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Browsing: CLUB
Cole Palmer and Ousmane Dembélé looked great when they were photographed sitting on Top of the Rock on the eve of the Club World Cup final but it is not being wise after the event to suggest that both might have been better off spending their summer lying on sunbeds.
Top players struggling with fitness issues was foreseeable before the first edition of Fifaâ€s expanded tournament took place. “The worst idea ever,†was Jürgen Kloppâ€s take, citing concerns over the long-term impact of squeezing even more football into an ever expanding calendar. “Last year it was the Copa [América] and the European Championship, this year itâ€s the Club World Cup, next year itâ€s the World Cup. That means no recovery for the players involved.â€
It was not the wildest of predictions. The schedule was already under strain because of fixture congestion caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2022 World Cup taking place in winter and the Champions League increasing in size. Fifpro, the global players†union, has repeatedly warned about rising injuries and player burnout. The response, though, has been more football than ever. The authorities do not take players and managers seriously. The danger is that the best have nothing left in the tank when the World Cup – expanded to 48 teams for the first time, remember – takes place in Canada, Mexico and the US next year.
Palmer is the obvious example. The 23-year-old was the inspiration for Chelsea at the Club World Cup, destroying Dembéléâ€s Paris Saint-Germain in the final, but he has barely been seen this season. The suspicion is that Palmer has played too much. He has been troubled by a groin injury for a year and although there is yet to be any indication that the forward requires surgery it is hard not to feel that he is, as Arsène Wenger used to say of Jack Wilshere, in the red zone.
That should be cause for alarm. A Chelsea or England game without Palmer is a diminished experience. He is an outrageous talent but everyone has physical limits. It is absurd that Palmer has gone three consecutive summers without a proper rest. He helped England Under-21s to win the European championship in 2023, was prominent when the senior side reached the Euro 2024 final and was still turning out for Chelsea until the middle of July last season.
When is it too much? Palmer played 57 games for club and country in the 2023-24 season, his first full year as an established international and Premier League player. He skipped the league phase of the Conference League last season but was involved in the knockouts and was man of the match when Chelsea beat Real Betis in the final at the end of May. The PSG game was Palmerâ€s 55th of the season. He had also represented England in their World Cup qualifier against Andorra at the start of June.
So donâ€t be surprised that Palmer has missed a host of games this season. His is a longstanding problem but it surely could have been dealt with if he had been allowed a holiday last summer. This is not a controversial point. There was no special treatment for Chelsea, who had a compressed, two-week pre-season. The PSG game was on 13 July and Palmer started when a weary, undercooked Chelsea opened the campaign by drawing 0-0 with Crystal Palace on 17 August.
Real Madridâ€s Trent Alexander-Arnold is out with a torn hamstring after playing in the Club World Cup following a draining season for Liverpool. Photograph: Sergio Pérez/EPA
Enzo Maresca was at a loss to predict how the extra workload and lack of preparation time would affect his players. By now, though, it is clear that Chelsea are struggling. Levi Colwill tore an anterior cruciate ligament on the first day of pre-season. Liam Delap ripped a hamstring against Fulham, Dário Essugo has had surgery on a thigh injury. Tosin Adarabioyo and Andrey Santos are injured. Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández and João Pedro are playing through the pain barrier.
Fifproâ€s annual player workload monitoring report concluded that players who competed in the Club World Cup after completing a domestic league campaign were among hundreds at the top of the menâ€s game who did not have adequate pre-seasons, hurting performance levels and increasing the risk of injury. Last week Maresca said in relation to the volume of injuries at Chelsea and PSG: “Probably itâ€s some consequences from the Club World Cup.â€
Will anyone listen? Arsenalâ€s Noni Madueke, who left Chelsea after the Club World Cup semi-final, is out for two months with a knee injury. PSG were without Marquinhos, Kvara Kvaratskhelia, Désiré Doué and Dembélé when they beat Barcelona last week. João Neves and Fabián Ruiz have also had injury issues. PSG were back in action in the Uefa Super Cup on 13 August. The show goes on.
