Mikel Arteta fears Arsenal's mounting injury problems will hamper their bid to win the Premier Le...

Mikel Arteta fears Arsenal's mounting injury problems will hamper their bid to win the Premier League title after Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera limped off in Wednesday's 2-0 win against Brentford.Arteta's side moved five points clear of second-placed Manchester City thanks to goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka at the Emirates Stadium.The Gunners extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches in all competitions with an eighth successive home victory.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But Arteta, already without first-choice centre-backs Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba through injury, was dealt a blow when Spanish defender Mosquera was forced off just before half-time.Even more alarmingly, England midfielder Declan Rice appeared to be nursing a calf injury when he was substituted 10 minutes from full-time."Obviously it's never good news. Declan had to come off. We don't know. We have to see tomorrow what he's got," said Arteta, who is also without Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard due to injuries."Declan can walk. He cannot play. The thing is, he's played a lot of minutes but as well, now we played Wednesday night and we have to play Saturday morning as well."With Arsenal having battled through a gruelling week featuring wins over Tottenham and Bayern Munich and a draw with title rivals Chelsea, Arteta had taken the opportunity to give a rest to Saka, Jurrien Timber and Eberechi Eze against the Bees.But all three were eventually needed off the bench, leaving Arteta to bemoan Arsenal's injury curse and question the Premier League fixture schedule ahead of a testing trip to in-form Aston Villa for Saturday's early kick-off."Rest, that's quite a positive word to use. We had to make some changes," he said."We had a very demanding week at every level. We were asked to play three days later, with one less recovery day than them."We can play minutes but if they can please give us just a little more time to recover and to make the welfare of these players a little bit easier, that would be great."

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 3: Declan Rice of Arsenal with Mikel Arteta as he is substituted during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Brentford at Emirates Stadium on December 3, 2025 in London, England.

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Arteta fears injuries will hamper title charge after Rice, Mosquera limp off

Serie A champions Napoli edged into the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup on Wednesday, eventuall...

Serie A champions Napoli edged into the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup on Wednesday, eventually seeing off Cagliari on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.Antonio Conte's charges squeezed through 9-8 in the shoot-out after Sebastiano Esposito's second-half strike for the visitors had cancelled out Lorenzo Lucca's opener on 28 minutes.The last-16 tie went straight to penalties after the 90 minutes, as per Italian Cup rules.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Cagliari's fourth penalty taker, Mattia Felici, was the first to blink, his attempt crashing against the crossbar. But Brazilian David Neres missed his chance to be the match-winner as his next effort was easily saved by Elia Caprile. Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic made his first save of the shoot-out at the 10th time of asking as he denied Zito Luvumbo, before Alessandro Buongiorno netted to send the hosts through. "It was an interminable run of penalties," Napoli coach Conte said. "At the end of the day, the team that deserved it the most went through."In the last eight, Napoli will face the winners of the tie between Como and Fiorentina, scheduled for the end of January.Elsewhere, Atalanta ran out 4-0 victors at home to Genoa.Inter Milan were equally handsome winners as they downed second-division Venezia 5-1 at the San Siro, with France international Marcus Thuram grabbing a brace for Cristian Chivu's side.The round of 16 continues on Thursday as defending champions Bologna host Parma.

NAPLES, ITALY - DECEMBER 03: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic of SSC Napoli shoots in the penalty shoot out during the Coppa Italia round of 16 match between SCC Napoli and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on December 03, 2025 in Naples, Italy.

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Coppa Italia roundup: Napoli into quarters after squeezing past Cagliari

Liverpool needed a late Nordi Mukiele own-goal to avoid another damaging defeat at home in a 1-1 ...

Liverpool needed a late Nordi Mukiele own-goal to avoid another damaging defeat at home in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Wednesday.The equaliser did little to lift the gloom around Anfield as Liverpool sit eighth.The champions were hoping to have turned a corner with a much-needed 2-0 victory at West Ham on Sunday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>However, it was the same old story for Arne Slot's men as the combination of defensive errors and a lack of attacking fluency cost them another two points.Sunderland took the lead on 67 minutes when Chemsdine Talbi pounced on a sloppy pass by Virgil van Dijk to fire in from outside the box.Florian Wirtz thought he had finally opened his Liverpool account after a £100 million move from Bayer Leverkusen to salvage a point, but his strike took a wicked deflection and was eventually credited as a Mukiele own-goal.Sunderland should still have registered their first Anfield win since 1983 when Wilson Isidor raced clear in stoppage time but was denied by a goal-line clearance by Federico Chiesa.

Liverpool's German midfielder #07 Florian Wirtz reacts during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Sunderland at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 3, 2025. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

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Liverpool drop more points at Anfield with Sunderland draw

Chelsea's Premier League title challenge suffered a huge setback as lowly Leeds swept to a shock ...

