UCL: The 2nd leg fixtures for the Quarter-Final of the UEFA Champions League starts today at Barcelona travel to the Wanda Metropolitano to face Athletico Madrid and will be seeking to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg at Camp Nou in a controversial game which saw Pau Cubrasi sent off and Barcelona were denied a stonewall penalty. Lamine Yamal has started with the mind game begging Atletico manager Diego Simeone to let him play 1-v-1 instead of double marking him. Barcelona also made a complaint to UEFA concerning the length of the grass on the pitch to which UEFA has laughed off.
In the other Tuesday game, Liverpool will also be looking to overturn a 2 goal deficit from the 1st leg when they face current holders PSG. Liverpool were totally dominated in the first half but will be looking to put PSG on pressure right from the blast of the whistle. On Wednesday, Arsenal will be welcoming Portuguese side Sporting CP to The Emirate for the return leg of the Champions Leagur Quarter-Final fixture. Arsenal won the 1st leg 1-0, thanks to a 91st minute winner from Kai Havertz and would be playing like wounded lions after losing to Bournemouth over the weekend which saw their lead at the top of the table trimmed to 6 points. Bukayo Saka will be missing the game while Declan Rice is a game time decision.
Real Madrid will be travelling to the Allianz Arena to face an in-form Bayern Munich as they look to overturn a 2-1 1st leg defeat at The Santiago Bernabeu. The Spanish giants will be attemting to do all they can to win as the Champions League is their last resort for a trophy this season so as to avoid going 2 years without any major trophy won.
It is the year 2025, and the frontrunner to win the Ballon d'Or is Ousmane Dembele, forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. The road to this point has been far from smooth, but this is the end point nonetheless. PSG are the undisputed and unquestionable kings of Europe, winning the European Cup in any format for the first time in their history - a significant feat not just for a team only founded in 1970, but one for the Qatari Sports Investment project which has been hell-bent on continental domination since their takeover in 2011. Luis Enrique's side will be remembered for years to come for their tiki taka-lite style based on fluidity and slick possession football, and at the forefront of their success has been Dembele. With the Ballon d'Or now judged on a seasonal basis - as should have always been the case, thank you, France Football - it is a campaign that should end with Dembele lifting the prestigious Golden Ball in his home country.
Historic Exchange Under Istanbul Agreement In the largest prisoner swap since the full-scale war began, Russia and Ukraine have each released 390 prisoners—comprising 270 military personnel and 120 civilians—as part of an overall 1,000-for-1,000 agreement negotiated during direct talks in Istanbul earlier in May. BBC+4www.ndtv.com+4Deutsche Welle+4Anadolu Ajansı+15Reuters+ Departures and Arrivals Ukrainian returnees arrived in the Chernihiv region, many visibly frail with shaved heads and draped in national flags, greeted by emotional reunions with relatives amid cheers and tears. Reuters+4 The Washington +4 The Daily Star +4. Some had been held in captivity for nearly two years. Russian returnees, including soldiers and civilians captured during a Ukrainian incursion into Kursk region, were first transported to Belarus for medical and psychological evaluation before being repatriated ussia. BBC+3Reuters+3 The Guardian +3. Emotional Homecomings and Lingering Uncertainty Families crowded the exchange sites, clutching photographs of missing loved ones, hoping for a clue from those stepping off the buses. One Ukrainian newly freed veteran, held for more than 830 days, encouraged others not to lose hope: “In every prison there are many guys who had no contact with their relatives. I was the same,” he said The Guardian+10The Washington Post+10The Guardian+10. But for many, the reunion came with heavy uncertainty about family members still unaccounted for. Political Messages and Future Prospects President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the swap as the only tangible outcome of the Istanbul talks and emphasized continued efforts to bring all detainees home. Hromadske The Washington PostThe Guardian. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov promised that Moscow would submit a draft peace proposal following the exchange but reiterated refusal of a ceasefire unless certain conditions were met—terms Ukraine has rejected, according to Reuters The Guardian. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who helped push for the Istanbul negotiations, congratulated both parties via his social media platform, calling the swap a possible step toward broader peace, though no ceasefire has been agreed upon, according to Reuters and the New York Post. Humanitarian Milestone Amid Ongoing Conflict This first phase swap underscores a rare moment of cooperation in a conflict that has otherwise deepened across Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions. While a few hundred lives have been restored to families, thousands remain in captivity, and both sides show no signs of halting hostilities. Negotiations may continue in coming days as both governments prepare for the next instalment of releases under the "1,000-for-1,000" agreement. For now, the tranche of 390 each represents the largest exchange of its kind since the war began.
