Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo Goes's goals earned Real Madrid a tense 2-1 win at Alaves in La Liga on...

Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo Goes's goals earned Real Madrid a tense 2-1 win at Alaves in La Liga on Sunday to potentially keep coach Xabi Alonso in his job.Madrid, second, reeled league leaders Barcelona's advantage back to four points and recorded only their third victory in the last nine games across all competitions.After a home defeat by Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, Spanish media reported anything but a victory would cost Alonso his position.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>After Mbappe's superb opener, Carlos Vicente pulled Alaves level in the second half, but Rodrygo secured the visitors a much-needed victory at Mendizorroza stadium.Alonso was able to bring his key player, Mbappe, back into the side after he could only watch the defeat by City from the bench because of knee discomfort.The coach also handed a debut to Victor Valdepenas at left-back, with both Alvaro Carreras and Fran Garcia suspended, and Ferland Mendy one of several players out injured.Mbappe appeared to be feeling his knee and also hobbling in the first few minutes but, despite that, was the game's most influential player.The forward had a shot deflected wide and then fired narrowly over as Alaves sat deep and tried to keep the 15-time European champions at bay.By the time Mbappe opened the scoring in the 25th minute his discomfort seemed to have cleared up.Released by Jude Bellingham, Mbappe drove towards goal at full tilt and whipped a shot into the top right corner for his 17th league goal of the campaign.England international Bellingham then blasted home from close range but his strike was ruled out for handball, as the ball had struck his arm.Needing to fight back, Alaves moved on to the front foot and took control of the game before the break, almost pulling level.Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a fine save with his head, even if he knew little about it, to deny Pablo Ibanez from close range.<h3>Tight battle</h3>Los Blancos were dangerous again soon after the interval, with Alaves goalkeeper Antonio Sivera saving well from Mbappe and then Vinicius Junior.They came to rue those misses when Vicente pulled Alaves level after 68 minutes.The forward got in behind Antonio Rudiger, controlled former Madrid midfielder Antonio Blanco's chipped pass and whipped a shot past Courtois.Eduardo Coudet's side almost took the lead when Vicente's low cross from the right was nudged wide by Toni Martinez, shifted off-balance as he shot by Raul Asencio's pressure.Instead Madrid pulled back in front, with Vinicius breaking in down the left and crossing for Rodrygo to finish from six yards out.It was the Brazilian's second goal in two games after going the previous 32 matches without finding the net, and Alonso celebrated vehemently, knowing his future could depend on it.Vinicius had appeals for a penalty turned down and Bellingham came close in stoppage time as Madrid tried in vain to put the game to bed and ease their nerves.Third-place Villarreal's visit to face Levante was postponed because of a weather warning in the Valencia region. Real Oviedo, 19th, sacked coach Luis Carrion after a 4-0 hammering at Sevilla.On Saturday, champions Barcelona beat Osasuna 2-0 to win a seventh straight La Liga game and ensure they will lead the table into 2026, regardless of what happens in the final round of fixtures before the winter break.

VITORIA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 14: Xabi Alonso, head coach of Real Madrid, looks on during the Spanish League, LaLiga EA Sports, football match played between Deportivo Alaves and Real Madrid at Mendizorroza Stadium on December 14, 2025, in Vitoria, Spain.

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Alonso still under pressure after Real Madrid scrape win at Alaves

Inter Milan climbed to the top of Serie A on Sunday after a 2-1 win at Genoa and a little help fr...

Inter Milan climbed to the top of Serie A on Sunday after a 2-1 win at Genoa and a little help from their closest rivals.The Italian summit was there for the taking after AC Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo before champions Napoli were beaten 1-0 at Udinese earlier in the day.That left the door open for Inter, who grabbed their opportunity at Genoa courtesy of goals in either half from German defender Yann Bisseck and captain Lautaro Martinez.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Genoa's Portuguese forward Vitinha scored in the 68th minute to set up a nervy ending but Inter held on to go one point clear of Milan with Napoli a point adrift in third.Earlier Napoli squandered the chance to top the table when their three consecutive league win sequence came to a halt after having two goals disallowed, Udinese stole the show thanks to Jurgen Ekkelenkamp's decisive 73rd minute goal.Injury-ravaged Napoli will be feeling this was an opportunity missed as a win would have lifted them top of the table following AC Milan's 2-2 draw with Sassuolo earlier.The two teams had gone into the weekend level on points, with Milan in the driving seat on goal difference.In Milan, French forward Armand Lauriente secured the 77th minute leveller for Sassuolo, who had taken an early lead via Ismael Kone.Milan fought back with Davide Bartesaghi equalising after the half hour. Having opened his Serie A scoring account, the 19-year-old defender added a second after the break, striking from a tight angle only for Lauriente to seal the away team a share of the points."We played a good match," Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri said."People might think we dropped two points, I think we gained a point that could be important," he told DAZN."We still need to improve, because we're conceding too many goals. But we're in the top four, that was our objective at the start of the season."AC Milan, along with Inter, Bolgona and Napoli, will be missing from league action next weekend as they take part in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

GENOA, ITALY - DECEMBER 14: Lautaro Martinez of Inter (left) celebrates with his team-mate Petar Sucic after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and FC Internazionale at Luigi Ferraris Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Genoa, Italy.

