United News of Bangladesh

Atletico Madrid has been fined and placed on probation by UEFA for racist behavior by fans during a Champions League match against Arsenal. The Spanish club was charged after fans made monkey noises and gave Nazi salutes during a 4-0 defeat in London last month. Atletico supporters have previously targeted Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior with similar racial abuse. UEFA imposed a 30,000-euro ($35,000) fine and ordered a one-game ticket ban for a European away match, which has been deferred for a one-year probation period. The club must also pay 10,000 euros ($11,600) for fans throwing objects at Arsenal’s stadium.    

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer is fit to play against Arsenal in Sunday’s Premier League game at Stamford Bridge. The 23-year-old England international fractured his toe last week after stubbing it on a door. He missed Chelsea’s wins over Burnley and Barcelona. Palmer has struggled with injuries this season, featuring in only five matches across all competitions. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Palmer is available to start. He said the player’s return makes the team and fans happy. Maresca added that Palmer is Chelsea’s best player and will perform well in the future. Palmer last played in a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20. Chelsea has played 13 matches since, winning ten, losing two, and drawing one. Palmer joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £40 million in September 2023 and has been the club’s top scorer for the past two Premier League seasons. In his absence, summer signing Estevao Willian has impressed with five goals in all competitions. Maresca suggested Palmer and Estevao could play together depending on the game plan. Despite being fit, there is still a question over whether Palmer will start, as Chelsea have performed well without him. Other attacking options include Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, and Enzo Fernandez. Maresca may choose his front four based on strategy for the top-of-the-table clash.   Source: BBC

Newcastle United says its fans were “indiscriminately assaulted” by French police after the Champions League match against Marseille on Tuesday, raising serious concerns about supporter treatment. The Premier League club has formally contacted UEFA, Marseille authorities, and French police to address what it described as “unacceptable” behavior. Marseille won the match 2-1 at the Velodrome, and Newcastle supporters faced delays exiting the stadium, being allowed to leave in groups of 500 while police escorted them to the Metro station. According to the club, once the first group was released, police allegedly used excessive and unnecessary force to prevent the remaining fans from moving. Newcastle said this involved pepper spray, batons, and shields, with many supporters reportedly harmed in the process. The club stressed that it is cooperating with UK police to collect evidence and has called on both UEFA and Marseille to investigate the incident thoroughly. “Supporter safety and welfare should always be the top priority, and we strongly condemn the treatment of our fans by police during this event,” Newcastle said in a statement. The incident has reignited concerns about the safety of traveling fans in European competitions, highlighting tensions that can arise during post-match stadium procedures.

Kylian Mbappé delivered a sensational four-goal performance on Wednesday, recording the first quadruple of his Champions League career and producing the second-fastest hat trick ever seen in the tournament. The French forward struck three times within a span of just under seven minutes to guide Real Madrid to a 4-3 victory over Olympiakos. “I’m really pleased with the goals. It’s always a joy,” Mbappé said, crediting his teammates for consistently providing him with quality service. Chiquinho opened the scoring for Olympiakos in the eighth minute before Mbappé responded with goals in the 22nd, 24th and 29th minutes. After Mehdi Taremi pulled one back for the Greek side in the 52nd, Mbappé netted his fourth of the night in the 60th minute. Ayoub El Kaabi later added a third for Olympiakos in the 81st. Mohamed Salah’s rapid treble for Liverpool against Rangers in 2022 remains the quickest in Champions League history, taking 6 minutes and 12 seconds after coming on as a substitute, according to UEFA. This latest feat marked Mbappé’s fifth Champions League hat trick — and his second of the current campaign after a trio against Kairat earlier in the league phase. Two of his previous hat tricks came during his time with Paris Saint-Germain. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo share the all-time record with eight apiece, while Robert Lewandowski has six. City stunned at home as Leverkusen clinch statement UCL win Mbappé now sits atop the Champions League scoring chart with nine goals, three ahead of Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen. He has already set a personal best for goals in a single Champions League season and has 22 goals in 18 games for Madrid across competitions. “His finishing is vital, but it’s also the character, the work rate, the connection he brings to the team,” coach Xabi Alonso said. The victory snapped Madrid’s three-match winless run and lifted the club to fifth place in the Champions League league-phase standings. “Winning again was essential,” Mbappé said. “Three games without a win is far too many for us. We had to take three points to stay inside the top eight — that’s our focus now.” Source: AP