Chelsea's Premier League title challenge suffered a huge setback as lowly Leeds swept to a shock 3-1 win at Elland Road on Wednesday.Enzo Maresca's side paid the price for a woeful first-half performance featuring Leeds goals from Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka.Pedro Neto reduced the deficit after the interval but Chelsea conceded a farcical third goal to Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the closing stages.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Losing to a fourth-bottom Leeds side beaten in their previous four games was a major setback to Chelsea's hopes of competing with leaders Arsenal for the title.The Blues' first defeat in eight games in all competitions left them nine points behind Arsenal in fourth place.Chelsea were without influential midfielder Moises Caicedo after the Ecuador star was sent off in Sunday's stormy 1-1 draw against Arsenal.The Blues had recovered from Caicedo's dismissal to take the lead through Trevoh Chalobah, but couldn't hold on as Mikel Merino snatched Arsenal's equaliser.Maresca rested Neto, Reece James, and Wesley Fofana in a bid to freshen up his side.But Chelsea still looked drained from facing Arsenal with 10 men for so long and Leeds took full advantage of their mental and physical fatigue.Leeds struck after just six minutes when Anton Stach's corner picked out Bijol and he rose above Liam Delap to power his header past Robert Sanchez.<h3>Rude awakening</h3>Chelsea had won just 29 percent of their league matches when Caicedo was out of the starting line-up and they struggled again without their driving force.Pascal Struijk glanced a header narrowly wide from another corner to underline Chelsea's lethargy at the back.Delap scuffed a good chance to haul Chelsea back into the game against the run of play.Leeds' sublime second goal in the 43rd minute was a rude awakening for Chelsea's title prospects.Japan midfielder Tanaka took possession just outside the Chelsea area and unleashed a ferocious shot that arrowed past Sanchez.Chelsea have never come back to win a Premier League away game when trailing by two or more goals at half-time.Neto came off the bench to give them hope of ending that dismal streak in the 50th minute.Jamie Gittens clipped a cross into the six-yard box and Neto took a touch before drilling home for his fifth league goal this season.Delap slammed his shot into the side-netting to Maresca's frustration as Chelsea chased an equaliser.Maresca sent on Cole Palmer for the England forward's first appearance in two months after an injury-plagued spell that included fracturing his toe after stubbing it on a door.Palmer's introduction alongside Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho almost conjured an immediate equaliser.Garnacho's run and cross teed up Palmer for a low strike that fizzed just wide from 10 yards.But Chelsea shot themselves in the foot to gift Leeds the decisive third goal in the 72nd minute.It was a shambolic moment as Malo Gusto's pass inside his own area put Tosin Adarabioyo under pressure.Adarabioyo's panicked pass towards Sanchez was intercepted by Noah Okafor and when the Chelsea keeper blocked the shot, Calvert-Lewin was on hand to tap into the empty net as Maresca looked on in disbelief.

LEEDS, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 3: Cole Palmer of Chelsea looks exasperated during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Chelsea at Elland Road on December 3, 2025 in Leeds, England.

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Chelsea's title challenge damaged by defeat at Leeds

Harry Kane scored a first-half header as Bayern Munich did just enough to reach the German Cup qu...

Harry Kane scored a first-half header as Bayern Munich did just enough to reach the German Cup quarter-finals in a 3-2 win at Union Berlin on Wednesday.Bayern gave away two penalties and Union scored two own-goals in a wild encounter in the German capital. Both own-goals came from Bayern set-pieces, while Union's Leopold Querfeld twice converted from the spot. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The win takes Bayern through to the last eight of the German Cup, a competition they have won a record 20 times, for just the second time in the past six seasons. Bayern travelled to Berlin to face the only side to take a point off them in 19 games in Germany this season, with the sides fighting out a 2-2 draw at the same venue in early November.Union's hopes of another surprise result took an early hit when Ansah let a Joshua Kimmich corner bounce off his thigh and into his own net with 12 minutes gone. The hosts were undone again by another Kimmich corner 12 minutes later, with Kane jumping high to double Bayern's lead. A Jonathan Tah handball brought Union a penalty, converted by Querfeld on the 40-minute mark, but the hosts gifted Bayern another goal just before half-time, Union's Diogo Leite heading in a Michael Olise free-kick.Bayern again invited Union into the match early in the second half, Kane giving away a penalty for a stray elbow, which Querfeld again converted to cut the deficit to one. The penalty galvanised the hosts, who pinned their star opponents back for much of the second half, but Bayern did just enough to hold on and reach the next round.

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) celebrate during the DFB cup match between 1. FC Union Berlin and FC Bayern München at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, Berlin, Germany on December 3, 2025.

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Kane helps Bayern Munich keep Union Berlin at bay in DFB-Pokal

In-form Aston Villa beat Brighton 4-3 on Wednesday to climb up to third in the table.  Villa prod...

In-form Aston Villa beat Brighton 4-3 on Wednesday to climb up to third in the table.Villa produced a stunning fightback against the Seagulls to continue their fine form with an eighth win in nine league games.The visitors were their own worst enemies in a dreadful start. Jan Paul van Hecke bundled in from a corner after Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot failed to collect. Pau Torres then turned past Bizot into his own net from Jack Hinshelwood's cross.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Ollie Watkins had scored just once in 19 previous appearances this season but turned the game around with a quickfire double before the break.The England striker forced in Ian Maatsen's low cross before latching onto Morgan Rogers' brilliant through ball to slam past Bart Verbruggen.Amadou Onana completed the comeback with a back-post header from Matty Cash's corner before Donyell Malen made it 4-2.Centre-back Van Hecke curled in his second of the night to set up a tense finale, but Brighton succumbed to their first home defeat of the season.

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates after scoring their side's second goal of the game during the Premier League match at the American Express Stadium, Brighton and Hove. Picture date: Wednesday December 3, 2025.

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Aston Villa surge up to 3rd after comeback victory at Brighton

Nice were ordered by French football authorities Wednesday to play a match behind closed doors af...

