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Joao Pedro scores and misses: Chelsea wins London derby at Spurs

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Joao Pedro scores and misses: Chelsea wins London derby at Spurs

Chelsea FC closed the gap on Tottenham Hotspur with a 1-0 win in the London derby. The Blues were the more determined team, and even though Joao Pedro missed a few chances, the 24-year-old striker was still the match winner.

Before kick-off in the evening game, Arsenal were already threatening to pull away at the top of the Premier League. Spurs, in third place, were eight points behind after the Gunners’ 2-0 win at Burnley in the afternoon. In the London derby against Chelsea, Thomas Frank’s team, which had been knocked out of the League Cup during the week after a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United, wanted to stay in contention at the top and reduce the gap to the leaders.

However, the coach had to make adjustments after just a few minutes when Bergvall took a ball to the head and was unable to continue. Former Leipzig player Xavi replaced him in the seventh minute.

The Blues, who returned to their tried-and-tested lineup after their 4-3 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup, got off to a better start. Joao Pedro was flanked up front by Garnacho and Pedro Neto. After the striker had failed to beat Vicario following a good block by Garnacho (20′), the 24-year-old took advantage of his next opportunity shortly afterwards. Once again, it was preceded by a ball win, or more precisely, two. Caicedo first won the ball against Spence and then shortly afterwards against van de Ven, with Joao Pedro coolly slotting home the cross (34′). The half-time lead could have been even higher, but Vicario prevented Joao Pedro from scoring his second with a reflex save (43′). The Spurs were hardly visible in the visitors’ half, apart from two shots from Kudus (32′, 45’+6) and a nasty foul by Bentancur, for which he only received a yellow card (45’+3).

Chelsea continue to dominate – Vicario keeps it open for a long time

After the break, the Blues were more determined than the home side, but without launching an all-out attack. The visitors chose their attacks carefully, with Pedro Neto testing Vicario again (56′). Tottenham, on the other hand, continued to struggle to create any danger in the final third. Kolo Muani, who had been preferred to Richarlison, remained virtually invisible. The battles between the two penalty areas continued to be fierce. Chelsea’s double chance from Pedro Neto—once again Vicario stood in the way—and James (over the bar, 74′) heralded the final quarter of an hour. Even then, Spurs failed to seriously threaten the Blues’ goal. Frank’s substitutions—including Xavi being taken off again—came to nothing. In fact, the North Londoners had Vicario to thank for the fact that the score remained 0-1. The keeper made a strong save against Joao Pedro in stoppage time (90+4), after substitute Gittens had shot over the bar with a clear chance in front of goal (90+3).

Chelsea are closing the gap on their rivals in the table, but the gap to their other city rivals Arsenal is now eight points for both teams. Tottenham continue their Champions League campaign on Tuesday (9 p.m.) with their next home game against FC Copenhagen. Chelsea also play in the Champions League on Wednesday (6:45 p.m.) away against Qarabag.

Replay upgrade in the NBA: Referees wear headsets for the first time

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Replay upgrade in the NBA: Referees wear headsets for the first time

NBA referees are now better connected technologically: the league is introducing headsets to improve communication and decision-making. The system will be tested in two phases – initially only during breaks in play.

Since Saturday (November 1, 2025), referees in the NBA have been wearing headsets during regular season games for the first time. As announced by the league, this is the start of a two-stage project that will run into next year. In the first phase, which is expected to last until January, referees will only use the devices during replay reviews and game interruptions. Communication during the game will remain as it is now.

In the second phase, which will start after an evaluation of the first phase, the headsets will be in permanent use, even during live play. This will allow referees to communicate directly with the replay center and with each other in the future. The goal is to enable faster coordination in controversial situations and clearer decisions on the court.

The NBA has been testing the system since 2022 at various events, including the G League Winter Showcase, the Summer League, and preseason games. With its introduction in the regular season, the league is now following international examples—such as in soccer and rugby, where real-time communication between referees has long been standard.

