Football News

The European Union's top court said Friday that some FIFA rules on player transfers can conflict with European Union legislation relating to competition and freedom of movement. The court's ruling came after former France international Lassana Diarra legally challenged FIFA rules following a dispute with a club dating back to a decade ago. Diarra had signed a four-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2013. The deal was terminated a year later after Diarra was unhappy with alleged pay cuts.

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford was substituted at half time during his side's Europa League clash away to Porto. Rashford had given United the lead in the seventh minute but didn't emerge for the second half, with Alejandro Garnacho entering the fray.

ISAAN KHAN: From fighting off a baseball bat-wielding robber three years ago to becoming one of the Premier League 's most-feared defenders, Gabriel Magalhaes is no stranger to confrontation in tight spaces. The Brazilian centre back's transformation has made him a pillar of Arsenal 's backline - and, crucially, the key to their set-piece plans. The 26-year-old has scored twice from corners this season: a bullet header to seal a 1-0 win over Tottenham and another header in the hard-fought 2-2 draw with Manchester City .

CHRIS WHEELER AT ESTADIO DO DRAGAO: What Ten Hag wanted was a response to Sunday's limp defeat by Tottenham. What he got was another of those crazy European nights from United that became a hallmark of his second season at Old Trafford. Think Bayern Munich, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray (twice). Four high-scoring games in which United displayed a horrible knack for conceding goals in quick succession, losing three of them and drawing one.

SAMI MOKBEL: Slumped in his chair in the immediate aftermath of Tottenham's north London derby defeat, Brennan Johnson reached for his phone. He scrolled. He scrolled some more. Before he knew it, Johnson was lost in an abyss of social media hate. Not only that, the abuse was from accounts purporting to be Tottenham fans. Later that night, after seeking advice from loved ones, he took a decision to deactivate his Instagram account.

Luis Suarez has lifted the lid on how Marcelo Bielsa has created a toxic workplace environment within the Uruguay national team, claiming it 'breaks my heart.' Bielsa took the reins of the two-time World Cup winners in May 2023 from caretaker manager Marcelo Broli after Diego Alonso resigned having failed to guide Uruguay out of the group stage at the 2022 World Cup. Despite Bielsa's pedigree, Suarez revealed the culture set by the former Leeds United boss is not a pleasant one.

NATHAN SALT AT ESTADIO DO DRAGAO: United have now won just one of their last 10 games in Europe under the Dutchman and were left scratching their heads with how this one got away with them having raced into a 2-0 lead in the first half. Porto punished United with 'unnecessary' goals in the eyes of Ten Hag before Harry Maguire, sent on from the bench, salvaged a precious point in this Europa League campaign.

MATT BARLOW AT THE GROUPAMA ARENA: Postecoglou's teens were Archie Gray, who spent the first half in central defence before switching to left back and was wonderfully composed and unruffled in both roles, and Lucas Bergvall in midfield, both 18. Mikey Moore at 17 was making his first start, initially wide on the right and later on the left. Will Lankshear, 19, made his debut up front. Lankshear, signed for £2million from Sheffield United in 2022, was prolific for Tottenham's Under-21s last season.

England's interim manager Lee Carsley has conceded he cannot fit Jude Bellingham , Phil Foden and Cole Palmer into the same side in the forthcoming Nations League matches. The trio were named yesterday in England's squad for the games against Greece and Finland - the first time Carsley has had the luxury of picking all three. But while the boss did not rule out unleashing them together in the future, doing so in this set of fixtures is unlikely.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has been charged with misconduct by the FA after he displayed 'improper' behaviour in the aftermath of his side's defeat to Fulham. The club once again blasted the standard of refereeing in the top flight over the weekend, claiming it was 'destroying the Premier League ' after their 1-0 loss to the Cottagers. Forest were reportedly aggrieved that Fulham were awarded their winning penalty by VAR while they were denied two spot-kicks by reviews in Stockley Park. It comes after their extraordinary statement in April when they blasted 'three extremely poor decisions' regarding penalty calls that went against them in a 2-0 loss to Everton .

Ange Postecoglou's side headed to Budapest to take on the Hungarian champions in the second round of matches in the league phase of the competition having beaten Qarabag 3-0 at home a week ago. Their opponents have been a recent dominant force in their domestic league and were the better side early doors, though Tottenham grew into the game and took the lead in the first half through Pape Matar Sarr. The goal left Spurs fans celebrating but those watching on were left frustrated before the goal due to a TNT Sports blunder.

Lee Carsley has insisted that Harry Maguire has a future with England despite finding no space for the defender in his most recent squad. The interim Three Lions boss was once again bold with his selections as England prepare for Nations League clashes with Greece and Finland later this month. Carsley picked just seven defenders, with Kyle Walker earning his way back into the squad despite not featuring in a competitive fixture for club or country since England's heartbreaking Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain in July.

England star Jude Bellingham (left) is reportedly struggling in his new role at Real Madrid after Kylian Mbappe's arrival forced manager Carlo Ancelotti (inset) to make changes. A squad already packed with superstar talents was boosted by Mbappe's blockbuster arrival as he ran down his contract at PSG and make a sensational free transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu.

TOM COLLOMOSSE: It was a little after 10pm on one of the greatest nights Villa Park has witnessed and Unai Emery was thinking about beating the former European champions. Not Bayern Munich. Villa's 1-0 win over the German giants will live long in the memory but a matter of minutes after the final whistle, Emery's thoughts had already moved to taking down another huge name of the global game - Manchester United. As Villa players celebrated wildly in the dressing room, Emery was already talking about facing Erik ten Hag's beleaguered side at Villa Park on Sunday. The Basque's reign began with a 3-1 home win over United and nearly two years later, a repeat could end the Dutchman's tenure at Old Trafford.

A former Premier League star made a guest appearance on the latest episode of the Soccer A-Z podcast - and looked completely unrecognisable from his playing days. This week, the Soccer A-Z gang delivered their best words beginning with the letter D that are associated with football. 'Diving' and 'Di Canio' were both mentioned, while Robbie Knox threw a top-flight cult hero into the mix whose first name begins with D.

Erik ten Hag's tenure at Manchester United hit a new low on Sunday as his side were thumped 3-0 by Tottenham.  The defeat has further ramped up the pressure on the Dutchman as United's difficult start to the season continued, with the Red Devils having lost three of their opening six Premier League games, while they also drew against FC Twente in the Europa League. Reports have claimed the Dutchman will at least be in charge for the next two games, and things aren't going to get much easier for Ten Hag with a brutal fixture list over the next month.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to kick him out of the club after the pair got into a heated dressing room row. Schmeichel was an integral part of United's winning machine during his seven years at the club between 1991 and 1999.  He won five league titles and finished on the ultimate high of a Champions League triumph to complete a historic Treble in his final season.