's argument that the failed test "was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida". However, CAS did not completely exonerate Pogba as he "was not without fault" and as a professional football player, "he should have paid a greater care in the circumstances". During the 2022-23 season, Pogba made just 10 appearances for Juve, mainly due to a knee injury that also ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar where France lost out to Argentina in the final in December 2022. He was also the victim of a case of organised extortion, for which six men, including his brother Mathias, have been ordered to stand trial. In Pogba's absence Juve switched manager from Massimiliano Allegri to Motta and brought in a host of new players as part of a rebuild. Juve, who finished third last term without Pogba, splashed out over 120 million euros on midfielders Teun Koopmeiners, Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram in a busy summer on the transfer market. They currently sit sixth in Serie A but are only two points behind league leaders Napoli and face AC Milan at the San Siro after the international break. 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.

Juventus cut ties with Paul Pogba, terminates his contract despite doping ban reduction

Lee Carsley claimed England's 3-0 win against Greece showed the strength in depth that awaits Thomas Tuchel when he takes over as coach. England were hit by a rash of withdrawals before Thursday's Nations League clash in Athens, but Carsley's team made light of the star absences to keep alive their hopes of promotion to the tournament's top tier.

Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and&nbsp;Trent Alexander-Arnold were among nine players to pull out of England's last two games of 2024 amid speculation they were encouraged by their club managers to miss the fixtures.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-ensure-nations-league-quarters-berth-after-israel-draw-italy-beat-belgium-to-make-last-eight-776343">France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight</a>

England captain Harry Kane launched a scathing attack on the stay-aways, insisting international duty should come before anything else. Kane was surprisingly dropped to the bench by interim boss Carsley after his uncharacteristic outburst, but England were unfazed.

Kane's replacement Ollie Watkins gave them an early lead before Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos deflected Jude Bellingham's shot into his own net.

Curtis Jones' audacious back-flicked effort wrapped up a win that put England top of Nations League Group B2.

They are guaranteed to win promotion to League A with a victory over Ireland at Wembley on Sunday.

But Carsley was more concerned with underlining the vast array of quality that former Bayern Munich boss Tuchel will inherit when he finally takes the reins on January 1.

"It is just important the players play to their strengths. We have got a lot of outstanding talent," Carsley said. "The players who were not here, we concentrated on the ones that were.

"We spoke yesterday about players getting an opportunity, and we have seen that tonight.

"People were speaking about the inexperience within the squad, but these players play week in and week out in the Premier League at a really high level."

After losing to Greece for the first time ever at Wembley in October, this was a sweet moment for Carsley, who was widely criticised for a tactical gamble that backfired in that game.

<h2>'Moving in right direction'</h2>

Chelsea winger Noni Madueke caught the eye in Athens with an assist for Watkins' opener and several other incisive raids, while Jones and Anthony Gordon also impressed.

Assessing England's long-term prospects, Carsley was encouraged by the victory, which was his fourth in five games as caretaker boss since replacing Gareth Southgate, who quit following the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain.

"It represents we are moving in the right direction," Carsley said. "I see the quality that the players have got.

"You're now seeing it in terms of the younger ones, that they're more than capable with the mentality and the quality that they've got to play in stages like tonight.

"There's a lot of positives. Think about the two wide players, Anthony (Gordon) and Noni (Madueke), so attacking, so direct. Curtis was outstanding tonight."

Carsley confirmed Kane would start against Ireland but made a point of praising Aston Villa striker Watkins for stepping in for his skipper.

"It was brilliant for Ollie to get a goal. It's important that I think if we are going to put these players in a position where we are going to go and win the World Cup then these players need to have as many experiences as they can," he said.

"So, it was no slight on Harry. He'll start the next game and I think a lot of positives to take from that performance."

Asked about Kane's reaction to being left on the bench until the 66th minute, Carsley said: "He was absolutely fine. It would be fair to say he wants to play every game, like all top players do.

"I think he understands that it's important that other players experience that kind of experience that we had tonight.

"He's a great example to the rest of the players and I expect him to start on Sunday and play well."

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.

Lee Carsley claimed England's 3-0 win against Greece showed the strength in depth that awaits Thomas Tuchel when he takes over as coach. England were hit by a rash of withdrawals before Thursday's Nations League clash in Athens, but Carsley's team made light of the star absences to keep alive their hopes of promotion to the tournament's top tier.

Lee Carsley claimed England's 3-0 win against Greece showed the strength in depth that awaits Thomas Tuchel when he takes over as coach. England were hit by a rash of withdrawals before Thursday's Nations League clash in Athens, but Carsley's team made light of the star absences to keep alive their hopes of promotion to the tournament's top tier. Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold were among nine players to pull out of England's last two games of 2024 amid speculation they were encouraged by their club managers to miss the fixtures. ALSO READ: France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight England captain Harry Kane launched a scathing attack on the stay-aways, insisting international duty should come before anything else. Kane was surprisingly dropped to the bench by interim boss Carsley after his uncharacteristic outburst, but England were unfazed. Kane's replacement Ollie Watkins gave them an early lead before Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos deflected Jude Bellingham's shot into his own net. Curtis Jones' audacious back-flicked effort wrapped up a win that put England top of Nations League Group B2. They are guaranteed to win promotion to League A with a victory over Ireland at Wembley on Sunday. But Carsley was more concerned with underlining the vast array of quality that former Bayern Munich boss Tuchel will inherit when he finally takes the reins on January 1. "It is just important the players play to their strengths. We have got a lot of outstanding talent," Carsley said. "The players who were not here, we concentrated on the ones that were. "We spoke yesterday about players getting an opportunity, and we have seen that tonight. "People were speaking about the inexperience within the squad, but these players play week in and week out in the Premier League at a really high level." After losing to Greece for the first time ever at Wembley in October, this was a sweet moment for Carsley, who was widely criticised for a tactical gamble that backfired in that game. 'Moving in right direction' Chelsea winger Noni Madueke caught the eye in Athens with an assist for Watkins' opener and several other incisive raids, while Jones and Anthony Gordon also impressed. Assessing England's long-term prospects, Carsley was encouraged by the victory, which was his fourth in five games as caretaker boss since replacing Gareth Southgate, who quit following the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain. "It represents we are moving in the right direction," Carsley said. "I see the quality that the players have got. "You're now seeing it in terms of the younger ones, that they're more than capable with the mentality and the quality that they've got to play in stages like tonight. "There's a lot of positives. Think about the two wide players, Anthony (Gordon) and Noni (Madueke), so attacking, so direct. Curtis was outstanding tonight." Carsley confirmed Kane would start against Ireland but made a point of praising Aston Villa striker Watkins for stepping in for his skipper. "It was brilliant for Ollie to get a goal. It's important that I think if we are going to put these players in a position where we are going to go and win the World Cup then these players need to have as many experiences as they can," he said. "So, it was no slight on Harry. He'll start the next game and I think a lot of positives to take from that performance." Asked about Kane's reaction to being left on the bench until the 66th minute, Carsley said: "He was absolutely fine. It would be fair to say he wants to play every game, like all top players do. "I think he understands that it's important that other players experience that kind of experience that we had tonight. "He's a great example to the rest of the players and I expect him to start on Sunday and play well." 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.

Lee Carsley praises England’s squad depth after Greece win in Nations League

Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display in a scoreless draw with Israel under tight security in Paris.

Lee Carsley, whose brief reign as England coach ends on Sunday, enjoyed an emphatic victory in Athens that put his team top of their pool on goal difference.

In Brussels, Italy were economical as they beat Belgium 1-0 in Group A2.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/afc-world-cup-qualifiers-son-hits-50th-south-korea-goal-in-win-australia-saudi-stalemate-776309">AFC World Cup qualifiers: Son hits 50th South Korea goal in win, Australia-Saudi stalemate</a>

The visitors dominated the early stages and scored after 11 minutes. A cross from fullback Giovanni Di Lorenzo deflected into the path of Sandro Tonali for a tap in.

Belgian centre back Wout Faes hit a post with a second-half header.

"We showed again that we give it a go and don't just sit back in matches, that's the big change," Tonali told RAI.

At the Stade de France in Paris, tentative France struggled to create and take chances as they drew 0-0 with Israel before a crowd of just under 17,000 in a stadium that holds up to 80,000.

Around 4,000 police and members of the security forces patrolled inside and outside the ground to prevent a repetition of the attacks on fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last week.

Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw.

Around 100 Israeli fans attended the match despite calls from Israeli authorities to stay away.

On the pitch, it took until the 20th minute for captain N'Golo Kante, jinking into the six-yard box, to force a first save from goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.

France managed 25 attempts on goal but Peretz had to make only two diving saves in the second half, first from Warren Zaire-Emery and then in added time from Christopher Nkunku.

"Anger. Frustration," said France fullback Jules Kounde when asked his immediate reaction by French broadcaster TF1. "The only good point from tonight is that qualification is assured."

Italy lead the group by three points but France could still take first when the teams meet in Milan on Sunday.

"We could have done more but we did what we needed to do against an ultra-defensive opponent," France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1.

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.

Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display in a scoreless draw with Israel under tight security in Paris.