Nice were ordered by French football authorities Wednesday to play a match behind closed doors after repeated crowd disturbances that disrupted their 5-1 loss to Marseille.The Ligue 1 game at Nice's Allianz Riviera stadium last month was stopped twice, after a lighter was thrown at a Marseille player and then for a second time when Nice fans let off a series of fireworks.A blanket ban on supporters will apply to Nice's French Cup tie against Saint-Etienne in the round of 64 on December 21.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The French league's disciplinary committee also imposed a partial stadium closure on Nice for the top-flight game at home to Strasbourg at the start of January. Nice have lost six matches in a row and an investigation into aggravated assault was opened this week after a confrontation between players and supporters at the team's training centre Sunday following their return from the 3-1 loss in Lorient.Two players subsequently lodged complaints with the police. Nice said Terem Moffi, Jeremie Boga and Jonathan Clauss were victims of physical and verbal assaults. Moffi and Boga have both been placed on sick leave by the club.

Nice's fans use smoke flares at the end of the French L1 football match between OGC Nice and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice, south-eastern France, on November 21, 2025.

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Troubled Nice hit with stadium ban for repeated crowd disturbances

Mikel Merino maintained his emergence as Arsenal's unlikely goal king as the makeshift striker in...

Mikel Merino maintained his emergence as Arsenal's unlikely goal king as the makeshift striker inspired the Premier League leaders' 2-0 win against Brentford on Wednesday.Merino has been converted from a central midfielder to the fulcrum of Arsenal's attack due to injuries to Viktor Gyokores, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.The Spain international has risen to the challenge with five goals this season, including the first-half header that opened the scoring at the Emirates Stadium.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It was the second successive game that Merino delivered a vital contribution to Arsenal's title challenge after his equaliser at title rivals Chelsea on Sunday.Thanks to Merino, and Bukayo Saka's strike in the closing moments, Mikel Arteta's side moved five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who won 5-4 at Fulham on Tuesday.Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 18 games in all competitions as they chase a first English title since 2004.After finishing as Premier League runners-up for the last three seasons, the Gunners are showing the priceless ability to grind out results when they are not at their best.After coming from behind to avoid defeat at 10-man Chelsea on Sunday, Arteta was concerned about the potential for an emotional and physical hangover from his players against Brentford.Arteta called for Arsenal fans to turn up "like animals" at the Emirates Stadium to help roar his team to victory.In the end, the atmosphere was more nervous than Arteta would have liked as Arsenal clung to their lead, but far more raucous days lie ahead if his team retain pole position in the title race.Dropping Saka, Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber to the bench to keep them fresh ahead of the hectic Christmas schedule, Arteta brought in Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Ben White, who made his first league start since August.<h3>Arsenal grind it out</h3>Arsenal were without injured centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, but Brentford boss Keith Andrews did Arteta a favour by benching prolific Brazilian forward Igor Thiago and the Gunners kept their first clean-sheet in five matches.Andrews deployed a back five in a bid to frustrate Arsenal but it took Merino just 11 minutes to breach the visitors' defence.Madueke's clever back-heel allowed White to whip a cross towards Merino and the Spaniard timed his run perfectly to guide a header past Caoimhin Kelleher from six yards.Arsenal pressed hard for a second and Madueke's low drive was repelled by Kelleher before White fired into the side-netting.Brentford nearly snatched an equaliser completely against the run of play when Kevin Schade's thumping header from a corner was superbly tipped onto the crossbar by David Raya.Arsenal have conceded just two goals at home in the league this season, but their defensive injury problems mounted just before half-time when Cristhian Mosquera limped off.Mosquera's departure knocked Arsenal out of their stride and the second half became a war of attrition as the Gunners tried in vain to recapture their first half swagger.Arteta responded by introducing Saka and Eze, a move that immediately revived Arsenal as Riccardo Calafiori's blast was well saved by Kelleher.Declan Rice tested Kelleher with a 20-yard rocket that the goalkeeper pushed out to Merino, who poked wide from close range.Rice was forced off in the closing stages in a worrying sight for Arteta.Saka ensured Arsenal wouldn't miss the England midfielder as he raced clear to wrap up the points with a stinging strike that Kelleher could only parry into the net.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Mikel Merino of Arsenal scores a goal to make it 1-0 during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Brentford at Emirates Stadium on December 03, 2025 in London, England.

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Merino strikes again to extend Arsenal's Premier League lead

German Cup holders Stuttgart cruised into the quarter-finals on Wednesday with a 2-0 win away to ...

German Cup holders Stuttgart cruised into the quarter-finals on Wednesday with a 2-0 win away to 10-man Bochum.Bochum defender Philipp Strompf had a horror first half, looping a header into his own net and then getting sent off just before half-time. Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav put Stuttgart firmly on track for victory with a header early in the second half, lifting his tally to seven goals in his past four games across the league and cup.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Stuttgart will be joined in the next round by Freiburg, who won 2-0 at home against second-division Darmstadt. Italy midfielder Vincenzo Grifo put Freiburg in front from the spot late in the first half and set Lucas Hoeler up for a clever dinked finish in the second period. Grifo had another chance from the penalty spot late on but smacked his effort over the crossbar.

BOCHUM, GERMANY - DECEMBER 3: Deniz Undav of VfB Stuttgart, Maximilian Mittelstadt of VfB Stuttgart, Jamie Leweling of VfB Stuttgart, Ramon Hendriks of VfB Stuttgart and Angelo Stiller of VfB Stuttgart celebrate their team's second goal during the DFB Cup round of 16 match between VfL Bochum and VfB Stuttgart at Vonovia Ruhrstadion on December 3, 2025 in Bochum, Germany.