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Also not on the stage at the moment, though, are Real Madridâ€s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham. Alexander-Arnold came off a draining title-winning season with Liverpool, signed for Madrid, featured in their run to the last four of the Club World Cup and is out with a torn hamstring. Thomas Tuchel was saying in May that Bellingham should have had surgery on a shoulder injury. The procedure was put off, though, with the demands of the schedule leading another young player to grit his teeth and keep going.
Why deny it? Some people have noticed that players not involved in the Club World Cup have also had injuries. This is not an adequate defence for the Club World Cup. Players will get injured. Injuries and fatigue have been on the rise. It still feels inadequate when authorities are shoving in more games, in essence jeopardising the product they wish to sell. The football, remember, is not better if the best players are missing or exhausted.
And yes, Igor Jesus played for Botafogo at the Club World Cup and has since looked promising for Nottingham Forest. Yet Botafogo had not played a full season before entering the tournament and went out in the last 16. They were done at the end of June. There is an obvious difference with Chelsea. Igor Jesus was not playing in as intense a league. The striker had not just come off a deep run in the Champions League. Chelsea are even at a disadvantage to PSG, who are by far the richest club in France and are not placed under as much pressure in domestic games.
There is a reason why Tuchel tipped Arsenal and Liverpool to have an advantage over Chelsea and Manchester City this season. City have not appeared to be suffering, perhaps because they went out of the Club World Cup in the last 16, but Chelsea look mentally and physically drained. They are a warning to others. The question is whether Fifa cares.
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Sevilla thrashed Barcelona 4-1 on Sunday, ending the champions†unbeaten start in La Liga and denying them an opportunity to return to the top of the table.
Hansi Flick, Barcelonaâ€s manager, said: “Today, I have to accept this defeat, and Iâ€m looking positive, in a way. We also see the negative points in our game, which we have to change. The first half wasnâ€t good … we had no solutions to play out, it was really not good. But in the second half, the reaction, I appreciate a lot. What we did, how we played, it was really good to see.
“With this defeat, this emotion … itâ€s important that we keep it, and when we start again after the break, we will fight. We will fight for every title.â€
Sevilla took the lead in the 13th minute, after Isaac Romero went down while jostling for the ball with Ronald Araújo near Barcelonaâ€s six-yard box. Alexis Sánchez sent former Arsenal teammate Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way to convert the spot kick.
Romero doubled Sevillaâ€s lead in the 37th minute, but Marcus Rashford scored from Pedriâ€s lobbed pass to make it 2-1 just before half-time.
Barcelona had a chance to equalise when Adnan Januzaj brought down Alejandro Balde, but Robert Lewandowski fired wide from the spot in the 76th minute before José Ãngel Carmona and Akor Adams scored two late goals, as the visitors remained two points behind the leaders, Real Madrid.
“Itâ€s one of the happiest days of my life. We deserved to win from start to finish,†said José Ãngel Carmona, who scored Sevillaâ€s third goal.
The Barcelona midfielder Pedri said: “We lacked intensity, we couldnâ€t get the ball out of our half, we didnâ€t know what to do with the ball … we were never at our best. We need to improve a lot of things so that we can start winning games again after the break.â€
Celta Vigo and Atlético Madriddrew 1-1 in the late game. Atléticoledthrough a sixth-minute own goal from Carl Starfelt before Clément Lenglet was sent off five minutes before half-time. The hosts took advantage midway through the second half when Iago Aspas equalised but Celta could not find the winner.
Christian Pulisic missed a penalty as Milan had to settle for a 0-0 draw away to Juventus on Sunday, denying the visitors a return to the top of the Serie A standings.
After Napoli and Roma, along with Inter, all registered wins over the weekend, the pressure was on Milan and Juventus to keep pace at the top, leading to a cagey game.
Massimiliano Allegri was back at Juventus as an adversary, taking on the club where he won five league titles in his eight seasons in Turin, but there was no happy return for the Milan manager.
The first half brought little in the way of entertainment, but both sides did manage to create scoring opportunities, with the hosts let down by the struggling striker Jonathan David.
David had the goal at his mercy when set up by Pierre Kalulu in the box but lost his footing at the crucial moment while for Milan, Santiago Giménez continued his Serie A scoring drought.
