Jude Bellingham struck a 92nd-minute winner as Real Madrid fought back twice to defeat Manchester City 3-2 in a thrilling first leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off.

The victory marked Madrid’s first-ever win within 90 minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

Before kick-off, City fans set the stage for the heated encounter with a “stop crying your heart out” message aimed at Vinícius Júnior and his club.

The Brazilian nearly made an early impact, playing a precise pass to Kylian Mbappé, whose shot was saved, before setting up Ferland Mendy, only for Nathan Aké to block his effort.

After surviving Madrid’s early pressure, City took the lead through a well-crafted move, with Joško Gvardiol chesting the ball into Erling Haaland’s path for the Norwegian’s first-ever goal against Los Blancos.

Madrid responded swiftly as Vinícius saw a deflected shot rattle the crossbar, but City suffered a setback when Jack Grealish limped off injured after an impressive start.

The hosts continued to press, with Phil Foden testing Thibaut Courtois and Manuel Akanji’s header grazing the crossbar, while Federico Valverde came close at the other end before Mbappé skied a chance before halftime.

Akanji was forced off at the break, but City maintained their intensity as Haaland’s shot was deflected onto the crossbar by Eduardo Camavinga. At the other end, Vinícius beat substitute Rico Lewis and crossed for Bellingham, who headed just wide. Mbappé was twice denied—first by Ederson, then by a brilliant Gvardiol tackle.

However, the Frenchman soon found his breakthrough, scuffing Dani Ceballos’ dinked pass past Ederson to level the score on the hour mark.

City quickly regained the lead when Ceballos conceded a penalty for fouling Foden, allowing Haaland to convert from the spot. However, Madrid hit back immediately—Ederson’s save from Vinícius’ shot fell perfectly for Brahim Díaz, who slotted home against his former club just two minutes after coming on.

With the match heading for a draw, Vinícius seized on City’s hesitation, surging forward and nudging the ball into Bellingham’s path, who coolly slotted home the stoppage-time winner.

The result secured Madrid’s fourth consecutive UCL victory and a crucial advantage heading into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Meanwhile, City’s European struggles continue, with just one win in their last six Champions League matches.

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has fully recovered from his injury and has re-joined training with his Udinese teammates.

The Nigerian goalkeeper is reuniting with his teammates amid betting scandal he is currently facing.

The 25-year-old shot-stopper had been sidelined since December 2024 due to a torn Scapholunate ligament in his right wrist.

As reported by Italian outlet Tutto, Okoye returned to training on Wednesday alongside the rest of the squad.

“It was a day of returns at the Bruseschi sports centre, as several players who had been out of action for weeks due to injury were seen back on the field. In addition to Keinan Davis and Kingsley Ehizibue, Maduka Okoye also participated in the week’s training session, which prepares the team for their upcoming match against Napoli,” the outlet stated.

Former Brazil and Real Madrid defender Marcelo has announced his retirement from football, bringing the curtain down on a trophy-laden career that included five Champions League triumphs.

Marcelo, 36, played for Real from 2007-2022 and left the Spanish club with 25 trophies in 546 games, including six LaLiga titles.

The defender scored in the 2014 Champions League final which gave Real ‘La Decima’, their long-awaited 10th European crown, kick starting a decade of dominance where the club went on to win five more.

He was also part of the squad that won three Champions League titles in a row between the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons.

“My journey as a player ends here, but I still have so much to give football,” he said in a video posted on social media platform Instagram. “Thank you for everything.”

Marcelo also won two Copa del Rey trophies, five Spanish Super Cups, four Club World Cups and three European Super Cups with Real, whom he also captained towards the end of his stint in Madrid.

“One of the greatest left backs in Real Madrid and world football history and we had the privilege of watching him for a long time,” Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said in a statement.

“He is one of our greatest legends and Real Madrid is and always will be his home.”

Marcelo last played for Brazilian Serie A side Fluminense, where he started his youth and professional career, winning the Copa Libertadores in 2023 before leaving by mutual consent in November.

He also made 58 appearances for Brazil, winning the Confederations Cup in 2013 plus a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics and bronze in 2008.

Nigerian duo, Raphael Onyedika and Tolu Arokodare have both been named in the Belgian League Golden X1 for 2024.

Onyedika is one of the eight Club Brugge players named in the selection.

The midfielder played a pivotal role in Club Brugge’s title success last season.

