United News of Bangladesh

Arsenal will look to end a 20-year wait for a UEFA Champions League final appearance when they host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their semifinal on Tuesday. The tie remains finely poised after a 1-1 draw in Madrid last week, with both sides scoring from penalties as they chase a first European Cup title. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, "After 20 years to be in this position again, We are so hungry to get the game that we want (Tuesday) and go through to that final.” Arsenal had earlier beaten Atletico 4-0 at home during the league phase in October, though Atletico coach Diego Simeone expects a more disciplined performance from his side. “I’m going to try to tell the team to play like they did in the second half (in Madrid)," Simeone said. "If it’s that easy it would be great. We have a lot of faith in what we’re doing.” Both teams have received boosts with key players returning from injury. Forward Julian Alvarez is expected to play for Atletico, while Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and forward Kai Havertz are available. Atletico have reached the Champions League final twice under Simeone, in 2014 and 2016, losing both times to Real Madrid. Arsenal’s only final appearance came in 2006, when they were beaten by Barcelona. The winner will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final. PSG lead 5-4 from the first leg ahead of Wednesday’s return match. Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title in 22 years also received a boost after Manchester City drew 3-3 with Everton. Arsenal can secure the title by winning their remaining three matches. Atletico are currently fourth in La Liga, trailing leaders Barcelona by 25 points.

Football’s global rulemakers have revised red card guidelines following two controversial incidents in international matches earlier this year. The changes were pushed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino after separate incidents involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and Senegal’s national team drew widespread attention. Under the updated guidance approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), players can now be shown a red card if they cover their mouths while verbally confronting an opponent. The rule is optional and can be enforced at the discretion of tournament organizers, including FIFA. The decision follows an incident in a Champions League match where Prestianni allegedly hid his words while insulting Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior. Vinícius, supported by teammate Kylian Mbappé, accused him of making a racially offensive remark. Last week, UEFA handed Prestianni a six-match suspension, with three games suspended during a probation period, citing verbal abuse. While the body said it could not prove racial abuse, it confirmed the use of a homophobic slur, which the player admitted. If selected for Argentina’s World Cup squad, he will miss the team’s first two matches, although the decision can still be appealed. IFAB also approved another rule allowing referees to issue red cards to players who leave the field in protest of a decision. The same punishment can apply to team officials who encourage such actions. This follows a dramatic incident during the Africa Cup of Nations final in January, when Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in stoppage time to protest a penalty awarded to host Morocco with the score at 0-0. The match was halted for nearly 15 minutes before play resumed. Senegal eventually won in extra time, but the title was later stripped by African football authorities. The case is now set to be heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. IFAB said the new rules will be shared with all 48 teams participating in the upcoming World Cup, which kicks off on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Football star Lionel Messi has been sued by a Miami-based event promoter who claims he broke the terms of a $7 million contract by failing to play in a scheduled exhibition match last year. According to court records, Vid Music Group filed a lawsuit last month in a Miami-Dade circuit court, accusing Messi and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) of fraud and breach of contract. The company says it had secured exclusive rights to organize and promote Argentina’s friendly matches against Venezuela and Puerto Rico in October, in return for ticket sales, broadcast rights and sponsorship revenue. It claims the agreement required Messi to play at least 30 minutes in each match unless he was injured. Messi did not play in Argentina’s 1-0 win over Venezuela on October 10, instead watching from a suite at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida. However, he played the following day for his club Inter Miami in an MLS match, where he scored twice in a 4-0 win over Atlanta United. He later featured in Argentina’s 6-0 victory over Puerto Rico on October 14. That match had originally been scheduled in Chicago but was moved to Florida amid low ticket sales and security concerns. The promoter alleges it suffered losses running into millions of dollars due to Messi’s absence from one match and poor attendance at the other. Messi and the AFA have not yet responded to the lawsuit.

