Villa chief Monchi set to leave after poor start
Aston Villa’s president of football operations Monchi is expected to leave [Getty Images]
Aston Villa’s president of football operations Monchi is poised to leave the club.
The 56-year-old’s imminent departure comes with Villa 18th in the Premier League after a winless start to the season.
Monchi joined Villa in 2023 from Spanish side Sevilla, where he had been sporting director, having previously worked with Villa boss Unai Emery at the La Liga club.
The pair took Villa to the Europa Conference League semi-finals in 2024 and secured a Champions League place as they finished fourth in the Premier League that season.
They went on to reach the Champions League quarter-finals last season, being knocked out by eventual winners Paris St-Germain.
Villa have started poorly this season, failing to win any of their opening five league games and scoring just once.
They were also knocked out of the EFL Cup on penalties by Brentford last week.
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Rodri doubles down on famous Arsenal dig with off-pitch Manchester City secret
Rodri doubles down on famous Arsenal dig with off-pitch Manchester City secret
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has made a bold claim about the club’s silverware successes and the possibility that their triumphs were secured before a ball had been kicked.
Rodri is not the most famous personalities in north London, having taken public shots at a perceived absence of killer’s mentality in Mikel Arteta’s squad when giving his two cents on why Manchester City have pipped the Gunners to the Premier League title in recent seasons.
City were given a run for their money by Arsenal in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons but Pep Guardiola’s side peresevered and saw off the north Londoners to claim their third and fourth successive league titles.
Having missed majority of Manchester City’s commitments on the pitch in the last 12 months, Rodri started for the fourth game on the bounce on Sunday as City failed to retain a one-goal lead against Arsenal and saw Gabriel Martinelli’s injury-time goal secure a point for Arsenal.
The Ballon d’Or holder has been indispensable for Manchester City since 2021 and after making a slow start to life in England following his transfer from Atletico Madrid in 2019, the Spain international has established himself as arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world.
City have heavily leaned on the four-time Premier League winner over the years and Rodri’s importance to his side was underpinned by the catastrophic drop witnessed at the Etihad Stadium over the course of the 2024-25 campaign, with Rodri spending nine months on the sidelines after tearing his ACL against Arsenal in September 2024.
Speaking in an interview prior to City’s 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium at the weekend, Rodri gave a peak through the curtain into his struggles with injury over the last 12 months and the consequent troubles faced by his side on the pitch.
“I’m not close (to full fitness) but wanted to come back, see my teammates again. I wasn’t part of the team last year, but I was always in the team, and suffered like them,” Rodri said.
“I looked at them and they were suffering and when you suffer on the pitch it’s difficult because you run, you’re a bit lost and you want to win then things don’t go well, and you feel pressure.
“It’s not an easy job in this sense but we’re a team and that’s the best thing, when we win, when we lose. Last year, they did a massive effort at the end of last season to qualify for the Champions League, and it was like winning a title.
“I’m pretty sure that effort will benefit us in future and we’re hoping this year will go a different way.”
Rodri also spoke of the mental strength within the Manchester City side in previous seasons, and a strength that he believes was the ultimate advantage over trophy rivals.
“It was our best weapon all these years; our mental strength. When things go really tough, we step forward. This is the champions’ mentality. We had this all these years. For me it’s the key, the difference,” said Rodri.
“At the end, the team is the level, the average team has top players, all around the league, teams are even better. So that was the difference in all these years; always able to win, suffer, every three days always able to be ready to win again, and again.
“For me, we have to recover this spirit, this mentality. Of course, the level will come, but most important is here (the head). We were able to win leagues, leagues, and leagues because of this, not because of the level.”
Arsenal fans will no doubt be triggered by the brutal honesty reflected in Rodri’s comments and it is exactly figures like Rodri that are needed desperately in the midst of the ongoing first-team squad transition at the Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool ready OFFER for French superstar
Liverpool ready OFFER for French superstar
Quietly, a French revolution could be brewing at Liverpool as the Reds ready a move for another star from Les Bleus.
Under Gerard Houlier there was an attempt to make the club more French. But this attempt didn’t quite reap many rewards.
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Most of the French signings under Houlier were underwhelming. Perhaps only Nicolas Anelka and Djibril Cisse could be deemed as having had successful periods at Anfield in a red shirt.
That’s been changing in recent years.
Ibrahima Konate has broken the trend, and Hugo Ekitike looks set to follow with five goal contributions in six matches.
With the duos success, they have increased the appetite for more French signings at the club and Richard Hughes could be targeting a plethora of options in the coming year.