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DFB-Pokal holders Stuttgart cruise into quarterfinals

Kylian Mbappe scored twice and set up another as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to cut Barc...

Kylian Mbappe scored twice and set up another as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to cut Barcelona's La Liga lead back down to one point on Wednesday.Xabi Alonso's side curtailed a run of three consecutive league draws away from home with one of their best displays of the season at Athletic's San Mames.Mbappe opened the scoring early on as Trent Alexander-Arnold provided his first La Liga assist, with Eduardo Camavinga nodding in the second before the break.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>French superstar Mbappe slammed home another in the second half for his 16th league goal of the season to seal Madrid's victory."I think the team played a complete game today, concentrating for the whole 90 minutes... it was probably the best match we've had, at a difficult place to go, at a big moment, and we took it on calmly and now we must continue," Alonso told reporters."After (last weekend's) draw at Girona we knew it was a big moment, and after getting it out of our system we'll start thinking about Sunday's match against Celta (Vigo)."The calendar is very demanding and you can't think for too long about things, in the good moments and the bad ones."One negative for Los Blancos were apparent injuries for Alexander-Arnold and Camavinga in the second half, with both players replaced.Mbappe missed a penalty in the same fixture last winter while still finding his feet at Madrid, later saying that was his "rock bottom", but on his return Athletic found themselves up against arguably the best player in the world."Kylian's in great form, he scored two great goals today, with the movement he had, the connection with Vini (Vinicius Junior) was very good, and the team came out to play from the first minute, to win the game," added Alonso.Mbappe almost sent Real Madrid ahead in the fourth minute but Unai Simon made a smart save at his near post, and then parried a Vinicius effort.Madrid came out of the blocks strongly against eighth-place Athletic and took the lead in the seventh minute, through a brilliant Mbappe goal.Alexander-Arnold picked out the forward with a fine long pass and Mbappe drifted menacingly towards the box and produced a perfect finish to beat Simon.Gorka Guruzeta fired over and forced Thibaut Courtois into a good save at the other end, on one of Athletic's rare forays forward.Their best chance came when Nico Williams and Alex Berenguer combined but Courtois produced a superb stop to deny the latter.<h3>Mbappe-Vini connection</h3>It woke Madrid back up and they took control once again, threatening twice through Vinicius, who was connecting efficiently with Mbappe.The Brazilian winger hit the outside of the post with a low effort from a tight angle, with Simon out of his goal attempting to block him off.The goalkeeper made an excellent save to thwart Vinicius one-on-one a few minutes later after Eder Militao sent him through on goal.Madrid grabbed their second before the interval at the end of a fine team move, with Mbappe nodding Alexander-Arnold's cross back across goal for Camavinga to head home from point-blank range.Courtois tipped over Mikel Jauregizar's fierce effort from range early in the second half to stop Athletic earning a foothold in the game.The first of two sour notes came for Madrid when Alexander-Arnold pulled up with an apparent muscular injury and had to be replaced by Raul Asencio.Mbappe put the game beyond doubt with another long-range effort which flew in at the near post for his 25th goal across all competitions. Simon might have done more to keep it out, perhaps undoing some of his earlier good work.Camavinga was taken off hurt later on in another potential injury blow for former Real Sociedad player Alonso, on an otherwise dream outing in the Basque Country against his former rivals.The coach even got a warm embrace from Vinicius when he substituted the Brazilian, despite the player seeming to be at loggerheads with him over the past few weeks."They were stronger than us," admitted Athletic defender Inigo Lekue."We tried to play our game and couldn't, no matter what we did."

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid celebrates a goal during the La Liga 2025/26 match between Athletic Club and Real Madrid at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, on December 3, 2025.

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Mbappe's double powers Real Madrid to win at Athletic Bilbao

Bundesliga club Mainz on Wednesday sacked coach Bo Henriksen, with the side stranded at the botto...

Bundesliga club Mainz on Wednesday sacked coach Bo Henriksen, with the side stranded at the bottom of the table after just one win this season. The 50-year-old Dane took over Mainz in February 2024 with the club nine points from safety and beat the odds to keep them in the top flight, losing just two of their final 13 games.Henriksen took Mainz to sixth in the table, the equal best placing in their history, securing them a Conference League spot.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>In the top flight since 2009-10, Mainz have been a proving ground for top coaches. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and current England boss Thomas Tuchel started out at Mainz, while Bayer Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand began his Bundesliga career with them.

FREIBURG IM BREISGAU, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 30: Bo Henriksen, Head Coach of 1.FSV Mainz 05 looks dejected following the Bundesliga match between SC Freiburg and 1. FSV Mainz 05 at Europa-Park Stadion on November 30, 2025 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.

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Bundesliga strugglers Mainz sack coach Henriksen

Juventus scored with an own goal and a penalty kick as they beat visiting Udinese 2-0 on Tuesday ...

