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Thomas Tuchel has made his first return to Stamford Bridge since being sacked as Chelsea manager, as the new England boss took in the Blues 2-2 draw against Bournemouth.

Tuchel officially started his role as England head coach on January 1 and has been seen at several Premier League matches this month.
The 51-year-old’s latest port of call was Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night in the latest round of Premier League fixtures.

Tuchel was seen in the stands watching a dramatic clash, with Chelsea and Bournemouth playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw.
It marked the first time Tuchel had returned to his former club since his reign was ended in acrimonious fashion on September 7 in 2022.
Tuchel had won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup as Chelsea boss, as well as leading the club to the finals of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

He was sacked the morning after a 1-0 defeat by Dinamo Zagreb, on what was the 100th day of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s ownership of the club.

Tuchel had revealed to Mail Sport in 2023 that he had been ‘shocked’ but his abrupt exit from the club, with the meeting to confirm his dismissal lasting just three minutes.
talkSPORT presenter and former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan claimed that secret off the field issues had been behind his departure.
‘There’s a lot more behind the scenes of Tuchel that would make most people’s eyes water as to the reasons why Todd Boehly made that decision and it wasn’t just a case of losing to Dinamo Zagreb, it was case of a whole raft of other things – that’s Todd Boehly’s gift to tell people what that is,’ Jordan said on talkSPORT in 2023.
‘But it opened my eyes and I would’ve done exactly the same thing as Todd Boehly did which is “you can go mate”.’
It was reported last year that Tuchel would be given a warm welcome on his return to Stamford Bridge in his new capacity as England boss.
Tuchel could become a regular visitor to Stamford Bridge with Chelsea boasting a number of potential candidates for his England squad.

England internationals Levi Colwill, Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke all started for the Blues on Tuesday evening, while 18-year-old defender Josh Acheampong also made Enzo Maresca’s side.

Full back Reece James, who played under Tuchel at Chelsea, also came on in the second half.
James netted a stoppage time equaliser from a free kick, while Palmer had opened the scoring for the Blues in the first half.
Chelsea had been forced to bounce back after a Justin Kluivert penalty and an Antoine Semenyo strike had seen Bournemouth lead in the second half.
The draw has seen Chelsea extended a run of five matches without a win in the Premier League. 

James, who has been hampered by injuries in recent seasons, underlined his England post-match having last featured for the Three Lions in March 2023. 

Christian Norgaard scored an added-time equaliser as Brentford fought from two goals down to salvage a point from a 2-2 draw against Manchester City at Gtech Community Stadium.

Phil Foden scored a second-half brace to give the champions control but – typical of their patchy season – they shipped goals to Yoane Wissa and Norgaard and had to settle for a Premier League point in west London.
The draw will dampen City’s spirits as they failed to fully take advantage of top-four rivals Chelsea’s draw to Bournemouth.

After Wissa fired a warning shot wide of Stefan Ortega’s post in the opening minutes, the hosts’ reluctance to press City gave Josko Gvardiol plenty of time on the ball.
The defender almost added to his tally of four goals this season with a drilled right-footed attempt which was kept out by Mark Flekken.

The attacking partnership of Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo, absent from the Bees’ starting XI in Saturday’s FA Cup third round loss to Plymouth on Saturday, were showing just how important they are to the west Londoners.
Both players were aggressive off the ball in their own half and, after Wissa hunted a loose ball to play Mbeumo down the right flank, the winger tested Ortega with a powerful effort.
Despite City being second best for much of the first half, Kevin De Bruyne showed his creativity when he forged a big chance for Erling Haaland. The Belgian playmaker used his weaker left foot to whip an outswinging cross to Haaland, whose header from six yards sailed wide.

The action-packed clash continued after the break with both sides edging closer to opening the scoring.
After Brentford’s Nathan Collins’ free header from a corner was nodded wide, Savinho almost continued his recent scoring run but saw his shot across goal cannon off the post.
Seconds after Mikkel Damsgaard’s goal was ruled out for offside, Pep Guardiola’s men took a 66th-minute lead. De Bruyne produced another curling ball and Foden turned it home.

When the England international completed his brace 12 minutes later, the visitors were seemingly on course for three points.
However, Wissa gave the hosts hope when he pulled one back with eight minutes remaining.
And, after a valiant midfield display all match, skipper Norgaard’s efforts were rewarded in the second minute of added time when he equalised, heading an effort goalwards which Ortega got a hand to but could not keep out.

