Chelsea staged a stunning second-half comeback from a 1-0 half-time deficit to defeat Real Betis 4-1 and claim the UEFA Conference League title on Wednesday. Second-half goals from Enzo Fernandez, Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho, and Moises Caicedo sealed the Blues’ first piece of silverware since 2021.

German Bundesliga club Bayer 04 Leverkusen have officially named Erik ten Hag as their new head coach. The Dutchman has signed a contract that will see him lead the team until June 2027. “Let’s get started. Erik ten Hag signs with Bayer 04 as our new head coach until 2027,” the club announced in a statement posted on Monday via X. Ten Hag, 55, takes over from Xabi Alonso, who guided Leverkusen to domestic success before stepping down. The former Manchester United manager had been widely tipped as the frontrunner for the position following Alonso’s exit. Leverkusen confirmed the deal is a two-year agreement, running through the 2026/27 season. Speaking after his official unveiling, ten Hag shared his admiration for the club and expressed excitement about the new challenge. “Bayer Leverkusen is one of the best clubs in Germany and also belongs to the expanded European elite. The club offers excellent conditions, the talks with those responsible have impressed me very much,” he said.

Real Madrid announced the appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new head coach on Sunday, confirming that the Spaniard will take charge from June 1 and lead the team into the Club World Cup. “Xabi Alonso will coach Real Madrid for the next three seasons, from June 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028,” the club said in an official statement. With veteran Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti set to take over the Brazilian national team, Madrid finalised a long-anticipated deal with their former midfielder, Alonso. Alonso, 43, leaves German side Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the Bundesliga season after finishing second. “Alonso is one of the biggest legends at Real Madrid and in world football,” continued Los Blancos’ statement. “He wore our shirt in 236 games between 2009 and 2014. During that time he won six trophies.” Alonso will be officially unveiled on Monday at 10:30 GMT. The Spanish coach led Bayer Leverkusen to a historic league and German Cup double in the 2023–2024 season, finishing the Bundesliga campaign unbeaten—a feat that attracted attention from top European clubs. Alonso, a Basque native, had a clause in his contract with Leverkusen allowing him to leave if approached by one of his former clubs, including Real Madrid, Liverpool, or Bayern Munich. Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid had a lacklustre season, securing the European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup but exiting the Champions League in the quarter-finals at the hands of Arsenal. Barcelona, meanwhile, defeated Real Madrid in both the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey finals, before reclaiming the La Liga title, leaving Madrid without a major domestic or European trophy.

Arsenal pulled off a stunning 1-0 upset over Barcelona to win the Women’s Champions League on Saturday in Lisbon, with Stina Blackstenius netting the decisive goal to secure the Gunners' second European title—defying all odds. Swedish forward Blackstenius fired home in the 74th minute to hand coach Renee Slegers’ side a historic win against a heavily favored Barcelona team that had lifted the trophy three times in the previous four years. In their first final since winning in 2007, Arsenal dominated the first half and held firm in the second before capitalizing on a swift counter-attack. The Gunners had already proven their mettle by ousting eight-time champions Lyon in the semi-finals and once again showed their resilience by halting Barcelona’s bid for a third straight title. Under intense early pressure in the Lisbon heat, Arsenal initially struggled with the movement of two-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati. However, Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, restored to the starting lineup, kept Arsenal in the game with key saves. Arsenal thought they had scored in the first half when Irene Paredes deflected a cross into her own net, but the goal was ruled out for offside against Frida Maanum in the buildup. That moment rattled the normally composed Barcelona side and injected belief into the Gunners. Maanum forced a save from Cata Coll, while Kim Little missed a good chance, firing over from a loose ball at a corner. At the other end, Leah Williamson delivered a standout defensive performance, containing Poland’s Ewa Pajor. Barcelona’s other Ballon d’Or winner, Alexia Putellas, was kept quiet throughout, with former Barca midfielder Mariona Caldentey excelling in midfield against her old club. Despite a more assertive second-half showing from Barcelona, their best chance—a deflected shot from top scorer Salma Paralluelo—struck the crossbar, leaving Van Domselaar rooted to the spot. Arsenal held on to complete a remarkable campaign and reclaim their place among Europe’s elite.