Juventus scored with an own goal and a penalty kick as they beat visiting Udinese 2-0 on Tuesday to reach the last eight in the Italian Cup.In a game in which the two teams managed just two strikes on goal between them, the hosts took the lead after 23 minutes when 17-year-old Udinese defender Matteo Palma beat Jonathan David to a Weston McKennie cross only to turn the ball into his own goal.Palma, a Berlin-born Italian youth international, fouled McKennie in the 67th minute to concede a penalty that Manuel Locatelli tucked away.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The match opened the Italian Cup round of 16. Naples and Inter Milan have home ties on Wednesday. On Thursday, cup holders Bologna host Parma and Serie A leaders Milan visit Lazio. The final tie, between Roma and Torino, will be played on January 13.

TURIN, ITALY - DECEMBER 2: Manuel Locatelli of Juventus FC celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the Coppa Italia match between Juventus FC and Udinese Calcio at Allianz Stadium on December 2, 2025 in Turin, Italy.

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Juventus edge past Udinese to progress in Coppa Italia

Cristian Romero shinned a bizarre overhead kick past Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in the d...

Cristian Romero shinned a bizarre overhead kick past Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in the dying moments to secure a 2-2 draw for Thomas Frank's beleaguered Tottenham on Tuesday.Eddie Howe's team will be kicking themselves after twice letting their lead slip on home turf but Frank will breathe a sigh of relief after three straight defeats in all competitions.Spurs captain Romero cancelled out Newcastle substitute Bruno Guimaraes' second-half opener in the 78th minute with a fine diving header.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Antony Gordon, another Newcastle substitute, appeared to have secured all three points after putting the home side back ahead from the penalty spot eight minutes later.But Romero found an equaliser deep into stoppage time when his scuffed shot somehow sneaked through a knot of players and into Ramsdale's net, leaving Newcastle scratching their heads.Newcastle dominated possession for the bulk of the first half but had little of substance to show for their efforts.They were a whisker away from taking the lead in the 35th minute when Joelinton, attacking down the right, shot across Guglielmo Vicario but saw his strike cannon back off the post.Moments later Spurs themselves went close to going ahead after a moment of magic from Lucas Bergvall.Mohammed Kudus played a low ball across the face of goal to the midfielder, whose clever backheel sailed just over Ramsdale's bar.That signalled a brighter spell for the away side but the teams were deadlocked at half-time.Spurs survived a double scare early in the second half. First Vicario saved from Harvey Barnes and when the ball fell for Nick Woltemade, Kevin Danso cleared the German's header off the line.With a quarter of the game to go, Howe threw on Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga for Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy.Five minutes after his introduction, England international Gordon raced down the left wing and delivered the ball into the box.It came back out and fell for Guimaraes, who produced a superb side-footed shot into the far corner in the 71st minute.But seven minutes later Spurs were level. Kudus crossed from the right and Romero meet the ball with a diving header.Rodrigo Bentancur and Dan Burn got into a tangle in the penalty box and play looked set to continue.But referee Thomas Bramall was called to the pitchside monitor and awarded a penalty after a VAR review.Gordon converted powerfully but still the drama was not finished.Romero flew into the air in the 95th minute and met a Spurs corner. It was not the cleanest strike but it dribbled in, earning a precious point for the visitors.

Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game during the Premier League match at St James' Park, Newcastle. Picture date: Tuesday December 2, 2025.

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Spurs draw at Newcastle following frantic finale

Bayer Leverkusen knocked Borussia Dortmund out in the last 16 of the German Cup, Ibrahim Maza sco...

Bayer Leverkusen knocked Borussia Dortmund out in the last 16 of the German Cup, Ibrahim Maza scoring the only goal in a 1-0 away win on Tuesday.Maza's 34th-minute strike put the 2024 cup winners on track for victory and exact instant revenge on Dortmund, who beat them 2-1 in their own backyard in the Bundesliga three days ago. The goal was: "a bit of instinct and a bit of luck too, but that's part of it -- that's normal in football," Maza told Sky Germany.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Leverkusen will be joined in the quarter-finals by RB Leipzig, who beat Magdeburg 3-1 at home, along with Hertha Berlin and St Pauli, who won earlier on Tuesday. Forlorn Dortmund defender Waldemar Anton told Sky Germany his side would "need a day or two to process" the "incredibly brutal" defeat, adding "we set ourselves high goals and we wanted to win this competition."Bundesliga heavyweights Dortmund and Leverkusen had met 109 times in all competitions dating back to the early 1950s but had never faced off in the German Cup. Dortmund had an early penalty shout waved away when former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah held Carney Chukwuemeka inside the box.A goalscorer in Leverkusen's shock 2-0 Champions League win at Manchester City, the 20-year-old Maza danced through some sleepy Dortmund defence to blast his side in front. Leverkusen netted again on the hour mark through Martin Terrier in a move started by Maza, but the strike was chalked off for a narrow offside. Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi had a chance to level deep into stoppage time, but he headed inches wide of the post.Elsewhere, Christoph Baumgartner scored twice as RB Leipzig came from a goal down to beat lowly Magdeburg. Magdeburg, sitting dead last in the second division, took an early lead through a Silas Gnaka penalty. Leipzig hit back with a long-range rocket from Antonio Nusa and led 2-1 at halftime after Baumgartner scored.Assisted by Nusa, Baumgartner scored again early in the second-half to see the two-time cup winners through. Earlier on Tuesday, St Pauli broke out of their recent Bundesliga funk to win 2-1 at three-time winners Borussia Monchengladbach. Pauli had lost their last nine league matches but goals from Martijn Kaars and Louis Oppie either side of a header from Gladbach's Haris Tabakovic had the Hamburg-based side marching into the final eight.In the German capital, Hertha Berlin thumped 2024 finalists Kaiserslautern 6-1, with 16-year-old Kennet Eichhorn becoming the youngest goalscorer in the competition's history. Bayern Munich, winners a record 20 times, play at Union Berlin on Wednesday while holders Stuttgart are away at Bochum.

