Sports

Man City Sink Forest To Reach Third Successive FA Cup Final

Published

8 months ago

April 27, 2025

Manchester City will face Crystal Palace in their third successive FA Cup final after cruising to a 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest at Wembley on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side took an early lead through Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol’s second-half goal sealed a comfortable semi-final success.

City can look forward to a showdown with Palace at Wembley on May 17 after the Eagles won 3-0 against Aston Villa in the other semi-final on Saturday.

Their 14th FA Cup final appearance gives City a chance to win the competition for the eighth time and the third since Guardiola arrived in 2016.

City lost to Manchester United in last season’s FA Cup final after beating their cross-town rivals in the 2023 showpiece.

Guardiola is hoping to salvage a turbulent season by lifting the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League via a top five finish in the Premier League.

City, who sit fourth in the league with four games left, will go into the final as favourites after thrashing Palace 5-2 at the Etihad Stadium earlier in April.

But nothing has come easy for City this season and Guardiola will need no reminding of that after their four-year reign as English champions was officially ended by Liverpool’s win against Tottenham at the exact moment the final whistle blew at Wembley.

Forest, only two points adrift of third-placed Newcastle with a game in hand, have to lick their wounds and focus on their bid to reach the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.

It was City’s 28th trip to Wembley since it reopened in 2007 and just Forest’s second.

So it was no surprise the Forest hordes who made the trip were far more vocal as kick-off approached, while swathes of empty seats stood out in the City sections.

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But it wasn’t long before City’s fans made themselves heard as they stormed into the lead in the second minute.

– Slick City –

Guardiola had claimed this week that City will be much stronger next season because they have finally rediscovered their spirit and passion.

The City boss was encouraged by his players’ wild celebrations of Bernardo Silva’s early goal in a crucial 2-1 win against Villa on Wednesday and once again they made a fast start.

After a probing spell of City passing, Lewis was given far too much space on the edge of the Forest area and he took full advantage with a fierce drive into the bottom corner.

City’s pressing was too intense for Forest to handle and Nico O’Reilly waltzed through the Forest defence for a blast that fizzed just wide.

With Neco Williams suspended and Ola Aina and Ryan Yates injured, Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo had gambled on 18-year-old Zach Abbott at right-back, while Anthony Elanga was surprisingly left on the bench.

For much of the first half, Nuno’s moves backfired, with Abbott — who had played just 60 minutes this season — repeatedly exposed by City’s attacks and Forest lacking a cutting edge without Elanga.

Forest failed to muster a single shot in the first half and had only one touch inside the City area.

Nuno sent on Elanga at the interval and the winger should have marked his 23rd birthday with a goal when he lashed wide from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s pass.

But City showed the ruthless streak that Forest lacked in the 51st minute.

Matheus Nunes’ effort was pushed away for a corner by Matz Sels and from Omar Marmoush’s set-piece, Gvardiol was left virtually unchallenged as he rose highest to head home.

Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White crashed a volley off the crossbar, then clipped another effort off the post.

Taiwo Awoniyi also hit the woodwork for Forest with a back-heeled flick.

But it was too little, too late as City celebrated a victory that keeps alive their bid to avoid a first trophyless season since 2016-17.

Sports

JUST IN: Dembélé Named FIFA Best Men’s Player, Bonmatí Wins Women’s Award

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has been awarded the FIFA Best Men’s Player for 2025, following a season in which he contributed significantly to both his club and the France national team.

Dembélé, known for his pace, creativity, and goal-scoring ability, played a central role in Paris Saint-Germain’s campaigns across domestic and European competitions. His performances for the national team also helped France secure notable results in international fixtures.

Speaking on the recognition, Dembélé said, “It is a great honour to receive this award. I could not have achieved this without my teammates at PSG and in the national team, whose support has been invaluable.”

In the women’s category, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí was named FIFA Best Women’s Player for 2025. Bonmatí was influential in Barcelona’s domestic and European campaigns, providing leadership, vision, and creativity in midfield. She also played a key role in Spain’s international successes.

