United News of Bangladesh

Thomas Müller marked his 36th birthday with a hat trick, while 17-year-old Seymour Reid became the youngest player in Vancouver Whitecaps history to score in a regular-season match, as the Whitecaps thrashed the Philadelphia Union 7-0 on Saturday to secure a playoff berth. With the victory, Vancouver (15-6-7) became only the seventh team in MLS history to win a regular-season game by a seven-goal margin, setting a new club record. Philadelphia (17-7-6), who entered the match atop the league standings, were stunned by four first-half goals—the first time in club history the Whitecaps scored four before halftime. Mbappe stars as 10-man Real Madrid secure hard-fought victory over Sociedad In just his third MLS appearance, Müller converted two first-half penalties and added a second-half header. He also provided his first MLS assist, setting up Emmanuel Sabbi for a goal from the top of the box. Sabbi scored twice in total, while Mathias Laborda and Rayan Elloumi also found the net. Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka made two saves to record his MLS-leading 12th clean sheet of the season. Vancouver played without star forward Brian White, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Müller joined the Whitecaps last month after 17 successful seasons with Bayern Munich. Source: Agency 

Kylian Mbappé once again showcased his class, leading Real Madrid to a hard-fought victory against the odds. Playing with 10 men for over 60 minutes, Los Blancos pulled off a gritty 2–1 win over Real Sociedad in San Sebastián, thanks to a goal and an assist from the French superstar. The victory maintained Real Madrid’s flawless start to the La Liga season. They have earned a perfect 12 points from their first four matches, topping the table as Xabi Alonso’s side chases the league crown. Returning from the international break, Kylian Mbappe proved decisive yet again. The French star opened the scoring and later set up Arda Güler for Madrid’s second goal, while Mikel Oyarzabal netted Sociedad’s lone goal. Madrid struck in just the second minute of the match when Güler found the net, but Mbappe was ruled offside in the build-up. Ten minutes later, the French star ledReturning from the international break, Kylian Mbappe proved decisive yet again. his team with a bullet shot, his fourth goal of the campaign. In the 32nd minute, Real Madrid’s rhythm was cooled down when young defender Dean Huijsen was shown a straight red card for hauling down last man Mikel Oyarzabal from behind. Madrid’s protests for a VAR review were waved away, leaving Alonso fuming on the touchline and earning him a yellow card. It was the 20-year-old Spain international’s second red card in just eight appearances for his club. Despite the setback, Madrid extended their lead a minute before halftime. Mbappe once again dazzled, this time down the left flank. He skipped past a defender and cut the ball back for Güler, who controlled it well and finished from close range. Sociedad piled on the pressure after the break. Pablo Marín’s deflected strike hit both posts before rolling clear, and in the 55th minute, Oyarzabal converted a penalty after Dani Carvajal was penalized for a handball in the box. Oyarzabal came close again in the 65th minute but was denied by a sharp save from Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian goalkeeper rescued Madrid once more in the 84th minute with another crucial stop from the Sociedad captain. Sociedad dominated possession with nearly 64 percent of the ball and fired 23 shots, but only four tested Courtois. In contrast, Madrid was more clinical, registering six shots on target from 16 attempts. The result leaves Sociedad languishing in 17th place with just two points from four matches, while Real Madrid continues to set the pace at the top. Their next league match will be played next Saturday against Catalan side Espanyol. Before that, Alonso’s team will host Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday.

Martin Zubimendi's outstanding performance secured another win for Arsenal, while Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou has to suffer a bitter start with the club. The Gunners’ bagged a 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, where the Spanish midfielder opened his goal tally for Arsenal in style. On goalkeeper David Raya's 100th match, Zubimendi took just 32 minutes to bring a smile to his teammates. He netted the ball with a spectacular volley just after the half-hour mark. The lead was doubled within seconds of the restart when Ebere Eze marked his home debut by assisting another summer arrival, Viktor Gyokeres. With 11 minutes to play, Zubimendi struck again to give Arsenal a 3-0 lead, heading in a Leandro Trossard cross to register his first-ever career brace. Mikel Arteta's team also dominated on paper. With 54% possession, they registered a total of 16 shots, five of which were on target, compared to Forest's single shot on target and four in total. Arteta finished the match with a headache, as his captain, Martin Odegaard, had to leave the pitch after just 18 minutes with what appeared to be a shoulder injury after falling awkwardly. Arsenal returned to winning ways with this victory after a 1-0 disappointment against Liverpool in the previous match. They are currently sitting on top of the table with nine points from four matches. Liverpool (9), Chelsea (7), and Tottenham (6) could potentially move ahead by winning their respective matches later this weekend. In the first four games of the season, the Gunners have scored nine goals, kept three clean sheets, and conceded only one. Arsenal's next Premier League match is next Sunday when they will face Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. Before that, they will visit Spain to play against Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday in their Champions League opener.

