Category Sports News

Uefa Women’s Nations League A: Scotland v Germany

Venue: Tannadice Park, Dundee Date: Friday, 4 April Kick-off: 19: 35 BST

Caroline Weir says Scotland must build on the “definite progress” in the Nations League amid a “transitional period” for the managerless national side.

Scotland face a double header against Germany, ranked third in the world, after a 1-0 defeat in Austria and a 2-1 home loss to the Netherlands in their opening games.

Those were both under the stewardship of interim boss Michael McArdle as the Scottish FA continues its search for a new manager after the departure of Pedro Martinez Losa, following the failed bid to qualify for Euro 2025.

McArdle will continue to guide the team for the visit of Germany to Tannadice on Friday, before the return in Wolfsburg the following Tuesday.

Weir says “clarity” on who the next manager will be is the “most important thing” but until then she and the rest of the squad must focus on taking on one of the world’s best sides.

“It’s two really tough games, but I think they’re important for us”, Weir told BBC Scotland.

“They are one of the best teams. I’m interested to see how we do. Off the back of the last camp, that performance against the Netherlands, I think there was definitely some positives to take.

” We were competitive for most of the match as much as we didn’t get any points.

“It is a transitional period for sure for the squad, the manager situation and then obviously the change in personnel and the players.

Weir was speaking at the launch of a new film produced by the Scottish FA about her life and career called ‘ Galactica’, which will be published on Wednesday.

It documents her rise from humble beginnings to playing in Real Madrid’s midfield and earning 108 caps for Scotland, including her recent comeback after a year out with a knee injury.

” It’s a little bit surreal to be honest – it’s quite strange to see your face on posters and on a big screen, “the 29-year-old said.

” I remember when they were filming in October and they were asking me all these different questions. It was sparking so many memories that I’d just kind of forgotten or just moved on from.

Kraigg Brathwaite has stepped down as Test captain of the West Indies after three years in the role.

The 32-year-old will hand over the captaincy to an as yet unnamed replacement for Australia’s three-match Test tour of the Caribbean in June and July.

Brathwaite took over the side in March 2021, leading them to a home series victory against England in 2022 and winning a Test in Australia for the first time in 27 years in 2024.

His team finished eighth in the most recent World Test Championship standings, and the opening batter now steps aside at the beginning of a new cycle.

The West Indies will also have a new captain in T20s, with Shai Hope replacing Rovman Powell.

Hope, 31, who already led the West Indies in one-day internationals, will take charge for the first time in six T20s away in England and Ireland in June.

Jasmine Joyce-Butchers has defended her involvement in a post-match TikTok dance after Wales ‘ heavy Six Nations defeat by England.

The Red Roses ran in 11 tries in front of a record Principality Stadium crowd of over 21, 000 on Saturday.

England prop Sarah Bern and Wales full-back Joyce-Butchers joined BBC Sport pundits for a live post-match interview and together performed a routine.

Bern had done something similar with England fans after last weekend’s win against Italy in York which went viral.

But Joyce-Butchers ‘ participation sparked backlash on social media after Wales had just lost by 55 points to their arch-rivals on home turf, with some calling it embarrassing and questioning the player’s professionalism.

But the three-time Olympian was quick to defend her actions.

“If we don’t love what we do, then why do it”? she said on her Instagram.

“Yes I am upset, gutted, sad and disappointed with the result, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be happy, excited and smiling to see such an amazing crowd supporting us.

Former Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap was involved in the dance and said she did not have a problem with it as it was more about celebrating the occasion.

” We’ve got to let people be themselves and be the personalities they are, “she told the Scrum V podcast.

” I feel for Jaz, I think some of the abuse that she’s getting is not very nice and not really called for.

“She doesn’t need to sit in a dark room. We’re seeing a personality, she’s obviously friends with Sarah Bern, they play in Bristol together.

” Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What we’ve always got to remember is women are different to men first and foremost and everyone processes their emotions differently and reacts in different ways. “

Rachel Taylor, another former Wales captain, said the dance was a” difficult one “to assess.

” It’s just a bit of a strange response after a loss, but I just think their group mentality was to enjoy the day at the Principality and that’s the sort of mood that they were in, but it’s probably a strange one for some rugby fans, “Taylor told BBC Radio Wales.

” The women’s fans of the game are quite unique and quite different at times because of that relationship they have with the players, so it’s probably a little bit more unusual from how the men’s and women’s rugby engage their fans.

Another former Wales captain, Ellis Jenkins, also weighed in on the discussion on Scrum V.

“My first thought was ‘ I’m not sure how I feel about that ‘ because it’s not something I would have done when I was playing”, he said.

“You’ve just lost an international game, but I am also a big believer that rugby in general almost struggles to grow because it hangs on to these old school ‘ values’.

” If rugby in general is going to grow as a sport you have to celebrate these individuals… you look at Marcus Smith, Finn Russell, Louis Rees-Zammit and they all come with loads of haters. “

Jenkins cited Ilona Maher’s impact during her three-month stint at Bristol Bears, with one game having to move to Ashton Gate to accommodate demand for tickets to see the American superstar.

” She’s probably not amongst the best players in the world either, but her profile is what grows the game, “Jenkins said.

” The women’s game and the men’s game is different.

Vitor Pereira has dismissed short-term fears over Matheus Cunha’s commitment to Wolves after the striker expressed a desire to leave.

