Archive November 7, 2025

Guardiola in disbelief at numbers before 1,000th game

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Pep Guardiola will take charge of his 1,000th game when Manchester City host Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday and the Spanish manager is in awe of the numbers he has achieved in his career.

Guardiola has collected 715 victories in all competitions since first taking charge of Barcelona B in 2007, going on to lift 12 top-flight titles at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, as well as three Champions League crowns.

The 54-year-old has lost only 128 matches, claiming another 14 cup victories during his illustrious career.

Asked by BBC Sport if he knows how many wins he has achieved over the course of his time in management, Guardiola replied: “Of course I know, a lot. The numbers are insane, I’m sorry to tell you.

“I’m not thinking how many but when you have the milestones and you read what you have done, the victories, the average, not just in Premier League but in the Champions League too, we have won incredible things in Barcelona, Bayern Munich and here.

Greatest manager? ‘They are completely right’

Guardiola is seen as changing the face of English football with a style of play that has been imitated by other managers across the country.

He has also achieved incredible numbers at City, leading the team to become the first to reach 100 points in the league, the first team to achieve the domestic treble and becoming the first side to win four league titles in a row.

Guardiola said: “It looks like I have false humility but this amount of percentage, beyond 70% of victories – [it means] every 10 games we win seven and will draw one or two.

“It can happen because you are at Barcelona, Munich and City with the players I have. After that, it is a lot of hard work. Dedication, passion, love – in that nobody [can] beat me.

“I love to scrutinise the secrets of what you can do to opponents, convince the players and go in together. All the times the players follow me. All the time.”

Asked for his response on being called the greatest manager of all time by some, Guardiola said with a smile: “They are completely right!

“The influence of every manager has been through history. Of course, I can say I’ve been part of that because the numbers explain, I’ve had success and it’s been nice to watch my teams.

Liverpool have been ‘biggest rival’ in England

The Spaniard was inducted into the League Managers Association (LMA) hall of fame for reaching the milestone, with ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson saying the longevity in achieving the landmark “can never be underestimated”.

On Sunday, Guardiola and City come up against a Liverpool side that they have forged a classic rivalry with, as one of the two teams have won the Premier League in each of the past eight seasons.

“I think we pushed Liverpool to be better and they pushed us to be better, for sure,” said Guardiola.

“If I had to choose one rival for this personal milestone – I want to share it with many, many people – that would be the best.

“Because I have been in this country longer than ever, Barcelona the impact in my life as a ballboy, football player and manager was obvious and Bayern were an incredible step as well.”

With 10 losses, the Reds – along with Tottenham – are the side Guardiola has suffered the most defeats against and he has heaped praise on the opponents for pushing him to be the best and also credited former boss Jurgen Klopp.

The German is the manager he has faced the most number of times during his career (31) and also beating Guardiola on the most occasions (11).

“Liverpool, especially with Jurgen, have been the biggest rival in this country,” he added. “It could not be better, to be honest. The universe decide that. It’s nice to live it at our best.

“What happened with the Jurgen period means this has been the biggest because maybe after the first season the Premier League was between us and them.

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‘I saw Meghan Markle’s true colours on set – I know what she’s really like as an actress’

The former director of the hit series Suits, which starred Meghan Markle as paralegal Rachel Zane for seven years, has shared an insight into what the Duchess is like on set

Seven years after appearing on our screens as an actress, Meghan Markle is set to make a surprise return to acting, according to new reports this week.

Before her relationship with Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex was predominantly known for her work in front of the camera, with her role as paralegal Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits, from 2011 to 2018, shooting her further into the spotlight.

After she started dating Harry in 2016, Meghan stepped away from acting to pursue a life as a royal – that was until they both sensationally stepped down as senior members in 2020 and moved to California. Sources now suggest she’s gearing up to return to her previous profession, reportedly joining the cast of Close Personal Friends alongside Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Brian Tyree Henry and Jack Quaid.