Crystal Palace Vs Manchester United Preview By: Babatunde Ajibade (Manchester United correspondent) Facebook: Babatunde Olatunji Ajibade Twitter: ollyzjinx01 Instagram: sir_ajirowo01 Manchester United head to Selhurst Park under heavy pressure and even heavier scrutiny after a disastrous showing at Old Trafford against Everton. The boos that echoed around the stadium said it all. Losing 1–0 to a 10-man Everton side — and conceding after they went a man down — was embarrassing on every level. From the touchline to the pitch, it was shambolic. Many fans are asking the same question: How much more can the board tolerate before admitting the Amorim experiment has failed? United have not scored against Crystal Palace in their last four meetings — and after the lifeless performance against Everton, confidence isn’t exactly flowing. Starting a match with five defenders against a team reduced to ten men was baffling. Shifting Amad into unfamiliar positions didn’t help either. The tactical confusion is becoming a weekly theme, and now they travel to a stadium where their recent record is terrible. The international break may have come at the worst possible time. United had built momentum with 11 points from five Premier League games, but that form now looks like it was papering over deeper cracks — cracks that were fully exposed on Monday night. The Red Devils are barely hanging on to a top-half spot. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in five straight matches and continue to struggle away from home. Their London record is even worse: 16 losses in their last 26 Premier League games in the capital — the worst of any top-flight side during that period. A painful stat surfaced recently: Amorim: 9 wins in 35 Premier League games, Ten Hag (same period last year): 23 wins. The numbers speak for themselves. Poor in-game management. Poor structure. Poor identity. United ended the Everton defeat with 25 attempts — but scored none — while conceding from the only shot they faced. Their xG tells the same story: xG For: 20.1 → actual goals: 19 (two were own goals) Conversion rate: 10.4% — 7th worst in the league They create chances, but they can’t finish them. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, are flying. Only Arsenal have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season. Oliver Glasner’s side sit fifth and have kept three straight clean sheets against Wolves, Brentford, and Brighton. Their defensive confidence is sky-high, and recent history backs it up: Three wins in their last four league games vs Man United (D1) Two wins in their last four at Selhurst Park vs Man United Opta supercomputer predictions says Palace to win is 54.1% United aren’t just underdogs, they’re clear underdogs. So here we are again, asking what has become a weekly question for Manchester United supporters: Will this team finally show 90 minutes of concentration and courage or will they crumble, invite pressure, and rely on another desperate comeback attempt? Comment below with your score predictions! Manchester United record against Crystal Palace: Games won: 41 Games drawn: 14 Games lost: 13 Team News: (As of today 29/11/2025,) Crystal Palace: Caleb Kporha, Borna Sosa, Cheick Doucoure , Chadi Riad and Rio Cardines are out for this game. Manchester United: Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Harry Maguire are out for this game. Prediction: United sometimes deliver when everyone has written them off, and they should have more energy than Palace. But this team has a habit of sleeping through the first half, and Selhurst Park is a brutal place for a team low on confidence. Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester United.
Arsenal and Manchester City played out a dramatic 1-1 draw on Sunday, with the two Premier League rivals unable to be separated through 98 or so minutes. Erling Haaland had given the visitors an early lead, before Pep Guardiola remarkably decided to park the bus to try and sneak the win. Those efforts went up in smoke in added time as Gabriel Martinelli scored to clinch a point for the Gunners. Having both slipped up domestically already this season, this wasn't quite a 'must win' affair for either side, but definitely more of a 'must not lose'. In the end, perhaps a draw in which neither team showed much attacking endeavour will please both parties. City seemed content to sit in and create chances on the break, while Arsenal didn't exactly throw the kitchen sink at their visitors in order to force the leveller. It was a pretty just outcome and neither can really have any complaints about how it ended.
