GM football fans. It’s Friday, Feb. 07 - UEFA consider scrapping extra time, the Premier League may crack down on celebrations, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

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FA Cup, Fourth Round: Manchester United vs. Leicester City, Friday 07, 20:00 / 15:00. United’s home form is the worst it’s been in 131 years but they’re unbeaten in 18 FA Cup ties at Old Trafford in regular time. Everton vs. Bournemouth, Saturday 08, 15:00 / 10:00. Everton have lost seven of their last nine meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions, though each of the Toffee's last six wins over the Cherries have come at Goodison Park. Brighton vs. Chelsea, Saturday 08, 20:00 / 15:00. Chelsea have progressed from 25 of their last 27 FA Cup fourth-round ties, while Brighton have lost each of their past four encounters with The Blues in all competitions. See the full list of FA Cup Fourth Round fixtures here.

Results…

UEFA is considering scrapping extra time from Champions League knockout rounds to reduce the number of minutes top players play. Instead, if the teams are level after 90 minutes, matches will go straight to penalties.

A rule change is unlikely midway through Uefa’s television rights cycle, which runs until 2027. However, UEFA has shown a willingness to remove extra time, as evidenced by its decision to eliminate it from the Super Cup starting in 2023.

Calls to reduce player workload have been increasing—and a recent report found that 54% of 1,500 monitored players faced excessive or high workload demands, with some receiving less than one full day off per week. But the impact of scrapping extra time has been called into question, considering that last season only three ties from the round 16 onwards went into extra time. No matches required an additional period in the 2022-23 tournament.

The Premier League is considering imposing punishments on players if their goal celebrations are deemed to damage the reputation of the game or provoke opposition fans or players. This comes after some players received criticism for mocking opponents, including Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye flapping his arms like a seagull after scoring against Brighton.

Premier League Chief Football Officer Tony Scholes acknowledged that while some celebrations “have been very funny,” there is “a line, and once it crosses over into mockery or criticism,” the league should intervene. See the biggest ‘wind-up’ celebrations in Premier League history here.

In other competitions, it’s more common for players to receive disciplinary action for politically charged celebrations. Turkey defender Merih Derimal received a two-game suspension at Euro 2024 for celebrating with a hand gesture associated with an ultranationalist group. Similarly, in the NFL, players who imitate the shooting of weapons when celebrating face heavy post-match fines.

Brazilian defender Marcelo has announced his retirement at age 36 in a video posted to social media. He is widely considered one of the best fullbacks in the game’s history, winning five Champions League trophies and six La Liga titles in a career that spanned 19 years.

Having spent 15 and a half seasons at Real Madrid, Marcelo left the Bernabeu as the most decorated player in the club’s 120-year history with 25 trophies–though Nacho, Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal have surpassed this achievement. When Marcelo was named club captain in 2021, he became the first non-Spaniard to be given the armband at the club in 117 years.

Marcelo returned to his boyhood club, Fluminense, in 2023 and spent two seasons at the club, making 68 appearances. He eventually left by mutual consent in November 2024 after a public falling out (see video) with manager Mano Menezes.

> Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has suffered an ACL injury, ruling him out for the rest of the season (More) | Fulham have resigned Willian just half a year after he left the club to join Olympiacos (More)

> La Liga clubs call for Real Madrid to be sanctioned for accusations and pressure on referees (More) | Spain's Supreme Court has acquitted the president of the country's football federation (RFEF), Rafael Louzan, against his conviction on charges of malfeasance (More)

> Borussia Dortmund have sacked technical director Sven Mislintat after 10 months in the role (More)

> Crawley Town have been accused of breaking the Modern Slavery Act by a former employee (More) | Mark Hughes has been appointed as Carlisle United manager (More)

> Celtic could reportedly receive ten times the cash from the Champions League this season than they’ll receive from Scottish broadcast rights (More)

> Neymar is given the Man of the Match award on his Santos return and then takes a dig at his former Al-Hilal coach, Jorge Jesus, who doubted Neymar’s form to play; Santos drew 1-1 with Botafogo (More)

> Lionel Messi’s son Thiago, 12, scored 11 goals in a single match for Inter Miami’s youth team (More)

> San Diego FC unveil their new Sharp HealthCare Performance Centre, the club’s new training facility (More)

> Colombian player union ACOLFUTPRO made official the agreement reached with the Colombian Football Federation that will improve working conditions for professional footballers in the country (More)

> Players’ Union FIFPro Africa has published a first pilot study mapping the workload of African players in men’s football (More)

> Brisbane Roar remain at the bottom of the A-League after a 1-1 draw to Wellington Phoenix (More)

Yesterday’s Poll: Do you think Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) can solve VAR's problems?

🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ 🦾 Absolutely... (38%)

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🙅 Nope... (56%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (6%)

Your punditry takes:

When Alvin Martin scored a hat-trick against three different goalkeepers.

Which Premier League clubs will qualify for the 2025-26 Champions League?

The worst net spending club in the transfer market.

Remembering the Munich Air Disaster on its anniversary.

How do pundits prepare their analysis?

How Brian Clough ‘cured’ a mascot’s eczema. (via X)

New women’s Champions League ball released by Adidas.

Cristiano Ronaldo statue unveiled in Times Square to mark 40th birthday.

Watch Neymar’s debut for Santos.

Channing Tatum visits Wrexham’s dressing room. (video)

Question: Which manager handed Marcelo his Real Madrid debut in 2007?

Scroll below for the answer.

FA Cup, 4th Round

La Liga

Bundesliga

Serie A

Primeira Liga

*All time in UK. ET -5. CST -6. PST -8. MST -7. CET +1.

Answer:

Fabio Capello