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A top Champions League referee was once arrested as part of a drugs and prostitution raid at a ‘sex party’ – after accidentally finding himself in sleazy company.
Slavko Vincic will take charge of Tuesday night’s clash between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich and could officiate English clubs later in the competition.

Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal are all in prime position to advance over the next two days, having won their away ties against Paris Saint-Germain, Club Bruges, and PSV respectively.

Vincic, who refereed last season’s Champions League final, was caught up in a sordid affair almost five years ago.
In May 2020 he was released by police after being arrested at the party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The official attended what he claims was an invitation to a business lunch in the Bosnian city of Bijeljina but found himself caught up in the raid and was arrested along with Tijana Maksimovic, who police believed to be the leader of a prostitution ring.

In January 2021, Maksimovic pleaded guilty in full to the criminal charge of international enticement to prostitution, with a year-long sentence in prison proposed for her.

All in all, officers reportedly held nine women and 26 men in total, and seized four packets of cocaine, 10 pistols, three protective vests, over 10,000 euros (translated from various currencies).
Vincic was not accused of being directly involved in the operation and was questioned as a witness before being let go.
He told Slovenian outlet Vecer that he had nothing to do with the group.
‘I found myself on this ranch by chance. I have my own company, I was in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a business meeting,’ he said.
‘I accepted an invitation to lunch, which turned out to be my biggest mistake. I regret it.
‘I was sitting at a table with my company, all of a sudden the police came and what happened, happened.
‘I have nothing to do with the group that was arrested and detained, nor do my business partners.

The president of the Association of Football Referees of Slovenia, Vlado Sajn, defended his official, saying: ‘According to the information we gathered from official and unofficial sources, and last but not least from Slavko himself, he is not suspected of anything, no proceedings have been instituted against him.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has suggested that Manchester United will have to wait until at least 2030 before moving into their new ‘iconic’ stadium.
Ratcliffe, who owns a 28.94 percent stake in the club, took part in a series of interviews on Monday in which he issued an update on plans to move out of Old Trafford. United have played their home matches at the stadium since 1910 but ever since becoming co-owner, Ratcliffe has had his sights on building a ‘Wembley of the North’.

The Manchester-born billionaire believes that United will have the ‘world’s most iconic stadium’ which will serve as the ‘nucleus’ of a government-funded regeneration project in the south of the city. Multiple reports say that United will make an announcement confirming their decision to build a new 100,000-seater stadium as opposed to renovating Old Trafford will be made on Tuesday.

As for when the Red Devils will be ready to make the move, Ratcliffe revealed to ex-United captain Gary Neville for The Overlap: “I won’t say much more but Norman Foster, who also is a Mancunian and is the world’s greatest architect in my view, has really created the most iconic – well you’ve seen it (the design) – absolutely incredible.

“It would be marvellous if Manchester United could go down that road in five years’ time or six years’ time and have that stadium.”
The founder of petrochemicals company INEOS also said: “It’s definitely deliverable but I think it needs to be set in context again. “And at the moment, if you look at the Premier League, we’ve got some great stadiums but we don’t have a Bernabeu and we don’t have a Nou Camp, we don’t have that in the Premier League, although it’s the greatest league in the world.

“And also, if you look at the north of England, the north of England has won 10 Champions League finals and London has won two. So there’s quite a few reasons there to have the world’s most iconic football stadium in the north of England and at the world’s greatest club.

“It’s the greatest football club in the world. Then if it’s going to build a new stadium it should be a new stadium that’s befitting the greatest club in the world and also a stadium that befits the greatest league in the world. Because the Premier League is the greatest league in the world.”

Amid concerns over United’s financial capacity to build the stadium, Ratcliffe told the Times: “I think it is financeable. But key to it is being part of the government regeneration project for southern Manchester which, you know. Rachel Reeves has talked about as one of those three major planks of their growth strategy.

Liverpool’s new Adidas kits have reportedly been leaked after they penned a £300m deal with the German giants.
After five years kitted out by Nike, the Premier League leaders are capitalising on their success by switching things up with a lucrative move to Adidas.

The German sportswear titans are set to fork out a whopping £60m annually, decking out the men’s, women’s, and academy squads from head to toe. This massive deal kicks off on August 1, 2025.

There has been no confirmation of what Liverpool’s 2025/26 kits will look like, but there have been a few leaked efforts to feature across social media.
Their home kit will be red, obviously, with the iconic Adidas stripes on the shoulders. The Liverpool logo, Adidas logo and sponsor will all potentially be in white with white trim and piping across the sleeves and torso, reports the Mirror.