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Inter win to move atop Serie A after Milan draw, Napoli lose

Lens leapfrogged reigning French and European champions Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1...

Lens leapfrogged reigning French and European champions Paris Saint-Germain at the top of Ligue 1 with an Odsonne Edouard-inspired 2-0 win over crisis-club Nice on Sunday.Pierre Sage's upstarts have been the surprise packages of the season so far in France and entered the weekend top of the pile until PSG's nervy 3-2 victory over lowly Metz on Saturday provisionally returned the Qatari-backed club to the summit of the table.But Lens once again took over top spot with their sixth consecutive win in the league to move to 37 points, one ahead of PSG, and ensure that they will sit atop the Ligue 1 tree over the winter break.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We've been defending (top spot) for the last three matchdays and (it was) a great performance that we'll try to maintain," Lens coach Sage said. "We'll be celebrating Christmas in first place, which is wonderful for everyone in the area."Former Celtic and Crystal Palace striker Edouard scored a brace with headers either side of the break to set Lens on their way.The opener was a sublime glancing effort on the quarter-hour that looped over the helpless Yehvann Diouf and dropped in under the crossbar after Edouard had met Matthieu Udol's cross.The duo combined again on 57 minutes, with Edouard this time popping up unmarked at the back post, to condemn Franck Haise's free-falling Nice to yet another defeat.The south coast side have lost their last nine outings in all competitions and also face upcoming home matches with crowd restrictions due to repeated crowd disturbances earlier in the season.At the end of November, a group of ultras confronted the team outside Nice's training ground after they had lost away to Lorient and forced them off their bus before allegedly attacking some of the players.<h3>Lille 'energy' sinks Auxerre</h3>Marseille moved back into third with a 1-0 win over Monaco at the Stade Velodrome.Mason Greenwood scored the winner in the 82nd minute after Monaco had earlier had two goals disallowed in controversial fashion.Lamine Camara netted early in the second period only for the goal to be disallowed for an offside against Folarin Balogun in the build-up, although the American did not touch the ball.Balogun then had his deft finish on 80 minutes cancelled out for a tight offside call, minutes before Greenwood netted his 11th goal of the season at the other end."I don't want to discuss refereeing decisions," Monaco boss Sebastien Pocognoli said."Referees are colleagues, and I don't want to waste energy criticising colleagues. It's part of what drags us down, but that's the way it is."Lille, five points adrift of arch-rivals Lens in fourth place, won a 4-3 thriller at struggling Auxerre with both sides finishing with nine men.A chaotic final 10 minutes threw up three goals and two red cards as Benjamin Andre's 86th-minute winner edged Bruno Genesio's side over the line."Despite being outnumbered and trailing on the scoreboard, we knew we could come back. We had the energy to believe in ourselves until the very end," Genesio said."This victory reflects my team well, even if there are still many things to improve."Strasbourg were held to a goalless draw at home to Lorient, who moved ahead of Nice into 12th.In the day's early kick-off, Pavel Sulc scored the only goal as Lyon beat Le Havre.

Lens' French forward #11 Odsonne Edouard celebrates after scoring his team second goal during the French L1 football match between RC Lens and OGC Nice at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens, northern France, on December 14, 2025.

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Lens reclaim top spot in Ligue 1 with Nice win

Harry Kane converted a penalty with three minutes remaining to save Bayern Munich's blushes in a ...

Harry Kane converted a penalty with three minutes remaining to save Bayern Munich's blushes in a 2-2 home draw against last-placed Mainz in the Bundesliga on Sunday. Mainz came from a goal down to snatch the lead midway through the second half thanks to an excellent Lee Jae-sung header, putting Bayern on track for a first league defeat since March. So often Bayern's saviour this season, Kane won and converted the penalty to keep Vincent Kompany's side undefeated and extend their lead atop the table to nine points.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Kane told DAZN Bayern would have to take the draw "on the chin", adding: "We conceded a really silly goal before half-time and that changes the momentum."When you play against teams who are fighting for every point, they can defend well, they can defend the box, they can make saves, make blocks -- and that's what happened."Borussia Dortmund's draw at Freiburg had given Bayern a chance to go further ahead of their rivals with victory against Mainz, who have just one win all season and had coach Urs Fischer making his league debut in the dugout.Bayern's teenage forward Lennart Karl continued his impressive form, turning in a Serge Gnabry cutback to give the hosts the lead on 29 minutes. Kacper Potulski levelled things up when he headed in a William Boving free-kick before half-time. Lee then headed Mainz into an unlikely lead.As he did when scoring to snatch Bayern a draw against Union Berlin in November -- the only previous time the defending champions had dropped points this season -- England captain Kane was again the late difference-maker for the Bavarians.Kane went down in the box under a challenge and coolly converted for his 18th league goal this season and his 29th for Bayern in all competitions.

München, Germany - December 14: Harry Kane of FC Bayern Muenchen scores his team's second goal during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and 1. FSV Mainz 05 at Allianz Arena on December 14, 2025 in München, Germany.

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Kane's late penalty saves Bayern point in clash with rock-bottom Mainz

Borussia Dortmund missed a chance to climb past RB Leipzig into second, conceding an equaliser in...