Barcelona's young star, Lamine Yamal, will miss the team's first home game of the season against Valencia on Sunday.  The club said that the 18-year-old forward is experiencing pubic discomfort and did not take part in Saturday’s training session. In an official statement, Barcelona confirmed, “Lamine Yamal is having trouble in the pubic area that prevented him from training today and means he will play no part in Sunday's game with Valencia. He will not be training with his team-mates until the problem is resolved.” The injury reportedly stems from his time with the Spanish national team during their recent World Cup qualifying matches. Yamal played in wins against Bulgaria and Turkey despite experiencing groin pain. Expressing frustration with the situation, Coach Hansi Flick said that Yamal had been given painkillers to play and ended up logging significant minutes in both matches — something he believes was not in the player’s best interest. “He went off to play for Spain with some pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers so that he could play. They had at least a three-goal lead in both matches, and he still played 73 and 79 minutes. Between the games he wasn’t able to train,” Flick said in a press conference on Saturday. “That’s not looking after the player, ” he said, “I’m very sad about this.” Yamal’s absence is a significant blow for Barcelona. The young winger has been in excellent form this season, with two goals and two assists in three La Liga games. He also recorded three assists in his two appearances for Spain. With the latest injury, the teenage sensation is also a doubt for Thursday’s Champions League match against Newcastle United. Barcelona will also be without Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Alejandro Balde due to injuries. Yamal’s injury could provide an opportunity for new summer signing Roony Bardghji.  The team has also been boosted by the return of youngster Marc Bernal, who is expected to be on the bench after a 382-day absence following an ACL injury.

Alejandro Grimaldo scored twice from free kicks as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1, securing their first Bundesliga win and giving coach Kasper Hjulmand a winning debut on Friday. Leverkusen played the final half-hour with 10 men after captain Robert Andrich was sent off, followed by teammate Ezequiel Férnandez in stoppage time. Grimaldo opened the scoring with a free kick in the 10th minute, and Patrik Schick converted a penalty just before halftime. Can Uzun pulled one back for Frankfurt early in the second half, but Grimaldo’s stoppage-time free kick sealed the victory. Hjulmand took charge following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal after two games, inheriting a squad unsettled by a summer exodus and internal disputes. Despite minimal preparation, Hjulmand guided Leverkusen to a morale-boosting win against a strong Frankfurt side.

Former Manchester United striker Anthony Martial has signed with Mexican top-tier club Monterrey, the team announced Friday. The 29-year-old French forward, who spent nine seasons with Manchester United and most recently played for AEK Athens, has agreed to a two-year deal with an option for a third year. At Monterrey, Martial will team up with Spanish internationals and ex-Real Madrid players Sergio Ramos and Sergio Canales. Martial began his professional career with Lyon, moved to Monaco, and joined Manchester United in the 2015-16 season, scoring 90 goals in 317 appearances. He won multiple trophies with the Red Devils, including the Europa League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, and FA Community Shield. He has also played 31 matches for the French national team, last appearing in 2021. Monterrey, aiming for its first league title since the 2019 Apertura, recently won the CONCACAF regional club tournament and reached the round of 16 at the last FIFA Club World Cup, where they lost to Borussia Dortmund.

Real Madrid have suffered a significant blow as veteran defender Antonio Rudiger sustained a major muscle injury. The German international is expected to be out of action for up to three months. Los Blancos are in San Sebastián to face Real Sociedad on Saturday, and manager Xabi Alonso received the bad news just a few hours before the match. Spanish sports outlet Diario AS reported that in the final training session on Friday afternoon, Rudiger suffered a muscle injury which the club’s physicians identified as affecting “the rectus femoris muscle of his left leg.” Club sources indicated he will be sidelined for 10 to 12 weeks. The club later confirmed the news with a brief official statement: “Following tests conducted on Toni Rudiger by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his left leg. Awaiting further developments.” The worst-case scenario for Rudiger will be a serious headache for manager Xabi Alonso, as Rudiger is set to miss a number of crucial fixtures including the Madrid Derby and El Clasico, along with important Champions League encounters against heavyweights such as Juventus and Liverpool. His absence will also be felt in league matches against tough teams like Villarreal, Valencia, Rayo Vallecano, and Celta Vigo. Rudiger’s injury comes at a pivotal stage of the season, with Real Madrid on a mission to reclaim both the La Liga and Champions League titles.    