FIFA has overhauled the 2026 World Cup draw format to ensure the four highest-ranked teams  like Spain, Argentina, France and England avoid each other until the semifinals, provided they top their groups. The draw, set for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will use a tennis-style bracket system for the first time. FIFA confirmed Tuesday that the new format rewards top-ranked sides by placing them in separate pathways for the 48-team tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The change means defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, and European champions Spain, inspired by Lamine Yamal, can only meet in the final at MetLife Stadium near New York, if both win their respective groups. “To ensure competitive balance, two separate pathways to the semifinals have been established,” FIFA said in a statement, aiming to reward teams whose consistent good results have raised their world ranking. Unlike previous World Cups where knockout paths were tied to group allocation, the new approach fixes the bracket in advance. This year’s draw will place 48 teams into four pots before assigning them to 12 groups of four. A full, updated match schedule, with stadiums and kickoff times, will be released on December 6. The ceremony will last about 90 minutes, with the draw itself taking an estimated 45 minutes. As hosts, Canada, Mexico and the United States enter Pot 1, joined by the nine highest-ranked teams: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Forty-two teams have already qualified, including Iran and Haiti, which FIFA expects to play as drawn despite political sensitivities with the U.S. The tournament will span 16 venues across the three host nations, including 11 NFL stadiums in the U.S. The remaining six entrants will be decided in March through European and intercontinental playoffs. Those teams will enter Pot 4, the lowest-ranked tier, meaning four-time champions Italy could prove a dangerous wildcard next week when the final placing draw is made. Host nations will be marked with different colored balls: Mexico as A1 (green ball), Canada as B1 (red ball), and USA as D1 (blue ball). The other nine Pot 1 teams will automatically be assigned to position 1 in their respective groups. Pot 2 features the next 12 teams: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria and Australia. Pot 3 includes Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Pot 4 contains Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand and the six playoff winners. Teams from the same confederation cannot be drawn together, except for Europe, which will have 16 representatives, forcing four groups to include two UEFA nations. To maintain bracket balance, Spain (rank 1) and Argentina (rank 2) will be placed in opposite pathways. The same applies to France (rank 3) and England (rank 4), ensuring the top sides stay separated until late. For the host schedules, the USA, placed in Group D, will open on June 12 in Inglewood against a Pot 3 team, then face a Pot 2 opponent in Seattle on June 19, and finish against a Pot 4 side back in Inglewood. Mexico, in Group A, will kick off the tournament on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca against a Pot 3 team, then play a Pot 2 team on June 18 in Guadalajara, before returning to Mexico City for their final group match against a Pot 4 opponent. Canada starts on June 12 in Toronto against a Pot 4 team, then moves to Vancouver for matches against Pot 3 and Pot 2 sides. World Cup draw pots: Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Playoff A, B, C, D, FIFA Playoff Tournament 1 and 2 Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.    

