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Guardiola on rumors of departure in the summer: “Not up for discussion”

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Guardiola on rumors of departure in the summer: “Not up for discussion”

Pep Guardiola’s contract runs until 2027, but rumors have recently surfaced that the Spaniard will leave Manchester City in the summer. However, the 54-year-old is currently dismissing these rumors.

Pep Guardiola responded on Friday to questions about a possible departure from Manchester City next summer. “The club must be prepared, but this topic is not up for discussion at the moment,” the Catalan said on Friday. During the week, there had been media reports that the Premier League’s second-placed team was already looking for a successor in case Guardiola left after the season.

“I understand this question when my contract expires, but you are quite right in saying that I still have 18 months left, and I am very happy and content with that,” said Guardiola, who has been working in Manchester since 2016 and whose contract runs until 2027: “I am here. What will happen, who knows? That question comes up every season at some point. I won’t be here forever. What is meant to happen will happen.”

Maresca also denies rumors

According to a report by The Athletic, Chelsea FC’s Enzo Maresca is at the top of the list of City club bosses. The Blues’ team manager reacted cautiously to the rumors on Friday. “It doesn’t affect me at all because I know it’s 100 percent speculation,” Maresca said. When asked if he would still be working at Stamford Bridge next season, the Italian replied: “Absolutely, yes.”

The rumors come at an unusual time because Guardiola is currently on track with Manchester City. Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Brentford in the League Cup quarterfinals was their sixth consecutive competitive victory.

Tomorrow, Saturday, ManCity face West Ham United at home (4 p.m.). A win would see the 2024 English champions take over the top spot in the table from Arsenal, at least temporarily. The Gunners will play Everton later in the evening (kick-off 9 p.m.).

Goalkeeper debate resolved involuntarily: PSG penalty hero Safonov out for longer

Jeffrey Gooding
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Goalkeeper debate resolved involuntarily: PSG penalty hero Safonov out for longer

Matvei Safonov (26) fueled the goalkeeper debate at Paris St. Germain with his brilliant performance in the Intercontinental Cup. Now the question has been resolved involuntarily for the time being.

As PSG announced on Friday, Safonov broke his left hand in the Intercontinental Cup final and will now be out for the long term – at least three to four weeks. A new examination will then take place to provide more detailed information about the fracture. For the 26-year-old Russian, the diagnosis is a heavy blow after his biggest moment so far since he moved to Paris from FK Krasnodar in the summer of 2024.

In the penalty shootout against Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday evening, regular substitute goalkeeper Safonov saved four consecutive attempts by the Brazilians, securing PSG’s next trophy of the year. This reignited the debate about the Champions League winners’ goalkeeper position – but only briefly, as it now turns out.
In his first year at PSG, Safonov was the clear number two behind Gianluigi Donnarumma – and was expected to retain this role even after the Italian’s departure and the signing of Lucas Chevalier from Lille. However, Chevalier did not always impress in his early days, struggled to cope with the pressure of following in Donnarumma’s footsteps, and rarely reproduced the strong performances he was known for at Lille.

When Chevalier injured his ankle in a rough tackle by opponent Lamine Camara during the 0-1 defeat in Monaco at the end of November, it was Safonov’s chance to shine. He was given the starting spot in the league against Metz and in the Intercontinental Cup against Flamengo, even after Chevalier’s return. This gave the Russian hope that he would remain in goal for the French side, at least for the time being. That will not be the case now.

Instead, Chevalier is likely to be back between the posts for Saturday’s cup match against fifth-division side Vendee Fontenay Foot and will also feature in the first games after the winter break, with Ligue 1 resuming on the first weekend of January. The only other goalkeeper in the squad is 19-year-old Italian Renato Marin.

“Copy and paste” in penalty shootout: Bologna secures place in final against Inter

Lesley Summerville
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“Copy and paste” in penalty shootout: Bologna secures place in final against Inter

After champions SSC Napoli qualified for the Supercoppa final on Thursday, cup winners Bologna followed suit. The Rosoblu came from behind against Inter, withstood constant pressure and ultimately won 3-2 in a bizarre penalty shootout.