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We all know about the interest in Michael Olise, who has been billed as the perfect successor to Mo Salah’s throne.
Signing him would be a great coup for Liverpool. He looks like the next world-class talent ready to take his game to another level.
Olise is someone who would be tailor-made for Arne Slot’s style of football and someone who the club have had a close eye on for a while.
But he might not be the only player from France nor from Bayern Munich on the club’s radar.
Why Liverpool are lining up move for Dayot Upamecano
Another French Bayern Munich star wanted by Hughes is Dayot Upamecano, who is someone who has attracted the attention of Liverpool in the past and looks to be on the agenda again.
Liverpool missed out on Marc Guehi last summer, and they do want to bring in a centre-back in order to bolster their options.
Whether that will be Guehi remains to be seen. According to Rousing Kop they have prepared alternative options and could be ready to move and make an offer to Upamecano as well.
The report from Graeme Bailey claims Liverpool have been keeping an eye on Upamecano for years and they have a strong interest in the player which could materialise in a move next summer.
Just like Guehi, Upamecano has one year left on his current deal at Bayern Munich and is yet to extend. This means Liverpool could land him on a free transfer.
That would be an incredible signing for a player in his prime years and who already has so much experience at the highest level.
It would also be some feat for Liverpool to pull off a double French coup from Bayern with Upamecano and Olise coming to Anfield.
This one is certainly worth keeping an eye on.
https://onefootball.com/en/news/liverpool-ready-offer-for-french-superstar-41704729
Liverpool Goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe Under FA Investigation For Discriminatory Language
The start to the Liverpool FC Women’s season has been rocky to say the least. The Reds lost their first two matches in what were considered quite winnable matches. One of the storylines during those matches was the absence of newly signed goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe.
With Rachael Laws out of commission with an injury, the path seemed clear for the German net minder to take the starting gloves. Instead, Borggräfe was not even with the club during the opening weekend loss to Everton. Manager Gareth Taylor only provided that Borggräfe was back in Germany and missing out due to an “internal club issue”. Borggräfe was back with the club the following week, but was only on the bench against Leicester City.
Late last week the news broke that Borggräfe was under investigation by the Football Association for discriminatory language. The incident took place during Liverpool’s preseason camp in Cork, Ireland where staff and teammates reportedly heard Borggräfe make a remark referencing skin color. Liverpool released a statement on Friday confirming that an incident was under investigation.
“Liverpool Football Club is aware of an alleged use of discriminatory language by an LFC Women’s player. The club has followed its protocols to the fullest extent and the alleged incident has been reported to the FA, which is conducting an investigation with our full support. We condemn all forms of discrimination; it has no place in football or society. We are unable to comment further while the investigation is ongoing.”
Gareth Taylor provided his own statement about the situation in his news conference ahead of the match that was to be played at Aston Villa on Sunday. The match was later postponed after the death of former Liverpool manager Matt Beard.
“We are being really helpful and respectful of the process that you have to go through when that happens, so we’re working alongside the FA whilst that process continues. We dealt with it in the appropriate manner initially and, of course, [we’re] trying to support all the players but also making them aware that, as a club, and surely as a nation, it’s something that obviously we don’t stand for. But we have to be respectful of the process and make sure we follow the right process.”
Taylor did indicate that Borggräfe was available for selection again on the weekend while the investigation was ongoing.
The only silver lining to take away from the situation is that the Liverpool staff and players felt comfortable and supported enough to immediately report racial remarks and have the club and the FA take them seriously. It’s a very tiny step forward in a sport that still sees ugly discriminatory language on a much to frequent bases, from both players and supporters.
Algeria A' to play Palestine in friendly (official)
Algeria A’ to play Palestine in friendly (official)
For the October training camp, Algeria A’ will face Palestine twice in friendly matches (OFFICIAL)
Algeria A’ to play Palestine in friendly (official)
The Algeria A’ national team will play two friendly matches against Palestine on October 9 and 13 at the 19 May 1956 Stadium in Annaba. This double-header is part of a training camp scheduled from October 6 to 13, marking the squad’s return after the bitter disappointment of their last African Nations Championship (CHAN) campaign. Knocked out in the quarter-finals by Sudan, Madjid Bougherra’s men fell short despite significant resources deployed by the Algerian Football Federation (FAF). These two fixtures thus present a golden opportunity to review the squad and address the weaknesses exposed during the continental competition.