North Korea has begun an investigation into an accident that occurred during the launch of a new warship this week, state media said Friday, assessing the damage as "not serious". North Korea said Thursday that "a serious accident occurred" at the Wednesday launch ceremony for the newly built 5,000-ton naval destroyer, in which sections of the bottom of the vessel were crushed -- with leader Kim Jong Un calling the mishap a "criminal act". North Korea has begun an investigation into an accident that occurred during the launch of a new warship this week, state media said Friday, assessing the damage as "not serious". North Korea said Thursday that "a serious accident occurred" at the Wednesday launch ceremony for the newly built 5,000-ton naval destroyer, in which sections of the bottom of the vessel were crushed -- with leader Kim Jong Un calling the mishap a "criminal act". Technology stocks led the gains in the U.S., with Apple (AAPL) up 1.8% and Nvidia (NVDA) jumping 2.4%, as demand for AI and semiconductors remains strong. Tesla (TSLA) also rebounded, rising 3.1% after announcing better-than-expected Q2 vehicle deliveries. Global stock markets showed a mixed performance as investors weighed persistent inflation concerns against a wave of corporate earnings reports. While strong results from major tech companies helped lift some indexes, uncertainty surrounding central bank policies and the future path of interest rates kept others in check. In the U.S.,
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP RECAP: Jude Bellingham produced on of his finest footballing displays as his 2 goals helped England come from behind to beat Norway 2-1 and qualify for the Semi-final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup where they await the winners of fixture between Argentina and Switzerland. The sweltering Miami Sun did nothing to heat up both team's attack early on as the first chance of the game didn't come until the 19th minute when Jude Bellingham headed wide from an Elliot Anderson cross. Stãle Solbakken's side took the lead in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjeldrup's cross flew in over Jordan Pickford in goal. The goal seem to motivate Norway to go for more as Alelxander Sorloth headed over and Martin Odegaard tested Pickford at the near post which was saved by the England goalkeeper. England equalized in controversial fashion as Orjan Nyland goal kick seemed to hit one of the camera cables before falling to Anthony Gordon who hit Bellingham in stride as he stroked the ball past Nyland into the net. England started the 2nd half shaky as Picford had to save from Sorloth as well as a Haaland header. Norway thought they had taken the lead again in the 55th minute after Torbjorn Heggem scored from a corner kick but it was ultimately ruled off for a foul by Erling Haaland on his teammate at Manchester City next season, Elliot Anderson. Kristoffer Ajer's header from a corner hit the post with 14 minutes left to play in regulation time. England ultimately took the lead 3 minutes into Extra time as a speculative shot by Morgan Rodgers was parried into the path of Bellingham by Nyland and the Real Madrid Midfielder wasted no time in burying the ball into the back of the net. 7 minutes later, England were initially awarded a penalty after Heggem seemed to have brought down Djed Spence from behind but VAR overturned the decision. Nyland had to pull off a double save from Spence and Saka to keep the Norwegian Vikings in the game. England were able to hold on for the win and qualify for their 4th ever Semi-final in World Cup history. It's an England VS Argentina Semi-final after the Albiceleste beat Switzerland 3-1 in extra time to clinch the remaining Semi-final slot. Argentina realized they had to come out blazing and did just that when they took the lead in the 10th minute after an outswinging corner by Lionel Messi was glanced home by Alexis McAllister. Djibril Sow had his long-range effort comfortably saved by Emi Martinez. The Rossoctociati started to apply pressure in the final third as Breel Embolo raced through on goal after a lovely through pass by Dan Ndoye only to be tackled by an out sprinting Martinez. Murat Yakin's men continued to see more of the ball for the rest of the 1st half as Argentina were content with sitting back and utilizing the counter attack. After the restart, Nahuel Molina dragged a shot wide while a last ditch tackle by Lisandro Martinez stopped Ndoye from certainly scoring. After Martinez denied Embolo and Granit Xhaka in quick succession, Switzerland equalized in the 67th minute after a nice interchange of passes betwén Ricardo Rodriguez and Ndoye saw the Nottingham Forest winger bury the ball between Martinez's leg. Shortly after, Embolo was sent off for simulation after he dived to force the referee to give Leandro Paredes a yellow card but after VAR review, it was rescinded and the yellow was awarded to Embolo which was his 2md of the game and was subsequently sent off. Switzerland were able to see out the remaining time in regulation thereby forcing extra time. The one way traffic of Argentina seeing most of the ball continued into Extra time but Argentina finally broke the deadlock in the 112 minute after a curling shot from outside the box by Julian Alvarez from the left beat the impressive Gregory Kobel in goal for Switzerland. In the final minutes of extra time, Xhaka lost the ball which allowed Thiago Almada to race through on goal, his effort saved by Kobel but he rebound fell to Lautauro Martinez who wasted no time butting the ball in the back of the net. The win ensures that it is Argentina who will be facing England on Wednesday.
