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Rashford benched for lateness in Barcelona’s win over Getafe – report

Marcus Rashford was left out of Barcelona’s starting lineup against Getafe on Sunday after arriving late for a pre-match team meeting, according to reports in Spain.

The Manchester United loanee, who had scored twice in the Champions League win over Newcastle days earlier, was instead named on the bench by head coach Hansi Flick.

Rashford was introduced at half-time with Barcelona already two goals up through Ferran Torres, and he later provided the assist for Dani Olmo’s strike that sealed a 3-0 victory at Camp Nou.

Flick enforces strict punctuality rules

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reported that Rashford was only two minutes late, but Flick’s zero-tolerance policy on punctuality left him with no chance of starting.

The German coach has applied the same measure to other players including Inaki Pena, Jules Kounde and Raphinha in recent months.

Previous disciplinary history

It is not the first time Rashford has been dropped for lateness. Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag benched him in December 2022 for oversleeping, though the England forward came on to score the winner at Wolves.

Positive response from the forward

Despite the setback, Rashford responded well by making an instant impact off the bench.

Meanwhile, Flick downplayed the disciplinary angle after the match, insisting his team selection was based on “rotation.”

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‘Closed issue’ – Atalanta coach confirms Lookman dispute resolved

Atalanta manager Ivan Juric says the disagreement with Ademola Lookman is over following the Nigerian’s return in the 3-0 Serie A victory against Torino.

Lookman made his first appearance of the season as an 87th-minute substitute, ending weeks of speculation over his future.

Rift settled

Juric confirmed after the match that the matter had been resolved, stressing that Lookman had addressed both him and the squad.

“Lookman? That’s a closed issue. The group is solid. He spoke with me and the team on Monday.

“He has a great winning mentality: now we need to get him back physically fit,” Juric told Tuttosport.

Importance to squad

The coach noted the forward’s mindset and reiterated his value to Atalanta, particularly with tough fixtures ahead, including a meeting with Juventus.

Transfer speculation ends

Lookman was linked with a move away in the summer, but the club stood firm on keeping him.

With his reintegration, Juric says the focus is now on football and restoring the player to peak condition.

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Martinelli rescues Arsenal with stoppage-time equaliser after Haaland opener for Man City

Gabriel Martinelli struck a dramatic late equaliser to salvage a point for Arsenal in their 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates.

The Brazilian forward’s delicate lob in stoppage time cancelled out Erling Haaland’s ninth-minute strike, denying Pep Guardiola’s side a statement away win in the Premier League.

Haaland strikes early

City made the perfect start when Haaland finished a sweeping move he had initiated, slotting past David Raya for his 13th goal of the season.

The Norwegian forward looked back to his devastating best, troubling Arsenal’s backline with his physical presence.

Mikel Arteta’s selection choices left Arsenal sluggish and lacking creativity in the first half, with Viktor Gyokeres ineffective up front and summer signing Mikel Merino caught out in midfield.

Guardiola, meanwhile, named the same starting XI for a third successive match, a first in four years.

Arsenal rally after changes

The introductions of Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at half-time transformed Arsenal’s performance.

Saka’s delivery and Eze’s sharpness gave the hosts new momentum, with Martin Zubimendi and Eze both testing Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City, however, remained dangerous on the counter. Jeremy Doku set up Haaland for a one-on-one, only for Raya to deny him.

Guardiola then shut down the contest with defensive changes, reverting to a back five as time ticked away.

Martinelli delivers late drama

With City seemingly closing out the game, Arsenal found a breakthrough in stoppage time.

Eze’s lofted ball unlocked the defence, and Martinelli lifted a clever finish over Donnarumma, the first goal the Italian conceded in City colours.

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Former Liverpool Manager, Matt Beard Has D!ed

Matt Beard, a former Liverpool manager, has d!ed at the age of 47.

Beard’s wife, Debbie, made the announcement in a post on social media on Saturday evening.

“It is with great sadness that our beautiful Matthew Beard has passed away tonight at 7.28pm.

“He is a loving husband, father, son, brother and uncle. He was the most amazing, caring man who was loved by anyone who had the pleasure to meet him,” she wrote.