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Reports suggest Meghan will be appearing as herself in the Amazon MGM Studios production, which centres on two couples – one famous, the other not. An insider told The Sun: “This is a massive moment for Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves. She has been swamped with offers, but this one felt right. It is Meghan’s way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set.”

They claimed that everyone connected to the project had been required to maintain strict confidentiality. Meanwhile, her husband, the Duke of Sussex, is reportedly fully behind his wife’s screen comeback and has been urging her to pursue “whatever brings her joy.”

It comes after Tim Matheson, who directed the first series of Suits, revealed just what the Duchess was like backstage. He told Fox News: “I never had to worry about a scene she was going to be in. I knew that she’d bring a performance that was just right.” And in response to Meghan’s decision to leave the acting world behind after meeting Harry, Tim said it “was a bold move on her part”.

Earlier this year, Meghan confessed that she sometimes longed for her days in front of the camera. And while Harry remains incredibly supportive, he revealed that one particular scene involving Meghan has stayed with him. In his bombshell memoir, Spare, the Duke wrote: “I’d witnessed her and a cast mate mauling each other in some sort of office conference room. It would take electric shock therapy to get those images out of my head.”

Meghan has also been candid about her journey as an actress, acknowledging the struggles she faced early in her career. Despite attending numerous auditions, she faced repeated rejection from directors, which she says damaged her confidence. In an interview with Vanity Fair in October 2022, Meghan dropped a tantalising hint about potentially returning to acting. She told the publication: “I left Suits right after the 100th episode, in 2018. I didn’t think I’d ever be in the entertainment industry again. But the entire culture has changed; streamers have changed things.

“The ability to create zeitgeist moments like we had in the ’90s – where everyone would tune in at the same time for a show or gather for one moment? – that doesn’t happen anymore. When I was doing Suits, that character, Rachel Zane, was in your living room with you while you were in your pyjamas eating Chinese takeout. That’s how connected the experience felt then. But to create a cultural moment or conversation requires something different today. Podcasting has been really interesting in that way. It might be one of the only remaining forums where people are alone to listen. Where else do you have that opportunity?”.

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‘I toured with Ian Watkins and one weird thing struck me – it was just a bit off’

Modestep’s Josh Friend described his “weird” experience of touring with Lostprophets before disgraced paedophile frontman Ian Watkins was jailed. It comes after the singer was killed

A musician who toured with Lostprophets has opened up about his “weird” experience working with disgraced singer Ian Watkins.

Josh Friend, whose band Modestep supported the Welsh rockers in 2011, was speaking after vile paedophile Watkins was killed in prison last month while serving a 29-year sentence for child sex offences. Speaking to Andrew Gold in an interview broadcast on the Heretics YouTube channel, Josh said he found Ian’s behaviour odd, but assumed it was just the usual egocentric rockstar stuff.

According to Josh, the tour was unlike any he’s been on since, with a notable lack of camaraderie, and even a level of coldness from Watkins and his bandmates. Josh said: “I think they were struggling to sell tickets. This was in like 2011, and that was our peak, so we had just dropped a song that was on the A-list on BBC Radio 1 and it was clear we would be able to sell them a lot more tickets on the tour, so we were contacted.”

The tour was a great chance for Modestep to boost their profile. But as the tour got under way, Josh noticed unusual behaviour from Ian. One thing in particular that struck him was Watkins’ self-isolation. He said: “Even from the first soundcheck, things were just a bit off. Since then, I’ve done a lot more touring and you always try to treat people like family and make it fun for everyone, but it was clear that there was tension in the air amongst everyone.” Oddly, Josh said Watkins was never present at soundchecks, leaving the rest of his band to prepare for the show.