A corner shortly after the break gave Juventus a gilt-edged chance to take the lead but the Milan keeper Mike Maignan spread himself to keep out Federico Gattiâ€s shot from point-blank range. Minutes later, Milan had their golden opportunity when Lloyd Kelly bundled over Giménez in the box but Pulisic blazed his penalty over the bar.
Second-half goals from André-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Rasmus Højlund helped Napoli battle back to earn a 2-1 home win over Genoa.
Napoliâ€s perfect start to the league campaign was ended by a 2-1 loss at Milan last weekend, and Antonio Conteâ€s side risked a second successive defeat before a spirited fightback.
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Conte opted to rest Kevin De Bruyne, for the first 50 minutes at least, after the Belgian midfielder had started all seven games this season, bringing in winger David Neres, but it was Anguissa who proved vital to Napoli.
Napoliâ€s Rasmus Højlund (centre) celebrates scoring the winner against Genoa to cap a spirited comeback. Photograph: Alessandro Garofalo/LaPresse/Shutterstock
Genoa took the lead with an audacious piece of magic from Jeff Ekhator in the 33rd minute. Brooke Norton-Cuffy rounded Mathias Olivera, took the ball into the area and squared a pass which 18-year-old Ekhator finished off with a deft back-heel strike from just inside the six-yard box.
Leonardo Spinazzola also came on and it was his cross which led to Napoliâ€s equaliser 12 minutes after the break with their first effort on target.
Genoaâ€s Johan Vásquez got to the cross ahead of Højlund but the loose ball bounced kindly for the unmarked Anguissa to pounce with a header. Then, 15 minutes from time, Anguissaâ€s shot was parried away by the keeper and this time Højlund was there to capitalise with a low strike from the edge of the six-yard box.
Roma fell behind early but came away with a 2-1 win at Fiorentina, to leave the hosts waiting for their first league win of the season.
Gian Piero Gasperiniâ€s Roma had conceded just one goal in their five league outings but it was Fiorentina who were in front in the 14th minute when a ball over the top by Hans Nicolussi Caviglia found Moise Kean. Kean twisted and turned his way towards the area before rifling a shot from outside the box into the far top corner to net his first goal of the season.
The lead lasted all of eight minutes before Artem Dovbykâ€s backheeled flick from inside the box ended with MatÃas Souléâ€s first-time cannoned shot from the edge of the area which left Fiorentina keeper David de Gea with no chance.
Roma took the lead on the half-hour mark from a corner. Bryan Cristante lost his marker and powered a bullet header from outside the six-yard box.
Kean had another chance before the break but this time his effort smashed off the upright and in the second half Fiorentina substitute Roberto Piccoli saw his strike from distance bounce off the crossbar.
In Ligue 1 on Sunday night, Paris Saint-Germain were held 1-1 at Lille. Nuno Mendes put the visitors ahead in the 66th minute before Ethan Mbappé scored an equaliser against his former club five minutes from time. PSG stay top with 16 points while Lille climb to seventh.
October 5, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins)
With their location just South of central Rochester along Hwy 390, the Genesee Valley Table Tennis Club is in a great location to serve the Greater Rochester Community of Northern New York.  The roots of table tennis in Rochester go back to the 1930â€s as not one but TWO clubs were founded in the year 1938. The club moved a few times, and and some different incarnations through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
The move to the current location (RSG) occurred in 1986. The club is now full time. They offer leagues on Monday and Tuesdays and open play is available all other days (when the Rochester Sports Garden is open). Dustin Zemaitis and AJ Carney are club coaches and they offer private and group lessons for all levels. Last year, the club installed professional table tennis flooring and upgraded the lights to enhance visibility on the courts.
Contact: geneseevalleyttc@gmail.com
Website:Â www.gvttc.com
Location: Rochester Sports Garden (RSG), 1460 E. Henrietta Rd., Rochester NY 14623
Hours: Monday -Friday: 3:30pm – 10:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: 9:00am – 10:00pm
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Few players in English football are able to boast of winning eight league titles at their current club, but that’s just the situation Millie Bright finds herself in at Chelsea.
