Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 2-1 in La Liga. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 37 stage in the 2019 season. The match was played at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano in Madrid. Alejandro Hernández officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Real Madrid vs Villarreal meeting in La Liga with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Real Madrid and Villarreal. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
La LigaRecorded meetings: 11 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 2-1 in La Liga. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 37 stage in the 2019 season. The match was played at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano in Madrid. Alejandro Hernández officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Real Madrid vs Villarreal meeting in La Liga with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Real Madrid and Villarreal. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
La LigaRecorded meetings: 11 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
So, what would Man City get for their £120million if they choose to pay up for Enzo? Well, what some might call a 'character'. Maresca, though, gets a player he trusts more than any other.
Ahead of the beginning of the 2026-27 season without, Cristiano Ronaldo's new coach Ange Postecoglou made an honest take on Al Nassr's trophy hopes: "I don't promise anything." Cristiano Ronaldo has officially rejoined his teammates and completed his first training session at Al Nassr as the squad prepares for the 2026-27 season under new management. However, new head coach Ange Postecoglou was quick to temper expectations ahead of the upcoming campaign, stating plainly: “I do not promise anything.“ Last season, Jorge Jesus was appointed by Al Nassr to snap a multi-year silverware drought, ultimately guiding the club to a Saudi Pro League title. With Jesus now taking charge of the Portugal national team, Postecoglou was brought in as his replacement, tasked with maintaining that championship momentum. Speaking at Thursday’s press conference at the Dar Al Nassr training complex, Postecoglou was asked about the road ahead following a demanding preseason in which Al Nassr posted a 1-3 record: “When we spoke about the challenges, we were aware that there were different circumstances and challenges, but whatever the circumstances, we have to deal with them and prepare well.“ While he stopped short of guaranteeing trophies, the new Al Nassr boss made no secret of his ambition for his debut campaign in Saudi Arabia. “Of course, I do not promise anything, and I have always achieved something in my first season,” he said. “The matter is simply that wherever I go, I love to achieve success,” he added. The captain is back. The message is clear 💛Coach Ange: “The league starts today” 🟡 pic.twitter.com/I8BLGWgPIo— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 13, 2026 Unlike last season, Al Nassr will be competing in the AFC Champions League Elite, Asia’s premier continental tournament, alongside their domestic duties in the Saudi Pro League, the King’s Cup, and the Saudi Super Cup. Ronaldo’s side missed out on the top competition last year, finishing as runners-up in the AFC Champions League Two, but punched their ticket back to the elite tier by winning the SPL title. Postecoglou and his second-season pedigree Under contract through June 2028, Postecoglou’s tenure with the Saudi club extends beyond Ronaldo’s current deal, which runs through June 2027. However, much of the Australian manager’s famed track record has come during his second years in charge, a pattern he readily acknowledges. During his time at Tottenham Hotspur, he famously declared, “I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed. I don’t say things unless I believe them,” a claim that has consistently held up. That history of second-year triumphs spans stops at South Melbourne, Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos, Celtic, and Tottenham, where he ended the club’s 17-year trophy drought by winning the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League. Postecoglou also became the first manager from his country to take charge of a Saudi Pro League side, a milestone he proudly highlighted. “I am proud of where I am working now. I am an Australian born in Greece, and I have become the first Australian coach in Saudi Arabia, just as I was in England and Japan,” he said during the press conference.
In a recent report, The Athletic revealed that Manchester City are keen on signing Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez this summer. It has been mentioned that the Mancunian club have been given a deadli...