Italy ensured qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals with a victory over Belgium on Thursday that also guaranteed France a place in the last-eight despite a lacklustre display in a scoreless draw with Israel under tight security in Paris. Lee Carsley, whose brief reign as England coach ends on Sunday, enjoyed an emphatic victory in Athens that put his team top of their pool on goal difference. In Brussels, Italy were economical as they beat Belgium 1-0 in Group A2. ALSO READ: AFC World Cup qualifiers: Son hits 50th South Korea goal in win, Australia-Saudi stalemate The visitors dominated the early stages and scored after 11 minutes. A cross from fullback Giovanni Di Lorenzo deflected into the path of Sandro Tonali for a tap in. Belgian centre back Wout Faes hit a post with a second-half header. "We showed again that we give it a go and don't just sit back in matches, that's the big change," Tonali told RAI. At the Stade de France in Paris, tentative France struggled to create and take chances as they drew 0-0 with Israel before a crowd of just under 17,000 in a stadium that holds up to 80,000. Around 4,000 police and members of the security forces patrolled inside and outside the ground to prevent a repetition of the attacks on fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam last week. Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw. Around 100 Israeli fans attended the match despite calls from Israeli authorities to stay away. On the pitch, it took until the 20th minute for captain N'Golo Kante, jinking into the six-yard box, to force a first save from goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. France managed 25 attempts on goal but Peretz had to make only two diving saves in the second half, first from Warren Zaire-Emery and then in added time from Christopher Nkunku. "Anger. Frustration," said France fullback Jules Kounde when asked his immediate reaction by French broadcaster TF1. "The only good point from tonight is that qualification is assured." Italy lead the group by three points but France could still take first when the teams meet in Milan on Sunday. "We could have done more but we did what we needed to do against an ultra-defensive opponent," France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1. 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.

France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight

German football club St. Pauli has announced it will leave X (formerly Twitter), accusing Elon Musk of turning the platform into a "hate machine." The club expressed concerns over the rise in harmful content and the impact on online discourse under Musk’s ownership.

German Football Club St. Pauli Quits X, Criticize Elon Musk

Police made 40 arrests at a tense football match between France and Israel in Paris but the city's police chief said on Friday the huge security operation had "worked very well".

The Nations League game at the Stade de France on Thursday took place under intense security after fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv were attacked in Amsterdam last week.

Around 4,000 police and members of the French security forces patrolled inside and outside the stadium, assisted by 1,600 civilian security personnel.

Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw.

Videos posted on the X social media platform showed fans, some with Israeli flags, running along the rows of seats at the stadium while other supporters whistled and booed before members of the security team separated them.

"A fight broke out which was immediately contained by the stewards," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told France 2 television.

"The match went very well from a security point of view."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-ensure-nations-league-quarters-berth-after-israel-draw-italy-beat-belgium-to-make-last-eight-776343">France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight</a>

A security source said one person was arrested immediately after the incident and another was detained after being identified from CCTV images.

Just 16,611 people watched the game in the 80,000-capacity stadium, the lowest attendance for a match involving the French men's national team since the stadium was built in the late 1990s.

The match ended in a goalless draw but the point earned was enough for France to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Nations League.

In Amsterdam last week, Maccabi fans were pursued by youths on scooters and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax.

The Israeli supporters had earlier burned a Palestinian flag, attacked a taxi and chanted anti-Arab slogans, according to city authorities.

Amsterdam's mayor Femke Halsema called the incidents a "poisonous cocktail of anti-Semitism and hooliganism" while Dutch far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders blamed the violence on "Muslims".

The incidents in the Netherlands took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world rising sharply as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed Islamist militants in Lebanon and Gaza.

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.

Police made 40 arrests at a tense football match between France and Israel in Paris but the city's police chief said on Friday the huge security operation had "worked very well".

Police made 40 arrests at a tense football match between France and Israel in Paris but the city's police chief said on Friday the huge security operation had "worked very well". The Nations League game at the Stade de France on Thursday took place under intense security after fans of Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv were attacked in Amsterdam last week. Around 4,000 police and members of the French security forces patrolled inside and outside the stadium, assisted by 1,600 civilian security personnel. Stewards had to intervene at one point to stop fans of both nations from clashing in the stands, an AFP reporter saw. Videos posted on the X social media platform showed fans, some with Israeli flags, running along the rows of seats at the stadium while other supporters whistled and booed before members of the security team separated them. "A fight broke out which was immediately contained by the stewards," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told France 2 television. "The match went very well from a security point of view." ALSO READ: France ensure Nations League quarters berth after Israel draw; Italy beat Belgium to make last eight A security source said one person was arrested immediately after the incident and another was detained after being identified from CCTV images. Just 16,611 people watched the game in the 80,000-capacity stadium, the lowest attendance for a match involving the French men's national team since the stadium was built in the late 1990s. The match ended in a goalless draw but the point earned was enough for France to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Nations League. In Amsterdam last week, Maccabi fans were pursued by youths on scooters and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax. The Israeli supporters had earlier burned a Palestinian flag, attacked a taxi and chanted anti-Arab slogans, according to city authorities. Amsterdam's mayor Femke Halsema called the incidents a "poisonous cocktail of anti-Semitism and hooliganism" while Dutch far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders blamed the violence on "Muslims". The incidents in the Netherlands took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world rising sharply as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed Islamist militants in Lebanon and Gaza. 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: 40 arrests made at tense France-Israel game in Paris

Israel face France in a Nations League match in Paris on Thursday that will be surrounded by a huge security operation following attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week.

The Paris police chief has described the match at the Stade de France as "high risk" and Israel has urged fans to avoid the fixture, which authorities fear could become another flashpoint following the violence in the Netherlands.

Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv were chased by men on scooters and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam on November 7.

Amsterdam's Mayor Femke Halsema called it a "poisonous cocktail" of anti-Semitism.

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Dutch police said the violence came after Maccabi fans had set fire to a Palestinian flag the night before, and vandalised a taxi.

The mayor however stressed on Tuesday that "even though a more complete picture emerged" of the evening's events, "and all sorts of terrible things happened, it in no way negates that a 'hunt for Jews'" call had gone out.

The violence in Amsterdam took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world soaring as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Gaza, which have seen massive civilian casualties.

Several thousand people demonstrated in Paris on Wednesday evening against the holding of an "Israel is Forever" gala in the city, organised by far-right figures.

Protesters waved Palestinian flags and set off red flares, AFP photographs showed. Clashes broke out with police firing tear gas and some protesters damaged the window of a restaurant.

<h2>Thousands of police</h2>

A total of 4,000 police and members of the security forces will be stationed in Paris and around the Stade de France, where the athletics and rugby sevens events were held during this year's Olympics.

In a rare move, police will also be deployed inside the stadium. Civilian staff are normally assigned to those roles.

An elite police unit will guard the Israeli team on its journey to and from the stadium and another 1,600 civilian security personnel will also be on duty at the match.

The security context has clearly impacted the attendance, with only around 13,000 spectators expected to attend the game in a venue that holds up to 80,000, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on Wednesday.

That is lower than the figure of 25,000 announced by Sports Minister Gil Averous earlier Wednesday.

"I can understand why people don't want to come," one of France's players, defender Dayot Upamecano, said. "It's their choice. We're going to battle on the pitch and win this match.

"I'm just here to play. I like peace and I hope one day we will have it again, in all countries," the Bayern Munich player said.

President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Michel Barnier will attend, as well as former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.

A handful of French lawmakers, including from the France Unbowed (LFI) party, have called for the match to be postponed or moved to another French city. Both suggestions were quickly shut down by the government.

The Belgian government took a different course when its national men's team was to face Israel in September. It decided to move the match to Hungary citing security concerns.

Macron will be present at the match "because there was strong emotion, especially after Amsterdam", said a member of the president's team, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"It is important to show support, to also say that we will not give in to fears.

"I know that there have been controversies and misunderstandings. But for us, there is no doubt about the involvement of the president in the fight against anti-Semitism."

On the pitch, France are attempting to secure a place in the Nations League quarter-finals. They only need a draw to do so.

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is missing from the France squad as he was for two matches last month.

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.

Israel face France in a Nations League match in Paris on Thursday that will be surrounded by a huge security operation following attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week.