The 32-year-old joined the Blues in 2014 and has been front and centre during the club’s current golden age which has seen them dominate the domestic game over the past decade.
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Bright on her journey to Chelsea
Bright joined Chelsea in 2014 (Image credit: Getty Images)
“[‘It was] really tough,” Bright tells FourFourTwo. “We had to play a whole season knowing that we were relegated. The decision was nothing to do with the football on the pitch – City came in and that was that. Chelsea moved in for me just as we got relegated, but I turned them down at first, not because I wasn’t grateful, but because I didn’t feel ready and needed some more playing time at Doncaster.
“I also didn’t want to abandon them just because we’d been relegated. Luckily Chelsea came in again later on, when I’d achieved everything I could with Doncaster and knew it was time. I had to ring my mum and dad to tell them I was moving to London!”
MIllie Bright began her career as a striker (Image credit: Getty Images)
This move to Chelsea also came at a time when Bright was still finding her best position, after she had started as a striker. “Clearly I was rubbish as a striker, so I got chucked back! [Laughs],” she continues. “I was a striker when I went on loan to Leeds at 18 and scored loads of goals there. Then I went back to Doncaster, moved into midfield, and started switching from midfield to centre-back over and over again – and at Chelsea too.
“I think I was 23 when I sat down with Emma Hayes and was like, ‘Right, what is my position? I want to be the world’s best in a position, what is it?’ She said centre-back and I was like, ‘OK, centre-back’. Although I do still go on little wanders up the pitch!”
Fast forward to 2025 and Chelsea’s latest domestic treble saw Bright win her eighth league title in 11 years at the club.
“I’ll retire there – Chelsea is my club, and I adore everyone there,” she says. “I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved. Starting off in 2014, we hardly had any facilities and now we’ve got a massive gym, an incredible amount of staff, amazing pitches and a great relationship with the men’s side of the club. That’s taken time, and all the hard work that Emma Hayes did. I’ve loved it every single year. There’s not been a moment where I’ve asked myself, ‘Should I leave, should I not?’ I’ve got no reason to as long as I’m being pushed – I’ve turned 32 this year and still feel I can go to another level, I want to keep getting better.”
Bright celebrates a goal for Chelsea (Image credit: Getty Images)
It’s clear that Bright has no plans of hanging up her boots, but she has recently taken up a side hustle, launching a clothing range with artwork inspired by your tattoos and personal motto, ‘Dream big’.
“I’ve got a tattoo of an owl to represent home, as we’ve got a barn owl at my family’s stables in Sheffield,” she explains. “I’ve got a matching ‘1/2’ tattoo with my best friend Rachel Daly, ‘hakuna matata’, which means ‘no worries’, and a tiger that represents strength. ‘Dream big’ is something my mum has said since I was little – before every game, she still messages me that. No dream was ever too big, my family never held me back and said, ‘That’s not realistic’. My motto is, ‘They say I dream too big, I say they think too small’. I’ve lived by that.
Bright has launched her own limited edition sports bra and sportswear range, in partnership with MAAREE. For more information, visitMAAREE.com
Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea are paying the price for their Club World Cup exertions, with the manager without “seven or eight†players for Saturdayâ€s visit of Liverpool.
Cole Palmer is out with a recurring groin problem, joining the long-term absentees Wesley Fofana, Liam Delap, Levi Colwill, Andrey Santos and Tosin Adarabioyo on the sidelines, and Trevoh Chalobah is suspended after his sending-off in last weekendâ€s home defeat by Brighton.
A report published by the global players†union Fifpro this week said Chelseaâ€s players were given 20 days off after winning the Club World Cup in July, and that the beaten finalists, Paris Saint-Germain, rested players for 22 days, a high workload it linked to both clubs†injury problems.
Maresca said he agreed with the tenor of the Fifpro report before expressing faith in the young players he will call up to stand in, with the 19-year-old Josh Acheampong expected to replace Chalobah at centre-back for his fourth Premier League start.
“Itâ€s reality,†Maresca said. “If PSG and Chelsea have so many injuries, probably itâ€s some consequences from the Club World Cup. In this moment we have four or five defenders out, but weâ€re going to try to adapt and find the right solution.