Brazil international Cunha said in an interview with the Observer that he has told the club he needs to “take the next step” and fight for titles in his career.

The former Atletico Madrid player has a £62.5m release clause in the four-and-a-half-year deal he signed in February.

Wolves are 17th and nine points above the Premier League relegation zone before Tuesday’s home game against West Ham, and head coach Pereira has no immediate concerns about Cunha as the club look to secure their top flight status.

“He is committed. This is the present. The future, I don’t know”, Pereira said.

“He knows his potential. He is a top player. It’s normal he has the ambition to fight for titles. It’s natural. It happens with other players. But the most important thing is to be committed and help the team to achieve our targets. At the end of the season we will see”.

Cunha, who scored Brazil’s goal in their 4-1 World Cup qualifying defeat to Argentina last week which cost Dorival Junior his job, has scored 15 times for Wolves this season.

He is currently halfway through a four-game ban for acting in an improper manner when he was sent off for clashing with Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez in Wolves ‘ FA Cup defeat on 1 March.

The 25-year-old will sit out the visit of the Hammers and Saturday’s trip to Ipswich before being available to face Tottenham on 13 April.

Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood is “improving” but remains an injury doubt for Manchester United’s visit to the City Ground on Tuesday.

Wood sustained a hip injury while on international duty with New Zealand earlier this month.

The 33-year-old, who has scored 18 goals in 32 appearances across all competitions this season, missed Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final victory over Brighton.

Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo had hoped Wood would be fit for the visit of United in the Premier League, but did not specify when the player would return in his pre-match news conference.

“He’s getting better day by day”, said Nuno.

“We have to assess him day by day, it’s all about him being free and getting better. It’s a big contusion, so it’s very painful”.

Wood limped off just 10 minutes into the second half of New Zealand’s 3-0 win over New Caledonia, which secured their place at the 2026 World Cup.

Forest sit third in the Premier League as they continue to push for a place in next year’s Champions League and Wood has played a crucial part in their success this season.

If Trent Alexander-Arnold does join Real Madrid this summer, fair play to him. I was once tempted to make a big move to Spain myself.

Alexander-Arnold is 26 and out of contract at the end of the season, so he is in a position where he either commits the rest of his career to Liverpool or decides to go to Real – who clearly want him.

If he was to leave Liverpool for any other club you might wonder why, but, because it is Real we are talking about, I don’t think you could question it as a career move.

Real are the biggest club in the world with an incredible history, so it would be a massive opportunity and I’d understand if he felt it was too good to turn down.

When I told Manchester United in 2010 that I did not want to sign a new deal and put in a transfer request, three clubs came in for me.

Manchester City are often talked about as being one of them, but I don’t think that was ever an option for me – the teams who made an approach were Chelsea, Real and Barcelona.

In my head, I was ready to go and play in Spain and some talks did take place.

A deal with Real looked more likely for a couple of days but it was Barcelona whom I thought about the most, and how I might fit into their side alongside Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets.

In the end I decided to stay at United, but Barca had an incredible team then and any player would have loved to have played in it.

Real are the same now with superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr, so of course it must be appealing to Alexander-Arnold to think about playing alongside them – anyone would feel the same.

He has been at Liverpool for almost 20 years – since he was six – but the reality is that most players move at some point – that’s why there are so few one-club men like Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher.

Winning trophies was the biggest reason I considered leaving United in 2010. I was about to turn 25 and I was concerned about the direction of the club.

I don’t think anyone could say that’s the reason Alexander-Arnold would want to leave Liverpool, because they are on the verge of winning the Premier League.

He’s had a brilliant time there and has already won everything there is to win.

It was a completely different situation for me when I left my boyhood club, Everton, to join United in 2004. I did not want to leave them when I did – I was devastated – but I would have moved on at some point, to try to better myself and win some trophies.

That’s another reason why Liverpool fans might wonder why Alexander-Arnold might leave now, because he is already doing that with them. But, again, it comes back to experiencing a different culture.

If he goes to Real he would be very likely to enjoy even more success in a different country – and have the challenge of not just winning more trophies, but different ones.

Also, we are seeing a lot of young English players go abroad and have huge success there, and I am sure Alexander-Arnold has seen how much they enjoy it.

I get why Liverpool fans are upset and even angry at the thought of Alexander-Arnold leaving – all supporters like to see local lads coming through at their club, and they never like to see them being sold.

I feel like it is the fact he would be going on a free which has upset them the most, but that situation is down to Liverpool as well as Alexander-Arnold.

We don’t know why his contract has been allowed to run down – or whether that is down to him or the club – but it is something Liverpool have done with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk this season too, and also in the past with Georginio Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino.

No-one seems to have said much about the other players letting their deals run down, just Alexander-Arnold. I think that’s because he’s a local lad, which feels a bit unfair.

Alexander-Arnold has been an excellent servant to the club, so you can’t begrudge him wanting to try something new.

It would not just be a shame for Liverpool fans if he left because you want to see the best players in the Premier League but, if he does go to Real, I wish him well.

Still, as I found out myself, just because there are talks over a transfer does not mean it will happen.

It is well known that some United fans protested outside my house when they thought I was going to leave in 2010, but I’d agreed my new contract by then.

Alexander-Arnold has not signed anything with Real yet and it would not surprise me if, even after all this speculation, he ends up staying at Anfield after all.

A lot can happen before a contract is signed – as I know from experience.