PSG were crowned UEFA Super Cup champions for the second year in a row, joining Real Madrid and AC Milan in an impressive record. PSG have become just the third club in history to win the UEFA Super Cup in back-to-back years, following their 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in Salzburg. The French club now sits alongside Real Madrid and AC Milan as the only teams to ever retain the trophy in consecutive editions of the competition. PSG‘s run began with their 2025 triumph, a penalty shootout win over Tottenham after a 2-2 draw, and now continues with this year’s success against Villa to complete the double. It’s a remarkable stretch for a club that has rapidly built one of the most dominant runs in recent European soccer under manager Luis Enrique. Real Madrid were the last club to manage the feat, winning in both 2016 and 2017 during the height of their Champions League dynasty under Zinédine Zidane. Before that, the only other team to achieve back-to-back Super Cup titles was AC Milan, who won in both 1989 and 1990. Notably, that puts PSG ahead of clubs like Ajax, who won the competition in 1972 and 1974 but never managed consecutive titles, since the tournament wasn’t held in 1973. Superchampions d'Europe ! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/9AUlVrARrS— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) August 12, 2026 PSG’s dominance over English clubs in Europe PSG’s back-to-back Super Cup triumphs are part of a broader trend: the French club has won all eight knockout ties and finals they’ve played against English opposition in UEFA competitions over the past two seasons. That run includes Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16 (2025), Aston Villa in the quarterfinals (2025), Arsenal in the semifinals (2025), and Tottenham in the Super Cup (2025), followed by Chelsea in the round of 16 (2026), Liverpool again in the quarterfinals (2026), Arsenal again in the final (2026), and now Aston Villa once more in this year’s Super Cup. It’s worth noting, however, that this perfect record is specific to UEFA competitions. PSG’s run doesn’t extend to the FIFA Club World Cup, where Chelsea beat them 3-0 in the July 2025 final.
Mourinho has refused to apologise to Carneiro for their infamous touchline row which saw him allegedly brand her a 'daughter of a whore' in Portuguese.
Arsenal are not backing down in the race to sign Julián Álvarez, amid Barcelona's pursuit of the Argentine forward. Arsenal are refusing to step away from the race for Julián Álvarez, positioning themselves to move quickly if Barcelona’s pursuit of the Argentine forward ultimately falls through. According to reporting from TEAMtalk, the Gunners continue to monitor the situation closely rather than pursuing him outright while Barcelona remain the player’s preferred destination. Much of Arsenal’s positioning comes down to their sporting director, Andrea Berta, a former Atlético Madrid executive who remains in close contact with Atlético CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín. That relationship gives Arsenal a direct line into how the Álvarez situation is developing internally at Atlético, and the club is prepared to step in and meet Atlético’s demands quickly should Barcelona’s efforts stall. Barcelona have already tested the waters with a €100 million offer, which Atlético rejected outright. That rejection came before a meeting between Álvarez and manager Diego Simeone, in which the Argentine reportedly sought his coach’s support in pushing the move through — support Simeone declined to give, stating the decision belongs entirely to the club’s leadership. Marcos Llorente, Álex Baena, Julián Alvarez, and Juan Musso return to training. In the coming days, they will follow a specific work plan before joining the group. pic.twitter.com/7Dcxj5Xoa2— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) August 10, 2026 Despite that resistance, Álvarez has made his intentions clear internally, beginning preseason training on August 10 while continuing to request a transfer. With Atlético standing firm and Barcelona yet to meet their valuation, Arsenal’s patient approach could position them well if the player’s preferred move never materializes. Barcelona’s long pursuit, and how Ferran Torres’ exit could help Barcelona’s interest in Álvarez isn’t new — the club has tracked him for months as a potential heir to Robert Lewandowski up front, with president Joan Laporta long viewed as a driving force behind the pursuit. Atlético, however, have held firm throughout, setting his release clause at €500 million and rejecting Barcelona’s opening offers as nowhere close to what they’d consider. What has shifted recently is Barcelona’s financial picture. With Ferran Torres now closing in on a move to PSG worth €50 million, Barcelona would free up both a squad spot and fresh funds in attack — resources that could be redirected toward improving their offer for Álvarez and finally giving their long-standing pursuit real financial weight behind it.
The 41-year-old has been remarkably consistent with his look down the years but, with his fresh trim, it would now be hard to tell him apart from his old Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes.
Nottingham Forest remain in the frame for the Netherlands international but he is weighing up whether to accept the offer to link up with coach Brendan Rodgers.