The 23-year-old has also featured regularly for Brugge this season.

Arokodare has scored 13 goals for KRC Genk this term.

He is the currently the leading scorer in the Belgian top-flight.

Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, says his team is motivated to go all the way at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The three-time African champions are drawn in Group C with Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Chelle, who was appointed Super Eagles head coach earlier this month, acknowledged the challenge posed by the teams in the group but is upbeat his team can challenge for the title.

“Yes, it’s going to be difficult to win because there are 24 very good teams and some very good coaches,” the 47-year-old was quoted by CAF’s official website.

“I know I’ve got a team that’s out for revenge, and I’m out for revenge too, so we’re going to have a lot of fun.”

The Super Eagles will begin their campaign at the competition against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania on Tuesday, December 23.

Brazil and Al Hilal superstar, Neymar Jr, is closing in on a return to his boyhood club, Santos, sources told ESPN on Sunday.

Sources told ESPN that Neymar’s contract with Al Hilal will likely be terminated, but the final details are still being negotiated.

According to a post obtained from Fabrizio Romano’s X handle on Sunday, Neymar’s return to Santos now imminent as verbal agreement has been reached.

“Formal steps to follow next week for the final formula of the deal from Al Hilal and contracts to be checked. Neymar already said yes to the move,” the post read.

If the deal with Santos is completed, Neymar is set to travel to Brazil this week, and could play for Santos as soon as February 5 which eventually falls on his 33rd birthday.

Recall that the most expensive footballer in the world joined Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 for a fee of $97.6 million,

The 32-year-old made just seven league and cup appearances with just one goal scored in an AFC Champions League group stage match against Nassaji Mazandaran in October 3, 2023.

Neymar began his professional career with Santos in 2009, leading them to a Copa Libertadores triumph in 2011, when he scored in the second leg of the final, a 2-1 win over Peñarol.

At the international level, Neymar has appeared 128 times for Brazil, scoring a Selecao record 79 goals. He was part of the Brazil side that won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, which Brazil hosted

Manchester City have announced the signing of 25-year-old Egyptian striker, Omar Marmoush, from Eintracht Frankfurt on a four-and-a-half-year deal, keeping him at the Etihad Stadium until 2029.

Recognised as one of Europe’s most promising forwards, Marmoush brings versatility to City’s attack with his ability to operate across the frontline.

The Egyptian international, capped 35 times for his country, expressed his excitement at joining Pep Guardiola’s team, stating, “To sign for Manchester City – one of the best teams in the world – is an amazing feeling.”

A statement on the club website on Thursday morning revealed this.

Marmoush’s football journey began in Egypt with Wadi Degla before moving to Germany in 2017, where he played for Wolfsburg and later joined Frankfurt in 2023.

His 2023/24 season with Frankfurt was remarkable, yielding 17 goals in 41 appearances. This form continued into the current campaign, with Marmoush registering 20 goals and 14 assists in 26 games before his move to City.

Director of Football Txiki Begiristain praised the striker’s technical ability, pace, and versatility, saying, “Omar is an accomplished and exciting forward… I also have no doubt that working with Pep will see him further develop his superb attacking talent.”

Former Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar has revealed that Kylian Mbappé became “a little jealous” after Lionel Messi joined the French club in August 2021.

Neymar made the statement on Thursday during a podcast hosted by Brazilian World Cup winner Romário, where he shared insights about life at PSG and the dynamics within their star-studded front three.

Neymar, who joined PSG for a world-record £222 million transfer fee in 2017 after his successful stint at Barcelona, admitted there were tensions between him and Mbappé but described their relationship as generally positive.

“He’s not annoying,” Neymar said in response to Romário’s question about Mbappé.

“I have my things with him, we had a little fight, but he was fundamental for us when he arrived.

“I used to call him golden boy. I always played with him, said he was going to be one of the best. I always helped, talked to him, he came to my place, we had dinner together,” Neymar recalled.

However, Neymar added that Messi’s arrival in 2021 created a rift.

“We had some good years of partnership, but after Messi came he was a little jealous. He didn’t want to split me with anyone. And then there were some fights, a change in behavior,” Neymar stated.

Mbappé joined PSG from Monaco in the same year as Neymar, with both players brought in to help the club secure its first UEFA Champions League title — a feat that remains elusive.

Neymar reflected on the challenges the team faced due to inflated egos within the squad.