The away kit is rumoured to be a flip of that, featuring a white body with red trim, and the Liverpool emblem encased in a shield. The potential third shirt has certainly sparked chatter.

Boasting a striking teal hue, it’s designed as a nod to the 1980s, complete with striped trim, an Adidas originals trefoil logo, and a vintage Liverpool crest.
Adidas’ CEO Bjørn Gulden is thrilled with the deal: “We are extremely excited that adidas and Liverpool Football Club are teaming up once again. The club is one of the biggest and most iconic names in world football with a huge fan base.

“The jerseys worn during previous partnerships are some of the greatest ever created. We are honoured to once again provide the players with cutting-edge technology to perform at the highest level and are looking forward to creating more classics for the fans.”
Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan added: “Everyone at the club is incredibly excited to welcome adidas back into the LFC family. We have enjoyed fantastic success together in the past and created some of the most iconic LFC kits of all time.”

Liverpool have twice donned the Adidas stripes. The Reds signed an initial agreement with Adidas in 1985, with the deal lasting for 11 seasons up to 1996.

They won three league titles, three FA Cups and the League Cup during that period before a move to Reebok for 10 years. Reebok were bought by Adidas in 2005, and a year later the three stripes, were back on the Liverpool kit.
However, the Reds only won one trophy during their previous stint with Adidas, the 2012 League Cup, before Warrior took over.

Raphinha is arguably one of the most naturally gifted players ever to play for Leeds United.
The Brazilian signed for the Whites from Rennes for £17 million ahead of the club’s return to the Premier League, and he was greeted with expectation given his impressive exploits in France and Portugal.

While the Elland Road faithful weren’t able to fully embrace his debut season due to the restrictions the following year, Raphinha truly came into his own.
He became the heart of the team, almost single-handedly guiding Leeds to Premier League survival and capturing the imagination of fans in the process.
The 28-year-old’s final appearance for the club came at Brentford, where he stepped up to slot home a cool penalty amid a crucial 2-1 win in the fight for survival. The scenes in the away end were jubilant that day, and it was a fitting farewell for Raphinha, who would leave for Barcelona that summer in a deal worth £55 million.

Swapping Elland Road for the Camp Nou, the winger has steadily made his mark, with his performances this season placing him firmly in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or. However, to truly claim that accolade, silverware is essential, and with Barcelona’s strong Champions League ambitions, Leeds won’t begrudge the Brazilian’s success, especially with a smart trophy-related add-on included in his 2022 sale.

Raphinha’s £10 million Champions League clause 

Hansi Flick has the Catalan club playing some of the most attractive football seen since the days of Pep Guardiola and they are embroiled in the hunt for silverware on multiple fronts.
In La Liga they are sitting first. In the Copa del Rey they have the second-leg of the semi-final to look forward to, and they have already claimed Spain’s Super Cup. However, the one that Leeds should be concerned about is the Champions League.
For Barça and many other European giants, it is the ultimate competition, and if they were to win it with Raphinha in their ranks, Leeds would be set to earn around £10 million, according to Marca.

This would take his overall sale north of £60 million, making him comfortably the Whites’ most expensive departure, with the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Georginio Rutter trailing far behind.

Many will be analysing the Spanish giants’ chances in the competition. In the first leg of their Round of 16 tie, they secured a 1-0 victory over SL Benfica thanks to Raphina’s goal (see below), despite being reduced to ten men, and with the return leg at home, they’ll be feeling optimistic about progressing.

Past that, they arguably have the easier side of the bracket, with their most difficult tie likely to be a semi-final against either Bayern Munich or Inter Milan if they get past the next two stages.
On paper, it’s hard to see why they can’t go all the way, but Flick must ensure they play to their strengths, with that attacking trio of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha posing a serious threat to any opposition.

Leeds United supporters will be proud of Raphinha’s achievements

Raphinha is one of those rare players whom Leeds fans will feel privileged to have watched up close, contributing 29 goals and assists in just 67 appearances – a mere taste of the brilliance he’s showcased at Barcelona this season.
His first two years at the Catalan club saw him slowly earn his stripes, but even so, last campaign he managed 23 goal contributions in 37 games.

This season, however, Raphinha has truly soared. After 40 appearances, he has already amassed an astonishing 43 goal involvements. In the Champions League, he’s been nothing short of spectacular, scoring nine goals in as many games and if they are to win the competition, the Brazilian will be heavily involved.

His form has even earned him the honour of captaining the team on several occasions, a testament to his growing influence at the club.
While Leeds supporters may not have anticipated such remarkable figures, they will undoubtedly take pride in the impact Raphinha has made at Barcelona and will be hoping he can help secure that additional £10 million from his Champions League success.