Chelsea 2 (Palmer 13, James 90+5) Bournemouth 2 (Kluivert 50, Semenyo 68)
Reece James scored a free-kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time to rescue a 2-2 draw for Chelsea at home to Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The home side looked beaten and could have had few complaints had Antoine Semenyo’s sensational strike midway through the second half turned out to have been the winner.

Chelsea had scored early through Cole Palmer but then true to recent form wasted enough chances to finish Bournemouth before half-time, with Nicolas Jackson striking the post at 1-0 and spurning two further golden opportunities.
Bournemouth levelled through Justin Kluivert’s penalty – Moises Caicedo at fault with a needless foul – then Semenyo crashed in the goal of his life to make it 2-1.

But up stepped James, on as substitute following yet another injury nightmare, to put the pain behind him and steal a point.
Chelsea led in the 13th minute when Jackson produced a conjuring trick in midfield to spirit his way free from a three-man Bournemouth trap and slip a pass through the middle for Palmer, who sent goalkeeper Mark Travers to ground with a devilish feint before stroking into the net.
Chelsea were playing with a creative spirit not seen enough during their recent barren run. Jadon Sancho drew a roar of admiration from home fans for an impudent nutmeg on Lewis Cook then Enzo Fernandez danced through Bournemouth’s defence before dragging inches wide.

Yet poor finishing is still an issue for Enzo Maresca’s young side. Jackson skied a simple chance over the bar from six yards, a bizarre, uncontrolled action that seemed to involve all four of the strikers limbs.

It heralded the start of a wild two-minute spell in which first Kluivert struck a post for Bournemouth following a careless pass by Robert Sanchez, then as Chelsea broke Jackson again came within inches, hitting the woodwork as the game threatened to turn, though it was impossible to say in which direction.
Travers parried a close-range header from Jackson who snatched at the rebound and found only the side-netting. That Chelsea were not further ahead will have been a matter of personal regret for the Senegal international as the teams departed for half-time.

Whatever fears Jackson might have nursed were realised five minutes after the restart. Semenyo was not in a prime position to shoot as the ball reached him inside the box, but Caicedo blundered into the challenge with unwarranted urgency and too little care. From the resulting penalty, Kluivert equalised with aplomb.
Bournemouth endured a nervous wait while referee Robert Jones reviewed pitchside what looked a clear pull of Marc Cucurella’s hair by David Brooks, who could count himself fortunate he was only shown a yellow card.
Chelsea might have pointed fingers for the goal that gave Bournemouth the lead. Young defender Josh Acheampong allowed Semenyo to beat him on the outside, Sanchez left room at his near post, but in truth neither player could have predicted what was to come as Semenyo’s hit slamming into the top corner as though shot from a cannon.

It looked like being decisive, until James’s intervention at the death.

West Ham 2 (Soler 31, Soucek 33) Fulham 1 (Iwobi 51)
Graham Potter worked his magic as West Ham beat Fulham 3-2 in his first home game in charge.
Goals from Carlos Soler, Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta secured a first Premier League victory for Potter, who took over from the sacked Julen Lopetegui last week.
The former Brighton and Chelsea boss has had just three training sessions, and Friday’s FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa, to get his ideas across to his new players.
Yet the Hammers, at times shambolic under Lopetegui, already look like something approaching a functioning, well-drilled football team.

Yes, they were helped by some horrendous Fulham defending, with goalkeeper Bernd Leno in particular having a night to forget.
They also let Alex Iwobi score twice with crosses which flew straight in, to maintain their average of conceding two goals a game this season.
Fulham hit the crossbar twice as well, but West Ham rode their luck and withstood a late barrage to pick up a first home win since December 9.
Potter had promised to be “creative” in picking his line-up, with his attacking options depleted through the absence of Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Fullkrug, Michail Antonio and Crysencio Summerville.
He was true to his word, putting Brazilian playmaker Paqueta in the central striking role, with Czech midfielder Soucek an unlikely number 10.