He also said the other Lostprophets members were “not friendly” and that there was a “weird atmosphere from the get go”. At the time he put the frostiness down to rivalry stemming from the headline act’s fears Modestep could upstage them. However, when Watkins’ depraved acts later came to light, he realised the band “probably had a lot more to deal with”. Quizzed further on Watkins’ behaviour, Josh said the singer was rarely seen with the rest of the group. Instead he was “chauffeured around by the tour manager”. Josh said he had just one interaction with Watkins over the course of the six-week tour.

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At some point in the tour, Josh said Watkins’ voice had to be added to a backing track, due to him not being able to sing. He said Watkins’ behaviour was erratic and “you could tell his mind was elsewhere”. Watkins, 48, died after being stabbed in the neck at HMP Wakefield, also known as Monster Mansion, last month.

Chloe Kelly wows in see-through dress as fellow Lioness stars go to war over book

Footballer Chloe Kelly stole the show at the Women of the Year awards as she stepped out in a sheer bejewelled gown… before swapping it for a comfy tracksuit

Chloe Kelly was a knockout on the red carpet of the annual Women of the Year awards. The braless footballer stepped out in a sheer gown, but before the night was over, she’d swapped it for a comfy tracksuit.

The awards ceremony was held on the evening of the 6 November. Chloe, who wowed the nation with her stellar performance at the Euros, turned up in a gamourous bejewelled gown. The silver dress had a slit that almost reached her hip and a hood that sat neatly on the top of her head.

Choosing to go braless, Chloe made sure her dress had silver petals and pearl embellishments that were artfully placed to cover the nipples. She went for clear perplex heels with silver diamonds encrusted along the toe. Her hair was pulled into a slick ponytail.

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The footballer soon ditched the gown for a brown tracksuit though, opting to head home in comfort. She paired the tracksuit, which featured a zip-up jacket with a white stripe along the sleeves, with chunky white trainers and a green tote bag.

Chloe plays as a forward for Arsenal and the England national team, the Lionesses, in the Women’s Super League. In the final of the Euros this year, she came on as a substitute and provided a cross that led to Alessia Russo’s goal. The game went to penalties, and Chloe scored the penalty that secured England’s victory.

At the event, Chloe won Sportswoman of the Year. She later reflected on her career and the popularity of women’s football, which skyrocketed in recent years, especially after their success at the Euros this summer. She told The Independent: “We’re on the billboards, and we’re on the pitches in stadiums, and when we’re on TV, so the girls can see us whenever they want.”

This comes as other Lionnesses appear to be going to war with each other. Goalkeeper Mary Earps is set to release an autobiography that detailed her time with the team and made some comments about her teammate Hannah Hampton and manager Sarina Wiegman.

In extracts from the book, Mary claimed that she told Sarina she was rewarding “bad behaviour” by recalling Hannah to the squad after previously dropping her for “disruptive and unreliable” behaviour.

This caused controversy and division amongst other footballers and managers, as Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor slammed the goalkeeper for her words. “With what I read in terms of the comments coming from Mary Earps, it’s not acceptable to not show respect to your team-mates or managers.”

Former striker Ellen White added that she felt “uneasy” and “nervous” because of the situation. “I feel like we almost have this unwritten oath when you’re in a team, that the togetherness and what happens in the dressing room, in training, and in your bubble, stays within the team and that environment,” added Ellen on the Women’s Football Weekly podcast.

“Mary has gone into what she wanted to. What I would say is when Sarina came in, we built a culture, philosophy, togetherness, and that family-like feel so it felt unbreakable and beautiful at the same time. It just feels like that has been penetrated a little bit and that is quite hard to take.”

Chloe doesn’t appear to have commented on the situation between Mary and Hannah. And while it continues, she seems set to receive official honours, alongside her team, in the near future. Last month, Kier Starmer said “recognition is coming” for the Lionesses.

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Referees among suspects sought in match-fixing probe

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Turkish prosecutors have issued detention orders for 21 people – including 17 referees and two football club presidents – as part of a major investigation into betting and match fixing.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said simultaneous raids had been carried out across 12 cities, including Istanbul.

