On Saturday, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso backed La Liga players who were protesting the top flight’s decision to play a game against Miami.
The first European league game to be played abroad will take place on December 20 in Barcelona’s away game against Villarreal, according to La Liga, which was announced last week.
The La Liga match’s start will be preceded by a “symbolic protest,” according to the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE).
Even though broadcasts of the game did not show this during the first 15 seconds of the game, players from both Oviedo and Espanyol refused to move during this period.
Also read: Chelsea’s Palmer Will Be Out For Another Six Weeks.
On May 5, 2024, Xabi Alonso, the Spanish head coach for Bayer Leverkusen’s first division Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer 04 Leverkusen, is pictured before the German first division football game in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP)
Alonso, the coach of Madrid, stated at a press conference, “We are against the match because we think it distorts the competition.”
“It hasn’t been discussed or agreed upon for playing on neutral ground.” The sentiment is positive as a result of the protests.
We think there might be a vote on whether or not it would occur, but that is not the case.
Real Madrid, the champions of La Liga, takes on Getafe on Sunday, according to Alonso, who stated that Kylian Mbappe should be prepared.
The French superstar missed France’s World Cup qualifying match against Iceland on Monday due to ankle pain the previous fortnight.
Rasheedat Ajibade, the captain of Nigeria, and Esther Okoronkwo, the star forward, have been chosen for the CAF African Women Player of the Year Award.
On Wednesday, the 2025 CAF Awards – Women’s Categories nominees were announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The award honors the outstanding African women’s football players from the previous year.
Nigeria won its 10th WAFCON title in July thanks to Ajibade and Okoronkwo’s contributions.
() – #CAFAwards2025 pic. twitter.com/dGgvCAmceg
Chiamaka Nnadozie, a Nigerian goalkeeper, is up for the award for the year’s best goalkeeper, who was 4th overall at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
[Ballon d’Or] Super Falcons Nnadozie Places 4th As Hampton Wins the Yachine Trophy
The prestigious CAF Awards ceremony will be honored at the venue after the announcement is made, honoring players, coaches, and teams that have made significant contributions between January 6 and October 2025.
The shortlist, according to CAF, includes 10 nominees for each category based on their performance in both domestic and continental competitions.
A panel of experts, which included members of the CAF Technical &, Development Committee, experienced coaches, CAF Legends, and select media representatives, chose the nominees.
In the most recent FIFA men’s world rankings, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are now 41st, relegating them to the top five.
The new FIFA rankings, which were released on Friday, significantly improve Nigeria’s ranking, which moved from 45th to 41st.
The three-time African champions also placed them ahead of Ivory Coast, who is currently ranked 42nd worldwide.
Nigeria’s rise to the top of the rankings follows a strong start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, which included a convincing 4–0 win over Benin Republic in Uyo and a 2–1 victory over Lesotho in Polokwane.
The rankings of those countries were boosted by those outcomes, as did Nigeria’s position in the 2026 World Cup continental playoffs.
READ MORE:  , Nigeria To Face Gabon In World Cup Play-Offs In 2026.
For a spot in the final playoff round, which could include Cameroon or DR Congo, the Super Eagles will now face Gabon, which is currently ranked 77th in the world and 15th in Africa.
Morocco, despite slipping one place to the 12th place in the world, continue to be Africa’s top-ranked team on the continental stage.
Senegal follows in second place on the continent and 18th overall, while Algeria and Egypt finish in the top three, with Nigeria and Nigeria rounding out the top five.
The top ten countries in Africa include the ivory coast, Tunisia, Mali, Cameroon, and South Africa.
Spain continue to be the best team in the world, ranking first overall in terms of World Cup results, strengthening their position with victories over Georgia and Bulgaria in successive World Cup qualifying matches.
France will need to wait a little longer after beating Azerbaijan 3:0 with a 2:2 draw against Iceland in order to get a spot in North America.
The UK government’s leadership was holding urgent discussions on Friday to overturn a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending a game at Aston Villa, which Israel’s government characterized as “shameful.”
Villa of Birmingham claimed the club had been informed that no away fans would be permitted at the Europa League game on November 6 due to the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which is responsible for issuing game certificates.
“Awful choice!” Gideon Saar, the foreign minister of Israel, posted on X in support of this dishonest decision.
As Starmer and the European governing body UEFA’s criticism of the ban mounted, a UK police commissioner requested local officials review the decision.
Starmer, a devoted football fan, described the choice as “wrong.”
“We won’t tolerate antisemitism on our streets,” he declared. Without resorting to intimidation or violence, the police have the responsibility to make sure all football fans can enjoy the game, according to Starmer in X.
Conversations are “happening at a pace across government and with all the relevant groups to find a way to resolve this,” according to a prime minister’s spokesman on Friday.
Lisa Nandy, the British culture secretary, had scheduled meetings with representatives from the interior ministry and other interested parties.
The clubs and authorities were asked to “agree on the implementation of appropriate measures necessary to allow” Maccabi fans to attend, according to UEFA, the organization that runs the Europa League.
The West Midlands area’s police and crime commissioner, Simon Foster, requested that SAG and the police “conduct an immediate review” to determine whether the ban is “appropriate” and “necessary.”
However, a number of independent, left-wing politicians in the UK supported the ban, with some calling for the boycott of international competitions by Israeli teams due to the conflict in Gaza, similar to the apartheid sport in South Africa.