Altay Bayindir will continue as Manchester United's goalkeeper in Sunday's derby against Manchester City, despite the recent signing of Belgian international Senne Lammens. United manager Ruben Amorim is facing goalkeeper issues after sending last season's No. 1 Andre Onana on loan to Turkish side Trabzonspor. Bayindir has made a few high-profile errors in Onana's absence but retains Amorim's confidence. “Altay will start for this game,” Amorim confirmed on Friday. "It's a different league, different country, and different style of play. For now, Altay will continue, but they will both compete for the position." Lammens, a 23-year-old from Belgium, was brought in from Royal Antwerp on September 1. While relatively unknown, Amorim described Lammens as a keeper with "great potential" who could become United's No. 1 for many years. On Onana's departure, Amorim stated, “Sometimes, the pressure here is overwhelming. A change was needed."

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has stated that new signing Alexander Isak will be integrated slowly into the squad, emphasizing the need for patience with the club's record-breaking acquisition. The Swedish striker joined Liverpool on the deadline day of the transfer window for a Premier League record fee of €145 million from Newcastle, with some reports suggesting the figure could rise to €150 million with add-ons. Newcastle was not intended to let Isak leave initially and the player-club situation became complex for a few weeks, although he managed to land Anfield at the last moment of the transfer window. This caused Isak missing most of the preseason with his former club, leaving him short on match fitness. "Don’t expect him to be playing every single game for 90 minutes on the pitch, as that is definitely not going to happen in the upcoming weeks," Slot said. "He missed a proper preseason... so now we have to build him up gradually, with us playing so many games." Slot made the comments during the pre-match press conferences on Thursday. Slot stressed that the club's focus is on Isak's long-term future, not his immediate impact. "We’ve signed him not only for the upcoming two weeks, we’ve signed him for six years. This is what we have to keep in mind," he said. The manager also urged fans to be patient, explaining that any limited playing time is "all for the long-term fitness of the team." Isak's recent international break reflected this cautious approach. The striker did not feature in Sweden's 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw against Slovenia and came on as a 72nd-minute substitute in their 2-0 loss to Kosovo. Slot praised Sweden's coach, Jon Dahl Tomasson, for not rushing Isak back into action. "He gets one of the best, maybe the best striker in the world, and he needs to play two very important games for his country but understands if he would play him twice for 90 minutes, the player would probably be injured for multiple weeks," Slot said. "He deserves a big compliment for that." Isak is expected to be included in the squad for Sunday's league match against Burnley but is likely to start on the bench.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has approved a new rule for the upcoming 2025-26 men's club competitions, allowing teams to temporarily replace one outfield player suffering from a long-term injury or illness during the league phase. The decision aims to provide relief to clubs struggling with the increased fixture congestion brought on by expanded tournament formats, said the UEFA in a statement published on its website. The rule, approved by the UEFA Executive Committee in Tirana, Albania on Thursday, allows for a single player replacement to be registered for the league phase of the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League, the statement said. This can be done up to and including Matchday 6 of the competition, the statement said. The change comes after a season of heightened concern from top clubs and footballers over the tight schedule. Both UEFA and FIFA have recently expanded their flagship tournaments, with the UEFA Champions League adopting a new 36-team league format and the FIFA Club World Cup growing to 32 teams. Players, clubs, and football federations have long warned that this increase in matches would lead to more frequent injuries due to a lack of sufficient rest. These fears materialized during the 2024-25 season, as several European giants, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester City, grappled with a high number of player injuries. The constant rotation and absence of key players like Dani Carvajal at Real Madrid and Rodri at City highlighted the intense physical toll on squads, sparking a renewed push for action from governing bodies. Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano to host 2027 UCL final While UEFA is not returning to the previous format, the new rule is seen as a direct response to these issues. In the statement on Thursday, the governing body explained its reasoning for the amendment. “The reason for this adjustment is to ensure that squad lists are not unfairly reduced and that players are protected from additional workload pressure,” UEFA said. The new rule provides a crucial lifeline for clubs that suffer a serious injury early in the season, allowing them to bring in a replacement rather than being forced to compete with a depleted squad. The specific definition of a “long-term injury” has not yet been detailed, but the amendment signals a shift in focus for UEFA toward mitigating the impact of its new tournament structure on player welfare.