Israel face France in a Nations League match in Paris on Thursday that will be surrounded by a huge security operation following attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam last week. The Paris police chief has described the match at the Stade de France as "high risk" and Israel has urged fans to avoid the fixture, which authorities fear could become another flashpoint following the violence in the Netherlands. Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv were chased by men on scooters and beaten after a Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam on November 7. Amsterdam's Mayor Femke Halsema called it a "poisonous cocktail" of anti-Semitism. ALSO READ: Bruno Fernandes hopes for 'change in energy' as Ruben Amorim takes charge of Manchester United Dutch police said the violence came after Maccabi fans had set fire to a Palestinian flag the night before, and vandalised a taxi. The mayor however stressed on Tuesday that "even though a more complete picture emerged" of the evening's events, "and all sorts of terrible things happened, it in no way negates that a 'hunt for Jews'" call had gone out. The violence in Amsterdam took place with anti-Israeli sentiment and reported anti-Semitic acts across the world soaring as Israel wages wars against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Gaza, which have seen massive civilian casualties. Several thousand people demonstrated in Paris on Wednesday evening against the holding of an "Israel is Forever" gala in the city, organised by far-right figures. Protesters waved Palestinian flags and set off red flares, AFP photographs showed. Clashes broke out with police firing tear gas and some protesters damaged the window of a restaurant. Thousands of police A total of 4,000 police and members of the security forces will be stationed in Paris and around the Stade de France, where the athletics and rugby sevens events were held during this year's Olympics. In a rare move, police will also be deployed inside the stadium. Civilian staff are normally assigned to those roles. An elite police unit will guard the Israeli team on its journey to and from the stadium and another 1,600 civilian security personnel will also be on duty at the match. The security context has clearly impacted the attendance, with only around 13,000 spectators expected to attend the game in a venue that holds up to 80,000, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on Wednesday. That is lower than the figure of 25,000 announced by Sports Minister Gil Averous earlier Wednesday. "I can understand why people don't want to come," one of France's players, defender Dayot Upamecano, said. "It's their choice. We're going to battle on the pitch and win this match. "I'm just here to play. I like peace and I hope one day we will have it again, in all countries," the Bayern Munich player said. President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Michel Barnier will attend, as well as former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. A handful of French lawmakers, including from the France Unbowed (LFI) party, have called for the match to be postponed or moved to another French city. Both suggestions were quickly shut down by the government. The Belgian government took a different course when its national men's team was to face Israel in September. It decided to move the match to Hungary citing security concerns. Macron will be present at the match "because there was strong emotion, especially after Amsterdam", said a member of the president's team, speaking on condition of anonymity. "It is important to show support, to also say that we will not give in to fears. "I know that there have been controversies and misunderstandings. But for us, there is no doubt about the involvement of the president in the fight against anti-Semitism." On the pitch, France are attempting to secure a place in the Nations League quarter-finals. They only need a draw to do so. Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe is missing from the France squad as he was for two matches last month. 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: Israel-France face off under tight security following Amsterdam riots

A video surfaced showing referee David Coote appearing to snort a white powder during a break in a Euro 2024 match. The footage has raised concerns and sparked controversy, with many questioning his actions. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the nature of the substance and the circumstances surrounding the video.

Referee David Coote Appears To Snort White Powder in Video Filmed During Euro 2024

Misery continues to pile on Premier League referee David Coote, who was suspended over derogatory remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. With FA and PGMOL investigating whether Coote's reference to Klopp's nationality constitutes an aggravated breach of its misconduct rule, the latest controversy strikes the 42-year-old.&nbsp;

The Sun, an English tabloid, has shared the footage of Coote, 42, snorting white powder alleged to be cocaine. Per the report, the incident occurred during Euro 2024 while he was on duty.&nbsp;

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A viral video doing rounds of social media shows a man, alleged to be Coote, using a US dollar bank note to snort a line of white powder. Coote recorded the video himself snorting the white powder to send to a friend on July 6 - a day after he was part of the VAR officials for the quarters clash between Spain and Germany.

"We are aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation. David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period", a PGMOL spokesperson said.

Earlier in the week, the UEFA shared a statement on Coote saying, "The UEFA Referees Committee immediately suspended David Coote until further notice on 11 November - in advance of the upcoming round of UEFA matches - when it became aware of his inappropriate behaviour."

<h2>Coote’s ‘rough’ relationship with Liverpool</h2>

Coote, who lately officiated in Liverpool’s game against Aston Villa, which they won 2-0, used offensive and abusive language against Klopp, who left Anfield following the conclusion of the previous season.&nbsp;

The video that put Coote in hot waters referred to a game between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020; Liverpool had won the Premier League title by then – their first.

Meanwhile, Klopp also criticized Coote after that match, expressing reservations over his lenient treatment of Burnley's challenges in the game that ended 1-1.&nbsp;

Besides, the ex-Liverpool manager also disapproved of one of Coote’s decisions during the game against Arsenal last season, when Martin Odegaard’s hand made contact with the ball, and Coote, on VAR duty, decided against advising on-field officials to review the incident.

(With inputs from agencies)

Misery continues to pile on Premier League referee David Coote, who was suspended over derogatory remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. With FA and PGMOL investigating whether Coote's reference to Klopp's nationality constitutes an aggravated breach of its misconduct rule, the latest controversy strikes the 42-year-old.

Misery continues to pile on Premier League referee David Coote, who was suspended over derogatory remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. With FA and PGMOL investigating whether Coote's reference to Klopp's nationality constitutes an aggravated breach of its misconduct rule, the latest controversy strikes the 42-year-old. The Sun, an English tabloid, has shared the footage of Coote, 42, snorting white powder alleged to be cocaine. Per the report, the incident occurred during Euro 2024 while he was on duty. ALSO READ: Nations League: Israel-France face off under tight security following Amsterdam riots A viral video doing rounds of social media shows a man, alleged to be Coote, using a US dollar bank note to snort a line of white powder. Coote recorded the video himself snorting the white powder to send to a friend on July 6 - a day after he was part of the VAR officials for the quarters clash between Spain and Germany. "We are aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation. David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period", a PGMOL spokesperson said. Earlier in the week, the UEFA shared a statement on Coote saying, "The UEFA Referees Committee immediately suspended David Coote until further notice on 11 November - in advance of the upcoming round of UEFA matches - when it became aware of his inappropriate behaviour." Coote’s ‘rough’ relationship with Liverpool Coote, who lately officiated in Liverpool’s game against Aston Villa, which they won 2-0, used offensive and abusive language against Klopp, who left Anfield following the conclusion of the previous season. The video that put Coote in hot waters referred to a game between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020; Liverpool had won the Premier League title by then – their first. Meanwhile, Klopp also criticized Coote after that match, expressing reservations over his lenient treatment of Burnley's challenges in the game that ended 1-1. Besides, the ex-Liverpool manager also disapproved of one of Coote’s decisions during the game against Arsenal last season, when Martin Odegaard’s hand made contact with the ball, and Coote, on VAR duty, decided against advising on-field officials to review the incident. (With inputs from agencies)

David Coote, suspended Premier League referee, faces new allegations over viral cocaine video

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is among a group of five players added to England's squad for this month's Nations League fixtures against Greece and Ireland after eight players withdrew. Interim boss Lee Carsley is overseeing his final two fixtures, in Athens on Thursday and at Wembley three days later, before handing the reins over to Thomas Tuchel.

Carsley will be without string of senior players -- seven from the top four clubs in the Premier League -- after Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden withdrew from the squad. Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has also pulled out. Attacking midfielder Rogers, 22, has received his first senior call-up after impressing for Unai Emery's Villa side this season, scoring three times and providing three assists.

Jarrod Bowen and Jarrad Branthwaite, along with the uncapped Tino Livramento and James Trafford, have also been added to the squad. Arsenal's Rice and Saka were forced off during the second half of Sunday's 1-1 draw at Chelsea.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-atp-finals-alexander-zverev-eases-past-andrey-rublev-as-carlos-alcaraz-falters-against-casper-ruud-775371">ATP Finals: Alexander Zverev eases past Andrey Rublev as Carlos Alcaraz falters against Casper Ruud</a>

Alexander-Arnold suffered a hamstring injury in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Aston Villa but is set to return later this month. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had expressed his bemusement at Grealish being called up despite not featuring for his club since October 20.

Carsley will return to his role as England Under-21s manager after the Nations League games, with Tuchel starting his job in January. Defeat in Athens would end England's chances of automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League.

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.

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is among a group of five players added to England's squad for this month's Nations League fixtures against Greece and Ireland after eight players withdrew.

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is among a group of five players added to England's squad for this month's Nations League fixtures against Greece and Ireland after eight players withdrew. Interim boss Lee Carsley is overseeing his final two fixtures, in Athens on Thursday and at Wembley three days later, before handing the reins over to Thomas Tuchel. Carsley will be without string of senior players -- seven from the top four clubs in the Premier League -- after Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden withdrew from the squad. Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has also pulled out. Attacking midfielder Rogers, 22, has received his first senior call-up after impressing for Unai Emery's Villa side this season, scoring three times and providing three assists. Jarrod Bowen and Jarrad Branthwaite, along with the uncapped Tino Livramento and James Trafford, have also been added to the squad. Arsenal's Rice and Saka were forced off during the second half of Sunday's 1-1 draw at Chelsea. Also read: ATP Finals: Alexander Zverev eases past Andrey Rublev as Carlos Alcaraz falters against Casper Ruud Alexander-Arnold suffered a hamstring injury in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Aston Villa but is set to return later this month. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola had expressed his bemusement at Grealish being called up despite not featuring for his club since October 20. Carsley will return to his role as England Under-21s manager after the Nations League games, with Tuchel starting his job in January. Defeat in Athens would end England's chances of automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League. 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.

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers gets first England call-up after mass withdrawal ahead of Nations League games

A gigantic banner proclaiming "Free Palestine" unfurled by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) supporters at a Champions League match has no place in a football stadium, France's interior minister said on Thursday.

