20 h. ago ‘Maybe it’s the most difficult recovery in history’: Gerard Deulofeu’s battle to play football again

Almost three years after his last game the former Barcelona and Everton player is in Udinese’s gym each weekday morning, refusing to give up The morning light is still sharpening, training its beam through the windows at the far end of the gym. Around the walls, painted black up to halfway, are motivational slogans that have become common currency in training environments. “Go hard or go home,” one of them urges. “Hard work beats talent, when talent chooses not to work hard,” cautions another.Beneath the second of those messages Gerard Deulofeu stands in conversation with Angel Aceña, Udinese’s rehab fitness coach. They are a team now, working towards a goal that never quite stands still. It is 8.30am and, as always, Deulofeu has been here for half an hour. There has been a session on one set of weights and shortly he will cross the room for another, checking a monitor for the latest notes of optimism. There is not another footballer in sight. Continue reading...

Events

48 h. ago Long games, less action: how much is the ball in play in the Premier League?

The average Premier League game lasts 100 minutes and 36 seconds, but the ball is only in play for 54.7% of thatBy Opta AnalystThe start of every football match brings a little flutter in the stomach. Will the stars perform? Will the referee have a good game by giving your players every decision? And will the football gods shine down on your team? A more pertinent question to ask this season, though, is how much football will we actually see?We wrote about ball-in-play time a few seasons ago, revealing that fans were not seeing as much football as in previous years. We’re not saying our data nosiness led to referees adding more stoppage time, but there was a notable rise in ball-in-play time over the next two campaigns. It went up from 54 minutes and 49 seconds in 2022-23 to 58 minutes and 11 seconds in 2023-24. It’s still early in the 2025-26 season, but the pendulum may be swinging back the other way. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Independent Football Regulator enforces new rule that all clubs must do by 2027

All clubs in the top five tiers of English football will need a licence to play

Politics

4 d. ago Thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money is spent driving civil servants to 'drink Pimm's in field' on sports day

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs officials were paid to play football, volleyball and petanque during working hours.

Economics

4 d. ago England legend left bankrupt and penniless did not have same privilege as Wayne Rooney

A former England rugby star has jumped to the defence of Liverpool legend John Barnes, who didn't play in an era when football was awash with money, and has been declared bankrupt

Politics

7 d. ago Angus Gunn tackles repeated Nottingham Forest snubs head on as Scotland 'faith' remains

The 29-year-old has yet to play a minute of football for his new club after leaving Norwich City last summer

Politics

8 d. ago ‘We’re not here as tourists’: Bellamy insists Wales will go on attack against England

Wales manager downplays rivalry with England‘If you defend deep, you’ll die a slow death’Craig Bellamy said Wales would not be “tourists” when they take on England in Thursday night’s Wembley friendly and that he believed his team would succumb to a “slow death” if they set up to defend. The Wales manager vowed to attack Thomas Tuchel’s side in search of a first win over England since 1984, in the first meeting between the teams since a 3-0 defeat in Qatar at the 2022 World Cup.Bellamy suggested a boxing promoter would not pit Wales against England owing to the gulf between the squads but he wants his players to play on the front foot. “We’re here to come and play, and to play our brand of football the way we play, at an incredible place like Wembley, which it is,” Bellamy said. “So to us it is exciting. We’re not here as tourists, to enjoy the occasion, we’re here to be the best version of ourselves and that allows you to be excited and also to have fun as well.” Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Children's play park is bulldozed after three villagers took legal action over 'noisy' football games

The games area in the Memorial Park in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire first opened in 2010 after a community fundraising campaign, but has now been demolished after years of legal battles.

Sport

2 w. ago Big 12 Conference officially announces Kansas football will play 2026 game in London

Big 12 Conference officially announces Kansas football will play 2026 game in London  The Topeka Capital-Journal

Politics

2 w. ago Big 12 announces Kansas football will play 2026 game in London vs ASU

Big 12 announces Kansas football will play 2026 game in London vs ASU  The Topeka Capital-Journal

Sport

2 w. ago KU to play first college football game at London’s Wembley Stadium

KU to play first college football game at London’s Wembley Stadium  KWCH

Sport

2 w. ago Sun Devil Football to play Kansas in London at the Union Jack Classic

Sun Devil Football to play Kansas in London at the Union Jack Classic  Sun Devil Athletics

Politics

2 w. ago Sun Devil Football to play Jayhawks in London at the Union Jack Classic

Sun Devil Football to play Jayhawks in London at the Union Jack Classic  Sun Devil Athletics

Politics

2 w. ago Kansas Football to Play in 1st Ever College Football Game at Iconic Wembley Stadium in London

Kansas Football to Play in 1st Ever College Football Game at Iconic Wembley Stadium in London  kuathletics.com

Sport

2 w. ago Atlético crush Real Madrid to leave Simeone in tears and Alonso hurting | Sid Lowe

Emotions abound at the Metropolitano as Atleti’s five goals left the coach crying on the touchline and his team revitalisedIn the final few minutes before the derby day that was destined to be the best they ever had, Diego Simeone gathered his players and asked if they were OK. The pressure was intense, their need desperate, but of all the things that are truly important in your lives, he wanted to know, is there anything that’s not right? Does anyone have any problems?“All of them said ‘no’,” Atlético Madrid’s manager admitted later, when the Metropolitano had finally fallen silent, the singing drifting in from down Avenida de Luis Aragonés instead. “So I said: ‘then play, have fun. You’re good. Enjoy yourselves. A footballer’s life passes quickly, make the most of it; these games don’t come back.’” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago High school football player left with broken spine as opponent jumps on him in unsportsmanlike move

The boy’s mother revealed that she is unsure if her son will ever be able to walk or play football again

Sport

3 w. ago Outrage after parents fined for letting children play football in city square

A local resident reported the teenage boys to the police after becoming annoyed by the noise

Society

3 w. ago Venice police fine parents of children who played football in public square

Murano resident reported children, aged between 12 and 13, to the policeItaly might be a football-loving country but that did not stop police in Venice from pursuing a group of unlikely targets: 14 children who fell foul for playing the game in a public square, leading to fines presented to their parents, in a move that has sparked a debate about the rights of young people to play outdoors.The children, aged between 12 and 13, were playing football earlier this month in Pino Signoretto square in Murano, an island of about 4,500 inhabitants in the Venetian lagoon, when a resident, annoyed by the noise they were making, reported them to the police. Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Should Rangers play Miovski and Chermiti as strike pairing? Russell Martin's formation dilemma with front duo

The Macedonian opened his account for the Ibrox side and is looking to kick on with £8m competition up front

Events

3 w. ago 'I left Liverpool for Everton and got horrendous stick for it

Gary Ablett was the last footballer to play for both Everton and Liverpool, with the defender moving from the Reds to the Blues in 1992 and helping the Toffees win the 1995 FA Cup

Politics