DORTMUND, GERMANY - DECEMBER 2: Jonas Hofmann of Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Ibrahim Maza of Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrate their team's first goal during the DFB Cup round of 16 match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Signal Iduna Park on December 2, 2025 in Dortmund, Germany.

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Barcelona produced an impressive comeback to beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday and move four po...

Barcelona produced an impressive comeback to beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday and move four points clear at the top of La Liga.Alex Baena fired Atletico ahead but Raphinha equalised for the champions before Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres slotted home to end the visitors' run of 13 straight league games without defeat.Barca might have been more comfortable had Robert Lewandowski not ballooned a first half penalty over the bar at the partially rebuilt Camp Nou.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Real Madrid, second, visit Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday aiming to peg Barca back, while Diego Simeone's Atletico are fourth, six points behind the Catalans.This was Barca's fifth consecutive Liga win after losing the Clasico against Madrid in October, but they have not shone consistently in that period, and coming against a title rival this display gave Flick's side a welcome boost."This is the spirit we need to have to turn around games like this," Raphinha told Movistar."We're building confidence game by game, and these three points are going to be vital for the end of the season, they can decide a title race."Barca were without defender Ronald Araujo, who is taking a mental health break according to Spanish reports, along with ill midfielder Frenkie de Jong and the longer-term absentees.After a 3-0 thrashing at Chelsea last week in the Champions League, followed by a shaky win over Alaves to claim pole position in La Liga, nerves were jangling at Camp Nou.Following a tense start, Atletico took the lead with, predictably, a ball in behind Barcelona's persistently high defensive line.Baena scampered through on goal and beat Joan Garcia, barely celebrating because he could sense the linesman's raised flag behind him.However a VAR review showed the Spaniard was level with Pau Cubarsi when he broke and the goal was reinstated.Barcelona responded rapidly and levelled in the 26th minute when Pedri, back fit to start, played in Raphinha.The Brazilian winger, another player recently back from injury, took the ball around Jan Oblak and slid it into the empty net.Barca should have taken the lead but Lewandowski spurned a penalty, blazing high and wide of Oblak's goal after Pablo Barrios brought down Dani Olmo.The Polish veteran almost made amends moments later but Oblak brilliantly clawed out his header from Lamine Yamal's cross.Raphinha pulled an effort wide early in the second half when he should have hit the target and Giuliano Simeone could not get a clean shot away with the goal beckoning at the other end.<h3>Olmo's sacrifice</h3>Olmo, who netted twice against Alaves on Saturday, sent Barcelona ahead with a slick finish after Lewandowski managed to bundle the ball into his path.Olmo, a playmaker who has struggled for consistency at Barca amid various physical problems, sustained a shoulder injury falling as he shot and was replaced by Marcus Rashford.Pedri, who was controlling the game for Barca also went down hurt after 70 minutes and Flick replaced him, with fans left hoping it was only a scare ahead of next week's important Champions League match against Frankfurt.Atletico substitute Thiago Almada had his team's best chance of equalising but after bursting across the penalty area he lost balance and screwed his finish wide as Joan Garcia scrambled.Former Barca forward Antoine Griezmann had another opportunity for the visitors but mishit his shot.Oblak saved from Rashford in stoppage time before Alejandro Balde found Torres to cap Barca's win and claim his side three vital points in the title race while dealing Atletico's own ambitions a blow."Barca were superior. We had a couple of chances to equalise and in the last second they scored the third," Oblak told Movistar."Barca had a great game, they had chances. We tried and we had two chances to level but unhappily it wasn't to be today."

BARCELONA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 2: Ferran Torres of FC Barcelona celebrates the 3-1 with Pau Cubarsi of FC Barcelona, Jules Kounde of FC Barcelona, Fermin Lopez of FC Barcelona, Dro Fernandez of FC Barcelona, Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona, Marcus Rashford of FC Barcelona during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona v Atletico Madrid at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium on December 2, 2025 in Barcelona Spain

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Erling Haaland made history as the Manchester City striker became the fastest player to reach 100...