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🏟 ملعب 19 ماي 1956 – عنابة-
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🏟 ملعب 19 ماي 1956 – عنابة- #LesVerts⭐⭐ | #123vivalAlgériepic.twitter.com/vHH6fu3gJw
— Équipe d’Algérie de football (@LesVerts) September 22, 2025
The A’ national team coach is expected to announce the squad list for this camp in the coming days, with a clear trend: to retain much of the group present at the CHAN. This approach aims to maintain some continuity while hoping for a more convincing collective response. These friendlies, set for 8:30 p.m. for the first match and 6:00 p.m. for the second, will allow the technical staff to gauge how well their instructions are being absorbed and to identify players capable of bringing greater consistency and efficiency. More than simple warm-up games, these fixtures will serve as a real test for Bougherra, who has a lot riding on his credibility as Algeria looks ahead to a crucial competition.
The target is already set: from December 1 to 18, Algeria will compete in the FIFA Arab Cup 2025 in Qatar, defending their crown after their memorable triumph in 2021. The draw in Doha placed the Greens in Group D alongside Iraq and the playoff winners between Bahrain–Djibouti and Lebanon–Sudan. It’s a manageable group for the reigning champions, but one that will require thorough preparation to avoid any upsets. In this context, facing Palestine twice is highly relevant, both to test squad depth and to raise the competitive level of a team eager for redemption. For Bougherra and his men, the equation is simple: regain confidence and approach the Arab Cup with the status of clear favorites.
https://onefootball.com/en/news/algeria-a-to-play-palestine-in-friendly-official-41704717
Derrick Henry on fumbles: I apologized to teammates and coaches, I've got to be better
Ravens running back Derrick Henry lost a costly fumble in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s loss to the Lions, and afterward he put the loss on himself.
“I’ve got to be better and go back to work. I apologized to teammates, coaches,” Henry said.
Henry has fumbled in all three games this season, including losing crucial fumbles in the fourth quarter of both Ravens losses, to the Bills in Week One and Lions in Week Three. Prior to this season, Henry had lost only two fourth-quarter fumbles in his entire career.
“It’s just crazy,” Henry said. “Three fumbles straight. I’m trying every day to fix the problem that keeps occurring. I’m my worst critic so I try not to beat myself up too much but it’s hard not to when I’m consistently doing something.”
The 31-year-old Henry is the NFL’s active leader in rushing yards, and when he arrived in Baltimore last season he appeared to be rejuvenated, rushing for 1,921 yards in 2024. But the story of his 2025 season is that he’s lost two big fumbles in the Ravens’ two losses.
Why the Ballon d’Or got it wrong
So now we fully transition from the Lionel Messi–Cristiano Ronaldo era to the modern equivalent of Florian Albert or Allan Simonsen.
That isn’t to be disrespectful to two genuine greats, or to the 47th player to win the Ballon d’Or, Ousmane Dembele. He, like his predecessors, at least has a good argument to claim the award.
It’s just that, as was the case way back then, it doesn’t feel like one of those victories that is going to be overly celebrated from the vantage point of the future. There’s an element of trying to force present performances to fit something grander, to amplify them into something that meets the bar.
Aitana Bonmati and Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards (AFP via Getty)
So, in the absence of a major men’s tournament, or a player who was truly dominant at the elite level, Dembele was the next man along. The 28-year-old was Paris Saint-Germain’s joint top scorer in the Champions League knockout stages, scoring four goals.
Two of those were genuinely big goals against Liverpool and Arsenal, but the other two were against Brest, where PSG only showcased how they spend most of their year: enjoying their vast economic advantage to pummel French opposition in games that are barely contests.
All of that starts to feel a little thin when you consider the list of players in this millennium alone who have not won the award: Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Thierry Henry, Paolo Maldini, and – so far – Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland.
Part of this is just the luck of a given year, and who you happen to be up against. Alongside that, though, is the ongoing tension around what the award actually represents: whether it’s about being the most valuable player, or a genuine bid to crown the best – the most talented – footballer in the world.
Of course, “most talented” is somewhat dependent on the application of that talent… which is why the award feels like it should be some subjective combination of the two.
Dembele scored 35 goals and made 14 assists in all competitions for PSG last season (AFP via Getty)
This is what Messi and Ronaldo showcased for so long, which has probably warped perspectives to a certain degree. They were performing at this astonishing level, and directly delivering the biggest trophies along the way.
Even if you take the now accepted wisdom that Messi was the greater player, and perhaps the best of all time, Ronaldo still had an obvious claim to every victory. Four of his five wins accompanied Champions Leagues. Otherwise worthy winners such as Xavi, Iniesta, Lewandowski and Haaland were simply unlucky to be competing against them in the middle of very long prime periods.
