Sports

Crystal Palace Says will appeal over Europa League demotion

Published

2 months ago

July 16, 2025

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has confirmed his club will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being demoted from the Europa League.

Palace qualified for the Europa League with a shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City in May.

But UEFA, European football’s governing body, ruled Palace should drop down to the Conference League over a conflict of interest involving the club’s former director John Textor, who also part-owns French side Lyon.

Textor stepped away from Palace at the start of July, but the ownership issue relates to the end of last season when the south London team secured a maiden European appearance by winning the first major trophy in their history.

UEFA’s ruling would mean Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League, take Palace’s place in the Europa League, but Parish has signalled his intent to contest the decision.

“We are still fighting,” Parish told the The Rest is Football podcast. “There’s an appeal process, so we go to CAS which is the court for arbitration and, you know, we’re very hopeful. We think we’ve got great legal arguments.

“We don’t think this is the right decision by any means. We know unequivocally that John didn’t have decisive influence over the club.

“We know we proved that beyond all reasonable doubt because it’s a fact.”

UEFA rules say that no owner or co-owner can have a controlling interest in more than one club competing in the same European competition during the same season.

Palace’s position throughout has been that Textor did not have a sufficiently controlling role for the club to fall foul of the regulations.

But the deadline for shareholders to divest their interest in a club, or in some other way to alter their ownership structure, in order to comply with the regulations was March 1.

Sports

Chelsea Vs Barcelona, Arsenal Vs Bayern — UEFA Releases Fixture Date, Time

Published

17 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Chelsea vs Barcelona, Arsenal vs Bayern — UEFA releases fixture date, time
UEFA has officially released the full fixtures, dates, and kick-off times for the 2025/26 Champions League league phase, setting the stage for blockbuster matches involving Europe’s biggest clubs.

The schedule follows the draw held on Thursday, 28 August 2025, which determined the opponents for all 36 participating clubs under the new league-phase format.

According to the schedule, Chelsea will host Barcelona on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, in one of the standout ties of Matchday Five, with kick-off set for 21:00 CET. Arsenal, on the other hand, will face German giants Bayern Munich on the same matchday, also on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, at 21:00 CET.

In Matchday 1, Bayern Munich will host Chelsea at the Allianz Arena in a repeat of the 2012 Champions League final, where the Blues won 4-3 on penalties. On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Barcelona will welcome PSG in the standout fixture for MatchDay 2.

Matchday 4 features another high-profile fixture as Paris Saint-Germain host Bayern Munich on Wednesday, 5 November. On the same night, Liverpool renew their fierce rivalry with Real Madrid at Anfield, with kick-off time set for 21:00 CET.

Now in its second year running, the Champions League is being played under UEFA’s new “league phase” format, which replaced the traditional group stage. Instead of eight groups of four, all 36 participating teams are placed in a single league table, each playing eight different opponents, four at home and four away.

The top eight sides qualify automatically for the round of 16, while teams finishing 9th to 24th will contest a play-off round to secure their spot in the knockouts.

Opening Champions League fixtures (1900 GMT unless stated)

Tuesday, September 16

Athletic Bilbao (ESP) v Arsenal (ENG) (1645 GMT)

PSV Eindhoven (NED) v Union Saint-Gilloise (BEL) (1645 GMT)

Juventus (ITA) v Borussia Dortmund (GER)

Real Madrid (ESP) v Marseille (FRA)

Benfica (POR) v Qarabag (AZE)

Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) v Villarreal (ESP)

Wednesday, September 17

Olympiacos (GRE) v Pafos (CYP) (1645 GMT)

Slavia Prague (CZE) v Bodo/Glimt (NOR) (1645 GMT)

Ajax (NED) v Inter Milan (ITA)

Bayern Munich (GER) v Chelsea (ENG)

Liverpool (ENG) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) v Atalanta (ITA)

Thursday, September 18

Club Brugge (BEL) v Monaco (FRA) (1645 GMT)

FC Copenhagen (DEN) v Bayer Leverkusen (GER) (1645 GMT)

Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) v Galatasaray (TUR)

Manchester City (ENG) v Napoli (ITA)

Newcastle United (ENG) v Barcelona (ESP)

Sporting (POR) v Kairat Almaty (KAZ)

Sports

West Ham Reject Chance To Sign Andre Onana On Loan

Published

1 day ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

West Ham United have reportedly turned down the opportunity to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana on loan, according to The Guardian.

The Hammers are in the market for a new goalkeeper after summer signing Mads Hermansen, who joined from Leicester City, has struggled to impress. However, the club made it clear that Onana, who has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford, is not seen as an upgrade on their current options.

The 29-year-old Cameroon international lost his starting spot to Altay Bayindir this season under new United manager Ruben Amorim, and he was offered to West Ham as a potential solution. But the London club rejected the deal.

Onana returned to action in midweek against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup but endured another difficult night as United crashed out to the League Two side. He was partly at fault for the Mariners’ second goal after failing to deal with a cross, and United eventually lost 12-11 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

West Ham, meanwhile, are actively exploring other targets. Talks are reportedly ongoing with Hull City goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, while the club has also revived its interest in Botafogo’s John Victor, having reached an agreement in principle for the Brazilian during the summer.

Manager Graham Potter is under pressure to resolve the club’s goalkeeping issues, with Hermansen conceding eight goals in just two league appearances, including three from set pieces against Chelsea last weekend. Backup option Alphonse Areola also failed to impress in a 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Sports

Sports Commission Boss Commends Team Edo Athletes For Continental Triumph

Published

5 days ago

August 26, 2025

Editor

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has congratulated Team Edo athletes who represented Nigeria at recent continental championships and returned home with medals.

He spoke when the athlete led by Team Edo Athletics Head Coach, Mr. Mutiu Oluwa, paid a courtesy visit in his office on Monday.

The athletes had competed at the 3rd CAA U18/U20 African Athletics Championships held at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and the CAA Region II Senior Athletics Championship in Accra, Ghana.

In a statement issued by his Media Officer, Mr. Edoko Wilson Edoko, Hon. Enabulele praised the athletes’ performances, describing their achievements as a reflection of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s strategic investment in sports development.

“The results we are witnessing today are a testament to Governor Okpebholo’s deliberate and strategic efforts to make Edo Nigeria’s hub for sporting excellence,” Enabulele said.

“The Governor has consistently mandated us to focus on grassroots sports development — we ‘Catch Them Young.’ Today, we are seeing the fruits of that vision.”

At the Abeokuta championships, Edo athletes shone brightly: Audu Emmanuel (Silver, Shotput), Eze Peace (Bronze, Javelin), Akhalu David (Gold, 4×400m Mixed Relay), Salami Oseiwe (Bronze, 400m), Enaruna Anita (Silver, 400m; Gold, 4×100m, 4×400m, 4×400m Mixed, and 400m Mixed), and Oyibu Success (Silver, 100m; Gold, 200m and 4×100m).

The medal haul continued in Accra, with Treasure Omotsivie winning Gold in High Jump (Women), Anita Enaruna clinching Gold in 200m and 4×400m Relay (Women), Chidera Ezeakor claiming Gold in 100m, 200m, and 4×100m Relay (Men), David Akhalu securing Gold in 4×400m Relay (Men), and Prestina Ochonogor (Paris Olympics finalist) taking Gold in Long Jump (Women).

Enabulele described the athletes as “worthy ambassadors of Edo State” whose discipline, commitment, and patriotism continue to inspire hope for the future of sports in Nigeria.

The athletes had been selected to represent Nigeria in the two major competitions held between July 16–20 in Abeokuta and August 18–19 in Accra, Ghana.