The huge banner covered an entire section of the stadium at PSG's home venue of Parc des Princes in Paris Wednesday night ahead of their defeat at the hands of Spanish rivals Atletico Madrid.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/ucl-inter-milan-sink-arsenal-atletico-sting-psg-late-on-as-barcelona-back-on-track-774164">UCL: Inter Milan sink Arsenal, Atletico sting PSG late on as Barcelona back on track</a>

As well as the slogan "Free Palestine", the banner showed a bloodstained Palestinian flag, a gesticulating man with a keffiyeh scarf covering all his face except his eyes, the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and a young boy wrapped in the Lebanese flag.

It was shown as Israel presses military operations against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza and the militant Shiite group Hezbollah in Lebanon and international concern grows over civilian casualties.

"This banner had no place in this stadium," right-wing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau wrote on X. "I ask PSG to explain itself and the clubs to ensure that politics does not come to damage sport, which must always remain a source of unity," he said, adding such actions were banned by both French football and UEFA.

"If this were to happen again, we will have to consider forbidding banners for clubs that do not enforce the rules," he added.

In a later interview with Sud Radio, Retailleau made no attempt to hide his anger, saying the banner was "unacceptable".

"I want to know more and now how this banner came to be unfurled. The Paris police chief (Laurent Nunez) explained what happened. We agreed on a certain number of things but I am demanding accountability," he added.

<h2>'Scandalous'</h2>

The banner, which was unfurled by the Paris Ultras Collective (CUP) hard-core fan group, was shown above another slogan which read: "War on the pitch but peace in the world."

"The club was not aware of the plan to display such a message," PSG said in a statement Wednesday evening. "PSG emphasises the Parc des Princes is –&nbsp;and must remain –&nbsp;a place of communion around a shared passion for football and firmly opposes any message of a political nature in the stadium."

The president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, Yonathan Arfi, described the banner as "scandalous", saying it depicted "a masked Palestinian fighter" and that it also showed "a map where the State of Israel no longer exists" in an image of the Palestinian keffiyeh.

"This is not a message of peace but a call to hatred," he said.

Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that started the war in Gaza resulted in 1,206 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed 43,391 people in Gaza, a majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which the United Nations considers reliable.

Hezbollah began a low-intensity cross-border campaign last year in support of ally Hamas after the Palestinian militants' October 7 attack on Israel.

Israel escalated its air raids on Hezbollah strongholds in south Lebanon, Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley from September 23, sending in ground troops a week later.

More than 2,600 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since then, according to the Lebanese authorities.

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 gigantic banner proclaiming "Free Palestine" unfurled by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) supporters at a Champions League match has no place in a football stadium, France's interior minister said on Thursday.

A gigantic banner proclaiming "Free Palestine" unfurled by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) supporters at a Champions League match has no place in a football stadium, France's interior minister said on Thursday. The huge banner covered an entire section of the stadium at PSG's home venue of Parc des Princes in Paris Wednesday night ahead of their defeat at the hands of Spanish rivals Atletico Madrid. ALSO READ: UCL: Inter Milan sink Arsenal, Atletico sting PSG late on as Barcelona back on track As well as the slogan "Free Palestine", the banner showed a bloodstained Palestinian flag, a gesticulating man with a keffiyeh scarf covering all his face except his eyes, the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and a young boy wrapped in the Lebanese flag. It was shown as Israel presses military operations against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza and the militant Shiite group Hezbollah in Lebanon and international concern grows over civilian casualties. "This banner had no place in this stadium," right-wing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau wrote on X. "I ask PSG to explain itself and the clubs to ensure that politics does not come to damage sport, which must always remain a source of unity," he said, adding such actions were banned by both French football and UEFA. "If this were to happen again, we will have to consider forbidding banners for clubs that do not enforce the rules," he added. In a later interview with Sud Radio, Retailleau made no attempt to hide his anger, saying the banner was "unacceptable". "I want to know more and now how this banner came to be unfurled. The Paris police chief (Laurent Nunez) explained what happened. We agreed on a certain number of things but I am demanding accountability," he added. 'Scandalous' The banner, which was unfurled by the Paris Ultras Collective (CUP) hard-core fan group, was shown above another slogan which read: "War on the pitch but peace in the world." "The club was not aware of the plan to display such a message," PSG said in a statement Wednesday evening. "PSG emphasises the Parc des Princes is – and must remain – a place of communion around a shared passion for football and firmly opposes any message of a political nature in the stadium." The president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France, Yonathan Arfi, described the banner as "scandalous", saying it depicted "a masked Palestinian fighter" and that it also showed "a map where the State of Israel no longer exists" in an image of the Palestinian keffiyeh. "This is not a message of peace but a call to hatred," he said. Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that started the war in Gaza resulted in 1,206 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed 43,391 people in Gaza, a majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which the United Nations considers reliable. Hezbollah began a low-intensity cross-border campaign last year in support of ally Hamas after the Palestinian militants' October 7 attack on Israel. Israel escalated its air raids on Hezbollah strongholds in south Lebanon, Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley from September 23, sending in ground troops a week later. More than 2,600 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since then, according to the Lebanese authorities. 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: PSG’s 'Free Palestine' banner has no place in football, says French minister

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.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/uefa-champions-league-sporting-stun-man-city-in-champions-league-as-liverpool-milan-claim-fine-wins-773779">UEFA Champions League: Sporting stun Man City in Champions League as Liverpool, Milan claim fine wins</a>

<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.

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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

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.

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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.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/dino-olmo-double-helps-liga-leaders-barcelona-to-derby-win-vs-espanyol-773013">Dino Olmo double helps Liga leaders Barcelona to derby win vs Espanyol</a>

<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

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.

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.

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 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

The English Football Association has issued an apology it said that shots are not a requirement for women to play football in the country. Although FIFA rules require all players both male and female to wear shorts. Watch to know more.

The English FA: Shorts Not A Requirement For Women

The English Football Association has sparked controversy after a Muslim footballer was stopped from participating in a match for wearing tracks instead of traditional shorts. The incident has reignited discussions about inclusivity and cultural sensitivity in sports, with advocates arguing that women's attire should accommodate personal beliefs and comfort. The FA's decision highlights ongoing debates about diversity and the need for policies that respect players' identities.

English FA: Muslim Footballer Stopped For Wearing Tracks, "Shorts Not A Must For Women"

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.

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"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

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

Atlanta United beat Montreal 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday after their MLS Cup wild card game ended 2-2 to set up a first round playoff clash with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. Atlanta, who snuck into the wild card round on the final day of the regular season, led 2-0 at the break but two goals from their former striker Josef Martinez forced the game into the shoot-out.

Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan saved Montreal's second spot kick from English midfielder Tom Pearce which proved to be the only unsuccessful kick of the shoot-out.

The clash in a 'best of three' series with Miami, starting on Friday in Florida, will pit Atlanta against Gerardo Martino, Miami's Argentine coach who guided Atlanta to their first title in 2018.

The visitors grabbed the lead against the run of play when after a patient, 45-pass move, Pedro Amador crossed from the left and Brooks Lennon arrived at the back post to score with a diving header.

Lennon then had a great chance to add a second when Saba Lobzhanidze whipped in a low cross to the unmarked winger but from point blank range he put his shot over the bar.

But Atlanta struck again, exposing Montreal's weakness on crosses, when Russian international Alexey Miranchuk whipped in a free-kick to the back post which was headed home by Norwegian Stian Gregersen.

Lobzhanidze could have made it 3-0 after the interval but the Georgian's shot was smothered by Montreal keeper Jonathan Sirois.

Montreal got a foot back into the game thanks to an awful error from the 40-year-old former USA international keeper Guzan, who spilled a routine cross from Pearce which Martinez pounced on to fire home.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/ucl-vinicius-junior-hat-trick-saves-real-madrid-vs-borussia-dortmund-aston-villa-go-top-769879">UCL: Vinicius Junior hat-trick saves Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa go top</a>

But the ex-Aston Villa keeper made some amends for that error getting down well to push away a low effort from George Campbell and a well-struck Pearce free-kick.

But Montreal got a lifeline in the final minutes when Lennon brought down Kwadwo Opoku on the edge of the box and after a VAR review, the initial free-kick award was changed to a penalty.

Martinez kept his cool to drill home the spot-kick and his team-mates did the same in the shoot-out to earn themselves a clash with Miami.

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.

Atlanta United beat Montreal 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday after their MLS Cup wild card game ended 2-2 to set up a first round playoff clash with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.