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP RECAP: Harry Kane produced a Captain's display as he brought England back from the brink of defeat as they beat DR Congo 2-1. Kane scored 2 goals to take his World Cup tally to 13 goals, 1 more than Brazilian legend Pele. DR Congo took a surprise lead in the 7th minute as a cross field pass by Congo captain Chancel Mbemba found Brian Cipenga who cut in and beat Jordan Pickford at the near post. England's response was a little timid as Declan Rice free kick hit the unknowing Ezri Konsa before looping over the bar. The hydration break helped England to regroup and they created a clear cut chance but Marcus Rashford's shot from a Noni Madueke's cut back was cleared off the line by his former Manchester United teammate Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Harry Kane who had been silent before felt he was brought down by Lionel Mpazi-Nzau but the referee and VAR thought otherwise. Kame then saw his thunderous volley at the near post pushed away by Mpazi-Nzau. England finally grabbed an equalizer with 15 minutes left to play as their talismanic captain was on hand to head home a cross by Anthony Gordon. Gordon then assisted the winner as he cushioned the ball onto Kane's feet before the striker fired an unstoppable shot into the net. The win ensures that the Three Lions will face Co-host Mexico in the Round of 16 in Mexico City. Belgium came from a 2 goals deficit to beat African side Senegal 3-2 after Extra time. This was reminiscent of Belgium's triumph over Japan in the 2018 edition where Belgium had to go from 2 goals down to win 3-2. After an early chance fell to Leandro Trossard, Senegal seemed to have gained some momentum as Ismaila Sarr hooked shot hit the post. Senegal took the lead as the ball fell to Habib Diarra after Sarr's header came off the woodwork, Diarra taps the rebound ball into an empty noise. Senegal doubled the lead with Ismaila Sarr taking down Moussa Niakhite's long ball in his stride before dispatching a clinical strike beyond Courtois. This was Sarr's 4th goal of the campaign, the most by an African player since Roger Milla had 4 in 1990. Romelu Lukaku halved the deficit in the 86th minute after applying an instinctive near post finish from a Thomas Meunier. Youri Tielemans found the equalizer 3 minutes later as he beat Goalkeeper Diaw to Trossard's cross. In extra time, Senegal regained momentum and almost got the lead but Ibrahim Mbaye first time shot flew inches wide. Dodi Lukebakio almost got the winner but it clipped the bar before Said Martinez pointed to the spot after VAR had adjusted that Lamine Camara had fouled Tielemans in the box. Tielemans stepped up to slot the penalty into the net. All efforts by Senegal to find an equalizer proved abortive. The wins ensures that Belgium will face the winner of the Round of 32 fixture between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina. USA beat Bosnia & Herzegovina 2-0 despite having to play with a numerical disadvantage for the last 30 minutes of the game. The Americans finally pulled off a win against an European team in their last 13 matches against them. The Americans were under pressure from the onset of the game and goalkeeper Matt Freese was called into action in the 10th minute as he had to make a save from an Ermedin Demirovic shot. USA steadily grew into the match and had the ball in the net in the 30th minute as they forced a lost ball high up the pitch, Weston McKinnie fed the ball to Folarin Balogun who touched the ball past Nikola Katic in goals for the Bosnians but he happened to be in an offside position. The US striker would not be denied his third goal of the tournament as he finally opened the scoring in the stroke of half time as he latched on a twice deflected ball to shoot through the legs of Nikola Vasilj. He almost doubled the lead before halftime but his shot hit the crossbar from a Serginho Dest knockdown. After the restart, Bosnia were dealt a big blow as team captain Edzin Dzeko was forced off with an injury which allowed the coach to make a triple substitution. In the 64th minute, Folarin Balogun was sent off after VAR adjudged that he should be sent off for a dangerous challenge on Tarik Muharemovic. Despite the numerical advantage, the Bosnians struggled to create any chances against the stubborn Americans and in the 82nd minute, the game was put to bed by Malik Tilman who fired home a dipping Free-kick despite Vasilj getting a hand to it. The win sees the USA facing Belgium in the Round of 16 for a repeat of their 2014 clash, a game where American goalkeeper Tim Howard made a record number of saves (15) in tournament history.