Eighteen suspects were taken into custody, two are believed to be abroad and one could not be located.

Prosecutors have not yet disclosed the identities of those detained.

According to the statement, the referees are being investigated on charges of misconduct in office and manipulating the outcome of games.

Among those named are Eyupspor president Murat Ozkaya, Kasimpasa Sports Club’s former owner Turgay Ciner and ex-president Fatih Sarac, who are accused of influencing match results.

In September, a separate financial investigation was launched into two major conglomerates, Can Holding and Ciner Group, which owned Kasımpasa Sports Club.

As part of that probe, a court appointed a trustee to oversee the club’s management, which remains under court-appointed administration. Ciner is believed to be currently abroad.

Prosecutors also announced a detention order for a social media user identified as UE, accused of publicly spreading misleading information.

Public attention first turned to the betting allegations on 27 October, when Turkish Football Federation (TFF) president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu said in a news conference hundreds of referees were linked to betting accounts.

Haciosmanoglu claimed that out of 571 referees working in professional leagues, 371 had betting accounts and 152 were actively placing wagers.

He said the group included seven referees and 15 assistant referees from Turkey’s top two divisions, as well as 36 “classified” referees and 94 assistants from the level below.

The TFF president added that 10 referees placed more than 10,000 bets. One referee alone placed 18,227 bets, while 142 referees placed bets on more than 1,000 football matches. Some referees only placed a single bet.

The Istanbul prosecutor’s office later confirmed the investigation into referees’ betting activities began in April. A related probe launched by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office into the TFF’s Central Refereeing Committee was subsequently merged with the Istanbul case.

The prosecutor’s office said Haciosmanoglu’s latest remarks were also added to the investigation file as a formal notification.

Following the revelations, the referees were referred to the Professional Football Disciplinary Board (PFDK).

Among them was Super Lig referee Zorbay Kucuk, who filed a criminal complaint on 30 October, alleging his identity had been stolen and denying any involvement in betting. Kucuk told reporters outside the courthouse he was not a member of any betting website.

On 1 November, the TFF announced that 149 of the 152 referees referred to the PFDK had been banned for between eight and 12 months for betting violations.

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England gather to watch Marler in Celebrity Traitors

Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from The Celebrity Traitors finale

The England team gathered to watch former prop Joe Marler compete in the final of Celebrity Traitors with Marler saying it was “way more stressful” than playing for his country.

An average of 11.1 million people tuned in to watch the episode – the biggest live audience of the year for a single TV show.

It was the highest overnight audience since the Gavin and Stacey finale, which attracted 12.3 million on Christmas Day last year, the BBC said.

The show pitted ‘faithfuls’ against ‘traitors’ in a game of deceit and treachery played out in a castle, with 35-year-old Marler, who retired from rugby last year, emerging as the one of the breakout stars.

He was double-crossed in the final by Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed, even though they had formed an alliance in order to beat traitors Cat Burns, the singer-songwriter, and comedian Alan Carr.

Mohammed changed his mind at the last minute and voted to banish Marler – to cries of anguish from England’s training base where players were willing on their former team-mate.

“We were all watching in the team room. Joe seemed to have read it perfectly and he had Nick onside and it was all going swimmingly,” second row Alex Coles said ahead of Saturday’s clash with Fiji.

“I guess they edited it to make you think it was all going to go exactly to plan and then the rug was pulled right out underneath him.

“We all expected that he was actually going to do really well if he was given a bit of time for people to get to know him.

“Joe’s a very charismatic person, he’s got a great sense of humour and it’s nice to see a different side of a rugby player being shown to the general public.

“We’re all really pleased for him. Shame he got backstabbed at the end, but that’s the way the game goes I guess.

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    • 15 hours ago
    Traitors finalists Cat Burns, Alan Carr, Nick Mohammed, David Olusoga and Joe Marler run up a hill carrying sacks filled with gold. There is an explosion in the background