Barcelona will need to overturn a two-goal deficit against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to secure a place in the Champions League semifinals, as the two sides meet for the fifth time in less than two months. Atletico Madrid will host the second leg, defending a 2-0 advantage from the first match as they aim to reach the last four of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in nearly a decade. The teams have faced each other repeatedly in recent weeks. Before last week’s Champions League first leg, Barcelona defeated Atletico 2-1 in a Spanish league clash on April 4. The sides also met twice in the Copa del Rey semifinals, where Atletico secured a 4-0 home win and progressed to the final despite losing 3-0 in the second leg in Barcelona. Man City hold psychological advantage over Arsenal, says Rooney Atletico last reached the Champions League semifinals in 2017, while Barcelona were eliminated at the last-four stage by Inter Milan last season. Atletico coach Diego Simeone has not ruled out goalkeeper Jan Oblak’s return, as he has resumed training after a muscle injury sustained on March 10 and is expected to be fit. The winner will face either Arsenal or Sporting CP in the semifinals, with Arsenal holding a 1-0 advantage from the first leg ahead of Wednesday’s return match in England.

Lionel Messi will have a stadium stand named after him by his current club Inter Miami CF at their new home ground, the 26,700-seat Nu Stadium. The 38-year-old forward, widely considered one of football’s greatest players, joined the MLS side in 2023 after a successful career in Europe with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Since arriving in Florida, Messi has become Inter Miami’s all-time top scorer with 82 goals and leading assist provider with 53. The club’s decision to name a stand after an active player is seen as unusual. In a statement, Inter Miami said such honours are usually reserved for the past, but this recognition reflects what Messi is achieving now and the impact he continues to make on the pitch. The club is set to play its first match at the new stadium against Austin FC on April 4. This marks the second time a stand has been named after Messi. In June 2025, his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys also honoured him in a similar way. Messi, who led Argentina national football team to World Cup victory in 2022, is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and became the first player in MLS history to win back-to-back MVP awards last season. His move to Inter Miami, co-owned by former England captain David Beckham, has boosted the club’s profile and popularity of the league, along with bringing titles such as the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup. Source : BBC

Defending champions China beat Taiwan 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Asian Cup on Saturday, securing a place in the semifinals against host Australia and qualifying for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The match ended goalless after 90 minutes despite China dominating the game between the two sides that have long-standing geopolitical tensions. Shao Ziqin finally broke the deadlock three minutes into extra time. A late own goal by Taiwan sealed a deserved victory for the Chinese team. Iran withdraws from 2026 FIFA World Cup amid war “I’m very happy that we won today and that I could score a goal,” Shao said after the match. “We are now in the last four. Thank you everyone for your support.” Earlier on Friday, Sam Kerr scored once and set up another goal as Australia advanced to the semifinals and confirmed their World Cup berth with a 2-1 victory over North Korea. Later on Saturday, South Korea were scheduled to face Uzbekistan in another quarterfinal in Sydney. On Sunday, Japan will play the final quarterfinal against the Philippines, also in Sydney. Japan enter the match with three wins from three group games and a tournament-best 17 goals without conceding. The semifinals will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the final is scheduled for next Saturday in Sydney. World Cup qualification All four semifinalists of the Women’s Asian Cup automatically qualify for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil. North Korea will get another opportunity to qualify through a playoff match next Thursday in Australia. The teams finishing fifth and sixth in the tournament will also earn places at the World Cup. Earlier in the week, the group stage was overshadowed by Iran’s withdrawal from the tournament after members of its delegation were granted asylum.