Borussia Dortmund missed a chance to climb past RB Leipzig into second, conceding an equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Freiburg after Jobe Bellingham saw red.Ramy Bensebaini's 31st-minute goal had Dortmund in front but Bellingham was sent off for a professional foul shortly after half-time.The hosts made the most of their one-man advantage, camping out in Dortmund's half and levelling things up thanks to an acrobatic Lucas Holer strike. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We're definitely disappointed," Dortmund's Gregor Kobel told DAZN. "If the red card doesn't happen, the result would look different. We had the game under control and were very dominant."Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy missed a header while unmarked in the box five minutes in, continuing his recent dry spell. Guirassy scored 38 goals in all competitions last season but has just one in his past 10 Bundesliga matches. The visitors had looked comfortable after Bensebaini's goal but lost control of the match when Bellingham, as the last man, felled an on-rushing Philipp Treu on the edge of the box.With Freiburg peppering the Dortmund goal, Kobel made a string of impressive saves but could not keep out Holer's curling strike.

14 December 2025, Baden-Württemberg, Freiburg im Breisgau: Soccer: Bundesliga, SC Freiburg - Borussia Dortmund, Matchday 14, Europa-Park Stadium. Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) is shown the red card by the referee. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL German Football League and the DFB German Football Association, it is prohibited to utilize or have utilized photographs taken in the stadium and/or of the match in the form of sequential images and/or video-like photo series.

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Dortmund held at Freiburg after Bellingham sent off

Sunderland saw off local rivals Newcastle 1-0 on Sunday thanks to a Nick Woltemade own goal.  Sun...

Sunderland saw off local rivals Newcastle 1-0 on Sunday thanks to a Nick Woltemade own goal.Sunderland were facing Newcastle in the Premier League for the first time in nearly a decade after spending years out of the top division. Their goal came from an unlikely source when Newcastle forward Woltemade headed Nordi Mukiele's cross past his own goalkeeper in the opening moments of the second half.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The win lifted Sunderland to seventh in the table.

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Nick Woltemade of Newcastle United scores an own goal to make it 1-0 during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Newcastle United at Stadium of Light on December 14, 2025 in Sunderland, England.

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Woltemade's blunder gifts Sunderland win over archrivals Newcastle

Unai Emery said "ambitious" Aston Villa deserved the battling 3-2 win against West Ham that kept ...

Unai Emery said "ambitious" Aston Villa deserved the battling 3-2 win against West Ham that kept alive their unexpected Premier League title challenge on Sunday.Emery's side are just three points behind leaders Arsenal thanks to Morgan Rogers' double at the London Stadium.The midlands club haven't won the English title since 1980-81.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But Villa have recovered from a dismal start to the season and head into the busy Christmas schedule harbouring genuine hopes of overhauling Arsenal."Our start was poor, two times we were behind but how they responded and how we achieved those three points is how we are as a team," Emery said."Being ambitious, responsible, being organised in our structure. I'm so happy how we responded."Villa suffered an early blow in east London as Mateus Fernandes' strike after just 29 seconds ranked as the quickest Premier League goal this season.A Konstantinos Mavropanos own-goal cancelled out the West Ham opener, but Jarrod Bowen's goal restored the lowly Hammers' advantage.That set the stage for England midfielder Rogers to bag the equaliser before his brilliant 25-yard rocket stole the points in the 79th minute.Emery saluted Rogers' latest eye-catching display, saying: "For me, the most important thing is how he is working, tactically, offensively and defensively and now he is scoring goals."He is always doing his work with huge commitment. He is growing up so quick and performing better because physically, he is strong and his mentality is huge."Villa have won 10 of their last 11 Premier League matches, having been winless in their first five, but Rogers is not thinking about the title yet."We're not looking at that at all," the 23-year-old said. "People were talking about relegation before so we are not talking about that."It is about being as consistent as possible. At the moment we are in a great run so let's see where that takes us."

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team's third goal with teammates during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Aston Villa at London Stadium on December 14, 2025 in London, England.

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Aston Villa eye title push after comeback win at West Ham

Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal as Erling Haaland's double inspi...

Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal as Erling Haaland's double inspired a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.Pep Guardiola's second-placed side moved within two points of Arsenal after a hard-fought success at Selhurst Park.Norway striker Haaland opened the scoring late in the first half and England forward Phil Foden netted after the break.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Haaland bagged his 23rd goal this season to complete City's fifth successive win in all competitions.Arsenal's dramatic late win over bottom of the table Wolves on Saturday had put pressure on City to respond. Guardiola's men were up to the task, overcoming a spluttering display in large part because of the quality of their finishing."Erling is a forward to score the goals but in the second half he keeps the ball. He was able to contain situations. He helped us be together. In the second half he was outstanding," Guardiola said.After coming from behind to win 2-1 at Real Madrid in their glamour Champions League clash in midweek, a trip to freezing south London to face their FA Cup final conquerors was a testing trip for far different reasons.City were facing Palace for the first time since their shock FA Cup final defeat against the Eagles at Wembley in May.Glasner out-witted Guardiola with a tactical masterclass in the final.But City avenged that loss to keep the title race bubbling ahead of the hectic Christmas period."It is a really tough place to come. When you lose the ball they attack incredibly well but we were patient. We were lucky when they hit the post but really pleased for the performance and victory to grow our mentality," Guardiola said."In the first half we were too much in a rush. We talked about the spaces we should attack but we were not patient enough. After we played with the tempo we should."<h3>Gritty City</h3>Yeremy Pino should have exploited City's defensive frailty when Adam Wharton's sublime pass sent him sprinting clear of the visitors' creaky offside trap, but his shot smashed off the crossbar with just Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat.With Palace set up to neutralise City's attacks, Guardiola's men struggled to find any rhythm for long periods and Pino threatened again with a low shot that forced Donnarumma into action.It took City half an hour to muster their first shot on target as Foden's free-kick was parried by Dean Henderson.Haaland had barely had a kick before he put City ahead in typically predatory fashion in the 41st minute.Matheus Nunes curled a pin-point cross towards the far post and Haaland peeled away from Chris Richards to thump a superb header past Henderson from six yards.Donnarumma preserved City's lead, diving at Jean-Philippe Mateta's feet and then saving the France striker's close-range effort.Palace had won four of their previous six league games, losing only once, and they were inches away from a second half equaliser when Wharton robbed Nico Gonzalez and lashed against the post from the edge of the area.Without Belgian winger Jeremy Doku due to a leg injury, City were nowhere near the best and Guardiola's frustration boiled over as he argued with Glasner on the touchline. But Foden eased Guardiola's angst with his sixth league goal in his last four games in the 69th minute.Rayan Cherki sparked the goal with a dynamic run towards the Palace area before Foden arrowed a low drive past Henderson from 18 yards.Haaland wrapped up City's gritty win in the 89th minute, calmly sending Henderson the wrong way from the penalty spot after the Palace keeper had fouled Savinho.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Erling Haland of Manchester City celebrates after scoring during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park on December 14, 2025 in London, England.

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Guardiola hails 'outstanding' Haaland after Man City's gritty win at Palace

Villarreal's La Liga match at Levante on Sunday was suspended by the Spanish football federation ...

Villarreal's La Liga match at Levante on Sunday was suspended by the Spanish football federation (RFEF) because of a severe weather alert in the region on Spain's east coast."Due to safety recommendations regarding the torrential rains forecast in the Valencia region, and following red alert warnings (from Spain's meteorological agency) the RFEF competitions judge has decided to postpone the match," wrote the federation in a statement.Last year, several league and cup matches were postponed after deadly flooding in the same region killed over 200 people.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Villarreal, third, have impressed this season and trail leaders Barcelona by eight points, with two fewer matches played than the champions.Real Madrid, second, visit Alaves late Sunday as they try to reel in Barcelona's seven-point lead at the top of the standings.

A man walks with an umbrella outside the Ciutat de Valencia stadium after the Spanish league football match between Levante UD and Villarreal CF was suspended due to severe weather warning of torrential rains in Valencia on December 14, 2025.

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Villarreal's La Liga trip to Levante postponed after weather warning

Arsenal avoided a major embarrassment against Premier League bottom club Wolves on Saturday, bene...

Arsenal avoided a major embarrassment against Premier League bottom club Wolves on Saturday, benefiting from two own goals -- one in stoppage time -- to move five points clear of Manchester City.Mikel Arteta's men were blunt in the first half, failing to muster a single shot on target as Gabriel Martinelli wasted a clutch of chances.The Arsenal boss made three changes shortly before the hour mark, bringing on Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino for Martinelli, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Gunners mounted wave after wave of attacks, and Declan Rice's shot midway through the second half -- their first on target -- was well saved by Sam Johnstone.But in the 70th minute the sheer weight of pressure told to the enormous relief of an impatient and nervy Emirates crowd.Johnstone flicked Bukayo Saka's corner onto a post as he scrambled to reach the ball but it rebounded back onto his arm and into the net for an own goal.Gabriel Jesus came on for Viktor Gyokores for his first home match after 11 months on the sidelines.Astonishingly, Wolves pulled level in the 90th minute, when Mateus Mane's flat cross was headed in by Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare.But just as the Arsenal fans contemplated a damaging draw, the Gunners benefited from a second own goal.Saka delivered a perfect cross which Jesus attacked but the ball was diverted into his own net by Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera.Arteta admitted that his team had struggled to create clear chances and that the win should have been much more comfortable.But he said that the manner of the victory would give the team a major boost."That gives you belief that regardless of how the game goes, you can always find a solution to win it," he told TNT Sports."But now we're going to have a clean week. We need to start to train certain aspects slowly, because if you don't train them, you start to deteriorate a little bit." Winless Wolves, with a ninth league defeat in a row, have mustered just two points from their 16 games so far and are on course for the worst season in Premier League history.Pep Guardiola's City travel to in-form Crystal Palace on Sunday seeking to close the gap to Arsenal, who have not won the Premier League since 2004.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 2-1 during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2025 in London, England.

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Own goals save Arsenal in dramatic victory over winless Wolves

In the Nile Delta village of Nagrig, residents love local son Mohamed Salah from a distance, with...