But his new side were almost caught out in the sixth minute by a quick throw-in, with Iwobi able to swing in a cross which Harry Wilson volleyed against the crossbar.
West Ham did have the ball in the net midway through the first half, but Max Kilman was flagged offside as he headed in Soler’s free-kick.
However, West Ham’s fortunes changed on the half-hour mark thanks to an ill-judged pass across his own penalty area by Andreas Pereira.
With Leno out of position, Soler calmly placed his first-time shot into the back of an empty net.
Two minutes later West Ham doubled their lead when Soucek swept Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross home from eight yards.

The crossbar came to West Ham’s rescue again before half-time with Raul Jimenez’s header brushing the top of Lukasz Fabianski’s goal.
However, six minutes into the second half Fulham did get on the scoresheet. Jimenez went to prod in Iwobi’s cross, and although he did not get a touch it was enough to put off Fabianski as the ball drifted into the net.
Yet Fulham gifted a two-goal cushion back to West Ham when Leno, under pressure from substitute Danny Ings, played the ball straight to Paqueta who rolled it into an empty net.
Nothing is ever simple with West Ham, though, and Potter had an anxious final 15 minutes after another Iwobi cross, this time towards Wilson, flew straight inside Fabianski’s far post.

But in stoppage time young substitute Ollie Scarles blocked on the line from Sasa Lukic and Adama Traore skied the rebound to ensure Potter got off to a winning start in east London.

The Chairboys are currently managerless after Matt Bloomfield’s sudden and shock departure to Luton Town was confirmed on January 14 – just four days after guiding the Adams Park side into the FA Cup fourth round for the first time in four years.
He replaces Rob Edwards, who left the Hatters after a poor run of form which has left the Bedfordshire-based team in 20th in the Championship – two points above the relegation zone.

Bloomfield leaves with Wycombe second in League One, with assistant manager Richard Thomas, goalkeeper coach Lee Harrison and analyst Ben Cirne all joining him at Kenilworth Road.
Prior to his exit, delegates from Luton had visited Adams Park to watch the Chairboys in action.
These included the last two fixtures against Portsmouth and Huddersfield Town respectively

According to the bookies, 45-year-old Dane Norgaard, who has been second in command to Thomas Frank at Brentford since December 2022, is the front-runner.
He is one of many names to be linked with the role, but with the Chairboys signing Danish centre back Anders Hagelskjær, as well as being posed in securing the services of midfielder Magnus Westergaard who is also from Denmark, it looks like the Adams Park side are looking at the Nordic market in terms of playing staff and recruitment.

Whilst this has not been confirmed, the bookies show that Norgaard is currently 1/2 odds on favourite to become Wycombe’s new manager.
Ex-Oxford United boss, Des Buckingham, is the second favourite whilst former MK and Southampton manager, Russell Martin, who spent four years at Wanderers as a player, is also on the shortlist.
Other names include Rob Edwards, Steven Schumacher, Rony Mowbray, Adam Hinshlewood and Tony Mowbray.

Development manager Sam Grace will take interim charge of the Chairboys.
Up next for Wycombe is a trip to Mansfield Town on Saturday afternoon – the club’s first fixture since 2003 that will not involve Gareth Ainsworth or Matt Bloomfield. 

Reports in Italy claim Benfica are unwilling to sell Antonio Silva this month, but Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo is pushing to leave Barcelona and move to the Allianz Stadium.

Juventus are still looking for reinforcements in defence despite reaching an agreement to sign Vitoria Guimaraes right-back Alberto Costa.

The Bianconeri need a replacement for injured centre-back Gleison Bremer, and Sky Sport Italia claims Araujo has become their primary target after Benfica informed Jorge Mendes that they won’t listen to offers for his client Antonio Silva in January.
According to Sportitalia, Araujo wants to leave Barcelona and join the Old Lady this month, but the Catalans have not yet agreed to let the Uruguayan defender go.
Araujo has recently returned to action after undergoing surgery for a hamstring injury in the summer.
According to Sky Sport Italia, Juventus will make a new attempt for Milan’s Fikaoyo Tomori if Barcelona refuse to sell Araujo.

The Bianconeri are busy in the winter transfer window as they are also looking for reinforcement in attack and are currently in talks with PSG for Randal Kolo Muani.

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo says “money doesn’t play football” after Liverpool boss Arne Slot suggested they had spent their way to success this season.
Forest welcome Slot’s Premier League leaders to the City Ground on Tuesday for a crunch match which could determine whether they are in a title race.

Nuno has guided his side to six-successive victories in the league and they would move to within three points of Liverpool with victory on Tuesday night.

