United News of Bangladesh

Union Berlin have appointed Marie-Louise Eta as interim head coach, making her the first woman to take charge of a men’s team in one of Europe’s top five football leagues. Eta, 34, steps in until the end of the season following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart after Union’s 3-1 defeat to FC Heidenheim, reports BBC. The club currently sit 11th in the Bundesliga, 11 points above the relegation zone with five matches remaining, but have managed only two league wins in 2026. Already a trailblazer, Eta became the Bundesliga’s first female assistant coach when she joined Union Berlin’s coaching staff in July 2023. She later briefly led the team from the touchline in January 2024, becoming the first woman to do so in a Bundesliga match. A former Germany youth international and UEFA Women’s Champions League winner with Turbine Potsdam, Eta has most recently been managing Union’s Under-19 side since July 2025 and is set to take over as the club’s women’s head coach in the summer. Union’s director of men’s football Horst Heldt said the decision was driven by the team’s poor recent form and the need for a fresh approach as they fight to secure their top-flight status. Eta acknowledged the pressure of the situation, noting that Union remain in a precarious position despite their points advantage over the relegation zone, but expressed confidence that the team can secure the necessary results. Her appointment marks another milestone in European football, more than two decades after Carolina Morace became the first woman to manage a men’s professional team in Europe, followed by figures such as Corinne Diacre and Hannah Dingley in similar roles.

Barcelona strengthened their grip at the top of La Liga, moving nine points ahead of rivals Real Madrid with a convincing victory over Espanyol in the Catalan derby. Ferran Torres opened the scoring early, heading in a corner from Lamine Yamal at the back post in the ninth minute. He doubled the lead in the 25th minute, finishing neatly after collecting a clever outside-of-the-boot pass from Yamal. Yamal, aged just 18 years and 272 days, became Barcelona’s youngest player to reach 100 appearances and once again proved his value by providing both assists. Espanyol struggled to keep possession but managed to pull one back in the 56th minute when Pol Lozano scored from close range after a block by Barcelona defender Eric Garcia. Fernando Calero later missed a chance with a header, leaving the visitors unable to level the match. Barcelona regained control late on and sealed the win with two quick goals. Yamal added a third into an empty net before substitute Marcus Rashford struck an 89th-minute volley into the bottom corner. With seven matches remaining and Real Madrid struggling, coach Hansi Flick’s side are on track to retain the league title. Barcelona will now shift focus to the second leg of their Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, where they must overturn a two-goal deficit to progress. Espanyol, meanwhile, extended their winless run to 14 league matches but still sit 10th in the standings. Source: BBC

Arsenal's Premier League title bid was hit by a stunning 2-1 loss to Bournemouth in London on Saturday. The league leader blew the chance to move 12 points clear of second-placed Manchester City after losing for the third time in four games in all competitions. “It's a big punch in the face,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told broadcaster TNT Sports. “It has to hurt, and you have to take it on the chin.” Alex Scott struck a 74th-minute winner at Emirates Stadium to pile pressure on Arsenal ahead of next week's top-of-the-table clash at City. Arsenal has played two more games than City, which travels to Chelsea on Sunday and could close the gap to six points. “There are no gray areas now,” Arteta said. “You stand up and go for the fight, or you’re out and that’s it.” Arsenal’s is slumping at the worst time. Defeats to City in the English League Cup final and to second-division Southampton in the FA Cup ended its pursuit of a quadruple of trophies. It beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday, but the latest loss will only heighten tension in the race for the English title after three straight years of finishing runner-up. Arsenal faces a huge week against Sporting in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday and then at City on Sunday. Bournemouth went ahead inside 17 minutes through Junior Kroupi’s close-range goal. Viktor Gyokeres leveled from the penalty spot in the 35th but Arsenal struggled to create openings and Scott sealed the victory that potentially blew the title race open. Bournemouth has won in back-to-back seasons at Arsenal and set a new club record of 12 straight games unbeaten in the Premier League. While Arsenal remains in the driver's seat at the top of the standings, the form guide does not make good reading from Arteta’s perspective. League stats provider Opta said before kickoff that the Arsenal manager’s Premier League win percentage in April was 44%, compared to 79% for City's Pep Guardiola. “It’s a big week,” Arteta said. “It’s a lot at stake. We’re still in a really good position in both competitions but we need to do better." Brentford frustrated by Everton Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck in stoppage time as Everton twice fought back from a goal down to draw at Brentford 2-2. Igor Thiago twice gave Brentford the lead at Gtech Community Stadium from a third-minute penalty and a goal in the 76th. Beto leveled for Everton in the first half and Dewsbury-Hall produced his dramatic equalizer in the first minute of added time. Brentford missed the chance to move up to sixth. Brazil striker Thiago has 24 goals in all competitions this season and 21 in the league. Only Erling Haaland with 22 has more. Mats Wieffer scored in both halves as Brighton beat Burnley 2-0.