“It is good to have egos, but you have to know that you don’t play alone. There needs to be another guy by your side. Big egos were almost everywhere, it can’t work.

“If nobody runs and nobody helps, it is impossible to win anything,” Neymar said.

Neymar, who now plays for Saudi club Al-Hilal, concluded his time at PSG with an impressive record of 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 appearances.

Mbappé has since moved on to Real Madrid.

Arsenal’s FA Cup dreams came to a shattering end as a resilient ten-man Manchester United triumphed in a penalty shootout at the Emirates Stadium following a dramatic 1-1 draw in regular time.

The match was filled with intense moments, including a significant injury to Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus. While attempting to dispossess Bruno Fernandes, Jesus collided awkwardly and had to be stretchered off the field in visible distress. This injury is a major blow for Arsenal, especially given Jesus’s recent resurgence in form.

Manchester United opened the scoring with a goal from Bruno Fernandes.

Earlier in the match, Fernandes had displayed his frustration by throwing his boot to the ground after being denied a free-kick, earning him a yellow card in the process.

The game took another dramatic turn when United’s Diogo Dalot received a second yellow card, leaving his side with ten men. Arsenal capitalised on their numerical advantage, with Gabriel Magalhães heading in the equaliser.

Controversy erupted when Arsenal were awarded a penalty after Kai Havertz went down under minimal contact from Harry Maguire.

Without the presence of VAR, the decision sparked heated confrontations between players, with Maguire accusing Havertz of simulation. The altercation resulted in yellow cards for Maguire, Gabriel Magalhães, and Havertz.

Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard stepped up to take the penalty, but his effort was saved by United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, leaving the scoreline unchanged.

With no further goals in extra time, the match proceeded to a penalty shootout. Manchester United displayed remarkable composure, successfully converting all five of their spot-kicks, while Arsenal missed two, including one from Kai Havertz.

United emerged victorious, advancing to the next round of the FA Cup.

David Moyes met with Everton officials yesterday to agree a deal to return to the club. Moyes, who left West Ham at the end of last season, is set to sign a contract running at least two years.

The 61-year-old – manager of Everton between 2002 and 2013 before joining Manchester United – will replace Sean Dyche, who was sacked on Thursday.

It is understood Everton’s owner, the Friedkin Group – who only completed their takeover of the club last month – hope to announce the appointment before this weekend.

Dyche paid the price for Everton’s run of just one win from their last 11 games, leaving them a point above the Premier League relegation zone in 16th place. His sacking was confirmed just over three hours before Everton’s FA Cup third-round tie against Peterborough with Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman placed in interim charge.

Barring any last minute change in plans, the newly appointed head coach of Super Eagles, Eric Sekou Chelle, will arrive in the country on Saturday with a view to complete the deal that will make him the next Nigeria’s coach.

The Frenchman was appointed on Tuesday to take over the vacant position of national head coach and he is scheduled to arrive Nigeria with two assistants who will work alongside him in managing the Super Eagles.

Chelle’s immediately mandate would be to ensure the Super Eagles stage a comeback in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers where they are languishing in the fifth spot with a pitiable three points from four games in Group C behind South Africa, Rwanda and Benin Republic who all have seven points.

He will oversee the Super Eagles upcoming Match days 5 & 6 Qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March this year. They are must win games if Nigeria does not want to kiss the World Cup bye for second consecutive time.

In the meantime, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has finalized plans for the official unveiling of the new coach, to take place on Monday in Abuja.

Chelle is expected to begin his tenure with the home-based Eagles ahead of the Championship of African Nations (CHAN).

In a related development , Nantes forward Moses Simon said he was happy that the Super Eagles now has a substantive coach as he pledged his support for Chelle.

Simon, a winger for the Super Eagles, was recently named Player of the Month for December by French Ligue 1 club Nantes, said he knows the new coach would enjoy his stint with Nigeria.

In a post on his X handle, Simon welcomed the new gaffer, saying, “Welcome to Nigeria.”

Fresh facts have emerged on how much the Nigerian Football Federation will pay the new Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, Nations Sports reports.

The NFF officially appointed Chelle as the new Super Eagles coach, following a recommendation by the federation’s Technical and Development Sub-Committee.

Chelle, a former coach of the Mali national football team, who takes over the reins from interim leadership of Austin Eguavoen, becomes the fourth Super Eagles coach in 12 months.