Shafiul Alam Uzzal and Yadul Haque have been elected president and general secretary of the Bangladesh Elevator, Escalator and Lift Importers Association (BELIA) for the tenure of 2026-2028. The new executive committee was officially announced on Saturday at a restaurant in the BTMC Bhaban in the city’s Karwan Bazar. The announcement was followed by an introductory meeting and an Iftar party attended by general members. Students and women’s football stars unite to stand against cyber harassment According to the election board, the transition of leadership was completed peacefully following the announced schedule. A single full panel of 13 candidates filed nomination papers for the 13 available posts. As no other valid nominations were submitted within the deadline, the election board declared the panel elected uncontested. The other office bearers of the committee include Senior Vice-President Achinta Kumar Biswas, Vice-President Asim Sarkar, Finance Secretary SM Moniruzzaman Monir, and Joint General Secretary Md. Khalid Hossain Tarafder. The elected directors are Mohammad Zakirul Haque, Md. Neamul Haque, Md. Lutfar Rahman, Faruk Hossain, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Ahmed Ali, and Aref Ahmed. Speaking at the event, newly elected President Shafiul Alam Uzzal expressed his commitment to strengthening the association's activities. He pledged to play an effective role in protecting the interests of members and advancing the development of the country’s lift and elevator industry.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s all-time leading goal scorer, celebrates his 41st birthday today on Thursday, as much a global brand as a football icon. Beyond league titles, Ballon d’Ors, and Champions League triumphs, Ronaldo has crafted a self-sustaining commercial empire that could thrive even after he retires. His CR7 brand spans footwear, apparel, fragrances, gyms, and hotels. Partnerships include CR7 Crunch Fitness in Portugal and Spain, CR7 Pestana hotels across Madeira, Lisbon, Madrid, Marrakech, and New York, and a fragrance line with Eden Parfums. Ronaldo hints at retirement in “probably one or two years” Ronaldo’s social media reach is unmatched: in September 2025, he became the first person to reach 1 billion followers across all platforms, with 671 million on Instagram alone. His online presence provides unmatched visibility for sponsors, including Nike, Herbalife, Clear, Binance, Tag Heuer, Armani, and Jacob & Co. In the twilight of his career, Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr offered enormous commercial gains. His 2025 contract extension pays £492 million over two years, including a 15% stake in the club worth £33 million, ensuring a lavish post-playing career. Experts say Ronaldo’s strategy—building digital and tangible assets while active on the pitch—offers a model for athletes worldwide, including India, to grow personal brands alongside sporting careers.

A hat-trick by forward Alpi Akter powered the Bangladesh Under-19 women’s football team to the final of the SAFF U-19 Women's Championship, as they thrashed hosts Nepal 4-0 at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium on Wednesday. With this commanding victory, Peter Butler's side finished the group stage with a perfect record, securing maximum 9 points from three matches to top the table. India also booked their spot in the final after defeating Bhutan earlier in the day, finishing second with 6 points. The two arch-rivals will now face off in the title decider on Saturday at the same venue. Read More: Bangladeshi footballers to return home from Nepal Thursday: Embassy Bangladesh wasted no time asserting dominance, taking the lead in just the 3rd minute. Protima Munda opened the scoring with a precise header off a corner kick delivered by Mamoni Chakma. Despite the early setback, Nepal tightened their defense, denying Bangladesh further goals until the dying moments of the first half. Alpi Akter then took center stage, doubling the lead in stoppage time before the break with a stunning direct free-kick. She continued her onslaught in the second half, scoring a solo goal from a counter-attack in the 67th minute. Alpi completed her hat-trick in the 82nd minute by tapping in a cross from Kranuching Marma. Read More: Govt trying to ensure safe return of football team from Nepal This hat-trick takes Alpi’s tally to 7 goals in just three matches in the tournament. Bangladesh and India have met in the previous two finals of this age-group tournament; they were declared joint champions in 2024, while Bangladesh defeated India to lift the trophy in 2021.

The entire executive committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) resigned on Wednesday following a controversy over the naturalisation of seven foreign-born players that resulted in FIFA sanctions, a legal appeal and heightened scrutiny of football governance in the country. All members of the committee, who were elected 11 months ago for the 2025–2029 term, stepped down with immediate effect. The association said the decision was unanimous and voluntary, taken to safeguard FAM’s credibility. The collective resignation came after FIFA, in September last year, imposed a fine of around $450,000 on FAM and handed one-year suspensions to the seven players after concluding that falsified documents had been submitted to support their naturalisation. The players Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Héctor Hevel were also fined individually. The players, who hail from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands and Spain, had represented Malaysia in international matches, including a qualifying game for the 2027 Asian Cup in which Malaysia defeated Vietnam. Read More: Mbappé brace lifts Real Madrid to La Liga top with 2-0 win at Villarreal Malaysian officials had said the seven players met FIFA eligibility rules through Malaysian-born grandparents but FIFA said investigators obtained original documents from the players’ home countries that disputed those claims. In a statement on Wednesday, FAM said the executive committee, elected for a four-year 2025–2029 term, resigned after 11 months to place the interests of Malaysian football above office-holding. The move aimed to protect the association’s reputation and limit further repercussions, while allowing FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to review governance and procedures without conflicts of interest. FAM said the decision was meant to restore confidence among stakeholders. Acting president Mohamad Yusoff Mahadi said secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman will oversee daily operations. FIFA’s ban on the players has been temporarily suspended pending an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.