In the Nile Delta village of Nagrig, residents love local son Mohamed Salah from a distance, with ructions between the Egyptian super striker and long-time English club Liverpool doing little to dim his lustre at home."Thanks to him I can dream," 16-year-old Mohamed Ahmed told AFP as he stepped onto a pitch at the Nagrig sports complex where Salah first honed his talents before making his improbable journey to some of football's most dizzying heights. "I'm so happy to play here," Ahmed said, referring to the complex renamed in Salah's honour, where young people from the village and beyond come to bask in the footballer's legend, greeted by a mural of the star as they enter.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>That image of Salah, triumphant in the red strip of his Merseyside team, is as close as many will get to the hometown icon in Nagrig where, while everyone knows his name, few get the chance to meet him. Elsewhere in the village there is little trace of him."When he comes, it's at night so that no one sees him," said Asma, a young student who gave only her first name. The 33-year-old Egypt international spoke out against Liverpool manager Arne Slot after being left as an unused substitute against Leeds last week. Dropped from Liverpool's squad for their Champions League tie at Inter Milan on Tuesday, Salah has been subsequently linked to a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League.<h3>'Charitable commitment'</h3>Despite the off-pitch drama, Roshdy Gaber, head of security at the sports complex, said Salah was "an icon for young people" and a "determined lad who has worked hard to get where he is today".Having left Nagrig at 14 to join a club in Cairo before moving to Europe, where he played for Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina and Roma before Liverpool, Salah, nicknamed the "Pharaoh", has not forgotten his roots.Mohamed Ahmed's father, Ahmed Ali said the football youth centre was the "greatest proof" of Salah's "charitable commitment". "Our children don't have to go to other villages to play football," explained the 45-year-old factory worker who shares his son's love of football.Salah, who has used prayer in his pitch celebrations and has spoken frequently of his Muslim faith, has funded the construction of a religious institute for boys and girls in Nagrig, costing over 17 million Egyptian pounds ($350,000).Every month, his charitable foundation donates EGP 50,000 to orphans, widows and divorced women in the village. A local official, who asked not to be identified, said Salah was "a great source of pride" for the village and the football star had remained "the polite and unassuming young man we knew".The official did question whether the two-time African Ballon d'Or winner, who earns a weekly salary of £400,000 ($535,000), could have given more of his wealth back to the community.<h3>'Exaggerated'</h3>"Unfortunately, many stories have been exaggerated," the official said referring to the financial support provided, by Salah.Ali, who makes roughly $100 a month at the factory where he works, similarly believes Salah could have given more back."I know farmers who are more generous," he said. Surrounded by the fields of the fertile Nile Delta, growing crops including onions, jasmine and rice, the village of 20,000 inhabitants, 120 kilometres northwest of Cairo struggles under the burden of ailing infrastructure. In early December, rainwater had flooded Nagrig's potholed streets and players making their way to the sports complex had to abandon their bus and complete the journey by foot.Trudging through the mud, boots in hand, the players picked their way through flowing water to play.Despite his misgivings, the local official said Salah had "breathed new life into his village, but also into his country, the Arab world and even Africa"."It will be a long time before we see another Mohamed Salah," he added.

Footballers stand next a picture of Liverpool's footballer Mohamed Salah at his Youth Centre in the Egyptian village of Nagrig, about 120 kilometres northwest of Cairo on December 10, 2025. Salah, the Egypt international was omitted from the squad that travelled to Milan for a Champions League clash with Inter on December 9 following a blistering attack on manager Arne Slot and the club hierarchy after being left on the bench for last weekend's 3-3 draw at Leeds.

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Salah's Liverpool soap opera doesn't dim admiration from home village

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said he was "completely relaxed" about his side's dip in form as he ...

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said he was "completely relaxed" about his side's dip in form as he seeks greater consistency ahead of Saturday's home match against Everton.The Blues thumped Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League on November 25 and earned an impressive 1-1 draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal days later.But they have not won since, losing at Leeds and Atalanta and drawing with Bournemouth.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Chelsea boss Maresca was Friday named Premier League manager of the month for November, in recognition of his side's unbeaten record."We are in December now," he said, laughing, at his press conference."This kind of thing is because you do the right things in terms of performance and results," he added. "For us November was fantastic. December, we didn't start in the way we would like, even if it's just one week ago we played Leeds (a 3-1 defeat on December 3). "So it's just three games in a row in one week that we didn't get the results that we expect but we are now focused on the next one."Chelsea, who won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup last season, are fifth in the Premier League, eight points behind Arsenal.Maresca said he was relaxed about Chelsea's mini-slump."It's football, it's completely normal," he said. "I understand most of the time we are always looking for problems or things we need to solve. "The Leeds game was last Wednesday, eight or nine days ago. We are not going to change our season because we didn't get the points that we expect."But I'm completely relaxed, I'm completely OK because I'm sure that at the end of the season we're going to be where we have to be."The Italian admitted that improving consistency was the next step for his young squad."In terms of human beings, it's impossible to be all season at the same level but for sure probably we need to learn things and to avoid that in the the future," he said.Maresca said forward Cole Palmer should be available to face Everton after missing Tuesday's 2-1 defeat by Atalanta.

BERGAMO, ITALY - DECEMBER 09: Enzo Maresca of Chelsea reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between Atalanta BC and Chelsea FC at Stadio di Bergamo on December 09, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy.

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Maresca 'relaxed' about Chelsea's rough patch

Mikel Arteta said Friday that Gabriel Jesus has the qualities to be Arsenal's first-choice strike...