Bologna coach Vincenzo Italiano responded to the 0-1 defeat against Juventus Turin with four changes: Holm, Odgaard, Bernardeschi, and Castro replaced Zortea, Ferguson, Cambiaghi, and Dallinga. At Inter, coach Cristian Chivu brought in half a dozen new players after the 2-1 win at CFC Genoa 1893: Josep Martinez (goalkeeper), de Vrij, Mkhitaryan, Dimcarco, Bonny, and Thuram played in place of Sommer (goalkeeper), Akanji, Sucic, Carlos Augusto, Lautaro Martinez, and Esposito. Despite the revamped squad, the Nerazzurri got off to a dream start, winning the ball against an advanced Bologna after just a few seconds: Bastoni broke through on the left and crossed brilliantly to Thuram, who scored with a superb volley at the far post to make it 1-0 after just 70 seconds.

Lightning start and unlucky players

With a 1-0 lead behind them, Inter shifted to a counterattacking game and left the ball to the Rosoblu, who found their way into the game better after about ten minutes, gained control of the ball and came close to equalizing in the 22nd minute: Bernardeschi, however, failed to beat goalkeeper Martinez.

True to the motto “postponed is not canceled,” Bologna managed to equalize in the first half, partly because they had the necessary bit of luck. A high pass fell unluckily on Bisseck’s right arm, prompting referee Daniele Chiffi to award a penalty after consulting VAR. Orsolini confidently converted the penalty with his left foot high into the center (35).

Inter shows a different side

There were no further goals in the first half, but Bernardeschi fell awkwardly on his left shoulder and had to be replaced by Rowe due to injury (40). There were no further substitutions at the restart, but Milan showed a different side to their game. Whereas the Nerazzurri had been too passive in the first half, there was no sign of that now: Inter pressed much earlier, increased the intensity and put Bologna under enormous pressure, with the Rosoblu barely able to get out of their own half during this phase.

It seemed only a matter of time before a goal would come, but Luis Henrique (54′) and Dimarco (56′) were denied by Ravaglia, while a penalty awarded to Bonny was reversed by referee Chiffi after a VAR check (57′). The score remained 1-1. The Milanese were very active, but struggled with the final pass. This was also due to the fact that Bologna now had six to seven players in and around their own penalty area, narrowing the space.

Penalty shootout decides the game

Chivu brought on star striker Lautaro Martinez in the 71st minute, who fired in a powerful shot shortly afterwards that was saved by Ravaglia (80th minute), before Bastoni (81st minute), Dimarco (82nd minute) and de Vri (85th minute) all missed by a narrow margin. Because Rowe was blocked at the other end (88) and Martinez made a brilliant save against Fabbian (90+1), the score remained 1-1 after 90 minutes, meaning the game had to be decided on penalties, as there is no extra time in the Supercoppa.

This then took a curious turn and could be described as “copy and paste,” because whatever Inter did, Bologna did too: Lautaro and Ferguson converted first, while Bastoni and Mori shot too weakly and were denied by the opposing goalkeeper, before Barella and then Miranda sent the ball into the top corner. However, after Bonny’s rolling ball landed in Ravaglia’s arms, Rowe broke ranks. It was the Englishman, of all people, who converted confidently and put the Rosoblu on course for the final.
De Vrij kept Inter’s hopes alive by scoring the equalizer to make it 2-2 with the help of the crossbar, but Immobile literally hammered the final nail in Inter’s coffin by scoring with a powerful shot into the right corner, also with the help of the crossbar. In Monday’s final, Bologna will now face Napoli, who beat Milan 2-0 in Thursday’s first semifinal. In Serie A, both teams will not play again until after Christmas, on Sunday, December 28: Napoli will face Cremonese at 3 p.m., while Milan will host Hellas Verona at 12:30 p.m.

The thigh: Haller misses out on the Africa Cup of Nations

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The thigh: Haller misses out on the Africa Cup of Nations

Sebastien Haller will miss out on the Africa Cup of Nations with defending champions Ivory Coast after injuring his thigh during his last appearance for FC Utrecht in the Eredivisie. It remains an unfortunate season for the former Dortmund player.

At the Africa Cup of Nations two years ago, Sebastien Haller scored the decisive goal in the final in the Ivorian capital Abidjan, securing a 2-1 victory over Nigeria and the title for his home country. However, he will be missing from the Ivorian national team at the upcoming finals in January 2026: The former Frankfurt and Dortmund player injured his thigh while playing for FC Utrecht (1-1 in Breda) in the Eredivisie last weekend and will therefore miss the tournament in Morocco.

The 31-year-old initially traveled to the Ivorians’ training camp in Marbella, Spain, and was examined during the week. However, the association has now announced that Evann Guessand from Aston Villa will replace striker Haller in the squad. Guessand, who mainly plays in right midfield, was previously on national coach Emerse Faé’s reserve list.