“It is difficult, but at the same time we trust the ones that are here.
For sure, when you can change one player after four or five games, itâ€s better. The more you play together with teammates, the relationship becomes better. Sometimes you donâ€t even need to speak to do something on the pitch – they understand immediately. When you continue to change itâ€s more difficult.
“But I really trust the young players. Not just the young players that we buy but also the young players from the academy. We gave games last year to Josh so that shows that I trust young players.â€
Maresca was on less sure ground when claiming to be unconcerned by Chelseaâ€s disciplinary record, with João Pedroâ€s sending-off in their Champions League win over Benfica this week their third red card in as many matches after Chalobahâ€s dismissal and Robert Sánchezâ€s in the defeat at Manchester United.
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Since Maresca joined in June 2024, Chelseaâ€s disciplinary record across all competitions is the worst of the Premier League clubs, with seven red cards in 73 games, one every 10.4 matches.
Chelsea also top the table for Premier League yellow cards under his reign, with 114, and the Italian has the second-highest card-per-game rate at one club in the Premier League at 2.7, a figure beaten by Mauricio Pochettino during his time at Stamford Bridge (2.9).
“I donâ€t see any discipline problem,†Maresca said. “You have to analyse case by case. When itâ€s a red card for bad intention or for bad discipline, itâ€s different compared to the United red card or the Brighton red card. In that case, itâ€s just a decision that you have to take in two seconds, three seconds. Do I do foul or not? Itâ€s difficult.â€
Manchester United have now gone 12 years since winning the title after the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson – and they’re a long way from returning to those lofty heights.
The Red Devils won the Premier League 13 times during the first 21 years of the division’s existence, but have gone through six different permanent managers since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
This season, Manchester United currently sit 14th in the Premier League under Ruben Amorim, after finishing 15th last term.
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Manchester United legend has his say on club’s plight
Nicky Butt (Image credit: Getty Images)
Nicky Butt was part of the legendary Class of 92 that spearheaded Manchester United’s dominance under Ferguson, and has teamed up with former team-mate Paul Scholes and presenter Paddy McGuinness for a new podcast, entitled The Good, The Bad & The Football.
FourFourTwo visited a recording of the podcast and spoke to Butt about his thoughts about the current Manchester United side.
Matheus Cunha (Image credit: Getty Images)
“If they get top half this season, I wouldn’t be happy, but you’d take that now because it’s going to be a slow time to get back to where we want to be,” Butt told FFT. “We’re a long way off.”
Asked which summer signing he was most excited about, he said: “I think Matheus Cunha. He’s got Premier League experience with Wolves, he did an amazing job down there, and he came in and started off really well. He’s had his injury, but I’m excited to see him this season.”
As for which player from Ferguson’s great Manchester United team that Butt would put into the current team, he said: “Probably Roy Keane. I think he’d shake them up a little bit and do an unbelievable job of being the manager on the pitch if you like, and the captain.
“There’d be a lot of good quotes coming from him too, that would be interesting.”
Who could succeed Ruben Amorim?
Ruben Amorim (Image credit: Getty Images)
Butt was also asked about his overall thoughts on Manchester United’s decline, and their struggles under Amorim.
“Fundamentally, the club is rotten from the bottom at the minute,” the former midfielder told us. “Sack Amorim tomorrow and who’s coming in? No-one knows, no-one can give you a name.
Alex Ferguson (Image credit: Getty Images)
“If you brought prime Sir Alex in there, he wouldn’t be able to turn it around straight away, it would take time. You put Pep in there, or Klopp, and it wouldn’t work.”
The Good, The Bad & The Football with Butt, Scholes and McGuinness is a brand-new weekly video podcast, available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. There will be an in-depth chat with the trio about football and their careers in an upcoming issue of FourFourTwo magazine.
As the full-time whistle blew, the strength of feeling was clear for all to hear.