Why Toyota star Kalle Rovanperä is not (yet) an option for Haas

Lesley Summerville
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Why Toyota star Kalle Rovanperä is not (yet) an option for Haas

Kalle Rovanperä, who will be driving in Super Formula instead of the World Rally Championship in the future, has stated that Formula 1 is his long-term goal – but he is not yet an option for Toyota partner Haas.

Kalle Rovanperä, the youngest World Rally Champion in history, has stated that his long-term goal is Formula 1 in connection with his upcoming move from the World Rally Championship (WRC) to Super Formula. Does that automatically put him on the list at Haas? After all, the US team has been working closely with Toyota, Rovanperä’s long-time employer and sponsor, for a year now.

Rovanperä will compete in his first full season in formula racing in Super Formula in 2026 for one of the Toyota teams. Which team it will be has not yet been announced. The 2025 WRC season runs until the end of November, and Rovanperä still has the chance to become world champion for the third time with Toyota.

In preparation for his switch to formula racing, Rovanperä tested a Formula 2 car a few days ago. When asked whether he could be a candidate for Haas in the medium term, for example for a Formula 1 test in a two-year-old car (TPC), Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu replied: “No, that’s not our plan.”

When asked whether a Formula 1 test for Rovanperä might simply be too early from today’s perspective, Komatsu added: “That is not our plan at all.”

The Haas team boss describes Toyota’s interests as “completely separate from ours,” but then at least adds about Rovanperä: “If he’s good, that’s great. I guess there are bigger problems you can have. If he’s fast, then it’s good that we have access to him. But he’s not part of our current plans.”

Should Rovanperä end up testing for Haas in Formula 1 at some point in the future, it wouldn’t be his first laps in a Formula 1 car. In November 2024, the Finn tested a 2012 Red Bull RB8 at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. On that occasion, he was particularly impressed by the grip and downforce.

Ocon reveals: From “creepy” stalkers to hatred on the street

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Ocon reveals: From “creepy” stalkers to hatred on the street

Esteban Ocon considers most fans to be friendly, but the Formula 1 driver also reports incidents of inappropriate behavior.
Formula 1 driver Esteban Ocon has provided insights into the dark side of being a fan and reported on sensitive interactions ranging from obsession to open hostility.

The Grand Prix winner, who has already secured four podium finishes since his debut in 2016, naturally has a lot of contact with fans. In an interview with the French YouTube channel Legend, he praised most fans as “super nice,” but also revealed some deeply unpleasant experiences. One incident involved a fan who drove across France to his family’s house.

“Once, a rather old man took a taxi because, in his eyes, I was like a son to him—just because I had given him an autograph once,” Ocon recounts. “He took a taxi from the south of France to Evreux [Normandy], where my parents live. He found out their address.”

The delicate story of an “old man”

“He rang the intercom,” the Frenchman continues. “I was away and so were my parents, so my grandmother was home alone. He asked my grandmother, ‘Can I come in?’. Of course, my grandmother said no. The man then got angry and said, ‘My son will be home soon,’ referring to me.“

The situation was delicate: ”He had spent all his money on the taxi and didn’t really know where to go. But we didn’t know this man.“ Ocon concludes: ”He eventually left, but it’s a bit creepy when someone finds out your address like that.”

Hate on the open street

Ocon also reported a direct confrontation with a person in public who expressed his dislike for the current Haas driver.

“A fan on the street came up to me and said, ‘Hey, I don’t like you,’” Ocon quotes the man as saying. “I said, ‘Oh yeah? Why?’ ‘ He said, ‘I don’t like you, I don’t like your vibe on social media at all.’“

This direct rejection initially affected him. ”I don’t think I’m a bad person. I’ve never hurt anyone,“ said Ocon. ”The fact that he said he didn’t like me, even though he doesn’t know me, did affect me a little.”

