Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to take over the Brazilian national team, several Spanish media outlets reported Monday.
The veteran Italian has one more year on his contract with the Spanish giants but after quarter-final Champions League elimination by Arsenal and Copa del Rey defeat by rivals Barcelona, is poised to depart the Santiago Bernabeu.
Ancelotti has not hidden that a potential exit was on the cards and said his future was “a topic for the next weeks” after defeat by Barca on Saturday.
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Spanish media report Ancelotti would take over ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June, leaving Madrid before the Club World Cup starts in the United States this summer.
Brazil sacked Dorival Junior after a 4-1 thrashing by Argentina in March and are fourth in the South American qualifying table for the tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada.
Ancelotti led Real Madrid to a Champions League and La Liga double last season, with Brazil stars Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes vital parts of the team, and is one of the most successful coaches in the club’s history.
In his first spell at Real Madrid he led them to La Decima — their 10th Champions League triumph.
He has won the competition three times with Los Blancos over two stints, sacked in 2015 but returning in 2021 after Zinedine Zidane resigned.
This season Madrid have been defensively fragile and trail La Liga leaders Barcelona by four points, with a title defence their only remaining hope of major silverware.
Ancelotti has also coached AC Milan, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain among other teams.
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated The Remo Stars Football Club on winning the 2024–2025 Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) title, describing the achievement as “a proud moment” for Ikenne, Ogun State, and Nigeria’s sporting community.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, Tinubu praised the team’s resilience, perseverance, and commitment to excellence, noting that their triumph comes just four years after their promotion to Nigeria’s top football division.
He particularly admired the team’s courage in staying focused after enduring three previous seasons of narrowly missing out on the title.
The President expressed optimism that Remo Stars’ journey would inspire other Nigerian clubs to pursue success with renewed determination and optimism.
He also commended the club’s owner and chairman, Mr Kunle Soname, for his visionary investment in grassroots football development.
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He noted that the construction of a state-of-the-art stadium in Ikenne has played a pivotal role in providing a solid foundation for the growth of sports, not just in Ogun State but across Nigeria.
“Mr. Soname’s commitment to grassroots football development is a model for others to follow,” the statement read.
With the NPFL title secured, Remo Stars will now represent Nigeria in the CAF Champions League.
President Tinubu urged the team to maintain the same “undaunting spirit, focus, and excellence” as they step onto the continental stage.
The President called on Nigerian football fans across the country to rally behind Remo Stars as they carry the nation’s hopes into African competition.
Play was interrupted at the Madrid Open on Monday when a power cut struck the city after world number four Coco Gauff and rising Russian star Mirra Andreeva booked their quarter-finals spots.
A power cut affecting “the whole of the Iberian peninsula and part of France”, according to Portuguese electricity network operator REN, halted matches shortly after 10. 30am GMT.
On Centre Court, the match between Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov and British qualifier Jacob Fearnley was suspended when the Bulgarian was leading 6-4, 5-4 with his opponent serving to stay in the match.
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Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka serves to Russia’s Anna Blinkova during their 2025 WTA Tour Madrid Open tennis tournament second round singles match at the Caja Magica in Madrid, on April 25, 2025. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)
“The outage is preventing the use of electronic line calling systems and also left a spider cam dangling over the court inside Monolo Santana Stadium,” the ATP said on its website.
Tournament organisers said on social media they were “working to restore” power “as quickly as possible”, without giving a timetable.
Before the cut hit, American Gauff beat Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 6-4, 6-2 in the last 16.
Teenager Andreeva also progressed as she saw of Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-1, 6-4.
When play resumes in Madrid, Stefanos Tsitsipas will take on Lorenzo Musetti and fifth seed Jack Draper is due to play Matteo Berrettini.
London’s mayor Sadiq Khan stated on Monday that the city would like to bid for the Games’ “becoming the first to host the Games four times” and that the 2040 edition would be the most likely choice.
The 54-year-old Labour mayor thinks a successful bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships could serve as a launch pad for such a bid.
The Summer Olympics in 2012, which was deemed to have been a huge success, were the last event in London.
The 2028 and 2032 renewals are taking place in Los Angeles and Brisbane, and there are hints that Saudi Arabia might choose to opt for 2036.
The Games have been held three times in London, Los Angeles, and Paris (including 2028).