While players and coaching staff mourned Cardiff City’s relegation to League One at the end of last season, the fans voiced their dissatisfaction, with loud chants of “Vincent Tan, get out of our club” reverberating around the stadium. The Bluebirds’ Malaysian owner may have arrived in the Welsh capital in 2010 with big – and occasionally controversial – plans to establish Cardiff as a Premier League club, but those ambitions have looked fanciful for several years.
After finishing rock bottom of the Championship, City are now experiencing life in the third tier for the first time in 22 years. Relegation was the latest big dip in Tan’s 15-year ownership, which has resembled a rollercoaster ride laced with tragedy, dissension and glimpses of success.
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Cardiff City have taken a nosedive in recent years
Former Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut (Image credit: Getty Images)
“The warning signs have been there for a while,” says WalesOnline reporter Glen Williams. “Since they came out of the Premier League [in 2019], they’ve finished in a lower league position every season bar one and have gone through eight managers, if we include the interims. “They just seem to be always sticking their fingers in the hole to stop the water coming out. It’s about stopping the immediate problem with no sort of foresight.”
The statistics back that up. Cardiff have won only 41 league matches in the past three full campaigns, a run that included a 12th-place finish in 2023-24, achieved with an expected-points tally that would have seen them end up in the bottom three. It’s a far cry from the side that won automatic promotion to the Premier League twice in six years during the 2010s.
Aaron Ramsey rejoined boyhood club Cardiff City in 2023 before departing in 2025 (Image credit: Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)
Last season was a perfect illustration of the various issues. After drawn-out negotiations to extend the contract of incumbent boss Erol Bulut during the summer, the Bluebirds took just one point from their opening seven matches to make their worst ever start.
Bulut was sacked in September and despite rallying under interim Omer Riza, Cardiff took nearly two months to give him the job permanently, by which time the new manager bounce had ended. With relegation beckoning, Riza was then sacked with only three games left, leaving caretaker Aaron Ramsey – still a member of the squad, but injured – unable to save them from the drop.
The sense among fans is that while other clubs have morphed with the demands of modern football, Cardiff have paid the price for standing still. “It’s a club that hasn’t adapted with the times,” laments Ben Price, who co-hosts fan podcast View from the Ninian.
“It’s a real old-style club, with no real football knowledge at board level, and it’s all put on the manager to do it. “When that manager doesn’t work out, you’re sacking him and rebuilding a team under the new manager’s image – and you see what that leads to. It’s a constant battle to rejig the team and rebuild under a new manager.”
Much of that opinion has stemmed from a lack of football structure at the club. Tan sits at the top of the tree, aided by chairman Mehmet Dalman and CEO Ken Choo, with nobody else in place between the trio and a revolving door of managers. With no predefined style or evident philosophy, it’s made for a scattergun approach.
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Vincent Tan should be a hero at Cardiff City… but his actions just let him down
“In recent years, we’ve swung from the likes of Neil Harris to Mick McCarthy, then Sabri Lamouchi and Erol Bulut – they’re all completely different,” explains Williams. “They buy players to fit certain formations and different styles of play, and there are no boots on the ground for the day-to-day running of the football operation to ensure a smooth transition between these managers.”
The Bluebirds have been without any sort of sporting director since their first campaign in the Premier League in 2013/14, when head of recruitment Iain Moody – brought in by then-manager Malky Mackay – was suspended for allegedly overspending by £15m in the summer transfer window.
Moody was temporarily replaced by 23-year-old Kazakh Alisher Apsalyamov – the son of a friend of Tan’s, who’d been on work experience at the club, before an issue with his work visa meant he had to leave. Since then, Tan has retained control.
“It’s something I and other journalists have brought up, and fans bring up in forums all the time,” Williams says, regarding the lack of a sporting director. “Dalman has said a number of times that he would be open to a director of football or somebody to run football operations on a day-to-day basis and he’s put that to Tan, but Tan has been reluctant because he got burned by that when they had one the last time.
CARDIFF, WALES – APRIL 26: Chris Gunter (L) comforts a crying Yousef Salech of Cardiff City as they get relegated to League One during the Sky Bet Championship match between Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion at the Cardiff City Stadium on April 26, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)
“It’s curious because Tan also owns a club called KV Kortrijk in Belgium, who do have a director of football. That confuses some fans.”