“In the end, we talked for ten minutes on the sidewalk. We talked about many things and situations. He explained why he thought I wasn’t a nice guy. And at the end of the conversation, he said, ‘You know what, I’ve changed my mind. I like you!’”

Rally star Kalle Rovanperä in formula racing: What the F1 stars are saying

Phil Laffertey
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Rally star Kalle Rovanperä in formula racing: What the F1 stars are saying

The move by WRC star Kalle Rovanperä to formula racing is the subject of heated debate—Formula 1 drivers will also be watching the switch closely.

The fact that two-time World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanperä is turning his back on the World Rally Championship (WRC) – for the time being – to pursue a full-time career in circuit racing is also causing a stir in the Formula 1 paddock. The 25-year-old Finn is considered an exceptional talent, but the switch from loose surfaces to a formula car is a huge step.

Esteban Ocon, himself an admirer of the Finn, can understand the move, but sees a huge hurdle ahead for Rovanperä.

“First of all, I think it’s great. It’s going to be a story that I’ll be following very closely,“ says the Haas driver. ”I was already following him when he was racing in a few Porsche Cup races. If I were him, had won two WRC titles, was so young and had the support of Toyota, I would definitely want to try something different.”

Changeover fraught with hurdles

But Ocon warns of the difficulty of the task: “I think Kalle will have a much more difficult job learning this, because it’s a completely different sport.”

Although Rovanperä has already done a lot of motor racing through his experience in drift championships and track days, formula racing is a different world. “He will have to learn how things work in order to perform immediately. Even with all the driving experience in the world, you have to adapt to these things,” emphasizes Ocon.

Rovanperä’s choice of entry series in particular commands the Frenchman’s respect. The Finn is set to start in the Japanese Super Formula in 2025 – one of the closest formula championships in the world.

These are the hurdles

“It will be interesting to follow, especially because he is starting in one of the toughest championships,” Ocon analyzes. “I’m not saying that Formula 2 is easier, but you go there [to Japan] and all these guys have been driving there for years. They are professionals on the Japanese tracks and have a different philosophy.“

Ocon also raises practical hurdles: ”I don’t think all the engineers normally speak English and so on. So that will be quite interesting to follow.”

But what about the other way around?
There have been several Formula 1 drivers who have switched to rallying—Kimi Räikkönen, Robert Kubica, and Heikki Kovalainen are prominent examples. Ocon himself has tested rally cars and sees the fundamental difference in the mental approach.

Difference: Formula racing vs. rallying

“I think for us circuit drivers, it’s more about consistency [in comparison]. The memory aspect is a huge, huge difference,” explains Ocon. “I did a day of rallying a year or two ago. I didn’t do the recce, but it was difficult enough to drive the same stage again and remember everything, just like they do.”

“For them, memorization is more important than the setup of the car or that everything feels good. That’s the biggest difference,” Ocon notes. “Once they get on the circuit, it’s more about the details, more about the feel, more about optimizing the car and less about memory.”

The Alpine driver’s conclusion: “We’ve seen circuit drivers who were fast [in rally cars] but often crashed. On the other hand, Sebastien Ogier also performed well in the LMP2 car. It’s going to be an interesting story, I’ll be following it.”

Alonso knows about switching disciplines

One driver who has made the switch to almost every discipline is Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard has competed at Le Mans, in the Indy 500 and in the Dakar Rally. He, too, is “curious to see how he does.”

“He’s an incredibly talented driver who will definitely face some challenges,” says the Aston Martin driver about Rovanperä. “It’s less common to see people go from rallying to formula racing than the other way around. So it will be a good test.“

However, Alonso assumes that Toyota will prepare Rovanperä meticulously: ”It won’t be his first time in Super Formula. I think he will spend a lot of time in the simulator and prepare himself in junior series before he actually makes his debut in Super Formula.”