Cristiano Ronaldo is back training with Al Nassr, leaving fans wondering when he'll be back on the pitch. Cristiano Ronaldo is back on the training pitch with Al Nassr, but fans will have to wait a little longer to see him make his season debut. According to The Al Nassr Tribune, the Portuguese forward is expected to make his first appearance of the 2026-27 campaign on August 21 against Al Riyadh in the Matchday 2 of the Saudi Pro League. That means Ronaldo will sit out the club’s first two matches of the new season: the league opener against Al Fateh, and the King Cup Round of 32 clash with Al Diriyah just days later. Both absences trace back to the same reason — his recent wedding to Georgina Rodríguez in Portugal, which prompted manager Ange Postecoglou to grant him extended leave. Ronaldo hadn’t taken part in a single Al Nassr training session until today, meaning he now needs time on the training pitch to build up match fitness before he can be considered for selection. Look who just arrived at Nassr 🤩💛 pic.twitter.com/ToSL2uOmB3— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 13, 2026 For now, Postecoglou will have to navigate the opening rounds of the season without his star forward, leaning on the rest of the squad to get points on the board before Ronaldo is expected to slot back into the starting lineup for the trip to face Al Riyadh later this month. Ronaldo’s chase for 1,000 career goals Beyond the return-to-fitness storyline, this season carries extra significance for Ronaldo as he closes in on one of football’s most extraordinary milestones. At 41 years old, the forward sits on 976 career goals — 830 for club and 146 for Portugal — meaning he needs just 24 more to become the first player in history to reach 1,000 official goals. The timeline suggests it’s well within reach. Ronaldo scored 28 goals across all competitions for Al Nassr last season, and if he maintains anything close to that rate once he’s back up to speed, the 1,000-goal mark could realistically fall before the 2026-27 campaign is over.
Gianni Infantino's continuity as FIFA president is highly in doubt as UEFA executives are reportedly looking for his exit and establish a system of rotating presidents in FIFA. Gianni Infantino’s reign as FIFA president is facing serious threat following the fallout from a failed plan to sell World Cup rights to private equity, a move that triggered intense pushback. Now, UEFA executives are reportedly actively plotting his exit while floating a radical proposal to replace the office with a rotating presidency. As first reported by talkSPORT‘s Ben Jacobs, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and European Club Association Chairman (and Paris Saint-Germain President) Nasser Al Khelaifi held a high-stakes meeting in Salzburg, Austria, on the eve of the UEFA Super Cup to address the mounting crisis. With the event taking place in the city, Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe also joined the discussions. European leadership is intent on forcing Infantino to resign or withdraw his candidacy ahead of FIFA’s upcoming election in March following the controversy surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative. If Infantino is ousted, the immediate focus will shift to who UEFA endorses as the next FIFA candidate. Potential frontrunners include CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa. While Al Khelaifi’s name was also raised, he publicly stated after the match that he remains “very happy” in his current role at PSG. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin speak to each other. (Alex Grimm/Getty Images) A UEFA boycott may no longer be necessary When Infantino initially unveiled the FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative, UEFA strongly opposed the measure, threatening a complete boycott of all upcoming FIFA tournaments. That stance was set to take effect as early as the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland (Sept. 5-27), but such drastic action may no longer be required to force Infantino out. According to talkSPORT, Ceferin is prepared to spearhead a vote of no confidence if Infantino refuses to go quietly. That motion could swiftly remove the sitting FIFA president, triggering an expedited electoral process. To introduce a vote of no confidence, 20% of FIFA’s member associations (43 votes) must officially request the motion, a threshold UEFA could easily trigger on its own with its 55 member nations. Once an Extraordinary Congress is convened, Article 30(9) dictates that any vote not explicitly defined in the statutes (which includes a no-confidence vote) requires a simple majority. With 211 total member associations, just 106 votes would formally remove Infantino from office. UEFA Floats a Rotating FIFA Presidency Beyond removing Infantino, European officials are advocating for a fundamental structural overhaul of FIFA’s executive office. As reported by Jacobs, the proposal favors a decentralized governance structure that replaces the traditional, single-leader presidency with a rotating office. The system could also feature a designated chairman alongside a committee of vice-chairs to provide stronger checks and balances, creating an administrative model similar to a modern civil service framework.