The strategy hasn’t always failed, though. The promotion in 2013 was the first time that Cardiff had played in the top flight for 51 years and, even though they went straight back down, they returned in 2018 under Neil Warnock. Add a League Cup final appearance in 2012 and Tan did oversee one of the best periods in the club’s history.
But those successes were tainted by off-field issues. The infamous rebrand that saw City’s traditional blue shirt changed to red and the bluebird on the club crest replaced with a red dragon caused uproar among fans, while the continuing legal fight with Nantes related to the transfer of Emiliano Sala leaves a sour taste for many. The striker died in a plane crash while travelling to begin life in Wales in 2019, in a transfer from the French club. So, how is Tan viewed among fans?
“It’s complicated,” Price answers. “Some fans are apathetic towards him, a lot don’t like him – and I’m in the middle. I get frustrated with him, but I don’t think he’s a bad bloke. “You look at what he’s done and Tan should be a hero at Cardiff City. But his actions just let him down.”
Vincent Tan isn’t particularly popular (Image credit: Getty Images)
Relegation to League One hasn’t helped, despite a promising start to the season. Neither has Tan’s absence from the Cardiff City Stadium, though he insists he “watches every game”, from wherever he is in the world. The hope among fans is that this latest setback gives the club the jolt they need to address key problems and make a quick return to the Championship, under new boss Brian Barry-Murphy.
“This is the sliding doors moment for the club,” Price continues. “Is this when it rebuilds and kicks on? The one thing the club has done right is investing in the academy; we’ve got some really promising youth prospects coming through – the Colwill brothers, Cian Ashford, Isaak Davies, Ronan Kpakio – and hopefully getting into the first team. “If the club can reset and put more focus on youth, we could come back stronger with a vision for the first time under this ownership. Or we could end up like Bolton, Wigan or Reading. As we all know, the longer you’re in League One, the harder it is to get out of.”
William Saliba has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
Sources have told ESPN the France centre-back’s new deal runs until 2030 and the announcement ends months of speculation over a possible move to Real Madrid.
“I feel proud of myself because I first signed in 2019, and now in 2025, I’m still here to extend my contract. I’m so happy,” Saliba said in a statement.
“I feel at home. We have a good team, we have a good squad, we have good staff. The coach is perfect for me, so it’s the best place to be.
“I enjoy every day when I have the chance to wear this shirt. I try to give everything, and now I’ll give even more to this club and to the fans.
“The boss is one of the best coaches in the world. He has helped me a lot, him and his staff, so I’m so happy to have them as a coach. I’m 24 now, and I think I haven’t reached my peak. I have a lot of things to improve, a lot of things to give to this team, and I know that the coach and the staff will help me to become the best, or one of the best, defenders in the world and win trophies.”
William Saliba’s decision to stay is a huge boost for Arsenal. Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
The 24-year-old had entered the final two years of his previous contract and manager Mikel Arteta strongly hinted last week that the club had addressed Madrid’s interest in direct discussions with the player.
Saliba’s decision to stay is a major boost to Arsenal as they seek to win their first Premier League title since 2004. He has formed one of English football’s strongest centre-back partnerships alongside Gabriel Magalhães, who also signed a new contract to 2029 in June.
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Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019 for £27 million ($36.6m) from Saint-Etienne but there were doubts whether he would make the grade at Emirates Stadium. He spent the 2019-20 campaign on loan at Saint-Etienne before another loan spell at Nice in 2021.
Saliba was again shipped out for the following season to Marseille, where he was named Ligue 1 young player of the year.
He has since made 140 appearances for Arsenal.
“We’re so happy that William has committed his future to us to be part of what we’re building here,” Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta said.
“In the last three seasons, William has become an incredible defender whose composure, intelligence and physical presence make him one of the best in the world. He will continue his development with Arsenal to reach new heights.
“His consistency, maturity, and ability to influence matches will continue to be a big asset for us and we’re looking forward to many more great performances from him at the heart of our defence.”