Atlanta United beat Montreal 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out on Tuesday after their MLS Cup wild card game ended 2-2 to set up a first round playoff clash with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. Atlanta, who snuck into the wild card round on the final day of the regular season, led 2-0 at the break but two goals from their former striker Josef Martinez forced the game into the shoot-out. Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan saved Montreal's second spot kick from English midfielder Tom Pearce which proved to be the only unsuccessful kick of the shoot-out. The clash in a 'best of three' series with Miami, starting on Friday in Florida, will pit Atlanta against Gerardo Martino, Miami's Argentine coach who guided Atlanta to their first title in 2018. The visitors grabbed the lead against the run of play when after a patient, 45-pass move, Pedro Amador crossed from the left and Brooks Lennon arrived at the back post to score with a diving header. Lennon then had a great chance to add a second when Saba Lobzhanidze whipped in a low cross to the unmarked winger but from point blank range he put his shot over the bar. But Atlanta struck again, exposing Montreal's weakness on crosses, when Russian international Alexey Miranchuk whipped in a free-kick to the back post which was headed home by Norwegian Stian Gregersen. Lobzhanidze could have made it 3-0 after the interval but the Georgian's shot was smothered by Montreal keeper Jonathan Sirois. Montreal got a foot back into the game thanks to an awful error from the 40-year-old former USA international keeper Guzan, who spilled a routine cross from Pearce which Martinez pounced on to fire home. Also read: UCL: Vinicius Junior hat-trick saves Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa go top But the ex-Aston Villa keeper made some amends for that error getting down well to push away a low effort from George Campbell and a well-struck Pearce free-kick. But Montreal got a lifeline in the final minutes when Lennon brought down Kwadwo Opoku on the edge of the box and after a VAR review, the initial free-kick award was changed to a penalty. Martinez kept his cool to drill home the spot-kick and his team-mates did the same in the shoot-out to earn themselves a clash with Miami. 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.

Atlanta United beat Montreal in shoot-out, to face Lionel Messi-starrer Inter Miami in MLS playoffs

Real Madrid came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League on Tuesday with Vinicius Junior scoring a hat-trick, as Aston Villa maintained their 100 percent record to go top of the table. Vinicius struck three times in the second half as Madrid bounced back from two goals down to inflict further anguish on Dortmund -- in the repeat of last season's final which Real won 2-0.

First-half goals in quick succession by Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens had given Dortmund a two-goal lead at half-time.

"Things were very quiet when we got to the dressing room 2-0 down at half-time," Vinicius, 24, told Movistar. "But we listened to the boss (coach Carlo Ancelotti) and agreed one simple thing: if we can score first then we'll fight back and win once again."

The 15-times&nbsp;champions&nbsp;duly struck back early in the second period via Antonio Rudiger and Vinicius, before Lucas Vazquez sent Real ahead and the Brazilian netted two more inside the final 10 minutes.&nbsp;

After the surprise defeat at Lille last time out, Madrid's hunt for a record-extending 16th&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League crown is back on track as they move to ninth in the standings, on six points. Malen swept the Germans into the lead on the half-hour following a deft pass from Serhou Guirassy that split open the defence.

Madrid defender Eder Militao was then left beating the turf in frustration four minutes later when Gittens flew in at the back post to double Dortmund's lead.

Rudiger halved the deficit with a powerful header from a Kylian Mbappe cross on 60 minutes. Vinicius equalised two minutes later by tucking away a stray ball, the goal being awarded by VAR after Mbappe was shown to have been onside in the build-up.

A rare Dortmund foray forward resulted in a fine Thibaut Courtois save, with the holders then racing straight down the other end and Vazquez lashing home on 83 minutes.

Vinicius then completed his hat-trick in the 86th and 93rd minutes, his second coming after a lung-busting sprint down the line from inside his own half. Arsenal emerged 1-0 winners at home to Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk thanks to an own-goal from the visitors' goalkeeper.

Dmytro Riznyk could only grasp at thin air after Gabriel Martinelli had cut in from the left and smacked the ball against the near post before it rebounded back off the goalie and over the line.&nbsp;

Leandro Trossard missed a penalty near the end, but Arsenal had already done enough to secure their second win of the tournament.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-chris-wood-winner-for-nottingham-forest-adds-more-misery-on-poor-crystal-palace-769627">Premier League: Chris Wood winner for Nottingham Forest adds more misery on poor Crystal Palace</a>

<h2>- Table-topping Villa -</h2>

Fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are enjoying an excellent return to European football's top table after 41 years as they won their third match in three&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League outings this term with a 2-0 victory against Bologna. "We are playing seriously, we are playing focussed, responsible and the team is progressing and mature in everything," manager Unai Emery told TNT Sports.

John McGinn opened the scoring at Villa Park 10 minutes after the interval and Jhon Duran wrapped up the points in the 64th minute, sending Emery's side to the top of the league phase table on nine points with zero goals conceded.

Stuttgart sank Juventus 1-0 in Turin, thanks to a stoppage-time winner by El Bilal Toure.

The Italians were reduced to 10 men when Danilo picked up a second yellow while conceding a penalty in the 84th minute.

Mattia Perin looked to have saved his side when he stopped the resulting spot-kick from Enzo Millot, but Toure slammed home in the 92nd minute for Stuttgart.

PSV Eindhoven surprised Paris Saint-Germain with a Noa Lang goal against the run of play in the first period, before Achraf Hakimi hit back on 55 minutes to ensure the points were shared.

AC Milan beat 10-men Club Brugge at the San Siro with Christian Pulisic and a Tijjani Reijnders brace giving the Italians a 3-1 victory.

Monaco won 5-1 at home to Red Star Belgrade, while Sporting Lisbon beat Sturm Graz 2-0 in Austria. Last season's Spanish league surprise-packages Girona picked up their first points in the competition with a 2-0 win at home to Slovan Bratislava.

On Wednesday, five-time winners Barcelona host six-time&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Bayern Munich and Liverpool visit RB Leipzig.

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 came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday with Vinicius Junior scoring a hat-trick, as Aston Villa maintained their 100 percent record to go top of the table.

Real Madrid came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday with Vinicius Junior scoring a hat-trick, as Aston Villa maintained their 100 percent record to go top of the table. Vinicius struck three times in the second half as Madrid bounced back from two goals down to inflict further anguish on Dortmund -- in the repeat of last season's final which Real won 2-0. First-half goals in quick succession by Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens had given Dortmund a two-goal lead at half-time. "Things were very quiet when we got to the dressing room 2-0 down at half-time," Vinicius, 24, told Movistar. "But we listened to the boss (coach Carlo Ancelotti) and agreed one simple thing: if we can score first then we'll fight back and win once again." The 15-times champions duly struck back early in the second period via Antonio Rudiger and Vinicius, before Lucas Vazquez sent Real ahead and the Brazilian netted two more inside the final 10 minutes. After the surprise defeat at Lille last time out, Madrid's hunt for a record-extending 16th Champions League crown is back on track as they move to ninth in the standings, on six points. Malen swept the Germans into the lead on the half-hour following a deft pass from Serhou Guirassy that split open the defence. Madrid defender Eder Militao was then left beating the turf in frustration four minutes later when Gittens flew in at the back post to double Dortmund's lead. Rudiger halved the deficit with a powerful header from a Kylian Mbappe cross on 60 minutes. Vinicius equalised two minutes later by tucking away a stray ball, the goal being awarded by VAR after Mbappe was shown to have been onside in the build-up. A rare Dortmund foray forward resulted in a fine Thibaut Courtois save, with the holders then racing straight down the other end and Vazquez lashing home on 83 minutes. Vinicius then completed his hat-trick in the 86th and 93rd minutes, his second coming after a lung-busting sprint down the line from inside his own half. Arsenal emerged 1-0 winners at home to Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk thanks to an own-goal from the visitors' goalkeeper. Dmytro Riznyk could only grasp at thin air after Gabriel Martinelli had cut in from the left and smacked the ball against the near post before it rebounded back off the goalie and over the line. Leandro Trossard missed a penalty near the end, but Arsenal had already done enough to secure their second win of the tournament. Also read: Premier League: Chris Wood winner for Nottingham Forest adds more misery on poor Crystal Palace - Table-topping Villa - Fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are enjoying an excellent return to European football's top table after 41 years as they won their third match in three Champions League outings this term with a 2-0 victory against Bologna. "We are playing seriously, we are playing focussed, responsible and the team is progressing and mature in everything," manager Unai Emery told TNT Sports. John McGinn opened the scoring at Villa Park 10 minutes after the interval and Jhon Duran wrapped up the points in the 64th minute, sending Emery's side to the top of the league phase table on nine points with zero goals conceded. Stuttgart sank Juventus 1-0 in Turin, thanks to a stoppage-time winner by El Bilal Toure. The Italians were reduced to 10 men when Danilo picked up a second yellow while conceding a penalty in the 84th minute. Mattia Perin looked to have saved his side when he stopped the resulting spot-kick from Enzo Millot, but Toure slammed home in the 92nd minute for Stuttgart. PSV Eindhoven surprised Paris Saint-Germain with a Noa Lang goal against the run of play in the first period, before Achraf Hakimi hit back on 55 minutes to ensure the points were shared. AC Milan beat 10-men Club Brugge at the San Siro with Christian Pulisic and a Tijjani Reijnders brace giving the Italians a 3-1 victory. Monaco won 5-1 at home to Red Star Belgrade, while Sporting Lisbon beat Sturm Graz 2-0 in Austria. Last season's Spanish league surprise-packages Girona picked up their first points in the competition with a 2-0 win at home to Slovan Bratislava. On Wednesday, five-time winners Barcelona host six-time champions Bayern Munich and Liverpool visit RB Leipzig. 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: Vinicius Junior hat-trick saves Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa go top

Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood profited from an error by Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson to give his side a narrow 1-0 Premier League win on Monday that leaves the visitors still without a victory this campaign. Forest led 20 minutes into the second half when Wood's low strike from 25 yards beat Henderson at his near post, the latter getting a weak hand to the ball as it squirmed past him and into the net.