Abahani edged past eternal rivals Mohammedan 2-1 in a thrilling Dhaka Derby of the Bangladesh Football League on Friday, with Sulaiman Diabate scoring the decisive goal at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla. After a month-long break, the league resumed with one of its most anticipated fixtures, though the “home” of the derby has increasingly shifted outside Dhaka. The match saw Mohammedan take an early lead just three minutes into the game when Muzaffar Muzaffarov scored sensationally direct from a corner kick. However, Abahani responded quickly, leveling the score in the 17th minute through Mirajul Islam, who converted a pass from Emeka Ogbugh after beating a defender and finishing past goalkeeper Sujon Hossain. The second half saw Abahani dominate possession and create better chances. Their breakthrough came in the 66th minute when Emeka produced a brilliant solo run, beating three defenders before setting up Sulaiman Diabate. The striker turned 180 degrees and finished clinically between two defenders to score against his former club. Diabate, who had led Mohammedan to Federation Cup and league success over the past two seasons, marked his first goal against his former side—one that ultimately proved decisive in Abahani’s victory. Mohammedan pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but failed to break through Abahani’s defence. With the win, Abahani moved up to second place in the standings with 22 points from 12 matches, while Mohammedan slipped to seventh with 11 points amid a run of poor form. Bashundhara Kings lead the table with 24 points from 11 games.

Atletico Madrid scored twice after FC Barcelona were reduced to 10 men to secure a 2-0 away win in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. A superb free kick from Julián Álvarez just before halftime and a second-half goal by Alexander Sørloth handed coach Diego Simeone his first win at Camp Nou since taking charge 15 years ago. “I don't think my Atleti had ever won at Camp Nou,” Simeone said. “They're arguably the best team in Europe, along with Paris (PSG) and Bayern (Munich). Through good teamwork, we were able to capitalize on key moments in the match.” Barcelona suffered a major setback just before the break when defender Pau Cubarsí was sent off for fouling Giuliano Simeone as he raced clear on goal. The referee upgraded an initial yellow card to red after a video review. Moments later, Álvarez curled the resulting free kick past goalkeeper Joan García to give Atletico the lead in the 45th minute. Despite being a man down, Barcelona pushed forward in the second half, with Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford leading the charge. However, Atletico sealed the win when substitute Sørloth shrugged off Gerard Martín and converted a cross from Matteo Ruggeri with 20 minutes remaining. Barcelona, five-time European champions, must now overturn the deficit in Madrid next week to keep alive their hopes of reaching a first semifinal since 2017. “We gave it our all, but it wasn't to be,” Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo said. “But this team can turn this around. I am convinced of it.” Atletico remained disciplined defensively and made the most of limited chances, scoring twice from just a handful of attempts while withstanding sustained Barcelona pressure. Elsewhere on Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Liverpool FC 2-0 in their first-leg quarterfinal. On Tuesday, Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 2-1, while Arsenal FC edged Sporting CP 1-0.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was hailed as the world’s best by teammate Kai Havertz after his heroics helped the Gunners beat Sporting 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Havertz scored the late winner in the 91st minute, controlling a pass from Gabriel Martinelli and finishing calmly, but he was quick to credit Raya for keeping a clean sheet. The Spain international made a string of crucial saves, including a stunning fingertip stop to deny Maxi Araujo and a brilliant near-post save against Geny Catamo. Manager Mikel Arteta also praised Raya, calling his performance “extraordinary” and highlighting the goalkeeper’s influence in high-stakes matches. “The Champions League is always decided in the boxes because of the quality involved,” Arteta told Amazon Prime. “At the moment, he’s phenomenal. We are very lucky to have him.” Raya himself described his early save from Araujo as a turning point. “It was a quick transition and a great strike, but I managed to get a fingertip to it to hit the bar. Moments like that can change games,” he said. Raya also impressed with his composure in possession, completing 26 of 28 passes and heading away a long ball to prevent a Sporting counterattack. Arteta noted Raya’s all-around role in modern football, praising his courage, technical skill, and ability to adapt. “The goalkeeper’s position has evolved rapidly,” he said. “With David’s qualities and determination, he reaches another level.” Raya’s statistics underline his growing reputation. In the Champions League since last season, he has kept 13 clean sheets in 23 games, conceded only 12 goals from shots worth 21.07 expected goals, and prevented over nine goals above expectation – figures unmatched by any other goalkeeper in the competition. In the Premier League, he has the most clean sheets this season with 15 and has made just one error leading to a goal in 69 games across two campaigns. As Arsenal prepare for next week’s second leg, Raya’s outstanding form could be decisive in their quest to win the Champions League for the first time, reinforcing his status as a world-class goalkeeper. Source: Sky sports