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP RECAP: Spain won their 1st game in their last 5 matches at the FIFA World Cup after beating Saudi Arabia 4-0. It was their first win since beating Cost Rica 7-0 in their opening fixture of the 2022 World Cup. Lamine Yamal made his return to the national team and Luis De La Fuentes also handed starts to Alex Baena, Dani Olmo and Pedro Porro after the goaless draw against Cape Verde. Spain took an early lead after Lamine Yamal slid in Mikel Oyarzabal cross at the near post to give Spain the lead in the 10th minute. Oyarzabal doubled Spain's lead in the 21st minute calmly slotting home after a wonderful headed pass from Aymeric Laporte. The Real Soicedad man got his 2nd and Spain's 3rd after another wonderful pass by Dani Olmo. It was Oyarzabal's 21st goal involvement for Spain in his last 13 games (14 goals, 7 assists). At the start of the 2nd half, Lamine Yamal and Oyarzabal were taken off for precautionary reasons to be replaced by Crystal Palace's Yeremy Pino and Ferran Torres. Spain attacks became a bit muted but they still grabbed another goal after Saudi's Hassan Tambakti diverted his goalkeeper save from a Marc Cucurella shot into his net. Spain thought they had grabbed a 5th goal in added time but Ferran Torres goal was ruled out for offisde. The win sets Spain up to win the group while Saudi Arabia's hope of qualifying for the next round depends on them beating Cape Verde. Iran had goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand to thanks for the numerous saves after Iran drew their 2nd game of the tournament holding Belgium to a 0-0 draw. Rudi Garcia started Romelu Lukaku for the first time since June last year and the Belgian striker was given a yellow card in the 3rd minute. Alireza had saves from De Cuyper, De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans. Iran thought they had taken the lead when Mehdi Taremi slotted past Thibaut Courtois but the goal was chalked off for offisde. In the 2nd half, the Belgian absolutely dominated possession but it was the Iranian that kept creating the chances m, courtois had to lm away a Taremi volley. In the 69th minute, De Bruyne control and pass to De Cuyper from 6byearss but Beiranvand was up to the task. Belgium had a player sent off when Nathan Ngoy underhit back pass was intercepted by Taremi and the Belgian defender brought him down to stop a goal scoring opportunity. Iran failed to make the Numerical advantage count as the game ended goaless. Egypt cam from a goal down to beat New Zealand 3-1 for their first World Cup win ever. Captain Mohammed Salah was the architect of this come from behind win, the former Liverpool winger had a goal and an assist as he moved to 2 guys shy of his country's all time goal scoring record that held by his current national team coach Hossam Hassan. New Zealand took the lead when Tim Payne crossed for Finn Surman to head home in the 15th minute. The goal seemed to galvanize the Pharaohs, Omar Marmiush forced Max Crocombe into a wonderful save before Salah blazed his free kick high. After the restart, New Zealand dominated possession before Egypt attempted to step out. Their persistence finally payed off after a cross by Mohammed Hany was headed home by Mustaoha Ziko. Ziko turned provider 10 minutes later when a tidy one-two with Salah allowed the former Liverpool forward to score. The result was confirmed 8 minutes from time when Trezeguet headed home from a Salah's corner Cape Verde gave an impressive display as they were able to hold South America side Uruguay to an entertaining 2-2 draw for their second points of the ongoing tournament. The debutants who already held Spain to a goaless draw in their first game took the lead in the 21st minute as Kevin Pina scored from a free kick from a long way out that went through Uruguay's two-man wall and past a stunned Fernando Muslera. A crazy final 5 minutes in the 1st half turned the game on its head, first, Sporting CP Maxi Araujo restored parity by reacting quickly and heading home a loose ball before turning provider for Augustine Cannobio to score in the 3rd minute of added time. In the 2nd half, Cape Verde equalized in the 66th minute through Hello Varela who intercepted a bad back pass by Uruguayan defender and beating Muslera before slotting home.
