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• Tottenham appoints Igor Tudor as interim boss amid possible Pochettino return

  Tottenham Hotspur have hired former Juventus defender Igor Tudor as interim manager until the end of the season following the dismissal of Thomas Frank. ​Tottenham have reached an agreement with Igor Tudor to serve as interim manager until the end of the season. The club turned to the 47-year-old former Croatia international after sacking Thomas Frank following a dismal run of two wins in 17 games. Spurs hope Tudor’s appointment will provide an “instant impact” as the North London side sits just five points above the relegation zone. ​The short-term deal intentionally leaves the door open for a potential summer reunion with Mauricio Pochettino. Tudor faces a daunting start against Arsenal next Sunday while navigating a “huge injury list” including James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. While Tudor could earn the role permanently, the hierarchy is reportedly monitoring long-term candidates like Roberto De Zerbi and Andoni Iraola for the 2026-27 campaign.

• De Gea promoted to Fiorentina captain by Vanoli

  David de Gea has been named the new captain of Fiorentina, marking a significant milestone in his successful resurgence in Italian football.

  David de Gea has been officially promoted to club captain at Fiorentina, completing a stunning career turnaround since arriving in Florence as a free agent.

  The former Manchester United goalkeeper, who spent a year away from professional football before joining the Viola, has quickly become a pivotal figure under manager Raffaele Palladino.

  His leadership and consistent shot-stopping ability have propelled Fiorentina into the upper echelons of the Serie A table this season.

  The decision to hand De Gea the armband follows a series of commanding performances that have revitalized his reputation as one of Europe’s elite keepers.

  Palladino noted that the Spaniard’s influence extends far beyond the pitch, serving as a mentor to the squad’s younger players.

  Discussing the appointment, the Fiorentina coach stated, “David is a natural leader and an example for everyone in the dressing room. He has earned the respect of the entire city.”

  De Gea’s ascent to the captaincy marks a historic moment, as he becomes one of the few non-Italian players to lead the Tuscan side in recent years.

  The 35-year-old expressed his pride in the role, reaffirming his commitment to the club’s long-term project.

  Reflecting on the honor, De Gea said, “It is a privilege to lead this historic club. I am happy here and want to help Fiorentina achieve great things.”

• Ekkelenkamp’s stunner sinks Napoli as Udinese secure vital Serie A victory

  Udinese beat Napoli 1-0 courtesy of a decisive 73rd-minute goal from Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, a result which meant Napoli failed to capitalize on AC Milan’s draw and risks losing their top position to Inter Milan.

  Udinese secured an uncomfortable 1-0 defeat for Antonio Conte’s Napoli side in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, with Jurgen Ekkelenkamp scoring the emphatic winner.

  The home side appeared “much the brighter and fresher” team throughout the afternoon at the Bluenergy Stadium. Udinese’s victory pushes them up to 10th place in the Serie A standings.

  The match saw two potential Udinese goals disallowed by VAR: Keinan Davis was ruled offside, and Nicolo Zaniolo’s finish was overturned for a prior foul.

  However, the hosts finally broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute when Ekkelenkamp capitalized on calamitous defending by Giovanni Di Lorenzo to fire a powerful, deflected shot past the goalkeeper.

  Napoli failed to take advantage of AC Milan’s earlier 2-2 draw at home to Sassuolo, putting their league position at risk.

  Following this loss, the Azzurri now face the possibility of being overtaken by rivals Inter Milan, who have a chance to claim the top spot if they manage to defeat 15th-placed Genoa away from home later in the fixture.

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• Pulisic’s Milan 3-1 goal ‘should have stood,’ say experts

  Two refereeing experts unanimously agreed that Christian Pulisic’s 57th-minute goal for AC Milan against Sassuolo was wrongly disallowed for a minimal push by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, a decision that ultimately cost the club two crucial points.

  AC Milan dropped crucial points against Sassuolo after conceding a late equalizer in their Serie A fixture, but the result was marred by a controversial disallowed goal.

  Christian Pulisic netted a 57th-minute rebound to make it 3-1, only for the referee to rule it out for a supposed foul in the buildup. The quick restart meant no VAR check was possible, leaving Milan frustrated.

  The strike was invalidated for an alleged push by Ruben Loftus-Cheek on a Sassuolo defender before the shot. Refereeing expert Luca Marelli agreed the call was incorrect, stating: “It leaves a lot of doubts… In my opinion, this goal shouldn’t have been disallowed.”

  He noted the foul was below the threshold for a whistle, especially considering the referee’s generally lenient approach.

  Another expert, Denis of Errori Arbitrali, reinforced the consensus that the goal should have counted. He analyzed the incident, finding the minimal contact insufficient to warrant the foul call.

  He concluded that the opposing player fell too easily: “It’s not enough to disallow the goal because of that contact,” arguing the decision directly contributed to Milan failing to secure the victory.

• FIFA under fire: Clubs forced to pay Russian teams despite sanctions threat

  FIFA is pressuring numerous European football clubs to pay outstanding transfer debts to Russian teams under the threat of severe transfer bans, forcing them to navigate a legal conflict with international sanctions, although the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has occasionally sided with the clubs.

  FIFA is reportedly forcing European football clubs to settle outstanding debts with Russian teams, threatening multi-window transfer bans despite international sanctions.

  Clubs like PSV, Atalanta, and Norwich have received ultimatums to pay within 45 days. European sides claim payments are legally impossible, but FIFA has systematically ruled that “a contract must be respected.”

  The legal conflict was highlighted by the West Ham United case, which was ordered to pay CSKA Moscow €26 million.

  The club won an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which suspended the payment, calling it “objectively impossible.”

  However, most clubs “caved in” and paid under the enormous pressure of a ban

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