Mikel Arteta said Friday that Gabriel Jesus has the qualities to be Arsenal's first-choice striker following the return of the Brazil international after 11 months on the sidelines.The 28-year-old on Wednesday played his first minutes for the club since suffering a knee injury in January, coming on as a substitute in the Gunners' 3-0 win against Club Brugge in the Champions League.Jesus will have to compete with Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz, currently sidelined with a knee injury, to be the focal point of Arsenal's attack.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Arsenal boss Arteta also has a host of other options in attacking positions including Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Leandro Trossard.The Spanish manager, whose team host bottom side Wolves on Saturday, was asked at his pre-match press conference whether Jesus could push to be the club's number one striker."Yes, a player of his quality, a player that has given us so much and he comes with the energy that he came with the other day," he said."He's certainly a player that has to be pushing and aiming for that, that's for sure."Arteta was also asked if he would think about selling the former Manchester City star, given his wealth of attacking options, but quashed the idea."Gabriel has a lot to offer to the team and he's proven that straight away in the first minute that he was available to play," he said. "He's put so much to be in this position again and now the focus is to be with us."The Arsenal boss insisted the "goals will come" for struggling Gyokeres, who has scored just once in the Premier League since mid-September.Arteta said the team and the 27-year-old forward, who joined the club from Sporting Lisbon in July, had to adapt to each other."We have to put the player in the best possible condition to explode and fulfil his potential, and then there are certain things that within the role, in the manner that we play, have to be fulfilled, and that's a combination of both," he said.He added: "It took him a while at the beginning because it's a different league, different demands, he had no pre-season, and now he's starting to get some momentum. The goals will come and we're going to be very pleased with him."Arsenal are two points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League ahead of the visit of Wolves, who have lost their past eight league games.Arteta was non-committal on the potential return of several first-choice players for the game, including central defender William Saliba and midfielder Declan Rice.He said both men would be assessed ahead of the match at the Emirates, adding there was also uncertainty over the fitness of Jurrien Timber and Trossard.

BRUGES, BELGIUM - DECEMBER 10: Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal looks on after the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between Club Brugge KV and Arsenal FC at Jan Breydelstadion on December 10, 2025 in Bruges, Belgium.

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Arteta wants fit-again Jesus 'pushing' to be Arsenal's top striker

Liverpool boss Arne Slot said he would speak to Mohamed Salah on Friday morning before deciding o...

Liverpool boss Arne Slot said he would speak to Mohamed Salah on Friday morning before deciding on the forward's availability for this weekend's match against Brighton.The Egypt international accused Liverpool of throwing him "under the bus" after he was left on the bench for last week's 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he did not start.Salah also said he had no relationship with the Dutch manager, when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 33-year-old was left out of the squad for Tuesday's Champions League match at Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0, posting a picture on social media of himself alone in a gym at the club's training ground."I will have a conversation with Mo this morning -- the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow," Slot told his pre-match press conference."I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying but there is not much more to say about it."After the Sunderland game (a 1-1 draw on December 3 in which Salah came on as a second-half substitute) there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me."Slot batted away further questions from reporters about the forward, but said: "I have no reasons not wanting him to stay, and that is a little bit of an answer to your question."Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April which made him one of the highest paid players in the Premier League, is due to join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after Saturday's Brighton game at Anfield.The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18.Salah, third in Liverpool's all-time scoring charts with 250 goals in 420 appearances, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his spell on Merseyside.He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title but has managed just four league goals in 13 appearances this season.Liverpool are 10th in the table after a shocking run, with just two wins in their past 10 Premier League games.Salah has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and manager Arne Slot during a training session earlier today at AXA Training Centre, Liverpool. The Egypt international has been left out of Liverpool's squad for Tuesday's Champions League game at Inter Milan, the Premier League club have announced. Picture date: Monday December 8, 2025.

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Liverpool boss Slot to talk with Salah about potential squad return

In-form Crystal Palace eased past Shelbourne 3-0 on Thursday to maintain their chances of an auto...

In-form Crystal Palace eased past Shelbourne 3-0 on Thursday to maintain their chances of an automatic qualifying spot for the UEFA Conference League last 16.Christantus Uche, Eddie Nketiah and Yeremy Pino scored in Dublin to send Palace to within a point of eighth-placed Mainz.Palace end their league phase campaign by welcoming Finnish side KuPS next Thursday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"Credit to the players and the team for their attitude," Palace coach Oliver Glasner told TNT Sports."The pitch wasn't really in the best condition, playing against a team who wants to show up, and I think we played well in the first half."Irish outfit Shelbourne are third from bottom in the table after taking just one point from five matches.Palace, who have lost just twice since November 1, named a strong side despite Sunday's Premier League game with second-placed Manchester City, but Glasner left attacker Jean-Philippe Mateta out of the matchday squad.Nigeria's Uche opened the scoring after 11 minutes before Nketiah doubled the advantage 14 minutes later.The three points were secured eight minutes before the break as Spain international Pino scored his third goal of the campaign."We have to keep believing. We want to go all the way in this competition," said Nketiah.

Dublin , Ireland - 11 December 2025; Christantus Uche of Crystal Palace celebrates after the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 league phase match between Shelbourne and Crystal Palace at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin.

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Crystal Palace brush aside Shelbourne to boost Conference League bid

Aston Villa beat Basel 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday to secure their eighth successive win...