Chelle is the first non-Nigerian African to assume the role of Super Eagles coach, and his appointment has stirred mixed reactions among supporters.

Our correspondent learnt that the French-Malian coach agreed to a short-term contract that covers the 2026 World Cup qualifiers till October 2025 with a monthly salary of $50,000 (N85m).

It was also learnt that the 47-year-old former coach of Mali will be coming with two assistants that will earn $5,000 per month.

The Super Eagles’ current form in World Cup qualifying has been less than ideal, with a winless start—three draws and one loss in their first four games of Group C.

They are four points behind group leaders Rwanda and will face crucial matches in March, including an away game against Rwanda and a home fixture against Zimbabwe.

Expectations were for a high-profile foreign coach to take charge of a team that boasts top talents such as reigning African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman and 2023 winner Victor Osimhen.

This decision follows unsuccessful negotiations with high-profile coaches such as Herve Renard, Janne Andersson, and Bruno Labbadia, with issues such as tax problems affecting the latter’s deal.

Despite mixed reactions to Chelle’s appointment, the hope is that he can help lead Nigeria to better results in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Super Eagles defender Zaidu Sanusi made a return to football for the first time almost a year for FC Porto in their 1-0 loss to Sporting Lisbon in a Taca da Liga tie on Tuesday .

Sanusi suffered a season-ending injury in February 2024 after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during FC Porto’s 2-0 win over Estrela Amadora. It was his first game immediately after his return from the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations held in Cote d’Ivoire.

The defender who played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s 2024 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, appearing in all matches except one, was in the starting line-up for Porto but had to be substituted after just 32 minutes due to the injury.

The 27-year-old played 29 minutes of action in the Portuguese Cup semi-final loss to Sporting, coming in for Pepe in the 61st minute.

Before Tuesday’s game, he played two times for Porto’s B team last year as he tried to get back his fitness.

Sanusi’s return is a boost for the Super Eagles as they try to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico. The Nigeria team presently sit fifth in a group of six, winless and with three points from four games, four behind the leading pack of Rwanda, South Africa and Benin Republic.

The Eagles return to action on March 17 when they travel to Rwanda for Matchday five of the World Cup qualifiers in what is the first game of the newly appointed Nigeria coach Eric Chelle.

Ivorian international Seko Fofana has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Rennes, the Ligue 1 club announced Wednesday after 18 months playing in Saudi Arabia.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who has 22 caps for the Ivory Coast, arrives on a deal estimated to be worth 20 million euros ($20.8 million).

The former Lens captain joined Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in the summer of 2023, after helping the French club return to the Champions League for the first time in 21 years.

But Fofana never really found his place on the pitch in the Middle East, whether at Al Nassr or during a loan spell at Al Ettifaq.

Rennes are struggling in 12th place in Ligue 1 — just four points above the relegation — zone and moved for Fofana who had worked with the Brittany club’s executive president Arnaud Pouille at Lens.

“There are talented players at Rennes and I think that the club is not in its rightful place,” said Fofana.

“It’s a team that I have often played against, it counts in this championship. I can’t wait to start.”

AC Milan have sacked manager Paulo Fonseca after just six months in charge following their 1-1 draw at home to Roma.

The result left the seven-time European champions in eighth place in the Serie A table, 14 points adrift of joint-leaders Atalanta and Napoli.

Milan sit 12th in the 36-team Champions League table having lost two and won four of their six matches.

Fonseca was appointed in June to replace Stefano Pioli, who guided Milan to a second-place finished in the league last season and their first league title in 11 years in 2022.

“The club extends its gratitude to Paulo for his great professionalism and wishes him the very best in his future endeavours,” read a statement on Milan’s website.

Speaking to reporters as he left San Siro on Sunday night, Fonseca appeared to confirm he had been dismissed.

“Yes, it’s true. I’m out,” Fonseca said from his car outside the stadium. “That’s life. I did everything I could.”

Milan face Juventus in the first leg of the semi-finals of the Italian Super Cup on 3 January, with the second leg on 18 January.

Italian media reports suggest former Porto manager Sergio Conceicao is expected to replace Fonseca.

The former Lazio, Parma and Inter Milan midfielder left Porto in June following six seasons with the Portuguese club.

Manchester City have identified Ola Aina as a potential replacement for Kyle Walker, according to The Sun.

Walker, 34, is nearing the twilight of his career and City are already looking for a long-term successor.