“This award reflects the hard work of my teammates and coaches,” Bonmatí said. “I am grateful for their guidance and support throughout the season.”

The announcements reaffirm FIFA’s recognition of individual excellence in football while highlighting the contributions of players to both club and country.

Sports

Court Fixes Date To Hear Sala Compensation Dispute

Published

1 week ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

A commercial court examining the long-running dispute between Cardiff City and French club Nantes over compensation for the death of Emiliano Sala in a plane crash said Monday it would give its decision on March 30 next year.

Sala, a 28-year-old Argentine striker, died when the light aircraft taking him to the Welsh capital came down in the English Channel on January 21, 2019, two days after he had signed for the then-Premier League side. He and pilot David Ibbotson were killed.

The Welsh club took the case to the Nantes commercial court in 2023 to claim compensation for loss of income and other damages suffered by the club as a result of the player’s death.

Following an analysis conducted by an expert appointed by Cardiff City, the club estimated their losses at over 120 million euros ($139.5 million). Lawyers for both clubs made their cases at Monday’s hearing.

The Welsh club argue that Nantes, through their intermediary, agent Willie McKay, were the organisers of the private flight on which the footballer was travelling and that, if the transfer was effective at the time of the accident according to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), it is the organisation of this flight that is at issue.

Cardiff City’s lawyer, Olivier Loizon, told the court Monday, Willie McKay “could not have been unaware of the illegality of the flight”, and argued that the agent had acted with “negligence”.

“Whatever the ultimate cause of the accident, (Sala) should not have been on the flight,” he added.

Nantes’ lawyer, Jerome Marsaudon, insisted Monday the only agent authorised by the club in connection with the transfer was Mark McKay, the son of Willie McKay.

The elder McKay “was simply helping his son, given his extensive experience”, the lawyer said.

“It is sad to see that Cardiff have exploited this tragedy and turned it into a genuine legal farce,” he added. “Nothing in this case justifies holding FC Nantes liable.”

Prior to the start of the hearing, a Nantes representative said the club “have no doubt that Cardiff’s claims will be rejected outright, just like all the others”.

In another case related to the dispute between the two clubs, CAS ruled in 2022 that Sala’s transfer had definitely been finalised at the time of his death.

In 2023, world football’s governing body FIFA ordered Cardiff to pay Nantes the balance of Sala’s transfer fee, which at the time amounted to just over 11 million euros out of a total of 17 million euros.

Sports

Salah A ‘Disgrace’ For Liverpool Outburst – Carragher

Published

1 week ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher labelled Mohamed Salah “a disgrace” on Monday after the Egypt star’s stunning outburst at Reds boss Arne Slot.

Salah said he had been “thrown under a bus” and had no relationship with Slot after he was left on the bench for last Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds.

It was the third successive game that Salah had been kept out of the starting line-up by Slot amid the forward’s loss of form this season.

In response to Salah’s astonishing rant to reporters, Liverpool axed the 33-year-old from the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League clash at Inter Milan.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher, a 2005 Champions League winner with Liverpool, said: “I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game.

“Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst. I don’t think it was. I think whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he has done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it’s choreographed with his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.

“He’s chosen this weekend to do this now, and he’s waited I think for a bad result… everyone involved with the club (feeling) like they’re in the gutter, and he’s chosen that time to go for the manager and maybe try to get him sacked.”

Salah is a two-time Premier League champion with Liverpool and has also won the Champions League during his iconic eight-year spell at Anfield.

But, although he only signed a new contract in April, Salah hinted he might have played his last game for Liverpool as he prepares to jet off to the African Cup of Nations after their Premier League clash with Brighton at Anfield on Saturday.

Salah has been linked with a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League and and Carragher added: “What he’s done off the pitch, I think the club have made the right decision in terms of him not going abroad. Whether he will play for Liverpool again, I don’t know.

“I hope he does, because he’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever had, but if you continue like that, and statements like that, if he doesn’t play, who knows.”