On the other side, though, Dembele is perhaps lucky that he was up against a player who is perhaps seen as being on the cusp of his prime. Lamine Yamal would have been a much more fitting winner of the trophy. He’s clearly already the best player in the world. He performs at a higher level than anyone else, doing things that other players couldn’t have conceived of. He’s also doing them in the biggest games.
Lamine Yamal, who won the Kopa Trophy, would have been the youngest Ballon d’Or winner in history (AP)
It’s not Yamal’s fault that Barcelona failed to beat Inter in that sensational Champions League semi-final. He was the player who did the most to try to avoid that.
All of this similarly applies to Aitana Bonmati, who rightly won the women’s award ahead of Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo, one of five England players who finished in the top 10 but ultimately fell short.
Bonmati is clearly the best player in the world. She performs at a higher level than anyone else, doing things that other players couldn’t have conceived of. She’s also doing them in the biggest games.
It’s not Aitana’s fault that Barcelona failed to beat Arsenal or Spain failed to beat England in either of her finals. She was most responsible in delivering her teams there.
But while Aitana was already a two-time winner – this third award affording her that gold-standard historic achievement – that often means that it’s more palatable to vote for a player who doesn’t win the biggest team prizes.
Bonmati won despite Spain and Barcelona losing major finals last season (AFP via Getty Images)
Did Yamal miss out because he is still so young, and there’s a sense of having to rise to it? He would have been the first teenager to win the award.
And yet even if you just reduce it to a basic binary choice between the two, Yamal performed to a higher level than Dembele and also did more. The only real difference was that Dembele’s team won the final. And there’s even an argument that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was more influential to that.
If it was just down to the glare of the European Cup, it would be oddly fitting for a trophy that has evolved from an old-world gravitas and traditional prestige to something that is more about a glamour and gaudiness.
Even the trophy itself has become much more ostentatious over the years, something that you really notice if you look back at those old photos of Johan Cruyff or George Best lifting their humble little orb.
Duly, the lobbying is said to have been more aggressive than ever this year, and has got more pronounced as the seasons have gone on.
The Messi-Ronaldo era itself influenced this, so it’s another case of modern football eating itself.
None of this is to argue against the existence of an individual world in a team sport in anything like that.
Some players obviously are more decisive, and it’s right – and actually part of the fun of the sport – that that’s recognised.
It’s just that, like a few other years in the competition’s seven decades, it doesn’t necessarily feel like the 2025 Ballon D’Or fully did that.
Yamal did much more.
Lincoln City vs. Chelsea, League Cup: Preview, team news, how to watch
The post-Club World Cup honeymoon is now well and truly over. Back-to-back defeats against Bayern Munich and Manchester United, the latter most egregious, have followed the last-second dropping of two points against Brentford. All the goodwill from the end of last season has been squandered and all the vibes from the summer harshed over the past week or so.
That may sound fickle, but it turns out that Enzo Maresca, Robert Sánchez, and others did not have as much credit built up as we might have imagined.
The nice thing about a busy schedule is that we don’t have to wait too long for the next opportunity to make things right. And opportunities don’t come much nicer than a cup game against lower-league opposition — even if we are going away and Lincoln City have been in excellent form to start the season.
Still, we’re gonna have to work for these cupcakes.
Date / Time: Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 19.45 BST; 2:45pm EDT; 12:15am IST (next day)
Venue: Sincil Bank, Lincoln, England
Referee: Matthew Donohue (on pitch); no VAR
Forecast: Cooling off
On TV: Sky Sports (UK); none (USA); none (India); SuperSport MaXimo 1 (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: Sky Go (UK); Paramount+ (USA); FanCode (India); DStv Now (NGA)
Lincoln City team news: Lincoln City have never been higher than the second division in their entire 141-year history, and have not been higher than the third division since the 1960s. That is precisely where they find themselves currently, though if they keep up their early-season form, the Championship just might beckon at the end of the campaign. The Imps have lost just one of their 12 games played so far this season in all competitions, and are currently riding a ten-game unbeaten streak — including wins against Harrogate Town and Burton Albion in the first and second rounds of this competition, respectively.
Young head coach Michael Skubala, in his first job in management, is in his second full season; he led the team to an 11th-place finish last year. This will be his 99th game in charge; though he’s treating it (and looking to win it) just like any of the other 98 before it.