These are the differences

When Alonso himself changed disciplines, he had to acquire specific skills each time. The biggest change? “The most difficult was rallying,” admits the two-time Formula 1 world champion, who was involved in cross-country racing.

“But endurance racing was also different, and oval racing was extremely different. In rallying, you’re playing with both feet, the brake and the accelerator, all the time,” he explains. “The limits of the car and what you can do are shockingly different.”

Alonso sees a crucial difference in the learning process: “I was lucky back then because after the first tests, I was able to ride along with Giniel de Villiers or Nasser [Al-Attiyah] as a co-driver and discover a new world of limits. They showed me how to drive the car because I was way below that limit when I was driving alone.”

“In formula racing, you don’t have this ‘coach approach’ where you can ride with another driver and see what a Super Formula car can do. That’s a bit trickier,” says Alonso. “On the other hand, formula teams have a lot of data. In rallying or Dakar, you don’t have that data.”

FIA: Liam Lawson not to blame for marshal incident in Mexico

Phil Laffertey
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FIA: Liam Lawson not to blame for marshal incident in Mexico

The FIA rejects accusations against Liam Lawson, stating that the Racing Bulls driver acted correctly during the incident with the marshals.

The incident occurred in the third lap of last Sunday’s Grand Prix. The Racing Bulls driver encountered two marshals in turn 3 who had been sent onto the track to clear debris after a turbulent start to the race. Shortly afterwards, however, the order was withdrawn after it became clear that Lawson had come into the pits to change his front wing following a collision with Williams driver Carlos Sainz. This meant that the originally planned time buffer for safely clearing the debris was no longer available. The FIA subsequently launched an investigation to clarify why the marshals were still on the track. OMDAI Sport Mexico published a statement this week blaming Lawson. The association accused the 23-year-old New Zealander of not braking sufficiently under double yellow flags, even though he should have seen the marshals.

FIA explains: Lawson reacted correctly to double yellow flags

On Friday, the FIA contradicted this account in its own statement: “After analyzing the telemetry data, we can confirm that the driver of car number 30, Liam Lawson, slowed down appropriately and reacted correctly to the double yellow flags.”

“He braked earlier than in other laps and entered Turn 1 at a significantly reduced speed. He is not at fault in this case. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the volunteers and marshals for their dedication and professionalism. Without them, safe racing would not be possible.”

The FIA also provided an update on the ongoing investigation, which had not been dealt with by the stewards during the race. “Although the investigation is ongoing, we recognize that any situation in which marshals are on the track in front of approaching vehicles is extremely concerning.”

Investigation into the incident continues

“It is therefore understandable that such an incident causes a stir. Fortunately, the event did not have any serious consequences. Nevertheless, we are conducting an internal investigation to understand exactly what happened and to identify possible improvements to our procedures.”

“We are working openly and transparently with the Mexican automobile club OMDAI and the Racing Bulls team to achieve our common goal: to continuously improve safety in motorsport. As with all serious incidents, the full analysis will take some time, as all relevant evidence, including radio communications in multiple languages, must be collected and collated. The results will be published once the investigation has been completed,“ the statement continued. Lawson himself was shocked after the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez: ”To be honest, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Suddenly, two people ran across the track at Turn 1, and I almost collided with one of them. It was extremely dangerous. Apparently, there was some kind of

“This is simply unacceptable. It’s incomprehensible how marshals can run around on an active track. I have no idea how this happened, but I’m sure we’ll get an explanation.”

After Sinner debacle: Zverev has ankle examined

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After Sinner debacle: Zverev has ankle examined

The Hamburg native is placing his trust in a doctor who already operated on him in 2022.

German tennis star Alexander Zverev will have his “swollen” right ankle examined before the ATP Finals. “We’ll see what it is and whether we can do anything about it, whether we can perhaps give him an injection,” Zverev told Sky after his clear 0-6, 1-6 defeat to Jannik Sinner in the semifinals of the ATP Masters in Paris. The world number three is being treated in Munich by the same doctor who operated on him after his serious ankle injury in 2022.