Aston Villa beat Basel 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday to secure their eighth successive win, while Nottingham Forest won at Utrecht as Celtic suffered a heavy home defeat by Roma.Evann Guessand struck the opener for Villa in Switzerland but the hosts hit back when Flavius Daniliuc glanced Xherdan Shaqiri's flighted free-kick past a hesitant Marco Bizot.Youri Tielemans steered in the winner from just outside the area early in the second half as Unai Emery's side picked up their fifth victory in six league phase games this season. They have won 14 of their last 16 matches in all competitions.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I am happy and we knew before the match the difficulties we were facing today," Emery told TNT Sports. "After the last matches, a lot of wars. Brilliant wars for us, after our victory against Arsenal, it is not easy to recover."The last 10 minutes they were close to drawing but I am happy with how we got this victory. It is difficult to beat them here."Villa sit on 15 points and are third in the Europa League standings, guaranteed of at least a play-off place. They trail leaders Lyon and Midtjylland only on goal difference."Where we are now is very good. We have two more games. Two tough games. We just want to win both games and see where we are at," said Tielemans. "The first two spots would be amazing, but then if not, in the top group and hopefully qualify."<h3>Forest end 30-year wait</h3>Forest bolstered their hopes of qualifying directly for the last 16 with a 2-1 win at Utrecht. Arnaud Kalimuendo swept Forest shortly after the break in the Netherlands before the Dutch side levelled through a header from Mike van der Hoorn.Igor Jesus slotted through a crowd two minutes from time to clinch a first away victory in Europe for Forest since 1995, keeping them two points adrift of the top eight."I'm very pleased with the players and the result, and long may it continue. I'm pleased for everyone concerned," said Forest manager Sean Dyche.Wilfried Nancy became the first Celtic boss to lose his first two games as the Scottish champions went down 3-0 to Roma.An own goal from Liam Scales handed Roma a sixth-minute lead in Glasgow and on-loan striker Evan Ferguson's first-half brace sealed the points for the Italian side."The reality is we were not able to cope with the intensity," said Nancy, the 48-year-old Frenchman who was appointed by Celtic last week."Second half was better. I cannot tell you (the players) didn't try, they tried. I'm not concerned, I really liked the reaction. "The result isn't what we want but I've seen good things."Rangers were all but knocked out of Europe after sliding to a fifth defeat in six games. They lost 2-1 to Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros, who are coached by former Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane.Bojan Miovski put Rangers ahead in Budapest but the hosts equalised just before half-time and Hungary international Barnabas Varga powered in the winner to leave the visitors with only one point in the competition.Lyon won 2-1 at home to Go Ahead Eagles to stay above Midtjylland, who claimed a 1-0 victory over Genk.

BASEL, SWITZERLAND - DECEMBER 11: Youri Tielemans of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between FC Basel 1893 and Aston Villa FC at St. Jakob-Park on December 11, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.

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Europa League roundup: Villa and Forest win, Celtic and Rangers lose again

Fans' group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) called on Thursday for FIFA to stop the sale of tick...

Fans' group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) called on Thursday for FIFA to stop the sale of tickets for next year's World Cup due to their "extortionate" cost.According to FSE, the tickets for the competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico, running between June 11 and July 19, will cost almost five times more than the 2022 edition in Qatar."Football Supporters Europe is astonished by the extortionate ticket prices imposed by FIFA on the most dedicated supporters for next year's FIFA World Cup," umbrella lobby group FSE said.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It said that tickets allocated to national associations - typically distributed through official supporters' groups or loyalty programmes to their most dedicated fans - were reaching "astronomical" levels."Based on the information currently available to FSE, if a supporter were to follow their team from the first match to the final... it would cost them a minimum of $6,900."We call on FIFA to immediately halt ticket sales, engage in a consultation with all impacted parties, and review ticket prices and category distribution until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found."FSE claimed World Cup organisers had promised much cheaper costs for the tournament, pointing to tickets priced from $21 in a bid document released in 2018."Where are these tickets now?" it asked."The full way to the final, according to the same bid book, was supposed to cost $2,242 in the cheapest category. This promise is long gone."

England's players acknowledge their supporters at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group K qualifier football match between Albania and England at the "Air Albania" stadium in Tirana , on November 16, 2025.

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Fan group demands FIFA halt sales of 'extortionate' World Cup tickets

The Paris Saint-Germain team bus was pelted with stones outside the team hotel in Bilbao during t...

The Paris Saint-Germain team bus was pelted with stones outside the team hotel in Bilbao during the night after their Champions League game with Athletic, a source close to the club told AFP on Thursday.The bus was parked and had no passengers, the source said.Media reports said two cracks were visible on the coach and two people were arrested.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The PSG players and staff were able to travel to the city's airport for their Thursday morning flight back to Paris.The club is considering filing a complaint over the incident, said the source.On Wednesday evening, European champions PSG drew 0-0 at Bilbao, a result which left PSG third in the 36-team qualifying league. Bilbao are 28th.

BILBAO, SPAIN - DECEMBER 10: Paris Saint-Germain pose for a team photo prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between Athletic Club and Paris Saint-Germain at Estadio de San Mames on December 10, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain.

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PSG team bus pelted with stones outside Bilbao hotel

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon put in a superb performance to help Athletic Bilbao to a 0-0 draw wit...

