Watch extended highlights of Aston Villa and Bologna, player stats, results and goals from UEFA Europa League, April 16, 2026 The post Aston Villa vs Bologna Highlights and Goals appeared first on DasFootball.

Los Angeles Galaxy winger Joseph Paintsil has expressed hope that newly appointed Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz will select Ghana’s best players for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.Ghana has been drawn in Group L alongside Panama, Croatia, and England, setting up an exciting but challenging path for the four-time African champions.Speaking to VamosNetwork, Paintsil emphasized his commitment to representing Ghana, saying his focus is always on making his country proud.“I always need to respect the national team call-up. I’m playing for the people of Ghana, not for an individual person,” Paintsil said. “I’m doing it for Ghanaians to know my worth and that I can deliver whenever I get the chance.”The 26-year-old also voiced optimism that Queiroz — who previously managed Colombia, Iran, and Egypt — will make fair and merit-based selections for the tournament.“We are just hoping and praying that the new coach will do the needful — to take the best players to the World Cup, to perform, and to make Ghanaians proud,” he added.Queiroz took over the Black Stars earlier this week following the dismissal...

Manchester United will welcome Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this Sunday as they look to secure a good result on the road in the Premier League. The Red Devils suffered a tough 2-1 loss against Leeds United recently, so they would be full of confidence going into this game. Michael Carrick will set his team up […] The post Heaven, Dalot And Mainoo To Start | 4-2-3-1 Manchester United Predicted Lineup Vs Chelsea appeared first on The 4th Official - A view from the sideline.

Leeds United could be willing to accommodate Juventus striker Lois Openda, who no longer holds a place in Luciano… The post Report: Leeds United studying a move for unwanted Juventus attacker appeared first on Juvefc.com.

Vinicius Junior surpassed a Lionel Messi assist record in the UEFA Champions League during Real Madrid’s loss to Bayern Munich, although Cristiano Ronaldo still leads the all-time list. Real Madrid were eliminated from the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League after falling to Bayern Munich on Wednesday in Germany. However, the match allowed Vinicius Junior to surpass a Lionel Messi mark and move closer to Cristiano Ronaldo. Vini produced a brilliant play and assisted Kylian Mbappe on Real Madrid’s third goal in the closing minutes of the first half, which temporarily put the Spanish side level in the tie. With that contribution, the Brazilian winger reached 13 assists in the knockout stages of the European competition. In doing so, Vinicius moved past Lionel Messi for second place in the all-time rankings in that category. The Argentine forward had recorded 12 assists in Champions League knockout matches during his time with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Cristiano Ronaldo remains at the top of the list, having recorded a total of 15 assists in the tournament’s knockout stages across his spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. No other player has come close to those numbers, but Vinicius, at just 25 years old, needs only three more to claim the all-time record. IT'S MBAPPE'S TURN! 😱 OH MY GOODNESS, WHAT A MATCH! #UCL pic.twitter.com/g0RYwP92aF — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) April 15, 2026 Vinicius also draws level with Neymar That assist to Mbappe at the Allianz Arena also helped Vinicius climb the all-time Champions League assist rankings, including both the knockout rounds and the group stage. Vini is now tied with Neymar for fourth place on the list with 33 assists, and he has strong prospects of closing in on the top spots in the near future. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as expected, are also in the top three, with the Portuguese star leading the way. However, there is another somewhat unexpected name included: Angel Di Maria, who played alongside both legends at Real Madrid and PSG, respectively. All-time Champions League assist leaders: 1- Cristiano Ronaldo (42) 2- Angel Di Maria (41) 3- Lionel Messi (40) 4- Neymar (33) 4- Vinicius (33) 6- Kevin De Bruyne (31) 6- Ryan Giggs (31) 8- Xavi Hernandez (30) 8- Thomas Muller (30) 10- Karim Benzema (29) 10- Andres Iniesta (29)

Manchester City defender Marc Guehi has told his teammates to take inspiration from their Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal into Sunday’s meeting with the Gunners. City have mounted significant pressure on the Premier League leaders by reducing the gap to the top of the table to three points, with goals from Nico O’Reilly, Guehi […]

Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva (31) will leave the club this summer after confirming he will depart when his contract expires, bringing an end to a glittering nine-year spell at…

It may sound counterintuitive, but Mikel Arteta might, before what is arguably the biggest Arsenal match in 20 years, need to adopt some things from a team that just lost 4-0 to our opponents. There’s often a tactical tweak or a surprise selection when Pep Guardiola heads into a big game. Last month’s League Cup […] The post Tactics Column: Lessons for Arsenal against Man City’s 4-2-4 appeared first on Arseblog ... an Arsenal blog.

As the global stage prepares for its biggest edition yet, questions about participating nations, mainly Iran, have added an extra layer of intrigue. The countdown to the 2026 World Cup continues to build momentum, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino stepping forward to address one of the most discussed uncertainties surrounding the tournament. As the global stage prepares for its biggest edition yet, questions about participating nations, mainly Iran, have added an extra layer of intrigue. The tournament itself is shaping up to be historic in every sense. Set to feature 48 teams for the first time, the competition is expected to generate more than $11 billion in revenue, underlining its massive global appeal. With matches spread across multiple host nations, anticipation continues to grow among fans and stakeholders alike. The 2026 edition promises to redefine the scale of international soccer. With 48 teams divided into 12 groups, followed by an expanded knockout phase, the structure introduces a new level of competition and opportunity. This format ensures more nations are involved, increasing both representation and unpredictability. Also, more than 500 million ticket requests have already been recorded, highlighting the event’s reach across all continents. As speculation intensified, FIFA moved to clarify its stance on Iran’s participation. “The Iranian team is coming for sure,” Infantino told CNBC, firmly addressing the uncertainty surrounding the situation. His statement confirmed that Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup, putting an end to weeks of doubt. Infantino emphasized the fundamental principle behind the decision. “They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play,” he explained, reinforcing FIFA’s commitment to sporting merit. Keeping the focus on soccer Beyond the confirmation itself, Infantino highlighted a deeper philosophy guiding FIFA’s decisions. “Sports should be outside of politics,” he stated, acknowledging the challenges while maintaining a clear stance. The aim is to preserve the tournament as a platform for unity and competition, regardless of external circumstances. He also acknowledged the realities of the world while defending this approach. “We don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth,” Infantino said, before adding that FIFA continues to work toward building connections through soccer. These remarks underline the balance between idealism and practicality in organizing a global event. Alireza Jahanbakhsh of Iran celebrates during the FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifiers Iran’s road ahead for the tournament Looking ahead, the focus shifts back to the competition itself. Iran is scheduled to play its group-stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt, with games set to take place in major U.S. cities. If successful, further matches would continue within the same host nation as the tournament progresses. The broader objective remains ensuring a successful and secure event. “A win would be that we have a successful World Cup from a security point of view, so no incidents,” Infantino explained. Delivering high-quality matches while maintaining safety standards stands at the core of FIFA’s vision.