Manchester City dominated possession, created more attacks and fired more shots, but none of it mattered. Bayer Leverkusen walked into the Etihad, absorbed pressure, and struck twice with clinical precision to leave with a memorable 2-0 Champions League victory on Tuesday night. Alejandro Grimaldo put Leverkusen ahead in the first half before Patrik Schick doubled the lead after the break, securing all three points with two brilliantly taken goals. With a congested schedule in mind, Pep Guardiola opted to rest goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Jérémy Doku. All three attackers were introduced in the second half, but none could reverse City’s fate. City were sluggish in the opening half, lacking the pace and sharpness needed to break down Leverkusen’s disciplined defence. Though the tempo rose after the interval, and the hosts grew more threatening, the Bundesliga side adapted with the momentum. City had their first big chance in the fifth minute when Nathan Aké met an Oscar Bobb cutback inside the box, but the effort was brilliantly pushed away for a corner by the Leverkusen goalkeeper. Leverkusen, however, were ruthless when their moment arrived. In the 23rd minute, Malik Tillman whipped in a cross on the counter. Christian Kofane’s flick wasn’t cleared by City’s defence, allowing Grimaldo to rush in and smash a left-footed strike into the net, leaving the City goalkeeper helpless. Just before halftime, Tijjani Reijnders wasted a golden opportunity to equalise, hitting a close-range effort straight at the keeper. 10-man Barcelona humiliated by Chelsea in UCL showdown Guardiola made three changes at halftime, but Leverkusen struck again instead. In the 54th minute, Ibrahim Maza delivered a superb cross that Schick headed in, outmuscling Aké to guide the ball home and make it 2-0. City pushed harder after Guardiola introduced Rayan Cherki and Haaland in the 65th minute. Chances followed, but Leverkusen’s defensive wall refused to break. In the 85th minute, Cherki’s curling free kick was acrobatically stopped by the Leverkusen goalkeeper, ending City’s visibly last hope. City tasted first Champions League defeat with the referee blew the match-ending whistle. With the result, Pep’s team sit sixth with 10 points from five matches. Leverkusen climb to 13th with eight points. Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter Milan continue to occupy the top three spots with 12 points each from four games, with Arsenal and Bayern set to face off at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

A chaotic night at Stamford Bridge ended in disaster for Barcelona, who collapsed 3-0 to a ruthless Chelsea after going down to 10 men late in the first half. An own goal from Jules Koundé opened the scoring before Estevão doubled the lead with a brilliant strike. Liam Delap sealed the 3-0 victory with Chelsea’s third. Chelsea could have scored three more, but those efforts were ruled out for offside or handball. Chelsea dominated from the outset and nearly took the lead in the fourth minute. Enzo Fernández put the ball into the Barcelona net from close range, but the referee disallowed it for a handball by defender Wesley Fofana in the buildup. Two minutes later, Ferran Torres squandered a golden opportunity to put Barcelona ahead. Receiving a pass from Lamine Yamal inside the box with only the goalkeeper to beat, the 25-year-old forward inexplicably fired wide from near the penalty spot. That was all for the night for Barça. The home side’s breakthrough came through fortune. In the 27th minute, Marc Cucurella’s cutback caused confusion inside the Barcelona box—Neto’s flick was cleared off the line by Ferran Torres, only for the ball to rebound off Koundé and roll into the net. Barcelona’s troubles deepened just before halftime when captain Ronald Araújo picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Cucurella, leaving his team a man down and visibly shaken. Cristiano Ronaldo expected to escape WC ban as FIFA issues probation with red-card ruling Chelsea struck again shortly after the restart. In the 55th minute, young Brazilian Estevão produced a superb solo effort, bursting into the box, cutting past Eric García and Alejandro Balde, and smashing the ball inside the near post to double the lead. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick responded with changes, sending on Raphinha and Andreas Christensen. But the visitors’ resistance didn’t last long. In the 73rd minute, Liam Delap finished from a Fernández pass inside the area. Although the flag initially went up for offside, VAR confirmed the goal, sealing Barcelona’s defeat. Statistically, Chelsea controlled 55 percent possession, took 15 shots and hit the target six times. Barcelona managed only five attempts, with just two on goal. Robert Sánchez preserved Chelsea’s clean sheet with a brilliant save to deny Raphinha in the 81st minute—Barcelona’s only real threat after going down to 10. Chelsea now sit on 10 points after five group-stage games, while Barcelona, suffering their second defeat, drop to 15th with seven points in a disappointing campaign. After arriving in London on the back of a 4-0 La Liga win over Athletic Bilbao, the Catalan leave bruised, beaten and searching for answers ahead of Saturday’s league clash with Alavés.