Romelu Lukaku gave Napoli the lead on 26 minutes and Giacomo Raspadori doubled that on the hour before Albert Gudmundsson pulled a goal back for Fiorentina.

Antonio Conte’s Napoli climbed back to within a point of leaders Inter Milan, who came from two goals down to beat bottom side Monza 3-2 on Saturday.
“We deserved the victory,” said Conte.
“We could have been a bit more efficient with our chances and managed the final part of the game with less anxiety because let’s not forget that we dropped many points around the 90th minute in the last five games.”
Napoli, who won the title two years ago, were top at the end of January but have been playing catch-up with Inter after picking up just four points in five matches before beating Fiorentina at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Atalanta hammered Juventus 4-0 in Turin to stay within three points of Inter and snap the hosts’ five-game winning streak. It was just a second defeat of the season for Thiago Motta’s side.
Mateo Retegui notched his league-leading 22nd goal of the season from the penalty spot after a handball in the first half and Marten de Roon added a second right after the break for Atalanta.

Davide Zappacosta steered in a third for Gian Piero Gasperini’s rampant side before Ademola Lookman’s deflected strike completed a thumping victory.
“It was an unimaginable result for many, but it was the perfect performance from us,” Gasperini told DAZN, suggesting an unlikely tilt at the Scudetto for the traditionally small, provincial club was not beyond them.

People need to dream. We must never stop them dreaming. We may say it’s impossible, but if you believe enough, things can become possible.”
Fourth-placed Juventus are now nine points adrift of Inter and could be overtaken by Lazio, who host Udinese on Monday.
Motta said the defeat signalled the end of any outside title chances for his team.
“We are sad, we are disappointed, but at the same time this talk of the Scudetto that you dragged us into will no longer be talked about,” he said.

Roma continued their resurgence under Claudio Ranieri as Matias Soule’s goal after only 22 seconds was enough to secure a 1-0 win at Empoli for their fifth successive league victory.

The 73-year-old Ranieri has brought stability to a club that sacked Daniele De Rossi in September and then moved on from his successor Ivan Juric less than two months later.
Roma are unbeaten in 12 games in Serie A since mid-December, rising from just above the relegation places into contention for Europe next season.

They are four points behind Bologna in sixth, which offers a spot in the UEFA Conference League.

Cole Palmer’s missed penalty against Leicester City was his 13th spot kick in the Premier League and was the first time he failed to convert, which ended the best 100% success record from the spot in the competition’s history.

The Blues narrowly beat Leicester 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon in their 28th Premier League game of the season thanks to Marc Cucurella’s 60th-minute winner.

The game might have been more comfortable had Palmer managed to score his penalty in the 22nd minute, but the England international’s shot was poorly struck, and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen was able to make a comfortable save to his left.

Chelsea ended the day in fourth place with 49 points and are only two behind third-placed Nottingham Forest, but Champions League qualification is by no means guaranteed given just seven points separate them from 10th-placed Fulham.

With Palmer in poor form, the Blues will be concerned that the team will drop points in the final stages of the season, with there a chance that they could miss out on Europe entirely.

Can Chelsea qualify for the Champions League?

While Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca will only care about his side securing all three points, he will be concerned that his team struggled against Leicester, who had lost 11 of their 12 league games prior to their clash at Stamford Bridge.
Perhaps more alarming for Maresca will be the fact that talisman Palmer has struggled considerably in recent weeks, with the attacker having last found the back of the net on January 14.
In fact, the 22-year-old has not provided a goal or an assist in his last nine appearances for the Londoners, and his team lost four times in that period.

The situation up front has been made worse by the fact that striker Nicolas Jackson and winger Noni Madueke are not scheduled to return until next month.
Chelsea have won their last two games in the Premier League, but both matches came against the division’s bottom two sides, and the club face difficult tests against London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in their next two top-flight fixtures.
Unless Palmer returns to form, it is difficult to see Chelsea distancing themselves from the chasing pack, and it would not be surprising if they dropped points in the next weeks.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has spoken out on the ‘sudden’ death of the club’s first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia.
Garcia tragically passed away on Saturday just hours before Barcelona’s match against Osasuna with the La Liga match postponed as a result.
Fans had already gathered inside the Camp Nou with Barcelona making a stadium announcement 20 minutes before kick-off and releasing a statement on social media.
The match was called off at Barcelona’s request following consultation with La Liga officials and Osasuna.

Speaking later on Saturday evening, Barcelona president Laporta confirmed Garcia died earlier on Saturday afternoon ‘at the team’s training camp’.