OLIVER HOLT: It is not a surprise that Man City are pursuing Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, who in the last couple of years has come to symbolise much that is ugly about the beautiful game.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick took time out to talk to the media who cover the club at the Carton House Hotel in Maynooth on Wednesday. The pre-season 'sit down' is a long-established United tradition. There has only been a couple of occasions when the United boss of the day has refused to co-operate, once during Sir Alex Ferguson's time, the other in Jose Mourinho's.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick wants to keep getting the best out of skipper Bruno Fernandes. The 31-year-old has entered the final year of his contract, although United do have the option to extend it by another year. Ideally, Fernandes would stay at Old Trafford but so far there has been no progress on a new deal.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
So, what would Man City get for their £120million if they choose to pay up for Enzo? Well, what some might call a 'character'. Maresca, though, gets a player he trusts more than any other.
Ahead of the beginning of the 2026-27 season without, Cristiano Ronaldo's new coach Ange Postecoglou made an honest take on Al Nassr's trophy hopes: "I don't promise anything." Cristiano Ronaldo has officially rejoined his teammates and completed his first training session at Al Nassr as the squad prepares for the 2026-27 season under new management. However, new head coach Ange Postecoglou was quick to temper expectations ahead of the upcoming campaign, stating plainly: “I do not promise anything.“ Last season, Jorge Jesus was appointed by Al Nassr to snap a multi-year silverware drought, ultimately guiding the club to a Saudi Pro League title. With Jesus now taking charge of the Portugal national team, Postecoglou was brought in as his replacement, tasked with maintaining that championship momentum. Speaking at Thursday’s press conference at the Dar Al Nassr training complex, Postecoglou was asked about the road ahead following a demanding preseason in which Al Nassr posted a 1-3 record: “When we spoke about the challenges, we were aware that there were different circumstances and challenges, but whatever the circumstances, we have to deal with them and prepare well.“ While he stopped short of guaranteeing trophies, the new Al Nassr boss made no secret of his ambition for his debut campaign in Saudi Arabia. “Of course, I do not promise anything, and I have always achieved something in my first season,” he said. “The matter is simply that wherever I go, I love to achieve success,” he added. The captain is back. The message is clear 💛Coach Ange: “The league starts today” 🟡 pic.twitter.com/I8BLGWgPIo— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 13, 2026 Unlike last season, Al Nassr will be competing in the AFC Champions League Elite, Asia’s premier continental tournament, alongside their domestic duties in the Saudi Pro League, the King’s Cup, and the Saudi Super Cup. Ronaldo’s side missed out on the top competition last year, finishing as runners-up in the AFC Champions League Two, but punched their ticket back to the elite tier by winning the SPL title. Postecoglou and his second-season pedigree Under contract through June 2028, Postecoglou’s tenure with the Saudi club extends beyond Ronaldo’s current deal, which runs through June 2027. However, much of the Australian manager’s famed track record has come during his second years in charge, a pattern he readily acknowledges. During his time at Tottenham Hotspur, he famously declared, “I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed. I don’t say things unless I believe them,” a claim that has consistently held up. That history of second-year triumphs spans stops at South Melbourne, Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos, Celtic, and Tottenham, where he ended the club’s 17-year trophy drought by winning the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League. Postecoglou also became the first manager from his country to take charge of a Saudi Pro League side, a milestone he proudly highlighted. “I am proud of where I am working now. I am an Australian born in Greece, and I have become the first Australian coach in Saudi Arabia, just as I was in England and Japan,” he said during the press conference.
In a recent report, The Athletic revealed that Manchester City are keen on signing Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez this summer. It has been mentioned that the Mancunian club have been given a deadli...
PSG were crowned UEFA Super Cup champions for the second year in a row, joining Real Madrid and AC Milan in an impressive record. PSG have become just the third club in history to win the UEFA Super Cup in back-to-back years, following their 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in Salzburg. The French club now sits alongside Real Madrid and AC Milan as the only teams to ever retain the trophy in consecutive editions of the competition. PSG‘s run began with their 2025 triumph, a penalty shootout win over Tottenham after a 2-2 draw, and now continues with this year’s success against Villa to complete the double. It’s a remarkable stretch for a club that has rapidly built one of the most dominant runs in recent European soccer under manager Luis Enrique. Real Madrid were the last club to manage the feat, winning in both 2016 and 2017 during the height of their Champions League dynasty under Zinédine Zidane. Before that, the only other team to achieve back-to-back Super Cup titles was AC Milan, who won in both 1989 and 1990. Notably, that puts PSG ahead of clubs like Ajax, who won the competition in 1972 and 1974 but never managed consecutive titles, since the tournament wasn’t held in 1973. Superchampions d'Europe ! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/9AUlVrARrS— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) August 12, 2026 PSG’s dominance over English clubs in Europe PSG’s back-to-back Super Cup triumphs are part of a broader trend: the French club has won all eight knockout ties and finals they’ve played against English opposition in UEFA competitions over the past two seasons. That run includes Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16 (2025), Aston Villa in the quarterfinals (2025), Arsenal in the semifinals (2025), and Tottenham in the Super Cup (2025), followed by Chelsea in the round of 16 (2026), Liverpool again in the quarterfinals (2026), Arsenal again in the final (2026), and now Aston Villa once more in this year’s Super Cup. It’s worth noting, however, that this perfect record is specific to UEFA competitions. PSG’s run doesn’t extend to the FIFA Club World Cup, where Chelsea beat them 3-0 in the July 2025 final.