Erling Haaland made history as the Manchester City striker became the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals in a remarkable 5-4 win against Fulham on Tuesday.Haaland's clinical finish in the first half at Craven Cottage took him to his century in just 111 league appearances for City.He shattered the previous record set by former Newcastle and Blackburn star Alan Shearer, who took 124 matches to reach 100 goals.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>After Haaland's landmark, Phil Foden scored twice to help City race into a 5-1 lead.But Fulham scored three times in a furious second half fightback that fell just short when Josh King's shot was cleared off the line by Josko Gvardiol in the final seconds.Second-placed City moved within two points of leaders Arsenal, who host Brentford in their game in hand on Wednesday.City have won 19 consecutive meetings with Fulham in all competitions, the longest winning run by a team against any opponent in English football history.Yet after squandering a two-goal advantage in their last-gasp 3-2 win against Leeds on Saturday, City boss Pep Guardiola will be concerned by the latest meltdown from his leaky defence.If City are to overhaul Arsenal and win the seventh English title of the Guardiola era, they will need Haaland to maintain his astonishingly prolific form.Haaland had failed to score in his previous three games against Newcastle, Bayer Leverkusen and Leeds.The 25-year-old, signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, ended that mini-drought with the latest milestone in his glittering City career.He still has a long way to go to break Shearer's most significant record, with the former England captain holding the Premier League's all-time scoring mark on 260 goals.<h3>City survive</h3>Haaland produced a sumptuous finish to put City ahead in the 17th minute, giving him 15 league goals this term and 20 in all competitions.Jeremy Doku's precise cut-back arrowed towards Haaland and he timed his run perfectly to unleash a ferocious blast that whistled past Fulham keeper Bernd Leno from 12 yards.Haaland turned from scorer to provider in the 37th minute as City doubled their lead with another eye-catching effort.Showing strength and poise in equal measure, Haaland worked space to clip a pin-point pass through to Reijnders and the Dutch midfielder scooped a deft chip over Leno for his first goal since August.Foden notched City's third in the 44th minute, lashing a superb strike into the top corner from the edge of the area.Smith Rowe reduced the deficit in first half stoppage-time, steering a header past Gianluigi Donnarumma from Harry Wilson's cross.But Foden, who also scored twice against Leeds, is back in form and the England star appeared to put the result beyond doubt three minutes after the interval. The 25-year-old has thrived in a slightly deeper, creative role this term and he guided a composed finish past Leno from an acute angle after Haaland flicked Doku's pass towards the forward.City weren't finished and in the 54th minute Doku's curler from the edge of the area deflected in for Sander Berge own goal.But Guardiola's men completely lost focus after that and Alex Iwobi side-footed home from 18 yards in the 57th minute.When Samuel Chukwueze blasted his first goal for Fulham in the 72nd minute, City began to sweat and their anxiety mounted six minutes later.Chukwueze squeezed his shot through a crowd of players after Donnarumma failed to deal with a corner. City finally battened down the hatches in eight minutes of stoppage-time to ensure Haaland's big night wasn't eclipsed.

CORRECTION / Fulham's Portuguese head coach Marco Silva (L) and Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola share a joke as they walk out ahead of the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester City at Craven Cottage in London on December 2, 2025. to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require."

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Man City survive Fulham onslaught to win astonishing 9-goal affair

The Nice public prosecutor on Tuesday announced the opening of an investigation into aggravated a...

The Nice public prosecutor on Tuesday announced the opening of an investigation into aggravated assault after a confrontation between Nice football club and their own supporters.Nearly 200 Nice ultras gathered outside the team's training centre on Sunday to vent their anger at the players and coaching staff after a fourth consecutive league defeat, 3-1 at Lorient earlier in the day.Two players subsequently lodged complaints with the police. Witnesses said Terem Moffi and Jeremie Boga were on the receiving end of much of the fans' ire, although neither was named by the prosecution.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The players told officers that when they arrived at the training centre on their return from the airport, the team bus was blocked by supporters "in a tense atmosphere", according to the statement made by Nice public prosecutor Damien Martinelli.They had to get off the bus and walk the short distance to the training centre through the crowd of angry supporters. They said they were "punched, kicked and spat on while being insulted".Many of the supporters had their faces covered, added the public prosecutor's office.The investigation into "aggravated assault, participation in a group preparing violence or damage to property, and failure to prevent a crime against physical integrity" has been handed to the criminal police and "numerous interviews" were underway.According to the prefecture, around 20 police were in place outside the training centre after the club warned that fans were preparing a hostile reception. The decision was made not to clear the area before the bus arrived so as not to exacerbate the situation.When the players had to get off the bus, police saw a scuffle and the setting-off of smoke bombs, said the prefecture. They did not observe any violence or attempted blows, although some may have gone unnoticed in the confusion.The French football league (LFP) announced on Tuesday that it would be joining the players as a plaintiff "in order to fully support their action and help shed light on these tense events".Ineos -- Nice's majority shareholders since 2019 -- and club president Fabrice Bocquet did not immediately respond when contacted for comment by AFP. The club said in a brief statement on Monday it understood "the frustration generated by the string of poor performances" but condemned "in the strongest terms" the "unacceptable" excesses.

PORTO, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 27: Players of OGC Nice pose for a photo prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between FC Porto and OGC Nice at Estadio do Dragao on November 27, 2025 in Porto, Portugal.

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UK families who lost loved ones in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster said Tuesday they would never s...

UK families who lost loved ones in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster said Tuesday they would never see justice despite the findings of a watchdog which slammed basic police failures.Ninety-seven Liverpool fans died in a crush at the stadium in Sheffield, northern England, on April 15, 1989, in what remains Britain's worst sporting tragedy.The UK's police watchdog published Tuesday a wide-ranging report following a more than decade-long investigation, which found failures in "both the planning for the match and the policing of it, as well as in its response to the disaster".<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Even though previous inquiries had already unveiled some failures, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation launched in 2012 "found additional evidence" which gave a more "detailed understanding" of what happened after investigating 352 complaints.The disaster was caused during a crowd surge at one end of Sheffield Wednesday's ground hosting Liverpool supporters for an FA Cup semi-final tie.The probe found that 12 former police officers would have faced proceedings for "gross misconduct" and "fundamental failures" had they still been serving. But since they have retired, or even died, they will not face any legal action."Not a single officer will face a disciplinary action," lead lawyer for the families Nicola Brook, told a press conference. "No one will be held to account."Long-time campaign Margaret Aspinall, who lost her 18-year-old son James in the disaster, said it was a "disgrace to this nation" that the named officers "walk away scot free with a full pension".<h3>'Deflect the blame'</h3>Interior minister Shabana Mahmood said Hillsborough was "one of the most significant failings in policing the country has ever seen". Legislation currently going through parliament would introduce a legal duty for public officials including police officers to reply truthfully to inquiries.And in 2017 a law was passed enabling prosecutions of retired police officers or those who had resigned.IOPC Deputy Director General Kathie Cashell said what the families had endured over almost four decades in their fight for justice was a "source of national shame".She also denounced the South Yorkshire police force's "concerted efforts to deflect the blame onto the Liverpool supporters".A 2016 coroner's inquest, which returned a verdict of unlawful killing, came after years of campaigning by victims' families.It also found police errors in opening an exit gate before kick-off caused the fatal crush.South Yorkshire police admitted in 2023 they got match policing at the match "catastrophically wrong".