Palace twice hit the woodwork but in truth created little in a game that pitted the second best defence in the league against its worst attack, with the London club managing a paltry five goals in their eight games to date.

Forest, who were without manager Nuno Espirito Santo as he serves a touchline ban, rose to eighth place in the table with 13 points from their eight matches, while Palace languish in 18th, still without a win and three points to their name.

"I was just trying to hit the target, I had a few chances in the first half that didn't go my way," Wood said of his goal. "It is important we keep going and keep looking forward. We have a big game on Friday (at Leicester City)."

The victory is Forest’s first at home in eight matches in all competitions dating back to April, while Palace have failed to win one of their first eight games of the season for the first time since the 1992-93 campaign.

A mazy run from Forest’s Elliot Anderson's took him past four defenders in the box but his shot was not strong enough to beat Henderson.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/neymar-returns-for-al-hilal-in-thrilling-win-over-al-ain-769598">Neymar returns for Al Hilal in thrilling win over Al Ain</a>

At the other end, Eddie Nketiah unleashed a shot from 25-yards that struck the outside of the post.

Forest midfielder Ryan Yates saw his looping header come back off the woodwork, while Wood could not steer a superb Callum Hudson-Odoi cross into the goal after a tame connection a few yards out.

Henderson’s error allowed Forest to take the lead before Eberechi Eze forced a superb save from Sels when his swerving 30-yard strike was pushed onto the crossbar by the keeper.

"I can't fault anyone," Palace defender Marc Guehi said. "Everyone put effort into that game. At the moment nothing's going for us. We have to go back, keep working and stick together.

"We're creating chances but any slight mistake gets punished. You have to keep fighting to get better."

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.

Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood profited from an error by Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson to give his side a narrow 1-0 Premier League win on Monday that leaves the visitors still without a victory this campaign.

Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood profited from an error by Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson to give his side a narrow 1-0 Premier League win on Monday that leaves the visitors still without a victory this campaign. Forest led 20 minutes into the second half when Wood's low strike from 25 yards beat Henderson at his near post, the latter getting a weak hand to the ball as it squirmed past him and into the net. Palace twice hit the woodwork but in truth created little in a game that pitted the second best defence in the league against its worst attack, with the London club managing a paltry five goals in their eight games to date. Forest, who were without manager Nuno Espirito Santo as he serves a touchline ban, rose to eighth place in the table with 13 points from their eight matches, while Palace languish in 18th, still without a win and three points to their name. "I was just trying to hit the target, I had a few chances in the first half that didn't go my way," Wood said of his goal. "It is important we keep going and keep looking forward. We have a big game on Friday (at Leicester City)." The victory is Forest’s first at home in eight matches in all competitions dating back to April, while Palace have failed to win one of their first eight games of the season for the first time since the 1992-93 campaign. A mazy run from Forest’s Elliot Anderson's took him past four defenders in the box but his shot was not strong enough to beat Henderson. Also read: Neymar returns for Al Hilal in thrilling win over Al Ain At the other end, Eddie Nketiah unleashed a shot from 25-yards that struck the outside of the post. Forest midfielder Ryan Yates saw his looping header come back off the woodwork, while Wood could not steer a superb Callum Hudson-Odoi cross into the goal after a tame connection a few yards out. Henderson’s error allowed Forest to take the lead before Eberechi Eze forced a superb save from Sels when his swerving 30-yard strike was pushed onto the crossbar by the keeper. "I can't fault anyone," Palace defender Marc Guehi said. "Everyone put effort into that game. At the moment nothing's going for us. We have to go back, keep working and stick together. "We're creating chances but any slight mistake gets punished. You have to keep fighting to get better." 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: Chris Wood winner for Nottingham Forest adds more misery on poor Crystal Palace

Brazil superstar Neymar returned to action on Monday following more than a year out, with the Al Hilal forward appearing as a second-half substitute in his side's gripping 5-4 win against Asian champions Al Ain in the UAE. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker, 32, had not played since rupturing his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while on international duty in October last year.&nbsp;

Neymar, who underwent surgery and a sustained period of rehabilitation, is his country's all-time leading goalscorer, with 79 goals in 128 appearances. Named on the Hilal bench for the first time since his injury, he was introduced on 76 minutes of the Asian Champions Elite encounter at a heaving Hazzan Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.&nbsp;

By then, the record four-time Asian champions, who lead the current Saudi Pro League, were 5-3 up, thanks to goals from Renan Lodi and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and a Salem Al Dawsari hat-trick.

Neymar cannot be registered for the Saudi top-flight until January. "I need to prepare Neymar with games; that's the only possible means to bring him to his level, which was the idea today," Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said. "There are some risks for the team because we need to use the games to prepare him, but it's the only way to have one of our important players back at the highest level," the Portuguese boss added.

On Monday, Hilal took the lead on 26 minutes, when former Newcastle United and Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic played in Lodi down the left, and the ex-Atletico Madrid full-back drilled a low shot past Khalid Essa in the Al Ain goal.

However, Hernan Crespo's side drew level six minutes before half-time, Morocco international Soufiane Rahimi sliding home a cross.&nbsp;Rahimi was the star of Al Ain's Asian Champions League success last season, finishing top scorer and named player of the tournament.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-captain-virgil-van-dijk-confirms-discussions-over-contract-extension-underway-with-right-people-769529">Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk confirms discussions over contract extension underway ‘with right people’</a>

In first-half stoppage-time, Hilal seemed to take the contest away from their UAE rivals.&nbsp;First, Joao Cancelo, a summer signing from Manchester City, crossed for Milinkovic-Savic to head home unmarked from six years. Moments later, reigning Asian Player of the Year Al Dawsari raced cleared of the Al Ain defence, skipped around the onrushing Essa and curled home superbly on the angle.

Al Ain reduced the deficit just after the hour, through substitute Mateo Sanabria, only for Al Dawsari to flick home his second of the night from a Milinkovic-Savic centre.&nbsp;Minutes later, Rahimi notched his double as a see-saw clash took another swing. Al Dawsari then restored Hilal's two-goal advantage with a sublime strike from range.

Not long into 12 minutes of the allotted injury-time, and with Hilal reduced to 10 men after defender Ali Al Bulaihi was sent off for an intentional handball, Rahimi won and converted a penalty to secure his hat-trick and give Al Ain hope, but the Saudi champions hung on to claim the win.

Neymar had little time to truly impact the game, although he did flash wide an effort in the dying moments of normal time.&nbsp;Hilal sit top of the Western region group, with three victories from three while Al Ain have picked up a solitary point.

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.

Brazil superstar Neymar returned to action on Monday following more than a year out, with the Al Hilal forward appearing as a second-half substitute in his side's gripping 5-4 win against Asian champions Al Ain in the UAE.

Brazil superstar Neymar returned to action on Monday following more than a year out, with the Al Hilal forward appearing as a second-half substitute in his side's gripping 5-4 win against Asian champions Al Ain in the UAE. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker, 32, had not played since rupturing his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while on international duty in October last year. Neymar, who underwent surgery and a sustained period of rehabilitation, is his country's all-time leading goalscorer, with 79 goals in 128 appearances. Named on the Hilal bench for the first time since his injury, he was introduced on 76 minutes of the Asian Champions Elite encounter at a heaving Hazzan Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. By then, the record four-time Asian champions, who lead the current Saudi Pro League, were 5-3 up, thanks to goals from Renan Lodi and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and a Salem Al Dawsari hat-trick. Neymar cannot be registered for the Saudi top-flight until January. "I need to prepare Neymar with games; that's the only possible means to bring him to his level, which was the idea today," Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said. "There are some risks for the team because we need to use the games to prepare him, but it's the only way to have one of our important players back at the highest level," the Portuguese boss added. On Monday, Hilal took the lead on 26 minutes, when former Newcastle United and Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic played in Lodi down the left, and the ex-Atletico Madrid full-back drilled a low shot past Khalid Essa in the Al Ain goal. However, Hernan Crespo's side drew level six minutes before half-time, Morocco international Soufiane Rahimi sliding home a cross. Rahimi was the star of Al Ain's Asian Champions League success last season, finishing top scorer and named player of the tournament. Also read: Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk confirms discussions over contract extension underway ‘with right people’ In first-half stoppage-time, Hilal seemed to take the contest away from their UAE rivals. First, Joao Cancelo, a summer signing from Manchester City, crossed for Milinkovic-Savic to head home unmarked from six years. Moments later, reigning Asian Player of the Year Al Dawsari raced cleared of the Al Ain defence, skipped around the onrushing Essa and curled home superbly on the angle. Al Ain reduced the deficit just after the hour, through substitute Mateo Sanabria, only for Al Dawsari to flick home his second of the night from a Milinkovic-Savic centre. Minutes later, Rahimi notched his double as a see-saw clash took another swing. Al Dawsari then restored Hilal's two-goal advantage with a sublime strike from range. Not long into 12 minutes of the allotted injury-time, and with Hilal reduced to 10 men after defender Ali Al Bulaihi was sent off for an intentional handball, Rahimi won and converted a penalty to secure his hat-trick and give Al Ain hope, but the Saudi champions hung on to claim the win. Neymar had little time to truly impact the game, although he did flash wide an effort in the dying moments of normal time. Hilal sit top of the Western region group, with three victories from three while Al Ain have picked up a solitary point. 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.