Mohamed Salah has been named Premier League Player of the Season for the second time, after playing a pivotal role in Liverpool's charge to a record-equalling 20th English title. The Egyptian forward has scored 28 league goals — five more than any other player — and provided 18 assists, leading Liverpool’s attack throughout the campaign. Heading into Sunday’s final fixture against FA Cup champions Crystal Palace, the 32-year-old is just two assists shy of the single-season record shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. The award combines votes from the public and a panel of football experts. Salah previously won it in the 2017–18 season and now breaks a four-year streak of Manchester City players claiming the honour. His Liverpool teammate, Virgil van Dijk — the last non-City player to win the accolade in 2018–19 — was also among the nominees this year. Van Dijk, who signed a contract extension alongside Salah earlier in the season, was joined in the final shortlist by Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, and Forest’s Chris Wood. Earlier this month, Salah was also named the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year, securing nearly 90% of the vote — the largest winning margin recorded this century.

Bruno Fernandes has expressed his willingness to leave Manchester United if the club needs to sell him to fund a squad rebuild following their Europa League final heartbreak against Tottenham. United suffered a 1-0 defeat in Bilbao on Wednesday, with Brennan Johnson's goal sealing another bitter blow in a disappointing season. Manager Ruben Amorim also hinted at an uncertain future, stating he would walk away without demanding compensation if the club no longer wanted him. Now, the 30-year-old club captain has echoed that sentiment, acknowledging the need for a major squad overhaul amid financial limitations. “I have always been honest. I’ve always said I will be here until the club says to me that it’s time to go,” said Fernandes. “I’m eager to do more, to be able to bring the club to the great days. On the day that the club thinks that I’m too much or it’s time to part ways, football is like this, you never know it. “But I’ve always said it and I keep my word in the same way. If the club thinks it’s time to part ways because they want to do some cashing in or whatever, it is what it is and football sometimes is like this.” Fernandes has been United’s standout player for United this season but failed to make an impact against Spurs at the San Mames stadium.

Eric Chelle has unveiled a 26-man Super Eagles squad for the 2025 Unity Cup in London, marking the return of veteran forward Ahmed Musa for the first time since January 2024. Musa, who also resumes his role as team captain, leads a selection largely composed of fringe players and home-based talent, with several established Europe-based stars given a break ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Notably absent are key names such as Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Calvin Bassey, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi. In their stead, nine Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) players have been called up, providing them a valuable opportunity to showcase their abilities on the international scene. Werder Bremen defender Felix Agu has been included in the squad for training purposes, though he remains ineligible to play due to unresolved documentation issues. The Unity Cup, featuring Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago, takes place from May 26 to 31 at Brentford FC’s Gtech Community Stadium. Nigeria will face Ghana on May 28. Following the tournament, most NPFL players are expected to return home, while top stars such as Boniface, Ola Aina, and William Troost-Ekong will likely rejoin the squad for a friendly against Russia in Moscow on June 6. Full Squad List Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali, Maduka Okoye, Amas Obasogie Defenders: Bruno Onyemaechi, Semi Ajayi, Igoh Ogbu, Ifeany Onyebuchi, Junior Nduka, Sodiq Ismaila, Waliu Ojetoye, Felix Agu (training only) Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Christantus Uche, Papa Mustapha, Chinemerem Ugwueze, Saviour Isaac Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Kelechi Iheanacho, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Tolu Arokodare, Sikiru Alimi, Ahmed Musa, Abubakar Adamu.