Margaret Aspinall, the mother of 18-year-old James Aspinall, during a press conference at the offices of law firm Broudie Jackson Canter in Liverpool, following the release of the IOPC report into the actions of the police during and after the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster. Picture date: Tuesday December 2, 2025.

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Hillsborough families say 'disgrace' police not 'held to account'

Barcelona women's star midfielder Aitana Bonmati will miss five months after undergoing surgery o...

Barcelona women's star midfielder Aitana Bonmati will miss five months after undergoing surgery on a leg fracture, her club said Tuesday.The three-time Ballon d'Or winner is set to miss most of the rest of the season because of the injury she suffered on Sunday while training with the Spanish national team."The expected recovery time will be around five months," said Barcelona in a statement.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Spain face Germany later Tuesday in the women's Nations League final second leg, where they aim to defend the trophy they won in 2024.Bonmati will leave a big gap to fill for club and country in the months ahead.Spanish champions Barca lead the league by six points from Real Sociedad, while they are joint top of the Champions League league phase table with French giants Lyon.If Bonmati recovers on schedule she could return for a potential Champions League final in Oslo on May 23, 2026.Barcelona have reached the last five Champions League finals, winning three but losing against Arsenal in the most recent.

KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 28: Aitana Bonmati of Spain looks on during the warm up prior to the UEFA Women's Nations League 2025 final first leg match between Germany and Spain at Fritz-Walter-Stadion on November 28, 2025 in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

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PARIS (AP) — Nice and the French league have condemned “unacceptable” acts of fan violence after ...

PARIS (AP) — Nice and the French league have condemned “unacceptable” acts of fan violence after players and staff were attacked following another disappointing performance by the Riviera side over the weekend.After suffering a sixth consecutive loss across all competitions on Sunday — 3-1 at Lorient in Ligue 1 — Nice players were confronted by a large number of their supporters when they returned to the club’s training and academy center.Fans shouted insults and demanded greater commitment from the squad as tensions escalated, with reports that some supporters even boarded the team bus.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“The club understands the frustration caused by the series of poor results and performances that fall short of its values,” Nice said in a statement late Monday. “However, the incidents that occurred during this gathering are unacceptable. Several members of the club were confronted and targeted. OGC Nice offers them its full support and condemns these actions in the strongest possible terms.”L’Equipe reported some players and staff were spat on when they exited the bus, and even punched. Jérémie Boga and Terem Moffi were reportedly the most violently attacked, taking multiple blows, including to the head and groin, while sporting director Florian Maurice was also said to be assaulted.L’Equipe and RMC reported that Boga and Moffi have been given medical leave. Nice did not immediately respond to a request for comments from The Associated Press.The French league (LFP) said on Tuesday that the assaults were “completely unacceptable, undermining the integrity of the participants in the game and the values of football.” The LFP added it will join as a civil party in the complaints filed by the players to ensure that the incidents are thoroughly investigated.“The LFP expresses its full support for the affected players and OGC Nice, and reaffirms its determination to guarantee the safety of all football stakeholders.”After 14 rounds, Nice sits 10th in the table, 14 points behind leader Lens. It has lost seven matches while conceding 26 goals.The loss against Lorient came just three days after a 3-0 defeat at Porto in the Europa League. The club is bottom of the league phase table, having lost all five of its matches.“We’re fighting for survival, that’s the reality,” Nice coach Franck Haise said on Sunday. “We’ll fight with those who want to fight. A team exists only when everyone has that desire.”Maurice pointed to a lack of cohesion within the team after Nice let a 1-0 lead slip against Lorient.“Every time there’s a slight setback we can’t recover,” he said. “That proves that we lack cohesion, perhaps values, at a given moment, to fight and go and get results.”In Lorient, several Nice players approached their traveling supporters for an impromptu discussion.“I know you travel thousands of kilometers for us and I thank you for that. But, I swear, we’re giving our maximum,” midfielder Sofiane Diop told them on the pitch. “We are rubbish right now, we know it.”Haise signed a new two-year deal with the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ligue-1">Ligue 1</a> club in September until 2029 despite a lackluster start to the season. Nice was knocked out of the Champions League after losing to Benfica in the third qualifying round and has since struggled to get its campaign going.The 54-year-old Haise took over Nice during the 2024 summer and led the Riviera team to a fourth-place finish last season.Nice’s next faces Angers at home on Sunday.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

PORTO, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 27: Terem Moffi of OGC Nice looks on during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between FC Porto and OGC Nice at Estadio do Dragao on November 27, 2025 in Porto, Portugal.

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