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon put in a superb performance to help Athletic Bilbao to a 0-0 draw with Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.Simon, 28, made a string of saves in the Basque Country to keep the hosts' hopes of a play-off spot alive.The Parisians were frustrated by Athletic and Simon but move up to third in the table with two rounds of the league phase to play, including January 20's trip to Sporting Lisbon and hosting Newcastle eight days later, and are in line to reach the last 16.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We always want victory," Vitinha told Canal+."The problem is that in a game like that, in the Champions League, when you don't score it becomes difficult."We wasted too many chances, it can happen but it's the difference in that type of match," the Portugal midfielder added.Spaniard Alex Berenguer kept his place on the right wing for Ernesto Valverde's side having scored his first league goal of the season in last Saturday's 1-0 home win over Athletico Madrid.Portugal's Nuno Mendes started at left-back for the visitors having missed their last two league games with a thigh issue.Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele was rested due to an illness.The best chance of the opening half an hour fell to PSG's Fabian Ruiz but he was unable to hit the target with a half volley after Senny Mayulu's floated pass.Barely 10 seconds from the break 56-time international Simon was finally tested as he blocked Mayulu's effort from short range after a first half where the Parisians struggled to deal with the home side's high press.Three minutes after the break Mayulu forced Simon into a superb save, the 19-year-old bursting into the Basque box before the keeper's outstanding block.With half an hour to play Luis Enrique brougth Desire Doue on for Mayulu for his first game since suffering a hamstring injury on October 29, looking for the breakthrough.Simon was beaten in the second-half, but Bradley Barcola's shot rebounded off the crossbar.With less than four minutes left, Simon was once again called into action, blocking another Ruiz effort before captain Yuri Berchiche cleared the follow up shot off his own line.

TOPSHOT - Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #29 Bradley Barcola challenges Athletic Bilbao's Spanish goalkeeper #01 Unai Simon during the UEFA Champions League league phase day 6 football match between Athletic Club Bilbao and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on December 10, 2025.

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Unai Simon puts in heroic display as Athletic Bilbao blank PSG

Alejandro Grimaldo scored an 88th-minute equaliser as Bayer Leverkusen snatched a 2-2 draw at hom...

Alejandro Grimaldo scored an 88th-minute equaliser as Bayer Leverkusen snatched a 2-2 draw at home to Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. That goal denied Newcastle a place in the top eight positions which qualify directly for the last 16.With two matches left, Newcastle are two points behind the top eight and a point ahead of Leverkusen, with both currently heading for the play-offs.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Speaking with TNT Sports, Newcastle goalscorer Anthony Gordon said his side's defeat "all comes back to mentality", adding that "we've got to be stronger, we've got to hold teams off in games, because top teams do.""Ultimately it's consistency. We need to be a consistent team in every phase of the game."With Leverkusen leading through a Bruno Guimaraes own goal, Gordon levelled things up from the spot after a goalkeeping howler from Mark Flekken early in the second half.Newcastle took the lead when Gordon set up Lewis Miley but Grimaldo, Leverkusen's standout player this season with nine goals and five assists in 19 matches, had the last word.Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich told DAZN: "For long stretches, especially in the first half, we played a good game, then we had a sluggish spell and conceded an unnecessary penalty. "You could tell from around the 65th minute we were running out of steam, but I'm still happy and I think we deserved the point."Newcastle host PSV Eindhoven before a trip to reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain in their final two matches. Leverkusen face Olympiacos and Villarreal, who both languish near the bottom of the 36-team table. <h3>Hjulmand a late withdrawal</h3>Half an hour before kick-off, the hosts were hit with the news that coach Kasper Hjulmand would miss the match due to personal reasons. His team took the lead in simple fashion.With 13 minutes gone, Aleix Garcia lofted in a corner to captain Andrich at the far post where he shrugged off Sandro Tonali as his off-target header cannoned off Guimaraes's back and bounced into the net. Leverkusen were on top at the break but brought Newcastle back into the match with a poor goalkeeping error early in the second period.A peripheral figure in the first-half, Nick Woltemade pressured Flekken into a poor mistake, seemingly sneaking up on the Leverkusen goalkeeper who pulled the Newcastle frontman down in the box. Gordon nervelessly converted the spot kick and almost had another goal minutes later, hitting the inside of the post with Flekken beaten. The England winger helped Newcastle take the lead with 74 minutes gone, curling a cross to Miley, who leapt to head home. Newcastle sat back after scoring, allowing Leverkusen to build pressure. Grimaldo duly obliged with two minutes remaining, latching onto a Ibrahim Maza pass and blasting past the outstretched hand of Aaron Ramsdale.

LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - DECEMBER 10: Alejandro Grimaldo of Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrates after scoring the team's second goal with Ibrahim Maza of Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer 04 Leverkusen during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Newcastle United FC at BayArena on December 10, 2025 in Leverkusen, Germany.

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Newcastle denied win by Grimaldo's late Leverkusen leveler

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Erling Haaland (UEFA, CHLG, EURCQ, BUND, GERDFBP, INTFR, NATLEAGUEB, WCQUEFA, EPL, ENGCC, ENGFA, NATLEAGUEFNL, NATLEAGUEA, NATLEAGUEC, NATLEAGUED, WORLDCUP)