International Football Thread

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Brighton vs Chelsea 3-0: Mitoma scores as Seagulls stun lackluster Chelsea​

Mitoma's brilliance and Minteh’s brace sink Chelsea 3-0, piling pressure on Maresca as Brighton boost European hopes.

Sports Desk
February 15, 2025

Kaoru Mitoma’s stunning opener and a Yankuba Minteh brace led Brighton to a dominant 3-0 win over Chelsea, handing Enzo Maresca his worst defeat since taking charge.

 

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Here's what Man Utd would receive from controversial Mason Greenwood sale​

Man Utd could receive millions from Mason Greenwood’s potential transfer from PSG due to a 50% sell-on clause.

Sports Desk
February 18, 2025

Manchester United stand to gain a significant financial boost if Mason Greenwood's proposed transfer from Marseille to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) materialises.

Reports indicate that PSG have submitted a formal offer of £62 million for the 23-year-old forward.

Due to a 50% sell-on clause negotiated during Greenwood's move to Marseille, Manchester United could receive £31 million from this deal.

Greenwood, who progressed through Manchester United's youth system, was sold to Marseille in the summer for £23.3 million.

The transfer included a substantial 50% sell-on clause, ensuring United would benefit from any future sale.

Since joining Marseille, Greenwood has made a notable impact, scoring 14 goals and providing 3 assists in 22 Ligue 1 appearances.

 

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Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano: Lewandowski scores as Barca go top of La Liga​

Lewandowski’s penalty helps Barcelona edge Rayo Vallecano and reclaim the top spot in La Liga.

Sports Desk
February 18, 2025

Barcelona edged past Rayo Vallecano with a narrow victory to reclaim the top spot in La Liga for the first time since December.


Robert Lewandowski’s first-half penalty proved decisive as Barcelona capitalised on Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid dropping points in 1-1 draws.

The Poland striker converted from the spot, sending his effort in off the post for his 20th league goal of the season after a contentious video assistant referee (VAR) decision.

Rayo midfielder Pathé Ciss was penalised for pulling down Iñigo Martínez in the box, despite the Barcelona defender being unlikely to reach the ball ahead of goalkeeper Augusto Batalla.

The visitors protested when a similar incident involving Ciss in their favour was not awarded.

Rayo thought they had levelled when Jorge de Frutos found the net, but Randy Nteka was adjudged offside for interfering with Martínez’s ability to challenge.

Barcelona missed further chances to extend their lead and survived a late scare when De Frutos headed over in stoppage time.

 

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Cristiano Ronaldo misses Persepolis-Al Nassr, but Saudi legacy speaks volumes​

Ronaldo misses Persepolis vs Al Nassr, but his legacy on Saudi football remains unmatched, two years after Europe.

Sports Desk
February 17, 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo missed Persepolis vs Al-Nassr, but his impact on Saudi football remains undeniable.

Two years after leaving Europe, he's gone from written off to rewriting history.

Saudi records, goals, and a footballing revolution

Doubts surrounded his Saudi move due to his controversial Manchester United exit, but Ronaldo wasted no time shutting them down.

He made his Al-Nassr debut in January 2023, scored in his second game, then smashed four past Al Wehda.

Fast forward, and he’s the Saudi Pro League’s all-time single-season top scorer with 35 goals, the first player to lead scoring charts in four different leagues, and the undisputed face of a football revolution in the region.

Has he proven critics wrong again?

Two years on from the messy split with Manchester United and zero serious offers from Europe, critics claimed Ronaldo’s career was fizzling out.

Instead, he lit up Saudi Arabia, bagged 54 goals in 2023—the most worldwide out of any top league—and led Al-Nassr to Arab Club Champions Cup glory.

His influence stretched beyond the pitch, potentially luring global stars like Mohamed Salah to a league once seen as an afterthought.

Current superstars at the Roshn Saudi League include Ronaldo's old partner Karim Benzema playing for Al-Ittihad.

 

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Tottenham vs Man Utd 1-0: Madison shushes tepid United by scoring​

James Maddison's early goal secured Tottenham a 1-0 win over Manchester United, ending their three-game winless run.

Sports Desk
February 16, 2025

James Maddison netted the decisive goal on his comeback from injury as Tottenham secured a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in a battle of struggling Premier League sides.

Maddison, sidelined for nearly four weeks with a calf issue, capitalised on a rebound in the 13th minute after United goalkeeper Andre Onana parried Lucas Bergvall's effort, slotting home from close range.

United had opportunities to respond, most notably a couple which Alejandro Garnacho missed during both halfs, but another lacklustre performance saw them leave empty-handed.

The result ended Tottenham’s three-game winless run, including back-to-back cup defeats against Liverpool and Aston Villa, and lifted them to 12th in the table, ahead of United.

Ruben Amorim’s depleted Red Devils have now lost three of their last four league matches and drop to 15th, though they remain 12 points above the relegation zone.