Neymar returns for Al Hilal in thrilling win over Al Ain

Red-hot Robert Lewandowski and Pablo Torre struck twice each as Barcelona hammered Sevilla 5-1 on Sunday to stay three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga ahead of next weekend's Clasico. Earlier Alexander Sorloth's double helped Atletico Madrid, third, come from behind to beat neighbours Leganes 3-1.

Madrid beat Celta Vigo on Saturday to pull level with Hansi Flick's side but Barca swiftly restored their advantage with a stylish and dominant display of attacking football. Veteran striker Lewandowski reached 12 goals in 10 La Liga matches, his strikes sandwiching Pedri Gonzalez's effort from the edge of the box, before substitute Torre added the fourth.

Stanis Idumbo grabbed a consolation for Sevilla in the final stages but Francisco Garcia Pimienta's side were roundly beaten on his return to the club he spent nearly three decades with in various roles. Torre finished the rout with a crossed free-kick which flew beyond Nyland and in at the far post and Barcelona were also able to celebrate Gavi's return from a long injury lay-off.

The midfielder came on in the final stages for his first minutes in a Barcelona shirt since suffering a severe knee injury in November 2023. "It's too difficult, it's not easy (to pick a highlight)," said Flick. "Three points and five goals... but we are all happy that Gavi's back."

Despite upcoming clashes against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Saturday's visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, Flick started arguably his strongest fit and available side.

As well as Gavi, the coach was able to name Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez on the bench after injury, while Ansu Fati started for the first time this season.

The Catalans took the lead when Raphinha went down in the box under light contact from Peque, a former Barca youth player, and the referee pointed to the spot.

Lewandowski, stuttering in his run-up, sent Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland the wrong way to fire Barca ahead in the 24th minute.

The 36-year-old striker is enjoying a second wind under Flick and leads Spain's scoring charts with 12 strikes in 10 matches, twice as many as any other player.

Pedri soon doubled Barcelona's lead from the edge of the box after the hyperactive Lamine Yamal set him up and created another fine chance for Lewandowski.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-liverpool-pass-chelsea-test-to-reclaim-top-spot-769301">Premier League: Liverpool pass Chelsea test to reclaim top spot</a>

<h2>- Gavi 'deserves this' -</h2>

The Polish striker netted his second before the break by guiding home Raphinha's drive from distance with a flick of his boot. Suffering Sevilla were dealt more bad news before the break when explosive winger Chidera Ejuke limped off injured.

Raphinha fired home early in the second half but was offside, as Barcelona strolled, carving open the Andalucians at their leisure. Yamal produced an outrageous shot from distance with the outside of his boot which Nyland clawed to safety.

Dodi Lukebakio struck at the other end on a rare Sevilla foray forward but had strayed offside.

Barca midfielder Pablo Torre rattled home the fourth with the aid of a deflection before Gavi appeared as a substitute with a few minutes remaining to a rapturous reception.

"I am very happy to come back after so long out injured, I have been dreaming about this for many months and I am grateful to my teammates who made the process easier for me," Gavi told LaLiga TV. "The hardest thing is not playing, watching from the outside. It's frustrating, it's tough... I feel fortunate to be back."

Idumbo pulled one back for Sevilla, 13th, but Torre wrapped up Barcelona's night with a stroke of fortune when his free-kick crept in at the far post.

<h2>- Sorloth double -</h2>

Diego Simeone's Atletico struggled against the minnows from the south of Madrid but after Yvan Neyou blasted the visitors ahead Sorloth levelled with a fine finish and Antoine Griezmann slid home the second.

Norwegian target man Sorloth wrapped up the victory late in stoppage time with a poacher's finish. "In the second half we improved a bit, above all in speeding up the game," Simeone told Movistar.

Atletico came into the game with just one victory in their last five matches across all competitions. No supporters filled the lower part of the Metropolitano stadium's south stand, closed by the Spanish football federation after some Atletico fans threw objects at Real Madrid players during the derby in September.

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.

Red-hot Robert Lewandowski and Pablo Torre struck twice each as Barcelona hammered Sevilla 5-1 on Sunday to stay three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga ahead of next weekend's Clasico.

Red-hot Robert Lewandowski and Pablo Torre struck twice each as Barcelona hammered Sevilla 5-1 on Sunday to stay three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga ahead of next weekend's Clasico. Earlier Alexander Sorloth's double helped Atletico Madrid, third, come from behind to beat neighbours Leganes 3-1. Madrid beat Celta Vigo on Saturday to pull level with Hansi Flick's side but Barca swiftly restored their advantage with a stylish and dominant display of attacking football. Veteran striker Lewandowski reached 12 goals in 10 La Liga matches, his strikes sandwiching Pedri Gonzalez's effort from the edge of the box, before substitute Torre added the fourth. Stanis Idumbo grabbed a consolation for Sevilla in the final stages but Francisco Garcia Pimienta's side were roundly beaten on his return to the club he spent nearly three decades with in various roles. Torre finished the rout with a crossed free-kick which flew beyond Nyland and in at the far post and Barcelona were also able to celebrate Gavi's return from a long injury lay-off. The midfielder came on in the final stages for his first minutes in a Barcelona shirt since suffering a severe knee injury in November 2023. "It's too difficult, it's not easy (to pick a highlight)," said Flick. "Three points and five goals... but we are all happy that Gavi's back." Despite upcoming clashes against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Saturday's visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, Flick started arguably his strongest fit and available side. As well as Gavi, the coach was able to name Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez on the bench after injury, while Ansu Fati started for the first time this season. The Catalans took the lead when Raphinha went down in the box under light contact from Peque, a former Barca youth player, and the referee pointed to the spot. Lewandowski, stuttering in his run-up, sent Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland the wrong way to fire Barca ahead in the 24th minute. The 36-year-old striker is enjoying a second wind under Flick and leads Spain's scoring charts with 12 strikes in 10 matches, twice as many as any other player. Pedri soon doubled Barcelona's lead from the edge of the box after the hyperactive Lamine Yamal set him up and created another fine chance for Lewandowski. Also read: Premier League: Liverpool pass Chelsea test to reclaim top spot - Gavi 'deserves this' - The Polish striker netted his second before the break by guiding home Raphinha's drive from distance with a flick of his boot. Suffering Sevilla were dealt more bad news before the break when explosive winger Chidera Ejuke limped off injured. Raphinha fired home early in the second half but was offside, as Barcelona strolled, carving open the Andalucians at their leisure. Yamal produced an outrageous shot from distance with the outside of his boot which Nyland clawed to safety. Dodi Lukebakio struck at the other end on a rare Sevilla foray forward but had strayed offside. Barca midfielder Pablo Torre rattled home the fourth with the aid of a deflection before Gavi appeared as a substitute with a few minutes remaining to a rapturous reception. "I am very happy to come back after so long out injured, I have been dreaming about this for many months and I am grateful to my teammates who made the process easier for me," Gavi told LaLiga TV. "The hardest thing is not playing, watching from the outside. It's frustrating, it's tough... I feel fortunate to be back." Idumbo pulled one back for Sevilla, 13th, but Torre wrapped up Barcelona's night with a stroke of fortune when his free-kick crept in at the far post. - Sorloth double - Diego Simeone's Atletico struggled against the minnows from the south of Madrid but after Yvan Neyou blasted the visitors ahead Sorloth levelled with a fine finish and Antoine Griezmann slid home the second. Norwegian target man Sorloth wrapped up the victory late in stoppage time with a poacher's finish. "In the second half we improved a bit, above all in speeding up the game," Simeone told Movistar. Atletico came into the game with just one victory in their last five matches across all competitions. No supporters filled the lower part of the Metropolitano stadium's south stand, closed by the Spanish football federation after some Atletico fans threw objects at Real Madrid players during the derby in September. 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: Lethal Robert Lewandowski helps Barcelona rout Sevilla, Atletico triumph over Leganes

Over 100 professional women's football players, including Manchester City's Vivianne Miedema, have issued an open letter to FIFA, urging the world football governing body to cut ties with Saudi Aramco, the oil and gas giant, on humanitarian and environmental grounds.

Women Footballers Urge FIFA to End Aramco Deal

Arne Slot said Liverpool passed the hardest test of his time in charge as a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield moved the Reds back top of the Premier League on Sunday. Mohamed Salah's penalty and Curtis Jones' winner made it 10 wins in 11 games since Slot succeeded Jurgen Klopp.

Nicolas Jackson briefly levelled for Chelsea, who enjoyed nearly 60 percent possession, but they slipped to a first league defeat since losing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season. Victory takes Liverpool one point ahead of City and four clear of Arsenal, who they face at the Emirates next weekend.

"Many other games were hard but this might have been the hardest because of the amount of quality players they have and the structure they have," said Slot. "We had to fight really hard to get this one over the line."

Chelsea are now seven points off the top down in sixth, but there was plenty cause for optimism for the Blues from a performance that stretched Liverpool to their limits.

"We lost, we are not happy, but the performance with and without the ball was very good," said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. "I've been in this stadium many times and to see Liverpool in their (half) for a long time is not easy."

