The Netherlands suffered a major setback just days before the start of the Euro 2024 as Frenkie de Jong was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has closed the door on a return to FC Barcelona at any time in the future.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta will meet with coach Xavi Hernández next week as he continues to weigh up dismissing the coach, sources have told ESPN.

Plus: winning every domestic honour, the mother of all aggregate league drubbings and more “Wolfsburg just won their 10th DFB-Pokal Frauen in a row. Is that a record for a cup competition?” wonders Kári Tulinius. Wolfsburg’s women’s team have dominated the German Cup to a staggering degree. They won it this year without conceding a goal, winning 2-0, 5-0, 3-0, 9-0 and finally 2-0 against Bayern Munich in the final earlier this month. Last season, they conceded only three goals en route to glory, but compensated by scoring 27 in five games. In fact it’s four years since they failed to win a DFB-Pokal game by at least two goals; they won the 2020 final on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw with SGS Essen. 10 Germany (VfL Wolfsburg, 2015-24) 6 France (Lyon Féminin, 2012-17) 4 England (Arsenal Women, FA Cup, 2006-09; Liverpool Men, League Cup, 2018-21; Manchester City Men, League Cup, 2018-21) 3 Italy (Juventus Men, 2015-18), Spain (Athletic Bilbao Men, 1930-33; Barcelona Men, 2015-18) Continue reading...

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas has committed her future to Barcelona by signing a new two-year deal until 2026, the Catalan club announced on Thursday.

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas is set to extend her stay at Barcelona, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

Manager, who is leaving Chelsea after 12 years, remains a fearless advocate of the women’s game but never lost her human touch It was a rainy Saturday evening a few weeks ago and Chelsea were playing Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final. I made the journey from east to west London and emerged out of Fulham Broadway station to join my friends outside the Kona Kai cocktail bar opposite a busy Stamford Bridge. Once we had squeezed past some punters and climbed up to assume our position in the Matthew Harding Stand, it hit me: I was sitting in a sold-out stadium. All around me fans were chanting and waving blue flags in support of Emma Hayes and the Chelsea team she had built brick by brick. If ever there was a moment when I fully appreciated her impact, it was then. Continue reading...

Former La Liga winners have been languishing in Spain’s third tier but, led by their devoted captain, hope is returning There was a moment late in Deportivo de La Coruña’s win over Barcelona on Sunday in which they got a corner and Lucas Pérez went to take it, gazing up at Riazor en route. When he got there, bouncing the ball before laying it down by the flag, he held out his arm for the linesman to inspect and leant in to whisper something. The linesman leant back, looked at the evidence presented and nodded. Then he smiled. It was true what Depor’s captain said: the hairs on his arm really were standing on end. You and everyone else, Lucas. Continue reading...