Only one goal this season: Difficult season for Haller

For Haller, who only transferred permanently from BVB to FC Utrecht in the summer, this means another difficult season. In the second half of last season, he was on loan again to Utrecht, where he had first impressed between 2015 and 2017. Haller scored four goals in 16 Eredivisie games, but has only scored once in 21 competitive games in the league and Europa League this season.

In their mission to defend their title at the Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast will face Gabon, who have another former Dortmund striker in their squad in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Cameroon in Group D. However, their first opponent will be Mozambique on Christmas Eve.

The German national team was originally scheduled to play a friendly against Côte d’Ivoire in March. However, the match was canceled because the DFB team was drawn in the same group as the Ivorians for the World Cup in the summer. Instead, Julian Nagelsmann’s team will now face Ghana.

Schröder apologizes to Mumbru—who becomes emotional

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Schröder apologizes to Mumbru—who becomes emotional

Around three months after winning the European Championship, the German national team coaching duo Alex Mumbru and Alan Ibrahimagic, as well as Dennis Schröder, were guests on Markus Lanz’s year in review show. The DBB captain took the opportunity to apologize to his coach for the painful body check after the European Championship final. The coach reacted emotionally.

Background: Immediately after scoring the winning goal just before the final buzzer, Schröder ran towards the Spaniard and, in his euphoria, rammed him in the chest. Television images showed Mumbru, who was still suffering from the effects of pancreatitis at the time, reacting with a pain-contorted face.

“After the last shot I made, I forgot about it and bumped him really hard,” recalls the 31-year-old. “At that moment, I didn’t realize that he wasn’t feeling well, which you can see from the look on his face. That’s why I want to apologize to him again here.”

At the same time, the DBB captain took the opportunity to praise his head coach from the national team for his resilience: “He gave everything to be on the bench,” Schröder said of Mumbru. “The message from the team was that we had to fight for Alex and win gold for him.”

Mumbru’s eyes fill with tears after Schröder’s words

The Spaniard, who, unlike Schröder, who was connected virtually, was there in person in the TV studio, had tears in his eyes: “Of course, this is very emotional for me,” Mumbru replied, visibly moved. “I was practically the new guy coming into a winning team with great chemistry. I just wanted to help them keep winning. They are winners—on and off the court.”

Because Mumbru missed much of the European Championship due to illness, assistant coach Alan Ibrahimagic famously filled the gap very successfully as head coach. He said he “didn’t really” realize that this situation would arise. “By the time I realized it, it was already too late,” said the 47-year-old, eliciting laughter from the audience. “At first, we didn’t know exactly what it was, only that it didn’t look good. But no one wanted or was able to tell us how serious it was, so to be honest, I didn’t think about it at all.“

A few hours before the game, the situation became clear. ”That was definitely a good thing,” Ibrahimagic made clear. The great team chemistry also helped. The rest is history.

NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family killed in plane crash

Jeffrey Gooding
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NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family killed in plane crash

Tragic accident in North Carolina – NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family killed in crash

Sad news from the United States: former NASCAR star Greg Biffle is dead. The 55-year-old was killed in a plane crash in Charlotte, North Carolina. The accident occurred on Thursday. Particularly tragic: his wife Cristina and their two children, Emma and Ryder, were also on board the plane and did not survive the crash.

Other victims of the devastating accident include Dennis and Jack Dutton, as well as Craig Wadsworth, who was known in the scene as Kenny Wallace’s personal driver. According to reports, the group was on their way to visit Garrett Mitchell, known by his YouTube name “Cleetus McFarland,” who is himself active in the ARCA series.

The flight took off from a small airport in Charlotte. Shortly afterwards, the private plane apparently attempted to turn around to land again. This resulted in a fatal crash on the eastern runway. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation by the relevant authorities.

From “Biff” to hero of the skies

Biffle was not only at home on the racetrack, but also a passionate pilot who owned several small aircraft. He had recently used this passion to help people in need: in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, Biffle flew numerous relief missions in his private helicopter to help the isolated population in western North Carolina. In social media and expressions of condolence, he is therefore often honored not only as a race car driver, but also as a down-to-earth person and helper.

In terms of sport, Greg Biffle shaped an era in Jack Roush’s team. As the face of the number 16, he competed in 515 NASCAR Cup races during his career. “The Biff,” as he was known to fans and colleagues, had his most successful season in 2005, when he finished the championship in second place overall.