Liverpool's only defeat under Slot came to Nottingham Forest following September's international break.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-john-stones-bags-controversial-winner-as-man-city-survive-wolves-scare-769260">Premier League: John Stones bags controversial winner as Man City survive Wolves scare</a>

<h2>- Jones makes his mark -</h2>

The Dutchman responded by this time leaving all of his South American internationals -- Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez -- on the bench after their exertions in recent days across the Atlantic. The decision to hand Jones just his second league start of the season proved an inspired one as the England international won Liverpool's penalty and scored the decisive goal.

Chelsea settled nicely into their rhythm and pushed the home side back by dominating the ball in the opening half hour. However, Liverpool's pace on the break was a constant threat and Chelsea were caught out when Salah fed Jones, who was chopped down by Levi Colwill.

Salah slammed home his 10th goal against his former club from the resulting penalty. Moments later, Cody Gakpo slotted in at the end of a lightning Liverpool counter-attack, but Salah had strayed offside before delivering the assist.

At the other end, Jackson smashed off the angle of post and bar in the first sign that Chelsea had some punch to their possession football. Chelsea, though, had another escape just before half-time when referee John Brooks intially pointed to the spot once more when Jones went down under a challenge from Robert Sanchez.

VAR intervened, however, as the Spanish goalkeeper got a touch on the ball before making contact with Jones. Within three minutes of the restart for the second half, the Blues were back level as VAR played another helping hand for the visitors.

Jackson latched onto Moises Caicedo's through ball and coolly slotted past Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal in eight Premier League games.

The Senegalese striker was ruled offside on the field, but was shown to be played on by Ibrahima Konate on replay. Liverpool took just three minutes to restore their lead as Jones timed his run perfectly to control and flick in Salah's cross.

Chelsea forced Slot's men to defend their lead for the final 40 minutes but struggled to create clear-cut chances for the equaliser until seven minutes of stoppage time. Renato Vega headed over Cole Palmer's free-kick before Christopher Nkunku failed to get a telling touch to Pedro Neto's teasing cross.

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.

Arne Slot said Liverpool passed the hardest test of his time in charge as a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield moved the Reds back top of the Premier League on Sunday.

Arne Slot said Liverpool passed the hardest test of his time in charge as a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Anfield moved the Reds back top of the Premier League on Sunday. Mohamed Salah's penalty and Curtis Jones' winner made it 10 wins in 11 games since Slot succeeded Jurgen Klopp. Nicolas Jackson briefly levelled for Chelsea, who enjoyed nearly 60 percent possession, but they slipped to a first league defeat since losing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season. Victory takes Liverpool one point ahead of City and four clear of Arsenal, who they face at the Emirates next weekend. "Many other games were hard but this might have been the hardest because of the amount of quality players they have and the structure they have," said Slot. "We had to fight really hard to get this one over the line." Chelsea are now seven points off the top down in sixth, but there was plenty cause for optimism for the Blues from a performance that stretched Liverpool to their limits. "We lost, we are not happy, but the performance with and without the ball was very good," said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. "I've been in this stadium many times and to see Liverpool in their (half) for a long time is not easy." Liverpool's only defeat under Slot came to Nottingham Forest following September's international break. Also read: Premier League: John Stones bags controversial winner as Man City survive Wolves scare - Jones makes his mark - The Dutchman responded by this time leaving all of his South American internationals -- Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez -- on the bench after their exertions in recent days across the Atlantic. The decision to hand Jones just his second league start of the season proved an inspired one as the England international won Liverpool's penalty and scored the decisive goal. Chelsea settled nicely into their rhythm and pushed the home side back by dominating the ball in the opening half hour. However, Liverpool's pace on the break was a constant threat and Chelsea were caught out when Salah fed Jones, who was chopped down by Levi Colwill. Salah slammed home his 10th goal against his former club from the resulting penalty. Moments later, Cody Gakpo slotted in at the end of a lightning Liverpool counter-attack, but Salah had strayed offside before delivering the assist. At the other end, Jackson smashed off the angle of post and bar in the first sign that Chelsea had some punch to their possession football. Chelsea, though, had another escape just before half-time when referee John Brooks intially pointed to the spot once more when Jones went down under a challenge from Robert Sanchez. VAR intervened, however, as the Spanish goalkeeper got a touch on the ball before making contact with Jones. Within three minutes of the restart for the second half, the Blues were back level as VAR played another helping hand for the visitors. Jackson latched onto Moises Caicedo's through ball and coolly slotted past Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal in eight Premier League games. The Senegalese striker was ruled offside on the field, but was shown to be played on by Ibrahima Konate on replay. Liverpool took just three minutes to restore their lead as Jones timed his run perfectly to control and flick in Salah's cross. Chelsea forced Slot's men to defend their lead for the final 40 minutes but struggled to create clear-cut chances for the equaliser until seven minutes of stoppage time. Renato Vega headed over Cole Palmer's free-kick before Christopher Nkunku failed to get a telling touch to Pedro Neto's teasing cross. 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: Liverpool pass Chelsea test to reclaim top spot

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored a hat-trick to steer his team to a 4-0 victory over visiting VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, snapping their three-game winless run across all competitions and keeping them top of the Bundesliga.

Kane, who had missed a golden chance in front of goal in the 51st minute, broke the deadlock six minutes later, rifling in from outside the box.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-arsenals-first-loss-this-season-was-accident-waiting-to-happen-says-boss-arteta-769081">Premier League: Arsenal’s first loss this season was ‘accident waiting to happen’, says boss Arteta</a>

The England captain, who had not scored in his previous two Bundesliga games, the loss to Aston Villa in the Champions League or the recent two England matches earlier in October, then drilled in following a goal mouth scramble on the hour.

He secured his hat-trick in the 80th minute with his eighth league goal of the season after Joao Palhinha's shot was blocked with substitute Kingsley Coman curling in Bayern's fourth goal in the 89th.

"To be honest, I didn't waste any second thinking about whether he scored or not (in past games)," Bayern coach Vincent Kompany told a press conference. "I know what qualities he has. He's always hungry, even in training. Sometimes we forget how hard Harry works for the team. He has always scored.

"I am happy with how the game went. I was not surprised that it was not easy and at halftime the main thing for us was to stay calm."

Bayern had midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic taken off after eight minutes with a broken collarbone that will sideline the Germany international for several weeks according to the club.

But they still had control of the game but could not make their dominance count in the first half.

Stuttgart, last season's runners-up, gradually ran out of steam and could no longer keep up after the break when Bayern struck three times in 23 minutes with Kane, now on eight goals in the league, to kill off the game.

The visitors' best chance was in the 53rd minute when Josha Vagnoman missed the target, firing over the bar from 10 metres out.

The Bavarians are top of the standings on 17 points, ahead on goal difference of RB Leipzig, winners 2-0 at Mainz 05.

Freiburg are third on 15 with champions Bayer Leverkusen in fourth a point behind after their 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

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.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored a hat-trick to steer his team to a 4-0 victory over visiting VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, snapping their three-game winless run across all competitions and keeping them top of the Bundesliga.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored a hat-trick to steer his team to a 4-0 victory over visiting VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, snapping their three-game winless run across all competitions and keeping them top of the Bundesliga. Kane, who had missed a golden chance in front of goal in the 51st minute, broke the deadlock six minutes later, rifling in from outside the box. ALSO READ: Premier League: Arsenal’s first loss this season was ‘accident waiting to happen’, says boss Arteta The England captain, who had not scored in his previous two Bundesliga games, the loss to Aston Villa in the Champions League or the recent two England matches earlier in October, then drilled in following a goal mouth scramble on the hour. He secured his hat-trick in the 80th minute with his eighth league goal of the season after Joao Palhinha's shot was blocked with substitute Kingsley Coman curling in Bayern's fourth goal in the 89th. "To be honest, I didn't waste any second thinking about whether he scored or not (in past games)," Bayern coach Vincent Kompany told a press conference. "I know what qualities he has. He's always hungry, even in training. Sometimes we forget how hard Harry works for the team. He has always scored. "I am happy with how the game went. I was not surprised that it was not easy and at halftime the main thing for us was to stay calm." Bayern had midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic taken off after eight minutes with a broken collarbone that will sideline the Germany international for several weeks according to the club. But they still had control of the game but could not make their dominance count in the first half. Stuttgart, last season's runners-up, gradually ran out of steam and could no longer keep up after the break when Bayern struck three times in 23 minutes with Kane, now on eight goals in the league, to kill off the game. The visitors' best chance was in the 53rd minute when Josha Vagnoman missed the target, firing over the bar from 10 metres out. The Bavarians are top of the standings on 17 points, ahead on goal difference of RB Leipzig, winners 2-0 at Mainz 05. Freiburg are third on 15 with champions Bayer Leverkusen in fourth a point behind after their 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. 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.

Harry Kane’s 6th Bundesliga hat-trick powers Bayern Munich to demolish Stuttgart in one-sided affair

From the World of Sports in the latest the premier league has opened an international office in Beijing to enhance the appeal of the English football in China. Watch this report to know more.

Premier League Aim To Boost Chinese Fanbase

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