Khan praised London as the first city to host the Games four times.
“And if we hold the World Championships in 2029, that means that you will have the future Paula Radcliffes and Mo Farahs.”
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Khan, who has been mayor since 2016 and is currently in his third year, said he was impressed by Paris’ show last year, but that there would be no discussion about who would make the best host.
He cited the preservation of several of the 2012 stadia in the eastern region of London, including the main stadium, where West Ham’s Premier League team currently resided.
He claimed that while I was in Paris last summer, I witnessed the city’s transformation.
“But we could use the resources we already have in the stadium, velodrome, and aquatics center to knock it out of the park in terms of the Olympics.”
“We might have some events going on outside of London.” London might be the hub.
“The most environmentally friendly games ever.”
Khan would require the Labour government of Britain to contribute £45 million ($60 million, 53 million euros) before making a bid for the world athletics championships, which London last hosted in 2017.
In September, the funds are required to submit a formal expression of interest to World Athletics.
He is confident in getting that, not least because he can cite the financial advantages that sports events bring.
Khan claims to have engaged in “positive discussions” with the government regarding it.
He stated that “we’re working with the government to make the case for the resumption of the World Athletics Championships.”
The issue is that the previous administration essentially had no interest in promoting sport in our nation.
Khan cited the London Impact Report for 2024, which he commissioned and hopes will persuade the government to support the athletics application.
According to him, “sport confirms that sport can greatly improve our nation.”
“London’s soft power on a global scale. Additionally, it encourages and inspires the next generation.
Mohamed Salah, an Egyptian hero and living legend, won the Premier League title with one of the greatest all-time individual seasons at Anfield, igniting his remarkable legacy.
As of this writing, Liverpool equaled Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles on Sunday, with the 32-year-old scoring 28 goals and providing 18 assists.
With Salah now firmly entrenched in the debate over who was the Premier League’s greatest player, receiving a third player of the year award from both his fellow players and football writers seems a formality.
His combined goals and assists total of 46 in a 38-game season are a new Premier League record, and it appears that his all-time mark of 47 will likely expire before the season is over.
Salah is among the top 10 for assists and has the fifth-most goals in Premier League history with 185 goals.
Following the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur on April 27, 2025, in Liverpool, north-west England, fans celebrate outside Anfield. (Photo by Paul ELLIS/AFP)
When Liverpool paid Roma £34 million ($45 million) for his services at Anfield in 2017, the forward did not become a superstar.
Since moving from his native Switzerland to Swiss side Basel as a 19-year-old, he had struggled for consistency and end product. He was a pacy winger with promise.
After only 19 games, Salah was thrown out by the Blues, who had already made his first appearance in the Premier League at Chelsea.
Before joining Roma permanently, the forward had loan spells at Fiorentina and Roma.
Even though he wasn’t Jurgen Klopp’s first choice, his performances there restored Salah’s reputation and stoked Liverpool into taking a chance on him.
The German manager had hoped for Julian Brandt, but the club’s recruitment team convinced him instead, and together they helped bring the Reds back to the top of English and European football.
In a stunning debut season, Salah scored 44 goals to give Liverpool a Champions League title and a top-four Premier League position, which Klopp was quick to accept.
“Iconic figure”
On April 27, 2025, Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #1 Mohamed Salah poses for a selfie with the fans following their fourth goal in the English Premier League game between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England. (Photo by Paul ELLIS/AFP)
Soon after, the trophy-stuff began to accumulate on Merseyside and he was officially christened “The Egyptian King.”
After being forced off in the first half due to a shoulder injury, Salah was left in tears after Real Madrid’s loss in the 2018 Champions League final, which also limited his impact for Egypt at the World Cup a few weeks later.
He scored in the Champions League final one year later as Liverpool won the first trophy of the Klopp era against Tottenham.
In 2020, the club won its first Premier League title in 30 years, earning an FA Cup and two League Cups in the process, as well as a Champions League final appearance.
Salah was named one of Time magazine’s “iconic figures for Egyptians, Scousers, and Muslims the world over” in their 2019 list of the 100 most powerful people.
In response to Israeli airstrikes in October 2023, Salah has used that profile to call for greater gender equality in the Arab world and forbid humanitarian aid entry into Gaza.
Following the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur on April 27, 2025, in Liverpool, north-west England, fans celebrate outside Anfield. (Photo by Paul ELLIS/AFP)
He has largely spoken on the spot, though.