During his 16-year career in the premier class, the man from Vancouver, Washington, celebrated a total of 19 victories. What many people don’t know is that Biffle had German roots. His ancestors came from the municipality of Contwig in Rhineland-Palatinate.
In addition to his successes in the Cup, he won championships in the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, making him one of the most versatile drivers of his generation.
NASCAR reacts with shock

NASCAR released an emotional statement on Thursday evening (December 18, 2025) regarding the death of the race car driver: “NASCAR is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, his daughter Emma, his son Ryder, Craig Wadsworth, and Dennis and Jack Dutton in a fatal plane crash.”

“Greg was more than just a champion driver; he was a valued member of the NASCAR community, a passionate athlete, and a friend to so many. His passion for racing, his integrity, and his dedication to fans and competitors alike have left a lasting mark on the sport,” the statement continued.

The association also praised Biffle’s efforts off the track: “Of particular note is that Greg spent countless hours helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters following Hurricane Helene. His tireless efforts saved lives. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Greg’s entire family, his friends, and all those whose lives were touched by him.”

Verstappen’s clear message: That’s why you need a number 2

Jeffrey Gooding
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Verstappen’s clear message: That’s why you need a number 2

Max Verstappen believes that McLaren did itself no favors in the 2025 season – in his opinion, every team should have a clear number 1 driver.

At Red Bull, Max Verstappen is the undisputed number 1 driver. And the four-time world champion himself believes that every racing team should internally designate one driver as number 1. Otherwise, problems could arise, according to the Dutchman.
“If I were team boss, I would always designate a clear number 1 and number 2,” he emphasizes to Viaplay, explaining: “When you’re on your own, you can attack, you can be much more aggressive. I always prefer that.“

In the past season, Verstappen was a ”lone fighter” in the World Championship battle against McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. However, in his opinion, this was not necessarily a disadvantage, because Norris and Piastri also took points away from each other.

“Since McLaren had two drivers [fighting for the title], they gave away a few things with their strategy. Of course, we also benefited from that,” said Verstappen. This is because McLaren regularly tried not to disadvantage either of its two drivers.

Verstappen, on the other hand, was able to choose more aggressive strategies without having to consider his teammate. McLaren, on the other hand, often relied on conservative strategies, which were sometimes too conservative.
At the end of the year, Verstappen was only two points behind world champion Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship. And the Dutchman himself has repeatedly emphasized that this gap should actually have been much bigger.

According to Verstappen, the fact that he still had a chance of winning the title going into the season finale in Abu Dhabi was also due to McLaren never committing to a clear number one driver, which may have cost them some points in the championship battle.

Verstappen explains that, as a team, you naturally have to choose a number 2 “who still scores enough points to compete for the constructors’ title.” But in any case, he believes there must be “a clear number 1 and 2.”

Red Bull’s number two driver was not good enough this year to have a chance at the constructors’ title. Of the Bulls’ 451 points, 421 were scored by Verstappen. Yuki Tsunoda contributed only 30 points, while Liam Lawson did not score a single point.

How Oscar Piastri is spending the holidays after his World Championship defeat this year

Sotd Editor
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How Oscar Piastri is spending the holidays after his World Championship defeat this year

Oscar Piastri is the big loser of this year’s Formula 1 season: How the Australian plans to recover during the winter break and what he has planned for the holidays

The 2025 Formula 1 season was long, and all the drivers are looking forward to relaxing with their families and friends. However, hardly anyone needs the winter break as much as Oscar Piastri. The McLaren driver had to watch as his teammate Lando Norris snatched the world championship title from his grasp.

“I’ll be going back to Australia for a while, of course, to see my family and friends and do my annual ‘hellos’ and ‘goodbyes,’” Piastri revealed after the season finale in Abu Dhabi. “But to be honest, I’m just looking forward to taking a break from racing for a while.”

The Australian had made an impressive start to the season and was comfortably leading the overall standings at the midpoint of the year. However, several mistakes in the second half of the season cost him crucial points, while Norris secured several victories and clinched the world championship title. Piastri was left with only third place overall.

“Enjoying the free time while you have it”

“It was obviously a long season, a demanding season, and as much fun as it is to drive the fastest cars in the world, a break in between is always a good thing,” admits the 24-year-old after a total of 24 races in the past season.

“So I’m looking forward to spending some time without thinking about race cars and spending time with the people around me. And then, of course, the new season won’t be far away.” In fact, the first test drives will begin on January 26, 2026.