Reacting to the sad news, Liverpool said in a statement, “Liverpool Football Club is deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of former LFC Women manager Matt Beard.

“The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Matt’s family and friends at this devastating time.”

Beard won two consecutive Women’s Super League titles in 2013 and 2014 during his first spell with Liverpool.

He guided the Reds to promotion from the Women’s Championship back to the WSL in 2022 in his second spell.

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Guardiola hails Arteta, labels Arsenal Europe’s toughest test

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has described Mikel Arteta as “extraordinary” and ranked Arsenal among the toughest opponents in Europe ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal, who finished as City’s closest challengers in recent seasons, are unbeaten in their last five encounters with the side.

The last meeting between both clubs saw the Gunners claim a stunning 5-1 victory in north London just seven months ago.

Ahead of the new campaign, Arteta strengthened his squad with high-profile additions including Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze, a move Guardiola believes has made Arsenal even stronger.

Praise for Arteta and Arsenal’s growth

Speaking in his prematch press conference, Guardiola hailed his former assistant: “Hopefully, it is an unbelievable squad, and this season we can make more of a challenge because Mikel is an extraordinary manager.

“They increase the squad in four or five transfer windows. It is one of the toughest opponents you can find right now in Europe.”

Guardiola also admitted City lost focus in the closing stages of their last meeting: “The last 15–20 minutes were a disaster. We forgot to do what we have to do. After that, it was easy for Arsenal.”

Arsenal’s rising strength

The City boss highlighted the Gunners’ all-round qualities, including their attacking pace and efficiency from set pieces under coach Nicolas Jover.

“For me, it is the most solid team; they don’t make mistakes. They have pace up front. They have set pieces with Nico, who was here. In every department we know the quality they have,” he added.

Guardiola admitted City must adapt quickly on Sunday and improve from last season, especially in game management during the final minutes.

Strong start to the season

Arsenal head into the fixture in strong form, winning four of their opening five matches across all competitions, including a Champions League triumph over Athletic Club.

They have scored 11 goals and conceded just once, proving how tough their defense has been so far.

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Man United beat Chelsea in clash that saw Sanchez, Casemiro sent off

Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-1 in a heated Premier League encounter at Old Trafford that saw both Robert Sanchez and Casemiro sent off.

The game exploded into life early when Chelsea’s goalkeeper Sanchez was dismissed just five minutes in for a reckless challenge on Bryan Mbeumo, leaving the visitors with an uphill battle.

Fernandes and Casemiro put United ahead

United capitalised on their numerical advantage as Bruno Fernandes broke the deadlock before Casemiro doubled the lead with a powerful header.

The hosts appeared to be in control as Chelsea struggled to reorganise following their goalkeeper’s dismissal.

Bruno Fernandes opened Manchester United account in the encounter – Getty image

United reduced to Ten Men

Things shifted midway through the second half when Casemiro, already booked, received a second yellow card for a rash foul on Andrey Santos.

The red card gave Chelsea a way back into the contest and spurred them forward in search of goals.

Chalobah strike not enough

Enzo Maresca’s side found hope late on through Trevoh Chalobah, who converted to halve the deficit.

Despite mounting pressure, Chelsea were unable to find an equaliser, and Ruben Amorim’s men held their ground to secure all three valuable points.

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UWCL Draw: Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd Discover Group Phase Opponents

The draw for the revamped UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage has been completed.

This means that England’s representatives Arsenal, Chelsea and debutants Manchester United now know their opponents.

United will take on Lyon, Wolfsburg, PSG, Juventus, Valarenga and Atletico Madrid.

Current holders Arsenal will host Lyon, Real Madrid and Twente, while travelling to Bayern, Benfica and Leuven.

Chelsea, who were semi-finalists last season, have been drawn against Barcelona, Wolfsburg, Roma, St Polten, Paris FC and Twente.

Beyond the English clubs, Barcelona will play Bayern Munich, while Lyon’s showdown with Wolfsburg promises fireworks.

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Super Eagles Slip To 45th Position In Latest FIFA Ranking

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have slipped one place in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings released on Thursday.