Pep Guardiola has delivered a stern message to Manchester City, warning that he may step down as manager if he is given an overly large squad next season. Following City’s 3-1 victory over Bournemouth on Tuesday, the Spaniard admitted the emotional strain of excluding too many fit players from the matchday squad is taking its toll. Notably, senior players such as Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho, James McAtee, Claudio Echeverri, and Rico Lewis were left out of the 20-man lineup for the match. He said, “I said to the club, I don’t want that. I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad; I will stay. “It’s impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play. “Maybe three, four months we couldn’t select 11 players; we didn’t have defenders, it was so difficult. After, people came back, but next season it cannot be like that. “As a manager I cannot train 24 players, and every time I select, I have to have four, five, six stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I said to the club, I don’t want that.” City spent over £200 million during the January window, bringing in Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, and Vitor Reis. Echeverri also officially joined from River Plate after completing a loan spell. So far, Kevin De Bruyne is the only confirmed departure this summer, though Jack Grealish’s future remains uncertain, having not started a Premier League match since April 2. When asked if more exits are likely, Guardiola, who is contracted until 2027, said, “It is a question for the club. I don’t want to have 24, 25, or 26 players when everyone is fit. If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy, and we do it.”

The Ballon d’Or ceremony is set for September 22 this year, and for the first time, male and female players will receive an equal number of awards, organisers announced on Monday. New categories introduced for women include Best Goalkeeper, Best Young Player, and Top Scorer at the club or national level. These additions bring the total to six awards each for male and female players at the event, which will be held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, according to France Football magazine and UEFA. An additional award—the Socrates Award—will also be presented for contributions to social causes, and is open to both men and women. Nominees for the awards will be revealed in early August. Last year’s event was marred by Real Madrid’s boycott, following the decision to award the Best Men’s Player prize to Manchester City’s Rodri instead of their forward Vinicius Junior.

Mikel Arteta has vowed to end Arsenal’s five-year trophy drought next season following their 1-0 victory over Newcastle, which confirmed their return to the Champions League. Declan Rice’s brilliant second-half goal from the edge of the box snapped Arsenal’s five-game winless streak and guaranteed a top-five Premier League finish. However, despite a likely third consecutive second-place finish, many within the club view the season as underwhelming. Arsenal failed to mount a serious title challenge as Liverpool cruised to the championship and were knocked out in the semi-finals of both the Champions League and League Cup. Arteta’s sole trophy at Arsenal remains the 2020 FA Cup, and the club’s league title drought has now stretched to 21 years. But addressing the Emirates crowd after the final whistle against Newcastle, Arteta said: “We had a dream, and it was to be here now, or in a week’s time and bringing the big trophies to you guys but we couldn’t do it for many circumstances. “We need to make sure chasing a dream doesn’t get blurry, and make sure we chase the dream with enthusiasm and positivity next season. “We have started to create our own history here in the stadium. There is much more to come but it won’t be easy. “We have to do it together. Let me tell you, this group of players have the hunger, quality, and talent and we are going to make it happen.” Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard added: “We can be very proud of what we have done this season, especially in the Champions League. But we have not been good enough in the league. “We have to take all the experiences, good and bad, and come back better. And we will that pain of not winning but come back stronger and bring trophies to this club.” Newcastle dominated the first half but failed to take any of their chances in the absence of leading scorer Alexander Isak due to a groin injury. Magpies boss Eddie Howe is uncertain if the Sweden striker will be available to face Everton at St James’ Park in their vital last game on May 25. “That is unknown. He only felt pain after training. He want for a scan this morning, more as a precaution, but it became obvious he would be fit to play,” Howe said. “A lot will depend on how he reacts in the next couple of days.” Third-placed Newcastle’s Champions League fate remains in their hands, but they will start the final day level on points with Chelsea and Aston Villa, albeit with a superior goal difference. “We are in a strong position. This game has gone and we just have to focus on getting our game plan right for next week,” Howe said. “The prize is so big and everyone is fighting for it. We have worked hard to get the job done and now it is going to go to the end. “Who knows what twists and turns there will be. We just need one more big effort.”