Slot was complimentary about Nuno and Forest ahead of the game, but negated it by saying: “If you look at the money they spent, it’s not a complete surprise.”
But Nuno said it was about the players rather than the money spent.
“I don’t know the spending, I don’t know the value. That doesn’t happen,” he said.

“I look at the player as a human being and how I can make them better. How can I make you better?

“Money doesn’t play football, people do. It’s not my issue, we are not concerned about the price tag of things.”
Nuno also said the suggestion his side were involved in a Premier League title race was based on “if, if, if, if”.

“We have to play the games. We are here to compete against all the teams, I think we are doing well and nothing changes in our approach,” he said.

“It’s the same, more important than anything is we know what we can do, we know each other, our strengths, our weaknesses, let’s play the game.

“If we start thinking about ifs…it’s if, if, if, if, that’s why we always try to approach how we are going to prepare ourselves, how we are going to play the game.
“At the end of the game, there will be no ifs….I’m so sorry, I apologise.
“When we do things good, we should be pleased but too many compliments can distract us, so we don’t want to pay too much attention.

“It was the beginning of the season, maybe it was a surprise, but it was a long time ago, many things have changed.
“No one in this room could ever predict what is happening. It is the ambition and desire to do things well and the hard work of the players and commitment.”

Manchester City boss Guardiola, 53, and Serra married in an intimate ceremony on the outskirts of Barcelona in 2014 but have now decided to part ways.
News of their split was first reported by Spanish outlet Sport. The couple, who met in 1994, had been living apart for more than five years after Serra moved back to Barcelona, while Guardiola remained in Manchester. 

They have three children together: Maria, 24, Marius, 22, and Valentina, 17.
Guardiola and Serra, a Brazilian journalist and writer, had remained a couple despite not living in the same city and have regularly been pictured together in the years since.
Sport reports that the decision to end their marriage was made in December, with only members of their inner circle aware of the split. Their trusted friends and family have also been told not to disclose any further information, according to the publication.

Serra was in Istanbul in June 2023 to congratulate her husband after City beat Inter Milan in the final of the Champions League to seal a famous Treble.

They were also pictured together attending Wimbledon at the All England Club in July.
Guardiola had often spoken publicly about his wife. In January 2024, he said: ‘My wife is the best in the world at many things, especially fashion.
‘She says normally to me, don’t wear this or wear that, so I follow. I’m smart enough to know when people are much better than me, follow their advice.’
Serra decided to leave Manchester in 2019 to help oversee the fashion company owned by her family, Serra Claret, which stocks several brands the City manager is often seen wearing. Guardiola also makes regular trips back to Spain to see his wife and their children.
Guardiola and Serra met while the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss was modelling for designer Antonio Miro in the shop in the Spanish city.
They began a long-distance relationship when Guardiola was a footballer, before they bought a home together in Barcelona. The couple later moved to Germany when Guardiola was manager of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. 

According to Sport, their relationship is ‘totally cordial, stable and friendly’ despite the split. 

In May 2023, Guardiola said: ‘When I have five days [off] for example, yes [I can switch off from football].
‘I went to Barcelona [after Real Madrid] for example to see my wife, my little daughter. That helps me. But with every three days, there’s no chance.’
Guardiola enjoyed a successful spell with Barcelona between 2008, turning his side into one of the best in Europe. He later moved to Bayern before taking the City job in 2016, leading the club to he Treble in 2023.
The Spaniard, who also had a stellar playing career, then led City to an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row last season.
Guardiola ended speculation over his future with City in November by signing a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the Etihad until 2027.
City are enduring a poor campaign by their standards. The champions are at risk of failing to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Champions League and sit sixth in the Premier League, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

The news comes after Guardiola launched an X-rated tirade against serial autograph hunters who targeted the Manchester City manager for signatures near his home.
Guardiola has already found himself in the off-pitch spotlight this season after previously cutting his face in the dugout.

And Guardiola has now dished out a life lesson to would-be autograph hunters as they asked for shirts and other memorabilia to be signed while he walked through a car park near his home.