“[We’re going to] put a match plan together with a group of players with the idea to go out and win a game of football”
-Michael Skubala; source: The Linc
While none of their players have any over Chelsea connections (a relative rarity in the football pyramid), Skubala himself was in the dugout as a Leeds United assistant coach when they were beaten 1-0 at the Bridge in February 2023.
Stiker James Collins, one of several experienced veterans in the squad and a former Republic of Ireland international, paced The Imps with ten league goals last season after dropping down a division from Derby County in January. He already has five in all competitions this season.
Chelsea team news: As much as this game is an excellent opportunity to get back on the winning track, it’s a most excellent (and very much needed) opportunity to rest and rotate — or at least it should be. Enzo Maresca seemed to suggest that we lack the numbers in defense to do so; perhaps someone should show him a picture of Josh Acheampong.
“I would love to rest [Tosin and Chalobah] because they deserve to rest. The problem is that we have Wes, who is only playing after a long time out. Some of them need to play.”
-Enzo Maresca; source: Chelsea FC
We certainly should have the numbers elsewhere in the squad, to rest the likes of Moisés Caicedo, João Pedro, and Enzo Fernández, and give the day off to Cole Palmer while hoping that his groin problem doesn’t get elevated to something surgically serious.
Previously: This will be the ninth meeting all-time between the two sides, but the first since 1911, well over 100 years ago. We won five of the eight played back in those long ago days.
What is Jayden Daniels' status ahead of Week 4?
Marcus Mariota played great Sunday, but he is not the Washington Commanders starting quarterback.
While talking with the press on Monday, Commanders‘ head coach Dan Quinn was asked if Mariota’s performance would influence his plan regarding Jayden Daniels’ return to action.
Quinn first said he was perhaps the least surprised person in the stadium on Sunday. He told the press last week that he believed in Mariota and expected him to have a good game in Week 3.
“Yeah, I think you probably heard me talk, I was probably one of the least surprised people in the stadium that he played well,” Quinn said. “I just see him, I know what he is and how it goes.”
Sure enough, Mariota did complete 15 of 21, was not intercepted, and added 40 rushing yards himself. Yes, Quinn was affirming Mariota had played wonderfully. But in his very next breath, Quinn left no doubt where he stands on the quarterback question for this week.
“But as far as tying one to the other, that’s not part of the deal. We just have a lot of trust in him and how we would go about it but man, we’ll lean into the medical people and where we’re at and what to do. But that type of preparation for him, it’s just that kind of steady, consistent way but they’re not tied together to answer your question.”
Interpretation: “Yes, Mariota was super, Sunday. But if I am told and convinced that Jayden Daniels is ready to go this week, then Daniels will absolutely be the starting quarterback in Atlanta for the Week 4 contest.”
So what might be the plan for Daniels this week as the team prepares for the Falcons?
“We’re still listing him as day to day, and then as we get into Wednesday, I’ll be more qualified to hit on what types of practice and what we can hit on to go,” he said. “So, he went through some things today, some more tomorrow and that’ll lead us up into Wednesday. But when we get together prior to practice, I’ll have a better idea for the plan. We’ve not nailed that down for the week as of yet.”
It is no secret that Daniels did not exactly pick up where he left off last season. The 2024 NFL Rookie of the Year has struggled in his first two games of action. He is completing 59.7 percent of his passes. He is averaging only 6.0 yards per passing attempt, his passer rating is 90.8, and his QBR is 39.0. By contrast, Mariota has completed 71.4 percent of his attempts in a single game. He is averaging 9.9 yards per passing attempt. His passer rating is 118.6.
But he is not Jayden Daniels, and Dan Quinn realizes the Falcons in Atlanta is going to be a test. Quinn knows he must play Daniels as soon as he is ready to return to action.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: What is Jayden Daniels’ status ahead of Week 4?
What Upamecano wants to extend his Bayern contract
What Upamecano wants to extend his Bayern contract
Dayot Upamecano is out of contract at the end of the season, and Bayern Munich are naturally keen to avoid losing him on a free transfer.
The problem for the club is that the French international is in a very strong negotiating position.
According to Abendzeitung, Upamecano is demanding a higher salary, seeing himself positioned between €15–20 million annually.
Currently, he could earn up to €16 million per year, but only if all his performance bonuses are triggered.
The report also states that Upamecano’s current contract includes a €120 million release clause, and he is reportedly pushing for a similar clause in a new deal.
Even if Bayern meet all his demands, there is no guarantee the 26-year-old will sign a new deal, with Marca recently reporting that he has set his sights on a move to Real Madrid.
https://onefootball.com/en/news/what-upamecano-wants-to-extend-his-bayern-contract-41704526
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