SportsCatch

Thauvin returns to Champions League with Lens six years after Marseille's group-stage exit

Florian Thauvin returns to the Champions League on Thursday with RC Lens, six years after his last appearance in the competition. The 33-year-old winger is taking on a mentoring role with an inexperienced squad, drawing on 32 European matches earned at Marseille.

Football Sep 10

Rice backs Kane to win Ballon d'Or despite being nominated himself

Declan Rice has publicly endorsed England team-mate Harry Kane for the Ballon d'Or, despite being among the 30 nominees himself. Kane scored 73 goals in 65 matches for Bayern Munich and country this year and is considered the frontrunner for the award.

Football Sep 10

Hamstring injury rules World Cup winner Clifford out of England's WXV home series

Saracens loosehead prop Kelsey Clifford, who scored five tries at Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 as England ended an 11-year wait for the title, will miss all three WXV Global Series home Tests in September with a hamstring injury.

Rugby Sep 10

Carrick's United need defensive reinforcements despite £415m spent over two summers

Manchester United have invested over £415m since INEOS took charge, reshaping their attack and midfield, but manager Michael Carrick will head into next summer knowing defensive additions remain the squad's most pressing need.

Football Sep 10

Carragher stands firm on Mac Allister despite Liverpool winner against Atletico Madrid

Alexis Mac Allister scored the winner as Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid at Anfield, but Jamie Carragher maintained the Argentine was wrong to air his contract frustrations publicly at a press conference beforehand.

Football Sep 10

Bayern Munich chief admits Liverpool's £123m Barcola bid was too rich, but backs Diaz to draw bigger crowds

Bayern Munich director of sport Max Eberl has confirmed the club held genuine interest in Bradley Barcola before Liverpool's £123m move from PSG priced them out, while insisting Luis Diaz — signed from the Reds for £65.5m last summer — is the player who truly pulls fans through the turnstiles.

Football Sep 10

Morocco's football chief insists Casablanca will host 2030 World Cup final as Spain dispute intensifies

Royal Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa has publicly declared that the Benslimane area near Casablanca will stage the 2030 World Cup final, directly contradicting Spain's rival claim and drawing a firm denial from FIFA over any presidential promises.

Football Sep 10

Aitchison earns 50th cap as Hunt and Heard return for England's WXV opener against Australia

Holly Aitchison will win her 50th England cap when the Red Roses face Australia in their WXV Global Series opener at Salford's CorpAcq Stadium on Saturday, with Natasha Hunt and Tatyana Heard among the injury returnees named in John Mitchell's squad.

Rugby Sep 10

Manchester United open talks with Jorge Mendes to sign Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde

Manchester United are set to open direct negotiations with agent Jorge Mendes over Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, with Luke Shaw's fitness concerns driving the club's search for cover at the position.

Football Sep 10

France withdraws support for Infantino as Fifa re-election campaign loses more ground

The French Football Federation has officially pulled its backing for Gianni Infantino's 2027 Fifa presidential re-election bid, joining England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in withdrawing support over governance concerns.

Football Sep 10

Nine-year-old Sabah FK arrive at Old Trafford chasing historic Champions League upset against United

Azerbaijani side Sabah FK face Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Champions League, having reached the league phase just nine years after the club's founding through an analytics-driven transfer policy that ended Qarabag's domestic monopoly.

Football Sep 10

Man United's formation switch at U21 level puts 15-year-old JJ Gabriel on path to first-team debut

Manchester United's U21 side has adopted Michael Carrick's 4-2-3-1 system, a tactical alignment designed to ease the transition for academy prospects. Fifteen-year-old JJ Gabriel, who scored 26 goals in 29 games last season, stands to benefit most as he learns the No.10 role.

Football Sep 10

McLaren shelves H-wing for Spanish GP but plans Baku return for drag-cutting concept

McLaren will not run its rotating H-wing rear wing at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, opting instead for the Zandvoort-spec wing. The drag-reduction system, which debuted in competition at Monza, is earmarked to return at the high-speed Baku street circuit in late September.

Formula 1 Sep 10

SA Rugby hail De Bruin as 'leading coach' after surprise Springbok Women resignation

SA Rugby President Mark Alexander has praised outgoing Springbok Women head coach Swys de Bruin following his unexpected resignation, crediting the 66-year-old with guiding South Africa to a Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final and a first top-10 world ranking.

Rugby Sep 10

Como complete 90-day Sinigaglia overhaul to host Champions League debut at home

Como avoided a 200km relocation to Sassuolo by completing a rapid renovation of Stadio Sinigaglia, earning UEFA Category 4 status in time to host RB Leipzig, Manchester United, AEK Athens and Paris Saint-Germain in their first-ever Champions League campaign.

Football Sep 10

Palmer inspires Chelsea's six-goal Carabao Cup comeback from two down against Leeds

Cole Palmer scored twice after coming off the bench at half-time as Chelsea overturned a two-goal deficit to beat Leeds 6-3 at Stamford Bridge, advancing to the Carabao Cup fourth round under Xabi Alonso.

Football Sep 10

French Football Federation turns against Infantino, joins European opposition to his re-election

The French Football Federation's executive committee has officially decided to oppose Gianni Infantino's re-election at the FIFA Congress scheduled for March 18 in Rabat, joining around ten European nations including England and Italy.

Football Sep 10

Audi lodges formal appeal against Tsunoda's Italian GP penalty reprieve to promote Bortoleto into points

Audi has confirmed it will officially appeal the FIA stewards' decision not to penalise Yuki Tsunoda for causing an extra formation lap at the Italian Grand Prix. A successful appeal would promote Gabriel Bortoleto from 11th into the points.

Formula 1 Sep 10

Chandhok: Antonelli avoiding Ferrari was the best decision his father ever made

Karun Chandhok argues that Marco Antonelli's choice to steer his son through the Mercedes junior programme, rather than Ferrari's, has shielded Kimi from crushing national pressure — a decision that looks increasingly shrewd as the 20-year-old dominates the 2026 season.

Formula 1 Sep 10

Gallagher ends 363-day Test absence as Scotland name side to face Canada

Bristol Bears flanker Evie Gallagher returns to Scotland's starting XV for the first time in 363 days when they host Canada in the WXV Global Series, having missed the 2026 Women's Six Nations with a hamstring injury.

Rugby Sep 10