A fiery Guardiola didn’t waste time in making his feelings heard during the short and heated exchange as he identified two poachers wanting to make money by selling goods bearing his signature and told them to do better with their choices.
Bizarrely, Guardiola told the individuals who appeared to be middle-aged men to ‘go back to school’ as he vented his annoyance at their actions while going about his day in Manchester city centre. 
Dressed in a stylish hoodie and tracksuit combination, an animated Guardiola waved his arms as he warned: ‘Don’t come again, I won’t tell you again, I know your faces.
‘Go to school and prepare yourself guys. You are young guys so don’t be here, wasting time,’ Guardiola told the awkwardly-stood trophy hunters clutching replica shirts.

Do you want to live your life doing this honestly,’ he added. A despondent individual could be heard quietly replying ‘No, I used to be a chef’ while the six-time Premier League winning manager continued his rant.
Guardiola continued: ‘Let’s continue to do it. Prepare better. F***ing hell man, this isn’t for all the people this is for you.

‘What are your dreams? Tell me, what is it? Where do you dream my friend? Practice, f***ing hell, practice,’ he added while attempting to urge the bystanders to clear out from the area.

The video then ends with Guardiola believed to depart the scene and go about his business as the autograph hunters are left rather red-faced from their surprise dressing down.

Everton and Liverpool’s postponed Premier League Merseyside derby has been rescheduled for February 12, which could still pose a potential problem for the Reds.
The final top-flight encounter between the two clubs was due to take place on December 7, but high winds and devastation caused by Storm Darragh led to the postponement of the contest.

Over a month later, the Premier League have confirmed that the delayed derby will be played on the evening of Wednesday, February 12, which is currently free for both clubs.
However, the first leg of the Champions League knockout round playoffs will also be played on the evenings of February 11 and February 12, and there is still a chance that the Reds could drop out of the top eight.
Arne Slot’s men have been perfect in Europe so far and lead the way at the top of the 36-team table with 18 points, six clear of Borussia Dortmund in ninth place, and they will finish 12th at the very worst.

Liverpool have not guaranteed direct progression to the last 16 just yet, though, so either the Merseyside derby or first leg of any UCL playoff might have to be rescheduled if they unexpectedly miss out on the top eight.

While that scenario is possible, it is still highly unlikely, as Liverpool need just one point from their final two matches against Lille (January 21) and PSV Eindhoven (January 29) to bypass the playoffs.
Either side of the rescheduled Merseyside derby on February 12, Liverpool will face Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round of the FA Cup on February 8, before hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers in the top flight on February 16.

Meanwhile, Everton – whose clash with Liverpool next month will be David Moyes’s first Merseyside derby since his momentous return to Goodison Park – take on Bournemouth in the FA Cup on February 8 and Crystal Palace in the Premier League on February 15.
Slot’s men are back in action on Tuesday night away to Nottingham Forest, one day before Moyes’s Everton homecoming takes place at home to Aston Villa.

Kylian Mbappe put Madrid in front with a superb solo goal after five minutes but Ancelotti’s side still trailed 4-1 at half-time.
Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde all scored first-half goals to stun Champions League holders Real Madrid.
Barcelona extended their lead further after the break through Raphinha before Hansi Flick’s side went down to ten men, Wojciech Szczesny sent off for a foul on Mbappe outside the box.

Real Madrid got a goal back shortly after the red but there was to be no further comeback as Barcelona clinched the trophy for the 15th time.

Ancelotti was ‘sad and disappointed’ after the humbling defeat and said Mbappe was the only Real Madrid player to come out of the match with any credit.
‘We have to look at the reality. We didn’t defend well,’ Ancelotti said in his post-match press conference

‘We tried to press high and defend with a low block. They scored the goals easily, and we didn’t work hard, collectively or individually.
‘We lost a lot of duels. That makes us sad and disappointed, but that’s football. We have to take that sadness home.
‘I understand the sadness of our fans. We feel that, but we have to look forward, and prepare for the next game, and recover the good form we’d been in.’

Asked if he was particularly disappointed with any of his players, Ancelotti added: ‘I won’t name anyone, I’m talking about the whole team.
‘We didn’t defend well, we weren’t compact, and we have to defend better.
‘We had an extra man [after Szczesny’s red card] and we couldn’t find solutions. But that doesn’t hurt more, I’m sad about the game as a whole.

‘I’d focus on Mbappe, who had a very good game. It was a great move to score the goal. But the rest we should forget about, and look forward.’
Real Madrid legend Luka Modric, meanwhile, said: ‘I’m sure we’re going to react after this tough defeat.
‘We didn’t expect to lose like that, but it’s football. We’re sorry to the fans. We have to keep going, stay united, there’s a lot of season left.