‘A man very much loved by everyone passed away this afternoon during the team’s gathering at the hotel,’ Laporta told Barcelona’s official website.
‘As you can imagine, the players, the coaching staff, the coach, everyone was very sad.

There was an overwhelming sense of sadness because he was a very beloved person. We all loved him.
‘He was a man who travelled to every match to take care of all the players, the coaching staff, anyone. He never said no to anyone. A great professional, a great doctor. It is very sad what happened.
‘This is very painful new. It has left us devastated, in a state of shock, because it was so sudden.
‘We got in touch with his mother and his wife to offer our condolences and support in these painful moments.
‘We wanted them to know immediately. Carles leaves behind two children Gerard and Ana. His wife, as you can imagine, was also deeply affected. we want to be there for all of them.’

Devastated Barcelona players have paid tribute to Garcia with midfielder Pedri among the first to share his condolences.
‘I still can’t believe it,’ the Spain international wrote on Instagram. ‘A big hug to Carles’ family and friends.’

Goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen wrote: ‘I am at a loss for words. I send all my strength and support to your family and friends. Rest in peace. We will miss you very much and we will always carry you in our hearts, Carles.’

Alongside a picture of the two together, Dani Olmo said: ‘It’s hard to believe and accept everything that has happened.
‘Carles, thank you very much for everything you have helped me with, not only this year, but throughout my entire career. You will be greatly missed, and you will always be remembered in our hearts, and in the hearts of my family. RIP Doc’
Ronald Araujo said: ‘Unbelievable. Rest in peace Doc. Much strength to the family and friends. May God strengthen their hearts in this difficult time.

An extraordinary collection of rare postcards showing female football players has been found ahead of International Women’s Day. The stunning images have never been seen together before.
They are now on display at a special exhibition. Some of them date as far back as 1895. They provide a brilliant snapshot of the success of women’s football until it was controversially banned in 1921.

The historian who finally managed to put the full set together said he was delighted to have secured the postcards before Saturday – 8th March which is International Women’s Day. Steve Bolton said: ‘The original women’s football postcards really are a unique piece of history and it is astonishing that they have survived over 100 years.

Most of my collection has been acquired from eBay, with a few items from specialist sports auctions and a few very, very kind donations.’ Steve, 60, a teacher, is a passionate collector of early women’s football memorabilia, with match programmes going back to 1921 and postcards going back to 1895. He spends hours on eBay searching for the hidden gems.

He said: ‘Rare male football postcards can go for a great deal of money, whereas it is still possible to find bargains depicting women footballers, if you know what to look for. But the market is growing – I managed to pick up a rare 1925 French team postcard for a three figure sum, only to see 10p pencilled on the back. It must have once been in a shoebox at a collectors fair, for the price of ten pence!’

Steve became a historian after discovering his grandmother, Lizzy Ashcroft, was one of the great players of the 1920s. He was just a child when Lizzy died, aged 68, in 1973. Steve said: ‘In a way I’m an accidental historian. I simply started off trying to find out when my granny’s first and last games were and somehow have now ended up with over 100 folders of research.’

The postcards are on display at Valence House Museum, Dagenham, east London. On Saturday Steve is giving a talk on International Women’s Day at the museum and showing the short film Granny, about his grandmother. Penny Ryder, the actress who actually starred in the film, will be attending.

In a surprising slip-up, U.S. President Donald Trump confused the FIFA Club World Cup with the FIFA World Cup during a press conference. On Friday, as Trump announced a task force for the World Cup scheduled in the United States next year, he stood alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino and also mentioned the upcoming inaugural 32-team Club World Cup.
Embarrassingly, the 78 year old seemed to conflate the two competitions after hearing Infantino describe the design of the Club World Cup Trophy. “I thought you should see this trophy as it’s the biggest sporting event in the world and we have it here,” Trump remarked.

“We appreciate being selected and you’re doing a terrific job.”

Clearly mixing up the Club World Cup with the FIFA World Cup, whose trophy was present, Trump did not grasp that they were separate events. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 marks the debut of the expanded format bringing together 32 teams from six FIFA confederations in the USA.

Nevertheless, Trump did reference the Club World Cup specifically, stating: “This summer, we’ll also host the FIFA Club World Cup, bringing 11 cities and 12 stadiums together to welcome the best players and teams in the world,” reports the Mirror US.

In an unexpected turn, the United States is gearing up to co-host the FIFA World Cup next summer alongside Canada and Mexico despite President Trump’s trade war threats against these nations. The grand finale is set to take place in New York City.
As part of the preparations for bringing the prestigious international tournament back to US soil, Trump has signed an executive order creating a White House Task Force dedicated to the event.

