FIFA has joined UEFA and Europe s leading leagues and football associations in condemning the announcement of a new European Super League.

Widespread media reports emerged on Sunday suggesting 12 teams – six from England, three from Spain and three from Italy – had elected to form a breakaway competition.

Reigning European champions Bayern Munich and last season s Champions League runners-up Paris Saint-Germain are not currently involved, though the official announcement of the competition made an intention to include more teams clear.

UEFA had been set to announce changes to the Champions League from 2024 onwards on Monday, were vociferous in their opposition, and proposed sanctions included banning the 12 member clubs from their competitions.

The Pr…

Ella Toone says she feels “ready and prepared” to launch into a World Cup summer with England on Monday, three weeks after the conclusion of the Women’s Super League season.

Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman had long planned for a pre-tournament camp to start on June 19, but there was uncertainty when she named her World Cup squad on May 31 as talks continued over the timing of players being released for duty ahead of the showpiece in Australia and New Zealand, which gets under way on July 20.

The European Club Association had in April highlighted July 10 as the earliest date for player release under FIFA regulations, and in mid-May the two bodies proposed June 23-29 as a guideline timeframe that they said “(struck) the all-important balance between players having su…

Brentford manager Thomas Frank has revealed that he doesn t think goalkeeper David Raya will accept a new conrtact proposal from the club, having already rejected two very good ones. That would mean the 27-year-old leaving the Community Stadium at the end of next season, when his current deal expires, at the latest. Asked for his thoughts on Raya s value in today s market, Frank set it at £40 million minimum, but added that it would be at least £70m if there were three years left on the contract.

Raya has done extremely well since his arrival to Brenford in 2019, for a reported fee of just £3m. In 144 appearances for the Bees in all competitions so far in which he conceded as many goals, he kept a clean sheet on 50 occasions. He s also earned two caps as a Spain internationa…

Mats Hummels Germany comeback was marred by an own goal as Euro 2020 favourites France started their campaign with a 1-0 victory in Munich.

Hummels, who scored the winner when Germany knocked France out of the 2014 World Cup, had been in international exile since 2018, yet his return hardly went to plan as he turned into Germany s net 20 minutes into the Group F encounter.

Joachim Low s side never seemed to settle against France s press, and were perhaps fortunate to see Antonio Rudiger go unpunished for a possible bite on Paul Pogba.

Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema had goals disallowed for offside, but Les Blues – who also hit the post through Adrien Rabiot – were not made to pay as they went unbeaten in a Euro opener for a ninth straight time.

A s…

Liverpool will be needing a new name in the Anfield dugout in the summer, with manager Jurgen Klopp set to leave the club. The man they ve mostly been linked in that aspect is their former midfielder Xabi Alonso, currently guiding Bayer Leverkusen towards the Bundesliga title, but should they fail to secure his services, according to , the Merseysiders will likely turn their attention to Brighton and Hove Albion s Roberto De Zerbi.

The Seagulls appointed De Zerbi in September 2022, and the 44-year-old Italian has continued their rise through the Premier League previously conducted by Graham Potter, and has even led them to their first European campaign this season. He is under contract at the Amex Stadium until the summer of 2026.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are determined to …

Steve Clarke has signed a new deal to remain Scotland head coach until 2026.

Clarke, who was appointed in 2019, will stay in charge of the national team until after the next World Cup in Canada, Mexico and United States.

The 59-year-old s new deal was announced ahead of Scotland s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, which they start with a double-header against Cyprus and Spain at Hampden Park.

Clarke masterminded Scotland s promotion to UEFA Nations League Group A last year and is determined to guide them to a major tournament.

New campaign, new contract

Steve Clarke has signed a new contract to remain as Scotland Men s National Team Head Coach until 2026.

— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT)

He said: I am proud that my coaching t…

Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Roberto Firmino from Liverpool, according to . The Brazil international forward will cost the La Liga champions €40 million. 

Former Premier League champions Liverpool are keen on signing Karim Adeyemi from RB Salzburg. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told his bosses to get him the 19-year-old striker, who will cost €20 million. If the youngster joins, then the Merseyside club will be open to selling 29-year-old Firmino.

Firmino has been on the books of Liverpool since 2015 when he joined from Hoffenheim. The Brazil international forward has helped the Reds win the Champions League and the Premier League in recent years. Firmino has scored 67 goals in 214 Premier League appearances for Liverpool.

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Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged it will not be for him to decide what constitutes success in his debut season as Chelsea manager ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool.

The Argentinian will be the fifth coach to lead the team in a Premier League match since Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium bought the club last May and is tasked with picking up the pieces of a disastrous campaign that saw Chelsea finish 12th last season.

As with Boehly’s first two transfer windows, there has been a significant turnover of players this summer, with 10 first-team players released or sold and a further six brought in.

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)

That flux has been a feature of the American’s time at the helm, with a sweeping clearout of both pl…

Matty Cash’s first Aston Villa goals in over a year inspired Unai Emery’s side to a 3-1 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor.

Cash came into the side as the only unenforced change from Villa’s 5-0 midweek Europa Conference League play-off win over Hibernian, and ensured there was no European hangover for his side as he scored twice in the opening 20 minutes.

Lyle Foster gave Burnley hope with a powerful strike two minutes into the second half, but Moussa Diaby restored Villa’s two-goal advantage just after the hour as they ended a five-match winless league run on the road.

Back-to-back wins.

UP THE VILLA!

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial)

Burnley built their Sky Bet Championship title on the back of a 21-match unbeaten run at home, …

Real Madrid suffered their first LaLiga defeat of the season as Lago Junior s early strike earned Real Mallorca a shock 1-0 victory at Son Moix.

With Barcelona having leapfrogged Zinedine Zidane s side to lead the way in LaLiga earlier on Saturday, Madrid needed a victory to move back to the top of the pile.

But Mallorca had other ideas and Lago stunned Madrid seven minutes by sending what was the home side s only shot on target in the entire match into the bottom-right corner.

Karim Benzema hit the crossbar before substitute Rodrygo Goes squandered a presentable chance and Madrid s hopes of a comeback were all but over when Alvaro Odriozola saw red in the 74th minute, with Mallorca holding firm to claim their first win over Los Blancos since 2009.

Madr…