European Leagues

England face Euro 2028 Ban if… – Says UEFA

UEFA has cautioned the UK government that England could face exclusion from the Euro 2028 tournament, which they are co-hosting, if Prime Minister Keir Starmer proceeds with plans for a men’s football regulator, British media reported on Saturday.

In a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, acquired by The Times and the BBC, UEFA’s General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis emphasised the need for “no government interference in the running of football.” Theodoridis expressed concerns about the plans detailed in the King’s Speech, which would grant the new regulator authority over clubs in England’s top five leagues, stating that the sport’s independence is a “fundamental requirement.”

“One particular area of concern stems from one of UEFA’s fundamental requirements, which is that there should be no government interference in the running of football,” Theodoridis wrote.

“We have specific rules that guard against this in order to guarantee the autonomy of sport and fairness of sporting competition; the ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from UEFA and teams from competition.”

Last year, the previous government had announced intentions to appoint a regulator, citing the need to protect clubs from financial mismanagement and prevent wealthy teams from forming breakaway leagues. Starmer’s government included the commitment to a regulator in the Labour Party manifesto after taking office in July.

Theodoridis informed Nandy that UEFA is “concerned about the potential for scope creep within the IFR (Independent Football Regulator).”

A spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport stated, “The Football Governance Bill will establish a new Independent Football Regulator that will put fans back at the heart of the game and tackle fundamental governance problems to ensure that English football is sustainable for the benefit of the clubs’ communities going forward.”

Premier League

Scholes suggests Amorim may need to offload up to 14 players at Man United

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes that current manager Ruben Amorim may need to offload up to 14 players as part of a major rebuild.

Scholes stated that Amorim faces a far bigger rebuilding job than Mikel Arteta did at Arsenal, citing the challenges Amorim has encountered since taking over at Old Trafford. The 40-year-old manager recently referred to the team as the worst in the club’s history.

Scholes highlighted Arteta’s transformation of Arsenal, which began when he inherited a team in disarray. Arteta’s success came through significant player changes, such as moving on Matteo Guendouzi, Mesut Ozil, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Amorim appears to be following a similar path. He has left Marcus Rashford out of his matchday squad for over a month and has also sidelined Casemiro.

“The trouble Amorim’s got is there’s not just three of them,” Scholes told The Overlap fan debate. “You could be talking about 13 or 14 of them he doesn’t want.”

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Slot rests key players for Champions League clash against PSV

‘Something Is Wrong’ With Liverpool' - Arne Slot Admits Ahead Of AC Milan Clash

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has opted to leave out several key players for their upcoming Champions League match against PSV on Wednesday night.

Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and seven other prominent players have not made the trip to the Netherlands, with Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Luis Díaz also being rested.

Slot is focusing on Liverpool’s busy schedule, with important Premier League and Carabao Cup fixtures ahead.

Caoimhin Kelleher is set to start in goal, while fringe players such as Wataru Endo, Darwin Núñez, Federico Chiesa, and Harvey Elliott are expected to feature. Cody Gakpo, a former PSV player, will also be part of the squad and could face his old team.

Liverpool’s squad for the match includes:

Goalkeepers: Kelleher, Jaros, Davies.
Defenders: Quansah, Bradley, Norris, Nallo, Tsimikas, Robertson.
Midfielders: Endo, Mabaya, McConnell, Morrison, Morton, Nyoni.
Forwards: Chiesa, Gakpo, Elliott, Kone-Doherty, Danns, Núñez.

Premier League

PGMOL stands by referee Michael Oliver amid controversial red card, assigns him to key fixtures

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has decided not to drop referee Michael Oliver for the upcoming Premier League fixtures despite recent controversy.

Oliver has faced criticism for his decision to send off Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly during Saturday’s match against Wolves. The 39-year-old referee issued a straight red card to Lewis-Skelly after he caught Wolves defender Matt Doherty’s calf and ankle with his studs. The decision was upheld by VAR, and Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory at Molineux.

There had been speculation that Oliver would be sidelined due to the backlash and online abuse. However, he is scheduled to referee Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Barcelona and Atalanta.

The Premier League has confirmed that Oliver will officiate Ipswich Town’s match against Southampton at Portman Road on Saturday.

Additionally, he has been assigned to handle next month’s rescheduled Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park.