Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Coventry City at the Coventry Building Society Arena (14:00 BST). Hurzeler added that he expects Karou Mitoma to return from his long-term problem "more after the international break".
Manchester United are one of the sides in action later on (Picture: Getty) The Champions League continues tonight with six games taking place this evening – despite it being a Thursday. While Tuesday and Wednesday fixtures are a traditional part of the competition, games taking place on a Thursday are a less familiar sight for Champions League audiences. This is because UEFA has decided that the first week of the Champions League should be exclusive to the competition, with no fixtures from the Europa League and Conference League taking place. The Europa League’s exclusive week, meanwhile, will take place on Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro's football newsletter Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free. After the exclusive first week, the Champions League will revert back to its usual schedule with games staged across Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Incidentally, the Europa League will also return to its Thursday night programme from the second matchday onwards. Bayern Munich have had to wait until tonight to get their campaign underway (Picture: Getty) Manchester United are amongst the teams who will be playing in the Champions League tonight, with Michael Carrick’s men hosting Azerbaijani side Sabah at Old Trafford. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich welcome last season’s surprise package Bodo/Glimt to the Allianz Arena, while Champions League debutants Como play RB Leipzig. Tonight's Champions League fixtures 8pm kick-off unless otherwise stated Thursday, September 10 Fenerbahce vs Roma (5.45pm) PSV vs Shakhtar Donetsk (5.45pm) Bayern vs Bodo/Glimt Slavia Praha vs Lens Como vs RB Leipzig Man Utd vs Sabah What about the early kick-offs? The opening round of fixtures consists of six games starting at 5.45pm, and the early matches will continue to be a part of the Champions League schedule throughout the season. The early kick-off time was introduced by UEFA for its club competitions in 2021 in an attempt to boost international viewing figures for matches. The move hasn’t been universally popular, however, with one common complaint being that fans commuting home from work often miss the start of the match on TV. The early start also leaves little time for match-going supporters to reach the stadium on time after work – and not to mention the fact they are often travelling during peak public transport times. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Robin Gosens’ Bundesliga debut for boyhood club Schalke may not have gone to plan, but he played a pivotal role in his second outing, keeping Bayern Munich’s right side quiet as the teams played out a goalless draw at the VELTINS-Arena. Now, a visit to former club Union Berlin is on the horizon, and he will be eager to get his first three points in Royal Blue in the capital…
While including Raphinha and leaving Neymar and Casemiro out, head coach Carlo Ancelotti has dropped a total of 15 players from his 2026 World Cup squad for the upcoming international window. Carlo Ancelotti has initiated the blueprint for his second World Cup cycle following a disappointing round-of-16 exit against Norway. Omitting established stars like Neymar and Casemiro while recalling Barcelona winger Raphinha, the Italian manager released a transformed squad list that drops 15 players from the roster that featured in the 2026 World Cup across North America. Following a 2-1 defeat to Norway, Neymar confirmed his international retirement, signaling the end of his career with the national team. Midfielder Casemiro was similarly expected to step away from international duty after departing European football to sign with Inter Miami at age 34. However, Ancelotti expanded beyond those expected departures, executing a sweeping roster overhaul for the upcoming international window. Of the 26 players who traveled to North America for the World Cup, 15 were omitted, making way for eight first-time call-ups to the senior squad. Ancelotti’s new 26-player roster Goalkeepers: Hugo Souza (Corinthians), Pedro Morisco (Coritiba), and Otavio (Cruzeiro)Defenders: Arthur Dias (Athletico Paranaense), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Jair (Nottingham Forest), Marquinhos (PSG), Mateuzinho (Corinthians), Mauro Jr (PSV Eindhoven), Vitor Reis (Manchester City), and Wesley (AS Roma)Midfielders: Andrey Santos (Manchester City), Breno Bidon (Corinthians), Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal), Danilo (Botafogo), Douglas Luiz (Juventus), and Gabriel Bontempo (Santos)Forwards: Endrick (Real Madrid), Estevao (Chelsea), Joao Pedro (Chelsea), Pedro (Flamengo), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Samuel Lino (Flamengo), and Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) 26 CONVOCADOS! 🇧🇷A Seleção está pronta para novos desafios: dois jogos contra a Austrália e o primeiro confronto da história contra a Índia.25/09 | Austrália29/09 | Austrália03/10 | ÍndiaISSO É BRASIL! 🇧🇷#BateNoPeito pic.twitter.com/Yht5SuOHjr— brasil (@CBF_Futebol) September 9, 2026 Through these selections, Ancelotti reaffirmed his commitment to integrating a younger generation of talent into the national team setup while holding the base of huge names such as Raphinha and Vinicius Junior as preparations begin for the 2030 World Cup cycle. The transition represents an imperative structural pivot given the advanced age of the previous roster. During the 2026 World Cup, Brazil fielded the seventh-oldest squad in the tournament with an average age of 29.3 years, trailing only Iran, Panama, Colombia, Qatar, Cape Verde, and Scotland. Data from Transfermarkt indicates Ancelotti’s revised selection averages 24.9 years of age, reducing the roster’s collective age profile by nearly five full years. High-profile exclusions from the squad Marking an official roster transition, the full list of players omitted from Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad includes Alisson, Ederson, Weverton, Alex Sandro, Gleison Bremer, Leo Pereira, Roger Ibanez, Danilo, Fabinho, Casemiro, Luiz Henrique, Gabriel Martinelli, Matheus Cunha, Igor Thiago, and Neymar. While absent from the upcoming autumn window, select players remain within Ancelotti’s long-term pool. While veterans like Neymar, Casemiro, Alex Sandro, and Danilo are unlikely to return, prime-age contributors such as Matheus Cunha (27), Gabriel Martinelli (25), and Igor Thiago (25) are expected to feature in future squad selections. Ancelotti’s roster overhaul drew public criticism from former defender Thiago Silva regarding the lack of veteran leadership, an issue the head coach directly addressed during Wednesday’s press conference: “For the objectives we have in these friendlies, it is a balanced list. Right now is a moment to prioritize the young players who have potential and could be there in the future. One thing is certain: a 34 or 35-year-old player won’t h
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