September 28, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins)
Fullerton Table Tennis Academy is located off Imperial Highway in Fullerton, California. The facility is near Bonita Pl and S Harbor Blvd/E Imperial Hwy in the neighborhoods of La Habra.  This positions the club just North of Anaheim with easy access to all of the greater Los Angeles area.
Fullerton Table Tennis Academy focuses on the skills necessary for table tennis as well as the spirit of table tennis in general. The club offers professional coaching and facilities with an eye towards creating a community space for healthy leisure. There are programs for young people which can help develop skills from beginners all the way up to those aspiring to be professional athletes, and on the other end of the spectrum there are also healthy lifestyle programs offered for seniors. All players of all ages are welcomed.
Coaches are ready to help new players learn the fundamentals or to help advanced players reach the next level.  Whether you are looking for private lessons, single day sessions, or equipment, you should visit this table tennis academy. Monthly memberships are also available.
Contact: (714) 332-9562
Email: team_cltta@yahoo.com
Location: 241 E. Imperial Hwy #350, Fullerton, CA 92835
Hours: Monday – Friday: 11:00am to 10:00pm
Saturday – Sunday: 1:00pm to 7:00pm
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Barcelona secured a 2-1 comeback win over Real Sociedad on Sunday that sent them top of the LaLiga standings after they turned the match around with goals from Jules Koundé and Robert Lewandowski either side of half-time. Barcelonaâ€s sixth win in seven matches moved the champions on to 19 points, one point above Real Madrid, as Real Sociedad remained on five points after their fourth loss of the campaign.
“It was a team victory. They knew how to play and it was hard work, but we deserved it,†said the Barcelona coach Hansi Flick.
Mikel Oyarzabal headed wide from Gonçalo Guedesâ€s pass in the 10th minute as Sociedad looked to capitalise on the rare chances that came their way, while Barcelona controlled the game with 87% possession in the first half.
A minute later, the Sociedad keeper Ãlex Remiro made a diving save to deny Marcus Rashfordâ€s attempt from inside the box, and kept out Roony Bardghjiâ€s left-footed shot in the 24th minute. But Sociedad took the lead on the half-hour mark against the run of play through the former Real Madrid right-back Ãlvaro Odriozola, who was making his first start of the season after fellow defender Jon Aramburu got injured during the warmup. Ander Barrenetxea beat Koundé in the box and crossed to an unmarked Odriozola, who finished right-footed from the edge of the six-yard box.
Barcelona equalised in the 43rd minute as Rashfordâ€s corner found Koundé in the box and the French defender made no mistake with a header.
A confident Barcelona pushed for the winner in the second half, and Lamine Yamal made an impact less than a minute after coming on as a substitute. The 18-year-old, who was returning from a groin injury, dribbled past a defender and crossed to Lewandowski, whose header went in off the post in the 58th minute to put the hosts 2-1 up. Lewandowski could have scored again a minute later but shot over the bar from Dani Olmoâ€s back-heel.
Sociedad almost hit back when Aihen Muñoz found Oyarzabal with a through ball, but his shot was tipped over by the goalkeeper Wojciech SzczÄsny. The visitors went close to an equaliser in the 84th minute when Takefusa Kuboâ€s shot hit the crossbar and a minute later, Lewandowskiâ€s shot at the other end also came off the woodwork.
Barcelona, who are on a five-match winning streak in all competitions, host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, before continuing their LaLiga title defence at Sevilla next Sunday. “Itâ€s good, but itâ€s a long road ahead … tomorrow we will start focusing all our attention on PSG,†Flick said.
Milan held on for a 2-1 win over Napoli at San Siro to go top of the Serie A standings on goal difference, after Christian Pulisic scored one and created the other before the home side went down to 10 men and conceded a penalty. Napoli dropped their first points of the season in a game where Milan looked in control at half-time through goals from Alexis Saelemaekers and Pulisic but Pervis Estupiñánâ€s red card and Kevin De Bruyneâ€s penalty almost rescued the visitors.
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“There will be other games like this of suffering,†the Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri said. “But playing them with this spirit it will be easier to bring them home.â€
There is a three-way tie at the top with Milan, Napoli and Roma all on 12 points. Juventus sit one point behind after their 1-1 draw with Atalanta on Saturday.