His ankle swelled up after his three-set victory over his nemesis Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals, “and if you’re not 100 percent against Jannik and playing at 1000 percent of your level, you don’t stand a chance,” Zverev said. He was unable to “move 100 percent” and couldn’t “push off properly” when serving, said the Hamburg native. Against Sinner, Zverev had no chance at all in just over an hour of play, and he had to bury his hopes of successfully defending his title in the French capital. The ATP Finals in Turin start on November 9.

No sanctions against Vinicius Junior: At Real, “everyone is in the same boat”

Lesley Summerville
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No sanctions against Vinicius Junior: At Real, “everyone is in the same boat”

Vinicius Junior’s outburst after being substituted against Barcelona was also the focus of media attention ahead of Real Madrid’s clash with Valencia. Xabi Alonso handled the situation with aplomb.

“I’ve already answered three or four questions about Vini. I think I’ve said enough,” Real’s coach summed up during Friday’s press conference. However, he had not yet addressed all the concerns of the media representatives present at that point.

Xabi Alonso was ultimately asked a total of six times about the situation involving the Brazilian striker, who, after being substituted in the 72nd minute of the Clasico (2-1), stormed off to the dressing room in a rage, ranting and gesticulating wildly, without even glancing at his coach.

Xabi Alonso “satisfied” with Vinicius Junior’s statement

Vinicius Junior had already addressed the public on Wednesday: “Today I would like to apologize to all Madridistas for my reaction to being substituted in the Clasico. As I already did personally during today’s training session, I would like to apologize again to my teammates, the club, and the president.“ And to the head coach, whose name was missing from the list?

”It was very positive and valuable, I’m satisfied. We’re all in the same boat and rowing in the same direction,“ replied Xabi Alonso, who assured that ”everything has been cleared up“ since Wednesday’s discussion. ”We’re focusing on what lies ahead, everyone wants to be on the pitch, and that’s good. Everyone is pulling in the same direction. We want to take it step by step, but everyone is working towards the same goal,“ said the Real coach.

Will Valencia surprise again at the Bernabeu?

There will be no ”retaliatory measures,” however, so Xabi Alonso will likely rely on Vinicius Junior’s qualities again in the upcoming home game against Valencia CF: “I see him as very focused and eager. He played a great game the other day.”

From the perspective of Los Blancos, a similarly strong performance from the Brazilian would be desirable on Saturday, as the Bats already proved in their last meeting in April (2-1) that they are a force to be reckoned with at the Bernabeu.

“They have quality and good players. We will be highly focused in this game because after a big win, you tend to become a little careless, and I definitely want to prevent that,” explained the focused Xabi Alonso, whose team will continue their Champions League campaign on Tuesday at Liverpool FC (9 p.m.).

Betting scandal in Turkey: 149 referees suspended

Jeffrey Gooding
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Betting scandal in Turkey: 149 referees suspended

Turkish soccer has been rocked by a betting scandal. Numerous referees have come under scrutiny for illegal sports betting. Now the TFF association is taking rigorous action and suspending 149 referees.

“Being a referee is an honorable profession,” said association president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu on Friday, announcing that even more drastic measures are being considered. The TFF president said that people who have “tarnished this honor” will “never again be part of Turkish soccer.” On Friday, 149 referees were suspended for eight to twelve months by the disciplinary committee. Three other referees are still under investigation. The association announced the suspensions but did not mention whether those punished had also placed bets on games they themselves had officiated. It therefore remains unclear whether any matches were possibly fixed. When the scandal came to light, Haciosmanoglu announced that he would take rigorous action. “We are determined to rid soccer of any trace of corruption. We will make no exceptions,” said the 59-year-old—and he has the law on his side, as referees in the Turkish leagues are generally prohibited from betting.