Curiously, Ruben Amorim's substitutes had 8 of 9 academy players. This does raise to question of how serious the mid-week injury crisis really was.

 

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Liverpool's quadruple dream ended​

They suffered a shocking defeat by Plymouth

Reuters
February 11, 2025

PLYMOUTH: Liverpool's quest for a quadruple came to a crashing halt on Sunday as they were dumped out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat by Championship strugglers Plymouth.Ryan Hardie scored the only goal from the penalty spot as Arne Slot was made to pay for resting his star names as he suffered just a fourth defeat in 38 games as Liverpool boss.

Plymouth sit rock bottom of the English second tier, but have now taken two Premier League scalps on their way into round five after winning at Brentford in round three.

"We all came here today with a dream and we have done it," said Hardie.

Slot made 10 changes from the side that thrashed Tottenham 4-0 on Thursday to reach the League Cup final.Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo were among those left completely out the squad, but Liverpool still started with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa in attack.

Yet, the Reds' fringe players did little to make their case for more playing time as they succumbed to one of the FA Cup's great shocks.

"We were not having a very good day. A result like this is the outcome," said Slot.

"I can't say the boys didn't fight, both teams barely created a chance and then it was a penalty. In a game like this, it is up to one moment. That moment was for them and they deserve it."

Hardie kept his cool to drill home the penalty after Harvey Elliott handled Darko Gyabi's flick on 53 minutes.

Moments later it needed a fine save from Caoimhin Kelleher to deny Hardie a second.

Slot threw on Darwin Nunez to add more firepower to the forward line, but Plymouth stood strong thanks to a pair of stunning late saves from Connor Hazard. Jota's strike that was headed for the top corner was clawed away by the Northern Ireland international before he tipped over Nunez's header deep into nine minutes of stoppage time.

"I'm speechless, and normally they tell me I'm eloquent! It's a big moment, day for us," said Plymouth boss Miron Muslic, who replaced the sacked Wayne Rooney last month.

 

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Bayern Munich withdraws contract offer for Joshua Kimmich​

Bayern Munich has pulled its contract offer for Joshua Kimmich as talks stall, raising uncertainty over his future.

Sports Desk
February 27, 2025

Bayern Munich has withdrawn its contract offer for Joshua Kimmich after months of negotiations, raising uncertainty over the midfielder’s future at the club.

Kimmich, 30, whose contract expires this summer, could leave as a free agent. Despite initially seeking a reduced salary, Bayern reportedly improved their proposal due to his strong performances this season.

 

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Matt Beard sacked as Liverpool FC Women's coach​

Sports Desk

Liverpool sack Matt Beard with club seventh in WSL, Amber Whiteley takes interim charge.

 

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FA Cup: Semi-automated offsides to be used in Aston Villa vs Cardiff City​

SAOT will debut in the FA Cup fifth round, improving offside decisions with faster, more consistent VAR technology.

Sports Desk
February 28, 2025

Semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) will be implemented for the first time in English football during the fifth round of the 2024-25 Emirates FA Cup, featuring in seven ties where Premier League teams are playing at home.

The system, developed in collaboration with the Premier League, PGMOL, and Genius Sports, aims to improve the speed, efficiency, and consistency of offside decision-making without altering accuracy. It will automate key elements of the offside review process while maintaining human oversight from the video assistant referee (VAR).

How SAOT works​

SAOT uses up to 30 newly installed stadium cameras, capturing footage at 100 frames per second to track the ball’s movement and up to 10,000 surface data points per player. The technology automatically generates offside lines and kick-point data, reducing the time required for VAR officials to manually draw lines and verify decisions.

 

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Once the system determines an offside position, the VAR confirms the decision before a 3D virtual replay is displayed on stadium screens and broadcasts. The visual representation includes red and green lines to indicate offside and onside positions, with a white vertical wall marking the offside line.

Impact on officiating and match experience​

The introduction of SAOT is expected to reduce offside decision times by approximately 30 seconds. However, it will not change the existing offside rule or increase the number of disallowed goals. The Premier League has retained ‘thicker’ offside lines to prevent marginal ‘toenail’ offsides, ensuring consistency with the approach introduced in the 2021-22 season.

 

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Future implementation​

SAOT has been used in UEFA and FIFA competitions, but its introduction in English football marks a significant step toward streamlining officiating decisions. While the technology is not yet fully automated, its use in the FA Cup could pave the way for adoption in future Premier League seasons.

 

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Dynamo to compensate fans with free ticket after Miami’s Messi skips clash​

Houston Dynamo have said they will offer their fans a complimentary ticket for a future home game after Lionel Messi...

 

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Man City survive Cup scare as O’Reilly double helps them past Plymouth​

MANCHESTER: Manchester City survived an FA Cup scare for the second round in succession as they beat Championship...