Mourinho has refused to apologise to Carneiro for their infamous touchline row which saw him allegedly brand her a 'daughter of a whore' in Portuguese.
Arsenal are not backing down in the race to sign Julián Álvarez, amid Barcelona's pursuit of the Argentine forward. Arsenal are refusing to step away from the race for Julián Álvarez, positioning themselves to move quickly if Barcelona’s pursuit of the Argentine forward ultimately falls through. According to reporting from TEAMtalk, the Gunners continue to monitor the situation closely rather than pursuing him outright while Barcelona remain the player’s preferred destination. Much of Arsenal’s positioning comes down to their sporting director, Andrea Berta, a former Atlético Madrid executive who remains in close contact with Atlético CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín. That relationship gives Arsenal a direct line into how the Álvarez situation is developing internally at Atlético, and the club is prepared to step in and meet Atlético’s demands quickly should Barcelona’s efforts stall. Barcelona have already tested the waters with a €100 million offer, which Atlético rejected outright. That rejection came before a meeting between Álvarez and manager Diego Simeone, in which the Argentine reportedly sought his coach’s support in pushing the move through — support Simeone declined to give, stating the decision belongs entirely to the club’s leadership. Marcos Llorente, Álex Baena, Julián Alvarez, and Juan Musso return to training. In the coming days, they will follow a specific work plan before joining the group. pic.twitter.com/7Dcxj5Xoa2— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) August 10, 2026 Despite that resistance, Álvarez has made his intentions clear internally, beginning preseason training on August 10 while continuing to request a transfer. With Atlético standing firm and Barcelona yet to meet their valuation, Arsenal’s patient approach could position them well if the player’s preferred move never materializes. Barcelona’s long pursuit, and how Ferran Torres’ exit could help Barcelona’s interest in Álvarez isn’t new — the club has tracked him for months as a potential heir to Robert Lewandowski up front, with president Joan Laporta long viewed as a driving force behind the pursuit. Atlético, however, have held firm throughout, setting his release clause at €500 million and rejecting Barcelona’s opening offers as nowhere close to what they’d consider. What has shifted recently is Barcelona’s financial picture. With Ferran Torres now closing in on a move to PSG worth €50 million, Barcelona would free up both a squad spot and fresh funds in attack — resources that could be redirected toward improving their offer for Álvarez and finally giving their long-standing pursuit real financial weight behind it.
The 41-year-old has been remarkably consistent with his look down the years but, with his fresh trim, it would now be hard to tell him apart from his old Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes.
Nottingham Forest remain in the frame for the Netherlands international but he is weighing up whether to accept the offer to link up with coach Brendan Rodgers.