“We all have a huge challenge ahead of us next year, so it will be important to enjoy the free time while you have it and then come back as refreshed as possible to tackle the new challenges,” Piastri emphasizes.

What distinguishes Formula 1 from junior series

The winter break should also help the McLaren driver come to terms with his bitter World Championship defeat. However, pressure situations in title fights are by no means new territory for Piastri: in 2020, he secured the championship title in Formula 3, and a year later he also triumphed in Formula 2.

“I think there are definitely parallels,” says the Australian. “The emotions you feel are basically very similar. The difference to Formula 1, however, is that the longest junior championship I’ve raced in had ten race weekends. This one was two and a half times as long.”

“The sheer length of time you have to endure it all is significantly greater.” The Formula 2 season in which Piastri secured the title comprised just eight race weekends, each with two races. “That aspect is very different.”

Winning titles in the junior series is secondary

Added to this are changed objectives. “In the junior categories, you naturally want to win the championship, but at the same time you try above all to show why you belong in Formula 1,” recalls the former Formula 2 champion.

“And we’ve seen over the years that you don’t necessarily have to win championships to prove your abilities for Formula 1,” says Piastri, referring in particular to Max Verstappen, who moved straight from Formula 3 to the premier class without having won a title beforehand.

“However, once you’re in Formula 1, there’s nothing greater than becoming world champion there,” admits the McLaren driver. Unlike in the junior classes, this success has so far eluded him. “So in that respect, it’s different, but there are definitely similarities too.”

Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and Lando Norris in 2025: Amazing parallels

Sports Of The Day
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Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and Lando Norris in 2025: Amazing parallels

Two McLaren drivers, two first world championship titles—and a surprising number of identical key data points: A look at one of the most curious parallels in Formula 1 history

Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris have more in common than just British citizenship. They are now both Formula 1 world champions. What is particularly astonishing, however, is how many parallels there are between Hamilton and Norris’ paths to their first titles.

It starts with the starting position: Hamilton and Norris are driving for McLaren in their first title year, the traditional British team with a New Zealand founder that has produced world champions such as James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, and Mika Häkkinen in the past. After several years of “dry spell,” both are bringing great success back to McLaren.

The title season begins promisingly for both: Hamilton wins the 2008 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, as does Norris in 2025 – both on March 16. So both are already leading the drivers’ standings after the first race of the year.

Victories at two major classics

Hamilton and Norris each have to wait a good two months for their second victory of the season. Then the next success comes for both of them – and what a success it is: Hamilton and Norris each win the Monaco Grand Prix on May 25, one of the “crown jewels” of the Formula 1 calendar. For both of them, it was their first victory in the classic race in the principality. The summer brought a turning point in the World Championship title race for Hamilton and Norris: both lost the World Championship lead and found themselves in the role of the hunter. However, both then managed to catch up.

The provisional crowning glory of this comeback comes a few weeks after Monaco: in 2008, Hamilton wins his home race at Silverstone for the first time, and in 2025, Norris does the same – on July 6, in front of a large crowd of British Formula 1 fans in the stands.

World champion in the final race

All of this puts Hamilton and Norris in a position to become world champions for the first time in the season finale. Both go into the final race with a lead – and both manage to win the overall World Championship by the narrowest of margins: Hamilton by one point against Felipe Massa in the Ferrari in 2008, Norris by two points against Max Verstappen in the Red Bull in 2025.

Both will once again be together for the final act: on December 12, Hamilton and Norris will be officially confirmed as world champions at the gala of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and will receive the World Championship trophy.

Tennis idol announces retirement

Andrew Jackson
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Tennis idol announces retirement

Three Grand Slam titles, Olympic champion, Davis Cup champion: the man with the world’s most beautiful backhand is retiring.

His one-handed backhand is the most beautiful in the world, and he won three Grand Slam titles in the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era—now Stan Wawrinka has announced his retirement.

At the end of the coming season, the third-greatest figure in Swiss tennis after Roger Federer and Martina Hingis will retire at the age of 41.

Stan Wawrinka: “Time to write the final chapter”

“It’s time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player,” Wawrinka announced on social media, “2026 will be my last year on tour.”

Wawrinka made his professional debut in 2002. The highlights of his long career include victories at the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open, and the 2016 US Open, as well as Olympic gold in doubles in 2008 and victory in the Davis Cup in 2014, both alongside Federer. He won the last of his 16 titles in Geneva in 2017.

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