Salah, a fitness enthusiast, regularly shares photos of his workouts on social media, citing this as evidence that allowed him to remain among the world’s elite despite his advancing years.
Many people thought that Klopp’s emotional departure from last year represented the end of a era for the Liverpool side.
Salah has instead served as the catalyst for Arne Slot’s unexpected triumph in the Premier League.
Because we had a fitness test the day before we arrived, he was our fittest player, said Slot.
It also provides details about his season plans. It also provides a lot of insight into his personality.
After winning the Premier League title in style last year, Arne Slot asserts that Liverpool’s sky-high expectations won’t prevent any letdown next season.
With four games to go, Arsenal’s closest rivals were in the distance thanks to a crushing 5-1 victory over Tottenham at a raucous Anfield on Sunday.
After only taking home their second league title in the Premier League era, Liverpool are now on 20 English top-flight titles, equal to bitter rivals Manchester United.
Few pundits predicted that Slot would win the league in his first season, but it is a remarkable accomplishment for him. Jurgen Klopp took over the reins last June.
Liverpool, however, started out slowly and have lost just two league games this season as Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal have all failed to challenge consistently.
As they sung and lit the fireworks outside Anfield hours after the final whistle on Sunday, thousands of fans waited outside the stadium.
The memory of their 2020 title, which was kept secret due to Covid restrictions, heightened the emotion.
Plans were already in place for the upcoming season, according to Slot, who has settled so well into life at Anfield. This will help him keep his team motivated as he aims for more silverware.
The former Feyenoord boss, who became the first Dutch coach to win the Premier League, said, “I don’t have to manage expectations because this club’s expectations are always the same.”
We must compete for every trophy, a statement that I made when I first started playing, and it will continue to do so next season.
“We have a group of players who can win things, but we’re not the only ones.” We must compete because there are so many excellent teams in this division and the Champions League.
Just a few weeks after a disappointing season, Liverpool’s season comes to an end on a high note following a Champions League exit and a defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and a defeat to Newcastle in the final.
The club has been in the Premier League for months, despite their high-profile defeats, with a sense of anti-climax.
The futures of England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, captain Virgil van Dijk, and top-scorer Mohamed Salah were all at the time, giving off a sense of uncertainty.
On April 27, 2025, Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah (R) celebrates scoring their fourth goal in the English Premier League game between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England. (Photo by Paul ELLIS/AFP)
Despite Alexander-Arnold continuing to be linked with a move to Real Madrid, both Van Dijk and Salah have signed new deals, which provide a sense of stability at the club.
Slot asserted that the top priority has always been the Premier League.
We always believed there was a bigger goal to accomplish, he said, “Despite our all being very disappointed when we were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain.”
It is very special to do that in the world’s most challenging league over a period of time where it becomes increasingly difficult to win.
Even the toughest season could come next.
The Dutchman acknowledges that Arsenal, who are likely to finish second for the third consecutive year, have not been as consistent as they should have, despite Manchester City’s drop-off this season.
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‘Speechless’
Arne Slot, the Dutch manager of Liverpool, celebrates after the Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur football matches in Liverpool, north-west England, on April 27, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS/AFP)
However, Liverpool supporters who celebrate their title in the shadow of the imposing Anfield stadium believe their success could be a catalyst for greater success.
” Speechless, “said Alex Irlam, 23”. It is incredible. This is unique to this location. You can win the Premier League with any other Premier League club, but this is unique.
Jurgen Klopp and Slot are (Bill) Shankly and (Bob) Paisley’s version two), he added, referring to two of Liverpool’s greatest managers who ran one after the other.
Sam Vickers, 23, pleaded with the club’s leadership for his support.
He claimed that the owners must provide funds for transfers to support Liverpool FC. Because we are the best in the world, they must support us as a team and as a club.
“Watch these celebrations,” you ask. You can’t get it at Newcastle City, nor at Manchester City.
Frank McShane, 74, a veteran Liverpool fan for decades, enjoyed the celebrations both inside and outside the stadium.
He continued, “The last time was Covid, and it was a damp squib,” adding that he sincerely desires Alexander-Arnold to remain.
He predicted that the team would triumph next year. “I hope Trent stays,” What will he do next? What made him leave?”