We’re going to be establishing a very important task force and that’s on the FIFA World Cup of 2026, which as you know is a big event. It’s going to be the biggest event, I think,” Trump announced to journalists, then gestured towards FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Everybody knows this man to my right, he’s sort of the king of soccer, I guess.”

He continued, promising a warm welcome: “He was the one that was able to give it to us and we’re going to do a fantastic job in making you at home.”

The World Cup, which is projected to be held across 16 cities within the three North American nations, is anticipated to generate over $40 billion ( £31billion) in economic activity and create upwards of 200,000 jobs in the lead-up to the competition.

Trump remarked on the event’s scale: “It’s like three Super Bowls a day for a month,” he said. “That’s a lot.”

The first FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking of 2025 has been released. With 196 teams now officially ranked, this edition showcases new entries, impressive climbs, and a few surprises that reveal the shifting dynamics of the women’s international game as it continues to rapidly develop.

The United States remain at the top of the rankings despite a 2-1 loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup final. Although the reigning Olympic champions suffered a setback, they hold on to their top position for the time being.
Japan, on the other hand, made the most significant move in this release, climbing three places to 5th – their highest ranking since December 2015. It’s a remarkable leap that underscores Japan’s growing strength on the world stage, having already punched a hole in Emma Hayes’ supposedly bulletproof USWNT.
The top four spots remain unchanged, with World Cup champions Spain (2nd), Germany (3rd), and England (4th) staying in pursuit of USA. Sweden (6th), Canada (7th), and Brazil (8th) each slip one place, while Korea DPR (9th) and the Netherlands (10th) hold steady, completing the top 10.

While the top of the rankings remains relatively stable, it’s the lower half of the table where the most movement has occurred. Tanzania and Kenya both made the biggest gains, each rising seven spots — the largest climb in this edition.
Meanwhile, teams like Puerto Rico, Montenegro, El Salvador, and Nepal have all seen solid improvements, reflecting the continued development of women’s football in regions that are steadily making their mark on the global stage.
In Africa, Burkina Faso and Benin have also made notable strides, each moving up five spots. However, it’s Tanzania and Kenya that have truly captured attention, with their rapid ascents serving as a sign of the growing competitive spirit across the continent as investment and interest reaches new highs in the continent.

Elsewhere, Djibouti makes its debut in the rankings, entering at 195th. With 196 teams now in the standings, this marks another milestone for the global game, highlighting the growing depth and reach of women’s football.
Looking ahead, the next FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking will be published on June 12, 2025.

FIFA is considering expanding the number of teams in the 2030 World Cup to 64, reports say.
According to The New York Times, this will be a one-time increase, as the tournament already plans to feature 48 teams starting from the 2026 World Cup.
The 2030 World Cup will mark 100 years since the first tournament and the expansion to 64 teams could serve as a symbolic gesture to honor that anniversary.
The 2030 World Cup will be one of the most monumental in history, as it will be the first to be held across three continents – South America, Europe and Africa. Six countries will host the event: Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina.

After Champions League matches earlier in the week, three more La Liga clubs have been in European action on Thursday in the Europa League and the UEFA Conference League. Real Sociedad, Athletic Club and Real Betis were all involved, as they took on Manchester United, AS Roma and Vitoria de Guimaraes respectively.

Real Sociedad 1-1 Manchester United
Real Sociedad will feel somewhat fortunate to have secured a draw in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie against Manchester United. The visitors took the lead just before the hour mark courtesy of Joshua Zirkzee, but La Real managed to find an equaliser from the penalty spot as Mikel Oyarzabal fired home after Bruno Fernandes was adjudged to have handled inside the area. Imanol Alguacil’s side were poor, but they should have secured an advantage for the return leg as Orri Oskarsson missed a big chance late on.

AS Roma 2-1 Athletic Club
Athletic Club are in a good position to reach the Europa League quarter-finals after a draw in Rome. Despite losing star defender Dani Vivian to injury in the first half, they took the lead five minutes into the second period when his replacement Aitor Paredes headed the ball into the path of Inaki Williams, who nodded home from close range. However, the lead did not last long as Angelino fired home via the post.

Yeray Alvarez was then sent off late on for a second yellow card, before Eldor Shomurodov scored with the last kick in the 94th minute.

Real Betis 2-2 Vitoria de Guimaraes
Real Betis will be very disappointed not to have taken a lead into next week’s return leg in Portugal. They twice took the lead in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League round of 16 tie as Cedric Bakambu and Isco Alarcon scored, but Vitoria de Guimaraes twice hit back quickly courtesy of Joao Mendes and Nelson Oliveira. As such, they are favourites to see off Los Verdiblancos to reach the quarter-finals.