Author: News Desk

Spain international Aitana Bonmati is close to agreeing a new contract with Barcelona to extend her stay beyond 2025. The current Ballon d’Or holder has reportedly attracted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Women’s Super League champions Chelsea. The 26-year-old midfielder has made over 150 appearances for the Catalan club after graduating from their academy. Talks have been ongoing for several months, with both parties always hopeful of agreeing a new deal which could see her become the world’s highest paid female player. Earlier this week, Bonmati was confirmed as a nominee for this year’s Ballon d’Or award…

Premier League champions Manchester City will face Inter Milan on 18 September in their first match of this season’s Champions League – in a repeat of the 2023 final in Istanbul. Liverpool travel to AC Milan – the Reds’ opponents in the 2005 and 2007 finals – on 17 September, while Arsenal kick off their campaign with a trip to Atalanta on 19 September. Aston Villa, back in the competition for the first time since 1982-83, travel to Swiss side Young Boys on 17 September. Scottish Premiership champions Celtic host Slovan Bratislava in their opener on 18 September before taking…

Jonathan Haggerty is promising blood and fireworks on his ‘revenge mission’ against Superlek Kiatmoo9 as he looks to defend his ONE Championship bantamweight Muay Thai belt. The double-champ Londoner holds the bantamweight belts in Muay Thai and kickboxing, putting the former strap on the line in Denver on Friday night. His clash with the brilliant Thai known as ‘The Kicking Machine’ is a rematch from a 2018 bout when the young Brit was beaten by a more experience foe, and Haggerty is ready to show Superlek how much has changed in the last six years. ‘It’s a revenge mission, brother,’…

Arsenal considered a move for in-form Brentford forward Bryan Mbuemo during the closing stages of the summer transfer window. Mikel Arteta looked unlikely to strengthen his attack right up until the moment he and Edu pulled off an audacious loan deal to bring Raheem Sterling to the Emirates from Cheslea. Having failed in their attempts to sign the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Nico Williams, Arsenal looked set to rely upon the players which scored a collective 91 goals last season when they finished just two points adrift of champions Manchester City. An injury to Gabriel Jesus, however, forced Arteta’s…

Former Arsenal star Granit Xhaka was labelled a ‘b***h’ by Fulham defender Joachim Andersen following the bad tempered Nations League clash between Denmark and Switzerland. Denmark sealed a 2-0 win on Thursday thanks to late goals from Patrick Dorgu and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg with Xhaka one of two Swiss players sent off. Switzerland were furious with Dorgu’s opener, believing the ball should have been put out of play for a foul on Breel Embolo with Xhaka booked for his protests. The Bayer Leverkusen star picked up his second booking five minutes later for a late challenge on the former Tottenham midfielder.…

Declan Rice and Jack Grealish will be in for a hostile reception when England take on Republic of Ireland in Dublin. The two nations begin their Nations League campaign on Saturday evening with Lee Carsley, a former Ireland international, leading the Three Lions out for the first time since being named interim manager. The connections don’t stop there. Rice and Grealish are hoping to start against the country they both previously played for – with boos expected from Irish fans who haven’t forgotten or forgiven. When did Declan Rice play for Ireland? Born and raised in Kingston-Upon-Thames, Rice qualified for…

Ali Truwit completed one of the most astonishing success stories of the Paralympics, winning a silver medal just 16 months on from losing a leg in a vicious shark attack. The American fought off the animal last year in the waters of Turks and Caicos in the Atlantic Ocean, but it came at a significant cost. Having miraculously survived the attack, Truwit swam 70 metres to the safety of a boat, but not in time to save her left leg which was subsequently amputated. Undeterred by a setback that would have ended the sporting ambitions of a lesser mortal, Truwit…

The dawn of a new era for England is here as Lee Carsley begins his reign with a Nations League clash against the Republic of Ireland. The Three Lions travel to Dublin on Saturday evening with interim manager Carsley looking to prove he can be Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor. And if his first squad selection is anything to go by, the new boss isn’t afraid to take risks and make big changes, calling up nine players who weren’t selected for Euro 2024. This includes four uncapped stars: Tino Livramento, Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White and Noni Madueke. The quartet are among…

Great Britain’s Sarah Storey has added to her record haul of Paralympic gold medals after seeing off French rider Heidi Gaugain in a dramatic finale of their women’s C4-5 road race. Storey, 46, secured her 19th gold medal in Paris on Friday morning but was made to survive a late scare having been part of the leading pack for much of the race. With less than 2km of the 71km race to go, Gaugain burst forward on the final climb and took the lead. Storey recovered, however, crossing the line just inches ahead of her rival – 27 years her…

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has provided a repeat of his lewd World Cup-winning antics – having his way with a replica of the Copa America trophy on Thursday night. Argentina won their third World Cup after a penalty shoot-out victory over France in Qatar in 2022 with the Aston Villa goalkeeper taking centre stage during the jubilant post-match celebrations. Having also been handed the Golden Glove award, Martinez lowered the trophy to his groin and thrust it toward the crowd. The former Arsenal shot stopper enjoyed himself in front of bemused-looking Qatari officials in one of the most memorable moments…