Cristiano Ronaldo is back training with Al Nassr, leaving fans wondering when he'll be back on the pitch. Cristiano Ronaldo is back on the training pitch with Al Nassr, but fans will have to wait a little longer to see him make his season debut. According to The Al Nassr Tribune, the Portuguese forward is expected to make his first appearance of the 2026-27 campaign on August 21 against Al Riyadh in the Matchday 2 of the Saudi Pro League. That means Ronaldo will sit out the club’s first two matches of the new season: the league opener against Al Fateh, and the King Cup Round of 32 clash with Al Diriyah just days later. Both absences trace back to the same reason — his recent wedding to Georgina Rodríguez in Portugal, which prompted manager Ange Postecoglou to grant him extended leave. Ronaldo hadn’t taken part in a single Al Nassr training session until today, meaning he now needs time on the training pitch to build up match fitness before he can be considered for selection. Look who just arrived at Nassr 🤩💛 pic.twitter.com/ToSL2uOmB3— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 13, 2026 For now, Postecoglou will have to navigate the opening rounds of the season without his star forward, leaning on the rest of the squad to get points on the board before Ronaldo is expected to slot back into the starting lineup for the trip to face Al Riyadh later this month. Ronaldo’s chase for 1,000 career goals Beyond the return-to-fitness storyline, this season carries extra significance for Ronaldo as he closes in on one of football’s most extraordinary milestones. At 41 years old, the forward sits on 976 career goals — 830 for club and 146 for Portugal — meaning he needs just 24 more to become the first player in history to reach 1,000 official goals. The timeline suggests it’s well within reach. Ronaldo scored 28 goals across all competitions for Al Nassr last season, and if he maintains anything close to that rate once he’s back up to speed, the 1,000-goal mark could realistically fall before the 2026-27 campaign is over.
Gianni Infantino's continuity as FIFA president is highly in doubt as UEFA executives are reportedly looking for his exit and establish a system of rotating presidents in FIFA. Gianni Infantino’s reign as FIFA president is facing serious threat following the fallout from a failed plan to sell World Cup rights to private equity, a move that triggered intense pushback. Now, UEFA executives are reportedly actively plotting his exit while floating a radical proposal to replace the office with a rotating presidency. As first reported by talkSPORT‘s Ben Jacobs, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and European Club Association Chairman (and Paris Saint-Germain President) Nasser Al Khelaifi held a high-stakes meeting in Salzburg, Austria, on the eve of the UEFA Super Cup to address the mounting crisis. With the event taking place in the city, Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe also joined the discussions. European leadership is intent on forcing Infantino to resign or withdraw his candidacy ahead of FIFA’s upcoming election in March following the controversy surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative. If Infantino is ousted, the immediate focus will shift to who UEFA endorses as the next FIFA candidate. Potential frontrunners include CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa. While Al Khelaifi’s name was also raised, he publicly stated after the match that he remains “very happy” in his current role at PSG. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin speak to each other. (Alex Grimm/Getty Images) A UEFA boycott may no longer be necessary When Infantino initially unveiled the FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative, UEFA strongly opposed the measure, threatening a complete boycott of all upcoming FIFA tournaments. That stance was set to take effect as early as the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland (Sept. 5-27), but such drastic action may no longer be required to force Infantino out. According to talkSPORT, Ceferin is prepared to spearhead a vote of no confidence if Infantino refuses to go quietly. That motion could swiftly remove the sitting FIFA president, triggering an expedited electoral process. To introduce a vote of no confidence, 20% of FIFA’s member associations (43 votes) must officially request the motion, a threshold UEFA could easily trigger on its own with its 55 member nations. Once an Extraordinary Congress is convened, Article 30(9) dictates that any vote not explicitly defined in the statutes (which includes a no-confidence vote) requires a simple majority. With 211 total member associations, just 106 votes would formally remove Infantino from office. UEFA Floats a Rotating FIFA Presidency Beyond removing Infantino, European officials are advocating for a fundamental structural overhaul of FIFA’s executive office. As reported by Jacobs, the proposal favors a decentralized governance structure that replaces the traditional, single-leader presidency with a rotating office. The system could also feature a designated chairman alongside a committee of vice-chairs to provide stronger checks and balances, creating an administrative model similar to a modern civil service framework.
OLIVER HOLT: It is not a surprise that Man City are pursuing Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, who in the last couple of years has come to symbolise much that is ugly about the beautiful game.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick took time out to talk to the media who cover the club at the Carton House Hotel in Maynooth on Wednesday. The pre-season 'sit down' is a long-established United tradition. There has only been a couple of occasions when the United boss of the day has refused to co-operate, once during Sir Alex Ferguson's time, the other in Jose Mourinho's.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick wants to keep getting the best out of skipper Bruno Fernandes. The 31-year-old has entered the final year of his contract, although United do have the option to extend it by another year. Ideally, Fernandes would stay at Old Trafford but so far there has been no progress on a new deal.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