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to remain available for Portugal at the upcoming World Cup, despite being sent off in a qualifier for elbowing an Ireland player. FIFA released its disciplinary decision on Tuesday, handing the Portuguese star a three-match suspension for what was deemed “violent conduct” or “serious foul play.” However, two of those matches have been placed under a one-year probation period, significantly reducing the immediate impact of the ban. Ronaldo has already served the automatic one-game suspension during Portugal’s final qualifier — a 9-1 victory over Armenia that confirmed its World Cup berth. Many had anticipated that he would miss at least one more match and potentially begin his record sixth World Cup on the bench. FIFA stated that its rules allow portions of a suspension to be conditional, though it is unusual for two matches of a three-game ban to be deferred. Earlier this month, players from Armenia and Burundi received full three-match bans for similar offenses, without any probation reduction. According to FIFA, the remaining two suspended games will be enforced if Ronaldo commits another comparable offense during the probation period. With FIFA overseeing national-team disciplinary matters, Portugal is set for two friendlies in March followed by warmup matches in late May or June, ahead of the World Cup’s June 11 kickoff in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Ronaldo was shown red two weeks ago for striking Ireland defender Dara O’Shea with his elbow during Portugal’s 2-0 defeat in Dublin. Messi leads Inter Miami to first-ever Conference Final with 4-0 win over Cincinnati VIP contextThe disciplinary ruling comes shortly after Ronaldo attended a formal White House dinner with U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. FIFA president Gianni Infantino was also present and took a selfie with Ronaldo. Ronaldo has spent the last three years playing in the Saudi league for a club majority owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund. Saudi Arabia, a major FIFA financial supporter in recent years, is set to host the 2034 World Cup. Appeal optionsFIFA noted that the three-match ban can be appealed to the FIFA Appeal Committee, though it remains unclear who might have the standing to challenge the ruling — possibly Ireland’s football association or one of Portugal’s future World Cup opponents. Trump is expected to attend the Dec. 5 draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where Portugal, seeded among the top teams in the expanded 48-nation tournament, will learn its group-stage opponents. Source: AP 

Real Madrid will travel to Olympiakos for its Champions League fixture with a significantly weakened backline, as a series of injuries threatens the team’s attempt to snap a three-match winless run. The club announced Tuesday that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will miss the game due to a gastrointestinal virus. Coach Xabi Alonso will have only one natural center back — Raúl Asencio — available for Wednesday’s fifth-round match in the league stage of the competition. Dean Huijsen has been sidelined with a knee problem and will not make the trip to Greece. Antonio Rüdiger remains out as he continues his recovery from a muscle injury, while Éder Militão is unavailable after suffering an injury while on duty for Brazil during the international break. French midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni is expected to fill in as a makeshift central defender, a role he has taken on before when required. Madrid currently sits seventh in the league phase with three victories and one defeat. Olympiakos, meanwhile, is struggling near the bottom after registering two draws and two losses. Real Madrid is coming off a 2-2 draw against Elche in La Liga on Sunday, following a goalless draw with Rayo Vallecano in the previous round and a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League. Alonso’s squad had opened the season in strong form, winning 13 of its first 14 matches.

Manchester City academy player Han Willhoft-King has quit professional football to pursue a law degree at Oxford University, bringing an early end to a promising career that once saw him train alongside stars like Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne. The 19-year-old London-born midfielder, who previously spent more than a decade at Tottenham Hotspur, was long regarded as a rising talent and even trained with Spurs’ first team under Antonio Conte. However, recurring injuries and a growing desire for academic life pushed him to reassess his future. Willhoft-King had initially planned to study at UCLA while playing for FC Cincinnati 2, but Manchester City’s offer in mid-2024 convinced him to delay university and attempt a final push into elite football. Despite valuable exposure with City’s U-21s and occasional sessions with the senior squad, he struggled for game time and continued to deal with injuries. He ultimately decided to sit for the LNAT (entrance exam to study law at British universities) and apply to Oxford. After being accepted into Brasenose College, he chose to step away from football entirely. Explaining his decision, Willhoft-King said he no longer enjoyed the daily grind of professional football and felt “understimulated.” “I still loved it. But I always felt I could be doing more. I was wasting hours of the day. I needed something different, and Oxford excited me — the people, too. I guess that’s the reason,” he told the English press. “We would be running after the ball like dogs for half an hour, 60 minutes. It’s not a very pleasant experience, especially when you are trying to press De Bruyne or Gündogan or Foden. You can’t get near them, so the feeling of not wanting to do this overcomes being starstruck.” Willhoft-King added there was strong logic behind his choice: “You can have a football career that lasts 10–15 years. But what happens after that? By starting university education, I will achieve a much longer-term career. I made this decision thinking a bit long-term.