Aina has been one of the standout performers for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this season.

The 27-year-old has scored twice in 19 league appearances for Forest in the current campaign.

The Nigeria international can operate both as a right-back and left-back.

The Chelsea academy product has six months left on his contract at Nottingham Forest.

According to a UK publication, sportwitness, English Premier League giants Arsenal have identified Nigeria international Samuel Chukwueze as a potential replacement for injured England international, Bukayo Saka.

Saka suffered a hamstring injury in Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Crystal Palace and is expected to be out of action for a significant period.

The England international lasted less than 25 minutes at Selhurst Park before going down with a hamstring injury. He was unable to continue after receiving treatment and was even seen leaving the stadium on crutches after the match.

Saka could now be absent for around two months, though the report notes that the England star would have required surgery had he torn his hamstring from the bone. That would have ruled him out for around six months.

While Arsenal will be relieved that is not the case, they will still be without one of their most influential players during a crucial period of the season.

With the 23-year-old expected to be out until at least February, Sportswitness wrote that Mikel Arteta is considering signing Chukwueze who was recently linked with a move to Aston Villa.

“Last week, Aston Villa had emerged as a suitor for AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze. It now seems as if Arsenal could also become a potential destination for the Nigerian,” the website wrote.

“This comes from MilanLive, who assess the winger’s situation and they believe that Arsenal is the most ‘interesting option’ for the 25-year-old.

“With Bukayo Saka out injured the Gunners want to bring in an attacker that can cover for the England international. Chukwueze is a possible option to fill the gap on the right wing. Profiles are being considered and the Milan man could emerge as a target.”

Aston Villa remain in the running and the winger could reunite with Unai Emery at Villa Park, with the pair having worked together at Villarreal.

Along with Arsenal and Aston Villa, the report mentions that a return to La Liga can also become a possibility. No offers have arrived for the Nigeria international yet but that can change soon, with Milan hoping to recoup the €20m plus €8m fee they paid for him in the summer of 2023.

The feeling is that an exit from the San Siro will present a possible solution for Chukwueze’s future.

Super Eagles remained in an unchanged 44th spot in the world and fifth position in Africa in December and will end the year in that spot following the information released by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) yesterday.

Super Eagles experienced a significant setback in the last FIFA rankings released in November, suffering the biggest drop of any national team.

This decline follows a disappointing performance in the November Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they managed only a draw against Benin and suffered a surprising home loss to Rwanda.

The Super Eagles suffered a significant drop in the latest FIFA World Rankings, released last month. They fell to 44th position, an eight-place decline from their previous ranking of 36th in the month of October, the largest drop globally for this period.

The Super Eagles, however, end the year 16 places worse off, having reached as high as 28th in the first ranking of the year, which was released after they reached the Africa Cup of Nations final in Cote d’Ivoire.

The top 10 teams in Africa remained unchanged from the previous rankings, with Morocco (14th ), Senegal (17th ), Egypt (33rd ), Algeria (37th ), and Nigeria making up the top five on the continent.

Côte d’Ivoire (46th ), Cameroon (49th ), Mali (51st ), Tunisia (52nd ), and South Africa (57th) complete the top 10.

Globally, the top 10 teams in the FIFA rankings are Argentina, France, Spain, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Germany.

Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has been provisionally suspended from football after he was informed of a positive drugs test by the English Football Association, as the club open an investigation into the incident.

The Ukrainian has been unavailable for Chelsea’s last five matches across all competitions. Daily Mail reported that the player’s absence was due to a suspected adverse analytical finding of the banned substance meldonium.

As per the FA rules, Mudryk has been notified of the test result and can subsequently be provisionally suspended. He is then provided a chance to respond with an explanation before a decision is made on a potential charge.

According to Daily Mail, Chelsea have launched an investigation into the matter as there is a belief that the contamination may have occurred outside the United Kingdom because the substance involved is unavailable in the country.

“Chelsea Football Club can confirm the Football Association recently contacted our player Mykhailo Mudryk concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test,” Chelsea said in a statement. “Both the Club and Mykhailo fully support The FA’s testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested. Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances.”

Meanwhile, the player is still waiting for the test result of sample ‘B’ to know whether or not it confirms the findings of his ‘A’ sample.

“I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon. I cannot say any more now due to the confidentiality of the process, but I will as soon as I can,” Mudryk said in a statement.