Also read: Yamil Sets To Return As Wounded Barca Start Clasico Countdown
concerns about public safety
Before West Ham United and Aston Villa play in the English Premier League, police officers patrol the London Stadium on August 17, 2024.
West Midlands Police informed the SAG that they had “public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night,” according to Villa in a statement on Thursday.
Following a “thorough assessment,” police claimed to have determined the fixture to be “high risk.”
A spokesperson for the West Midlands force said the decision was based on “current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crimes that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League game between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.”
Two days of violent clashes between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli fans took place in the match between Dutch side Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in November.
Hit-and-run assaults targeted Israeli team supporters in Amsterdam.
The skirmishes that Maccabi fans chanted anti-Arab songs, vandalized a taxi, and pulled down a Palestinian flag were the climax of.
Emily Damari, a British-Israeli who was held captive for more than a year after being abducted on October 7, 2023, claimed the ban would prevent her from seeing Maccabi, the team she supports.
Despite people’s religion, race, or religion, football is a way to unite people, and this dreadful decision does the opposite, she said in a statement.
Tamir Nahson, a wine importer in Israel and a Maccabi fan, described the situation as “missing opportunity.”
“It’s very painful that [the nation] has turned into the UK for anti-Semitism. It’s very painful, unpleasant for us, and disappointing for Aston Villa fans as well.
The team had traveled to other nations, according to Maccabi Tel Aviv CEO Jack Angelides, who claimed the sentiment was “not so kind toward Israeli teams” but that there had been no incidents.
According to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, the war has claimed the lives of at least 67 out of 967 people in Gaza. The figures are reliable, according to the UN.
1, 221 people died as a result of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 based on official Israeli figures, according to an AFP tally.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday that captain Martin Odegaard could be missing until after the November international break due to the Norwegian’s latest injury setback.
Odegaard set an unwanted record by becoming the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts when he came off with a knee injury against West Ham on October 3.
The 26-year-old had previously struggled with a recurring shoulder problem this season.
READ ALSO: Liverpool Seek Mojo Against Man Utd, Postecoglou Hunts First Win
Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium in London on February 22, 2025. West Ham won the match 1-0. (Photo by Ian Kington / IKIMAGES / AFP)
“It will be weeks. No definite date for his return, but he’s evolving well. Very unlucky, what’s happening with him and his injuries this season,” Arteta said ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Fulham on Saturday.
“It could be (after the next international break), but we’ll have to see how he progresses, how the knee’s healing, how he manages after the next steps in his rehab, so too early to give an answer,” he added.
Despite Odegaard’s disrupted start to the season and other injuries to Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, William Saliba and Noni Madueke, Arsenal have stormed to the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners lead title rivals Liverpool by one point after seven games as they seek to go one better after finishing third for three consecutive seasons.
Viktor Gyokeres was signed to end Arsenal’s need for a prolific striker.
The Swede, though, has so far scored just three times in 10 appearances and has not netted in his last eight matches for club and country.
Arteta backed the 27-year-old to come good and claimed to have been pleased with Gyokeres’ all-round performances so far.
Arsenal’s Swedish striker #14 Viktor Gyokeres celebrates scoring the team’s fifth goal from the penalty spot with Arsenal’s English midfielder #41 Declan Rice during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium in London on August 23, 2025. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)
“He brings so much to the team and watching the games back, I’m very pleased with what he’s given to the team,” added Arteta.
“I told him before the first meeting, ‘the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the pressure, the expectation is going to be there.’
“If you put the number nine shirt on for Arsenal, you have to be able to say: ‘six games I don’t score, am I different player? Do I act in a different way?’
Super Falcons coach Justin Madugu has called up 21 players including skipper Rasheedat Ajibade, and Esther Okoronkwo, for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier against Benin Republic.
Nigeria’s team is made up of 21 players made up of three goalkeepers, seven defenders, five midfielders and six forwards.
Ajibade was the Player of the Tournament at the 2024 WAFCON where she led Nigeria to a record-extending 10th continental title in Morocco. The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star will be joined by Okoronkwo of AFC Toronto.
Aphoto combination of Rasheedat Ajibade and Chiamaka Nnadozie receiving their individual awards at the WAFCON 2024 in Morocco on July 26, 2025.
Brighton goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie (Africa’s Goalkeeper of the Year for two years running) is also on the list. Others include regulars like defender Michelle Alozie and Ashleigh Plumptre, midfielders Jennifer Echegini and Deborah Abiodun, and forwards Asisat Oshoala, Chinwendu Ihezuo and Folashade Ijamilusi.
Veteran Mexico-based defender Osinachi Ohale, and midfielder Christy Ucheibe are also part of the squad.
READ ALSO: Yamal Set To Return As Wounded Barca Start Clasico Countdown
Nigeria’s midfielder #13 Deborah Abiodun and Morocco’s forward #18 Sanaa Mssoudy vie for the ball during the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final football match between Morocco and Nigeria at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on July 26, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
The game between the West African countries is the final qualifying fixture for the 2026 WAFCON to be hosted by Morocco.
The first leg is scheduled for the Stade Kegue, Lome, Togo on Saturday, 25 October while the return fixture will be played at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
That tournament will also serve as Africa’s qualifying competition for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals to be hosted by Brazil.
Nigeria’s players celebrate with the trophy on the podium after winning the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final football match against Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on July 26, 2025. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
Nigeria are the defending champions of the WAFCON, beating hosts Morocco to land the record-extending title.
Full List of Players for Super Falcons Vs Benin Republic WAFCON Qualifier