Manchester City assistant manager Pep Lijnders has hinted that Bernardo Silva’s nine-year tenure at the club could conclude this summer, saying, "every good story comes to an end." The 31-year-old midfielder’s contract expires at the end of the season, and he has yet to sign an extension. Silva has been linked with moves to Barcelona, Juventus, and clubs in the United States. Speaking to the media after City’s 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool, while manager Pep Guardiola served a touchline ban, Lijnders praised Silva’s impact on the team. "You never replace a player with the same kind of player because they don't exist," he said. "Bernardo Silva is unique. The way he controls games, the way he moves, the way he receives, the way he leads, the way he sees the solutions… all these things. But every good story comes to an end, and I hope he enjoys the last months—there are only six weeks—and has a good farewell. He deserves all that attention as well." Silva, who joined City from Monaco in 2017, marked his 450th appearance for the club in Saturday’s win. The midfielder recently won his 18th piece of silverware with the club following City’s Carabao Cup triumph. Guardiola, a long-time admirer, has often relied on Silva, making him captain after Kevin De Bruyne’s departure at the end of last season. Lijnders also addressed City’s plans for the future, highlighting the importance of the club’s academy and youth development. "You never search for a replacement of one type of player," he said. "You search for what is needed to grow with the team and somebody who can fit in the first 11. With our academy and the young players we already bought, they can make that step in midfield positions. The most important is that the seniors who stay for a long time remain, and around that, you can move." City have been linked with a summer move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson as they plan for the post-Silva era.  #From BBC

Barcelona came from behind to defeat 10-man Atletico Madrid 2-1 away and strengthen their grip at the top of La Liga after Real Madrid suffered a late defeat to Mallorca on Saturday. Atletico took the lead at Metropolitano Stadium through Giuliano Simeone in the 39th minute, but Marcus Rashford equalized just three minutes later. The hosts were reduced to 10 men in first-half stoppage time when Nico González was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. Barcelona capitalised on the advantage late in the match, with Robert Lewandowski scoring the winner in the 87th minute, converting a rebound off a save by goalkeeper Juan Musso. The Catalan club has now won eight of its last nine matches in all competitions and moved seven points clear of second-placed Real Madrid in the league standings. Atletico remain fourth, 19 points off the lead. Earlier, Real Madrid lost 2-1 to Mallorca after conceding in stoppage time. Manu Morlanes gave Mallorca the lead in the 42nd minute before Éder Militão equalized in the 88th minute on his return from injury. Vedat Muriqi netted the winner one minute into added time. Elsewhere, Real Sociedad beat Levante 2-0, while Real Betis were held to a goalless draw by Espanyol.

Real Madrid could drop further behind La Liga leader Barcelona after a 2-1 loss at Mallorca on Saturday. Madrid conceded in stoppage time and stayed four points behind ahead of the Catalan club's match at fourth-placed Atletico Madrid later Saturday. Mallorca has risen out of the relegation zone after its second win in three league matches. The host opened the scoring thanks to Manu Morlanes in the 42nd minute. Madrid equalized in the 88th through Éder Militão, who was back in the squad after an injury layoff of nearly four months. The winner came from Vedat Muriqi one minute into added time. Mallorca moved to 17th place, two points clear of the bottom three. Madrid suffered its third defeat in its last six league matches. The club has five league losses all season. Also, Real Sociedad beat Levante 2-0 at home.

Bangladesh lifted the SAFF Under-20 Championship title for the second time after beating India 4-3 on penalties in the final of the 2026 edition on Friday at the National Stadium in Male, Maldives. Ronan Sullivan scored the winning penalty with a cheeky 'panenka' to send the Bangladesh dugout into a frenzy. While it was Bangladesh's second such success, this is the first time they beat India in the final, having lost three previous finals against their bigger neighbours before. This second regional age group championship in three years solidifies Bangladesh's emerging edge in South Asian youth football under head coach Mark Cox. Neither side managed to break the deadlock during 90 minutes of regulation and four minutes of stoppage time, forcing the decisive shootout. Both teams missed crucial opportunities during a tightly contested first half. India threatened early when an Abrash header narrowly missed the post in the fourth minute. Bangladesh responded in the 13th minute when captain Mithu Chowdhury headed wide off a free-kick from Ronan Sullivan. Just before halftime, Sullivan launched an acrobatic half-volley from outside the box that sailed over the crossbar. Bangladesh adopted a more defensive posture in the second half. Goalkeeper Ismail Hossain Mahin survived two misjudged clearances, as Indian forwards failed to capitalize on the exposed net. Seeking an offensive spark, Cox substituted Philadelphia Union prospect Declan Sullivan into the match in the 66th minute, but the Indian defense held firm. India had the best chance to secure a victory in the dying minutes of regulation. In the 83rd minute, Rishi Singh delivered a cross into the box, but an unmarked Vishal sent a powerful shot soaring over the crossbar, ensuring the match would be decided by penalties.