You can’t always win. If you have to lose a trophy, we’d prefer it to be this one.

We have to congratulate Barcelona, they played a very good game, they were better and that’s all. We have to improve and correct our mistakes.’
Barcelona boss Flick said he was ‘really proud’ of his team’s ‘unbelievable’ performance in the Supercopa final in Saudi Arabia.

I’m really proud,’ the ex-Bayern Munich boss said. ‘Proud for the team, the staff, the club, the fans, everyone.
‘Today was an unbelievable match. For the coaches, not so much! But for the fans it’s really fantastic.’
Barca captain Raphinha added: ‘We know what we have to do on the pitch. We believe in the boss and the boss believes in us.
‘The important thing is we can fight for titles and win them.’

Ten-man Barcelona came from behind to thrash rivals Real Madrid 5-2, winning the Supercopa de Espana in Saudi Arabia to hand head coach Hansi Flick his first taste of silverware at the club.

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde were all on target for Barca in a breathless first half at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, where Kylian Mbappe had given Real an early lead.

Raphinha scored his second goal of the game early in the second half before goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off for bringing down Mbappe just outside the area. Rodrygo scored from the resulting free-kick but that was the end of the drama as the Catalans cruised to the final whistle.

Real’s night had already started on a sour note, with Atletico Madrid replacing them at the top of LaLiga courtesy of a 1-0 win over Osasuna.

Julian Alvarez scored the only goal of the game after 56 minutes at Riyadh Air Metropolitano, providing the cool finish after a flawless corner routine involving Antoine Griezmann and Clement Lenglet.

That was enough to stretch Atleti’s winning run to 14 matches in all competitions, a new club record, as well as putting them a point ahead of their neighbours.

At the other end of the table, Getafe banked a vital at Las Palmas to move three points above the relegation zone. David Soria saved a Fabio Silva to preserve the stalemate before Coba da Costa and substitute Borja Mayoral struck. Adnan Januzaj got a late consolation but Jose Bordalas’ side held out to move away from the drop zone.

Arsenal star William Saliba was BANNED from taking a penalty against Manchester United after Diogo Dalot was sent off.
The Gunners slipped to their second cup defeat in a week after being eliminated by the Red Devils. Kai Havertz proved to be the villain after seeing his spot-kick saved by Altay Bayindir.

And while it only took five penalties for United to win, the shootout could have gone beyond that had Havertz scored. It would have meant that the penalties would have carried on throughout both teams – all the way to the goalkeeper.

But one Arsenal star from their XI would not have taken one anyway – Saliba. FA Cup rules dictate that each side have to have the same amount of penalty takers.

And due to Dalot’s red card for two bookable offences, that would not have been the case. It left Arsenal needed to name a player to be cut from the penalty order – and Saliba was the fall guy.

His forced omission was not the only penalty woes that Arsenal had to endure against United. Havertz’s miss contributed to Arsenal’s exit but Arteta refused to lay blame at his feet.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said after the defeat. “Obviously, you measure the performance and what we did in relation to the position, you deserve to win the game by a mile. But the reality is we are out and the only thing that’s going to be judged but internally I can’t.
“I love my players. I love our team and I love how good they are and what they do because in 1000 games like this, you lose one and probably it was this one. … It’s football and it is a part of that execution, you need things to go your way and tonight it didn’t

“When you go to penalties you know that it’s a flip of the coin and it can go either way. …. I’m so proud of my players. I love my players and I cannot be prouder because it’s very difficult to demand something else than the performance that they put in there.”

Meanwhile, captain Martin Odegaard had the chance to score in normal time after Havertz was adjudged to have been fouled by Harry Maguire. But he too saw his effort saved by Bayindir.

And United boss Ruben Amorim claimed that could have been the turning point for his side. He said: “It was really important because [it] gives us more strength, and then with less one player, he’s really hard to press.
“It’s really hard to press a team like Arsenal with 11 players, imagine with 10 players, and then you are in [a] disadvantage, [it] is really hard because they can control the ball. They were already controlling the ball in a lot of moments. So it was vital to win the game, to draw the game.”

After an extended saga that saw Barcelona appeal to the Higher Sports Council (CSD), the club were given a temporary reprieve and allowed to re-register both Olmo and team-mate Pau Victor.

