Category sport-news

Brian Daboll was fired as head coach of the New York Giants on Monday after his team won only twice in its first 10 games for the third consecutive NFL season.

Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was named interim head coach to replace Daboll, who won five Super Bowl titles as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots.

Daboll, who served as offensive coordinator in Buffalo for four seasons before taking charge of the Giants in 2022, went 20-40 with one drawn in 3.5 seasons with the Giants.

New York went 9-7-1 in Daboll’s first season and reached the NFL playoffs, losing to Philadelphia in the second round.

READ ALSO: Messi Makes Emotional Return To Camp Nou, Hints At Possible Comeback

The Giants squandered a double-digit lead in the final minutes for the second time this season on Sunday in losing at Chicago, dropping their fourth consecutive game.

“We spoke this morning about the direction of our franchise on the field, and we have decided that, at this time, it is in our best interest to make a change at the head coaching position,” Giants president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch said in a joint statement.

“The past few seasons have been nothing short of disappointing, and we have not met our expectations for this franchise. We understand the frustrations of our fans, and we will work to deliver a significantly improved product.”

The Giants also said general manager Joe Schoen will stay in his post and lead the search for a new head coach.

Croatian Ivan Juric has been sacked as coach of Atalanta after back-to-back Serie A defeats left them in the bottom half of the table, the club announced on Monday.

Atalanta slipped to a 3-0 home loss to Sassuolo on Sunday which dropped them to 13th in the standings.

The Bergamo club had started the season with a nine-match unbeaten streak in the league, albeit with seven of them draws, before losing to Udinese and Sassuolo.

READ ALSO: ASC Acquires Majority Share In Atletico Madrid

Atalanta said in a statement that Juric and his coaching staff had all been dismissed.

Juric lasted less than two months last year in a miserable spell at Roma, before taking over at English side Southampton.

He stepped down when the Saints became the earliest team to ever suffer relegation from the Premier League in early April.

Juric replaced hugely successful previous boss Gian Piero Gasperini who left Atalanta for Roma in the summer after nine years in charge.

Atalanta have fared better in Europe this season than domestically and sit 16th in the Champions League table with seven points from four games.

Atletico Madrid will come under new ownership after global sports investment company Apollo Sports Capital (ASC) reached a deal to become the majority shareholder, the Spanish La Liga club announced on Monday.

The deal was announced after ASC reached an agreement with the club and their main shareholders, Miguel Angel Gil Marin, Enrique Cerezo, Quantum Pacific Group, and funds managed by Ares Management.

According to the Spanish press, Atletico have been valued at around 2.5 billion euros ($2.89 billion).

“As part of the agreement, Miguel Angel Gil and Enrique Cerezo will continue to lead Atletico Madrid as CEO and president, respectively, and will remain shareholders, ensuring the continuity and vision of the project and its leadership,” the club said in a statement.

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Gil Marin was Atletico’s majority shareholder with Holdco, a company that controlled the club with a 70.39 per cent stake, while Quantum Pacific, a British company created by Israeli magnate Idan Ofer, held 27.81 per cent.

In Holdco, Gil Marin holds 50.82 percent of the shares, but Ares Management has 33.96 percent, and Cerezo has 15.22 percent.

“ASC’s investment will strengthen our club’s position among the football elite and support our ambition to deliver long-term success for our millions of fans around the world,” the statement said.

“As long-term investors, ASC and the current shareholders will work with Atletico Madrid’s management to strengthen the club’s financial solidity, its sporting competitiveness, and its contribution to the community,” the club continued.

Atletico are currently fourth in La Liga, six points behind city rivals Real Madrid, who top the table.

Argentina and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi said on Monday he had visited the renovated Camp Nou and hoped for a return one day to say his “goodbye”.

Messi, 38, left the Catalan club in 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain due to the outfit’s dire financial problems before moving to Inter Miami two years later.

READ ALSO: 10 Players In As Super Eagles Camp Open For Gabon Play-Off Clash

“Last night I returned to a place I deeply miss. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said on Instagram.

“I hope one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I was never able to do…,” the 2022 World Cup champion added.

You’re always welcome at your home, Leo. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LUgD5D6Wdb

Messi scored twice on Saturday for Inter Miami to help them into the next round of the MLS Cup play-offs.

Nigeria’s camp has opened for the 2026 World Cup play-off against Gabon, with ten players already in camp as of early Monday ahead of the crunch tie. 

The players currently in the team’s Rabat, Morocco camp are Fulham defender Calvin Bassey, his teammates, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze; Wolves striker, Tolu Arokodare, and Olakunle Olusegun, who plays for Russian outfit, Pari Nizhny Novgorod.

Others are Besiktas midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi; FC Paris winger, Moses Simon, captain William Troost-Ekong; fast-rising defender, Benjamin Fredericks, and Chidozie Awaziem of FC Nantes.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Nnadozie Nominated For 2025 FIFA The Best Award (FULL LIST)

Monday morning roll call
The boys are clocking in at camp! #SoarSuperEagles #Naija4TheWin pic.twitter.com/TCBsGUU9zp

Coach Eric Chelle invited 24 players for the match, weeks after Nigeria made the play-offs with a 4-0 thumping of neighbours, Benin Republic.

The Super Eagles are up against the Panthers of Gabon on Thursday, November 13, 2025, in the semi-final of the African play-offs.

Both sides will be eyeing victory, which will take them to the final of the play-offs.

Morocco has recorded the biggest victory in U-17 World Cup history, thrashing New Caledonia 16-0 to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages alive.

The result surpassed Spain’s previous record of a 13-0 win over New Zealand.

The match, which took place on Sunday, saw a relentless Moroccan attack, with Abdelali Eddaoudi leading the charge.

Eddaoudi was named Player of the Match after scoring two goals in the first half and contributing to Morocco’s devastating offensive performance.

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New Caledonia struggled throughout the match, particularly after being reduced to nine men in the first half due to two red cards.

Typhan Dreuko and Jean Canehmez were both sent off for foul play, leaving their team severely undermanned.

Despite the numerical advantage, Morocco showed no mercy, as Oualid Ibn Salah, Abdelali Eddaoudi, Ziyad Baha, Nahel Haddani, Ismail El Aoud, and Abdellah Ouazane each scored braces, contributing to the overwhelming scoreline.