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GM football fans. It’s Thursday, Feb. 5 - Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr boycott is expected to continue, South America’s football governing body is making plans to invite MLS and Liga MX clubs to the Copa Libertadores, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
KEY RESULT
EFL Cup semi-final: Manchester City 3-1 Newcastle (Agg 5-1). Newcastle United have now lost each of their last 12 away games against Manchester City in all competitions, their outright longest run away to a single opponent in their history. Manchester City will face Arsenal in the EFL Cup final on March 22. Read the full match report here.
More results…
Coppa Italia: Inter Milan 2-1 Torino
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TOP TALKING POINTS
Ronaldo Boycott Continues
Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to maintain his stance and boycott a second-straight league game, having refused to play in Al Nassr’s 1-0 win over Al Riyadh on Monday. The Portuguese forward is on strike after not receiving a guarantee that the Saudi Arabian investment fund, PIF, will make changes to Al Nassr’s management. Ronaldo’s two-year contract, which will earn him around £492m ($671m), states that he is obliged to play unless he is injured.
According to sources, Al Nassr and PIF promised Ronaldo they’d make investments in the squad in the summer. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is reportedly frustrated that the promise has not been kept, and that title rivals Al Hilal were bolstered with the transfer of Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad — a move Ronaldo tried to block. While he has offers to leave the club now, with reports suggesting there’s interest from Europe and the United States, he does not want to do so, as it could hinder his preparations for the World Cup.
At the same time, senior Saudi football officials have said that they expect Ronaldo to end his strike and play against Al Ittihad on Friday. No reason was provided as to why they think that is the case.
President Greenlights Transfer
Turkish club Fenerbahce have thanked their country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for saving N’Golo Kante’s transfer from Saudi club Al Ittihad. Fenerbahce said the deal, which involved Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri moving in the opposite direction, could not initially go through due to administrative errors by the Saudi Arabian club.
According to reports from Turkey, President Erdogan saved the deal during a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, head of the Public Investment Fund that owns Al Ittihad, who intervened to mediate between the parties and help complete the deal. Before his intervention, the Saudi club was reportedly pressuring Kante to extend his contract and “delaying the move” to Fenerbahce in order to gain more time for further discussions.
Kante reportedly accused Al Ittihad of sabotaging the deal to prevent his departure. He was said to have informed the club that he would not join training sessions or participate in any matches until his contract expired.
Libertadores Expansion Plans
South America’s football governing body, Conmebol, is preparing to invite (paywall) MLS and Liga MX teams to compete in the Copa Libertadores starting in 2027. The plans include two spots per confederation, with one allocated through direct invitation and the other through sporting merit. The Copa Libertadores is the highest level of competition in South American club football.
This potential return would mark the end of a decade-long hiatus that began when Mexican clubs withdrew from the Copa Libertadores in late 2016. While Liga MX teams were highly competitive—reaching the finals on three occasions—their "guest" status often led to friction over unfair regulations, such as being barred from hosting final-leg matches or qualifying for the Club World Cup through the tournament. The scheduling difficulties ultimately led Liga MX clubs to leave the tournament.
However, the aim is to tap into the lucrative Mexican and U.S. markets to increase television revenue and sponsorship value, as well as to raise the tournament’s levels.
POLL
Do you ever think it’s right for a footballer to boycott a match over a dispute with their club?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> Inter fans have been banned from the team’s next three domestic away matches after a flare was thrown towards Cremonese goalkeeper Emil Audero (More)
> Endrick, who’s on loan from Real Madrid to Lyon, has scored five goals and assisted once in five games for the French club; watch his incredible goal from Lyon’s Coupe de France win on Tuesday (Watch)
> Everton Women have sacked head coach Brian Sorensen, with the club four points clear of the Women’s Super League’s relegation zone (More)
> The Irish FA has officially submitted its preliminary bid to host the 2029 Uefa Women’s Champions League Final in Dublin (More)
Americas
> Lionel Messi’s boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys have said they’re working on plans to bring the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner back (More)
> San Diego FC began their Concacaf Champions Cup campaign with a 4-1 victory in Leg 1 against Liga MX’s Puma UNAM (More); see upcoming fixtures (More)
> NWSL expansion team Denver Summit has sold 40,000 tickets to their 2026 home opener, nearing Bay FC’s league-record 40,091 set in 2025 (More)
Rest of the World
> Australia, South Korea and Kuwait have formally expressed interest in hosting the 2035 Asian Cup in addition to bidding for the 2031 tournament (More)
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ROUTERS’ VOICE
Yesterday’s Poll: Should countries be banned from football-related events because of what their leaders do?
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👍 Yes (71%)
🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅♂️ Nope (26%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (3%)
Your punditry takes:
👍 D.J: “Governments must be held accountable for their actions, which includes punitive measures such as being banned from international sports. They need to see that their actions won't be tolerated by the global community.”
👍 P.J: “Few forms of entertainment have the reach and impact that football does. Football is inherently political, particularly at the continental and global levels. And when moral atrocities are being committed, it is up to everyone to do whatever is in their power to bring attention to them, and focus the power of public pressure on their political leaders and elected officials.”
🙅♂️ R.T: “Let's leave politics out of sports! I watch sports, including football, to escape from all the political ‘noise’ going on around me. It is constant and relentless!”
✍️ P.D: “The World Cup is the pinnacle of a footballer's career, and it seems incredibly harsh to prevent a player from achieving that based solely on what the leader of his or her nation does. However, actions such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine are wholly unacceptable and extreme sanctions against the countries responsible must be taken. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer on this one.”
EXTRA TIME
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Inside Man City’s plan for life without Pep.
England’s World Cup jersey leaked.
Why time is up for the iconic San Siro.
John Terry accidentally films the Arsenal winner.
What makes Raul Jimenez so good at penalties?
How did the transfer window impact the Championship promotion race?
GAME FACE ON
Question: What do the following players have in common?
Jack Grealish. Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Arturo Vidal.
Scroll below for the answer.
Daily Wordle: Guess the football-related word, from player names to classic phrases, in six tries or fewer. Play it here.
When I scored, I celebrated by sliding. The guys said: ‘Don’t do that, you’re not in Europe anymore’. Both my knees are now completely wrecked.
Answer
They are Pep Guardiola’s most expensive signings at different clubs he’s managed.