Prosecutors investigate

And yet, a comprehensive investigation of a total of 571 referees revealed that 371 of them had betting accounts—152 of whom had actively used them. The fact that 22 of the officials were employed in Turkey’s top division, the SüperLig—seven main referees and 15 assistants—showed that this was not purely a problem in the lower leagues. Ten of the accused referees had placed more than 10,000 bets, one of them 18,227 times, and 42 referees had each placed bets on more than 1,000 soccer matches. Most of the matches on which bets were placed were therefore games in foreign leagues. The outrage in Turkey is enormous, with top clubs Besiktas, Galatasaray, and Fenerbahce demanding a full investigation.

This is likely to extend beyond the association, as the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office is already investigating the case.

Public prosecutor’s office investigates

Nevertheless, a comprehensive investigation of a total of 571 referees revealed that 371 of them had betting accounts—152 of whom had actively used them. The fact that 22 of the officials were employed in Turkey’s top division, the SüperLig—seven main referees and 15 assistants—showed that this was not purely a problem in the lower leagues. Ten of the accused referees had placed more than 10,000 bets, one of them 18,227 times, and 42 referees had each placed bets on more than 1,000 soccer matches. Most of the matches on which bets were placed were therefore games in foreign leagues. The outrage in Turkey is enormous, with top clubs Besiktas, Galatasaray, and Fenerbahce demanding a full investigation.

This is likely to extend beyond the association, as the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office is already investigating the case.

Six weeks after Gladbach exit: Seoane takes over at Young Boys

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Six weeks after Gladbach exit: Seoane takes over at Young Boys

Those in charge in Bern felt that Young Boys’ performances so far this season had been too inconsistent. On Friday, they pulled the plug and sacked coach Giorgio Contini. A successor was quickly found in Gerardo Seoane.

Giorgio Contini is no longer coach of BSC Young Boys. The coach was relieved of his duties on Friday with immediate effect. His successor is Gerardo Seoane, who was still coaching Borussia Mönchengladbach until mid-September. The 47-year-old, who won three Swiss championships and one cup title with the Bernese between 2018 and 2021 and also reached the Champions League, has been given a contract until summer 2028. Seoane was the ideal solution, says former Bundesliga pro Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt), YB’s chief sports officer. “It is of great significance for us that we have succeeded in signing Gerry Seoane. With him, a new cycle begins, even though we do not expect miracles and are aware that we are in a delicate situation.”

After eleven rounds, YB is currently only in fifth place in the Super League, clearly lagging behind its own expectations.
The team’s large fluctuations in performance in recent weeks and months, as well as its lack of sporting development, proved to be Contini’s undoing on Friday morning. The 51-year-old, previously part of the Swiss national team’s coaching staff, took over the Bernese team in December 2024, led them to the Championship Group, and secured qualification for the Europa League.
His dismissal had been in the air for some time during the current season, and the wild 3-3 draw at Letzigrund on Thursday evening finally proved to be the last straw.

“Overall, we lacked consistency in our sporting performances,” explained Spycher. “After what we thought was a step forward, we were repeatedly thrown back and had to endure some heavy setbacks. For this reason, after Thursday’s game in Zurich against GC, we came to the conclusion that, in this constellation, there is no longer any belief in sustainable improvements.”

Seoane is now expected to provide new impetus. “He has a clear vision, is a competitive type and will drive forward the changes in our team,” Spycher is certain. The 47-year-old also emphasizes: “With Gerry as head coach, we are striving for the continuity that we have lacked in this position recently.” YB is pursuing “a long-term project” with Seoane.

Return triggers positive emotions for Seoane

Seoane himself is delighted to be returning to Bern: “YB is a very special club for me. After the very successful period between 2018 and 2021, I never lost touch with many people at the club. And when the opportunity arose to return to YB, it triggered positive emotions in me. A whole new task now awaits us, which will involve a lot of work above all.”

On Sunday, the Swiss player will play his first game with his new team. It will be no easy task against FC Basel.

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