Previously ranked 44th, the three-time African champions now sit in 45th position in the world.

The Super Eagles also dropped to sixth position in Africa.

The Atlas Lions of Morocco are the highest ranked African team (11th position).

Terangha Lions of Senegal, Pharaohs of Egypt, Desert Foxes of Algeria, and Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire complete the top five African teams on the ranking.

The Super Eagles were in action recently in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.

Eric Chelle’s side defeated the Amavubi 1-0 in Uyo, and held Bafana Bafana to a 1-1 draw in Bloemfontein.

European champions, Spain replace Argentina at the top of the ranking, ending the South American’s two-year reign.

Slovakia are the biggest risers, climbing 10 places.

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Arteta hails Martinelli’s instant impact in Bilbao

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Gabriel Martinelli after the forward came off the bench to score within seconds of his introduction during the Gunners’ 2-0 Champions League win over Athletic Club on Tuesday night.

The Brazilian found the net just 36 seconds after entering the pitch, becoming Arsenal’s fastest-ever substitute goalscorer in the competition.

His strike, along with Leandro Trossard’s late effort, ensured the Premier League side began their European campaign with maximum points at San Mames.

Substitutes make the difference

Arteta opted to start with summer arrivals Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke in attack, but it was the substitutes who proved decisive.

Martinelli opened the scoring in the 72nd minute before turning provider for Trossard’s goal, as the pair combined twice to secure victory.

Speaking after the match, Arteta explained that he sensed Martinelli was ready to make an immediate impact.

“I looked on the bench, I looked at him, and in his eyes I could see that he [Martinelli] was ready, Leo as well,” the Spaniard said.

“That’s going to help us a lot for the future, it is going to dictate the quality of our season. The finishers are going to be more important this year than the starters. I love it. That’s the attitude I need from all of us.”

History made in Champions League

Martinelli’s strike not only broke the deadlock but also set a club record, while he and Trossard became the first Arsenal pair to assist each other’s goals as substitutes in the Champions League.

Arteta admitted that leaving players out of his starting lineup remains a difficult task, especially in such a prestigious competition.

“It’s always very difficult emotionally to leave players out. I know how much they want to play in this competition and what it means to them.

“Every time you do a line-up, you are disappointing a lot of players. It hurts me,” he added.

Arsenal now shift focus to domestic matters, returning to the Emirates for a Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday.

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UCL: Kane double sinks Chelsea in Munich

Harry Kane scored twice to inspire Bayern Munich to a 3-1 win over Chelsea in their Champions League group stage opener, though the visitors left Germany frustrated after the hosts escaped a potential red card.

Chelsea, returning to the competition after a two-year absence, made a bright start but defensive lapses and wastefulness in front of goal proved costly against a Bayern side unbeaten at home in the group stages since 2013.

Early promise undone by errors

Enzo Maresca’s side had some good time in the first half and could have gone ahead through Enzo Fernández, who miscued from close range after good work by Cole Palmer.

But Bayern struck first when Michael Olise’s cross was deflected into his own net by Trevoh Chalobah.

Moises Caicedo then fouled Kane inside the box, gifting the England striker his 94th Bayern goal in 102 appearances.

Chelsea responded quickly, Palmer combining with Malo Gusto before firing a superb equaliser into the top corner.

Kane decisive after the break

Bayern pressed aggressively in the second half and Robert Sánchez made key saves to deny Kane and Olise.

The breakthrough arrived once more when a Chelsea turnover allowed Kane to collect a loose ball in the area and finish low into the corner for his second of the night.

The strike took Kane’s career tally against Chelsea into double figures.

Chelsea’s frustrations grow

Chelsea thought they had reduced the deficit late on when Palmer converted from Andrey Santos’ pass, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

The Blues were also incensed when Bayern’s Jonathan Tah avoided a second booking for hauling back Joao Pedro, with Maresca shown a yellow card for protesting.

Despite positive spells, Chelsea’s defensive errors and missed chances left them with little to show on their Champions League return.

Bayern, meanwhile, extended their formidable home record and made a strong statement of intent the opening group stage game.

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