SOCCER

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Less than six months after leading Chelsea to Club World Cup glory, Enzo Maresca has departed his role as head coach following a sharp downturn in form and growing internal tension.

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John Robertson, the Nottingham Forest winger described ‍by his manager Brian Clough as “a Picasso of our game”, has died at the age of 72, the Premier League club said on Thursday.

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After being honoured as Best Middle East Player in Dubai, Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Portugal and Al‑Nassr, vowed to prolong his career until he reaches 1,000 goals. He said the effort is tough but his motivation and passion for the sport remain strong, adding that it makes no difference whether he plays in the Middle East or Europe — he simply wants to keep playing.

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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim admits it will be "impossible" to replace Bruno Fernandes as the captain faces up to a month on the sidelines.

Fernandes suffered a hamstring injury during United's 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday and will miss Friday's clash with Newcastle. Amorim confirmed the setback but avoided giving a precise recovery timeline, saying only that it "won't take a lot of time."

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Following their triumph in the Italian Super Cup, Napoli will return to the task of defending their Serie A title full of confidence when they travel to take on Cremonese this weekend.

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Kepa Arrizabalaga said he had to make a quick shift in mindset after a late Crystal Palace equaliser took Tuesday's League Cup quarter-final to a shootout, where the Arsenal goalkeeper made a crucial save to earn his side a spot in the last four.

A Maxence Lacroix own goal gave Arsenal the ⁠lead in the 80th minute before Palace's Marc Guehi levelled in stoppage time to take the tie to penalties.

Arrizabalaga then made it an even more miserable night for Lacroix by saving the Frenchman's effort as Arsenal won the shootout 8-7.

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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim says they won’t panic buy in January.

Amorim admits that Manchester United are seeking to add to the squad next month, though he insists any signing must be the right long-term fit. He said: “We have space to have more players, but it is a very important thing in our club that we have a plan and we need to bring players that we know.

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As Bournemouth's 25-year-old forward Antoine Semenyo enters a crucial period for deciding his future, Chelsea has reportedly withdrawn from the race for his signature, opting against further pursuit despite earlier inquiries. However, Semenyo remains a sought-after talent, with Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Tottenham among at least four other clubs understood to have made prior enquiries before the January transfer window.

The two Manchester clubs are believed to have had the most concrete conversations so far.

City in particular have made positive progress in recent days and believe they are well-placed to sign Semenyo.