The exceptional circumstances of the case have seen the CSD defend their one-of-a-kind decision by stating the preventing of both Olmo and Victor’s registrations would cause significant harm to the players, Barcelona, and even the interests of the Spanish national team. 

As a result, both players will be available to Barca boss Hansi Flick when his side face Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.
The decision has proven hugely controversial, and a number of clubs have voiced their intention to appeal the decision.
However, the outspoken Laporta has made his feelings clear on the ruling in a recent interview.

This Super Cup has been surrounded by controversy that could have been avoided if things had been done differently,’ Laporta said, per Marca.

The fact is that it has now been resolved and they will be able to play.’
LaLiga are attempting to counter their stance due to the RFEF General Regulations rule that prohibits the re-registration of a player removed from a team’s squad during the same season.

A possible punishment could see the CSD’s ruling be rubbished as null and void if LaLiga are successful. 

Previously announcing their success in registering the key duo, Barcelona beamed:  ‘Good news for FC Barcelona. Dani Olmo and Pau Victor have been registered for La Liga, and are therefore available for selection by coach Hansi Flick, including for Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup Final at 8pm CET,’ a statement from Barcelona read.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the decision to allow Barca to re-register the two stars has proven highly contentious, with staunch rivals Atletico Madrid quick to hit out at the decision, questioning whether it subverts the standard of ‘fair competition’.
‘Atletico de Madrid wishes to express its deep concern about the situation in Spanish football following the resolution adopted this Wednesday by the Higher Sports Council. We believe that this decision puts the current system in jeopardy, questioning the rules of the game,’ said Los Colchoneros. 

The Sports Law itself includes and protects the economic control of LaLiga, but with this resolution it is put at risk. The economic control of LaLiga has been the main tool that has managed to turn our football into a solvent sector, a process admired internationally.

Our club, like all LaLiga members until this resolution, has been complying with the rules of economic control and will continue to do so. 
‘In fact, in order to compete at the level we have been doing in recent years, we have decided to carry out various capital increases, despite the enormous effort that this entails.

‘This government intervention creates a very dangerous precedent, as it opens the door to breaking the rules and making the same serious mistakes of the past. 

‘Atletico de Madrid remains committed to rigour and responsible management. Without clear and equal rules for all, fair competition is not possible.’

The division will make its judgment on the accounting period for 2021-2024 after clubs who recorded losses for the first two years of that cycle were required to submit their accounts to the Premier League by 31 December. The Guardian reports that the league will issue any charges in the coming days after giving it’s financial and legal departments two weeks to assess the books of those clubs deemed to be at risk of a breach.

That sees Manchester United, Newcastle, Leicester, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Everton under scrutiny. The latter two sides were both charged with breaches 12 months ago and were docked four and two points respectively, leaving a hint of what could await for any team falling foul on this occasion.

United don’t appear to have too much to be worried about having already published their accounts for 2023/24. Though the club’s recent cost-cutting and that no player is off limits for a transfer would seem to suggest there is not a great deal of wiggle room for the Red Devils.

Newcastle were certainly a club who appeared under pressure over the summer. Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson were sold towards the final moments of the accountancy period.

Anderson’s move to Nottingham Forest appeared to be a ‘PSR deals’ deal of sorts as goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos joined the Magpies for £20million less than a year after arriving from Benfica in a £4m deal.

Chelsea have maintained their confidence of working within PSR, after selling homegrown talent such as Lewis all, Conor Gallagher and Ian Maatsen last summer. The Blues avoided a charge 12 months ago by selling two hotels at Stamford Bridge for £76.5m to BlueCo 22. Notably, Chelsea transferred ownership of their women’s team to the same company two days before filing their 2023-24 accounts in June.

Leicester are once again believed to be under pressure. The Foxes were charged by the Premier League with a breach for 2020-23 but the case was not heard after an independent commission accepted the club’s relegation meant they were not a Premier League club side when their accounts were submitted.
Leicester’s three-year loss threshold is reduced from £105m now however, to £83m after spending a season in the Championship, which has stricter limits.

Everton and Forest had little room for error after being found in breach last season. Both sides have seen deals that could get them over the line however.

The Toffees sold the likes of Lewis Dobbin and Alex Iwobi, while the Midlands side can rely on Brennan Johnson’s exit and increased their commercial income.